Shopping King Louis (16 Episodes)

((summary is taken from AsianWiki))

A romance takes place between Kang Ji-Sung (aka, Louis) and Go Bok-Shil. Louis is from a rich family, but he has lost his memory. Go Bok-Shil is a woman with a heart like an angel. Louis learns about true love after meeting Go Bok-Shil.

Watch or Download: HULU, VIKI

What's Up Fox? (16 Episodes)

EPISODE 01-16

((summary taken from dramawiki))

Single 33 year-old Go Byeong Hee works as a reporter for a sex magazine. She wants more romance and a more respectable life but isn't sure how to get it. 24-year-old Park Chul Su, mechanic and world traveler, is the younger brother of Byeong Hee's best friend. He's a free spirit and not concerned with what the world thinks.

One night the two old family friends get drunk and wake up in bed together. Go Byeong Hee wants to forget it ever happened, especially since a good marriage prospect has just made an appearance. Unfortunately for her Chul Su has other ideas....

Funny, quirky, and often unusually risque by Korean drama standards, What's Up Fox? is an enjoyable romp from start to finish. Don't miss out.

(From the writer of My Name is Kim Sam Soon).

Download: Jdramas at Livejournal , SilentRegrets
Watch Online: Aznv.TV , MySoju , DramaFever

Shining Inheritance (28 Episodes)

EPISODE 01-28

((summary taken from dramawiki, edited by me))

Brilliant Legacy / 인생은 아름다워 / Chanranhan Yusan

Go Eun Sung's life is similar to Cinderella's. After her father died, her step-mother took away all of her assets, and her Autistic younger brother, Eun Woo, suddenly disappears without a trace. Despite this, Eun Sung preservers and works really hard to fulfill her dreams. When the rich CEO of a food company suffers amnesia and can't remember who she is, Eun Sung takes her in and cares for her.

However, Eun Sung doesn't know that she's the grandmother of Sun Woo Hwan, a man she's constantly clashed with . . . or that Hwan is the man her step-sister loves. Will the two be able to put aside their bickering long enough to realize how they truly feel about one another? Or will they remain enemies till the very end?

(Shining Inheritance had an average rating of 30% during its run, and because of its success, was given a two episode extension. And Han Hyo Joo and Lee Seung Ki both received Hot Drama Star Awards at the 2009 MNET 20s Choice Awards.)

Download: Jdramas at Livejournal , SilentRegrets 
Watch Online: DramaFever , MySoju , DramaCrazy

Secret

((summary taken from AsianMediaWiki))
Lun (Jay Chou) lives with his father, Chiu (Anthony Wong), the music teacher of Tamkang Secondary School. Both of them are very good at music and piano. This is the first day Lun admitted to Tamkang Secondary School. When he walks through the campus with his classmates, a mysterious piano solo draws his attention. He follows the song and finds that an ethereal girl is playing piano in the old music room.

The piano girl is Yu (Guey Lun-Mei), one of Lun's classmates. She is always late for school and hence sits next to Lun at the back row. The two become intimate friends and spend a lot of time together. "What's the melody you played the first day we met?" asked Lun, "That's my secret." Yu whispered in his ear.

As the graduation day approaches, Yu decides to tell Lun her secret...

Prince Turns to Frog (30 Episodes)

(EPISODE 01-30)

((summary taken from azntv))

  Prince Who Turns To Frog / 王子變青蛙 / Wang Zi Bian Qing Wa

The fairy tale goes... After the princess kissed the frog, it turned into a handsome prince and they lived happily ever after...

Yeah...right.

When you visit a little town called Guan Mei, you may meet Ye Tian-Yu (Chen Qiao En). At first glance, she may seem as a shameless, money-grubbing, deceiving little schemer. And when you meet her family at their little grocery store called "Qian Lai Ye" (Money c'mon in), you will find the shameless, money-grubbing, deceiving little schemer trait runs in the family. But, please don't prejudge them. They are actually very kind-hearted townsfolk, as Shan Jun-Hao (Ming Dao) finds out when he gets involved in a mysterious car accident and loses his memory.

