Heartstrings/You've Fallen For Me

Heartstrings Synopsis: (from DramaWiki)
Lee Shin is a university student majoring in modern music. He is also the vocalist and guitarist of the band "The Stupid." Shin is known for his good looks and strong passion for music, but in reality he is cold, lacks interest in anything unrelated to music and has neither dreams nor plans for the future. He initially likes Jung Yoon Soo, a dance professor at university, but this all changes when he meets Lee Kyu Won.

Lee Kyu Won is a bright and outgoing student who was born into a prestigious family and is majoring in traditional Korean instruments, especially the gayageum. Kyu Won's grandfather, Lee Dong Gun, is one of the top 3 traditional musicians of his age and his biggest wish is to see his granddaughter become a traditional music prodigy. Trying to live up to her grandfather's expectations, Kyu Won immerses herself in training and becomes a university student who knows nothing outside of her studies. As her friends are fans of "The Stupid", she was forced to go to the band's concert with them. There she saw Lee Shin performing live, and is immediately captivated by him.

Cast:
Jung Yong Hwa as Lee Shin
Park Shin Hye as Lee Kyu Won
Song Chang Ui as Kim Suk Hyun
So Yi Hyun as Jung Yoon Soo
Woo Ri as Han Hye Joo
Kang Min Hyuk as Yeo Joon Hee
Lee Hyun Jin as Hyun Ki Young
Im Se Mi as Cha Bo Woon

My comments:
I found the first episode of Heartstrings (MBC, 15 episodes) bland and I stopped watching by the 20th minute of episode 2 and didn’t plan to continue. Since I didn’t have anything to watch instead, so I resumed watching this drama. By the end of episode 2, just like Kyu Won fell for Shin, I fell for this drama. Shippers of Jung Yong Hwa and Park Shin Hye in You’re Beautiful (not me) will be happy for their reunion in this drama and they matured a lot compared to almost 2 years ago.

The pacing of the drama is inconsistent as it can be at times long and boring but then things can move pretty fast. I find it hard to believe by how fast (less than one episode) Shin can move on and fall for Kyu Won after Yoon Soo’s rejection because he was really infatuated with her at first. The so-called love square (is there even one?) was bleh. It’s sure that Shin and Kyu Won would end up together because there is no way that they would end up with the professor and the director. Now that would be weird and creepy! The last episode was kinda unnecessary as it just dragged the story and I wonder how much the story changed because of Park Shin Hye’s accident.

Park Shin Hye and Jung Yong Hwa’s chemistry is more evident here. They make a cute bickering and sweet couple. Who would expect Shin to turn out to be such a caring, understanding and supportive boyfriend judging from his aloof and cold behavior from early episodes. The supporting characters are adorable, especially Kyu Won’s best friend, Bo Woon, who just has perfect timing in interrupting Shin and Kyu Won’s important moments. Even grandpa despite being harsh and critical over Kyu Won, but whenever he tells his very long and boring autobiography, it’s just priceless! Every scene with the The Stupid guys and The Windflowers girls is a delight to watch.

There is nothing to rave about the acting but everyone was serviceable and I give them credit for the singing and dancing segments. The OST is really nice to listen. So, overall a feel-good youth drama about young people achieving their dreams; but honestly less addictive than Dream High.

* Opening credit of the drama

Jung Yong Hwa and Park Shin Hye from You're Beautiful (2009) to Heartstrings (2011)

The fun of misheard lyrics

I notice from work that everyone seems to be tired and easily irritated (myself included) lately so I need something to LOL. These two videos never fail to make me ROFLMAO! It's funnier if you know the group members' name...



For the following one, even with the misheard lyrics, the 'story' makes sense...haha! Kudos and credits to the uploader!



Totally unrelated, but since I'm still in City Hunter withdrawal mode, this news made me giddy and happy for about 30 minutes and then there is this and this to burst the bubble...Okay, we'll see...

Hours later, this came out! Yay, it's official that they are dating! Okay, I really have no life...haha!

