@Serendipity

"I live in Singapore. I used to come to the City for work, but since I’ve changed line I only come occasionally for play (yay). I’m assuming you live in New York – my favourite city in the world after London! Do you get to come to London often?"

I come twice a year. Mostly in October and June never in December. It is colder than NYC right now and I didn't pack any scarves or hats because they said it would be in mid 40 to high 40's and now its actually 32 degrees. Bloody hell! BTW regent street is very pretty right now.

@ nyrgrl

It's a sudden cold snap. When I flew in last Friday it was in the upper forties and I didn't need gloves. It's unusual for Ldn to be colder than NY. Those NY streets are like wind tunnels, brr! How long are you here for? I'm going away for the weekend, then flying home next Tuesday.

I like London in December, actually. I like that it's not overrun by tourists. I like the Christmas lights (they are pretty down in the Chelsea area, too). I fancy people are in a slightly better mood than usual because of Christmas. When I left the National Gallery the sky was still glowing with light, the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree was lit, and you could see Big Ben shining in the distance. I like hanging out in museums and galleries all day, ducking into warm bookshops in between, and gazing out at London from the top of a double-decker bus, i-pod stuck in my ear.

You sure you have to go to *meetings* today?!

@451 nycgrl

Well, you can always get another beautiful scarf at Liberty(my favorite store) on Regent or Selfridges on Oxford St!

I the midst of DJG marathron, can't stand lady Choi. It seems like in K dramas, a villain is eternally a villain usually, no redemption or anything, I wonder what it's like to play a malicious person for the entire duration of a drama?

#
450 reluctantbutaddicted -

@ 447 cingdoc:

That behaviour is completely unacceptable. Yes, your daughter should not hold grudges, but also she should not ever share her study notes with that colleague again. He should apologize, and perhaps they might study together, but he has demonstrated a total lack of responsibility and is not to be trusted. His mother is just plain rude, self-centred, thoughtless (so you can understand why her son is so careless and needs outside guidance on etiquette; suffering the consequences of his thoughtlessness will be good for him).

I agree. Some people are just rude and makes me wonder how it can be but it can be , I guess...

holding grudges doesn't serve anyone anyways, you are so right about not being judgmental and so on as well.

@ 447 cingdoc

LOL! I hadn't seen our non-meeting as a k-drama, but you are totally right. nycgrl and myself are soulmates, *meant* for one another. We pass each other tantalisingly in the National Gallery [insert moving soundtrack, and slow-motion]. At night we simultaneously tap away at our laptops, alone in our respective rooms, dutifully munching our unsatisfactory non-Asian dinners [split screen]. We like London and have had a good day; but something is not right. It feels as if we've forgotten something important, or missed a big chance. *Something* is lacking. What could it be? What is this inexplicable longing in our hearts? [cue, sappy music]

But, wait, serendipity accidentally leaves her City Hall dvd on a London tube train, and who should pick it up and run after her but... nycgrl! Three episodes later, they are living together in Greenwich Village, high-powered professionals by day, deliriously happy k-drama fangirls by night. [cue, montage of cute togetherness moments] But, wait, oh no, who is that tall handsome man striding up the stairs to their apartment? It's serendipity's OH! [cue menacing music] "How dare you!" he cries, "How dare you!" as he flings her frequent flyer card in her face...

@455 serendipity

Oh! brilliant! Scenario for another "K drama Soulmate" series!

@449 nea:notoriousnoona

I just recommended this website to someone in the City Hall thread on Soompi today....

http://www.maangchi.com/

Anyway, there are videos for all of her recipes, which include everything from stews to desserts to side dishes. She's an absolutely amazing Korean woman, by the way--can't get more authentic than that! :)

P.S. One of my favorite easy-to-do meals, especially during the cold season is Kimchi Jjigae. It's super easy and yummy (if you like kimchi).

@robotmatsuri,

Oh I love her YT Korean recipe clips. Her Kimchi recipe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeBR91ypxk4

@ cingdoc

Ditto on what reluctantbutaddicted wrote.
Some people are severely lacking in the manner & etiquette dept.

Hm...you may be just the auntie needed to keep baby Ji Hoon from becoming a kidnapper/usurper when he grows up. ;)

@ langdon813, cingdoc, and other CITC-ers (gotta think of a better name...)

If I had the time, I'd be rewatching CITC right now, and if it were age-appropriate, I'd watch be watching it with the kids next week.

