@51 samsooki

Hope is a wonderful thing! :)

Samsooki is the King of endless delusions, hope, and futility. ;)

@ 56 samsooki

"I live life optimistically. "

I'm not even watching Chuno (no, couldn't face it in the end), and even I know you are living in a bubble, samsooki. A nice, fluffy, bubble of perverse refusal to face reality. Well, the reality of Chuno, anyway. Is Jang Na Ra also starring in the version of Chuno you seem to watching?

@ reluctantbutaddicted

"Is Jang Na Ra also starring in the version of Chuno you seem to watching?"

HAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! that's funny :)

@ samsooki

i love your optimism!!!! i wish i had a quarter of yours.

@ twin

3 more days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and then i'm outta here!!!

@ retta

"wow if Kim Seung Woo isnt one hansome,sexy man….wow…"

agreed 100000%!!!! he stole the show for me. yes LBH is yummy goodness and i can't leave out MY Tabi... and terrorist hacker guy was pretty delish as well.. but Kim Seung Woo... So. Damn. Sexy. Definitely my favorite character.

@ samsooki

Chuno -- You do have a point. Did we actually see the machine flat-line? Has the doctor signed the death certificate? Was the humidifier switched off? No to all 3. Ergo, there is hope. Yes? :-)

@ nycgrl

You need to join us on Twitter. The Thank You Naysaying Varlets were beating me up with the Robber Rubber Truncheon.

You guys are soooo funny! :)

Wow, an episode of WUAS managed to revive me from my half-dead state. K-drama does cure all! Well, it was that plus an extra spicy picture of Kim Ji-hoon my unni sent me. She sure knows exactly the perfect care package for her dongsaeng! ;-) I'm so spoiled. Still feel like crap, but happier now.

@ yourewaytoonosey

You're fave Xiao Shi Mei aka Yue Ling-shan in Wanderer 84, was played by Jaime Chik. And she almost derailed the OTP completely, bc she was so much, I mean by a miracle mile much, prettier than the actress playing Ren Ying-ying, and her chemistry with CYF was off the charts. If I had one nit on that adaptation, that would be it. However, everything else was wonderful so I let it go. But she was so darn pretty I could totally believe that LHC loves her to the ends of the earth, which he did.

And in case you don't follow HK entertainment news, Jaime Chik ended up having a very very short career, bc she married MIchael Miu shortly thereafter! And both retired and raised their babies, and only recently have returned to acting. I can only imagine how cute their kids are! I think one of their last performances as actually playing a couple in a wuxia drama.

Gu Long's fame Legendary Siblings, the Tony Leung 88 version, I believe, MM played Jiang Feng (oh this is so so funny, like so tongue in cheek) the "handsomest man" in all of jianghu (snickers from me, GL was not very subtle, was he, in his characterizations), who apparently is pretty dumb bc he gets injured near an all woman-sect, and is saved by its leader, a dried up prune, and her less dried up younger sister. Both woman fall head over heels for him, bc he's sooooo handsome (gah!), but during his convalence at their house of ladies, he falls in love with the servant girl Yue Nu, who is nursing him, played by Jaime Chik.

They were in the series for all of one episode, as guest-stars to set up the central conflict, as they elope when she gets pregnant, the dried up hags pursue them bc old hag is so bitter, and when they find them, Jaime has given birth to a pair of twin boys. Old hag kills the parents, and is so uber bitter that she devises a devious plan - to take one twin and raise it, and allow MM's blood brother to raise the other twin, and make them fight each other to the death after they grow up never knowing they were twins, hahahahaha (cue the cackling).

Ergo, the Legendary Twins story set up. The story was actually quite entertaining, but I love MM-Jaime playing a loving couple on screen. :-)

As for the complexization of YK in LoCH 2008, I personally loved it, bc YH nailed it, but I could tell that even he didn't quite know where to take the character, how far past the line of evil and tormented. And I liked the changes made to Ouyang Ke and Wuanyen Honglie as well, again, bc both actors also nailed the complexity.

And lastly, your question about reading Duke - I read parts of it as a teen, and didn't enjoy it. Duke is one of the funniest novels ever written, but I didn't have the historical understanding or the grasp of the chinese language to appreciate all the subtleties. Plus, the WXB in the novel is full-on sleazy, no-good, wastral. Its only when played by Tony Leung does the world fall madly in love with WXB. If you read the novel, the loveable rascally nature isn't really as evident.

My fave read is Wanderer, followed up by LoCH. I'm planning to read Demi-Gods this year bc mookie says she likes it more and more, and I have a feeling that might be a great novel to read.