Fighting, dongsaengs! Wish you the best of luck!

I Need Romance

I Need Romance Synopsis: (from DramaWiki)
This bubbly, Sex and the City-esque drama tells the story of the love lives, careers, and families of a group of twenty-and-thirty-something friends. Jo Yeo Jung is In Young, an independent, lovable woman struggling to survive in modern-day society. In this endeavor, which she tackles with confidence and grace, she's helped by friends Seo Yeon (Choi Yeon Jin) and Hyun Joo (Choi Song-hyun).

Cast:
Jo Yeo Jung as Sun Woo In Young
Kim Jung Hoon as Kim Sung Soo
Choi Yeo Jin as Park Seo Yeon
Choi Song Hyun as Kang Hyun Joo
Choi Jin Hyuk as Bae Sung Hyun
Ha Yun Joo as Yoon Kang Hee


My comments:
I can see why I Need Romance (TVN, 16 episodes) is labeled as the Korean version of Sex and the City. The setup and the characters are more or less similar to Sex and the City, even the opening theme is similar. Since this is a cable drama, so expect a racier and edgier usual rom-com exploring relationships.. So here, we have a group of three friends consisting of In Young, Hyun Joo and Seo Yeon, all three thirty-something career women having different experiences and approaches in love. Just imagine In Young as Carrie, Seo Yeon as a toned down Samantha and Hyun Joo as a balance between Miranda and Charlotte…

I absolutely enjoyed the friendship of the three ladies; they supported each other through rough times and they do crazy stuff together. However, watching this drama is a weird viewing experience in which but I didn’t really root anyone to end up with anyone. I didn’t especially like any of the characters although I felt for In Young when her shameless boyfriend Sung Soo cheated on her [again]. It’s dreadful to watch her from suspecting to confirming Sung Soo’s cheating. Sung Soo was pretty much a jerk for a major part of the drama. He wasn’t sincerely sorry for what he did and to make up to In Young, he can let her “cheat” also with two guys so that they can be even; therefore, they can be back together. WHAT?!

A lot of people are frustrated with who she chose at the end, although I’m not supportive of that ending, I can see why she made that decision. If you ask me, I’d rather she remains single like Seo Yeon. If Seo Yeon is still alone at the end, why not In Young as well? At first, I like how Hyun Joo and Duk Soo’s story started but why oh why did he have to slap her? She was being inconsiderate but that slap was just too much.

The acting was good all around. I’m happy to see Kim Jung Hoon improving and maturing as an actor and also for choosing to act such an unlikable character as his post-military project. The music used in this drama was nice and suited the mood of the drama.

City Hunter

City Hunter (SBS, 20 episodes), why didn’t you suck? Not only you didn’t suck but you left me now like a drug addict, desperately looking for a fix. And why did you have to make me see Lee Min Ho in a whole new light? Why make me gaga over an actor who is younger than my youngest cousin? Why? Why? Why?

City Hunter Synopsis: (from DramaWiki)
The story takes place in Seoul, 2011. Lee Yoon Sung is a talented MIT-graduate who works on the international communications team in the Blue House. He plans revenge on five politicians who caused his father's death with his surrogate father Lee Jin Pyo and eventually becomes a "City Hunter."

Cast:
Lee Min Ho as Lee Yoon Sung / John Lee
Park Min Young as Kim Na Na
Lee Joon Hyuk as Kim Young Joo
Kim Sang Joong as Lee Jin Pyo / Steve Lee
Kim Sang Ho as Bae Shik Joong / Bae Man Deok
Hwang Sun Hee as Jin Se Hee

My comments:
I just finished the epilogue of City Hunter 2 days ago and I’m still having a hard time to part with the drama. This drama was epic, period. The first episode already had me hooked and I so wanted to see how Jin Pyo and Yoon Sung will carry their revenge plan. There were some nice twists to the story although I found it a bit too coincidental how the characters were interconnected.

