Whoever finds this, I love you! - Mac Davis

Review of Night After Night

I haven't been blogging for a while. I have been patiently waiting for Hyun Bin's latest show to come into Singapore. I have been refraining myself from watching it online. I must support Hyun Bin all the way.
I haven't been buying new shows anyway. Drought in my Kdrama life.
I have just watched the latest Kdrama in the market, "Night After Night" or "When It's at Night" or "Every Night".
Here's my review:

Story: 4.5/5
The story surrounds Korean national cultural and heritage pieces, the stolen, the protected and found. Kim Sun-Ah plays Heo Cho-hee, regulator of cultural treasures. She got herself into the job because of her father who was ironically a tomb-raider who had stolen those national treasures. In one of her assignments to Japan, she met Lee Dong-gun who plays Kim Beom-sang, ancient art expert on a mission to buy some national treasures. The whole show develops round the retrieval of the national treasures and how the relationship of the two developed. I like the plot as it has some suspense, romance and humour all in one. Of course the romance between Kim and Lee was convincing. I didn't think this pair would be able to go together. However, the show made it believable.


Kim Sun-Ah
Acting: 4.5/5
I love her acting in this show. She was convincing as a torn daughter of a tomb raider. She cried so easily in the show. Her acting was natural. She didn't need much lines to show her emotions. She is an actress. However, the director seemed to be caught in her Kim Sam Soon's shadow. At certain points, she was seen to replay her acts in My Lovely Samsoon in this particular new show. This is truly the part that I didn't like. Also, she has yet to shed her fats from the previous show which made me a little disappointed with her. However, the director's clever focus on her cleavages helped to ease the fact that she wasn't that slim.
I think the director was also careful in handling the relationship of Lee and Kim in this show. It was not overly mushy. Enough to make us feel that Lee truly loved Kim in this show. I will end here for Kim Sun-Ah because I can't wait to say what I want to say for Lee.

Lee Dong-gun
Acting: 4.7/5
Call me biased. I love Lee Dong-gun's acting in this show. He is the man that I want to be in love with. He started off as the world's biggest flirt in the show, from the disgusting patting of a co-host's butt to his pretentious nature. However, as the show progressed, he became the sweetest lover in the whole wide world. He was kind, protective and warm towards Kim's character in the show. His acting was natural and good. I can easily see him as his character in the show. He moved into his role with ease. I guess he was very much of this sort in My Little Bride, except for the flippant part of this new role.
I like his looks. He doesn't need a lot of make-up to look good. In fact, he didn't have those disgusting lipstick colours on his lips like some Korean actors. I could still see his dark rings, but who cared? He was still good looking here. However, I docked 0.3 from his score because I think he would soon need a botox treatment on his forehead. Other than that, acting, looks and charm wise, he is a perfect boyfriend. :)



Kim Jeong Hwa
Acting: 4/5
Kim Jeong Hwa plays Wang Joo-hyeon, a regulator of cultural treasures, in the show. I think the show will be boring without her. Her antics, her self-centredness, egoistic mindset made the show come alive. I would say her acting was a little exaggerated. However, I think her character called for such acting. She is pretty but at some point, she overdid her wide grin or smile. I think overall, she is a likable character in the show.



Lee Joo Hyeon
Acting: 3.5/5
Okay, I find him quite cute and handsome at times. However, his smiles were so stiff and unnatural. He plays Kang Si-wan, a cultural treasures delivery team leader. He is convincing in his role. I like the way he was always amused, stunned and tickled by Wang Joo Hyeon in the show. However, I didn't feel that his love for Kim Sun-Ah in the show was convincing. Hence, he deserves a 3.5 only.

Park Ki Woong
Acting: 3.5/5
Park acts as Heo Gyoon, Cho-hee's younger brother in the show. He was a little too act cute in the show. However, I could find reasons to forgive him in that. He really has a cute face and smiles. LOL! Biased again. I find that his acting was average. Perhaps he was still figuring things out. Whatever it is, he has great potential to go far as he has the looks.

Overall: 4/5
I think this show is worth watching. Perhaps it can be a little more explicit about Kim-Lee romance though there were a few kissing scenes. I am not a sucker for romance, but I really think it can be better. Watch it for the plot, watch it if you are Lee's fan or Kim's fan or simply watch it because it is a relatively well-done show. I think nothing will truly irritate anyone in this show. It is just another good Korean drama in the market.

Flowers for My Life

I finished watching Flowers for My Life about a week ago. However, I didn't feel like doing the review.
How do I like the show?
Well, I loved it initially.
Hana's (Kang Hye Jung) cold and money-mindedness made her interestingly attractive.
Yoon Ho-sang (Cha Tae Hyun) was cute.
Oh Nam-kyung (Gong Hyun Joo) was pretty. I love her smiles.
Go Eun-tak (Kim Ji Hoon) was cold and good-looking.
There was some humour and quite a lot of romance in this show.
However, it made the world's sufferings, life and death into something too beautiful for my liking.
In fact, the moment Ho-sang got to know his condition, the show started going slow and draggy. From Episode 12 onwards, I find the show really draggy. It was all talk about Ho-sang's coming death and about separation and memories to be treasured and so on.
Beautiful as it may seem, for those who don't like draggy show, I think this show is a no-no.
In fact, the last 2 episodes were just them talking and talking and talking, preparing and preparing and preparing for Ho-sang's upcoming death. I guess it is so that the impact of the end would be less overwhelming. I just watched as I did my work.
Thank goodness in between the 16 episodes there were other stories of other characters to make the show more enjoyable, such as Eun-tak's relationship with his biological father.

