Soulmate

Hmmm...I finsihed Soulmate (MBC, 12 episodes) a few days ago and I've been thinking about it for some days...Yikes, a new addiction already?! :p

Soulmate Synopsis (from MBC Global)
The person you meet once in your lifetime that fate has brought to you!This person you call your soulmate. The year 2006, your soulmate is secretly creeping up on you…What if my other half is really living somewhere out there; will I be able to notice them? It is a question that can be asked by anyone who is in their marital age. A time when matchmaking agencies are flooded with people! Try re-identifying the true meaning of marriage and love while watching 6 couples live the same life that you’re living in.

We will show you everything you need to know in the love game! is a sitcom young adults and adults can enjoy. Members of all age groups can enjoy it, and benefit from its honest and ongoing talk about love. It gives its viewers some final answers to the “love game” questions and presents confusing issues in a way that everyone can understand. The drama will tell you everything you’ve always wanted to know, from spending a night with a guy you don’t like, to how to completely win over a guys heart; and much more!! It spills out all the secrets of the love game.

“It is easier to stir up a women’s hear than to drink wine.” Dong-wook, a playboy who no one can even dare to follow. “My boyfriend of 5 years!! He is definitely my soulmate!!” Soo-kyung, a girl who only looks at one man like a sunflower; a perfect, pure hearted character. Two people who have never seen each other, and who live on the opposite sides of the world from each other live and love in their own way, but from some point on they start to move towards the same dream and feel the same physiological feelings. Two people who have met by fate in a world full of mixed up fates. Now, the most amazing things, which no one could have ever thought of, start to unfold between the two.

Cast:

Shin Dong Wook as Dong Wook

Lee Soo Kyung as Soo Kyung

Choi Philip as Philip

Sa Gang as Yoo Jin

Otani Ryohei as Rye Hei
Jang Mi Ae as Min Ae
Jung Hwan as Jung Hwan
Kim Mi Jin as Mi Jin

My comments:
I think a lot of people are unaware that such drama/sitcom existed. It’s a pity that it’s so underrated because it’s a little gem of 2006. From the cast, I only know Shin Dong Wook and what attracted me to watch this was its title: Soulmate, despite sounding cheesy. It turns out to be a fresh, smart, witty and fun drama about people in their late 20s and early 30s and what they think about love. Usually in these types of drama, the story is only focused on one gender (such as My Name Is Kim Sam Soon, Dal Ja’s Spring, What’s Up Fox for women, Hyena for men) but in Soulmate, there is a good balance between both genders.

Watching this drama, I had goosebumps a few times because of how the concepts of fate and soulmate were conveyed. The main couple who are fated as soulmates keeps on passing by each other until like around episode 8. Being together is also not an easy task for them. A lot of people were disappointed by the ending but I think it’s good as it is. The fact that Dong Wook can hear Soo Kyung’s inner thoughts but not vice versa probably means it’s not the right timing for them yet. I would love to see the continuation of that so MBC, I want season 2 of Soulmate!

How can I not say anything about the OST of this drama; it’s simply wonderful! The song fit the mood and it made me discover music that I didn’t know...

The lovely pair

Witch Yoo Hee

Just finished Witch Yoo Hee (SBS, 16 episodes) now and I can't wait any longer to voice my disappointment about this drama!

Witch Yoo Hee Synopsis (from DramaWiki)

As the director of her father's advertising company, Ma Yoo Hee (Han Ga In) is known as a witch for her ruthless, no nonsense character. After a string of failed attempts to hire a housekeeper, she (literally) runs into Chae Moo Ryong (Jae Hee), ex-medical student turned aspiring chef. As a way to work off his debt for crashing into her car, he agrees to become her housekeeper and personal love affairs coach for one month. Gladly, he gives her a makeover that attracts both her old friend Johnny Kruger (Dennis Oh) and her first love Joon Ha (Kim Jeong Hoon). Despite having a girlfriend, Sung Mi (Jun Hye Bin), Moo Ryong eventually finds himself falling for Yoo Hee.