What I liked in this drama is that there was no messy love triangle. At first, I expected to see a love square between Yoon Sung, Na Na, Young Joo and Se Hee. I was so glad that they didn’t go there. Honestly, I loved the first haft more than the second half because I was a bit bothered by how much time they spent on Yoon Sung pushing Na Na away (it was noble, I know) but the epic ending (with 2 deaths of important characters) just killed me and blew me away. The ending apparently created a lot of dissatisfaction among fans. It wasn’t the most sweet sweet ending for the main couple but I thought it was fitting. From all the bloodshed, it was satisfying enough to see both are alive and will be there for each other. The ending left some unanswered questions such as what happened to President Choi years later, who was the one who released Chun Jae Man when he was at the prosecutor office, etc.

There are flaws in this drama. There are moments where you would go: “Really?” “How is that possible?” but I chose to close my eyes on this because it would take away the fun of watching the drama. Also, I know that Lee Min Ho is a handsome guy but putting him in reddish pink tight pants and leopard prints tops and pants is a big no-no for me.

Okay, time for Lee Min Ho gushing. There was a time when I tried to watch Boys Over Flowers but I gave up in episode 5 and I wrote this “Out of F4, only Kim Bum made an impression from what I saw”. I’m aware of his massive fan base but I just didn’t care back then. Okay, I understand now. Despite being with very good veteran actors in this drama, Lee Min Ho owned City Hunter. He was so good as the heroic, righteous, gentle, caring, kickass, wounded, lonely masked hero. When he was wearing the mask as the city hunter, check out his gaze.

I thought that everyone did great in this drama. Kim Sang Joong as the calculating dad with the mind on revenge beyond reasons is fascinating. I wanted him to succeed in his revenge plan but not in this twisted way. Seeing him can sometimes made me shiver. Park Min Young showed improvement but like in Sungkyunkwan Scandal, which I had a hard time buying her dressed as a guy; in City Hunter, I also had a hard time buying her as a bodyguard. I’m happy for Lee Joon Hyuk to have a meaty secondary role in here and his death will remain an unforgettable k-drama moment.

I don’t know when I’ll be able to see another well-made Korean drama like City Hunter. Meanwhile, I must find something (the earlier, the better) to pull me out of this addiction state…

After seeing the ending and then seeing them smiling brightly in this still, it's exceptionally heartbreaking...

* Opening credit of the drama

49 Days

49 Days Synopsis: (from DramaWiki)
A young woman named Ji Hyun was enjoying absolute bliss as she was about to be married with her fiancé, but her perfect life is shattered in a car accident that left her in a coma. She is given a second chance at life by a reaper, but it comes with a condition: she has to find three people outside of her family who would cry genuine tears for her. In order to do this, she borrows the body of Yi Kyung, a part-time employee at a convenience store.

Cast:
Lee Yo Won as Song Yi Kyung
Nam Gyu Ri as Shin Ji Hyun
Jo Hyun Jae as Han Kang
Bae Soo Bin as Kang Min Ho
Jung Il Woo as Scheduler/Song Yi Soo
Seo Ji Hye as Shin In Jung


My comments:
Watching 49 Days (SBS, 20 episodes) was an interesting experience because I wasn’t that invested in the story until the last 4 episodes. The last 2 episodes were pure sob fest and I swear that I have puffy eyes the next day. I was struggling during the first three episodes because I found Ji Hyun’s innocence or maybe Nam Gyu Ri’s performance annoying. If she spent more time moping about Min Ho and In Jung's betrayal, I would abandon the drama for sure. However, once Ji Hyun found out Min Ho and In Jung’s affair and got a hold of herself, the drama got better. I got annoyed at first by Ji Hyun to end up cheering for her during her journey, especially when she bravely faced her death with a smile.

What moved me the most was the bonding of Ji Hyun and Yi Kyung during the short 49 days. Both women saved each other’s lives in one way or another. Yi Kyung was the cause of Ji Hyun’s coma but eventually Yi Kyung was the one who helped Ji Hyun live again by letting her use her body. And through Ji Hyun, Yi Kyung found the purpose of life again by having friends and family. I didn’t see the twists of the last episode regarding Ji Hyun’s third tear and the relationship between Ji Hyun and Yi Kyung. I also liked that there are no evils in this drama. Despite Min Ho and In Jung’s greedy schemes, they did love Ji Hyun deep down.