Will I recommend this show?
Watch it if you are Kang Hye Jung and Cha Tae Hyun's fan.
Watch it if you are a sucker for romance.
Watch it if you really love to reflect on life itself.

Since I am not giving a full and really a superb review to a relatively good show, here are links to the various positive responses to the show in contrast to mine.
http://www.dramabeans.com/category/k-drama/flowers-for-my-life/
http://hellohallyu.blogspot.com/2007/07/watched-final-episode-of-flowers-for-my.html

Review of Goodbye Solo

Seriously, I bought the show because I fell in love with Chun Jung Myung. I love his smiles, his eyes and his acting.
However, after the second episode, I couldn't stop. The suspense kept me going and I finished the show in 2 days.

I don't know if I could do a proper summary of the show. The reason being that the show has a high level of complexity in human relationships and there are too many characters.

Story/Plot: 5/5
The show started off in a confusing and complex manner in episode one. It was very tough telling how each character was related to one another.
Basically, in the story, each character presented has a hidden past. They became who they were because of their past. Throughout the show, their secrets were slowly revealed and the show showed how each of them learnt to walk out of their past and moved on.

It has a fantastic plot and the way each character's past was revealed was done with sufficient suspense that kept me going on and on. I walked in and out of my room in between the long hours of watching to get drinks and food, talking to myself, "Boy, what a good show!"
A brief summary (Boy, this is tough for Icysnowqueen for once):
Kim Min-ho (Chun Jung Myung) left his home after finding out that he was an illegitimate child. He came to live with an old woman (Na Moon-hee) who was mute and deaf.
This old woman played the role of old granny to many characters in the show. She had a past she would love to hide too. I won't touch on this. It would kill your joy watching the show.
Min-ho's best friend, Yoo Ji-ahn (Lee Han), lived with Min-ho's parents since high school. He lied about his past and his family. He made use of Min-ho. As time past, he grew to be attached to everyone around him. However, his sad family background stopped him from being genuine. Throughout the show, he struggled between the truth and his pretence. His girlfriend, Chung Soo-hee (Yoon So Yi) in the end fell for Min-ho and left him for Min-ho. This caused strain in their long-standing friendship.
In this show, there is another set of relationship. It was between a young girl, Min-ho's best buddy, Choi Mi-ri (Kim Min Hee), and a near-retirement gangster, Kang Ho-chul (Lee Jae Ryong). This relationship had its ups and downs. Through this relationship, the past of these two people unfolded.
Finally, another major character would be Oh Young Sook (Bae Jong-ok). She was deemed as crazy by her husband. Thrown out of the house, despised by her own children, she came into the lives of this group of people.
Trust me, if I tell you everything here, you won't enjoy the show. The beauty of the show is wanting to know the past of each character. The suspense will keep you going.

By episode 14, most of the past of all the characters would have been revealed. I find episode 15 and 16 rather predictable and a little draggy. However, for episode 2 to 14, it is still worth the time and money.

Casting:
I really have to say this. This show has a whole lot of good actors and actresses. Some of them have the looks and the acting skills. I am truly impressed.

Chun Jung Myung as Kim Min-ho
Acting: 5/5
You might think that I am biased because I have already liked him from Foxy Lady. However, if I compare Foxy Lady and Goodbye Solo, I think Goodbye Solo has stretched his acting skills even more. I was very surprised that he could cry with tears so easily.
In this show, he portrayed himself to be a carefree person who had deep pains and hurts. However, his selfless personality made him do many things for others. Even when he knew that his best friend was making use of him during high school days, he forgave him because of his family background.
When handling his relationship with granny, he managed to melt my heart with his warm smiles and loving eyes.
This show demanded a lot from him. He was expected to portray warmth, cheerfulness, playfulness, insecurity, anger, pains, hurts, maturity and understanding. I think this show basically stretched him to the fullest. No wonder in just year 2006, he had 2 shows to his name.
There were many scenes done by him that I love from this show . One of them was when he asked granny in if that was what she really wanted (won't tell you what happen). His eyes was filled with love and pain for granny. Aw! I cried when he finally gave the look of acceptance.

For his fans, I am so sorry, he would be away for 2 years as he has been enlisted by the military. Gosh, I would be waiting for his new show. I am sure directors would look for him because he can simply throw out good shows.

Yoon So Yi as Chung Soo-hee
Acting: 5/5
Yoon So Yi didn't have to try very hard for me to believe that she was the artistic Soo-hee. She has the looks and the poise. I love the way she looked at Min-ho with love. I love the way she cried when she was torn between Min-ho and Yoo Ji-ahn. I was very surprised that other than her looks, she could really act. I was won over by her smiles and her tears. It wasn't difficult to love her though she betrayed the love that Ji-ahn gave to her.
I think she deserves a 5/5 for her fantastic acting. It wasn't easy handling the emotions Soo-hee had to go through because of her mother. This girl did it well. I love the scene when she had to tell Ji-ahn that she could understand his plight but could never go back to him. Her pain was visible and her friendship for this torn friend was there. She made an impact.

Lee Han as Yoo Ji-ahn
Acting: 5/5
It was surprising that a mature looking man like him managed to pull of as a high-school boy without much change except the uniform. Obviously, he has a rather versatile face. In fact, after watching this show, I realise he could easily play the nerd or the crook.
What really impressed me was his ability to cry. For a guy, his tears come really easily. His eyes will turn red and beads of tear would drop. In this show, he played a really torn person. Torn because of his upbringing and beliefs. His inability to tell the truth and trust others caused him to lose much. It was painful to watch him make the wrong decisions again and again.
However, the story is such that the producers explore all facets of human nature. Hence, he is not a totally undersirable character. In fact, no one is in this show is. Everyone in this show has reasons and a past to explain themselves. Isn't that all of us?

