Something sweet on the brightly lit street, in the snow-fluttering winter night.
GIFs:
Bonus hug:
December 6, 2014
December 5, 2014
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Soundtrack Favorites: Mad Soul Child
It's still incredible to me how I discovered Mad Soul Child - Dear, one of the most beautiful and haunting songs. I don't remember how I came across this song (I still have not watched The Man from Nowhere), but I do remember discovering Mad Soul Child - Breath from TEN OST. Breath has the same haunting tone as Dear.
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Soundtrack Favorites: Every Single Day
I fell in love Every Single Day - Echo from I Hear Your Voice OST the summer of 2013. The new drama, Pinocchio, from the PD-Writer team of IHYV brought Every Single Day back. I am loving the new track, Every Single Day - Non-Fiction. I can hear some similarities between the two tracks. Every Single Day is a popular all-male band formed in 1997. They appear in other drama OSTs as well, such as Gap Dong and Cheongdamdong Alice.
The two songs have lovely lines in their chorus:
Echo
You come to me step by step
Deep heart, deep thoughts, your deep voice
Deep heart, deep thoughts, your deep voice
I hear it, I hear it
Non-Fiction
I know you can’t trust anyone now
I’m not trying to tell you the truth
I know I can’t protect you anymore
I’m not trying to tell you the facts
November 30, 2014
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Heartless City: Stunning Soundtrack
I am currently in love with Heartless City OST, definitely one of my all-time favorite soundtracks. Listening to the OST takes me back to the drama right away.
Such a beautiful and captivating song.
The instrumentals are great too. My favorite instrumental: Undercover, so riveting and mesmerizing.
The Man is my second favorite and reminds me of Mr. Nobody OST. Memories of the Past and 그날밤 are also memorable.
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Heartless City: Mesmerizing Noir
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| Contemplation. |
Shi Hyun aka Paksa (Doctor's Son): an extremely memorable anti-hero
The featured image: I chose this image because that's the Shi Hyun that sticks to me the most: contemplative, jaded, a bit sad. (Unrelated: Shi Hyun's 45 degree profile is remarkable, from his eyebrows to his nose/)
These screencaps speak for themselves.
November 7, 2012
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Can We Get Married? First Impression
I checked out the first 2 episodes of Can We Get Married? because of the cast. The leading man is Sung Joon from White Christmas and Shut Up Flower Boy Band. I really liked Sung Joon's genius character in White Christmas and was impressed with his portrayal of the stoic character despite it being his first role ever. I haven't finished Shut Up yet but from the 4 episodes I've seen, he is also very good in there. I saw Jung So Min in Bad Guy and Playful Kiss and I think she's a very promising up-and-coming actress. I find it amusing that Kim Young Kwang is also in this drama with a supporting role. Sung Joon, Kim Young Kwang, Kim Woo Bin, and Lee Soo Hyuk were all in White Christmas together and I like all of their characters. Kim Young Kwang, Kim Woo Bin, and Lee Soo Hyuk reunited in Vampire Idol as, what else?, hot vampire idols. Sung Joon starred with his first leading role in the well-received Shut Up and Kim Woo Bin went on to do the screechy A Gentleman's Dignity. I heard his talent was wasted there. As Kim Woo Bin is gearing up for his first leading role in School 2013, Sung Joon and Kim Young Kwang reunite in Can We. I say White Christmas is a new-stars potpourri.
Main Couple Jung Hoon and Hye Yoon
The drama opens with Jung Hoon (Sung Joon) proposing to Hye Yoon (Jung So Mi) and Hye Yoon says yes. Hye Yoon is a temperamental, straight-talker teacher while Jung Hoon is gentle and soft-spoken. Jung Hoon is almost always the first one to try to make up when they fight. Hye Yoon is a bit of an annoying character in that, while while she is honest and stands up for herself, she can also be too straightforward and assume the worst in a situation. She is frequently the one who who starts a couple fight. All of these are fine but there is one scene that makes her truly unlikable for me.
In episode 2, when the couple are fighting, Hye Yoon was all like "If you love me, you will kneel in front of me to prove it to me." I really really dislike these kinds of "if you love me, you'll do blah blah blah" or "to prove your love for me, you'll have to do blah blah blah" talk. I don't these kinds of relationships are healthy. You don't have to follow the orders of your love to prove you love him or her. Making your beloved one do something to prove his or her love is even more despicable.