Okay, fine. The accident is not so accidental.

Shan Jun-Hao is a general manger of Senwell Hotel, in which his family owns 60% of the shares. His cold-hearted, cut-throat management style pisses quite a lot of people inside and outside of the hotel. So on the day of his engagement to his childhood friend, Fan Yun-Xi (Zhao Hong Qiao), he gets kidnapped. Not someone who takes it lying down, he fights for the control of the kidnapping car. The car crushes into a side railing and falls down a cliff. Luckily, he survives the crash and manages to climb back up onto the highway. Unfortunely, he is immediately hit by an oncoming car and knocked unconscious.

And, who hit him? A little hint: The guilty party takes him home, finds out his memory is lost (Hence, not remembering who he is, and most importantly, not remembering she hit him), and recruits him to work in her family grocery store.

Que Sera Sera (17 Episodes)

(EPISODE 01-17)

((summary taken from dramawiki))

Kang Tae Joo (Eric) is a player with charm and good looks who always dates rich women. One day, he finds a strange poor girl named Han Eun Soo (Jung Yoo Mi) sleeping in front of his door. Although he initially despises her, he eventually finds himself falling for her. Cha Hye Lin (Yoon Ji Hye) is the daughter of a rich shopping mall CEO. Her first love, Shin Joon Hyuk (Lee Kyu Han), dumps her at her father's request. Hye Lin buys herself a new boyfriend to make her ex jealous. That man is Kang Tae Joo, and during their contract relationship, Hye Lin begins to fall in love again. However, Tae Joo already has a girlfriend and he can't forget her as easily as he has forgotten all the women in his past. This drama is basically about the redemption of Kang Tae Joo from bastard to human.  

Coffee Prince (17 Episodes)

(EPISODE 01-17)

((summary taken from dramawiki))

The life of Go Eun Chan (Yoon Eun Hye) is not easy; she works many jobs to pay off debts and even gave up her feminine image. Choi Han Kyul (Gong Yoo) is the heir of a big food company, but his grandmother wants him to settle down, so she arranged many dates for him. After Eun Chan bumped into Han Kyul and was mistaken for a boy, Han Kyul decided to hire Eun Chan to be his gay lover in order to avoid the arranged dates. Desperately in need of money, Eun Chan had no choice but to accept. Han Kyul's grandmother also made Han Kyul in charge of a filthy coffee shop in danger of being bankrupt. Eun Chan begged to work at the coffee shop, and not long after, feelings start to spark, except, how would Han Kyul accept his "homosexuality"?  

Dal Ja's Spring (22 Episodes)

(EPISODE 01-22)

((summary taken from dramawiki))

‘Dalja’s Spring’ is the story of Dalja, a 33-year old single at a crossroad of whether to remain single or get married before she gets older. The drama aims to comically and candidly portray the reality and undying pursuit of romance of a thirty something single woman.

The love triangle of Dalja, Taebong and Gijoong brews conflicts over love versus marriage. Taebong, a hunk six years younger than Dalja, works as substitute dates and becomes Dalja’s fake boyfriend. Gijoong is the type who dreams of an ideal and rational courtship. The drama also highlights the life and work of women in their thirties through Dalja who is a talented managing director at a home shopping channel.

Miscellaneous Dramas #1

Since there are so many dramas I've watched/enjoyed over the years, I decided to do a small series of miscellaneous posts, where I list some of my favorites, along with its rating and an accompanying music video. My memory is admittedly horrible, so it would be too hard for me to go back and give individual, in-depth reviews for each of these series (though one or two of them I may eventually go back and rewatch.) Hopefully the mv's will showcase them better than my poor rambling ever could.

(Click on the drama title, to read a synopsis.)

