Wow! While I was sleeping... So much has happened...

@290 belleza

this one HK cafe I like has hot tofu pudding with ginger syrup.

Is this the one on HK side? I might have been there, my girlfriend took me there. It's a famous place, right?

@299 kb

ockoala

i am deeply saddened that you have joined the kill bora side. how can that be?

You have? I've been too busy to read all the comments... Why? Why? Why? And now I have to go to Japan... At least I can get some groceries... See you guys from there.

hello..

first, food talk - i married a chinese so we do all these soups quite regularly but he won't eat anything chicken feet in it, which is too bad cos it's just yumm.. ( i''ve been contemplating the Golden Phoenix Claws recipe for quite a while now).. durian is loveeeee, even my 3 yr old love it (i had a huge craving while hvg him, so i guess that explains it)

YB moments - well, i was rushing a craft project due last week so the boys hv to amuse themselves.. both of them found the YB folder in my machine and started watching parts early episodes..

the eldest, 7, can read very well so he's narrating to the brother "THAT IS THE SISTER, LATER WE HAVE TO CALL HER MI-NAM" (re GMN & Mgr Ma's scene)

later i asked which of the ANJells boys is best looking - he solemnly told me it's TAE-KYUNG cos the hair (in the first ep) is very nice, BUT TAE-KYUNG IS NOT NICE. LOL...

Jewel In The Palace - my one and only saeguk... absolute love for this one. my fav scene is when Madam Han & JG 'discovered' each other. *tears*

I did graduated CitC awhile back (at first I found the music kinda strange?) so I'm all set for Chuno.. yayyyy!

@xiahkixiri
Yeah I hardly ever watch Indian television...only if I'm ever visiting the desh or over at my uncle's house (since my parents were never really interested in getting the channels).

@bbm
Yeah, it's starring Kamenashi Kazuya and it'll probably start in a month or two, maybe? I liked the first couple volumes, but then the plot kind of paused and then I never finished the series.
@nea
Vampire Knight...is this the manga that's written by Hino Matsuri? The one who did Merupuri with the really pretty artwork? I haven't read it, but they made a jdoroma out of it?

By the way about kisses in sageuks, there is one in CiTC---maybe that'll tempt you? Somebody mentioned Damo (my first ever sageuk)...so beautiful...I think I had the quote that the Naueri's father told him in episode two on my desk during my freshman year of college to motivate me...

On Kim Nam-gil---I'm glad that QSD made him popular, he definitely deserves to be the main lead in a drama. I actually thought after all the positive buzz around his last movie, Portrait of a Beauty he might get a lead role but that didn't happen. Though I think it was probably why he got the QSD role, so I guess things turned out well

@ bbm
"just finished CitC ep 1, OOOO…. the politics, power seizing, longing stare, innocent-girl-turn-assassin, JIN YIHAN…. i’m hooked!!!
if anybody looking for me, i’ll be camping in front of my computer waiting for download…"

@ robotmatsuri
"Conspiracy in the Court: I don’t do sageuks, but wow, I am loving it… 1 more episode left! It’s such a gorgeous drama–I can’t wait for Chuno."
"I just finished Conspiracy in the Court and feeling stunned… beautiful drama. Now if I can make the puffiness of my eyes go away by tomorrow that’d be great. =____="

Yay, more converts! :D
I was stunned and speechless after finishing CitC...and spent the rest of the weekend watching MV's and listening to the OST. (@ D - I thought the modern music fit well with the emotion of the drama. The music is the most fusion aspect of the drama, after all.)
'Parallel Lines' is haunting, and 'Sad Fate' is just beautiful.

@ nea:notoriousnoona
CitC takes place in 1800.

@ momosan
Welcome aboard. Happy CitC watching tomorrow!

@ Taohua

Lee Sun Ho does a whole lot more than just kissing in 8 Days, but that was a cable drama...and that part of it was actually superfluous, imo.

I've read a few volumes of Vampire Knight. The art is so gorgeous but the story does nothing for me. I like Zero and all the pretty Night School kids but I don't feel much for Yuki or Kaname. I haven't watched the anime, though I've heard good things...
________

I watched the 1964 movie Becket about Thomas Becket and Henry II. It was so unintentionally funny. I know the basics of early English history and quite a bit about the Henrys (I & II) struggle with the Church and its power (like many rulers of the time and after).