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| Poor puppy Jung Hoon kneeling. |
Ki Joong and Dong Bi
Ki Joong (Kim Young Kwang) is a confirmed bachelor and opposes to traditional institutions such as marriage. Ki Joong and Dong Bi (Han Groo) have been dating for 5 years and they have consummated relationship a long time ago: The viewers are introduced to this couple while they are engaging in foreplay but Dong Bi's breaking a lamp ruins the mood for Ki Joong. In the beginning of their relationship, both were okay with just being lovers but things changed. Dong Bi now wants marriage.
This couple is the most exciting to watch for me. Sung Joon and Jung So Mi have chemistry, but I don't think it's as much as Kim Young Kwang and Han Groo's. I am also sometimes turned off by Jung So Mi's character so it's harder to get invested in their relationship. Dong Bi is not a better character than Hye Yoon though. She was so heartbroken after the break-up that she was absent from work for days without any notice and so she was fired. Now, she was really sick so I guess she did have an excuse, but it's not much because it's not that she can't physically make the call, she's just completely forgotten about her job. That's Dong Bi's problem; she can be too absorbed into love and it makes her to drop everything else in her life.
Ki Joong has his share of character pitfalls. While his desire to live outside the norm is understandable, and maybe even commendable in that it represents individuality-a thing not emphasized enough in Asian cultures, his attacks of the people who do not do the same or fall back to the traditional (like Dong Bi) deserve criticism. He says that people who neeed things like marriage are weak, which is simply not true. Individual strength is not only evident in solitary; you can give a part of yourself to someone and still retain your individuality. As soon as Dong Bi reveals her wish for stability and a family, Ki Joong drops her like a hot potato, claiming he doesn't need such a dependent girlfriend. Independence is essential in a relationship, so are understanding and emotional support. He doesn't try to understand or be considerate of Dong Bi's wishes.
I hope Ki Joong and Dong Bi will get more fleshed out and their story will realize the potential as we go on. They have an interesting and awesome set up. I hope the production team will emphasize character growth and chemistry greatly in this couple's story. As you can tell from the length of what I've written for this couple, they are the couple I'm most invested in.
Some Side Characters
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| Oldest daughter |
-Hye Yoon's older sister is experiencing some problems in her marriage. She married an already-married plastic surgeon and now karma is coming back to get her because she found out her always-straying husband has been cheating on her with a car model.
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| Cheating bastard |
The Crazy Mother
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| Who else? |
Even though her oldest daughter married such a bastard, she's all proud of the "accomplishment" and pretty much reminds her daughter what a great mother she is for pushing their marriage forward. Whenever Hye Yoon talks about individualism and her happiness, the mother brushes all of that aside and tells Hye Yoon happiness doesn't matter and money will cover everything! It doesn't matter if you don't love the guy or the guy is a cheating jerk who disrespects you, as long as he's wealthy, that's okay. Given the history of Asian countries's gender inequality and the fact that even modern Korea doesn't have gender equality, this show is very backward and fosters existing stereotypes and subjugation of women. Now, I know that the show is only in its beginning so it might change, but I wouldn't bet on that. The premise of this show is can the main couple get married in spite of a greedy, meddling mother: you can count on the mother to be like this through most, if not all, of the show.
If you consider yourself a feminist or you just simply cannot forgive this kind of offense, then it'd be best for you to avoid this show. Despite this big turn-off, I'm still going to continue to watch Can We for the secondary couple and Sung Joon. I have started to fast forward all the scenes with the mother. I'm here to see the cute. There's some good kissings in both couples: Jung Hoon and Hye Yoon - sweet and gentle, Ki Joong and Dong Bi - hot and intense. What? I can enjoy this and ignore the rest you know!
November 5, 2012
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School 2013 First Teaser
I'm really looking forward to the fifth season of School, School 2013. This is mostly because dear Kim Woo Bin is going to be in it. I just watched the first teaser and I'm happy to say that this drama is looking very promising in the heart department. A high school drama is just simply not a high school drama without the right tone, sincerity, and heart. Because it is such a tumultuous time of growing up and transitioning from child to adult, a depiction of such time without any sincerity will not connect with the viewers. I'm really excited. I don't like Kim Woo Bin's hair cut in this drama though. It doesn't suit him; he needs a hair cut that exposes his forehead. Well, I hope everything's going to be good.
I really like how all the characters are talking (probably about high school time) in the teaser. I didn't understand what they were saying but I still felt the emotion it evokes - melancholy. School 2013 premieres December 3rd.