Kim Min Hee as Choi Mi-ri
Acting: 5/5
I think not even one of the main characters will get anything less than 5. They did such a fantastic job in this show. I think the producers (Hwang In Hyeok and Ki Min So) must be really good. They managed to bring out the best potential of each actor/actress. Kim Min Hee played the character of Mi-ri superbly well. Mi-ri is someone who is smart, bold in love and actions. I was totally convinced by Kim Min Hee's acting.

In this show, Mi-ri was cohabiting with a middle-aged gangster, Kang Ho-chul. Mi-ri tried really hard to get Ho-chul to commit more to the relationship. In the process, she went through a lot of pain and hurts.
Her acting is really good. She could act-cute without making all my hair stand. She could cry and make me cry with her. Her cool appearance could convince me that she was the strong-headed Mi-ri. Her gentleness towards Ho-chul made me love her even more. I simply like her.

Lee Jae Ryong as Kang Ho-chul
Acting: 5/5
He wasn't very convincing as a fighter in the show. However, who is expecting a middle-aged gangster who is near retirement to anyway? He managed to win my heart as a gentle but act-tough gangster. He struggled constantly with guilt and low self-esteem. Ho-chul kept thinking that he didn't deserve to have happiness with anyone.
Ho-chul couldn't bring his pride down to the woman he loved. He has too much in the past. Lee Jae Ryong portrayed that well. He acted well enough not to appear disgusting when he was with Mi-ri. Afterall, it was very obvious that Mi-ri was a little too young for him. He managed to show enough gentleness towards Mi-ri that I accepted that he loved her.
In fact, both of them did a good job. As in Foxy Lady, if such relationship is not well-acted out, it could be disgusting. However, this pair won the battle too.

Bae Jong Ok as Oh Young Sook
Acting: 5/5
In this show, Young Sook was a rich but disturbed woman. She was initially snobbish. Her loneliness and disturbed past haunted her constantly.
Bae Jong Ok did a very good job here. She managed to show hints of her loneliness even when she acted snobbish. It was in the eyes and body language.

As we move on into the story, her character would become clearer in her troubled life. Bae Jong Ok managed to make the character pitiful yet strong. Seriously, I really think it takes quite a bit of acting to be able to act in this show. She has it.

Na Moon Hee as Mi-young (Granny)
Acting: 5/5
This show is a no-go without her. Granny was like a centre point for all the characters. Na Moon Hee did such a fantastic job that I was totally touched by her. She was so kind to everyone. She was Min-ho's support. She was like Young Sook's mother. Yet in her, there was a painful past.
I really can't fault her acting at all. In fact, I love all the scene of interaction between Min-ho and granny. I think the chemistry between Chun Jung Myung and her was just so strong that they could have got along very well off screen too.

Overall: 5/5
I am seriously recommending this show to anyone who wants good story. It has romance in it. However, don't expect too much humour. This show has enough suspense to keep you going. There are many characters, many sub-stories and really good acting. Please do not mistake this show as one that will make you cry non-stop. It will make you cry. It will also make you smile. It is just about human relationships and human nature. The producers added one story in the last few episode about envying others' lives. I think that's basically what the producers wanted to show. I shall not preach here. Find out for yourself.
It is a show that really impressed me with good storyline, superb acting and great thinking. It has a great deal of substance in it.

If I were to rank all the shows I have watched, this should be one of the top few amongst Snow Queen, Foxy Lady and Thank You.

What's up, icysnowqueen?

I have so far watched 3 K-dramas...
1. Oh Su-Jung Vs Karl
2. Two Outs in the Ninth Inning
3. Goodbye Solo
4. Foxy Lady

Now watching: Flowers for My Life

Of the 4, I have watched, I like Foxy Lady and Goodbye Solo best.

I will try to do Goodbye Solo's review soon.
I am pretty excited about this show because I didn't expect the show to be so good. In fact, I didn't expect all the actors and actresses to be so good.

I won't do a review of Oh Su-Jing Vs Karl because most people would have watched it.

If you intend to watch Two Outs in the Ninth Inning, I would suggest that you put it as the last few shows on your list.

Foxy Lady / What's Up, Fox?/ Fox, What Are You Doing?

Icysnowqueen is back. I wasn't that busy but I was busy struggling with life.
Recently, I found some motivation to continue with my Snow Palace blog.
Two simple reasons:
1. Hyun Bin is going to deliver a new show.
2. I fall in love with a new actor : Chun Jung Myung or Cheon Jeong Myeong while watching Foxy Lady.
I started watching Foxy Lady because it was known that Hyun Bin rejected this show which was specially drafted for him to go for Snow Queen.
I wanted to know why he rejected a show which turned out to be more popular than Snow Queen.
After watching the show, I feel that Hyun Bin did the right thing to reject the show. The character in the show doesn't suit his style.
After watching Snow Queen, anyone will know that Hyun Bin wants to become a professional actor, not a super star.
Foxy Lady will only fit him back to the My Name is Kim Sam Soon character which was already a combination his earlier acts in Ireland and Bodyguard.
Anyway, the lead actor in Foxy Lady, Cheon Jeong Myeong or Chun Jung Myung did it superbly well that I couldn't fit Hyun Bin into the same role.

Here's my review of the show:


This show has so many different titles: Foxy Lady/ What's Up, Fox?/ Fox, What Are You Doing?