The characterization of Henry as a skirt chasing, temperamental child like King who is kept in line by Becket was definitely not how I imagined him. And Becket being truly changed by religion (and not the power of the office) was a little hard to believe.

I don't know if it was intentional or not, but there seemed to be something else going on with Becket and Henry's relationship.Henry seemed to be the dependent and clingy girlfriend who needed to be reassured of her partner's feelings ("You don't love me, do you? You don't love anyone or anything." to which there is no answer.) Becket is the distant boyfriend that placates him. He is cold and unfeeling and only doing his job with no free will.

I kept laughing through out the movie because Henry keeps calling Becket "My little Saxon", "My man"...

The movie was well done though not very historically accurate. How I love history and the movies based on it. I have to admit, Richard Burton is some eyecandy in all the movies I've seen him in.

OMG!!! Belleza, QSD confesses her love for Bidam! OUR Bidam?! Freak, now I have to watched it again. I had finally decided to drop it after ep 52 - I know, why drop it when I'm already near the end - but I just couldn't handle the messiness that was QSD anymore...and of course I hate having a long list of "must-watch" dramas. Gosh darn it, now I have to watch it just for that confession. Yep, I'm a Bidam lover - if it weren't for Mishil and Bidam I would have dropped the drama ages ago - right after DM grew up. lols. I know, I'm vicious.

Thank you cingdoc for the well wishes, but this cold is tenacious, I'm still coughing, sneezing, and congested all over the place. Taohua, thanks so much for the synopsis on Kyunsook's Father. Now I have to try to find an HQ version of it.

Nea, I watched TMWCM because I was a Soeul shipper and have been watching out for Kim So Eun's works - I think she has a lot of potential. Haven't tried Alone in Love and it isn't on my "to-watch" list, but it sounds good. Do you know where I can find HQ vids of it? Lols, me and my HQ.

xiahkixiri: You know, I've also noticed that Rainie has great chemistry with all her male co-stars. I'll credit this to her tomboyish and frank personality that it's easy to be friends with the guys on the set. I'm also finding Hi, My Sweetheart to be entertaining, perfectly fits my mood for "feel good" dramas right now. And SY's Soo-In? Gosh, I wish they'll make Smiler Effect vaccines, b/c I'm in dire need of several shots. I can not seem to manufacture the right dosage - sheesh - chemistry was always my worst science subject.

A lot of people recommended Autumn Concerto so I decided to give it a try....
And after the first episode I was like, "DARN, I'm hooked onto this drama already!!!"

I know the storyline is like super cliched, but at least it is realistic, and has a lot of real life situations. Plus it is fast paced and the actors have solid acting. Do I have to say how hot Vanness is in the show?

Hmm,why didn't I notice Vanness in MG? (was probably too busy staring at Jerry Yan) Well, his acting really improved tremendously these few years. His best role and drama so far? Glad that he is doing well, and the rating of this drama is the highest in TW, against all the competing prime time dramas. (:

Give it a try if u havent! Ahhh, this drama is helping me to get over my YAB withdrawal.

@AnitaLotti: Are subs a must or can you make do without them? Since you did mention subs later. ^^ There's an Indian drama Kitni Mohabbat Hai with subs on Viikii, it was one of the most popular channels on there. I've seen bits and the romance was cliched yet gorgeous, both characters were great, girl was awesome, guy was gorgeous. But Indian dramas tend to be draggy so the FF button might prove useful at times. There are Pakistani dramas on Youtube and they tend to be better but they aren't subs. Hm, should I take up subbing Pakistani dramas on Viikii?

@Taohua: We have Star Plus and my mum and sister watch some but I think its partly for the enjoyment of discussing how crap it is and how annoying the girls are, LOL. I used to watch Dill Mill Gaye, mostly because of the gorgeous, ripped and talented Karan Singh Grover - then most of the original cast either died or disappeared, to be replaced by new interns, all of which are both annoying and cannot act. ALL THAT TIME INVESTED. GRRR.

@297 simplesim
Honestly what wasn't disappointing in the second half? I try to block almost all things BOF part 2 out of my mind. There where only about 2 scenes that I loved... the Soeul faux date and JD in the pool. Plus, I think that kisses aren't that big a deal to me. I'm more of a fade to black kinda girl so the only thing that usually pisses me off is that they wasted my time with limp female bodies, stoic faces and tight lips. If you're going to kiss, kiss and keep it moving!