September 15, 2012
August 19, 2012
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More posts from MusicHaunting Songs Edition 1
I have a fixation on beautiful darkness. Okay, that was a little bit melodramatic, but it's true. I really like haunting and dark songs. Here are some songs on the top of my list.
Mad Soul Child - Dear
I conjure up images of whispering ghosts whenever I listen to this song.
Mad Soul Child - Breath (숨결)
This is a different kind of hauntingness. If Dear was eerie and ghostly, this one is just darkness in a less spooky way.
Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
This one tells a story, and it's a story of a a doomed pair of lovers.
Bjork - Scatterheart
I like the first minute. The never finished the whole song.
Lenka - Like a Song
I don't like this one as much as the others.
Mad Soul Child - Dear
I conjure up images of whispering ghosts whenever I listen to this song.
Mad Soul Child - Breath (숨결)
This is a different kind of hauntingness. If Dear was eerie and ghostly, this one is just darkness in a less spooky way.
Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
This one tells a story, and it's a story of a a doomed pair of lovers.
Bjork - Scatterheart
I like the first minute. The never finished the whole song.
Lenka - Like a Song
I don't like this one as much as the others.
Music
More posts from MusicAugust 18, 2012
Captivating Trailers 2012 [Edition 1]
I just watched A Werewolf Boy's trailer and thought how dreamy and poignant it was. So here are the trailers I've seen this year that I think are really captivating. I also included opening sequences... Well, they're short like trailers!
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Current Playlist 8/18/12
I am currently in love with these tracks. In no particular order:
David Guetta - Titanium
I can't believe I just discovered this song last month. I love it so much!! I love the whole song, from the beginning to the end.
Sistar - Alone
Has a very dark and forlorn feel to it. I love the beginning. The middle part is only okay. It's rare to stumble on a song where I like from the beginning to end nowadays. The MV is lovely though. I like the red and black palette a lot. Sistar caught my attention when I was watching their So Cool dance practice (I love the dance!) and I found that their new single Loving You and So Cool were fun and cute. But it's this moody Alone that I love.
Big Bang - Monster
Bridal Mask OST - Judgement Day
Gaksitaaaaaaaaaaaaaal Theme!
Teen Top - 미치겠어 (Going Crazy)
I never expected to like a song from Teen Top, but this one is just so catchy!!
J-Min - Stand Up
A super fun and feel-good song!
The other song that's released from To the Beautiful You is Butterfly. It's quite cutesy and I don't like it as much as this one.
2NE1 - I Love You
I just discovered song today! I love the I-love-yoouuuuu parts. The beginning is also very edgy and I love it!
Younha - Run
I also just discovered this song today. I really like her vocal and this song's MV is really cool. Another song that I like from her Supersonic album is Set Me Free. It's a slow beat song but not boring.
U-Kiss - Doradora
This song reminds me of Super Junior's Bonamana for some reason. Not only does the song's tiltle rhymes like Bonamana, the song's appeal is also similar to Bonamana's.
Block B - Burn Out
Catchy and upbeat. The instrumental version is also outstanding. Another instrumental track I like from Ghost OST is Black Out: so haunting and suspenseful.
Super Junior - Spy
The MV is so fun, creative, and cartoonish. The song is also on the comical side as it starts out with a spy-ish horn tune.
Other songs that I'm listening to that are not recent discoveries or I don't listen to them as much are Party Rock Anthem, Club Can't Handle Me Right Now, Deep Shadow, Born to Die, 4minute's Huh and Mirror Mirror,
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Dramas I'm Watching (August 2012)
Wow. That was a long hiatus. But now I'm back! Sort of...
1. Bridal Mask (aka Gaksitaaaaaaaaaaaaaal)
I love this drama so much! I was hooked from the first moment when the opening music/chant (the eh eh eh) was on. I fell in love with it when Kang-to stands up and shoots at the backs of Gaksital and Mok Dan. Unlike others who think that the first episodes were too fast, I really like the pace at the beginning. The show, of course, slows down to develop its characters after Kang-to becomes Gaksital. Even though it's not paced as I would like it to be any more, I still like Bridal Mask a lot! And of course I've received Joo Won fever too. I never cared for him before this drama, but now I'm just sad that I won't be able to see him (and his furrowed brows!) any more in 3 weeks. I'll miss my weekly fix of Gaksitaaaaaaal! once it's over. On another note, I can't wait until the instrumental tracks are released! Love them.
Listen to this awesome track called Judgement Day aka Gaksital theme!