Synopsis:

The show started with a sleazy but funny sex scene. Ko Byeong-hee, (Ko Hyun Jung) as a writer for a man's magazine, was trying to write a x-rated article. Afterwhich she tried to act sexy in front of the mirror and being caught red-handed by Dr Bae (Cho Yeon-woo) who was there to look for his friend, the owner of the company.
Well, it is obviously meant to be a comedy or so I thought. At the end of it, I saw it as a romantic comedy.
Ms Ko was 33 year-old and a virgin. Yet each day she had to write sleazy articles. Her boss thought of her an experienced player. Only Dr Bae saw that she wasn't. Her fake front was saw through by Dr Bae who later fell in love with her. They started dating. Well, all seemed well, but before Dr Bae and Ms Ko were together, Ms Ko did something that she wished it would be a secret forever.
It was this secret that brought the whole story to life. Ms Ko slept with Park Cheol-su (Chun Jung Myung) when she was very drunk.
Cheol-su was a 24 year-old man, the brother of her best friend. Cheol-su and Byeong-hee grew up together with a 9 year gap. She always regarded him as a little brother.
Why did they sleep together? She was drunk. Cheol-su was not. He allowed it. Why?
In the show, right from the start, Cheol-su was depicted as a free-spirited and cheeky man. It was easy to think that he was being a man when he had sex with Byeong-hee. However, that was far from the truth.
As the story unfolded through the episodes, it was clear that Cheol-su had always been in love with Byeong-hee. His outrageous determination and love for Byeong-hee finally got her to him.
With the 9 year gap, they had an uphill task convincing people that they could be together.
I shall leave the ending to you.

Plot: 5/5
I would highly recommend this show to anyone who likes romance and something light-hearted. I love the way the plot gradually reveals Cheol-su's long standing love for Byeong-hee. I love the way the whole story unfolds its theme. I love the way the whole script challenges the boundary of age in love. I love the way the producer put in other characters to make the story more interesting. I love the humour. I love the casting. It is one of the most enjoyable K-dramas I have watched.




Chun Jung Myung as Park Cheol-su
Acting: 5/5
Though I would think that Ko Byeong-hee, (Ko Hyun Jung) has a bigger share of the scene-shots and is the lead of the lead actors/actresses. However, I would really love to cover Chun Jung Myung first.
His acting is really superb in this show. He is able to portray the cheeky and free-spirited personality at the beginning of the show. All thanks to his million-watt smile. His smiles can be cheeky, sweet, goofy or warm. You name it, he can deliver it. The best part is that the same smile can become cold, helpless, cynical and mean. He delivers them all.
If you think his smile is his only assets, you will be so wrong. He will sweep you off the ground with his eyes. His eyes can talk. His eyes can tell you that he is sad, happy or excited. When he frowns, you will frown with him.
I have just finished his other work, "Goodbye Solo". I cried with him. I will do a review of that show soon and I don't have to explain why I picked that show.
In this show, he really did a fantastic job.
One could easily see his deep hurt when Byeong-hee said that she loved Dr Bae when he tried to stop her from meeting Dr Bae. That scene was one of my favourites. He didn't say a word, he didn't shed a tear but the pain was obvious on his face.
I would say he made the story of Byeong-hee leaving Dr Bae for him more believable. His portray of Cheol-su made the story alive, made Cheol-su alive.
I think this guy is an actor. He will not be a super star. He will go on acting and winning people over because of his acting.
Oh, I cannot leave out his very good figure, can I? Being a graduate with Physical Education degree, he can boast of his great body easily.
Watch the show for him. It is worth it.
Click on the below for more of him:
Chun Jung Myung / Cheon Jeong Myeong






Ko Hyun Jung as Ko Byeong-hee
Acting: 4/5
I am giving a 4 out of 5 for a few reasons. She could have gotten lower if not for her few strengths.
Let me just explain myself. There were a quite few scenes whereby she had to act sweetly in love, I thought she didn't do it every well.
If I compare her way of handling and Kim Sun-ah's way of handling a mature woman crazily in love, I must say that she fared quite badly.
In Sun-ah's acting, one would just feel that's the way mature women would be when they are in love, a little act-cute yet with some concerns.
Hyun Jung here made me a little uncomfortable because I thought she overdid the act-cute portion.
However, Hyun Jung has her convincing moments for this show. When she cried, I felt she really cried her hearts out. I like that. I like her acting whenever she confronts Cheol-su.
Her skin and complexion is very good for a mother of two and a 35 year-old when she filmed this show. She was already divorced then. Her complexion is really well-maintained. This makes her very convincing.
Perhaps it was the fact that she is heavily-laden in real life itself, she had no difficulty looking troubled and sad. However, acting as if she is madly in love was a little challenging for her I guess.
Overall, I still like her enough to give her a high rating.





Cho Yeon-woo as Bae Hee-myeong
Acting: 3/5
Is it the role or is it him? I do not know. There is something very superficial about his acting. It could be the role. Afterall Dr Bae is someone who doesn't display much emotions or is a very contained person.
His acting didn't leave much impression. However, he is a likeable character. He didn't make things difficult for Cheol-su and Byeong-hee to be together.
His wholesome look fits Dr Bae's image well. He has a nice smile but at times, I find his smiles so fake.
He may play an important role because without him, Byeong-hee's love for Cheol-su will not take so long to develop, but I really don't remember any dramatic parts involving him. Perhaps other characters took the limelight.





Kim Eun-joo as Ko Jun-hee
Acting: 5/5
I didn't have any difficulty believing her as Jun-hee in the show, an aspiring model, a young adult with a strong will and a mind of her own, a lady who is in love with a man who is 17 year her senior...
I find her acting very natural. She brings life to the character. Her chemistry with Son Hyun Joo who is her love interest in the show is superb.
I think Jun-hee and Park Byeong Gak's relationship (Son Hyun Joo) stole the show too.
By the end of the show, I want them to be together. I find them cute together. Imagine this, they are actually 20 years apart in real life. Yet after watching the show, I think it is possible for the two characters to be together and that they really love each other. That's how good their acting is.





