This is a hard post to write, possibly the hardest in the (somewhat sparse) history of BHCB and I don’t do so with a light heart.
The Empress and I (the Ambassador) will be taking an indefinite hiatus from BHCB.
We both have an insane summer ahead and a fall that will probably be at least as crazy as the summer or worse.
When we started the blog, three 20-something girls, we had big dreams and plans. We still have the dreams, but over the last year+, the plans have been kicked around and stomped on by life. At some point we would love to be able to come back and make this blog into the resource we envision.
It’s just not feasible right now. For that, we’re sorry, and we regret that we're forced to .
It’s a rather ‘open’ hiatus, in that if we randomly wind up writing a review or I find time to index more historical dramas, we will post those. But to all intents and purposes, we’re saying goodbye for an indefinite amount of time.
Unni Maknae and Milady hope to be back to run the blog this fall, but for the rest of the summer they will also be taking a break to focus on life and regrouping.
Thank you. Thanks to each and every one of you loyal readers who kept reading even though posts weren’t always regular. To those who commented, and those who didn’t, thank you.
Feel free to continue to read the reviews we do have and access the lists we did finish.
Happy drama watching to you and we hope to see you again!
Monday, June 26, 2017
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
WWW ~ June 2017
Welcome to the June 2017 edition of Who's Watching What!
As you will have seen last week, we've added a new contributor. Muahahaha. The three of us have had a hard enough time just keeping up with what little posting we have done lately, and while Unni Maknae will be home soon, the Empress and I will likely have even less time for the rest of this summer. We're all looking forward to having Milady on board.
With no further ado, check out the June dramas!
KOREAN
~ The Best Hit
Empress: From description...no...from glimpses I've seen on tumblr I'm tempted...from what else I've heard...I really don't think it'll interest me. But...Imighthaveaddedittomylistforsomeunknownreason. XD {<-- probable reason being Yoon Shi Yoon.}
Ambassador: Well, I was going to stay that although YSY and Lee Se Young (hilarious actress + great in Vampire Detective) make it tempting... probably not, at least not until after it’s done airing. Then I saw some trailers and read another synopsis and now it's a strong possibility.
Just sayin', watching Yoon Shi Yoon create scandals is going to be terrific.
Unni: -
Milady: Okay, while this sounds kind of interesting, it doesn't sound interesting enough.
~ Duel
Empress: Yes. Already on my list. I don't know WHEN I'll get to it...but I am very intrigued. {And Circle is killing it right now, so...Korean science fiction is going to make me happy for a while.}
Ambassador: YES. It looks FASCINATING. OCN usually has gritty but interesting thrillers.
Unni: -
Milady: Okay, this sounds like a cool storyline, but it's a thriller. Nope, not watching it.
~ Forest of Secrets
Empress: I'm a little bored with the lacks-emotion storyline...Dr. Frost I enjoyed, but...how many can you repeat...
Ambassador: Rather a typical k-storyline in many respects, it still sounds pretty interesting (and Lee Joon Hyuk plays second lead), though I doubt I’ll have time for it. It’s the kind of thing the Empress usually tries, though, so I’ll wait and see if she says it’s good.
Empress: *sees what the Ambassador said* LOLLL okay, the title did intrigue me a little bit. We'll see if it manages to snag me and then I'll see that it gets you, too. XD
Ambassador: Ever my delightfully evil drama angel. :D
Unni: -
Milady: Sorry, this one just sounds weird!
~ Woman of Dignity
Empress: Have you guys SEEN the posters for it? I have zero interest in the plot, but Kim Hee-Seon being scary and gorgeous intrigues me. It's probably a good thing I have no time for it. XD
Ambassador: From the synopsis, I seriously doubt it, though posters are making it super tempting. (Pfft, Empress, for Kim Hee-seon, you’d watch a lot, so you’re probably going to try it out at some point anyway.)
Unni: -
Milady: Nope.
CHINESE
~ Princess Agents
Empress: Wow....I am intrigued. The odds are not good at all, but I'm adding it to my list. XD
Ambassador: I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. YES, definitely, especially with Lin Geng Xin and this storyline. Definitely. Hu Bing also stars (Ice Fantasy's Fire King).
Unni: -
Milady: Whoa!! This is quite the story, but not really my cup of tea. Besides, I can just have the Ambassador tell me the story as she watches it.
Ambassador: I aim to please.
~ Late Night Restaurant/Midnight Diner
Empress: nawww....
Ambassador: Nooooope. Not my type.
Unni: -
Milady: Sounds cute, but probably not.
~ Blooming Flowers Shall Send Us on Our Way
Empress: I kinda like the title, and of course I ALWAYS POINT OUT THAT BASED ON A NOVEL INTERESTS ME, but...the rest does not intrigue me.
Ambassador: Nope, not my thing. I’ll leave it to Unni or Milady.
Unni: -
Milady: Now I might watch this one. I've yet to watch a Chinese drama.
~ Coffee Prince Lab
Empress: Naw.
Ambassador: China's version of Coffee Prince. Unni, you saw the Korean version, right? I haven't seen the Korean version yet, and probably won't watch this even after I do.
Unni: -
Milady: Ehhh, maybe.
~ Best Arrangement
Empress: ....nope.
Ambassador: How...sweet. Not my type though.
Unni: -
Milady: Nah.
~ Advisors Alliance
Empress: *WAILS BECAUSE TIME* I'm trying to not add more dramas. Why does no one understand this?? 50 episodes??
Ambassador: A 50 EPISODE DRAMA ON SIMA YI. SERIOUSLY??? YES, I’M WATCHING THIS. TOTALLY. THE MINUTE IT’S SUBBED. ALL THE PRETTY. BLOOD. POWER. POLITICS. CATFIGHTS. Gimme.
Unni: -
Milady: Uhhhhhhh....NO!!
~ Stairway to Stardom
[Orlando Bloom and Wang Ziwen will cameo.]
Empress: I'm going to find the Orlando Bloom cameo on youtube and call it good. XD
Ambassador: Not really my thing, but if the synopsis is correct and Orlando Bloom will be cameoing, then I'll find out what episode that is and watch it or part of it.
Unni: -
Milady: I see 'Orlando Bloom' and I say, YES PLEASE!!! I'll probably watch this.
~ My Ruby My Blood
Empress: a) so sick of poor girls with terrible families...can we have a poor girl where everybody is trying hard? and dump the loser boyfriend? b) A jewelry manager who discovers a talented designer actually makes sense, unlike a lot of these rich/poor dramas. c) I like the title, weirdly. d) Positives do not outweight the negatives in my case. XD
Ambassador: Nicky Wu sure makes this tempting, though as a rule I don't go for rom coms, Chinese even less than Korean or Japanese.
Unni: -
Milady: Jewelry, maybe.
~ Love ’til the End of Summer
Empress: That sounds so depressing.
Ambassador: Nooooope. Not my type.
Unni: -
Milady: I don't think so.
~ My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
Empress: That sounds like a total mess. XD No, thanks.
Ambassador: At first I thought it might be a Chinese drama version of the American movie (which was amusing). But this sounds like the latest retelling/adaptation of the manga ‘Absolute Boyfriend’. I have no plans to watch it.
Unni: -
Milady: I saw the title and immediately thought of the American movie. But I don't think I'll watch this.
~ Angelo
[Cversion of the kdrama Thank You from 2007, with Jang Hyuk and Gong Hyo Jin, also Shin Sung Rok.]
Empress: Gah. No. Marriage Contract was way plenty enough outside my usual, and sad enough to last me several more years. I'm not going to watch a similarly heartbreaking Chinese drama.
Ambassador: you want heartbreak? WATCH THIS. I’ll probably check it out for Liu Shi Shi at some point.
Unni: -
Milady: This sounds sad, but sweet. Maybe.
TAIWAN
~ Q Series: A Boy Named Flora A
Empress: Nope.
Ambassador: Nah, I don't watch the Q series.
Unni: -
Milady: Sounds boring.
THAI
~ Game Maya
Empress: ....I am intrigued....I will probably wait to hear about it from somebody else, but maybe. XD
Ambassador: Sounds pretty interesting, actually. I'll probably check it out if I ever get a spare minute. Ha.
Unni: -
Milady: At first I thought, nah, but then I re-read the synopsis. I might watch it.
RECAP: Our Top May Picks
Empress:
DUEL. Given how many May dramas I'm in the middle of, nobody else gets to be top picks XD
Ambassador:
Duel
Princess Agents
Advisors Alliance
Unni:
--------
Milady:
Blooming Flowers Shall Send Us on Our Way
Stairway to Stardom
Game Maya
What June dramas will YOU be watching?
As you will have seen last week, we've added a new contributor. Muahahaha. The three of us have had a hard enough time just keeping up with what little posting we have done lately, and while Unni Maknae will be home soon, the Empress and I will likely have even less time for the rest of this summer. We're all looking forward to having Milady on board.
With no further ado, check out the June dramas!
KOREAN
~ The Best Hit
Empress: From description...no...from glimpses I've seen on tumblr I'm tempted...from what else I've heard...I really don't think it'll interest me. But...Imighthaveaddedittomylistforsomeunknownreason. XD {<-- probable reason being Yoon Shi Yoon.}
Ambassador: Well, I was going to stay that although YSY and Lee Se Young (hilarious actress + great in Vampire Detective) make it tempting... probably not, at least not until after it’s done airing. Then I saw some trailers and read another synopsis and now it's a strong possibility.
Just sayin', watching Yoon Shi Yoon create scandals is going to be terrific.
Unni: -
Milady: Okay, while this sounds kind of interesting, it doesn't sound interesting enough.
~ Duel
Empress: Yes. Already on my list. I don't know WHEN I'll get to it...but I am very intrigued. {And Circle is killing it right now, so...Korean science fiction is going to make me happy for a while.}
Ambassador: YES. It looks FASCINATING. OCN usually has gritty but interesting thrillers.
Unni: -
Milady: Okay, this sounds like a cool storyline, but it's a thriller. Nope, not watching it.
~ Forest of Secrets
Empress: I'm a little bored with the lacks-emotion storyline...Dr. Frost I enjoyed, but...how many can you repeat...
Ambassador: Rather a typical k-storyline in many respects, it still sounds pretty interesting (and Lee Joon Hyuk plays second lead), though I doubt I’ll have time for it. It’s the kind of thing the Empress usually tries, though, so I’ll wait and see if she says it’s good.
Empress: *sees what the Ambassador said* LOLLL okay, the title did intrigue me a little bit. We'll see if it manages to snag me and then I'll see that it gets you, too. XD
Ambassador: Ever my delightfully evil drama angel. :D
Unni: -
Milady: Sorry, this one just sounds weird!
~ Woman of Dignity
Empress: Have you guys SEEN the posters for it? I have zero interest in the plot, but Kim Hee-Seon being scary and gorgeous intrigues me. It's probably a good thing I have no time for it. XD
Ambassador: From the synopsis, I seriously doubt it, though posters are making it super tempting. (Pfft, Empress, for Kim Hee-seon, you’d watch a lot, so you’re probably going to try it out at some point anyway.)
Unni: -
Milady: Nope.
CHINESE
~ Princess Agents
Empress: Wow....I am intrigued. The odds are not good at all, but I'm adding it to my list. XD
Ambassador: I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. YES, definitely, especially with Lin Geng Xin and this storyline. Definitely. Hu Bing also stars (Ice Fantasy's Fire King).
