Wow, took almost half an hour before there was a notable performance on KBS Gayo. A medley of American covers.

SHINee covering Lady Gaga's Just Dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL_7RQKbfBY

SNSD covering JJ's Rhythm Nation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzGMx_U4qU4

2PM covering Black Eyed Pea's Boom Boom Pow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQY_rlm6sfg

Wow, KBS Gayo did a GREAT Michael Jackson tribute.

This was a cover of I'll Be There
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffZVslbgrMw

And other MJ clips from KBS Gayo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mvSO_6tUxw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svs50WZqKmQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB2AbMRXTew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDkXgm1lYhk

Wow, KBS Gayo did a GREAT Michael Jackson tribute.

This was a cover of I'll Be There
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffZVslbgrMw

And other MJ clips from KBS Gayo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mvSO_6tUxw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svs50WZqKmQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB2AbMRXTew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDkXgm1lYhk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rvNMcl0I70

@191 serendipity

My sister prefers the Devil so I do think it does come down to personal preference. She caught me staying up late watching Mawang one night while we were away on a family vacation and a quick 10 minute viewing became a full case of mawang bug and there we were marathoning all night together. I then made her watch Resurrection a few days later.

I actually had been wanting to re-watch Mawang but been putting it off since its so intense. If I watch with hubby I might be less freaked out. I want to try to objectively compare the two and see if I missed anything from the first viewing. I've rewatched Resurrection 3 times since I find it less heartbreaking to watch and I just love the overall acting from Eom as well as the villians. I think Resurrection is the only drama I've watched multiple times except parts of Thank You and Your Beautiful.

BTW your story about the tarot card falling out from the DVD is so freaky. I think I would have had a heart attack right then and there.

Mawang is just about the saddest K-drama (genuinely, genuinely tragic), I've ever seen. And I felt a little dirty after watching it.

But . . . I also felt that it was an example of a show being hampered by the K-drama format. (Obligatory romantic triangle that, while thematically consonant, fattened up the story.) Too much silly camera-panning, when you could tell the director really wanted to do a single-camera setup.

The Tarot stuff somewhat turned me off, because it was so facile/superficial, much like how David Fincher's Seven only used the seven sins to reinforce atmosphere and superficially tie together themes. Now, a movie like Kurosawa's Kairo, which really indulged in the esoteric and forced you to enter a place of great evil with rather minimal gore . . . Wow.

And I still feel that Jo Ji Hoon's role was perfect for Lee Jung Ki in a way that Time of Dog and Wolf wasn't.

Having said all that, Mawang was bloody good. A little like watching Hamlet from the perspective of an Ophelia.

Maou isn't all that bad. It's just . . . different. It's sorta paced like a pulpy thriller, but in a shlocky "Temptation of Angel" sort of way. While it lacks Uhm Tae Woong's slow-motion meltdown to helm the certainty, Ohno's beatific posturing made for an intriguing version of the younger vengeful one. But it kinda reiterates a core weakness of much J-dorama, which is the reliance on narrative, text, and linear direction over acting/performance and tone.

Re: Mawang, I admit, I only picked it up because I am a huge Ohno (Arashi) fan and was preparing for Maou. :x I liked both versions, but the original Korean version is definitely worlds better than the Japanese remake. Mawang is one of my favorites, but I haven't been able to rewatch it in full, it's so sad.

Looking forward to the SBS Daesang awards... I thought about watching it live, but I'm not sure if I can handle it. If City Hall doesn't get anything I think it will ruin NYE for me. *crossing fingers for CH cast and Lee Seung-Ki* :D

@belleza

"The Tarot stuff somewhat turned me off, because it was so facile/superficial, much like how David Fincher’s Seven only used the seven sins to reinforce atmosphere and superficially tie together themes."

One of the things I did feel about Mawang at the time of viewing is, it is contrived in a way Resurrection was not and yes in the way I felt Seven was contrived which was the mental note I made at the time I was watching it. I think the supernatural feel of Mawang (Shin Mina's paranormal powers) also lends itself to less repeat viewing for me because its less realistic on the kdrama scale and also more frightening which works well for a drama titled Mawang.

Also I know this is as much the screen writer's fault in underdevelopment of the female non-leads in both resurrection and mawang BUT though I accepted Han Jimin serving the purpose of being Haeun's steadfast sun and moral compass (all the yellow she wears and the lighthouse stuff) and because Han Jimin's usual wooden acting kind of works in the symbolic role she serves, I felt Shin Mina on the other hand was miscast even for such a token role. She was the smiley sweet face version of counselor troy "I feel his pain...".

