6/28/08

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

6/15/08

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.

6/14/08

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.

6/13/08

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 sle
pt 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.