@ Beethoven Virus

I couldn't watch it when it came out because I sing with a symphony chorus and our choral director was being a real bear at that time. I felt that one abusive conductor in my life was more than enough, and felt no need to reinforce the increasingly Stockholm Syndrome-y feeling I was getting (hate him, love him).

But if BV is really so dreadful, perversely, maybe I don't have to avoid it like the plague. I needn't be afraid that it would feel real and that I might quit my real-life chorus in confused distress!

Someone was telling me that the J-drama Nodame Cantabile triggered a resurgence of interest in classical music among young people in Japan. Which is kind of funny, seeing that NC was a true manga adaptation, i.e., v exaggerated and nothing like real life. But they did use music v well, integrating the music into the story and taking pains to ensure the audience *gets" why the music is so important to the characters, and the actors did play convincingly (the actress in particular was a real pianist). So I can kind of see it.

@64 ockoala

So, WUAS's on this week! Yey! I was just wondering. I'm on my way to NRT airport right now and be home bound soon. I"m sooooo looking forward to be home and marathon that Kim Bum's drama and catch up with WUAS.

@ samsooki

I'm a bit of a stickler too. This means that I have problems with legal dramas and legal thrillers. I hated Ally McBeal -- how on earth can lawyers just never do any work? (But possibly would have hated it even if I weren't a lawyer...)

I was even bothered watching "Partners" which is very silly of me, because "Partners" was such a ridiculous affair on all levels, Risible Law was probably the least of its sins. Even so, I kept thinking "oh for heaven's sake you can never do that in court" and then thought "why do I even bother?"

And this is one reason why I was so impressed with Devil/Mawang. They paid attention to criminal procedure - gasp! I mean, Police Officer Uhm Tae Woong got into serious trouble because he entered premises without a search warrant - double gasp!

@ musical realism

Who has watched Peter Weir's movie "Master and Commander"? Based on the 19th century naval adventure books by Patrick O'Brian (btw, genius! Absolute genius!)

Anyway, Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany play a ship's captain and surgeon respectively, and in one scene they play a Bach duet on the violin and cello (as per book, their musical partnership is an important facet of their friendship). For one short scene, both actors made an effort to learn their instruments (at least PB and maybe even RC already had guitar background). I've seen the "raw" footage of that scene - both actors are actually playing the piece, the fingering and bowing is more-or-less there, the sound is AWFUL and later gets dubbed over by professional musicians... but, hey, props for authenticity and effort!

@ 70 momosan
" If you are going to solve the freaking crime with a bassoon, get it RIGHT!"

Not words I thought I'd ever see on OT--or anywhere else--but I cannot help but agree with you!

@61 serendipity

"You need to join us on Twitter. The Thank You Naysaying Varlets were beating me up with the Robber Rubber Truncheon."

Sorry sister as Stephen Colbert might say I haven't twatted yet but who are these naysayers? Let me guess Langdon and hjkomo?

@70 momosan
"hey, don’t look at me – I was handing out choco-pies."

LOL. Believe it or not I only ate Choco pie after watching this drama. Never had the urge to try it before being more of a salty snack person rather than sweet. Who wants to bet Choco pie sales hit the roof after this show and the show got some dough for this product endorsement.

@samsooki

"for me, my annoyance started with My Girl"

Ditto to My Girl--felt exactly the same thing. Enjoyed the drama immensely but fast forwarded through all the tennis scenes. I played on the tennis team in HS and she just looked like a total wimp lobbing those balls over. Even in a silly comedy like My Girl or YB there is a certain realism to details you need to keep in order to keep the viewers immersed in the drama. Once its broken the viewer loses their concentration and start nitpicking at everything.

BTW I do have a realism bone to pick about "Thank You" and its the operating scenes. Not only are the special effects stupid but its gory in that fake blood kind of way that is unnecessary. I forgave it because I think they stopped after the first two episodes and I'm no doctor but I can imagine doctors being annoyed at those scenes.

^Squee Loved loved "The Happy Life". One of the few movies that made me happy. Also very solid acting from everyone especially the drummer. So hard to believe JGS followed this movie up with DoReMiFaSoLaTiDo such a big step back professionally. So lets see how many times JGS played a musician

1. Nonstop4
2. The Happy Life
3. DoReMiFaSoLaTiDo
4. BV
5. Your Beautiful

He must have forgotten how to play the guitar by YB because you could see he couldn't play and funny enough his stage presence wasn't as good as the Happy Life

Hey, I didn't put down Thank You...I liked Thank You! But I LOVED Robbers. Although I do quite like the term "Naysaying Varlets". I'll have to remember that. :-D

@ nycgrl

No worries. Choco pies were handed out and peace has been restored on Twitter.