2. Arang and the Magistrate
1. Bridal Mask (aka Gaksitaaaaaaaaaaaaaal)
I love this drama so much! I was hooked from the first moment when the opening music/chant (the eh eh eh) was on. I fell in love with it when Kang-to stands up and shoots at the backs of Gaksital and Mok Dan. Unlike others who think that the first episodes were too fast, I really like the pace at the beginning. The show, of course, slows down to develop its characters after Kang-to becomes Gaksital. Even though it's not paced as I would like it to be any more, I still like Bridal Mask a lot! And of course I've received Joo Won fever too. I never cared for him before this drama, but now I'm just sad that I won't be able to see him (and his furrowed brows!) any more in 3 weeks. I'll miss my weekly fix of Gaksitaaaaaaal! once it's over. On another note, I can't wait until the instrumental tracks are released! Love them.
Listen to this awesome track called Judgement Day aka Gaksital theme!
2. Arang and the Magistrate
The first 2 episodes are good. The dark fairy tale theme is right up my alley. The pace is fast, which I like. I really like instrumental tracks too. Lee Jun Ki and Mina have great romantic chemistry. I can't wait to unravel the mystery. I just hope that it has enough content to fill the slated 20 episodes.
3. Answer Me 1997
I didn't expect to enjoy this show. It's about fan girls, which I am not, and the 90s. I was in preschool then. I think the fan culture was handled very earnestly and realistically. With this kind of story, the drama could've been very awful and cliche (the heroine is a crazy fan girl who does not notice her hot best friend is pining for her!), but since the drama is so nostalgic and earnest that it doesn't feel shallow or overdone.
Here is my dilemma. I don't have a lot of time and there are currently 5 (five! the most dramas I've ever watched concurrently is one, which is not overlapping dramas at all) dramas I want to watch. I have to cut out one (Faith) and watch one while probably doing something else (To the Beautiful You). Answer Me 1997's subs don't come fast and its length is short so that's how I'm able to keep it. The 2 shows that I'm definitely following episode by episode are Bridal Mask and Arang.
4. To the Beautiful You
This one is always a no brain and sometimes only hearts. Other times? Nothing at all. We've been there, done that. The plot is predictable and the acting is only decent. If the drama becomes messy (or even more messy...), it will still be a hot mess. I decided to stick with this drama because it's harmless fun, doesn't require me to do much thinking or pulling me on an emotional roller coaster (unlike my love Bridal Mask!) so I'll multitask and do something else while half-paying attention to the screen. I like the songs though!
A fun and feel-good song from the drama, J-Min - Stand Up
[Dropped] Faith
It's not bad really. It's actually kind of good. But ultimately, I only have so much time. And frankly, Lee Min Ho is not doing a lot of acting and Kim Hee Sun is overacting to the point of jarringness (that was probably not a word but oh well!). It's only 2 episodes so they might get better, but I'm not into fantasy epics so it's a drop for me even though the drama is promising. It's interesting to realize that I have also dropped Lee Min Ho's last drama, City Hunter (lol I can't believe people compared this to Bridal Mask) and never started Personal Taste. Maybe I'm just not feeling the Ho(t) in Lee Min Ho.
May 20, 2012
I haven't posted in quite a while...
It's been five months since I posted anything substantial (ie. recap). There's no excuse for it. I still believe I'd finish the recaps for Family Honor... sometime. Whenever I'm in the mood for more family drama. I'm still on episode 5.
ANYway... I'm very excited for some upcoming dramas such as Big and Arang. Interested in Time Slip Dr. Jin, Ghost, and, to a lesser extent, I Do I Do.
Right now, I'm in love with Queen In Hyun's Man and its hero, Boong Do. This drama is going to be a keeper.
My progress on some dramas I looked forward to:
The King 2 Hearts: I finished the first 2 episodes, but for some reason, never got pass that. I heard very good things about it so I'll continue to watch it when I'm in the mood for dramatics.
Rooftop Prince: so silly and frivolous. I dropped it.
That's it! Thanks for reading, if you still are!
March 19, 2012
K-Drama
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Dramas I am Looking Forward to
Dramas I Will Check Out the First Episode
Fashion King
The King 2 Hearts
I Do, I Do
Time Slip Dr. Jin
Absolutely Him
A Gentleman's Dignity
Ghost
Dramas I'm Very Excited For
Rooftop Prince
Arang and the Magistrate
Big
The Marriage Plot
Da Mo Yao (Ballad of the Desert)
Fashion King
The King 2 Hearts
I Do, I Do
Time Slip Dr. Jin
Absolutely Him
A Gentleman's Dignity
Ghost
Dramas I'm Very Excited For
Rooftop Prince
Arang and the Magistrate
Big
The Marriage Plot
Da Mo Yao (Ballad of the Desert)
February 5, 2012
Family's Honor Update
I just want to let you guys know the Family's Honor project is NOT off. I was just so busy last month. I watched till episode 5. I took notes and all. I'll just have to write and grab the screencaps.