Unni: -
Milady: Whoa!! This is quite the story, but not really my cup of tea. Besides, I can just have the Ambassador tell me the story as she watches it.
Ambassador: I aim to please.
~ Late Night Restaurant/Midnight Diner
Empress: nawww....
Ambassador: Nooooope. Not my type.
Unni: -
Milady: Sounds cute, but probably not.
~ Blooming Flowers Shall Send Us on Our Way
Empress: I kinda like the title, and of course I ALWAYS POINT OUT THAT BASED ON A NOVEL INTERESTS ME, but...the rest does not intrigue me.
Ambassador: Nope, not my thing. I’ll leave it to Unni or Milady.
Unni: -
Milady: Now I might watch this one. I've yet to watch a Chinese drama.
~ Coffee Prince Lab
Empress: Naw.
Ambassador: China's version of Coffee Prince. Unni, you saw the Korean version, right? I haven't seen the Korean version yet, and probably won't watch this even after I do.
Unni: -
Milady: Ehhh, maybe.
~ Best Arrangement
Empress: ....nope.
Ambassador: How...sweet. Not my type though.
Unni: -
Milady: Nah.
~ Advisors Alliance
Empress: *WAILS BECAUSE TIME* I'm trying to not add more dramas. Why does no one understand this?? 50 episodes??
Ambassador: A 50 EPISODE DRAMA ON SIMA YI. SERIOUSLY??? YES, I’M WATCHING THIS. TOTALLY. THE MINUTE IT’S SUBBED. ALL THE PRETTY. BLOOD. POWER. POLITICS. CATFIGHTS. Gimme.
Unni: -
Milady: Uhhhhhhh....NO!!
~ Stairway to Stardom
[Orlando Bloom and Wang Ziwen will cameo.]
Empress: I'm going to find the Orlando Bloom cameo on youtube and call it good. XD
Ambassador: Not really my thing, but if the synopsis is correct and Orlando Bloom will be cameoing, then I'll find out what episode that is and watch it or part of it.
Unni: -
Milady: I see 'Orlando Bloom' and I say, YES PLEASE!!! I'll probably watch this.
~ My Ruby My Blood
Empress: a) so sick of poor girls with terrible families...can we have a poor girl where everybody is trying hard? and dump the loser boyfriend? b) A jewelry manager who discovers a talented designer actually makes sense, unlike a lot of these rich/poor dramas. c) I like the title, weirdly. d) Positives do not outweight the negatives in my case. XD
Ambassador: Nicky Wu sure makes this tempting, though as a rule I don't go for rom coms, Chinese even less than Korean or Japanese.
Unni: -
Milady: Jewelry, maybe.
~ Love ’til the End of Summer
Empress: That sounds so depressing.
Ambassador: Nooooope. Not my type.
Unni: -
Milady: I don't think so.
~ My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
Empress: That sounds like a total mess. XD No, thanks.
Ambassador: At first I thought it might be a Chinese drama version of the American movie (which was amusing). But this sounds like the latest retelling/adaptation of the manga ‘Absolute Boyfriend’. I have no plans to watch it.
Unni: -
Milady: I saw the title and immediately thought of the American movie. But I don't think I'll watch this.
~ Angelo
[Cversion of the kdrama Thank You from 2007, with Jang Hyuk and Gong Hyo Jin, also Shin Sung Rok.]
Empress: Gah. No. Marriage Contract was way plenty enough outside my usual, and sad enough to last me several more years. I'm not going to watch a similarly heartbreaking Chinese drama.
Ambassador: you want heartbreak? WATCH THIS. I’ll probably check it out for Liu Shi Shi at some point.
Unni: -
Milady: This sounds sad, but sweet. Maybe.
TAIWAN
~ Q Series: A Boy Named Flora A
Empress: Nope.
Ambassador: Nah, I don't watch the Q series.
Unni: -
Milady: Sounds boring.
THAI
~ Game Maya
Empress: ....I am intrigued....I will probably wait to hear about it from somebody else, but maybe. XD
Ambassador: Sounds pretty interesting, actually. I'll probably check it out if I ever get a spare minute. Ha.
Unni: -
Milady: At first I thought, nah, but then I re-read the synopsis. I might watch it.
RECAP: Our Top May Picks
Empress:
DUEL. Given how many May dramas I'm in the middle of, nobody else gets to be top picks XD
Ambassador:
Duel
Princess Agents
Advisors Alliance
Unni:
--------
Milady:
Blooming Flowers Shall Send Us on Our Way
Stairway to Stardom
Game Maya
What June dramas will YOU be watching?
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
My Black Hole to Another Galaxy
Before introducing myself, I would like to thank the founders of this Club for inviting me to join. It is a great honor and I hope I will be able to live up to it. Thank you.
I was exposed to Korean dramas long before I ever watched one. My older sister, the Ambassador, started watching them in 2013 and she was obsessed!!!! Like seriously obsessed!! She talked about them all the time, played the soundtracks and was finally able to convince Mum to watch them, I thought “okay, whatever”. I do remember at one point saying, “I’m never going to say that I won’t watch any” because I had said that about Les Miserables….and I watched that.
The summer of 2015, I was going through a rather rough time and one afternoon Mum and the Ambassador got to talking about the kdramas they had seen. They told me the basic outline of City Hunter, Healer, a few others and decided that I needed to watch kdrama. That weekend, we began watching You’re Beautiful. I loved it. It took me a while to remember the characters' names (and to actually be able to pronounce them), but it was so much fun. After we finished You’re Beautiful, we moved onto Boys Over Flowers. November came, and the Ambassador became too busy with NaNoWriMo to watch kdrama with us, so we wound up stopping in the middle of episode 7 and just stalled there for months…in fact, we still haven’t finished that drama, though I think we’re now on episode 11. The Ambassador and I spent New Year's Eve 2015 watching the Korean movie Pirates that was hilariously funny, but we didn't go back to watching dramas.
February of 2016 came and I really wanted more kdrama, I just didn’t want to watch BoF. However I did very much want to watch Healer. We watched it and I fell head over heels in love with kdramas! (Before, I had just liked them a lot.) I laughed, cried and cheered my way through it, glowering at Mum and the Ambassador when they would talk about spoilers in code, using puppy dog eyes (and promises of treats)- which didn’t always work- to see more episodes then we had planned to watch in a night. It immediately became my favorite drama. It is still my favorite (I’m listening to the soundtrack while I write this) and I think I’ve re-watched it at least twice...and particular parts way more times then that. From Healer we moved to City Hunter and that drama absolutely killed me, wrenched out my heart, trampled it, stabbed it, sliced it. It was so beautiful, but so heartbreaking.
While we watched that, the Ambassador was also watching Descendants of the Sun and giving the family weekly updates (generally at the supper table) and we decided that it was definitely next on the list. DotS became my one of my second favorite dramas (City Hunter is the other) and from there it kind of snowballed. I watched more dramas with Mum and the Ambassador, watched some by myself, watched them with just one or the other, but I’ve yet to find a drama I didn’t enjoy. Even though I think The K2 could have been a lot better and was very disappointing because I expected so much more, I still enjoyed it.
I was exposed to Korean dramas long before I ever watched one. My older sister, the Ambassador, started watching them in 2013 and she was obsessed!!!! Like seriously obsessed!! She talked about them all the time, played the soundtracks and was finally able to convince Mum to watch them, I thought “okay, whatever”. I do remember at one point saying, “I’m never going to say that I won’t watch any” because I had said that about Les Miserables….and I watched that.
The summer of 2015, I was going through a rather rough time and one afternoon Mum and the Ambassador got to talking about the kdramas they had seen. They told me the basic outline of City Hunter, Healer, a few others and decided that I needed to watch kdrama. That weekend, we began watching You’re Beautiful. I loved it. It took me a while to remember the characters' names (and to actually be able to pronounce them), but it was so much fun. After we finished You’re Beautiful, we moved onto Boys Over Flowers. November came, and the Ambassador became too busy with NaNoWriMo to watch kdrama with us, so we wound up stopping in the middle of episode 7 and just stalled there for months…in fact, we still haven’t finished that drama, though I think we’re now on episode 11. The Ambassador and I spent New Year's Eve 2015 watching the Korean movie Pirates that was hilariously funny, but we didn't go back to watching dramas.
February of 2016 came and I really wanted more kdrama, I just didn’t want to watch BoF. However I did very much want to watch Healer. We watched it and I fell head over heels in love with kdramas! (Before, I had just liked them a lot.) I laughed, cried and cheered my way through it, glowering at Mum and the Ambassador when they would talk about spoilers in code, using puppy dog eyes (and promises of treats)- which didn’t always work- to see more episodes then we had planned to watch in a night. It immediately became my favorite drama. It is still my favorite (I’m listening to the soundtrack while I write this) and I think I’ve re-watched it at least twice...and particular parts way more times then that. From Healer we moved to City Hunter and that drama absolutely killed me, wrenched out my heart, trampled it, stabbed it, sliced it. It was so beautiful, but so heartbreaking.
While we watched that, the Ambassador was also watching Descendants of the Sun and giving the family weekly updates (generally at the supper table) and we decided that it was definitely next on the list. DotS became my one of my second favorite dramas (City Hunter is the other) and from there it kind of snowballed. I watched more dramas with Mum and the Ambassador, watched some by myself, watched them with just one or the other, but I’ve yet to find a drama I didn’t enjoy. Even though I think The K2 could have been a lot better and was very disappointing because I expected so much more, I still enjoyed it.
Now I watch them whenever I can, tell my friends
to watch them (I’m quite proud of my gradually growing list of ‘casualties’ in
that department!) and listen to soundtracks a lot.
I found that kdramas feed me in a way that
American TV/movies don’t. They tend to have deeper plots and characters, even
the rom-coms, then most American drama. I still love lots of American TV
shows and movies, but now there are times when only kdrama will do!
It is a great pleasure to meet you all and I look forward to sharing my kdrama experiences with you.
It is a great pleasure to meet you all and I look forward to sharing my kdrama experiences with you.
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
WWW ~ May 2017
And I'm back with the May WWW, which includes several dramas I have been eagerly awaiting. I won't be able to keep up with all the ones I want to, but WATCH ME TRY ANYWAY.
Enjoy reading the detailed comments, or skip to the end where we have a tl;dr recap.
KOREAN:
~ Third Rate My Way/Fight for My Way
Empress: Not this time, sorry drama...too much else on my list.
Ambassador: Rom com, not my thing, and although Kim Ji Won rocked DOTS, she’s not enough to pull me into this one, especially not with the other dramas this month.
Unni: -
~ The Rose of Sharon Has Bloomed// Lovers in Bloom
Empress: I'm thinking no, even though I am intrigued by the idea of a female boxer-turned-police-officer...but daily dramas have so far not been my thing.
Ambassador: NO, I don't watch daily dramas.
Unni: -
~ Seven Day Queen
Empress: I am definitely trying this one. We'll see how much pain I can handle in the next month, but right now I want to see it. XD The posters/trailers look gorgeous.