My Lucky Star (Episode 01-20)

(EPISODE 01-20)

As far as most dramas go, this one took me awhile to get drawn into. Originally, I thought the plot was cliche and the over-exaggerated dub-job for the main character, kind of annoying. Actually, it wasn't until I skipped 10+ episodes to work on timing episode 13 for Sublimes, that I got truly "addicted" and had a My Lucky Star marathon. There's just something about seeing an angst-ridden Tian Qi torn between love and hate, that really did it for me. After their reunion scene, I just had to go back and watch the series from the very beginning--how else would I find out what tore this potentially loving couple apart, creating such anger and hostility in its place?

And wow, am I glad I did!

This drama had everything I love: humor, angst, romance.

Okay... so that sums up just about every drama, but still... ;)

For me, as always, the main draw was the romance... and Zhong Tian Q/Xia Zhi Xing, did not disappoint. I haven't cheered this hard for a couple in a LONG time!! I like how Tian Qi had a past, and that the first half of the drama was focused on him trying to move on from his ex, while unknowingly falling in love with Zhi Xing. Some of my favorite scenes were from the first half, when they finally get together and are so loving and obviously in love... it doesn't take long to see that their relationship is going to outshine his past romance in every way. Plus, Zhi Xing is such a likable character--even if she is an ex-con, you can tell she has a good heart, and always tries to put other people before herself. It's not hard to see why Tian Qi falls for her. I was cheering for her from the very beginning, and really wanted her to be happy. And watching Tian Qi forsake everything for the girl he loves was adorable (and beyond heartbreaking) when he lost her...

One of this dramas strongest points for me though, surprisingly enough, was its length. Despite the fact that this series was comprised of 20 episodes... for me, it didn't drag at all! This is VERY unusual. Almost every Taiwanese drama I watch, I find myself groaning in frustration, or yelling at the screen mid-way through, wishing for the story to wrap up. My Lucky Star, however, had me captivated from beginning to end. Its pacing was perfect, and never once did I feel like it was growing draggy or boring. Even after watching episode 20, I wanted more!

When I say "marathon", I really mean marathon: this series kept me up several nights, and had me glued to my computer screen. I couldn't seem to go to bed without knowing what would happen next!

The acting, I will admit, was a little over-the-top. But honestly, I haven't seen a Taiwanese drama that isn't! In fact, I'm starting to think that overacting may be a requirement! But still, I can't help but love the playfulness of it all... you can tell that the actors are having fun, and it really comes across while watching it.

The way Yoo Ha Na handled her role, in particular, was really impressive--especially since she is korean and doesn't speak much chinese--yet, she seemed so at ease in her role, I had trouble believing she wasn't even Taiwanese! It would be interesting to see her in something else, maybe something Korean, where she gets to use her own voice. Also, I thought she did exceptionally well with all the crying scenes she had... and trust me, she had a lot!

I'm probably one of the only people who will ever say this... but this was the first time I'd ever heard of Jimmy Lin. At first, I didn't get the big deal--sure, he was somewhat cute, and he's a decent actor--but so are a lot of other Taiwanese actors out there (some, who personally, I find a lot cuter). And although I agree the boy can sing--hearing him trying to sing Elton John's My Song was one of the funniest/most disturbing thing I've ever heard.

Of course, aside from his rendition of My Song, my other earlier impressions were short-lived...

I quickly fell in love with him, especially the way he brought Tian Qi to life: he went from a carefree, rebellious, rich boy, with no interest in his fathers business, to an angry, obsessed, workaholic who had no qualms against using his wealth and power to track down the ex who betrayed him. And he made the transition so well!

Oh, man, his eyes.

How can someone have so much control like that?! It was like watching two completely different characters fighting for dominance--the sweet, naive, Tian Qi of five years ago, against the bitter, angry, revenge-driven Tian Qi of the present--and oh geez, he was hot when he's angry!!

Overall, I loved this series! The length was perfect; the acting, entertaining; the story, intriguing; the race-scenes, exciting; and the romance, adorable.

Plus, I loved this couple.

Beware: it IS a very typical idol drama. But personally, that didn't bother me. I still thought it was much better than average, and seeing a drama dealing with jewelry rather than fashion was a refreshing change.