Here are some clips for your enjoyment:
(Warning: Spoilers)
BTS - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh71rNmBCjo
MV's & fanvids:
Parallel Lines - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNyAkvfl1LQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dCys6Glma8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDuCjxOVOpk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqEZeto7cXE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNCUYi5TxVQ&feature=related

(This one is sweet & non-spoilery)
Sang Gyu & Na Young - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOLnLjd2eA0

-----

LOL. And the Tiger jokes keep rolling in...
Bet Survivor never imagined "Eye of the Tiger" would be spoofed like this -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxJYAOYngCw&feature=popular
:P

@cingdoc
( that is, if @Samsooki would like to share with us…Mr. keep-calling- YB-as You are cute, etc)

Still in YB withdrawal mood so here’s some YB trivia from OT#112

Alternate names courtesy of @Samsooki
You’re a Cutie
You’re Cute or You’re Pretty
You’re Better Looking Than Average
You’re Pretty Cute
You’re Pretty or something like that

(courtesy of reluctantbutaddicted)
You’re Not As Bad-Looking As I Thought At First
You’re Pretty Okay I Guess

(courtesy of belleza)
Jolie and Me
Recap of You’re Beautiful:
This one is about a dude who is not a dude playing another dude, who falls in love with the dude who leads a bunch of dudes, one who is love with the dude who is not a dude. Dude this show is funny!

OT#112 @425 mookie
binnnn ssshhhiiii!!!
(I howl like that everytime there’s mention of CJM and F70s)
I need to bring this up for people who have not seen Fashion 70s. It is highly recommended, beautiful cinematography, super drooling, beautiful macho 1st and 2nd male leads. Just don’t understand how both could fall so crazy for a ‘Popeye’ girl (my sister's description) who is now Queen Ducky. Lol

@ CITC

Where do you gals watch this one? I couldn't find the DVD. It is not on some popular sites either.

@simplesim,

"It is highly recommended, beautiful cinematography, super drooling, beautiful macho 1st and 2nd male leads"

And that helicopter scene. Sigh.

Other YAB trivia: After careful deliberation, Go Mi Nam/Nyu spoke with the sisterhood and politely agreed that BORA MUST DIE!!! Carry on, then. ;)

@ 448 serendipity

“The luscious, gorgeous langdon813 had a plethora of admirers, and when Lee Min-ki finally got to meet her he considered it a great piece of serendipity.”

Oh, honey...from your lips to God's ears. THANK YOU! Awesome.

@ cingdoc

Isn't it a shame when parents don't teach their children simple decency? You can almost forgive the child after you've seen the example that's been set for him. Maybe in the future he'll remember how you handled it and feel ashamed. My boys are a foot taller than me and outweigh me by at least 100 pounds, but they would be the first to tell you that they'd run for the hills if they did anything to embarrass their mama like that. My youngest son says his friend laugh at him because he won't leave the house if his clothes are even slightly wrinkled. He's like "what if my mom saw me?" Hee! You gotta put the fear in them when they're young...

@ 455 serendipity

HAHAHAHAHA....ah, so much win. You made my morning.

@460 epyc

Are you in the US (sorry, I should know that by now)? I watched CITC on http://www.aznv.tv

OOPS - 462 is me!

@ 461 belleza

Nice try...but Bora is still safe and sound at my house! She's a little grumpy today because she heard a rumor that Tae-woong was stepping out on her (something about a tiny girl singing a song about bears, who knows where she gets these things from) but I've promised her we can go shopping later, so her mood is improving. :-D

@belleza

And that helicopter scene. Sigh.

Ooooh...how could I forget that. Lol

No, no, no (shaking finger) belleza, I have to step in. Please do not use the GMN and the sisterhood. Sisterhood is all about LOOOOVE... and peace. :-)

Did anyone see the Melon Music Awards? I think this is the first time people tune in for the MCs than the awards! I just saw a cut of of it JGS and PSH! Aaaw...sq_ _ _ sooo cute! Sorry peeps, I don't know how to post the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DiTkKq7-O4

Btw, can you change to DON'T WANT BIDAM TO DIE!!!

samsooki 427

er visits are always expensive because they practice CYA (cover your as*) medicine. all tests (expensive) will be ordered to not miss a diagnose because, as you know as a lawyer, a crucial missed diagnosis can have huge financial consequences. in addition, the er has to provide care to all comers, insured and non-insured, so the brunt of the cost is passed on to to those who can actually pay.

so for a straight-forward viral upper respiratory tract infection in an otherwise healthy insured patient is money in the bank for the er.

solution? go set up that appointment with the PCP you've been meaning to see. after you've established care, for urgent issues like the one you just experienced, you should be able to see your PCP very quickly.

and of course, your total bill will be much lower than $300+.