Cast:

Han Ga In as Ma Yoo Hee

Jae Hee as Lee Moo Ryong

Dennis Oh as Johnny Krueger

Kim Jung Hoon as Yoo Joon Ha

Jun Hye Bin as Nam Sung Mi

Nice wallpaper eh?

My comments:
With a cast like this, I expected something good but too bad that the eye candy cast cannot save this disappointing drama. I thought episode was bleh and I was wondering if I’ll be able to make it until the end. Since episode 2, it got slightly better and then it started to go downhill after episode 11 when it’s going all wishy washy. The main problem is that I didn’t feel for any of the characters, I didn’t laugh too much and cry with them at crucial moments. The idea of three guys liking Yoo Hee should be interesting but the way it played out is annoying and tiring. At the end, I just don’t care who Yoo Hee ends up with (although it’s obvious who she will likely end up with from usual k-norms). The sudden change of attitudes from the roadblocks’ of our main couple’s relationship is too unconvincing at the end…

Besides the story, I’m also disappointed with the performance of the cast. I think Jae Hee is acting the same as he did in Delightful Girl Choon Hyang, with similar expressions. Kim Jung Hoon is in his Yul mode (for me it’s annoying). Han Ga In as the witch is not witchy and mean enough. Jun Hye Bin is ineffective, bland and boring as the second female character.

After saying so many negative things about this drama, is there anything good at all? Errrr…yeah…the OST is not bad, Han Ga In’s wardrobe is worth a look and the dishes they displayed looked yummy…

* Opening credit of the drama

My Wife Is A Gangster 3

Yikes…after finishing Thank You a few days ago, I’m still not entirely over the drama yet therefore, I just can’t start a new one now…I did watch My Wife Is A Gangster 3 to kill time though.


Sypnosis from Yesasia:
Chinese-Korean Lim Aryong (Shu Qi) gets sent to South Korea to lay low by her triad leader father (Ti Lung) who is engaged in a bloody power struggle in Hong Kong. In Korea, Aryong meets kindhearted gangster Ki Chul (Lee Bum Soo) who, unaware of her identity, tries to protect her from the legions of thugs hunting her down. Little does he realize, Aryong is more than capable of defending herself.

My comments:
Hmmm...seeing Shu Qi, Ti Lung, Ken Lo and Sek Sau in a Korean movie is errr…interesting. The movie was entertaining enough; just don’t think too much while watching this. The biggest problem with this movie is how unconvincing Lee Bum Soo and Shu Qi’s characters can ever fall in love. The deliberate mistranslation tactics are funny at first but it became tiring later. I find it odd that Shu Qi speaks Cantonese a moment and switches to Mandarin later and then back and forth.

Current favorite songs

Is it me or there is no good songs lately in HK music industry? What's up with this trend of remakes of old songs in HK? Leon Lai, Leo Ku, Janice and Jill all do it...yawn!

Current favorite songs:

- 我懷念的 - Stefanie Sun => I've been listening it for a while and the sadness is still there. It's a good continuation of 我不難過.

- 面具 - Ivana Wong => It's a song that grows on me on every repeat. She sounds like Cass Pang in this song...

- Mi - Sammi Cheng => I might be biased because it's composed by Khalil but I like the beat and the lyrics. A lot of stars are mentioned in the lyrics and the bottom message here: "Everyone is unique"!

Happy Birthday to me!!!

Haha...I'm turning 25 today. The thought that I lived a quarter of a century is quite scary actually...Moreover, I'm having the same age now as Principal Tam (Alan Tam who claims he's 25 every year)!

Thank You

OMG, I finished Thank You (MBC, 16 episodes) in 4 days!

My little summary:
Min Gi Seo (Jang Hyuk), a hot-headed, arrogant city doctor learns from his dying doctor girlfriend that she accidentally caused a little girl, Lee Bom (Suh Shin Ae), to get AIDS from a blood transfusion. She wants to apologize to Bom and her family before she dies. Before she can do it, she died in his arms and asks him to apologize for her. Later, under certain circumstances, he resides at Bom’s house, living with Bom, her mother Lee Young Shin (Gong Hyo Jin) and her great-grandfather Mr.Lee in an island. Yong Shin is a single mother raising Bom (who has AIDS) and taking care of Mr.Lee (with dementia) at the same time. Gi Seo and Young Shin are at odds in the beginning and of course, love will develop later. Gi Seo, previously being a cold jerk slowly warms up because of that family.