I would definitely give it a try if you're looking for something fun and entertaining to watch.

My Rating:

Lovely Complex (Movie)

I recently discovered an anime (based on a shojo manga) that I instantly fell in love with called Lovely Complex. But since the series is currently airing, and is only up to episode 11, I needed something to ease the torture while waiting for new episodes. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I learned there was a live action movie made recently!!

So, as soon as I got caught up with the anime, I watched it.

And wow. At first I thought it was terrible...they add lots of unnecessary original stuff... and rather than focusing on the relationship from both perspectives, we're given Risa's angle and little else. The main thing that kept me watching was the awesomeness of Teppei Koike who played the role of Otani: he had the character down perfectly and did an excellent job bringing the character to life!! ^_^

The girl playing Risa, however...

Err, well, she certainly looked the part, and she was very cute.

Her performance on the other hand...

To be honest, it kind of annoyed me. For one thing, the way they had her over-acting drove me crazy. I realize that's probably the way the director wanted it... especially since there were certain scenes where the other characters mimicked the same kind of gestures. But still, it was distracting, looked bad, and was really unnecessary. It was like, with every line she delivered, she'd shake like crazy, and make weird motions with her hands. And her movements were over-exaggerated and looked staged--part of the reason though, is probably because they had her wearing high heels for a majority of the film. Which, by itself, didn't make much sense to start with. I mean, she's supposed to be at least a little self-conscious about her height, especially when standing next to Otani... and yet they have her wearing high heels to make her look even taller!

I just thought that was funny. Especially since being tall and being a good actress should have been the only requirements for Risa's actress... and yet, the girl they chose, didn't have either.

Throughout the entire movie, I just couldn't picture her as Risa--not like I could picture Otani. But that's just my personal take. I've heard of a LOT of people who loved her. And to be fair, her accent is adorable.

But still... was she the ONLY semi-tall girl in Osaka with an accent, or something?!

Oh! And it was cool how they had Maity narrating... though I really wish they would have had him doing it in Japanese instead. His English really wasn't very good, and half the time, I couldn't understand what he was saying. If they really wanted to include an English speaking narrator, they should have at least chose someone who can speak it fluently. Why else include Japanese subtitles, when the language you're translating can't even be understood by native speakers?! Though I do like how they saved that "revelation" until the end. It was funny, on hindsight, that it was that crazy teacher speaking all along, lol.

I did NOT like that strange guy in the chair though--the one who kept popping up at random moments, to point out something really obvious or stupid. What was the purpose...?! Because it definitely wasn't funny.

And what was with Risa's sister?! That whole bit was annoying, disturbing, unnecessary, corny, and stupid. Instead of wasting time with made up story-lines and over-used jokes (their teacher's "wig" anyone?) they should have concentrated more on developing Risa and Otani's relationship. Or in the very least, developed Otani's side of the story a little more. We never got a good look into his head, so his revelations at the end practically came out of nowhere! I wish they had stuck more closely to the manga Maity-storyline instead. It wasn't quite as corny... and much more romantic.

Plus, the whole "height" issue which is the staple of the story, wasn't as powerful in the movie. She really wasn't that tall. In the anime, you can DEFINITELY see the difference between them in height--same goes for the manga--but in the movie, there really wasn't that much of a difference. Not enough to make such a big deal over anyway...

And (this is me, totally being nit-picky) but I really wish they would have had the kids wearing school uniforms like in the anime. Normally, I really wouldn't care, but the clothes they had the girls wearing (particularly Nobu, Risa's best friend) made them look like junior high delinquents pretending to be grown-ups--not high school students. It was so annoying! Plus, I didn't like how they tried to portray Nobu and Chiharu's relationships, into something dirty.

Prime examples: Chiharu blushing as she admits to her boyfriend that she's not wearing any panties underneath her kimono. And at the beginning of the movie, Risa's other friend, asking her bf to buy her something, and in exchange, she lets him do stuff to her body--

They sounded like lines out of really bad fanfics!

At least make it subtle!