@303 D YB moments
Aww. That is too cute! TK is the best looking and that prob has alot to do with his hair. Its what drew me in initially. I think that it fits the character so well. Wasn't pleased when they changed it but understanding. JGS explained in detail as well so I was glad to know that the change was thought through, not just some fanservice gimmick.

@305 Taohua
You are absolutely right! I started reading it this summer and got hooked. Maybe its my retaliation against the Twilight craze (hehe)?

@307 doublethink
Actually I like Kaname-sama. There is something odd, dangerous and sexy about him. You aren't sure if you should trust him, even though he gives you no real reason not to. As for Yuki...eh... who really cares about her, besides the fact that Kaname and Zero do. Zero is wild, angry and self-loathing...who doesn't love that! But I haven't seen the anime either. I've toyed with watching it but never really got around to it.

@308 Kgrl : Alone in Love
I was watching it on AZNV but I've been spoiled by HQ too, so now, I'm getting my dl from silentsregrets and my subs from d-addicts. SR has the entire MU folder with avi and srt but I find it easier to just dl from d-addicts instead.

Off for more CITC ;D

@xiahkixiri
I'm really embarassed to admit it, but I've seen some of Dill Mill Gaye too, but couldn't stand Armaan/Riddhima's relationship. And I actually don't think Karan Singh Glover is cute *hides under desk* I know I'm in the minority. The fact that his character aggravates me doesn't help either.

The interesting thing is that outside of watching old Doordarshan historicals when I was a little kid I didn't watch any Indian serials until 2007. So I think it's actually amusing that I could tell you way more about K/J/Twdramas then I could ever about Indian dramas (the film industry on the other hand is different...since I grew up watching that and my mom loves watching old films).

@ AnitaLotti: I watched verrry little of KMH, uni was always in the way but I can totally imagine, those 2 were so beyond adorable, gorgeous chemistry too.

I know they upload Pakistani dramas onto Youtube (I was looking for one called Masuri which I caught 1 ep of a few years ago when I was visiting family in Pakistan - alas, it wasn't there =( ), and I know they sell them with subtitles (google told me that^^) but there isn't really a market for them, they're not well known to the international community, so it doesn't surprise me that there aren't any with subs. Okay, you want to know how they differ from Bollywood. Here's the thing: current dramas are probably reasonably similar to Bollywood-style, because of the whole modern kick they're on. In my opinion, the ones that don't do so are better. There was this one some years ago now called Moorat, which is up on YT without subs, and which in my opinion was AMAZING. It was about hijras/khusras. I don't know what you know about them, they're hermaphrodites and in India/Pakistan they're basically ostracised and alienated, generally their families don't want them so they tend to band together and can usually only earn money by singing and dancing at weddings and births. The drama was about a guy who was a khusra, he referred to himself as she, had feminine mannerisms, etc, but his family obv didn't want this and tried to drive it out of him. They got him married to a girl, I think she didn't know about it, she tried to drive it out of him too, but obviously It didn't work. It got me through the gut, it was often physically painful to watch. The thing is, that kind of show lacks the glamourous love story element, in fact it's not glamorous at all. Here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZE0Pl2XhjQ - it's an MV. See the scene near the end with the main guy and the child? That kind of stuff, it's painful and it rather destroys you. That guy is a wonderful actor and really rather gorgeous. It's been a while and I feel like rewatching it since I've forgotten a LOT, and I rather feel like subbing it, except since it's not love-story focused and not really glamorous or comfortable, I wonder if it would have an audience.

*waves to OTers* I wonder if you guys could read that ^, watch the MV and tell me what you think about viewership if I subbed it?

Now, if you want a more comfortable drama, there's this show that was on when I was in holiday in Pakistan again, around July, called Noor Pur Ki Rani, it's also up on YT without subs. This isn't the modern glamorous style but there is a love story and the main girl is WAY cute and funny, She's 'dark-skinned' (they've darkened her a bit I think) and she sortof views herself as hideous/not pretty, and the guy likes her and keeps being nice to her but she keeps brushing him off/telling him to go away because she thinks he's a flirt. Plus she talks all formally too, it's funny. I want to finish this aswell, since it was still airing when I left, plus I missed the first few eps. GRR, no time. Looks like I have plans for the Xmas holidays!