@belleza, samsooki

ROFL...you two will be the death of me...bwaahaha...bellezahwa and chillsooki (from infamous OT#112) :-D

For the benefit of peeps who have not seen QSD, Chilsuk lourves Sohwa. (get the meaning) Lol

@ nycgrl @ serendipity

DB seems to be the place to meet the twins of our lives.. i can attest.. as i have met my twin here as well *waves to lovenyc52* ain't it the weirdest feeling?? freaky, yet cool all at the same time.

@ cingdoc

thank you so much. and i agree.. DB has become a home to many of us.. and there's this awesome comradery between the members.. thanks to JB for this.

re: GH

i was such a fan of lucky and liz, sonny and brenda, and then.. i started school.. and i have not watched much since. it's so crazy now.. i don't even know who's who or how it's even possible some of those characters are even able to exist.

question: if bora lives, would she still be w/ Binnie???

i'm only for Bora living if she sacrifices her love of Binnie and spends the rest of her days in seclusion.. just to add to the angst.

samsooki

QSD for the win! And thanks so much to all those who make QDS fun to watch: misterX, julier, songbill, snoopyvkd, thunderbolt, wichitawx, mily2, ay_link

Hear, hear. WithS2 rightly deserves the name Heavenly subs. How very apt and true.

I want to say very special thanks to MrsKorea and mily2 for Yisan (the duo singlehandedly did it for 76 or 77 eps) and i just discovered MrsKorea did the subs for Hong Gil Dong and time it too!

After returning the HGD DVDs, I saw that HGD is the KSOTM on d-addicts and I couldn't help but to download a few (too slow to dl all) of my fav eps. Was so surprised when I download the subs and saw MrsKorea's name. Wherever you are MrsKorea, wish you and your baby (babies) and MrKorea the best of health and happiness always. :-)

Just wondering...did my post #459 show? It says it's still awaiting moderation.

@ momsan
"Just finished episode 2 of CITC. Wow, This is one I won’t be able to marathon. It’s one to watch and digest one episode at a time. Wow. This is great stuff."

Great! More converts! :D

@ lb_tmi
"DB seems to be the place to meet the twins of our lives.."

I would love to meet my twin. The closest I've seemed to have managed to be saddled with is a sort of ak-yeon (evil fated) doppelgänger (and not in the cool Willow doppelgänger way) ---> ^.^
Humpf.
:P

@ Samsooki
"I get sick about once every 2-3 years, and I just had my cold, so I am good for a while."

Uh...don't count on it...especially once Ji Hoon gets older and starts socializing with other kids (including the noonas he'll be working his magic on).

@ Samsooki

And nekkid...with mistletoe...
nice touch. your idea?

young girls and noonas all over are gonna be dropping like flys once JiHoon gets out into the world sportin' the NPW. i'm locking my girls up just in case. lol.

belleza 422, 423 bbm

holy smokes!!! that kid is awesome! i could spend all day listening to that stuff.

makes me wonder what in the world i was wasting my youth on...i should've learned how to strum a guitar like sungha jung!

"i’m only for Bora living if she sacrifices her love of Binnie"

I'm only for Bora living if she sacrifices Bora. BORA MUST DIE!!! :D

@samsooki,

"Really, the WITHS2 QSD project is something to behold. "

Also been extreme torture for Mista X to watch as he subtitles. I assume he'll skip out on Dong Yi. :D

@simplesm,

"Btw, can you change to DON’T WANT BIDAM TO DIE!!!"

Poor Bidam. Sigh. We all know his eventual fate, but the part that kills us Army of Bidam Lovers (i.e. 80% of QSD's post-Mishil viewership) is watching him go mad. How not only his love is being destroyed, but his own soul (and in his case, his love for Queen Duckie IS the good and sanity of his soul) is being cruelly taken apart. It was one thing for his faction to betray him; that seemed inevitable. It was another for Chunchu (and therefore the future of Shilla) to turn on him too. It is like the darkness is calling for Bidam and now matter what he does, he cannot escape.