Ambassador: YESSSSSS, Park Min Young in a sageuk again. I’ve been waiting YEARS for this. Plus Do Ji Won of Healer excellence. Set in 1500s Joseon and featuring kings: Jungjong and the awful king Yeonsan-gun who was a character in Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People (also featured in the movie the King and the Clown, which I watched but don’t recommend to anyone), as well as queens: Dangyeong (tragic story, with a father who rebelled against her husband, and she suffered greatly for it) and Jeonghyeon. IT’S GOING TO END IN SO MUCH PAIN AND HEARTBREAK. I CAN HARDLY WAIT.
Unni: -
~ Ruler: Master of the Mask
Empress: Hahahahaha YOU DON'T NEED TO EVEN ASK. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS DRAMA SINCE WARRIOR BAEK DONG SOO DESTROYED ME IN 2012. YOO SEUNG HO GOT THROUGH THE ARMY AND I GOT THROUGH GRADUATE SCHOOL. *ahem* Plus he's with Kim So Hyun, who is awesome, and L, who I haven't seen since Shut Up: Flower Boy Band, and hey, he was good in there.
Let's just say that if this drama is not epic WE WILL HAVE WORDS, DRAMA. WE WILL HAVE WORDS.
Ambassador: I’ve been closely following every bit of news on this since it was announced so HECK YES. Yoo Seung Ho has proven his skills in sageuks, especially playing swordsmen, and no one can debate how good he looks with a mane of glory, so YES. Plus, L and Kim So Hyun will make it a great drama. AND THE PLOT IS FANTASTIC. I can hardly WAIT. YSH plays the tragic figure of Crown Prince Sado and the drama also features King Yeongjo.
Unni: -
~ Bad Thief, Good Thief
Empress: Hee. Okay, sometimes I get sick of these shadow organizations that secretly control everything, but that does sound kind of fun. Not more fun than trying to catch up on something like Six Flying Dragons, though.
Ambassador: Tempting but noooo. Nope. Interesting title but I don’t have time for it. The screenwriter wrote Golden Rainbow, May Queen and the Iron Empress. Golden Rainbow was makjang, which does not inspire me with confidence for myself liking this drama.
Unni: -
~ Lookout
Empress: This does have a great combination of actors...I'm sticking it on my list somewhere between Whisper and Tunnel.
Ambassador: YESSSSSS. Kim Young Kwang, Lee Si Young, Kim Seul Gi and Key, as well as Shin Dong Wook (of Stars Falling From the Sky) finally returning to dramaland. It might not get watched until after my other top drama faves for May are done, but yes, it sounds great.
Unni: -
~ Suspicious Partner
Empress: I keep trying to say NO, and then I keep going JI CHANG WOOK. After watching 7 Kisses and cracking up terribly (and feeling ridiculously sorry for) over how upset he was to get the action role AGAIN, I'm definitely watching this just to see him being happy. (If he ends up more action than comedy I'll probably die laughing anyway...) Also, I tend to like the comedy/murder dramas ever since I Can Hear Your Voice. XD
Ambassador: YESSSSS. I’ve been waiting and waiting for JCW to get his wish and have a rom com and this one looks like it will be hilarious. And even if it’s not, I’ll at least watch part of it for him.
Unni: -
~ My Sassy Girl
Empress: Duh. Finally, Joo Won has another drama...one I will HOPEFULLY manage to get through...(I adored the beginning of Yong-pal and then bogged down in the middle section, where I am currently on hold...) I want to see him in Joseon drama, and I really hope they manage to make a sassy princess without messing with historical realities too much - I've read reviews of My Sassy Girl and never been too interested in it...but I'm definitely going to try watching this one. :)
Ambassador: Another one I’ve been eagerly following. A Joseon remake of the hugely popular 2001 movie My Sassy Girl. The four leads are solid actors, and it has an extended cast that includes sageuk veteran Jung Woong In. Also, this is Joo Won’s last project before military enlistment. *wails* I've been wanting to see him in a sageuk for forever and am delighted to finally get that wish.
Unni: -
~ Circle/ Circle: Two Connected Worlds
Empress: Kim Kang Woo and Yeo Jin Goo. ABSOLUTELY. We'll see how the sci-fi thing plays out, but this is one I've been waiting for.
Ambassador: Hailed as SK’s first sci-fi drama and starring such notables as Yeo Jin Goo and Kim Kang Woo. I’m REALLY looking forward to this.
Unni: -
~ Individualist Ms. Ji-Young
Empress: *tries not to yawn* I know it's short, but...so's my time.
Ambassador: Naaaaah.
Unni: -
CHINESE:
~ Ode to Joy, Season 2
Empress: I'm looking for apartment names, but beyond that have no interest in this. XD
Ambassador: Sequel to Ode to Joy. Didn’t watch the first, don’t plan to watch the second.
Unni: -
~ Undercover
Empress: I was all set to say "That's sweet" and then the middle of that paragraph hit me...it sounds dramatic and all, but not really my thing.
Ambassador: Hmmm naah, I don’t often go for straight up melodramas.
Unni: -
~ Game of Hunting
Empress: I like the whole making it through the hunting ground without losing moral principles...but realistically speaking, this isn't going to happen.
Ambassador: Hu Ge and Ice Fantasy's Fire King Hu Bing… yep, I’ll check it out at some time but not soon.
Unni: -
~ Legend of the Dragon Pearl: The Indistinguishable Road
Empress: Again, realistically speaking, not going to happen, but I might stick it on my list anyway...
Ambassador: YESSSSSSSS. Dramas about Kangxi are my FAVORITE.
Unni: -
TAIWANESE:
~ Love Timeless
Empress: Oh, man, if I got sent back 10 years right now, I would CRY. SO MUCH. This sounds like a horror story...XD Ah, no, I don't feel like watching this one...
Ambassador: Well, it's an interesting premise but I have no time for it nor enough curiosity.
Unni: -
CANTONESE:
~ My Unfair Lady
Empress: Thaaat...is...interesting....Frankie creeps me out, and this sounds kind of the opposite of what I would enjoy. Just sayin'.
Ambassador: *blinks* Well, aside from being curious what Taiwan-style flirting is opposed to Hong Kong style, nope.
Empress: *dies*
Unni: -
THAI:
~ The Cupids Series: Loob Korn Kammathep
Empress: That does semi cute, but HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT MY LIST LATELY?
Ambassador: Sounds amusing but nope. No TIME.
Unni: -
RECAP: Our Top May Picks
Empress:
Ruler: Master of the Mask
Circle - Circle: Two Connected Worlds
Suspicious Partner
My Sassy Girl
Seven Day Queen
Lookout
Ambassador:
Ruler: Master of the Mask
My Sassy Girl
Suspicious Partner
Seven Day Queen
Circle
Legend of the Dragon Pearl
What May dramas are going on YOUR list?
Enjoy reading the detailed comments, or skip to the end where we have a tl;dr recap.
KOREAN:
~ Third Rate My Way/Fight for My Way
Empress: Not this time, sorry drama...too much else on my list.
Ambassador: Rom com, not my thing, and although Kim Ji Won rocked DOTS, she’s not enough to pull me into this one, especially not with the other dramas this month.
Unni: -
~ The Rose of Sharon Has Bloomed// Lovers in Bloom
Empress: I'm thinking no, even though I am intrigued by the idea of a female boxer-turned-police-officer...but daily dramas have so far not been my thing.
Ambassador: NO, I don't watch daily dramas.
Unni: -
~ Seven Day Queen
Empress: I am definitely trying this one. We'll see how much pain I can handle in the next month, but right now I want to see it. XD The posters/trailers look gorgeous.
Ambassador: YESSSSSS, Park Min Young in a sageuk again. I’ve been waiting YEARS for this. Plus Do Ji Won of Healer excellence. Set in 1500s Joseon and featuring kings: Jungjong and the awful king Yeonsan-gun who was a character in Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People (also featured in the movie the King and the Clown, which I watched but don’t recommend to anyone), as well as queens: Dangyeong (tragic story, with a father who rebelled against her husband, and she suffered greatly for it) and Jeonghyeon. IT’S GOING TO END IN SO MUCH PAIN AND HEARTBREAK. I CAN HARDLY WAIT.
Unni: -
~ Ruler: Master of the Mask
Empress: Hahahahaha YOU DON'T NEED TO EVEN ASK. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS DRAMA SINCE WARRIOR BAEK DONG SOO DESTROYED ME IN 2012. YOO SEUNG HO GOT THROUGH THE ARMY AND I GOT THROUGH GRADUATE SCHOOL. *ahem* Plus he's with Kim So Hyun, who is awesome, and L, who I haven't seen since Shut Up: Flower Boy Band, and hey, he was good in there.
Let's just say that if this drama is not epic WE WILL HAVE WORDS, DRAMA. WE WILL HAVE WORDS.
Ambassador: I’ve been closely following every bit of news on this since it was announced so HECK YES. Yoo Seung Ho has proven his skills in sageuks, especially playing swordsmen, and no one can debate how good he looks with a mane of glory, so YES. Plus, L and Kim So Hyun will make it a great drama. AND THE PLOT IS FANTASTIC. I can hardly WAIT. YSH plays the tragic figure of Crown Prince Sado and the drama also features King Yeongjo.
Unni: -
~ Bad Thief, Good Thief
Empress: Hee. Okay, sometimes I get sick of these shadow organizations that secretly control everything, but that does sound kind of fun. Not more fun than trying to catch up on something like Six Flying Dragons, though.
Ambassador: Tempting but noooo. Nope. Interesting title but I don’t have time for it. The screenwriter wrote Golden Rainbow, May Queen and the Iron Empress. Golden Rainbow was makjang, which does not inspire me with confidence for myself liking this drama.
Unni: -
~ Lookout
Empress: This does have a great combination of actors...I'm sticking it on my list somewhere between Whisper and Tunnel.
Ambassador: YESSSSSS. Kim Young Kwang, Lee Si Young, Kim Seul Gi and Key, as well as Shin Dong Wook (of Stars Falling From the Sky) finally returning to dramaland. It might not get watched until after my other top drama faves for May are done, but yes, it sounds great.
Unni: -
~ Suspicious Partner
Empress: I keep trying to say NO, and then I keep going JI CHANG WOOK. After watching 7 Kisses and cracking up terribly (and feeling ridiculously sorry for) over how upset he was to get the action role AGAIN, I'm definitely watching this just to see him being happy. (If he ends up more action than comedy I'll probably die laughing anyway...) Also, I tend to like the comedy/murder dramas ever since I Can Hear Your Voice. XD
Ambassador: YESSSSS. I’ve been waiting and waiting for JCW to get his wish and have a rom com and this one looks like it will be hilarious. And even if it’s not, I’ll at least watch part of it for him.
Unni: -
~ My Sassy Girl
Empress: Duh. Finally, Joo Won has another drama...one I will HOPEFULLY manage to get through...(I adored the beginning of Yong-pal and then bogged down in the middle section, where I am currently on hold...) I want to see him in Joseon drama, and I really hope they manage to make a sassy princess without messing with historical realities too much - I've read reviews of My Sassy Girl and never been too interested in it...but I'm definitely going to try watching this one. :)
Ambassador: Another one I’ve been eagerly following. A Joseon remake of the hugely popular 2001 movie My Sassy Girl. The four leads are solid actors, and it has an extended cast that includes sageuk veteran Jung Woong In. Also, this is Joo Won’s last project before military enlistment. *wails* I've been wanting to see him in a sageuk for forever and am delighted to finally get that wish.