@ Taohua: You are right, most of the time I hated their relationship too! Basically because of Riddhima, it was so irritating and long-winded, usually because she got mad at him over stupid, annoying things. But, but.. Karan Grover is gorgeous!! I would probably only be mildly impressed by the buffness/pretty blue eyes (are those real?) if he wasn't such a charismatic actor.

IA, I know a lot more about T/J/Kdramas and I love them and I don't think I've ever really loved an Indian drama. But I like being able to understand without subs sometimes, LOL, plus knowing the history behind things and being familiar with the culture.

I think I am in love with period dramas again, thanks to CitC. When I was young, my mom used to watch a lot of those Chinese (period?) kind of movies with the magic, kung-fu, beautiful costumes and bad Cantonese dubbing... I hated those. lol.

I'm thinking of watching Hwang Jin Yi next, before Chuno starts. Anyone have recommendations for Chinese period dramas/movies based on palace life?

@xiahkixiri
I watched the video and the song is beautiful. I watch mostly Bollywood and I don't know much about the dramas. What I can say is sub the show. There are people are there who are prob waiting to see this show with subs!

@305, ehhmm... Kame will play who?? for me, Kame is the least favorite among the JE boys, maybe i'll check out the first episode to see if it's as fun as the manga...

@306 hjkomo, well thank you for converting me... i've rested my laptop for today coz, it was on for the past 48 hours downloading dramas :P

right now, i'm downloading Seoul MV from office computer... the MV is so cute XD

@ AnitaLotti: LMAO, definitely not. Hrithik Roshan is kind of surreal. He's a glorious sculpture. I never used to like him, I thought he overacted and had crazy legs, despite the pretty, pretty colour of his eyes. Then Krrish and Dhoom happened and he learnt to act and was beautiful and glorious and GO HRITHIK. Also his character is hyterical, I love his sense of humour.

@ nea:notoriousnoona: Like I said before, I doubt the audience will be huge. I went and rewatched the video and remembered, as you can see, how the main guy's mother ends up going insane, her husband is shattered.. I feel a little destroyed just watching those few minutes, LOL, I will need some kind of sustenance to watch and sub it. I've seen these people, in Pakistan (one kicked my little cousin on the ass once, LMAO), and been approached by them begging during traffic lights, they make me feel both frightened and terribly sad, honestly like a part of me is being ripped inside. The courage and perseverance of people truly astounds me. This drama was truly magnificent for what it did. Hm, I have no idea how to work Viikii though, I'll have to work it out...

@308 kgrl

Really hope you get better soon! I so hate being sick and I go bonkers if my ears get blocked cos I am claustrophobic.

Glad you have Hi, My Sweetheart to cheer you up. When you asked for recommendations and you watched nearly all, I was cracking my head what to recommend.

I like Rainie alot when she's paired with Mike He. I love her in Devil Beside You and Why2 Love but I really, really hated her acting in Miss No Good (cringe and shudder)!

May try Hi, My Sweetheart as I am kinda blue atm. Thanks, take alot of fluids and take care. :-)

@117 Gallivanter -- I am late to this OT, so others may have already offered advice on Asian food porn dramas, but I would suggest Delicious Proposal. It is about competing Chinese restaurants in Korea and many episodes had wonderful food prep scenes. There were cook-offs every once in awhile where they had to explain the food they had chosen to make. I am teaching myself simple video editing, and if that one had not been on DVDs from the library, I would have made a short consisting only of the food for my own entertainment.

I just finished Love Shuffle, and boy was it a fun ride. I loved every minute of it....but I have to say that Matsuda Shota is SO FREAKING SEXY. First as Soujiro and now as Ojiro. He does the bad boy thing so well, and is just really sexy.

I think I am going to watch Flowers For My Life now and then Autumn's Concerto since everyone seems to be raving about it.

@ xiahkixiri

omg, i thought kingone wang was the BOMB in that drama. he was kinda like the joker in that villian role, very comic-book evil. he was so friggin creepy!
actually, the whole drama was THE BOMB. i thought everyone's performance was great, and the story is just so effing crazy! it was a big mind-f@#$ no joke. i'm listening to the songs off the OST right now lol. i love the rock numbers, and even the ballads aren't bad. the instrumentals give u the creeps though.

Thanks for the warm welcome guys..I've decided to stick with Dae Jang Geum and I'm so glad...but the suspense is too much for me to go through a marathon, I need a few minutes or sometimes hours after each episode to recover. I'm trying to watch alone in love at the same time, but the aznv stream keeps freezing on me, ahhhh.. hope everyone is having a lovely sunday/monday!