Sun Hyun Joo/Son Hyun-Ju as Park Byeong-gak
Acting: 5/5
I never thought that I would ever think this uncle is cute. However, he has managed to convince me that he is cute in the show.
I like his natural acting totally. He makes his relationship with Jun-hee really believable. I think if this pair didn't act well, it would be rather disgusting. However, they won the battle.
I don't think this role was easy for an actor with a certain image attached to him. He managed the role so well that you would really believe that he is like that.

Overall: 5/5
I have watched this show 3 times. I still like it. I find the chemistry between actors and actresses great. The theme to challenge age in relationships is subtly done. The humour is there. The depth of feelings is there. Romance is there. I really think it is worth the money and time.
I only bring in 5 characters in the show. You may find some other interesting characters in the show.

Hyun Bin Videos...

I love this video because the pictures inside are just so nice.



I like this one because towards the end of the video, it shows the Hyun Bin's signature wave and say good-bye. Hahaha!

I thought it was over...

I thought I was over with Kim Jeong Hoon. I thought I would not go ga ga over him anymore. I thought I would be one the very rational fans who would just support his music and shows.

I have been doing that for the past months. I didn't post many pictures of him. I stopped watching his videos after videos. I stopped melting under his smiles.

Last night when I watched him on TV, Star Awards 2007, my mouth went agape and I actually gasped aloud, "Oh my, he is so handsome. So beautiful!"

My mother agreed. We gasped at how beautiful and sweet this man is. His smiles again melted my heart. I found myself falling in love with his beautiful smiles, sparkling eyes again... *FAINT!*

One Year Old!

On 12th December 2006, Snow Palace was born. It was started for Icysnowqueen to express her burning love for Hyun Bin after she watched Snow Queen and Kim Jeong Hoon.

Gradually, the blog has evolved into a place where Icysnowqueen talks about Korean dramas and OSTs. Icysnowqueen realises that she watches quite a bit of Korean dramas and loves their OSTs.

Yeah! Snow Palace will be one year old soon!

I know throughout this one year, I have many visitors. Most came through search engines and a few regular readers. Today, I have 48 visitors... Thank you. I really hope this blog has what you are looking for.

Cheers!

Thank You OST MV

English Translation of the OST
Thank you (Singer: Hun) Lyrics Translation by S. Ang / also credit http://kreah-craze.com/
You’re a fool. I truly thank you. You’re true to me and gave me everything
You’re an angel. You must be tired and find it hard to everlastingly believe in someone who is a nobody.
Strange, it’s like you’re devoid of tears. You smile for me in illness.
When I’m next to you, I cry tears of happiness.
Words are stuck in my throat. I truly love you.
My love for you, which I cannot express.
I can finally tell you I go on because of you.
Strange, it’s like you’re devoid of tears. You smile for me in illness.
When I’m next to you, I feel very happy.
Your smile shines on me.
A long time from now, when the world ends, remember, do not forget I’m always with you.
I cry tears of happiness.
Words are stuck in my throat.
I truly love you.
My love for you, which I cannot express I can finally tell you I go on because of you

2008 The Best Song of Korean TV Play - Part 3

I bought 2008 The Best Song of Korean TV Play - Part 3 for $8 at Music Junction. It was on clearance sale. My main aim of buying this is to get the song, Thank You from Thank You of course. I love that song as it is meaningful.

Seriously, there are so many Korean drama OSTs in this CD package. There are altogether 3 CDs with 63 songs. They are OSTs from Snow Queen, Coffee Prince, Thank You, Foxy Lady, Great Expectation, Goong S, My Girl, Stairway In Heaven, Princess Hour, What Star are You?, Kim Sam Soon, Full House, Jewel In Palace etc... The list goes on. It was a good buy. Afterall, it cost me only $8.

Cheap and good. That's how I can best describe it. :P

Alternatively, you can get it at Yahoo Auction for $10.

Review of Thank You

I have finished the show “Thank You”. No regrets watching the show. It has given me a lot of insights to how we should treat others. The theme that runs through the show is simply, “There’s nothing wrong with us. We are just different.” Peace reigns after watching the show.
Here’s my review:
Plot: 5/5
The story started with a haughty doctor, Mi Ki Seo (by Jang Hyuk), who didn’t care about anyone except his dying girlfriend, Cha Ji-min (by Choi Kang Hee). Before Ji-min died, she told Ki Seo to help her apologise to the family of a little girl who got Aids through a blood transfusion she administered as a doctor. That was how Ki Seo entered the world of Lee Young Shin (by Gong Hyo Jin) and Lee Bom (by Seo Shin Ae).
Young Shin, the mother of Lee Bom was a kind-hearted, helpful and good-natured person who tried to struggle to live on being unwedded mother and the granddaughter of Mr Lee (by Shin Goo) who had dementia. It was also Mr Lee who revealed to others that Lee Bom had Aids…
The story got entangled when Lee Bom’s father, Choi Suk Hyun (by Shin Sung Rok), came into the picture. This story shows a lot of human nature, its evils and goodness.

Jang Hyuk as Mi Ki Seo
Rating: 4.5/5
I simply love his manly looks. When he was haughty, he looked cool. When he was sad, he melted my heart. His acting is superb. He fitted the role very well. The chemistry between Lee Bom and him was fantastic.
However, I would love it if he didn’t smoke so much that he had a smoker’s mouth.
Gong Hyo Jin as Lee Young Shin
Rating: 4.5/5
She is a plain Jane. She reminds me of Tanya Chua, but a demure version. Her acting is good. I can’t fault her in any way. She fitted the role very well too. She was a little too plain even though the character called for such plain Jane.