I will not have time until middle-late Feb. Then I'll go MIA again until late March!
So busy!
I will not have time until middle-late Feb. Then I'll go MIA again until late March!
So busy!
December 31, 2011
K-Drama
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Family's Honor: Episode 2 Recap
This episode has a lot of traditional Korean ceremonies. Park Shi Hoo appears in 34:41, 40:14, and 49:40.
Episode 2 opens with an elderly man doing a spirit invocation on top of the roof to the passed away Great-grandfather. Dan Ah returns home and she cries with the help lady. Then all the members of the family cry.
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Throughout the episode, I notice a lot elements of patriarchical nature in a traditional Korean ceremony. The women have to prepare and serve while the men are the ones doing the guest-greeting, discussions, and directing. There are also a lot of rules, such as can't eat for 3 days.
December 29, 2011
K-Drama
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Family's Honor: Episode 1 Recap
My blog's first project!
Since I love Park Shi Hoo so much and I heard Family Honor is good, I decided to recap the show. I don't know Korean so I'm definitely not going to be a culture-enlighten recapper.
Park Shi Hoo only appears in 2 scenes: 01: 49 and 29:18.
Even though he only appeared in 2 scenes, he made a deep impression on the viewers as a cool (personality-wise), arrogant, and no-nonsense businessman.
December 28, 2011
K-Drama
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My 2012 Anticipated K-Drama
Right off the bat, 2012 has a lot of offerings I'm looking forward to.
History of the Salaryman premieres the coming Monday, Jan 2. From the trailer and the MV, it looks like it's going to be a super fun show. Please watch the wacky MV. Many reactions to the MV are that: "The PD and writer lost their mind!" "What happened to the brains behind Giant?" and the like. But I loved the MV! It captures the feel of the drama very well and stimulates the audience's interest to make them tune in to see how the crazy MV relates to the story. At least, I know I am! The teasers released later are also like the MV: wacky and crazy, but very fun. I just have a feeling that this is going to be very hilarious.
Wild Romance and The Moon that Embraces the Sun premiere on the same day, Jan 4. I look forward to both but I am more excited for MoonSun because I love sageuk romance. It's based on a novel so I just have a feeling the plot is going to be awesome and compelling. For some weird reason, I feel like the atmosphere around this drama will be very similar to Bride of the Water God, even though I'm not a fan of the manhwa. It's not that it's bad, it's just super slow. I only got to chapter twenty-something before simply forgot about it. However, I loved the aura the characters and the story gave. The character descriptions from MoonSun also sound very interesting and layered. Out of the 3 leads, I like only 1 and 1/2. I like Kim Soo Hyun from Dream High, neutral about Jung Il Woo, but I almost dislike Han Ga In's acting. She's very pretty but 1. I think she's too old for this role, 2. I can't imagine any chemistry between Soo Hyun and her. 3. She can't act. For the sake of this drama, I hope she'll surprise me... somehow. She was absolutely bad in Witch Amusement, and only okay in Bad Guy (I didn't care about the romance at all in Bad Guy because I didn't care for her character). Let's be optimistic.
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| Jung Il Woo and Kim Soo Hyun |
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| Han Ga In |
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| Im Joo Eun and Lee Won Jong |
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| Ultimate bad-ass heroine. |
After the currently airing Brain is Dream High 2. I loved the original Dream High so hopefully the second season will provide as much fun as the first one.
K-drama adaptation of the Japanese manga Absolute Boyfriend, Absolutely Him (heh), premieres in March. I am looking forward to the collaboration between Kim Ha Neul and TOP. I don't follow Kpop so I don't know much about TOP but I really like Kim Ha Neul. I like almost all of her rom-coms. I also look forward how the drama adaptation would turn out since the original manga bored me. I abandoned the manga after the 1st chapter. Admittedly, it was mostly because the art irritates me. Hey, I'm shallow. The half reason I read manga is the art. The plot also sounds like it could either be addictingly good or boring cliche-soup. Let's hope it's the former.
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| Kim Ha Neul and TOP |