OMO OMO OMO!!! I'm in the middle of watching Smile, You 22 and they just pulled the most unexpected move yet! I don't want to spoil it but, if you've watched it, you know what I'm talking about. Way totally flip the script for one of the characters...

Okay... back to your regularly scheduled programming... I just had to get that out or I would have screamed out loud and scared the dogs!

@325, momosan... IT IS the same song!!! it feels soooo different when a child sing it...
i have to look up with google for the korean title and search it through 4shared, so here goes the download link,
http://www.4shared.com/file/41036205/62e282d6/24____-___.html?s=1

@ 317 robotmatsuri
'Anyone have recommendations for Chinese period dramas/movies based on palace life?'

Most entertaining: TVB's War and Beauty (2004) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_and_Beauty
I don't recall any of the ladies in it not being part evil.

omo omo omo...boy am I glad I stuck with Dae Jang Geum, unfortunately I'm still skipping through the evil witches parts and going back if necessary, too much angst..but its soo great. I just watched the scene where jang geum is talking to Min outside ajushi's house, don't know if you guys remember this but it's the " can i share your pain..." . I almost screamed but it's 2 am, so I came here to let my excitement outo
kk now I'm done freaking out, back to the episode...

@ xiahkixiri
Hrithik Roshan. I actually thought he was pretty good in Mujhse Dosti Karoge. Now my thing was that I never found him attractive until Krrish...you know the scene where he's floating from the sky in the trees? I think he's trying to catch Priyanka or something but when I saw that my eyes watered, my vision blurred and I realized he was a god! When I went to the theater to see Dhoom 2, my friend sat beside me mouth agape for the duration of the movie! Not to mention the giggles of women throughout the theater aged 22-55. Needless to say that his sexiness is astounding!

@329 Z
And you are absolutely right! I loved this set of eps. Some great things happened and I am very encouraged in a way that I haven't been over the last couple weeks that this show is going to continue to be wonderful!

@Samsooki,

"I have NEVER considered the noona-pout-wiggle!"

NPW? Oh, you mean RAIN!! :D :D :D

Yes, Frontier Women, there is indeed NPW. NPW is what actors like Rain, Kwon Sang Woo, and Kim Rae Won due in order to convince that the bastardly, arrogant, pompous bag of douchebaggery -- that is, the characters that are written on paper -- are somehow loveable in spite of better judgement, more experience, and especially -- yes -- older age. Although many of these actors are associated with being "Noona Killers", the NPW can be used with women young, less young, and "100 years old, now go away!"

The King of NPW is, of course, Rain. And in fact, Park Chan Wook's underrated work, "I'm a Cyborg, But That's Okay", I do believe 80 of the 104 minutes was Rain demonstrating his mastery of the NPW. Dude literally was Baby Rain through the entire movie!! But we also see it to devastating effect during Full House. To this day, I have no friggging idea what Han Ji-eun saw in Lee Young Jae besides his man implants, and YET I couldn't help but succumb to Lee Young Jae's grumpy, mopey, well-endowed ways. Why? Because whenever I, like Han Ji-eun, said "okay, that's it. We're going back to Lee Byung Hun!!!", Rain would pull out the NPW and . . . give in. If Rain wasn't such a sweetheart, we'd feel guilty about his uncanny, silicone-injected manipulation of our hearts.

The Marlon Brando of NPW goes to the God of Noona Killers, Jo In Sung. If *oppa* speaks to the wounded, gruff-yet-tender heart that belies the unyielding will of a Korean man, then *noona* and especially *fist in mouth wailing* speaks to . . . .well who knows. But whatever it is, however repulsive, disgusting, completely humiliating JIS is in Memories of Bali and One Spring Day . . . yet, I cannot deny its power. For it is NPW at its most natal, and there is something about JIS where he not only wants to enter her soul, he wants to reach back into her very womb, his mad, reverse masculine soul into her very pre-consciousness. Where noona is his "STELLA!!!!!"

Now, NPW need neither be manipulative nor batshit crazy. NPW can simply be a melancholy, yet exceptionally vulnerable expression of love from a boy to a woman that he inherently respects. Because that is what NPW really is about. It is not mere respect; it is quite awe. It is willingness to accept that you, as a man, has a lot to learn from her, as a person who knows more than you. That her affection for you is qualified by your willingness to open up and not be such a "guy."