Unni: -
~ Circle/ Circle: Two Connected Worlds
Empress: Kim Kang Woo and Yeo Jin Goo. ABSOLUTELY. We'll see how the sci-fi thing plays out, but this is one I've been waiting for.
Ambassador: Hailed as SK’s first sci-fi drama and starring such notables as Yeo Jin Goo and Kim Kang Woo. I’m REALLY looking forward to this.
Unni: -
~ Individualist Ms. Ji-Young
Empress: *tries not to yawn* I know it's short, but...so's my time.
Ambassador: Naaaaah.
Unni: -
CHINESE:
~ Ode to Joy, Season 2
Empress: I'm looking for apartment names, but beyond that have no interest in this. XD
Ambassador: Sequel to Ode to Joy. Didn’t watch the first, don’t plan to watch the second.
Unni: -
~ Undercover
Empress: I was all set to say "That's sweet" and then the middle of that paragraph hit me...it sounds dramatic and all, but not really my thing.
Ambassador: Hmmm naah, I don’t often go for straight up melodramas.
Unni: -
~ Game of Hunting
Empress: I like the whole making it through the hunting ground without losing moral principles...but realistically speaking, this isn't going to happen.
Ambassador: Hu Ge and Ice Fantasy's Fire King Hu Bing… yep, I’ll check it out at some time but not soon.
Unni: -
~ Legend of the Dragon Pearl: The Indistinguishable Road
Empress: Again, realistically speaking, not going to happen, but I might stick it on my list anyway...
Ambassador: YESSSSSSSS. Dramas about Kangxi are my FAVORITE.
Unni: -
TAIWANESE:
~ Love Timeless
Empress: Oh, man, if I got sent back 10 years right now, I would CRY. SO MUCH. This sounds like a horror story...XD Ah, no, I don't feel like watching this one...
Ambassador: Well, it's an interesting premise but I have no time for it nor enough curiosity.
Unni: -
CANTONESE:
~ My Unfair Lady
Empress: Thaaat...is...interesting....Frankie creeps me out, and this sounds kind of the opposite of what I would enjoy. Just sayin'.
Ambassador: *blinks* Well, aside from being curious what Taiwan-style flirting is opposed to Hong Kong style, nope.
Empress: *dies*
Unni: -
THAI:
~ The Cupids Series: Loob Korn Kammathep
Empress: That does semi cute, but HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT MY LIST LATELY?
Ambassador: Sounds amusing but nope. No TIME.
Unni: -
RECAP: Our Top May Picks
Empress:
Ruler: Master of the Mask
Circle - Circle: Two Connected Worlds
Suspicious Partner
My Sassy Girl
Seven Day Queen
Lookout
Ambassador:
Ruler: Master of the Mask
My Sassy Girl
Suspicious Partner
Seven Day Queen
Circle
Legend of the Dragon Pearl
What May dramas are going on YOUR list?
Friday, May 19, 2017
WWW ~ April 2017
At this point I'm just going to say I really have no idea how soon posts are going to start being on time. All 3 of us are crazy busy right now. On the bright side, this summer we should at least have a bit more regularity in posting!
That said, here is April's WWW.
KOREAN
~ Chicago Typewriter
Empress: *grins* This definitely makes me curious. Of course I'll check it out.
Ambassador: YES, definitely, this looks like it will be HILARIOUS. Plus Yoo Ah In and Go Kyung Pyo- who does serious comedy well. TVN has had several good dramas lately and this writer also wrote Kill Me, Heal Me. Sign me up.
Unni: This sounds beyond awesome...also Yoo Ah In. I haven’t seen him in anything but S-Scandal but I want to see more!!!
~ Queen of Mystery
Empress: I would have said no...I don't think Kwon Sang Woo is enough to make me watch this...not even with His Total Adorableness Lee Won Geun...but then on a whim I started it with my sister {mostly because we couldn't get going on Man to Man}, and I am howling. It's got some off humor and some completely unrealistic moments, but it's also hilarious the rest of the time. I don't know where it's going...there's a lot of frank discussion about divorce, family, one's worth as a person, and where one keeps their dreams...but I'm intrigued enough to keep watching it for a while.
Ambassador: Hmmmmm, well, it could be super interesting, especially considering she's married. (Is this going to be another wannabe adultery drama????) I'll probably try it at some point.
Unni: -
~ Unni is Alive
Empress: ...I'm...not intrigued.
Ambassador: I have nothing against the plot itself- sounds interesting- but I would very likely be bored to tears in the first episode, and since it's a long, weekend drama I'd probably be bored to death pretty shortly. I'd like to stay alive so I won't be watching it.
Unni: -
~ My Secret Romance
Empress: That's a terrible synopsis, lol. But I /am/ interested in what Sung Hoon does with it...I'll see what the Ambassador and possibly the Unni think of it and go from there. :)
Ambassador: SUNG HOON IN A LEAD ROLE FOR A LONGER DRAMA, FINALLY. YEEEEES PLEEEEEASE. rom com or not, I'll watch it for him. I've been waiting for him to get some good lead roles.
Unni: -
~ Man to Man
Empress: Ohhhhh, yeah. Me + watching this = definitely happening.
Ambassador: I HAVE BEEN TRACKING THIS LIKE A HOUND DOG EVER SINCE IT WAS ANNOUNCED, GOBBLING UP STILLS AND EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION. I'M ABSOLUTELY WATCHING IT. PLOT + PARK HAE JIN, PARK SUNG WOONG AND YEON JUNG HOON ALL IN THE SAME DRAMA WITH CHUN HO JIN IN A MINOR ROLE AND SONG JOONG KI CAMEOING. YEEEES. PLEASE DRAMA, BE GOOD.
Unni: -
Webdramas:
~ The Boy Next Door
Empress: If my endless list of MUST WATCHES would quit strangling me I might consider it, but no.
Ambassador: Webdramas tend to highlight up and coming, SUPER NEW stars, or be brief money makers for established idols. There’s no one I really want to see in this one and the plot isn't interesting enough either.
Unni: -
~ Girls War
Empress: That does sound cute. And possibly interesting. But not interesting enough considering I haven't had time to finish W yet. !!!
Ambassador: Hmm, well, cute plot but no, I just don't have the time.
Unni: -
Ambassador: Empress, I'm going to sit on you until you finish Bad Guys and W.
CHINESE
~ The Glory of Tang Dynasty 2
Empress: Novel + love/great things for country...I like how that sounds. I'm still watching General and I, though, so...maybe someday....XD
Ambassador: Sequel to one that aired earlier this year. Jing Tian and Mao Zi Jun are in this. The synopsis is the same as the earlier drama, but hey, PALACE POLITICS. I’m a sucker for those dramas so yeah, I’m watching it.
Unni: -
~ The Surgeon
Empress: Wow, bummer life. But it's a hospital drama, so I most likely won't touch it. XD
Ambassador: Sounds like a good thriller, but someone else can have the honor of trying it, thanks anyway.
Unni: -
~ Blind Date
Empress: ....wow. That is intriguing. But it doesn't grab me as a must-watch.
Ambassador: A CHINESE version of an ARGENTINE drama. That's got to be INTERESTING. Considering the insane (but hilarious) amount of makjang usually present in Argentine dramas, it should work just fine. I'm strongly tempted to try it just to see what it's like... but it won't happen anytime soon.
Unni: -
~ What a Wonderful Life
Empress: Heh. Well, sounds like a far wiser life-plan than a lot of people in dramas have after emotional entanglements, but...not enough to watch.
Ambassador: ...good for her, but the only connection with organic vegetables that I have time for is eating them, so no.
Unni: -
~ The Super Royal Highness
Empress: .....a shape-changing llama...what...This sounds insane and I'm laughing just about the synopsis.
Ambassador: An hour-and-a-half drama special, sounds absolutely hilarious, yes, if I can find it, I'll watch it late some night when I'm tired and in the mood for crazy.
Unni: -
~ Growing Up Together
Empress: That is NOT the way to raise a child...but it is at least a different kind of story line. Interesting...maybe not enough to knock anything off my list, though...
Ambassador: Wow, I'm not sure whether to have more sympathy for the child or the parents. Either way, this sounds pretty good and I might consider trying it at some point.
Unni: -
~ Insect Mahjong Museum
Empress: LOL I always enjoy seeing how a strange plot becomes even more insane when horribly translated...and ah, no, this does not sound like something I'd enjoy watching...
Ambassador: Well. NO??? Sounds... wacky, and not in a way that I'm likely to love, just keep raising my eyebrows higher, but at some point they can't go any higher, so I'll save them the stretching out.
Unni: -
~ Fresh Teachers
Empress: Cut the Chaos of Chaos is the single thing that interested me in that mess. It just had a ring to it. The rest of it...nope.
Ambassador: Also called ‘fresh meat teacher’, which... could go one of at least 3 ways and none of them for polite conversation. Re: the drama, naaah, not my thing.
Unni: -
~ Operation Love
Empress: Baha...maybe should I ever finish Operation Proposal...wait, is this the Chinese remake of the Japanese drama of which Operation Proposal was a remake? HUH. Well, if I haven't yet finished the one with Yoo Seung Ho in it, I'm not watching one for Lay...XD
Ambassador: Starring EXO's Lay. Er, no. *shoves it over to Unni*
Unni: -
~ The Queen Returns
Empress: *eyes spin* XD Once I get solidly into historical Chinese dramas maybe I'll start more on the Chinese rom-com angle...XD This does sound possibly enjoyable.
Ambassador: This actually sounds HILARIOUS. Though wow, Chinese dramas and their 'coincidences'.
Unni: -
~ Song of Phoenix
Empress: oooh...that sounds like a good combination...and I like its name...and...yeah, this is one I might watch. XD
Ambassador: There's been A LOT of buzz around this one. I like slave/noble storylines and of course, adore palace politics and country saving dramas, so this one is pretty high on my list.
Unni: -
~ Fighter of the Destiny
Empress: I need to start hopping through the trials and tribulations of my life...XD It sounds intriguing...though I don't know if I'm caught enough to break my list again...
Ambassador: This sounds GREAT, and features Luhan and Guli Nazha. I'm adding it to my list, if for no other reason than to find out what a 'promise of marriage scroll' is.
Unni: -
~ Ice Fantasy Destiny
Empress: ............Okay, this caught my attention. I haven't gotten to start Ice Fantasy yet, but...the trailer for this looks FASCINATING. I need to watch them both. I need to...At some point I and my list both will implode and become a massive black hole.
Ambassador: WHOA, WHAT THE HECK? THEY DID A SCARLET HEART ON THIS AND MADE A MODERN VERSION? HOLY COW, I’VE GOT TO SEE THIS AT ONCE. They brought back almost everyone for the main cast, too, only substituting Kitty Zhang for Victoria Song. I tend to prefer Victoria to Kitty BUT HOLY COW AM I GOING TO WATCH THE HECK OUT OF THIS DRAMA.
IN FACT, although I haven’t yet finished Ice Fantasy, I’m going straightaway to start this drama. TODAY.
Unni: -
TAIWANESE
~ The Teenage Psychic
Empress: Erm...nah...not my type of story...
Ambassador: Weeeeell, not usually my thing and sounds like it might cross over into ghosts, which I don't usually watch. Probably not.