Seo Shin Ae as Lee Bom
Rating: 5/5
The whole show is a no-go without her. She is the life and soul of this show. The little girl, her innocence, her smiles, her kindness, her faith, her warmth and cute little face… She simply stole my heart. Initially, I wondered why she was given such an important role when she didn’t have the typical beautiful child actress face. However, as I went on to the second episode, she was nothing but a darling. She made the whole show so captivating. She was crucial in killing the evils of her world. She was indispensable.

Shin Goo As Mr Lee
Rating: 5/5

His acting was so good that you would really think he had dementia. He acted well with Lee Bom, Young Shin and Ki Seo. The chemistry was great. He was very convincing in portraying the character.

Shin Sung Rok as Choi Suk Hyun
Rating: 3.5/5
I must say that I find him so pleasant that I like him. However, I seriously think he needs to learn how to act and cry. His acting wasn’t very convincing.

Overall:
5/5
I love this show. I love the message it tries to send. I love the OST. I love the way it is filmed. I love Seo Shin Ae. I love Mr Lee. I think it is worth watching. You won’t feel intense emotions but you will be touched. No dramatic ups and downs, but you will still sob, laugh and smile… Good show.

What's next?

I have watched Witch Amusement, Lovers and My Girl. I think the next shows would be Thank You (about a woman with a daughter infected with AIDs) and What's Up, Fox?.
I think I will go for Thank You first as the ratings and reviews are very good. I will save this show for December.

Hot Chili Paper November 07 Additional Pictures

I found the articles and some pictures in addition to the earlier pictures-filled post.

All taken from Hyun Bin Garden

More of Hyun Bin

I wonder when I would ever be sick of Hyun Bin. I guess the answer is clear. Never!

The KBS World Guide picture is taken from http://www.allkorea.jp/kwg/2007/11/kwg_preview1.html.


The other 3 pictures from KBS World Guide are found in Hyunbin-garden.


Too bad I can't understand Japanese. Good thing I can still see all the attention given to Hyun Bin.

Lovers Review

I have finished two Korean drama series these days. I am blessed to be so free.

I have watched Lovers and My Girl. My Girl is a relatively old show. I never had the motivation to watch it as my impression of the lead actress was still at her work in My Little Bride. After watching My Girl, I have no regrets. However, I won't write a review on it as the show has been watched by many.

Back to Lovers:

Story: 4/5

Yoon Mi Joo (Kim Jung Eun) a plastic surgeon met Ha Kang Jae (Lee Seo Jin) a leader of gang organisation. Mi Joo is a poor plastic surgeon who struggles to support the children her pastor father has adopted. Ha Kang Jae is a cool but kind-hearted gangster. He doesn't know any other way of solving problems except using his fists.

Kang Jae has a long-time girlfriend, Park Yu-Jin (Kim Kyu Ri). Things do not seem going well between them since the start of the story as Yu-Jin struggles with her pregnancy and fear that Kang Jae may not want the baby. After Kang Jae knows about the pregnancy, he takes responsibility. However, by then fate has made him fall in love with Mi Joo.

Mi Joo on the other hand is involved with Kang Sae Yeon (Jung Chan). Sae Yeon is the son of Kang Jae's boss. There is rivalry between Kang Jae and Sae Yeon when Sae Yeon's father seems to show more love to Kang Jae.

At the end of the story, you will find out why Sae Yeon's father seems to love Kang Jae more and how Mi Joo and Kang Jae come together and how kind Sae Yeon is.

The plot to put things together is fantastic and interesting. However, the mystery of Kang Jae, Sae Yeon and his father is revealed way too early, in episode 9 or 10. To make Mi Joo and Kang Jae's relationship seems more acceptable to the conservative Korean society, the script-writer settles for the easy way out, a miscarriage for Yu-Jin.

I find the show relatively draggy from Episode 11 to 17. I thought a 16 episode show is sufficient. Other than that, I really like the storyline and the plot. Most importantly, the romance is good.

Kim Jung Eun as Yoon Mi Joo

Acting: 4/5

I have always like her since Lovers of Paris. I love her smiles and eyes. In this show, somehow, all the actors and actresses look as if they will be better off with a botox treatment. Her skin looks tired. However, the sparkle in her eyes is still there.

I still like the way she can cry easily. She plays her character well. However, there were scenes in which I could not capture how she was really feeling. Was it fear, guilt, heartache or grief?

Her chemistry with Lee Seo Jin was fantastic. No wonder they become couple from reel-life to real-life.

Lee Seo Jin as Ha Kang Jae

Acting: 4.5/5

His face truly suits the character. To look young, he simply combs down his fringe. To look cool, he combs the fringe up. His dimples are his assets. When he started the show, he portrayed the cold-blooded gangster leader very well. As the show progressed, he softened and he did it well.

I like his smiles, though he hardly smiled in this show. His dimples make him so attractive. All in all, his acting saves his not so flattering looks in the show. He looks better with his fringe down. Go to Lee Seo Jin Official Website to see his pictures and you will see how great he can look.

Jung Chan as Kang Sae Yeon

Acting: 4.5/5

Well, I like his acting through and through. I would have rated him 5 if not for his desperate for botox skin and the distracting sparkle from his lower teeth. I think he needs to do something to his teeth. He is also way too fair.

Other than that, I love his portray of character. Started as a jealous son and boyfriend, he moved slowly to become one sensitive, righteous and kind man. He showed his anger, pains, jealousy and love clearly that I couldn't help but fall in love with and pity this character. He is a fantastic actor. He can be cool, angry and sad so easily. It is as if he is really Sae Yeon in real life.