So here's to NPW -- OPW's HOTTER cousin! If I hadn't killed Bora last week, I'm sure she'd agree!! ;)

Oh, some people may be asking how Lee Seung Gi became known as "Noona Killer." His debut single, when he was 17, was "Because You're My Woman", his ode to his beloved noona. I LOVE THIS SONG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL08L96wxyE&fmt=18

(the actress in this one is Kim Sa Rang, who was in A Love to Kill. think she's underrated.)

And, yes, when he sings this puppy live, noonas and ajummas go to pieces. ;)

Sorry, JB, if this is inappropriate, please delete, but I just want to share some updates from cecilia about the director’s cut dvd.

Because I’m a YAB addict and I love everything and anything to do with YAB, I thought I would share this with ya’ll…

If you can’t get enough of “You’re Beautiful”? Go visit Cecilia’s blog on the DIRECTOR’S CUT DVD at http://minamdvd.wordpress.com/

ENGLISH subs are 100% confirmed. There will be 16 EXTENDED episodes which include the deleted scenes that were edited out due to time constraint.

Love JEREMY and SHINWOO and thought they should have gotten more screen time? Included in the EXTENDED episodes will be more Jeremy and Shinwoo screen time and their stories.

Extras include: NGs, BTS, interviews, and commentaries. English subs for these have yet to be confirmed. If there are a lot of overseas orders, the chance of them getting subbed will be relatively higher.

So what are you waiting for? This is a SPECIAL dvd that you will never be able to find anywhere else after the preorder deadline. The deadline to preorder is JANUARY 5, 2010!!! This is a very FAN-BIASED dvd– by the fans, for the fans– that was made available to international fans since they know how much we love YAB. Even though it’s a little on the expensive side, you’d be glad you bought a copy because it will be worth it in the end.

Oh, and hi everyone. This is my first time on the open thread. I'll come back and read everyone's comments later. Take care!!

hmm, so i know it's past friday already.. but i meant to request for help on selecting a new/old drama to watch. i'm currently following: creating destiny, iris, smile you.. i would like to watch something else during the week, if you guys have any suggestions that would be great.

fyi, i've seen everything in JB's recommended list that came out a few weeks ago.. i watch all the genres.. thank you in advance for your help!

belleza 334

that's classic...as classic as samsooki's original OPW.

@ belleza...you are normally 100% spot on in everything you say; your posts are so entertaining and informative and now I don't know how I would get through the day without them!

Just one teeny, tiny little hiccup...Bora is NOT dead; in fact, she's hanging out at my house. We're having a great time! Sleeping on the floor, eating good food, talking about Binnie and his beautiful dimples, listening to our beautiful OST and planning a trip to Lapland where we'll wear each other's clothes (okay, we'll wear HER clothes). So don't worry, Save Bora Team...I've got her locked away safely where belleza and mookie will never find her! :-D

***

CITC update for hjkomo:

Despite my best efforts to stay up all night and finish, forces conspired against me and I wasn't able to. But I've only got one episode to go and I can say without hesitation that it is absolutely amazing. I'll post more when I finish (hopefully this morning, work permitting) but I love it. Whoever subbed it (Mister X, I think?) is a genius. The language is fascinating, which is a good thing because there's so much of it! There's nothing extraneous in CITC; every scene, every moment, is integral to the story. Just brilliant.

I'll get to the crying parts later...OMG. Y'all knew that was coming, I'm sure. ;-)

***

340 posts and it's only MONDAY! WOW...we rock.

Pst…has anyone heard from mommy ockoala today? (teheh..sorry, the only way I remember how to spell your name is from the koala babies references ^^) I can’t watch streaming vids for awhile and so I’m keeping up with my AC fix from her recaps.

The series is 13 eps right? Isn’t it about time that Vanness starts to have *some* bits of his memory back? Sheesh…at this rate, someone should just smack him with a *duh* stick…or something

@329 Z – I totally feel you on this one! I never thought that after 20+ episodes I could still be surprised *and* entertained. But I am and I *love* it! Call me a sucker…but I love all of the the little cute/romantic gestures (taking each other’s photos while sleeping..covering up HSae face on the phone (lol!). It also has so many wonderful laugh-out-loud scenes that it keeps the series from becoming just a cheesy pile of lovey-dovey goo. As I was watching the eps yesterday, every time a squeeable (yes, it’s a word…now) scene I couldn’t contain my giddiness and start rambling away to a friend I was talking to (who doesn’t even watch kdramas lol)

@ yenchan (and everyone else waiting for my AC mini-cap):

Sorry for being late - a combination of being lazy and being an actual mommy this weekend. I spent the day at Disneyland, and being the happiest place on earth, it sure has some really unhappy people around. :-) My kids loved it and it was chill, so I didn't return with the urge to commit a felony, but I was pretty pooped and not in the scribing mood.