Overall, it was a pretty average adaptation of a wonderfully, funny, cute, romantic story. They could have done so much better with the script and the casting though...

But again, Teppei Koike definitely held this movie together: in my mind he IS Otani. Of course, I'm in love with the japanese seiyuu for the anime too, so it could just be that I love his character period. Risa is one lucky imaginary girl, lol.

In the future, I have (and will) watch this again... simply because I have an unhealthy obsession with this couple, and need to see them in whichever form they happen to embody. If, however, you could care less about Lovely Complex (or most high-school oriented romantic comedies, for that matter) I'd suggest skipping this one all together. But for shoujo fans, you're sure to be entertained. Just ignore Risa's shaking, concentrate all your energy on Otani, and enjoy! ^_^

My Rating:

Hana Kimi (花樣少年少女)

!!!BEWARE: SPOILERS ABOUND!!!

EPISODE 01

Hana Kimi has always been one of my favorite manga's, so when I heard there was going to be a live-action drama of it, I was beyond ecstatic. My first impression? I thought the actors for Sano and Nakatsu were PERFECT: I'd seen them on other dramas, and had a fairly good idea of how they'd fit into their roles. I was convinced, however, that Ella was NEVER going to be able to pull off playing Mizuki. She looked too much like a guy, and wouldn't be able to look cute and girlish, which was part of Mizuki's appeal. All of this I predicted after looking at the promotional posters that had been released in anticipation of the series.

Then I saw the first episode.

I'll admit it: I was a judgmental idiot. Now, after seeing Ella perform, I just can't picture anyone else playing that role. Sure, she may look like a guy... but I would much rather have someone who can act, than some pretty girl who simply cuts her hair short, and calls herself male. And honestly, the more you watch it, the more feminine she becomes... even when she's dressed like a guy, there are times when it's VERY obvious that she's female. And I must say, I adore the variety of expressions she pulls off... they're so cute, even though some people call them over-exaggerated or annoying, I think they're great. It's just another part of her character...

And the interaction between her and Quan is perfect: the chemistry is definitely there.

I fell in love with this series within the first 3 minutes. They really managed to capture the humor of the manga, and place it into a realistic setting... and the characters, all of them, are SO entertaining to watch.

My only complaint is Doctor Umeda's hair. The guy playing him is great, but I just can't get over how hideous his hair looks!! And he's one of my favorite characters from the manga, so that really pains me...

Again, I really can't begin to tell you how much I adore this drama...

The balance of humor, romance, and... I give up. It's just too cute for words.

EPISODE 02

(Quan = Sano; Xiu Yi = Nakatsu; Rui Xi = Mizuki)

Geez, this series is awesome.

I love Jiro's portrayal of Nakatsu (Xiu Yi in Taiwan). He is just so hilarious, and I love the funny/horrified/confused expressions he makes whenever he touches Mizuki. The poor guy... he has no clue she's a girl, but he's falling for her anyway. He's just so sweet... I love when he's yearning to hold her, to comfort her, when he sees her crying, but is afraid to since they're both "guys". It's really hard not to love his character... though I'm still a hardcore Mizuki & Sano fan. ;)

Speaking of Sano... ^_^

Honestly, I didn't think much of Wu Zun in Tokyo Juliet, but in this drama, I think he really IS Sano. He's got the handsome, quiet, tortured-but-talented thing going on for him... and every time he takes off his shirt, my inner-fan girl squeals. **dreamy sigh** I love how every time he catches Rui Xi sneaking a peek, all he does is give a cute, secretive, little smile.

I'm so glad they made him aware that she's a girl... I love the protectiveness he shows for her, and how he's determined to keep her by his side, no matter what. I'm just in love with his character. ^_^

EPISODE 03

This is one of my favorite episodes, and not only because I helped time the first half. ;)

This is when their first kiss happens!! Sure, he's drunk, and can't really remember it, but they kiss!! Aww, so cute. I wish it wasn't quite so forceful though... I think I prefer how they did it in the manga: she just kind of found herself trapped against the wall, he leaned in, and before she knew it... BAM! Kissed!