To know more about this good actor: Jeong Chan (Jung Chan) Official Website

Kim Kyu Ri as Park Yu-Jin

Acting: 4/5

She played an important role in the show. She was the main person holding back Kang Jae. Her acting is good. However, it is the character that makes me give 4. I can't stand wishy washy women. In the show, it was Yu-Jin's character is one that is wishy washy. Kyu Ri looks good in the show. The part that set great impression on me was when she helped a man who wanted to buy bread for his pregnant wife. She did that scene very well. I could literally see the motherly instinct in her. Oh my, I was touched.

Overall, this is a show with great actors and actresses. I love their acting and the chemistry between Seo Jin and Joon Eun is great!

Hyun Bin, Hyun Bin all the way!

Saw this picture in PopSeoul. How can I resist? I hope one day Hyun Bin will cut an album. Then I can hear him wherever I go. Love ya, Hyun Bin!

I am Hyun Bin Crazy!

I declare that I am Hyun Bin crazy.

Found more pictures from Hyun Bin Bar @ Baidu.
Taken from Hot Chili Paper.

Hyun Bin On Japanese Magazine

Hyun Bin On Hot Chili Paper Nov 2007 and Plus+08 Special Edition. I see John Hoon (Kim Jeong Hoon's name on the cover of Plus+08 Special Edition too!)

Here's the picture:

Source: http://www.hcpmag.com/

Vote for Hyun Bin!

Which celeb do you want as your pet boy?
Vote for Hyun Bin! Hee!
http://www.luckypolls.com/index.php?act=08&id=6094

News on Hyun Bin

Hyun Bin attending M Movie Premiere: Next: Hyun Bin in Japan

Pictures taken from Hyun Bin - Binnie Talks

Hyun Bin's activities in Japan: K-Popped

I shan't repeat the news but will post the pictures here lest one day the owner should delete the article. The pictures of handsome Hyun Bin will be gone too. Orchid, hope you don't mind.

Anyway, pictures originally taken from Japan Official Fanclub.

Teddy's Take:
Hyun Bin looks so good with his short hair. Finally, Binnie is out of his Snow Queen image!

The Lovers

I am currently watching The Lovers. I find the show very captivating. In fact, I can lose sleep just to know what happens next.

No super pretty faces, but interesting plot. I never know how gangsters and plastic surgeons can be together. However, this show links them well. LOL!

I like the dialogue between Ha Kang Jae (acted by Lee Seo Jin) and Yoon Mi Joo (acted by Kim Jung Eun).

In this show, I find most of the actors/actresses in need of botox. However, their acting and the plot save the show. Lee Seo Jin and Kim Jung Eun looks good at certain angles.

I am off to watch the show again... 13 more episodes to go. If only I can stay at home to watch them!

New Pictures of Kim Jeong Hoon

I got them from Asianfanatics. They are obviously from http://www.lovejeonghoon.com/.

Love his eyes...

Review of Witch Amusement

Aka A Witch In Love or Yu Hee, The Witch
I have finished the show finally. It was not as captivating as many of the K-dramas I have watched because I already knew what ending would be.

The story: 3.5/5

Ma Yoo Hee/Yu Hee (acted by Han Ga In) started the show as a ruthless, tactless and cold advertising director. She was known as a witch to people around her. She tried painfully to get in love by going for match-making sessions and failed to get love each time. Being a difficult person, she found herself unable to get a housekeeper too as all the agencies had blacklisted her.

Affinity brought Chae Moo Ryong (acted by Jae Hee) into her life as the housekeeper-love affair coach. Initially, Yoo Hee had her heart to her first love, Joon Ha (acted by Kim Jeong Hoon) and Moo Ryong already had a girlfriend, Sung Mi (acted by Jun Hye Bin). However, gradually, Moo Ryong and Yoo Hee fell in love. With difficulties such as Yoo Hee's stubborn and ruthless father, Joon Ha and Sung Mi, they had to work through 5 episodes to be together.

I shall save the details to you. Ending? You should know. I do not find the storyline fantastic. The father's weird way of manipulating things to get her daughter to be with Joon Ha was a little unbelievable. The father kept insisting that he didn't like Joon Ha but would help to keep them together because they love each other. However, even when Yoo Hee expressed her liking for Moo Ryong, the father still insisted on that. Weird... At the end, he even got Joon Ha to fake injury to keep Yoo Hee by Joon Ha's side. Weird... Weird...

Now, I shall evaluate each actor/actress in the show.

Han Ga In as Ma Yoo Hee

Rating: 4/5

Her bambi eyes are her attraction and perhaps in my view disadvantage. Her bambi eyes were able to portray her cold and ruthless character at the beginning of the show. Her bambi eyes helped her portray the sweet and innocent lady in love. Her bambi eyes helped her steal all our hearts when she cried in the show. However, her bambi eyes made expressions of certain emotions a little difficult. At times, I was left baffled if she was angry, upset, shocked or hurt.

Other than that, I like her face and when she smiles. When she cried in the show, I felt my heart wrenching with her. I guess her face was enough to hold the show together. She was able to show her love for Joon Ha clearly and her gradual move towards Moo Ryong clearly. I did not have difficulty in believing her change of heart.

Jae Hee as Chae Moo Ryong

Rating: 3.5/5

A few things about Jae Hee. He looks good when he gives a light smile. He looks super nerdy and far from handsome when he grins. Sadly, in this show, he had to play clown a little and that brought out his not so handsome side. I also wondered, as I watched, what hairstyle would suit him best. His hairdo was not at all flattering to his face. He looks better with longer hair. I have picked his super handsome picture here.