Then, there is Choi Suk Hyun (Shin Sung Rok) who is in fact Bom’s father but he left the island 8 years ago to pursue his career and comes back with a fiancé now. He suspects that he’s Bom’s father but chooses to avoid the issues. Slowly, he wishes to be by Young Shin and Bom’s side more and more and is willing to give up everything for them. That makes him and Gi Seo rivals...

Cast:
Jang Hyuk as Min Gi Seo
Gong Hyo Jin as Lee Young Shin
Suh Shin Ae as Lee Bom
Shin Sung Rok as Choi Suk Hyun
Kim Sung Eun as Suh Eun Hee
Shin Goo as Mr. Lee


My comments:
I originally didn’t plan to watch this drama because by reading the summary, it’s already dramatic enough that easily scares me away…child with AIDS and grandpa with dementia = big tragedy. But this drama slowly accumulates praises and even wins the rating battle against The Devil and Witch Yoo Hee so, I gave it a shot. Once I started, I couldn’t stop! It’s really that good! It’s actually not as heavy, depressing and intense as I expected but it’s highly emotional; it’s heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I was so afraid that the ending will be disastrous but it was satisfying but if you think deeper, their road won’t be easy to walk. Thumbs up for the cast…no overacting here, they were so into their roles. Special mentions to Jang Hyuk who made a good comeback; looking better and more mature. :p I only complain about the surgery scenes in the early episodes…they were so over the top bloody and disturbing...

P.S. Now that I recall, Jang Hyuk and Gong Hyo Jin collaborated in Volcano High (2001) already!

* Opening credit of the drama

Be Strong, Geum Soon

Yup, after chasing it for almost a month, I finally completed all 163 episodes!

Be Strong Geum Soon Synopsis (from MBC Global)

This is a story of a young widow, Geum-Soon, who never becomes discouraged or blames other people - no matter what happens in her life. The viewers will get both hope and comfort by watching her do her best in everything she does.
It is also a story of a family who loves and takes care of each other. You can always turn to your family and their love gives you the hope to get through the tough times. Sometimes, they seem to make your life more difficult, but they will always stand up for you and love you whatever you do.

My comments:
At first, I was scared of the length but I was willing to give it a try because of positive feedbacks and I’m familiar with most of the cast. I’m glad I did because I think it was an uplifting, positive and encouraging drama about family and love. There are a lot of thing that I found very touching in every kind of relationship: Geum Soon and her in-laws, Geum Soon and Jae Hee, Geum Soon and her son, Geum Soon and her grandma and mother, and Jae Hee and his mom. True, it did drag a bit here and there, the conversations can be repetitive at times and the story can be manipulative as well. Overall, it was a very effective drama and I admit that I used a whole box of tissues for this drama.

The characters are very real and human; they are all flawed and imperfect. No one is evil here, some characters might be annoying but they have their reason and it's understandable when you're at their positions; therefore, you cannot really hate them. I’m very satisfied with the ending. If Geum Soon didn’t have a good ending after all the hardships she went through, I swear I’m going to kill someone (ha!)…


Pics from MBC

Ottoke?!

I planned to go to Toronto to watch Rain's concert on June 9 and I even bought the tickets. However, I just learned the devastating news that the concert is cancelled!!! Sigh...GRRRRR!!!

Still watching Be Strong, Geum Soon...

Yup, I'm still watching Be Strong, Geum Soon and I'm around episode 100 or so. That means I still have 60+ episodes to go. More dramas, more tensions and more tears to come...

Kang Ji Hwan is starting to grow on me...It's now that I realize he has a nice smile, I didn't notice it when I saw Fireworks (bad drama, avoid!) last year. Who knows, I might consider to watch 90 Days, Time To Love for him.

The supposingly good ending of the drama...