Especially cruel is for a good 10 minutes, we got to see El Pollo Loco once more. Purple Bidam briefly went back to Chicken Bidam and he demonstrated his awesome crazy again. For love, for Duckie and her suffering, weak heart, he was going to kill his way to the wedding altar and KFC window. It was going to be glorious and finger-licking good!! But alas, NO!!! Sigh. Poor Bidam!!! If only This Belleza could spank silly Chunchu into the light!!

In the middle of all this Kill Bora/Save Bora and QSD action, I'd like to take a quick second to say a HUGE THANK YOU to the people here to told me to watch TOKYO DOGS!

the result is an addiction. I even tried to watch ep 9 without subs and realized that I don't understand Japanese.

Also, JB I enjoying the WISOC recaps! I'm holding out to see if it gets nuts though

@Samsooki,

"feel like Mista X and thundie have a love-hate relationship with QSD that I don’t understand. "

I think it's more "love to hate." Both cannot stand the show. :D I love QSD to bits (just fun fun fun!!) but as a formal/proper sageuk, it's . . . .not good. :D

The central problem with the show is also the show's strength; that is, This Mishil. I adore This Mishil, easily my favorite character this year. I hope she wins every award out there. But, if this were a proper serious historical drama, there's just no way This Mishil or Bidam could be performed as they've been. She's lively, modern, all about the eyebrows and the stares and 3rd person sentences and just wacked out personality. He's based on a manga character, more Anakin Skywalker than Hwarang anything, and every 10-15 episodes his character gets flipped out to serve the next arc of story. Everybody else signed up to do a saguek, but Go Hyung Jung and Kim Nam Gil went for The Cartoon. (And eventually, I got the sense everybody started to join on the fun and mugged for the camera.) It's almost cheating. But, then again, that is why I love this show, this my favorite show of the year. I was greatly entertained, and there was enough proper court intrigue bits to qualify it as a saguek, albeit a fusion one. Don't know if they actually make straight sageuks anymore.

I also felt the same way about Jumong. The sheer Chuck Norris-y vibe of the show kept me entertaining. Even though one was aware that Prince Jumong was one RPG adventure after another, it was WAY too much fun to complain. :D

@ serendipity and nycgrl

Not sure if you both are still in London but as you would have noticed, we got snow early this year. Wrap up ladies. It's going to be a cold night.

2 more nights before I head to Seoul where the temperatures are sub zero (degrees Celsius, that is). It will be strange to watch Creating Destiny and WISFC 'live' on tv, for once. :) But I'm sooo looking forward to it.

Also, Margaret told me that I can watch Korean movies with English subtitles in the cinemas in the Myungdong area. Bonus! Can't wait.

@ 489 crzycpl

I'd say! As I trudged along under my umbrella, listening to the ice strike the umbrella fabric and watching my black wool overcoat acquire a dusting of snow, I thought to myself, "Well, I don't know if it will snow for Christmas, but it sure is crazy snowing now!!" I've never seen it snow so much in London in December. It's rather nice, actually. I wonder how I can engineer being at the Somerset House skating rink at twilight, when it's snowing...

@ 491 cingdoc

Yes, I'd heard rumblings about the BA strike, so I made sure I flew another airline, and not even anyone who code-shares with BA. I'll be sure to internet check-in and go to the airport early, though, because it's going to be all hell in Heathrow. I hope nycgrl will be ok.

@ 492 serendipity

LOL ... yes, I also thought about WISFC while it was snowing today.

I've learnt a few things whilst living in London.

1. If there is any unusual change to the temperature, London will shut down. Be it planes, trains or automobiles.

2. It is always hell at Heathrow. Snow and BA strikes are a minor factor.

That said, I love London and all its short-comings.

And whilst I love London and NYC, I also heart Singapore.

@ Samsooki
"i feel like Mista X and thundie have a love-hate relationship with QSD that I don’t understand. What’s not to like about QSD? What part is boring? Why does Mista X call it Queen SnoreDeok?"

You haven't watched CITC yet, have you?

@ belleza
" I was greatly entertained, and there was enough proper court intrigue bits to qualify it as a saguek, albeit a fusion one. Don’t know if they actually make straight sageuks anymore."

That's just it. It's supposed to be a proper sageuk.
And by quality writing, production, etc. standards...it fails. Sure, it's entertaining to the masses (I was thoroughly entertained for a while), but it comes to a point where you either give it up or are forced to drudge on to finish the subs.
All hail the withs2 Snoredeok team for their endurance and benevolence.