Anyway this is not to detract from the overall wonderfulness of Mawang but its probably the few reasons why though its on my all time #3 list and not #1.

"If City Hall doesn’t get anything I think it will ruin NYE for me."

Not sure what is the reasoning, but Cha Seung Won got shut out for the Daesang nomination, whereas they opted to nominate Kim Hye Soo instead. Not really sure about that one. I thoguht Kim Hye Soo was great in Style, but City Hall did better in ratings (and Style was considered kinda a mess, though I still liked it), and CSW got great buzz from his performance.

Lee Seung Gi and Han Hyo Joo got nominated for BL. Some talk that maybe they'll share the Daesang (a la Lovers in Paris.) But, I think it should go to Jang Seo-Hee. This was her comeback role and she was the focal point of Temptation of Wives.

"I think the supernatural feel of Mawang (Shin Mina’s paranormal powers) also lends itself to less repeat viewing for me because its less realistic on the kdrama scale and also more frightening which works well for a drama titled Mawang."

Some of my bias is cultural too. If it were an American director working the tarot card angle, you could expect some cool spooky stuff with it. Just not in a K-drama. Being that I dabble in esoteric stuff anyway, I was hoping for more there.

Mawang was just a mixed bag for me, because in a way it was never quite the show I wanted it to be. But because the show was written with strong themes, tragic submerge, and clean, essayed resolution with its narrative, it's also a show so easy to admire.

The one thing Mawang does, which is a common device in J-dorama form, is that the key pivots in character development and plot are jointed through lengthy, important discussion. Things are said, directly and indirectly, between people, and the force of the words drives story along its narrative momentum. In other words, people are allowed to give a speech about why they screwed up. And it's so rare in K-drama, even very good K-drama, to see a brutal deduction spoken out loud that changes or resolves story. Whereas J-dorama at times uses it as a crux, giving you just enough story to frame The Big Speech.

@254 belleza

Nice analysis! Though I still think you are too kind to Maou.

And @ nycgrl

You know, I don't disagree with any of the issues you and Belleza point out in Mawang. Except for Shin MinAh - I love her in Mawang. Thought she was heart-breakingly radiant. One of the reasons I can't forgive Maou is the wet, wide-eyed and boring young Japanese actress cast in her role.

Though I recognise the flaws you both point out, I still love it to bits. And I wonder whether my devotion has to do with time and place. I watched it very early on discovering k-drama, and had just gotten to the point of "Oh, It's not all weeping and wailing, it can be FUN!", and was surprised by "Gosh, it can be tightly plotted, quote Dante, use Rodin's Gates of Hell as a motif, and make me think about good and evil. How did I ever think this stuff was low-brow?" And thus, I fell in love.

@ 235 Taohua

Funny I should have asked about Jay Chou's acting. Because yesterday I read a review that totally, utterly rubbished his latest movie "Treasure Hunters". I mean, it was published in a national newspaper, and scaled new heights of snarkiness. I have to confess... I giggled.

I have misgivings about Jay doing Kato...

CitC - just finished ep 4. Slightly losing steam, imo. But I press on, with the assumption that now the plot groundwork has pretty much been laid, the story goes up to the next level. Onward!

@ 233 ockoala

Yes, I have seen The King and the Clown. Probably the only show in which I didn't think LJK was hamming (well, all I've seen is My Girl and fragments of Iljimae). I would have said that the story was so strong and his cast-mates so good it was impossible for him to go wrong. But I take that back -- I have to admit that one could have all those things going for one, and still go horribly wrong. So, kudos.

"One of the reasons I can’t forgive Maou is the wet, wide-eyed and boring young Japanese actress cast in her role."