Unni: -
~ The Masked Lover
Empress: Wow. It's been quite a while since I considered a Taiwanese drama, but...this one...My black hole destiny nears.
Ambassador: I usually wind up rolling my eyes over Taiwanese synopses and moving on but THIS ONE actually sounds super intriguing. It might wind up being my second Taiwanese drama.
Unni: -
~ Family Time
Empress: In the end, I will live my life and spend time with my own family if that's all the drama is going to be about...
Ambassador: ....it's probably going to be makjang, or at least slow. I'm not sure my Wonder Woman skills extend to stretching my drama list past humanly possible limits and this isn't going to be the drama I use to test it.
Unni: -
CANTONESE
~ My Dearly Sinful Mind
Empress: Definitely an intriguing idea, but not going on my list for multiple reasons.
Ambassador: iiiiiiiiinteresting, but not likely to tempt me.
Unni: -
~ The No No Girl
Empress: Huh. There's nothing there that interests me at all. Sad.
Ambassador: BOOOOOOOOORIIIIING.
Unni: -
THAI
~ Cheewit Puer Kah Huajai Puer Tur
Empress: ooooh...okay, that is intriguing. It might to go the bottom of my list, but unlike many of these it might actually get on it. XD
Ambassador: I’ve never seen a Thai drama but this one has me suuuuper curious. I'm going to check it out.
Unni: -
~ Princess Hours: Thai
Empress: I have the Korean one on my list, and I think it will stay there...if I ever GET to it, I might consider this one...though I haven't had much luck with ever getting through various versions of the same drama.
Ambassador: I haven’t seen the Korean version yet so I won't be trying this one. This is much more Unni's comfort zone than mine.
Unni: -
Readers, which April dramas have YOU watched or do you plan on watching?
That said, here is April's WWW.
KOREAN
~ Chicago Typewriter
Empress: *grins* This definitely makes me curious. Of course I'll check it out.
Ambassador: YES, definitely, this looks like it will be HILARIOUS. Plus Yoo Ah In and Go Kyung Pyo- who does serious comedy well. TVN has had several good dramas lately and this writer also wrote Kill Me, Heal Me. Sign me up.
Unni: This sounds beyond awesome...also Yoo Ah In. I haven’t seen him in anything but S-Scandal but I want to see more!!!
~ Queen of Mystery
Empress: I would have said no...I don't think Kwon Sang Woo is enough to make me watch this...not even with His Total Adorableness Lee Won Geun...but then on a whim I started it with my sister {mostly because we couldn't get going on Man to Man}, and I am howling. It's got some off humor and some completely unrealistic moments, but it's also hilarious the rest of the time. I don't know where it's going...there's a lot of frank discussion about divorce, family, one's worth as a person, and where one keeps their dreams...but I'm intrigued enough to keep watching it for a while.
Ambassador: Hmmmmm, well, it could be super interesting, especially considering she's married. (Is this going to be another wannabe adultery drama????) I'll probably try it at some point.
Unni: -
~ Unni is Alive
Empress: ...I'm...not intrigued.
Ambassador: I have nothing against the plot itself- sounds interesting- but I would very likely be bored to tears in the first episode, and since it's a long, weekend drama I'd probably be bored to death pretty shortly. I'd like to stay alive so I won't be watching it.
Unni: -
~ My Secret Romance
Empress: That's a terrible synopsis, lol. But I /am/ interested in what Sung Hoon does with it...I'll see what the Ambassador and possibly the Unni think of it and go from there. :)
Ambassador: SUNG HOON IN A LEAD ROLE FOR A LONGER DRAMA, FINALLY. YEEEEES PLEEEEEASE. rom com or not, I'll watch it for him. I've been waiting for him to get some good lead roles.
Unni: -
~ Man to Man
Empress: Ohhhhh, yeah. Me + watching this = definitely happening.
Ambassador: I HAVE BEEN TRACKING THIS LIKE A HOUND DOG EVER SINCE IT WAS ANNOUNCED, GOBBLING UP STILLS AND EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION. I'M ABSOLUTELY WATCHING IT. PLOT + PARK HAE JIN, PARK SUNG WOONG AND YEON JUNG HOON ALL IN THE SAME DRAMA WITH CHUN HO JIN IN A MINOR ROLE AND SONG JOONG KI CAMEOING. YEEEES. PLEASE DRAMA, BE GOOD.
Unni: -
Webdramas:
~ The Boy Next Door
Empress: If my endless list of MUST WATCHES would quit strangling me I might consider it, but no.
Ambassador: Webdramas tend to highlight up and coming, SUPER NEW stars, or be brief money makers for established idols. There’s no one I really want to see in this one and the plot isn't interesting enough either.
Unni: -
~ Girls War
Empress: That does sound cute. And possibly interesting. But not interesting enough considering I haven't had time to finish W yet. !!!
Ambassador: Hmm, well, cute plot but no, I just don't have the time.
Unni: -
Ambassador: Empress, I'm going to sit on you until you finish Bad Guys and W.
CHINESE
~ The Glory of Tang Dynasty 2
Empress: Novel + love/great things for country...I like how that sounds. I'm still watching General and I, though, so...maybe someday....XD
Ambassador: Sequel to one that aired earlier this year. Jing Tian and Mao Zi Jun are in this. The synopsis is the same as the earlier drama, but hey, PALACE POLITICS. I’m a sucker for those dramas so yeah, I’m watching it.
Unni: -
~ The Surgeon
Empress: Wow, bummer life. But it's a hospital drama, so I most likely won't touch it. XD
Ambassador: Sounds like a good thriller, but someone else can have the honor of trying it, thanks anyway.
Unni: -
~ Blind Date
Empress: ....wow. That is intriguing. But it doesn't grab me as a must-watch.
Ambassador: A CHINESE version of an ARGENTINE drama. That's got to be INTERESTING. Considering the insane (but hilarious) amount of makjang usually present in Argentine dramas, it should work just fine. I'm strongly tempted to try it just to see what it's like... but it won't happen anytime soon.
Unni: -
~ What a Wonderful Life
Empress: Heh. Well, sounds like a far wiser life-plan than a lot of people in dramas have after emotional entanglements, but...not enough to watch.
Ambassador: ...good for her, but the only connection with organic vegetables that I have time for is eating them, so no.
Unni: -
~ The Super Royal Highness
Empress: .....a shape-changing llama...what...This sounds insane and I'm laughing just about the synopsis.
Ambassador: An hour-and-a-half drama special, sounds absolutely hilarious, yes, if I can find it, I'll watch it late some night when I'm tired and in the mood for crazy.
Unni: -
~ Growing Up Together
Empress: That is NOT the way to raise a child...but it is at least a different kind of story line. Interesting...maybe not enough to knock anything off my list, though...
Ambassador: Wow, I'm not sure whether to have more sympathy for the child or the parents. Either way, this sounds pretty good and I might consider trying it at some point.
Unni: -
~ Insect Mahjong Museum
Empress: LOL I always enjoy seeing how a strange plot becomes even more insane when horribly translated...and ah, no, this does not sound like something I'd enjoy watching...
Ambassador: Well. NO??? Sounds... wacky, and not in a way that I'm likely to love, just keep raising my eyebrows higher, but at some point they can't go any higher, so I'll save them the stretching out.
Unni: -
~ Fresh Teachers
Empress: Cut the Chaos of Chaos is the single thing that interested me in that mess. It just had a ring to it. The rest of it...nope.
Ambassador: Also called ‘fresh meat teacher’, which... could go one of at least 3 ways and none of them for polite conversation. Re: the drama, naaah, not my thing.
Unni: -
~ Operation Love
Empress: Baha...maybe should I ever finish Operation Proposal...wait, is this the Chinese remake of the Japanese drama of which Operation Proposal was a remake? HUH. Well, if I haven't yet finished the one with Yoo Seung Ho in it, I'm not watching one for Lay...XD
Ambassador: Starring EXO's Lay. Er, no. *shoves it over to Unni*
Unni: -
~ The Queen Returns
Empress: *eyes spin* XD Once I get solidly into historical Chinese dramas maybe I'll start more on the Chinese rom-com angle...XD This does sound possibly enjoyable.
Ambassador: This actually sounds HILARIOUS. Though wow, Chinese dramas and their 'coincidences'.
Unni: -
~ Song of Phoenix
Empress: oooh...that sounds like a good combination...and I like its name...and...yeah, this is one I might watch. XD
Ambassador: There's been A LOT of buzz around this one. I like slave/noble storylines and of course, adore palace politics and country saving dramas, so this one is pretty high on my list.
Unni: -
~ Fighter of the Destiny
Empress: I need to start hopping through the trials and tribulations of my life...XD It sounds intriguing...though I don't know if I'm caught enough to break my list again...
Ambassador: This sounds GREAT, and features Luhan and Guli Nazha. I'm adding it to my list, if for no other reason than to find out what a 'promise of marriage scroll' is.
Unni: -
~ Ice Fantasy Destiny
Empress: ............Okay, this caught my attention. I haven't gotten to start Ice Fantasy yet, but...the trailer for this looks FASCINATING. I need to watch them both. I need to...At some point I and my list both will implode and become a massive black hole.
Ambassador: WHOA, WHAT THE HECK? THEY DID A SCARLET HEART ON THIS AND MADE A MODERN VERSION? HOLY COW, I’VE GOT TO SEE THIS AT ONCE. They brought back almost everyone for the main cast, too, only substituting Kitty Zhang for Victoria Song. I tend to prefer Victoria to Kitty BUT HOLY COW AM I GOING TO WATCH THE HECK OUT OF THIS DRAMA.
IN FACT, although I haven’t yet finished Ice Fantasy, I’m going straightaway to start this drama. TODAY.
Unni: -
TAIWANESE
~ The Teenage Psychic
Empress: Erm...nah...not my type of story...
Ambassador: Weeeeell, not usually my thing and sounds like it might cross over into ghosts, which I don't usually watch. Probably not.
Unni: -
~ The Masked Lover
Empress: Wow. It's been quite a while since I considered a Taiwanese drama, but...this one...My black hole destiny nears.
Ambassador: I usually wind up rolling my eyes over Taiwanese synopses and moving on but THIS ONE actually sounds super intriguing. It might wind up being my second Taiwanese drama.
Unni: -
~ Family Time
Empress: In the end, I will live my life and spend time with my own family if that's all the drama is going to be about...
Ambassador: ....it's probably going to be makjang, or at least slow. I'm not sure my Wonder Woman skills extend to stretching my drama list past humanly possible limits and this isn't going to be the drama I use to test it.
Unni: -
CANTONESE
~ My Dearly Sinful Mind
Empress: Definitely an intriguing idea, but not going on my list for multiple reasons.
Ambassador: iiiiiiiiinteresting, but not likely to tempt me.
Unni: -
~ The No No Girl
Empress: Huh. There's nothing there that interests me at all. Sad.
Ambassador: BOOOOOOOOORIIIIING.
Unni: -
THAI
~ Cheewit Puer Kah Huajai Puer Tur
Empress: ooooh...okay, that is intriguing. It might to go the bottom of my list, but unlike many of these it might actually get on it. XD
Ambassador: I’ve never seen a Thai drama but this one has me suuuuper curious. I'm going to check it out.