Annyeong OTers! Just an early happy holidays, best wishes to all. Get well soon to all the sickies. Have safe trips for all those traveling.

@ cingdoc,
*hugs* that mom was just plain rude. We do have to embrace that there are all sorts of characters roaming in our world, and some are just unaware of their lack of human decency. You've handled it well, and it's perfectly alright to be vexed.

@Fashion 70s
my reduced to a pool of droolz scene was that wetsuit + mud, rain, stripping. It is the most erotic of kdramaland for me!! BIN SSHHIIIIII~~~!!! I'm defenseless against CJM, he's glorious when he's in angst of unrequited love. I dunno, I'm Bin shi all the way, in every scene please, JJM, whom I find very attractive otherwise, shrunk to wallflower in 70s.

On watching QSD, it's on a local channel, 8pm, dubbed in mandarin/cantonese, I don't even have to look at the screen. it's in the teen eps atm, even when I'm just periodically picking up a line or 2, great acting, but gosh, it's slow, and predictable>>the essential criteria to lure the majority of the audience I guess. I'm fine with screwing the historical accuracy for entertainment, but if the experience of watching this sageuk is reduced to just a character or 2. It's painful. I really want to ask, was LYW terrific in anything?! I've seen her couple times now, she's not horrible, but so so bland, maybe except Surgeon BDH.

I'm not sure of the creative vision of QSD, but there were just many cringe-worthy aspects of it (the whole Deokman exile in Shangrila or some desert in China...) many times I was wondering if they are trying to do some comedy (fail).

CCTV (China Central TV) is the way to go for my period drama fix. Credits must go to it being under direct government control, no going around with historical accuracy, and I doubt they have a limit to the budget, yes a sprinkling of dramatics thro' out, but they never elude the main focus. And somehow they can still make it insanely epic with all the trappings of a terrifically entertaining drama void of eye candies, romance...etc
My fav is still still http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yong_Zheng_Wang_Chao, that led to me watching http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kang_Xi_Wang_Chao (part 2 of the Qing emperors' trilogy), and another by the same writer: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Han_Wu_Da_Di (great) . http://wiki.d-addicts.com/The_Qin_Empire is also topnotch.

@ Samsooki

Forget BOF. CITC - 8 episodes. You've got the week after Christmas to get crackin' before Chuno starts. ;)

@496 Samsooki

CitC is only 8 episodes. I devoured it in 2 days, which I don't really recommend, btw. I'm still feeling completely stunned & speechless.

I want to start WISFC, but don't feel like watching a Melo just yet.

@ hjkomo

Mister X subbed CITC, didn't he? I'm telling you, it was like reading Shakespeare. One of the best things about CITC for me was how lyrical and profound the language was. Gorgeous.

Which brings me to something samsooki mentioned a couple of OT's ago. The subs for City Hall on Dramafever are...HORRIBLE. I feel so sorry for anyone watching it there for the first time, because they will never understand what all the fuss is about.

For example, in Ep 15 (which, if you haven't read samsooki's recap, DO IT NOW), in the scene where Mi-rae and Jo Gook meet on the steps after the brutal attack by BB. Mi-rae strokes Jo Gook's face, and the conversation goes as follows:

Mi-rae: "What you said before, that must have been real. That you heard quite often that you were pretty. Your eyes are pretty, and your nose is pretty. Your chin is pretty, too. That's why, all this time, I trembled with nerves. You didn't know that, did you? And in one night's dream, we went on a trip together. In another night's dream, we held hands. Another night, you even held me. And on another night, we fell asleep together. And then one night, like today, like this, we went our separate ways. We knew from the start that we could never be on the same side. So...:

Jo Gook: "I know. I know, which is driving me crazy. When I first saw you, you were so easy. You were just a woman I could use and then throw away. But then somehow it came to this point where my life is on the line. And it's driving me crazy. So...don't you be like this to me too."

Here's the same conversation as subbed on Dramafever (and this is word for word):

Mi-rae: "About how people say...so you really...in one dream, in another dream, and in another...we knew all along we..."

Jo Gook: "You were just someone, but now I'm staking..."

Yep. That's it. Nonsense words, strung together incoherently, butchering one of the most pivotal, emotional scenes in the entire drama.

This is why we should all bow down on our knees before anyone who is willing to put in the time and effort it takes to sub, and not only to translate the literal words, but the meaning behind them. It makes all the difference in the world.

Obviously.