Lee Yo Won was the one who shine in this drama. She did really good in portraying the zombie and lifeless Yi Kyung and the bubbly, cheerful Ji Hyun in Yi Kyung’s body. She had great chemistry with the three leading actors. The most surprising thing is that she made a believable (and heartbreaking) pair with Jung Il Woo who is 7 years her junior. The ending was bittersweet but satisfying because character wise, Han Kang and Yi Kyung can never be together no matter how much chemistry Jo Hyun Jae and Lee Yo Won shared. I'm glad that I watched this nice littel drama.

The Man From Nowhere

The Man From Nowhere Synopsis: (from AsianMediaWiki)
A heroin deal is set to occur at a nightclub. Undercover police are also in the nightclub waiting to make their move. A nightclub employee takes the heroin into the locker room. While the nightclub employee changes out of his uniform he is tazered from behind. Hyo-Jeong (Kim Hyo-Seo), a dancer at the nightclub, walks off with the heroin.

Cha Tae-Sik (Won Bin), known only as "ajusshi" in his neighborhood, runs a dilapidated pawn shop in a seedy part of town. He associates little with those around him except a young girl named So-Mi (Kim Se-Ron). So-Mi lives near Cha Tae-Sik's pawn shop and often comes over when her junkie mother Hyo-Jeong has men over. One day, So-Mi's mother Hyo-Jeong comes into the pawn shop. She pawns off to Cha Tae-Sik a bag with a camera, which he will hold until she pays him back. Cha Tae-Sik is unaware that in the bag is the heroin she stole from the nightclub.

In a few days vicious mafia men come looking for So-Mi's mother knowing she stole the drugs. In the process they break into Cha Tae-Sik's pawn shop and holds him up. He hears on a cellphone young So-Mi's screaming voice and then gives the gangsters the bag that was brought to him by So-Mi's mother. The gangsters leave the pawn shop, but before they leave they shoot one of their own men dead. The gangsters also drive off with So-Mi and her mother.

Cha Tae-Sik must now go after the dangerous mobsters who stole So-Mi. In the process, Cha Tae-Sik must also face off against the police and his own mysterious past...


My comments:
I didn’t see an action movie that was as good as The Man From Nowhere since maybe Taken. Both movies have similar plot/concept in which Taken was about a dad saving his daughter but for me, The Man From Nowhere had greater emotional impact about a lonely guy saving a little girl, his neighbor, his only friend.

Won Bin was pretty impressive as the Tae Shik, his connection with little So Mi, although subtle but was powerful. So Mi didn’t have a dad and Tae Shik lost his unborn child so they found comfort with each other. I’m actually surprised to see Kim Sung Oh in over-the-top evil mode in this movie. He was delightful as Secretary Kim in Secret Garden, creepy in Sign and an ordinary dude in the little that I saw in Midas. Overall great movie with nice fight scenes.

Happy Birthday to me!

OMG, I'm turning 29 today, one more year before hitting the big 3-0, embracing spinsterhood!!! Anyway, I can always daydream the following gentlemen offering cakes and flowers today...haha!

Jay Chou looking kinda unwilling...:p

Jo In Sung oppa!

Jang Geun Seok

Song Joong Ki

Kim Bum and flowers, how cute!

Jo Hyun Jae

Hyun Bin, see you in 2 years!

Rain

I'll be happy to get a rice cooker from Khalil Fong

All jokes aside, this above is my real birthday cake, which I devoured 3 days ago. It doesn't look appetizing from the pic but it was yummy!

* I spent half the day looking for the pics above just to prove how loser I am...Oh well, happy birthday to me and to Im Joo Hwan too, who is also turning 29 today and who just left yesterday to fulfill his military duties. Another one gone…