It was still cute in the drama though. ;)

One of my favorite scenes is in the beginning, when the boys are telling Rui Xi about the importance of Valentines Day. "Valentines Day... chocolates..." (haha, I just love how she says it). In a little bubble above her head, Rui Xi imagines giving Quan some chocolate--they confess their love, they hug--then, seconds later, out of nowhere, he pulls away, only to loudly proclaim (to their surprise) that she's a guy! Looking completely horrified, she replies, "Oh right! I'm a guy."

Wow. I was laughing like crazy! hahaha. Poor Rui Xi...

My main complaint for this episode is the "fat" issue. I'm really not sure how I feel about this. Part of me admits that it makes sense, and it further justifies why she admires Quan so much--a legitimate reason, but one that never occurred in the manga. But another part of me is a little insulted by it. I mean, I know that America is sort of known for being unhealthy and having weight problems, but not ALL of us do, and living here doesn't necessarily mean you'll get fat. It's just a little insulting, I guess.

It's just like that annoying misconception that everyone from the west greets each other by kissing. I have NEVER kissed another person on the lips/cheek when introducing myself, and I'd really like to know where they got such a strange idea. Personally, I think it's Richard Dawson's fault... the old guy who used to host Family Feud... but that's just me. ;)

But again, both of these, I can overlook. It's just something that stood out to me since it never happened in the manga.

EPISODE 04-14

I really love Rui Xi and Quan together... they really do have excellent chemistry. And I like the the fact that there were legitimate reasons for not confessing their feelings right away... I mean, such a big secret is understandable, as is the desire to actually keep it a secret.

And they included my one of my favorite story-arcs: the beach resort. I loved the kiss scene, even though I wish Quan hadn't looked so surprised, and tried enjoying it instead. ;)

But really, Xiu Yi is hilarious. One of the funniest things to see, was him coming "out of the closet" and confessing to Rui Xi! I don't think I've laughed like that in a long time... and hearing him call Julia an American Witch...? Classic. ^_^

And much to my surprise, I loved the Julia character. Judging from the first episode, I didn't think I'd like her much... but as soon as she entered the picture I couldn't stop laughing. She just interacts so naturally with Rui Xi that it's easy to picture them being life-long friends. Also, it was one of the few times we could actually see Rui Xi acting like a real girl... even if she wasn't actively aware of it.

I was a little disappointed that they still included the evil teacher arc though. They could have given us a decent ending, if they hadn't wasted an entire episode to that stupid cheating storyline... and knowing what happens in the last episode, makes me hate that arc all the more!

EPISODE 15

I'm so angry right now. I have never been so disappointed in a final episode in all my life. Seriously. What the hell were the writers thinking?! They had a brilliant set-up for a full-blown confession, and yet somehow managed to ruin it! What kind of drama has that kind of build-up, and then ends with the characters not officially getting together?! No. What I'd really like to know is how it went from, "I better confess my feelings" to the ever popular, "I better fly back to the US without telling anyone... even if I don't have a good reason."

...WHAT the #*%#?

What kind of ending is that?!

One little kiss--is that too much to ask? Just once when neither of them are drunk, irrational, or asleep? They did it in the manga, you know--I wasn't just dreaming it.

There were more problems with the ending than that, but I'm too frustrated to go into it. Don't even get me started on Xiu Yi! I loved the twist (it's actually what I wanted to happen in the manga) but the way they handled it was HORRIBLE. It was rushed, and made no sense.

Please. Someone tell me there's a sequel. I really can't say I liked this drama if this is the way it's officially going to end. I am just so disappointed and angry right now. Only my love for Rui Xi and Quan (and of course the 14 other episodes) is keeping me from giving this only one star...

Update: Don't worry, I've calmed down now, lol. Still disappointed by the ending, but still madly in love with the series overall. Especially since I tried to watch the Japanese adaptation, and am one of the HanaKimi fans who wanted to claw their eyes out afterwards.

My Rating: