@ langdon813

Silly me...how could I have left out an important detail which may affect your choice of JH drama to watch?

Thank You - Gratuitous shower scene. Check.

Tazza - Gratuitous shirtless workout scene in prison yard. Check.

Robbers - Shirtless Jang Hyuk flexing his muscles, including one-thumbed push-ups, while verbally wiping the floor with his love rival - not gratuitous at all...extremely relevant to the story. CHECK. ;)

WARNING:
~ Click at your own risk ~
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=175576&view=findpost&p=8480571
8)

@129 serendipity
You are totally right! If I really think about it I am not so sure why I love Kimura Takuya drama so much... but I do. I haven't tackled "Engine" yet, for precisely the reason you stated but after reading what you said I'll probably give it a try. I watched "Hero"(J-movie) last night with Kimura Takuya and yap it was great. I wish there was a little more romance... but wait I forgot I was watching a J-show so silly me for wishing that.

I think it is quite interesting that I have different reactions to J-drama, K-dram and T-drama.
J-drama: I have to be in a somewhat silly and ready to think a bit sort of mood for. They are generally not too addicting but something about J-actors that sometimes just make a totally fangirl out of me. ie. Kimura

K-Drama: In the mood for total immersion. A really good k-drama can consume my life until... well, until I finish the series. I have favorite actors but I don't usually go all fangirl on them.

T-Drama: When I can find a good one I enjoy it for the fun of it and I am not usually too engaged emotionally so I don't get addicted to T-drama... yet. I have actors I like but I haven't found one yet that I am gooey eyed over yet. (Granted, I haven't watch the shower scene in Autumn Concerto yet.)

Does anyone else see a distinction in their reaction to dramas produced by different country?

Okay...I seriously LOOOOOVE this song!!!

totally enjoying the discussion re: how young is too young? i read one definition @ Urban Dictionary: "divide by 2 add 7." IOW divide your own age into 2 and add 7 years. go do the math, dear DB friends swooning over gorgeous young asian men... believe me, i was gasping a few times at my own "cut off."

happy weekend, all! Go, Cal! ^^

do you actualy belive that i did the math. yahoo I can droll over all the young actors without feeling wierd and having no guilt.

@62 lovenyc52 - thanks for the input! hmm.. i've been watching less of TW dramas but maybe AC will change that.. :D

@146 Ana - YB is equivalent to chocolate ice cream and AC is like ‘Van’illa ice cream;-)

i love the ice cream metaphor! can't wait to watch AC now! hopefully right after YB and impending thesis work.. :P

@152 jtinma - i totally agree with you on the different reactions..
i think because of the short time frame for jdramas (i.e. average of 11 episodes ) you really don't get the chance to get addicted..

kdramas are a whole different story especially if i love one or more aspects of it (i.e. actors/actresses, characters, story/plot line).. i get so immersed that i kinda get sad when i finish.. i sometimes watch my favorite scenes over and over during my withdrawal stage or until i start a new series..

tw dramas i haven't watched in a while.. they're kinda lovable because of the cliches but sometimes i just don't buy it anymore.. they can get dragging.. plus sometimes the plot just goes crazy towards the end..

@ ockoala

Beverly Soon dooboo (tofu) is on Olympic and New Hampshire. There's always a long line, so it's good to get there a little early, if you can.. =)

Not sure if you're Korean, but if you are and you like dduk bok ggi, you should try Chamchamcham at the food court at Galleria. and i like the jjajangmyun at K-town Plaza. Not only is it good, but they give you a lot. =)

OMO OMO Episode 17 of Smile, You is AWESOME! The ending scene *SQUEE*

I have loved every single episode since episode 10. It just keeps getting better and better. Now I'm kind of worried about the extension, because right now the pacing is perfect and I don't want them to mess that up. In so many ways, I'm glad that there aren't misunderstandings over love...can I say I just want a Hyun-soo in my life? Seriously, this drama is so refreshing and the important misunderstandings are kept mostly to nil (referring to the main couple...if the parents misunderstand...I have a feeling they will be indirectly just setting up Hyun-soo and Jung-in to get closer). And Lee Min-jung really shines in the quiet moments. And Jung-in is probably one of my favorite female characters, I love the fact that she stands up for things she cares about. And I love the fact that both Hyun-soo and Jung-in are straightforward with their feelings!

I know I keep saying this, but Jung Kyung-ho and Lee Min-jung have amazing chemistry. When I see them onscreen, I'm always like..."so that's what being in love must feel/look like." It's great when the chemistry b/t the leads is so intense that there doesn't need to be music or long camera pauses on moments, because every moment they are together, their feelings blast across the screen even with the subtlest looks ::sigh:: They are absolutely cute! Can't wait for tomorrow's episode!

Thinking about...love might be a strong word...I have liked every episode since ep. 10, but have LOVED all the scenes where Hyun-soo and Jung-in are together.

@momosan,

don't kill the messenger ^^. actually this is the formula for not DATING someone. i think the formula for not drooling, swooning, calling yourself mrs. ____ on DB is waaaay different hehehehe

yeah, you have LOTS of company. :))

@161

Really Really Really? Of course what am I asking. I'm so excited. Just got of work can't wait to see Smile,You. I wish wish wish that I understand Korean. I was trying to stay away so the subber can work. I'm so tempted to go watch raw. Ahhhh. lol

Go Bears. The Axe is ours.

once again, so much stuff to respond to!! here we go. hope this posts...

@ ockoala - ok, Your Tears it is!! is there a certain section of the song you like or do you want a 4 minute ringtone?! haha... also, not sure how to send it to you because i don't have a megaupload account or anything. if there is a certain section you particularly like, just break it down into the minute:second range and i can do it for ya :) and... Mrs. TOP?? yes please. yes yes yes please!!!! oh yea, did i say YES PLEASE?!?! yum.

@ cingdoc - i was telling him the exact same thing about not being able to compare JGS and GY!! totally different characters, different stories, everything!! but as MNIKSS and CP are his favorite dramas i can see him tryin to compare to see if they are as good as those two. The fact that he is watching it and is pretty caught up is already a wow factor for me. And i understand the guyliner thing - i think it's hot on TK cuz it accentuates his already intense eyes, but it is an acquired taste for sure hehe. Also, BCD is ok, but i prefer Koba Tofu & Grill on Culver and Walnut (in the plaza where Ralphs, CVS and Coldstone is).

@ Auntie Mame - i love your name!! That was one of my favorite movies when I was little - would always watch it with my mom when it played on the weekends :)

@ simplesim - Team Park Kyu darling baby gets to be carried by PK?? sweet, i'm totally for that. As for how TK says 'Go Mi Nam', i adore it!! He says it so endearing and with purpose hehe.. Kind of hard to explain but I'm sure you understand the feeling behind it like i do!! And trust, i am very sad about the random white hairs i've been finding. My mom only recently starting getting them so what does it say when i'm not even 29 yet and some are GROWING OUT white?!?!? i must start taking deep breaths and try not to argue with guys about the wonderful emoting of YB hehe.

@ langdon813 - i saw New Moon last night as well!! i kind of dreaded going on opening night because of all the crazy scary twihards that would be there, but it was entertaining. This movie was much better than Twilight mainly because of Mr. Underage's acting - definitely superior to Kristen and Rob's. During the whipping off of the shirt scene i totally blurted out 'holla!!!' (very unintentionally) and my two friends were like, 'OMG' and could not stop laughing at me. Hey, i'm a member of ICOMYM, what else did they expect?!?! There were many 'awwwwwwww's' and massive sighs during the beyond-cheesy scenes, and everytime that happened or when Edward glittered, i could not stop laughing. Entertaining stuff.

@ bbm - re: Taylor as the cutie in cheaper by the dozen 2. HAHA i just had this conversation with one of my girlfriends today. I was telling her that back when i first watched that movie, my thought was 'hrm, that elliot kid is gonna be a real cutie when he grows up!'.. and he is allllll growed up now. oh and btw, he cuts his hair and that's when you start chanting "He's NOT legal, he's NOT legal, he's NOT legal...."

@ momosan - "What is the official age difference to quality for ICOMYM?" I asked the same question you did in a previous post and the answer i received was 'if you feel pervy about it, it qualifies...' :) So for me personally, it's anyone under 24, because 4+ years is still quite a bit for me. but i guess according to urban dictionary it's 21... either way, many of my manrem fit in that range.. and welcome to ICOMYM hehe. btw, i love the Princess Bride and your shirt ROCKS.

@ nycgrl - i'm sorry you've been feeling so sick. I can still remember when i got strept throat back in February and it was the worst feeling ever. Not only did my throat hurt, my entire head felt like it was going to explode, my whole body ached like crazy and i was hot and cold all the time... and all I wanted was to be at my parent's house with my mom and her chicken soup. I really hope you feel better soon!!!!!

@ paula253 - wow, that's the formula for how young you can date?? that's.... pretty young lol. and you're so right - DB formula of who you can drool, swoon, and go by Mrs. ____ is vastly different LOL!!

*crossing my fingers that this posts!!*

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Axe stays in Berkeley!!!!!
Final score:
Cal 34
Stanford 28
:D

Hubby is sulking....and has nearly gone deaf from my screams. 8)

Dear Pac 10,

Suck it.

Love,
Cal

Its the week of Thanksgiving.

So I would like to start by saying...Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful I found dramabeans...the commentary and stuff is great!
I am thankful I found Kdramas....a total addiction for the last year and a half!

crzypl and ockoala I agree with the City Hall comments....
and ockoala I am a So Cal girl myself....out in the IE...

Cingdoc .Korean Manren...I love it....I have crushes all over the place!
reluctant addict that is a great list you have there....I have watched most and now
will go and watch others recommended...watching JOSH as I write this...one of the few Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai pairings..only they are brother and sister in this one....not bad.

Thanks to you all my list to watch has grown again ! and again! I love it....

belleza..LOL

Oh! Love Van Ness! will be starting AC soon...

See....THIS is why I should never leave home (or Dramabeans) EVER EVER again. Look at all the great posts I missed (especially hjkomo...THANK YOU MY FRIEND, for the link, because I really needed it after today. And yes, I will be starting Robbers immediately. Right after this post, in fact).

I got up at a ridiculous hour this morning to go Christmas shopping, which as some of you know I'm absolutely not in the mood for yet. So I was heading to Memphis when I had a BLOWOUT. Oh yeah. Tire blew at about 70 miles an hour. THAT was fun! Husband is out of town, oldest son lives 2 hours away, youngest son is 45 miles away but sound asleep (and probably hung over), but I called him anyway and he got to me in record time. Sadly, I am one of those women who can't change a tire. I can put gas in it, I can check the oil, I can even put wiper fluid in but I refuse to try to change a tire on this vehicle when the tires are bigger than I am! So finally off I go, about 2 hours behind schedule. And yes, I had a schedule. These dramas won't watch themselves, am I right?

So anyway, I did manage to make a big dent in my shopping list and I sort of snuck in a few things for myself, Not much though, just a new purse, some great shoes (just 1 pair, honest), a couple of sweaters, a scarf...and I think that's it. Like I said, not much. :-D

Oh yes, lest I forget...OLE MISS DEFEATS LSU! CAN I GET A HELL YEAH AND A HODDY TODDY??

Welcome to my world, y'all:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?page=sec/olemiss

Dear Cal OT-sisters:

Congrats on a deserved victory.

I am only sleeping comfortably tonight because the Ducks won and the Pac 10 is theirs and hubby is not around to annoy me.

Finally I'm ready to give Smile another chance!

Sorry for the clipped comment above (that was a comment by phone), I'm totally not pissed Stanford lost, Gerhart can't carry an entire team, and the Good Cal showed up today, so it was in the end a good game.

I'm exhausted since it's still me and the 2 ockoala babies all day, all the time. It's like a marathon but for 14 hours. As I was munching on bread this morning, everytime people looked at me, I'm all like "what, do you think I'm some koala you may know?"

And this twenty-something girl wearing a "I Love NYC" t-shirt showed up, and I thought no way lovenyc52 did get up 4 hours earlier just to eat bread with me - and I was right, it was another NYC lover.

langdon-unni - thank heavens you didn't get hurt in the tire blowout! Once happened to me on the carpool lane of the 405 freeway, with one baby in the backseat, one in my belly, a dog next to me, and I veered right across 5 lanes to get to the shoulder where I could park. All that was left was a tire rim, pieces of rubber all over the freeway, and pieces of my exploded heart in the car. I know God was looking out for me that day, cuz statistically I should have been hit by at least 10 cars which all magically missed me by inches. Anyways, I now change my tires early - may not get the most use out of them, but darn it, I'm not willing to take any chances.

Back to Smile, You - I hated with a vengeance the first 2 episodes, but have always always loved the potential of the lead pairing, and was just hoping Lee Min-jung would tone down her OTT acting. She's got an expressive face, she needed to use more restraint rather than emoting more like other actresses, It seems like she's done so, and the entire coupling has really taken off. Sounds totally promising, and I'm finally game to pick up where I left off. Hope to be a Smiler by a few weeks time!

".too late to watch anything, so I better go to sleep…”Mr. Lance Armstrong” here is reminding me what time we have to get up to bike again"

And this is why the American Marital Law gave us "Irreconcilable Differences." Because this is truly Irreconcilable with me!! ;)

@ langdon813 - thank goodness you're alright!!!!! i can't change a tire either. The first time i ever got a flat was pulling into my parents driveway on a stormy night and i took the turn too tight and clipped my wheel into one of the sharp-edged planters that line our walkway and POP! my dad was so mad that he made me sit there and read the manual and try to figure out how to jack up my car and change the tire. after several attempts in the rainy and dark night my mom finally convinced him to let us call AAA. I did get a flat on the freeway before too - horrifying. don't know how i was able to make it off the freeway and into a gas station without killing my rims (or myself!). I really should learn how to change a tire... but isn't that what AAA is for?!?!

@ ockoala - haha when you were munching happily on yummy bread i was dead to the world. i seriously did not wake up till right before noon :) my one rule for the weekends is: No alarms. that's it. i sleep in until my body tells me to wake up. That's why i try to not make plans for the mornings because otherwise i feel like i haven't gotten my full rest (and then it feels like a workday. horror of horrors haha). Funnily, as much as i <3 NYC, i do not own a shirt that says that anymore hehe. i think i had them in college and my friend and i took them and cut them up to make them more trendy and fun and now... well now i don't wear cut up shirts haha. Maybe i'll drop by 85C tomorrow. I am kinda feeling like having some BBQ TeriQ Gold wings as well. I know, i'll head up to rowland and get a massage and some yummy stinky tofu :) so much food to eat, so little time LOL!! oh yea, have you decided if you want just a clip of Your Tears or the whole 4 minutes?

@161 Taohua

so so so agree with everything you wrote about Smile, You! Perfectly expressed!!

Oh dear, I am becoming a Smile, You addict! Watched episode 17 raw (though I do not understand Korean at all) and had a silly grin plastered on my face the whole day!

@ ockoala

Could I ask a favour? You mentioned a site for watching TW dramas in a previous OT. Would you mind providing the URL again please? I had a quick look from the last two OTs but got lost there. Want to check it our for watching the next AC episode - should be exciting as GX and MC meet again, not to mention the repeat of the sports car crashing bus scene!!

And what a pair of super dopey bright koalas you've got!! I was a geography major during undergrad days but didn't think I could do the puzzle as quick as they did. How old are Cassidy and Jordan?

I'm YouTubing Jang Geun Seuk and if I didn't know that he was an actor I would totally believe that he's a singer, he even knows how to play the guitar "Hee Chul + Jang Geun Suk - Chan Ran Han Sarang" he's an actor who could really sing.

Okay now I'm thinking of studying the Korean Language.

Here at my mom's house in Japan, my brother and I was talking about movies... Suddenly, Red cliff was mentioned!? Red cliff? The movie(s) everybody's been talking about on DB this weekends!? Now, it got me so tatally curious. To start with I was already intrigued since TK and Tony Leung were mentioned and now my brother... and it actually is 三国志！I went ahead and reserved them on Netflix but they aren't avilable yet. Where do you watch them?

Thank you everybody on OT threads, there are always great tips here for all sort of things in all different areas of one's life. I don't know what I'd do without this site. Thank you JB for providing us this place!

@ 179 momosa

I am jealous that you walked past Tony Leung and he looked straight at you. I wish I could meet someone as cool as him one day ... but then I always wonder what would I say to a star? "Hello. Nice to meet you." That would be it. Star struck and lost for words. Not cool.

@ langdon813

I hope you are OK after your tyre burst. Thankfully I have not had that happen to me but I can just imagine how scary it would be. And ockoala, for that to happen to you and the ockoala babies, thank goodness no one was harmed.

Sunday afternoon here in London. It has been raining all morning so I can't be bothered getting out of my pjs to do anything useful.

Btw, what does ICOMYM stand for?

@178, epyc

It's early in SoCal so I thought I'd answer your question about the TDrama website on behalf of the sleeping ockoala:

http://sugoideas.com/

@181, celestialorigin

Try http://www.aznt.tv ; I believe Red Cliff (maybe both I and II, not sure though) is on there. You do have to download a player but it's free.

@ cingdoc, lovenyc152, crzycpl

I'm just fine! A little retail therapy goes a long way, hehe!

And crzycpl...ICOMYM stands for "Inappropriate Crushes On Much Younger Men".

Do any of you guys use Yahoo for your home page? Ole Miss vs LSU is the lead story right now. Cracked me up.

OOPS - @ celestialorigin

Typo - the above link won't work, here's the right one!

http://aznv.tv/?p=login

@ langdon813

Am glad to hear that you're fine! And yes, of course, retail therapy fixes everything! :)

Ooooooohhhhh .. ICOMYM ... hehehe ... thanks for the clarification, langdon813. But if I follow paula253's comment re divide by 2 and add 7, I think I'm safe for the most part :) Thank goodness! Although the cuteness that is Kim Bum makes me feel guilty as he is younger than my brother!

Here's my random comment for the afternoon. I just realised that I'm missing series 7 of my Gilmore Girls DVD collection. Checked it out on Amazon and it's $15 in the US whereas it is £25 here in the UK! WHAT THE?! You guys are so lucky to live in the States where everything is so much cheaper. I envy you all. I'm now going to have to wait until my trip to SF next May to get me a copy. *sigh* And here I was thinking I could do a Gilmore Girls marathon this week since the weather is so miserable outside.

So I don't know if any one is still reading the Open Thread, but i just wanted to get this out there...

because of all the Red Cliff mentions in here and all the praises that I've been reading, I decided to watch it because I was really intrigued by what people were saying about the actors' eyes and the beautiful cinematography.

Anyhow, I watched the long version of it and I have to say I absolutely LOVED it. So thank you everyone for talking about it, or I would have *never* have watched the movie.

It's AWESOME. LOVED IT.

@186, Chocolatetree (cool name)

Glad you liked it! Did you watch both I and II?

And the OT is like an Everlasting Gobstopper...it lasts from Friday until the next Friday when a new one shows up! :-)

Been lurking here for a while now, i have not much to say but HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

now the holidays' coming up, i'm thinking of buying a new Laptop. I'm debating between a PC and MAC? I've been a PC user and I haven't tried the new Windows 7. And, seems that technology is always advancing. Like, something better comes out in a couple of months. Which I hate!!
my price range:1,000-1,500, screen: 13-15"

So, any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Any Pros and Cons ?

It's always a treat to read comments about CH in here.

@crzycpl, thank you for sharing your journey to Inju City.

Have I moved on? I can say not fully move on.

*waves@cityhallers*

thank you JB for this wonderful blog!

I'm off to do some X'mas shopping!

@159 ktwngrl

I'm going to have to tell the bestie about the jajangmyun at K-town plaza (based on your recommendation). She would always complain that no one made good jajangmyun in Cali like they do in Hawaii (they also make THE best tang soo yuk), and I believed her when we went to go eat at one in Garden Grove...and another one in...La Mirada was it?

But ohhh how I miss the junbok juk at the San in K-town! Yum!

***

I am so addicted to You're Beautiful it's not even funny...돼지토끼~!! I'm sad that it's ending this week! At least I still have Smile, You. ^_^

Anyone have any other recommendations for currently airing dramas??? I've tried watching Iris, but just can't seem to get into it.

@188 mzpakipot

MAC, hands-down. I've always been a PC user, but recently switched over and I will never buy a PC again. They are so much faster, easier, and the graphics are just outstanding. And you don't (really) have to worry about viruses. Idk, I guess you either love it, or hate it. For me, I love it. I love it so much that after purchasing my Macbook last year, I just recently purchased a Mac Pro. BEAUTIFUL.

Quick review of Sophie's Revenge:

The plot is essentially the Meg Ryan/Matthrew Brodderick rom-com "Addicted to Love", but the film itself plays like Amelie, if Amelie was remade by Baz Luhrmann (esp. in its love of sepia-tinged soft focus.) Zhang Ziyi plays a cartoonist, and the director REALLY ran with that, essentially shooting any scene from her hyperdramatic, hyperpictorial point of view. And it's edited much like a Baz Luhrmann film, that is very, very fast. It took me about half of the film to adjust. (BTW, it's impossible to place the location of this film. Tempting to say it's like an alternative America where everybody's Chinese?)

The best special effect: both Ziyi and Peter Ho look mid-20ish in this film. Peter looked even younger than Ziyi, and he's 34 years old!!

Note: for seasoned Chinese viewers, Ziyi playing a sweetheart ingenue that we the audience actually have to root for . . . okay, that's a lot to ask. (Does anybody doubt that she could have played the Evil Bitch character??) But for the rest of us, Ziyi pulls off her variation of the archetypal Audrey Tatou performance (all beatific, tightlipped smiles and whimsical determination.)

Jisup was kinda . . . eh. Character was never really fleshed out, so you don't really connect with him as The Jerk. You did get some adorably confused reaction shots from him. You may notice that his parts are dubbed (nothing personal: the whole thing is dubbed), but he did act in Mando.

Finally, the music to Sophie's Revenge are all Mando remakes of Korean songs. I spied a remake of Clazziquai's Stepping Out. Remake of Loveholic was also put twice in the film. The sound design of the film is terrific BTW.

The film's sweet, and Ziyi and Peter have good chemistry. However, enjoying the film is about whether the saturated style works with you. It finally did for me during the 2nd half, and it was a really nice escape.

My god the dooness streams out of this blog.....

Discussions of kdramas. CHECK
Discussions of ICOMYM, Mine etc CHECK
Discussions of hot men who are great actors (aka Tony Leung, Takeski Kaneshiro) CHECK
Discussions of other life saving things like tyre blowouts/changing* CHECK

Then to top it off
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

Classic Princess Bride! Honestly I was reading an article on Robin Penn the day before this topic og PB came up! Freaky!

*Tyre changing
My one (and hopefully) only experience of a flat tyre was when i was LEARNING to drive. Well thank goodness my driving instructer was there! Suprisingly I kept very calm - carefully driving to a side street (I was on a main/freeway like road at the time). I do recall struggling a little by the end to control steering. I think if I had seen the fact that the rubber was starting to shread (before I stopped) I might have freaked out! But I got a lesson in WATCHING a tyre being changed!
Hmm ockoala does this prove we really are related?

JB you are a total legend, goddess and everything else for the ringtone goodies!

@ 183 langdon813

Thankyou, thankyou! Sorry to hear your tyre incident but it's good to know you get something nice for yourself from the X'mas shopping trip.

@ 188 mzpakipot

Wave and a virtual CH hug, have a good week!

oops means to type "goodness" not "dooness"!

Not sure if it was my excitement of getting the ringtones... dooness reminds me of another early favourite Doozers! from Fraggle rock.