Other than these, I did not find his acting too good either. It was only towards the end that I saw him really in love with Yoo Hee. He was too comfy and loving with Sung Mi to make it believable that he had fallen for Yoo Hee. It took 2 full episodes for his emotions to show clearly. Was it the director's fault? I have no answer to this. I had this strong feeling that they tried to squeeze such emotions out of Moo Ryong. (Sorry to compare, I was able to see Tae Woong's love for Bora almost instantly when he realised that Bora was that little girl in Snow Queen).

Some plus points of Jae Hee though. I definitely liked him when he cried. He would have his eyelids turn red first and then his tears would flow naturally. I liked him when he smiled lightly. He was very charming whenever he did that in the show. If only he didn't grin so much in the show.

Dennis Oh as Johnny Kruger

Rating: 3/5

My sympathy to Dennis Oh in the show. Unlike Daniel Henney in My Lovely Samsoon, Dennis had to speak Korean almost throughout the show. I could see how he struggled with the language and hence, his acting was a little unnatural. He played the famous chef and the teacher of Moo Ryong. He was convincing in this role, except that he could not really get into his character as I presume half the time he had to remember his lines. I guess I don't have to say that he is good-looking.

Kim Jeong Hoon as Joon Ha

Rating: 4/5

The role was really small. Joon Ha started to appear more only from episode 9. Subsequently, his character began to show. Ruthless, practical and cold were the words to describe Joon Ha. He had no love for Yoo Hee at the beginning. It was a business deal. Kim Jeong Hoon made this really clear. He spoke little but through his eyes he showed it. I am not bias. I know I am his fan but I really could understand Joon Ha through Kim Jeong Hoon's eyes. At the end, before he got into the car accident, he also made it clear that he had changed his heart. He took Yoo Hee's words to heart. He got distracted. Kim Jeong Hoon did all these with his eyes. No words from him. Just the eyes.

The only scene he did really badly that I would rate 1/5 was the part that he reacted when he saw the car coming towards him. I wonder why the director even did that shot. Hahaha! It became hilarious.

Overall, he is an actor for sure. An actor who did not need lines to show his emotions.

Ahn Suk Hwan as Moo Ryong's Father

Rating: 5/5

What is the show like without Moo Ryong's father? He was so convincing as a father, an easy-going and understanding one. He was just the perfect person for such a role. I can't put his acting to words. He did it just perfectly.

Song Ok Sook as Moo Ryong's Mother

Rating: 4/5

She was basically good. Her acting was good. There was only one part I could not stand her. She was too seductive towards Yoo Hee's assistant. Furthermore, it was in front of her husband. I just didn't like that part. LOL!

Hwang Ji Hyun as Han Sae Ra

Rating: 4.5/5

Being Hyun Bin's ardent fan and knowing who she was, I was totally immersed in her and her acting. I thought she really looked bitchy and desperate as the character demanded her to be. It left me wondering if she was like that in real life. I could not stand her face, her voice and her actions in the show. She really acted well as she really fitted into the role perfectly. She looked old and desperate whenever she pestered Johnny in the show. It was painful to watch her. In my heart, I kept saying the same thing, "Hyun Bin has got bad taste." Pardon me, she really didn't look good. She looked like a hag. Was she successful in portraying the role? My answer is a definite yes.

Jun Hye Bin as Sung Mi

Rating: 4.5/5

Insignificant she might be in the show. However, her acting was really good. She was able to portray a woman trying to retain love, trying to evade hearing the truth, trying to get over perfectly. Without her, it would make the Moo Ryong's change of heart impossible. Without her, Moo Ryong would not be able to show us with his limited acting that he was going for Yoo Hee. I think she played a crucial role in this sense.

Overall, Teddy's take is watch the show to entertain. Don't think too deeply into the plot. Enjoy the romance, enjoy the small humor, love Moo Ryong's family, admire Yoo Hee's good looks... Just a show to entertain.

9.16 Birthday Party singing HyunBin

Back to Blogging

Love his side profile!

I am now back to blogging! Yes! By the way, I am watching Witch Amusement. A few more episodes to go. A few things I can say for now. Don't be conned into thinking that Kim Jeong Hoon has a big part in the show. He was literally a small fry from episode 1 to 9. He started appearing in more scenes after episode 9. His lines was almost less than 30 in the first 6 episodes. However, I like the way he "spoke" his thoughts with his eyes. He can really act. I will write a review after I finish the show.

Hyun Bin's News

I found K-Popped. They have 8 pieces of Hyun Bin's news.

A piece of good news. Those who are blindly following Hyun Bin and have been bearing with his long hair, good news for you. He has cut his hair! Yes! Good news for new. I have always prefer him with clean looks.

Hyun Bin in September when he celebrated his birthday with his fans. Long hair clipped up.

Short hair and slimmer in October. Oh, if only he starts shaving... Hee!

Source: K-Popped... Picture obviously taken from www.kjstar.co.kr

Hyun Bin In Top Ten Hallyu Stars!

Source: Asianbite

Who are the top 10 Korean stars? According to Korea Times, the top 10 Korean hallyu stars list consists of 4 Korean actors (Bae Yong-joon, Song Seung-heon, Kwon Sang-woo, Hyun Bin), 4 Korean actresses (Yun Eun-hye, Choi Ji-woo, Song Hye-kyo, Lee Young-ae), and 2 Korean singers (Rain, BoA).

To read how the results were obtained: Ichoson

Yeah! I am so happy that Hyun Bin was in the Korean Hally Star List! I am so proud of Hyun Bin Oppa!

[CF] Hyun Bin - Dimchae Pro

One more...

Hyun Bin Conus CF (Making)

I have decided to post Hyun Bin's CF and their making here.