Unni: -
~ Princess Hours: Thai
Empress: I have the Korean one on my list, and I think it will stay there...if I ever GET to it, I might consider this one...though I haven't had much luck with ever getting through various versions of the same drama.
Ambassador: I haven’t seen the Korean version yet so I won't be trying this one. This is much more Unni's comfort zone than mine.
Unni: -
Readers, which April dramas have YOU watched or do you plan on watching?
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Phantom Detective/탐정 홍길동: 사라진 마을/Tamjeong Honggildong: Sarajin Maeul
Noir like you've never seen it before.
Ok, so I wasn't expecting the movie to start with the "hero" threatening to blow two men's heads off if they didn't cut the fingers off of a third. It's not my usual movie type. But it plays out with a deliciously understated sense of grandiosity, as if saying Yes, We Are Dark And Scary And Oh, So Dangerous, But We're Also Not Taking Ourselves Seriously, So Please Just Come Along For The Ride.
And what a fun ride.
From the main character's sleight of hand and hypnotically smooth voice to the delightful way the youngest granddaughter of his enemy promptly yells at him and destroys all illusion of his abilities, it continues with, to quote a favorite author, the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad.
Whether he's slamming a chest-lid on top of a body or getting the car door swung into him by the granddaughters he's unable to keep in hand, Lee Je-Hoon plays Hong Gil-Dong with a sense of exasperation at the world in general. From claiming goosebumps at their hand-holding to literally facepalming at their deal-breaking interruptions, his attitude clashing against the two small girls he basically kidnaps is hilarious, yet mixed with pathos as they comment with shock on his many lies, and he insists yet again that he is not a good guy, guilt building in him as the movie progresses.
What follows is a strangely delightful cross between a babysitting job and revenge mission, as Gil-Dong ends up dragging two small children along into a mess greater than he ever dreamed. The historical implications and connections to a disaster currently in the making narrow around him as he persists in his mission, despite any obstacles thrown into his way by Gwangeunhwe.
The older granddaughter, Dong Yi, does her best to protect her sister and find her grandfather (and pay for their hotel when Gil-Dong runs out of money), while the suspicious, delightful, adorable youngest granddaughter Mal-Soon is a delight to watch, especially each time she clashes with Gil-Dong or calls him out on his lack of morals.
There are a few other intriguing characters...
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| His adoptive sister {Go Ara}, president of that illegal detective agency. |
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| Kim Byeong-Duk {Park Geun-hyung}, the missing grandfather, killer of Gil-Dong's mother, and possible linchpin in a coming disaster. |
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| Kang Sung-il {Kim Sung-kyun}, Hong Gil-Dong's current nemesis... |
There is minimal swearing, and I don't recall any other issues beyond slightly comic-book-style violence (lotssss of shooting and stabbing and getting thrown across rooms, etc) and some creepy nightmares that torment Gil-Dong. The politics did feel a little vague -- whether that was the fault of the movie or the fault of the subtitles I had access to, I'm not entirely sure. The soundtrack was just right...not overbearing, but the kind that you notice fits the story. There was a lot of green-screen, but I liked the effect. XD If you're looking for a twist on the classic detective story and want to try a Korean movie, especially if you enjoy adorable children and over-the-top fight scenes, Phantom Detective is a great one to try.
Friday, March 24, 2017
WWW ~ March 2017
I'm very late again this month, but it is still March, so not quite out of date.
KOREAN
~ Father is Strange
Empress: Weekend family dramas, not my thing...
Ambassador: Welllll, Lee Joon is the main but it's a weekend family drama and I don't watch those. Bye bye, possibility.
Unni: This sounds......boring-ish...I’ll pass thank you much!
~ You're Too Much
Empress: Heh, I like the impersonator angle. But again, nope. What they said. XD
Ambassador: another long family weekend drama. noooope. Only long weekend dramas I watch are sageukes, because manes of glory are needed to offset the boredom. And swords.
Unni: *giggles at Ambassador’s reasons* But I have to agree, I have better things to be doing.
~ Queen of the Ring
Empress: Hm, I might try it with my sister. We're always looking for short kdramas. XD
Ambassador: another fantasy short. Possibly I'll watch it? Kim Seul Gi is genius at fantasy shorts if Splash Splash Love was anything to go by.
Unni: Oh! This looks cute! I’ll probably fill in an afternoon or evening with this somewhere along the line.
~ Radiant Office
Empress: I stay away from terminal illness dramas in general...(other than Marriage Contract, which was actually AMAZING).
Ambassador: *barely stumbles through synopsis without dislocating jaw with yawns* Lordy no. I'd fall asleep.
Unni: This...could be interesting. I might just peek at an episode before I decide on way or the other.
~ Whisper
Empress: ...Yes....I have to check it out, obviously...
Ambassador: YES. This plot + Lee Bo Young and Lee Sang Yoon as leads with Lee Se Young as a secondary lead. HECK YES.
Unni: *pricks up ears* this sounds interesting. I’ll probably see what they think of it before I go for it...but we’ll see.
Empress: *cracking up because Unni clearly knew what I was going to say*
~ Tunnel
Empress: What Unni said - if it's like that I will love it. And FINALLY, Choi Jin-Hyuk...XD {Even though I haven't managed to finish his drama Pride and Prejudice yet. That is a drama where actually knowing Korean would really help with understanding the plot...}
Ambassador: I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR MONTHS. CHOI JIN HYUK IS COMING BACK AND I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER. ESPECIALLY WITH THIS SYNOPSIS. AND OCN BEING THE NETWORK.
Unni: Hmm...time travel + serial killer= *wondering if this would be like 9 Times Time Travel meets Hello Monster* color me intrigued.
~ The Liar and his Lover
Empress: I watched the Japanese movie because DUH Sato Takeru...I went on a Japanese movie binge following Bloody Monday...it wasn't the weirdest thing I watched because of Sato Takeru, but I spent most of the movie puzzling over why they were pairing up an adult musician and a high school girl and why that relationship was bothering no one. IGNORING THAT ASPECT (like the movie did...), I liked it. Bromance, music, and Sato Takeru's face. What's not to like. Come on.
I really didn't feel like there was enough story there for a /drama/, but I'm going to have to check it out, if only to compare it to the movie.
Ambassador: Lee Hyun Woo lands some pretty interesting roles but this one isn't high on my list. Not enough to draw me in. If Unni likes it, I might check it out. It's based on a manga which can mean a better base for adaptations but Cheese in the Trap apparently showed how that can go wrong.
Unni: Hmm, love and lies, this sounds UTTERLY PAINFUL...but then again it could have cute fluffy semi-tragic romance and a killer OST...which would be right up my ally....or it could be completely idiotic and I’ll be throwing my poor stuffed animals at the screen and screaming shut up in Chinese. I have a feeling I’ll be hooked on it....this could end badly for one of us.
Empress: LOL you guys.
~ Trace of the Hand (webdrama)
Empress: *grinning* If Truly #short I might try this, just because it could be funny.
Ambassador: I'm snickering so hard. I might watch it, just because #webdrama and #short.
Unni: HE SOUNDS AWFUL!!!! But isn’t this what we all want to do??????? *glances around* I mean...if we could wouldn’t we...but then we’d be the NSA..... *wonders if NSA agents are in love with people like us* I am digressing. This could be really cute, and I might watch it.
CHINESE
~ House Full of Happiness
Empress: Ufda. Okay, but mistranslated synopsis are frustrating but possibly hilarious, and this one... "yellow peony dusk love" and "suffered a small sister-in-law threat" --I'm cracking up. That said, it doesn't interest me. XD
Ambassador: Well, it sounds like a bunch of family drama and I'm not normally keen on that but I might check this one out for the sister dynamic.
Unni: My head hurts from this synopsis, but it could be....interesting but currently I am only interested in Chinese dramas that are of a historic nature. Chinese dramas don’t have the cute Taiwanese accent, juuuuuust sayin....
~The Name of the People
Empress: I feel like such a show being aired could be of historical note...but we'll see.
Ambassador: A Chinese House of Cards, with Lu Yi? GIVE ME. NOW. Even if it is more of a Communist POV, just GIMME.
Unni: *leaves the Ambassador to her glory and moves on*
Empress: The Unni has only just got me started on a Chinese drama I might actually finish...if the Ambassador loves this one, I'll go for it. XD
~ Razor Edge
Empress: If it's anything like Gaksital, I am in. XD
Ambassador: Sounds like a Chinese pseudo-Gaksital, at least as far as the politics and police sides go. Absolutely trying this, out of sheer curiosity.
Unni: I haven’t dared to try and tread in Gaksital...so I shall not tread here.
~ The Battle at the Dawn
Empress: *wince* I love the title...I like historical...this sounds very painful. I'll wait to see what the Ambassador thinks. XD
Ambassador: war, Liu Shi Shi, yep, yep, yep, count me in.
Unni: This sounds like....a blood bath waiting to happen. I am not signing up to get my heart broken.
~ Dear Archimedes
Empress: That...sounds intriguing. And it's only 20 episodes. *adds to list whether or not I'll ever get to it*
Ambassador: Sounds a bit like Taiwan's Love Me If You Dare. Hmmm. I'll check it out, again because of that ever questing thing called CURIOSITY. EXO's Sehun is in it, which'll be interesting but makes me think it won't be nearly as serious as Love Me If You Dare.
Unni: *looks at Ambassador’s notes and moves Taiwanese Love Me If You Dare onto my list of things to watch* *hears the Ambassador's information about it and moves it back off the list FAST*
Empress: Heh, I want to stick the Taiwanese drama on there too....
~ Across the Ocean to See You
Empress: .......that again....if people were actually doing the idea in a new way, that'd be one thing, but when /that/ is the description...
Ambassador: And the Ambassador yawns again! Rom coms have that effect on me. Needless to add, no, this isn't going on my list.
Unni: I have enough fluff to keep me busy for the moment, and couples at odds isn’t my thing.
~ Feather Flies to the Sky
Empress: This sounds interesting, but interesting in a I-want-to-read-a-history-book kind of way, and I'm not sure I want to spend my break time in that way.
Ambassador: well, it sounds like it has lots of good research material but since it's not anything I need anytime soon, nope.
Unni: Interesting, but I started to yawn, so a pass from me.
~ Head Above Water
Empress: If Korean I'd be all over this...as is...I like the title and I'll wait to hear the Ambassador's verdict. XD
Ambassador: Yes. Police espionage thriller is the described genere. YES.
Unni: I leave this to the Ambassador.
~ Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy
Empress: WOW...okay, I haven't gotten to Ice Fantasy yet, but maybe if I do, then I can put this on as my next Chinese fantasy. Depending on how it's done. XD
Ambassador: FINALLY WE'RE GETTING THIS. I've been seeing promo stuff for months and it's got me pretty interested. *scrawls title at the top of TBW list*
Unni: Warrior Princess...Spirit in a stone???..Okay, Novoland has caught my interest, but I haven’t jumped into full fantasy yet...who Knows I might give this a try yet.
~ I Love My President Though He's a Psycho
Empress: That sounds like a TERRIBLE idea in real life...and usually when it's /that/ bad of an idea it wrecks my ability to enjoy even a fictional story...but wow, yeah, I do like the title, and it could one of those I "accidentally start." :)
Ambassador: Definite props to the title for being attention grabbing. Of all the bizarre plots I've come across recently, this is one of the weirdest. It could be interesting but I feel like I'd personally get a headache so I'll pass for now. Who knows though, if the internet buzz is good enough, I might surprise myself by trying it.