However, I heard lots of squeaks from my favorite OT-gang, and I'll respond in due course. Sounds like I was missed (awwww, I missed you all so much, too!).

But first things first - Autumn's Concerto - 11th Stop:

This episode was half Erin Brockovich (let's investigate the cover-up to the environmental pollution by the evil conglomerate), and half let's contrive to allow Guang-xi/Mu-cheng to take a walk down memory lane.

Hey, I'm not complaining - but AC since episode 9 has been a bit less effective and win-inducing as the previous episodes, but it is hard to sustain the pace and the emotional tone of the story.

It turns out the evil company wants to buy the village to cover up the environmental contamination (if they drive the villagers out, and own the village, no one will find out), and it's clear that Guang-xi is 100% on the side of the villagers at this point, poor fiance, she's just one step away from getting dumped, but that's another episode.

There was more Tuo-ye (still awesome as a character, needs to work on the acting, but plenty of time for that), and less Xiao-le (boo, but the dinner table scene was worth this episode alone).

The let's save the village schenanigans of Guang-xi and Mu-cheng are really just there for our couple to spend more time together, and in this episode, they do. The spend their time together all the way back to the music room at Sheng-te College. And Guang-xi is remembering that the flashes of memory are in fact Mu-cheng.

And the episodes ends, and we've got 2 more episodes to go. There isn't much left to resolve - the village will be saved (easy), Guang-xi and Mu-cheng need to get back together, and everyone who was bad need to get their comeuppance.

I found some of the lyrical cadence of AC was off in the last 2 episodes, but that's a quibble in an otherwise really enjoyable TW-drama.

And Mu-cheng (Ady) is so beautiful I want to compose an ode to her large, lissome eyes and her glorious hair, and Vanness, while his acting has also seemed a bit stiff in the last few episodes (while Ady's acting has been improving considerably - she does so well with her scenes with Xiao-le and Tuo-ye), he's still doing a great job overall.

AC episode 11 - a nice thumbs-up win.

And a bit of AC trivia - the boy who plays Xiao-le is really only 5 years old (he's very very comfortable in front of the camera), but his dad was a famous child actor in Taiwan in the early 80s (who played the young son in an epic Taiwan drama - I guess I can only compare to Sandglass to convey the epicness of how that drama was beloved to TW viewers back then). Apparently the now grown up dad likes to act with his sons at home, and the oldest showed considerable talent and interest, and that's how he ended up as Xiao-le. I fear for shades of Michael and Lindsey Lohan in the future, but I digress, little Xiao-le has really made an impact on all the viewers of AC.

@Nea, thanks for the HQ recs. I'm used to be too lazy to work so hard for entertainment. But now, I guess I'm more willing to feed my addiction. lols.

@robotmatsuri: If you like martial arts epics, I would highly recommend Producer/Director Zhang Zi Zhong's Legend of Condor Heroes, Return of Condor Heroes, Demi God Semi Devil, which are are Eng Subbed due to the immense popularity of these high quality Jin Yong novel remakes.

If you prefer political and deep convoluted palace dramas, I would recommend The Great Emperess of North Wei ,a life-long historical depiction of one of pre-modern China's most influential female politicians about 1600 years ago. A total feminist drama that plays so well on the emotional turmoil and sacrifices a female back then had to endure, as well as strength needed, to achieve "greatness" in the royal family. For lighter fare Returning Princess Pearl is a classic, starring Vicki Zhao as "Little Swallow."

@momosan: Going on a QSD marathon once it wraps up. This way, if needed, I can skip for KNG parts. Hehehe...

@simplesim: Oh gosh, did I cringe for Miss No Good. I love Rainie for her strive to diversify, frank and tomboyish personality, and so many character attributes ...but she is not the best "idol" actress in TW, though she is by far not the worst either. I think her friend, Ariel Lin has more acting capability. I think you should try Hi, My Sweetheart just to check it out - I think Show Luo does a great job as the cartoonish Da Lang. And Rainie's new songs are really nice.