Yeaaaahhhhh . . . but I tend to approach Japanese drama acting as functional and subservient to the plot anyway. I see guy freak out; I process guy freaking out; I move it relative to the plot. I don't really think about the mechanical stress upon his psyche. WHEREAS if we're talking about K-drama, oh yeah the more Uhm Tae Woong is losing his soul, the BETTER to watch! :D

(Also, this is one thing Lee Jung Ki can learn from a Uhm Tae Woong. UTW overacts; that is how he does drama, and it's a choice he makes. Lee Jung Ki also overacts; that is how he also does drama, but it's not a choice for him. LJK works from temper and andrenaline, he seethes with marvelous, but short-term intensity. UTW, on the other hand, goes gorilla when he's in pain. So when he does ham it up, it's all guts and writhing and sinus blotting out his senses. It's manly. Whereas LJK still looks like a adolescent hissy fit. And this is where UTW has done wonders in a role in a drama like Mawang or Resurrection; few K-drama actors express the motion sickness of moral terror better than UTW. It's not that the pain becomes him; it's that his characters are cognizant of a choice and when they choose the wrong way or the hard way, he is able to express the agony of the disconnect. But there's still a choice. He's great at the tragic flaw. Unfortunately, Yushin has no tragic flaw, except to follow his own tail like the simple man that the QSD writers portrayed him. With no place to dial it up, his character's heroism and nobility was reduced to old dog obedience.

UTW's female counterpart is Soo Ae. Soo Ae earned her Queen of Tears not through an athletic prowess to dial up the tears, but an innate abiltiy to go squeamish and brooding and sick and proudly anguished almost on command. When she has the pain in her hands, she squeezes blood.)

Oh . . . and KBS Gayo turned out to be pretty good. The Michael Jackson tribute really made the show, and I also liked the "duets" between the teeny groups and the legend artists (a la the Grammies.) Well done.

Belleza, You have a wonderful way with words. And a wonderful way of analysing and dissecting the art of drama. You really challenge me to take my (largely mindless) drama-watching to a higher level.

So, where is *your* year-end review? Anyone who is anyone on DB is putting themselves out there! ;-)

I'm still digesting your analysis of J-dramas, which I watch a fair chunk of; I'm not even sure whether I agree or not, I watch with so little grey matter engaged... But at least I can quickly agree with you on Uhm Tae Woong acting -- writ large, but oh so effective.

"Anyone who is anyone on DB is putting themselves out there! "

I don't think anybody would read mine lol. It would be like The Republic, where Go Min Nam and Mishil discuss K-drama for 2009. And obviously they wouldn't agree. :D

Holy cow WTH happened to So Ji Sup? I wonder if Song Seun Heon cloned him for a wax museum because he kinda looks a mannequin . . . .

AND WE'RE ON. SBS DRAMA AWARDS 2009!!! I want my An Jell gig now!!!

Interesting music montage. The customers are from the 1920s (LOVE the costumes actually), except it's all big beat electronica stuff they're dancing to. I guess this is Jeojoowong? Anyway, they set up a red carpet for the actors to come through. First up . ..

SO JI SUP
LEE SEUNG GI and Jang Song Hee
BAE SOO BIN
*gasp gasp* *too much too much*
Cha Seung won and Kim Sun ah
*heh heh sucks for y'all you can't see this*
Jang Geon Suk and Moon Geun Young and another MC female person <-- JGS is pimping!!!

JGS and MGY look absolutely faboo. And it looks like the show's set the tone for who's going to collect tonight. Just saying.

They're going straight to the couples now. Showed footage from following shows (but not all of them . . .couldn't recognize them all) got promoted

Competing couples: YAB vs. Cain and Abel vs. Swallow the Sun vs. Shining Inheritance vs. Star's Lover vs. Smile vs. Cain and Abel

Note: JGS looks REALLY REALLY GOOD. And I love the wavy hair stuff.

@belleza

I thought I will come here early and wait for your broadcast, but you have started! Lol

Cha Seung won and Kim Sun ah
*heh heh sucks for y’all you can’t see this*
Jang Geon Suk and Moon Geun Young and another MC female person <– JGS is pimping!!!

Oooooooh...thanks...keep it coming..:-)

Oh, oh....exciting stuff again! Belleza, which one are you doing now? SBS? Which one am I rooting for now? Waaaaaaaaa, of course, CITY HAAAAAALLLLL!!!!! CHA SEUNG WON, CHA SEUNG WON, CHA SEUNG WON!!! KIM SUN AH, KIM SUN AH, KIM SUN AH!!!

I'll be back. I'll check what other SBS dramas I liked this year.

Han Jae Suk and Lee Soo Kyung (both from Loving You a 1000 Times) presenting a support male and female actor award.

Winners:
Kan Suk Woo from Smile, You
The Mom from Temptation of Angel <-- really hated this character btw. she evil and sad and like evil and stuff lol

Note: Dream table representing. Both Son Dam Bi and Kim Bum look awesome.