Unni: I am so scratching my head over this! WHY WOULD YOU FALL FOR SOMEONE WITH A PERSONALITY DISORDER??? WHY!!!! I think I’ll leave this in the no thank you pile...unless my personality changes.
~ Fox Falls In Love
Empress: LOL I don't think that's enough to make me watch it...
Ambassador: No idea what the details of the plot are supposed to be, but the title and brief synopsis sound amusing. I might add this to the very tail end of my list.
Unni: I see what you did there Ambassador. This sounds cute. Maaaaaaaybe I’ll try a modern Chinese drama because I love foxes and rabbits, I bought fox and rabbit socks last week. Maybe it’s destiny.Empress: I'll be looking forward to seeing what the Unni and/or possibly the Ambassador thinks of it. XD
~ Because of You
Empress: There's several similar Korean dramas I'd watch before I tried this one.
Ambassador: apparently the Chinese version of Korea's Come! Jang Bo Ri? Not enough flash and bang for me.
Unni: I remember faintly being interested in Come! Jang Bo Ri....and seeing screen shots and going...I don’t know about this. This does sound semi interesting but I’d go for a Korean version long before I land myself in a tangled modern Chinese one. Empress: ^that.
Feb dramas that weren't listed at the time February's WWW went up:
~ Above the Clouds
Empress: Gah...Somehow this makes me think of Queen In Hyun's Man, and even without time travel, if it's like that I'll love it...but I'll wait to hear what it's like. XD
Ambassador: Palace dramas, secrets across time, opening historical graves... oh yes, quite probably I'll watch this sometime. Plus, Mabel Yuan is a favorite actress of mine.
Unni: General & I has condemned me to open up my brain about Chinese dramas....this sounds like it could be interesting.
~ The Journey 2
Empress: Intriiiiiiiiguing....I feel like the dramas this month are SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING than last month's...this is seriously bad for my list...um, maybe?
Ambassador: Can I have this power, please? I feel like I'd be good at making people cry sincerely. I likely won't watch it right away but definitely some day.
Unni: Oh...this is a cool super power *sigh* whyyyyy does it have to be historical!!!! And look awesome and why is there a person with cool white hair on the cover.... Why GENERAL AND I YOU HAVE CONDEMNED ME!!!! MY LIFE WAS SO MUCH SIMPLER BEFORE I MET YOU!
TAIWANESE
~ Q Series: House of Toy Bricks
Empress: gahhhhhhh...that sounds tragic...and...yes, I have Q Series: Close Your Eyes Before It's Dark on my list, but I'm not adding this one.
Ambassador: No, I don't watch horror.
Unni: This is just....horrifying. No thank you.
~ The Perfect Match
Empress: It's been a while since I watched a T-drama...I'll wait to hear what the Unni thinks.
Ambassador: Nothing like a challenge to the ego of a man to rouse him. Not likely I'll watch this, though it sounds amusing. Unni, it's right up your alley.
Unni: *SQUEAK* A FOODIE, ROM-COM, TAIWANESE DRAMA WITH A NIGHT MARKET!!!! *bounces up and down* YES YES YES YES YES PLEASE PLEASE AND THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! PLEASE BE GOOD!!!
Empress: hee. I love how by now drama preferences are pretty clear...XD
CANTONESE
~ Provocateur
Empress: If this were a kdrama I'd try it. But I don't think my list is short enough to pull me into Cantonese dramas.
Ambassador: ummmmm no. I just don't have time, though it sounds interesting.
Unni: Cantonese dramas almost always sound depressing to me, though if I had to speak with as many tones as they do, I might write depressed stories too.
Which of these dramas will YOU be watching?
KOREAN
~ Father is Strange
Empress: Weekend family dramas, not my thing...
Ambassador: Welllll, Lee Joon is the main but it's a weekend family drama and I don't watch those. Bye bye, possibility.
Unni: This sounds......boring-ish...I’ll pass thank you much!
~ You're Too Much
Empress: Heh, I like the impersonator angle. But again, nope. What they said. XD
Ambassador: another long family weekend drama. noooope. Only long weekend dramas I watch are sageukes, because manes of glory are needed to offset the boredom. And swords.
Unni: *giggles at Ambassador’s reasons* But I have to agree, I have better things to be doing.
~ Queen of the Ring
Empress: Hm, I might try it with my sister. We're always looking for short kdramas. XD
Ambassador: another fantasy short. Possibly I'll watch it? Kim Seul Gi is genius at fantasy shorts if Splash Splash Love was anything to go by.
Unni: Oh! This looks cute! I’ll probably fill in an afternoon or evening with this somewhere along the line.
~ Radiant Office
Empress: I stay away from terminal illness dramas in general...(other than Marriage Contract, which was actually AMAZING).
Ambassador: *barely stumbles through synopsis without dislocating jaw with yawns* Lordy no. I'd fall asleep.
Unni: This...could be interesting. I might just peek at an episode before I decide on way or the other.
~ Whisper
Empress: ...Yes....I have to check it out, obviously...
Ambassador: YES. This plot + Lee Bo Young and Lee Sang Yoon as leads with Lee Se Young as a secondary lead. HECK YES.
Unni: *pricks up ears* this sounds interesting. I’ll probably see what they think of it before I go for it...but we’ll see.
Empress: *cracking up because Unni clearly knew what I was going to say*
~ Tunnel
Empress: What Unni said - if it's like that I will love it. And FINALLY, Choi Jin-Hyuk...XD {Even though I haven't managed to finish his drama Pride and Prejudice yet. That is a drama where actually knowing Korean would really help with understanding the plot...}
Ambassador: I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR MONTHS. CHOI JIN HYUK IS COMING BACK AND I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER. ESPECIALLY WITH THIS SYNOPSIS. AND OCN BEING THE NETWORK.
Unni: Hmm...time travel + serial killer= *wondering if this would be like 9 Times Time Travel meets Hello Monster* color me intrigued.
~ The Liar and his Lover
Empress: I watched the Japanese movie because DUH Sato Takeru...I went on a Japanese movie binge following Bloody Monday...it wasn't the weirdest thing I watched because of Sato Takeru, but I spent most of the movie puzzling over why they were pairing up an adult musician and a high school girl and why that relationship was bothering no one. IGNORING THAT ASPECT (like the movie did...), I liked it. Bromance, music, and Sato Takeru's face. What's not to like. Come on.
I really didn't feel like there was enough story there for a /drama/, but I'm going to have to check it out, if only to compare it to the movie.
Ambassador: Lee Hyun Woo lands some pretty interesting roles but this one isn't high on my list. Not enough to draw me in. If Unni likes it, I might check it out. It's based on a manga which can mean a better base for adaptations but Cheese in the Trap apparently showed how that can go wrong.
Unni: Hmm, love and lies, this sounds UTTERLY PAINFUL...but then again it could have cute fluffy semi-tragic romance and a killer OST...which would be right up my ally....or it could be completely idiotic and I’ll be throwing my poor stuffed animals at the screen and screaming shut up in Chinese. I have a feeling I’ll be hooked on it....this could end badly for one of us.
Empress: LOL you guys.
~ Trace of the Hand (webdrama)
Empress: *grinning* If Truly #short I might try this, just because it could be funny.
Ambassador: I'm snickering so hard. I might watch it, just because #webdrama and #short.
Unni: HE SOUNDS AWFUL!!!! But isn’t this what we all want to do??????? *glances around* I mean...if we could wouldn’t we...but then we’d be the NSA..... *wonders if NSA agents are in love with people like us* I am digressing. This could be really cute, and I might watch it.
CHINESE
~ House Full of Happiness
Empress: Ufda. Okay, but mistranslated synopsis are frustrating but possibly hilarious, and this one... "yellow peony dusk love" and "suffered a small sister-in-law threat" --I'm cracking up. That said, it doesn't interest me. XD
Ambassador: Well, it sounds like a bunch of family drama and I'm not normally keen on that but I might check this one out for the sister dynamic.
Unni: My head hurts from this synopsis, but it could be....interesting but currently I am only interested in Chinese dramas that are of a historic nature. Chinese dramas don’t have the cute Taiwanese accent, juuuuuust sayin....
~The Name of the People
Empress: I feel like such a show being aired could be of historical note...but we'll see.
Ambassador: A Chinese House of Cards, with Lu Yi? GIVE ME. NOW. Even if it is more of a Communist POV, just GIMME.
Unni: *leaves the Ambassador to her glory and moves on*
Empress: The Unni has only just got me started on a Chinese drama I might actually finish...if the Ambassador loves this one, I'll go for it. XD
~ Razor Edge
Empress: If it's anything like Gaksital, I am in. XD
Ambassador: Sounds like a Chinese pseudo-Gaksital, at least as far as the politics and police sides go. Absolutely trying this, out of sheer curiosity.
Unni: I haven’t dared to try and tread in Gaksital...so I shall not tread here.
~ The Battle at the Dawn
Empress: *wince* I love the title...I like historical...this sounds very painful. I'll wait to see what the Ambassador thinks. XD
Ambassador: war, Liu Shi Shi, yep, yep, yep, count me in.
Unni: This sounds like....a blood bath waiting to happen. I am not signing up to get my heart broken.
~ Dear Archimedes
Empress: That...sounds intriguing. And it's only 20 episodes. *adds to list whether or not I'll ever get to it*
Ambassador: Sounds a bit like Taiwan's Love Me If You Dare. Hmmm. I'll check it out, again because of that ever questing thing called CURIOSITY. EXO's Sehun is in it, which'll be interesting but makes me think it won't be nearly as serious as Love Me If You Dare.
Unni: *looks at Ambassador’s notes and moves Taiwanese Love Me If You Dare onto my list of things to watch* *hears the Ambassador's information about it and moves it back off the list FAST*
Empress: Heh, I want to stick the Taiwanese drama on there too....
~ Across the Ocean to See You
Empress: .......that again....if people were actually doing the idea in a new way, that'd be one thing, but when /that/ is the description...
Ambassador: And the Ambassador yawns again! Rom coms have that effect on me. Needless to add, no, this isn't going on my list.
Unni: I have enough fluff to keep me busy for the moment, and couples at odds isn’t my thing.
~ Feather Flies to the Sky
Empress: This sounds interesting, but interesting in a I-want-to-read-a-history-book kind of way, and I'm not sure I want to spend my break time in that way.
Ambassador: well, it sounds like it has lots of good research material but since it's not anything I need anytime soon, nope.
Unni: Interesting, but I started to yawn, so a pass from me.
~ Head Above Water
Empress: If Korean I'd be all over this...as is...I like the title and I'll wait to hear the Ambassador's verdict. XD
Ambassador: Yes. Police espionage thriller is the described genere. YES.
Unni: I leave this to the Ambassador.
~ Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy
Empress: WOW...okay, I haven't gotten to Ice Fantasy yet, but maybe if I do, then I can put this on as my next Chinese fantasy. Depending on how it's done. XD
Ambassador: FINALLY WE'RE GETTING THIS. I've been seeing promo stuff for months and it's got me pretty interested. *scrawls title at the top of TBW list*
Unni: Warrior Princess...Spirit in a stone???..Okay, Novoland has caught my interest, but I haven’t jumped into full fantasy yet...who Knows I might give this a try yet.