@Dele: If you like Shota, try Liar Game - he's so sexy being a genius smart alec. He's totally one of those actors that doesn't need words nor body to ooze charisma.

@Z, yenchan, and fellow Smilers: I'm on lunch break, but when I get home I'm going to be back from Cold Hiatus and post @ Soompi my latest analysis. I love that this drama has avoided cliches, misunderstandings, and plot contrivances so well - and it's already on ep 23! I think it may hold the record for longest but most realistically natural script - so NOT Kdrama-like. lols. Just pure awesomeness.

@ockoala: Everyone's been raving about AC, maybe I should give it another try. I just finished watching Ady and Deng Chao in Heavenly Sword, Dragon Sabre 2009 , and I was quite disappointed with this remake. But oh well, ZZZ is allowed one bad JY reproduction.

@robotmatsuri: I forgot to mention in The Great Emperess of North Wei, there are TONS of brilliant (some really young) actors (in a way it was what I had hoped QSD would have been) that compliment the story line and diversify the focus from one woman.

If you would like strategy aka Sun Zi, etc. mixed with witty humor than you should also try Dong Fang Shu, story of a brilliant strategist and hilarious politician supposedly of the Han Dynasty. And anything of the Qing Dynasty is great to watch - though often manipulated. Such as the Young Emperor aka Shao Nian Tian Zhi series, starring Deng Chao, that focused on the character development of 2 earlier Qing Dynasty Emperors. Incredible cinematography, acting, script, character development, music score, and ancient artifacts...the only area that lacked was historical accuracy. lols, figures right?

ok. so i skimmed most of the comments after post 100.

durian is stinky. it was one of my "must try" fruits in Thailand. and i could not swallow it. it's the consistency of baby's poop, smelling worse than poop and stinky feet combined. it was HORRID! i will never subject myself to that again.

chicken feet are awesome. i just wish i didn't have to pull the meat off the toes. is there any place that sells them deboned?

i have not seen snow queen, but i may have to go w/ the Kill Bora side on angst alone. anything to see someone suffer.. i'm all for it. DIE BORA!!!!

Hi everyone...hope everyone's Monday is going well...

Have you had such a exhauting morning that when you finally sit down and eat you brunch, you tell yourself " You earned this one" ?
I've been at it (part of it with hubby before he heads to work) since 7am- setting the Christmas tree, decorating/cleaning the house, vacuuming etc. Personally, I would have just put some decorations and leave it at that, but with the girls ( esp the 12yo) anticipating the holidays, I went full force .
All this was followed by yesterday's "I-don't-know-why-I was-so-stupid" moment of mall shopping(yikes!!!). I was actually pretty good except the few times that I have to give the girls the stink eye when they wanted to buy ALL their friends (expensive) gifts...Ai Ya...This, though, became insignificant when the evening came and Hubby and I had to go to our friend's mother wake...so sad...

I am a emotional wreck during the holiday- My maternal grandmother (Pwa Pwa) who raised me and my siblings passed away during this time of the year, decades ago; It happened again for my Dad and my Mother-in-law a few years later. If it weren't for my kids, I would have not celebrated the birth of Our Lord since then, forgetting the true meaning of the holidays (not for getting the presents, or whatever the materialistic meaning the season has become ;(

This year, I have something else that help me celebrate this joyous time- ALL OF YOU here in OT. We might have never met each other in person, but I think of you guys as my close friends, sharing an unique passion(kdrama), respecting each other ( hence the "2 factions"). I want to let you all know that you guys are the "best, unexpected yet rewarding gift" I have ever received. I hope you and your family will have a wonderful, blessed holidays (whether it is Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day and all the other celebrations).
THANK YOU ALL (not in any order, and PLEASE forgive me if this old mind of mine has Unintentionally leave any one out )- JB, langdon, Samsooki, ockoala, belleza, mookie, celestialorigin, hjkomo, lovenyc52, Ib_tmi, epyc, kb, gallivanter, momosan, simplesim, bspanda, xiahkixiri, robotmatsuri, yenchan, Reese, Yen, Taohua, nea:notoriousnoona, mishane, Reluntantbutaddicted, Yvhsien, Nom_kitteh, Kgrl, bbm, djes serendipity, hanjanman, nycgrl and all the newcomers.

@JB
why and how did I become kgrl ( no offense)....but I think I rather be cingdoc ;)