GMN & Mishil -- Heehee. I reckon if you do do a review, the reaction of the casual passer-by who has previously dropped by DB just to gush at YAB, would be... "huh?" ;-)

Go, JGS!

CSW + KSA ♥
I'm shivering from excitement ;)

@267 hanjanman
*high five!*

Next up . . .

Lee Moon Sik (Jeok-bang from QSD, Iljimae's dad from ILjimae) and ???? (actress) presenting another support male actor award.

Dude. Lee Moon Sik looks so . . .YOUNG. Wow. He's totally dateable!! They're joking a lot to the Angel of Temptation folk.

Whoa. This is real competition. . YAB vs. City Hall vs. Swallow the Sun vs. Cain and Abel vs. Dream (see MBC, this is how you spread the wealth. suck it MBC!!!)

SUPPORT MALE ACTOR AWARD
Chicken head from Cain and Abel?!?? Are you kidding me??!!?? Over CSW's buddy from Cain and Abel AND Jackson from Swallow the Sun? Are you #$@#% kidding me? I $%@W# hated chicken head from Cain+Abel. Muthaf**** I demand a recount!!

WTF SBS. You stupid a$$es picking the Chicken Head guy from Cain and Abel just gives me DARK CHILLS over the rest of this show. Yikes.

I am pathetic! Hehehe... can't get to see live but reading @belleza's play-by-play and looking at the pics posted at soompi.

Wowee...KSA looks sooo stunning in her dress but I prefer CSA to be more 'shaven'! Lol

SUPPORT FEMALE ACTRESS AWARD:

Evil mom from Cain and Abel vs. Evil Publisher Head (not Kim Hye Soo's character) from Style vs. Rival female character from City Hall vs. Aunt from YAB vs. I think another female character from City Hall.

And the winner is . . .

WTF THE EVIL PUBLISHER FROM STYLE. WTF. W!! T!! F!!

Dude, I'm feeling sick as I'm watching this. This is just F***ed up lol. (Actually she was fine from Style, but basically the female villain from Style won over YAB and City Hall. WTH not that many people watched Style.

This is madness!!! Madness??? This is S!BS!!

The crowd is so... not into anything except BL & YB. lol.

P.S. Is it just me or does SJS look kinda funny?

Wait. What??? Who you callin chicken head from Cain and Abel?

@ robotmatsuri
High five back!

Chicken Head from Cain and Abel = the villain North Korean guy who kills Han Ji Min's bro. we used to call him Chicken Head.

Next up . . .

Jung Dong Wan and ???? presenting another male actor in daily drama award

(BTW, this is much harder to do without a proper nomination list. I can't figure out these awards. This one looks like one for a daily drama though.)

Kim Bum's hair has gone from bling-pama to Bae Yong Joon-Legend era. It's kinda strange on him.

MALE ACTOR:
Lee Jae Hwang of Temptation of Wife wins. At the podium, Lee Jae Hwang embraves his foe Byun Yoon Min. Thought that was kinda funny.

FEMALE ACTRESS:
Lee Hwi Kwang from Loving 1000 Times. You may remember her as the Evil Mom from the Greatest Use of A White Piano Ever: Stairway to Heaven

Note: I'm trying to get a beat for which show SBS is favoring for the Daesang. It's basically Brilliant Legacy vs. Temptation of Wife.

Yeah, the overall vibe is a lot more dead than the MBC. The show itself is actually more colorful and fun looking.

LOL Moon Geun Young did a Han Tae Kyung line -- "Go Min Nam." Cute.

JGS sings a little bit (Lee Seung Gi tune, I think.) First real fangirl reaction of night. C'mon people, this is SBS -- WE NEED MORE FANGIRL REACTIONS!!!

(Also can't figure out what the audience is really feeling. The audience volume is turned way down.)

Note: I’m trying to get a beat for which show SBS is favoring for the Daesang. It’s basically Brilliant Legacy vs. Temptation of Wife.

Noooooo, that can't be? Makjang vs makjang??? Sounds dreadful. I didn't watch Temptation of Wife but who would it be for Brilliant Legacy? Lee Seung Gi???

I know she's saying, "edge", but I can't help but hear "ecchi" (perverted in Japanese). lol.

They're playing clips right now . . .

You know, the facial reaction shots from the Temptation of Wife clips are just HILARIOUS. It's so crazy.

Big pop for Cha Seung Won beating people up in City Hall and a HUGE pop for So Ji Sup's C&A shower scene.

Big pop for Park Shin Hye in YAB.