~ I Love My President Though He's a Psycho
Empress: That sounds like a TERRIBLE idea in real life...and usually when it's /that/ bad of an idea it wrecks my ability to enjoy even a fictional story...but wow, yeah, I do like the title, and it could one of those I "accidentally start." :)
Ambassador: Definite props to the title for being attention grabbing. Of all the bizarre plots I've come across recently, this is one of the weirdest. It could be interesting but I feel like I'd personally get a headache so I'll pass for now. Who knows though, if the internet buzz is good enough, I might surprise myself by trying it.
Unni: I am so scratching my head over this! WHY WOULD YOU FALL FOR SOMEONE WITH A PERSONALITY DISORDER??? WHY!!!! I think I’ll leave this in the no thank you pile...unless my personality changes.
~ Fox Falls In Love
Empress: LOL I don't think that's enough to make me watch it...
Ambassador: No idea what the details of the plot are supposed to be, but the title and brief synopsis sound amusing. I might add this to the very tail end of my list.
Unni: I see what you did there Ambassador. This sounds cute. Maaaaaaaybe I’ll try a modern Chinese drama because I love foxes and rabbits, I bought fox and rabbit socks last week. Maybe it’s destiny.Empress: I'll be looking forward to seeing what the Unni and/or possibly the Ambassador thinks of it. XD
~ Because of You
Empress: There's several similar Korean dramas I'd watch before I tried this one.
Ambassador: apparently the Chinese version of Korea's Come! Jang Bo Ri? Not enough flash and bang for me.
Unni: I remember faintly being interested in Come! Jang Bo Ri....and seeing screen shots and going...I don’t know about this. This does sound semi interesting but I’d go for a Korean version long before I land myself in a tangled modern Chinese one. Empress: ^that.
Feb dramas that weren't listed at the time February's WWW went up:
~ Above the Clouds
Empress: Gah...Somehow this makes me think of Queen In Hyun's Man, and even without time travel, if it's like that I'll love it...but I'll wait to hear what it's like. XD
Ambassador: Palace dramas, secrets across time, opening historical graves... oh yes, quite probably I'll watch this sometime. Plus, Mabel Yuan is a favorite actress of mine.
Unni: General & I has condemned me to open up my brain about Chinese dramas....this sounds like it could be interesting.
~ The Journey 2
Empress: Intriiiiiiiiguing....I feel like the dramas this month are SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING than last month's...this is seriously bad for my list...um, maybe?
Ambassador: Can I have this power, please? I feel like I'd be good at making people cry sincerely. I likely won't watch it right away but definitely some day.
Unni: Oh...this is a cool super power *sigh* whyyyyy does it have to be historical!!!! And look awesome and why is there a person with cool white hair on the cover.... Why GENERAL AND I YOU HAVE CONDEMNED ME!!!! MY LIFE WAS SO MUCH SIMPLER BEFORE I MET YOU!
TAIWANESE
~ Q Series: House of Toy Bricks
Empress: gahhhhhhh...that sounds tragic...and...yes, I have Q Series: Close Your Eyes Before It's Dark on my list, but I'm not adding this one.
Ambassador: No, I don't watch horror.
Unni: This is just....horrifying. No thank you.
~ The Perfect Match
Empress: It's been a while since I watched a T-drama...I'll wait to hear what the Unni thinks.
Ambassador: Nothing like a challenge to the ego of a man to rouse him. Not likely I'll watch this, though it sounds amusing. Unni, it's right up your alley.
Unni: *SQUEAK* A FOODIE, ROM-COM, TAIWANESE DRAMA WITH A NIGHT MARKET!!!! *bounces up and down* YES YES YES YES YES PLEASE PLEASE AND THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! PLEASE BE GOOD!!!
Empress: hee. I love how by now drama preferences are pretty clear...XD
CANTONESE
~ Provocateur
Empress: If this were a kdrama I'd try it. But I don't think my list is short enough to pull me into Cantonese dramas.
Ambassador: ummmmm no. I just don't have time, though it sounds interesting.
Unni: Cantonese dramas almost always sound depressing to me, though if I had to speak with as many tones as they do, I might write depressed stories too.
Which of these dramas will YOU be watching?
Friday, March 10, 2017
General & I
Once upon a time I watched a Chinese movie and it rapidly went from cute......to weird beyond all of my imagination but I was so shocked I kept watching and watching and watching. I banned all Chinese dramas and movies from my life from sheer weirdness and shock.
PG-13 + (but it's a far from R)
(warning labels)
It's a historical drama so what do you expect? It's an absolute blood bath in certain episodes. Nothing too gruesome, just loss of life which is tragic, lots of blood coming out of mouths, and some spurts which made me wince and look away but nothing that horrified me...that I saw.
There are some intimate shots, no direct nudity, though a few of the guy character are shirtless (a few times) and one scene the girl character is wearing very little and filming tried to make the most out of it, also there are a few scenes with girls taking steaming baths, not much more than shoulders and arms are shown.
A concubine is very creepy, and tries to get pregnant with someone who isn't the king, so there is some shadows, but we don't see any of the intimacy thankfully.
One night two characters sleep in the same bed, she passed out, and he was drunk, nothing happened but the still spent the night together.
There are several suicides in this drama and one attempt, if this is a trigger watch with discretion or skip all together.
One character goes mad, and another shows signs of madness, possibly triggered by grief, bitterness and power hunger.
So let's get down to business.
Based of a Chinese Novel: A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated, we get this beautiful story, that is full of beautiful visuals, beautiful characters...and some green screening.
Costumes and characters are lovely deep, complicated and overall lovable.
The themes of love, forgiveness, bitterness, friendship and loyalty ran very deep in this drama and wove it's way beautifully and intensely through it's story telling.
Characters:
Beautiful, brilliant, military strategist, orphaned and taken in by the Prince An family, Ping Ting is the picture of loyalty and brilliance.
She captivated me almost instantly with her quiet modesty and yet strategic brilliance and masterminding a brilliant battle strategy. She was treated by He Xia as an equal but a woman still, and you could tell that there was an underlying hint of possible romance for their future.
However, she and He Xia are dealt a hard hand and things go very rapidly from harmony and a future together to utter chaos and being without a home...and separated.
And this is when she meets the enemy of Prince An's Manor and her country Great Yan.
Well, other than being Ping Ting's enemy. I decided very rapidly to fall in love with him.
Ping Ting took a lot more convincing.
General Che Bei Jie the "god of war" for Great Jin. A brilliant strategist, martial arts master, loved by all of his men. This man had a heart and soul that is beyond beautiful, the very image of loyalty, faithfulness, and undying love. (I might be a bit of a fan.)
Over and over I had to admire his priorities, and how he placed people as a huge importance in his life, as well as his nation. I could keep going on but I am afraid that would spoil everything.
Intelligent, bright,...and so many spoiler-y things I want to tell you.
But instead I'll just say... look at this face.
Yang Feng & Zi Yin
Ping Ting's childhood friend and husband. These were an amazing pair, the friend was sweet and her husband incredible.
There is so much more I could talk about, but know it has to be a good drama if I am willing to pace myself through 62 episodes in 2 1/2 weeks.
And no spoilers....buuuuuut...
Then it happened. I was browsing youtube for various dramas and I stumbled upon a Chinese fantasy drama, it caught my interest, but I was still reluctant to commit, another one caught my attention and even though it was only 20 episodes I was reluctant...then one more caught my attention. Instantly I was in love, I checked the amount of episodes and threw caution and everything else to the wind.
Needless to say 62 episodes later I am deeply deeply in love with this historical C Drama. I am going to try and stay spoiler free as possible...but that is going to be difficult. I have a feeling this is going to be more restrained fan-girling than an actual review.
General and I
PG-13 + (but it's a far from R)(warning labels)
It's a historical drama so what do you expect? It's an absolute blood bath in certain episodes. Nothing too gruesome, just loss of life which is tragic, lots of blood coming out of mouths, and some spurts which made me wince and look away but nothing that horrified me...that I saw.
There are some intimate shots, no direct nudity, though a few of the guy character are shirtless (a few times) and one scene the girl character is wearing very little and filming tried to make the most out of it, also there are a few scenes with girls taking steaming baths, not much more than shoulders and arms are shown.
A concubine is very creepy, and tries to get pregnant with someone who isn't the king, so there is some shadows, but we don't see any of the intimacy thankfully.
One night two characters sleep in the same bed, she passed out, and he was drunk, nothing happened but the still spent the night together.
There are several suicides in this drama and one attempt, if this is a trigger watch with discretion or skip all together.
One character goes mad, and another shows signs of madness, possibly triggered by grief, bitterness and power hunger.
So let's get down to business.
Based of a Chinese Novel: A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated, we get this beautiful story, that is full of beautiful visuals, beautiful characters...and some green screening.
Costumes and characters are lovely deep, complicated and overall lovable.
The themes of love, forgiveness, bitterness, friendship and loyalty ran very deep in this drama and wove it's way beautifully and intensely through it's story telling.
Characters:
Ping Ting
Beautiful, brilliant, military strategist, orphaned and taken in by the Prince An family, Ping Ting is the picture of loyalty and brilliance.
She captivated me almost instantly with her quiet modesty and yet strategic brilliance and masterminding a brilliant battle strategy. She was treated by He Xia as an equal but a woman still, and you could tell that there was an underlying hint of possible romance for their future.However, she and He Xia are dealt a hard hand and things go very rapidly from harmony and a future together to utter chaos and being without a home...and separated.
And this is when she meets the enemy of Prince An's Manor and her country Great Yan.
Chu Bei Jie
Ping Ting took a lot more convincing.
General Che Bei Jie the "god of war" for Great Jin. A brilliant strategist, martial arts master, loved by all of his men. This man had a heart and soul that is beyond beautiful, the very image of loyalty, faithfulness, and undying love. (I might be a bit of a fan.)
Over and over I had to admire his priorities, and how he placed people as a huge importance in his life, as well as his nation. I could keep going on but I am afraid that would spoil everything.
 |
| I loved all of the hand shots in this drama....so may beautiful hand shots |
He Xia
Where do I begin.Intelligent, bright,...and so many spoiler-y things I want to tell you.
But instead I'll just say... look at this face.
Minor Characters and Supporting Cast
Mo Ran
Chu Bei Jei's right hand man....and an amazing one to boot.
Yang Feng & Zi Yin
Princess of Bai Lan
She is beautiful, sweet innocent and a little love blind and sacrificing to a fault.
Ziu Ju
I LOVE HER, she is the best side kick heroine ever. So much love goes to her!
Lady Thirteen
I loved and I hated her just a little bit...but mostly loved her.
Sima Hong
An amazing King....who could have played his game a little better, however was over all incredible and brilliant. The man was king.
Garrison Commander Fan Lu
Sheesh this Mr. Trouble was worth his weight in gold.
Royal Consort Zhang
Fear this woman!
There is so much more I could talk about, but know it has to be a good drama if I am willing to pace myself through 62 episodes in 2 1/2 weeks.
And no spoilers....buuuuuut...
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| Isn't this face the cutest!!!!! |
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