Weak pop for Temptation of Wife.

Weak pop for Angel Temptation.

HUGE pop for Lee Seung Gi and the Shining Inheritance kiss.

HUGER pop for Jang Geon Suk from YAB and the UEE kiss.

Pretty good pop for the City Hall kiss.

Big pop for Cain and Abel kiss.

Weak, weak pop for Swallow the Sun kiss.

BTW, Belleza, where's your co-host momosan? Is she on KBS duties?

So far, I'm feeling YAB has slight edge with BL over the audience. But I'm still not sure.

@Hanjanman,

Both Lee Seung Gi and Han Hyo Joo are nominated for Daesang. As is Jang Seo Hee from Temptation of Wife.

"where’s your co-host momosan?"

As long as she's not cooking chicken for my Bidam, I'm okay. ;)

Child actors presenting award for child actors. I don't know who they are, but it's SO adorable!!! I love this part of the award shows.

Best couple, ohh no surprise... Brilliant Legacy. Crowd doesn't seem too happy though.

Next up . .

Bae Soo Bin and Lee So Young from Temptation of Angel presenting . . . <-- loved their hate-hate romantic chemistry. Hmm, also have to say that Bae Soo Bin is actualyl dressing down from his Bond-esque Sexy Beast from Temptation of Angel.

Couple Award WINNER:
Lee Seung Gi and Han Hyo Joo (wow, didn't recognize her. she looks so sharp and sophisticated. good look for her, and glad that her hair's like normal again.)

Note: Jang Geon Suk said "Go Mi Nam" and the crowd went nuts. JGS knows how to work the squee.

WHAT??!!!?? BAE SOO BIN is playing the All In theme on trumpet? (could this be possible . . . that this man . . is . . . perfect?!!!?? . . . must kidnap . . .)

Lee Min Jung's performing now. Her outfit is adorable, and LOL she's working the Smile table. I love it. Why couldn't she be Jan Di?

@robotmatsuri,

I'm confused about this award too. Was it from the Netizens or the committee?

@264 belleza- This DOES suck. :'-(I'm at a place where the net connxn is so 'fast' that it takes time to even load the open thread forget watching videos.:-(

Thanks for the updates.I feel like I'm watching a video with only the sound on.:-( And btw I'm sure you could have a successful career as a commentator.Your quick comments are cracking me up:-)

@belleza
Were there supposed to be two different Best Couple awards?

And... was that the Style cast singing together?

PSH looks cute. Hong Ki & JYH are fab... JGS has a dead purple thing on his shoulder. lol.

Haha. Cast of Temptation of Wife performing the Theme Song. Nice. I haven't watched this show, but I've always dug this song. Very trot-y.

"And… was that the Style cast singing together? "

Just Lee Min Jung.

And it looks like . . .

AN JELL TIME!!!!

Okay. My brain is gone LOL. Fangirls are screaming like crazy.

They're singing As Ever and it's really their vocals. It's awesome. I feel like crying. :D

(And yeah YAB is taking over SBS Drama Awards)

Ohh it was TOW...

I think I saw CSW & KSA playing around when they did the overhead shot over the crowd. hee. ;)

P.S. What are they calling people up for? Oh... New Star, nm.

Sigh, it's already over. Sucks. What is the point of life? :(

Wah! Me want to watch!

@ Belleza

I think I know who you're calling chicken head now. He is good though. I think he deserved the award. He made you hate his character so he's done his job well. I also saw him in Brilliant Legacy playing a very different role, as a competent and reliable restaurant manager. The difference is striking from his role in Cain and Abel. And he did well on that role too.

Haha, they're using Queen's "I Was Born To Love You", the theme song from Pride to present some kind of award to the following people:

Ambiguously Gay Dude from Style (seriously fascinated with him through the whole show lol), Kim Bum, Som Bam Bi, Lee Min Jung, Jung Gyu Won, Lee Hong Ki, Jung Hon Wa, Park Shin Hye, Lee So Yeon, Kim Tae Hyun, Hong Soo Hyun,

Ahh, JGS hugged his AN Jell crew.

Everybody is getting a turn to talk to the microphone. Good to evaluate pop.

Kim Bum surprisingly so-so pop. Huh, is the BBF magic over?
Lee Min Jung (looks GREAT) is getting howls from the fangirls. Fangirl lesbian icon?!?
Jung Gyu Won. No real pop.

YB didn't win any of the awards? That sucks even more.:-S