@ realism

Strangely, I'm not much bothered by sports travesty. But I get ridiculously nit-picky about musical travesties and legal travesties. Would probably be bothered by medical travesties if I knew enough -- though even non-medical me knows that when you administer mouth-to-mouth you have to pinch the nose, it's not just about gratuitous lip-to-lip, please chaps what do you take us for.

I was in two minds about YAB. I loved that the actors sort-of played their instruments (sort of), but it really really bugged me that they didn't even issue them with cables or even wireless devices, to give us a fighting chance of believing that they were playing live. Or have any feedback monitors on the stage. Or any stage equipment at all. Ack.

I think JGS was trying too hard to radiate idol vibes during YAB to give his bar chords the attention they needed.

@ langdon813

Can you tell I've been reading Mister X's subs a lot lately? I've been looking for an opportunity to use "You mendacious wench!" on OT...

@ockoala

LOL, it's funny because.....Jaime and CWF's chemistry is the part of the reason why I liked that show because Jamie made it 100%believable that Ling loved his little sister. I was basically rooting for them even though I knew that that wouldn't happen. The other versions that I watched, I didn't understand how Ling loved his little sister so much. Where's the sizzle?

Wanderer is also my favorite story of Louis. My next read is either Demi Gods or Flying Fox. From the series that I've watched I like Demi-God more, butthere's just so many characters and so many plotline so I think it will take effort to read the book. My first Louis book that I own is the Dragon and Sky Sword and some crazy person threw the books out on the street and I happen to be walking home. Can you believe that?! Since then, I've been collecting and trying to read them one at a time.

I actually have the Legendary Siblings on tape and have ogled the MiuChik couple onscreen because I know that they were a real couple in real life. Liked Tony in that, but bleh on everybody else.

@ thunderbolt

He. At one point, I was thinking "but what's so wrong with being slovenly? Everyone gets a little messy or untidy, once in a while" Until I realised that "slattern" must have a more pejorative archaic sense.

@ ockoala

I felt Nodame was a bit nutty, myself, and I think it's a hard place to start for anyone not used to the J-genre.

But I thought they did justice to the music. The playing was so convincing I actually researched the actors to find out if they had musical training. Faking conducting is not that hard, I suppose. But the actress who plays Nodame does actually play piano. Now, probably when she's supposed to be playing brilliantly her playing is dubbed over by a professional musician. But, still, she is *actually* playing, even if it may not be what you're hearing in the final product.

I thought that they used classical music scoring really effectively. And I liked how they *explained* music from the conductor's and musician's points of view. The music exposition might have been a bit heavy-handed and a bit lowest-common-denominator, and to be honest I don't remember much of Nodame in detail, in the midst of all the heady craziness; but I also don't remember going at any point "oh what rot!" or "why hasn't anyone done their music homework?"

@ momosan

Peter and the Wolf -- That's really unforgivable! All it takes to fix that is a 10 sec google, not even a ten-day music boot camp.

@ nycgrl

Thank You -- Yes, the way they were tossing "organs" about in the first episode was a bit alarming. But as you say, thankfully they stopped. Still, at various points during the drama I had to go: Well well, good thing Dr Min is an accomplished surgeon, because everyone around him seems to be having medical emergencies all the time. It's like, don't ever attend a weekend house-party if Jessica Fletcher is a guest, because lots of people are doing to DIE!

I have one question about Thank You. I watched it with two different sets of subs - one WITHS2 and the other on my bought DVD, the latter legal but Eng subs translated from the Chinese dubbing. WITHS2 had grandpa call Bom "bean paste" and my DVD had grandpa call Bom "biscuit girl", and I feel sure WITHS2 must be right, but how on earth did bean paste become biscuit girl? Maybe it's hard to tell without a working knowledge of Chinese AND Korean...

@ choco pies

It's great to know I'm not the only one fancying choco pies after Thank You. I remembered even wanting someone to ship me some choco pies from Korea until finding a local Korean store had the stock. Did I like it then..... once is enough :)

@ Happy Life

Yup, I like JGS much much better in Happy Life than Do Re Mi. Honestly, JGS as an ordinary boy/man is so much more appealing than dressing/acting up fancy. I stopped BV after 2 episodes - can't comment much but Lee Jia, why, why she's always managed to get the plum role.

Q: Who would you cast in a Kdrama version of Battlestar Galactica?

We've got one vote for Kim So Yeon as Six.

Kim Gab-soo as Adama.

@ unni, sis

No way, I wouldn't watch KGS make out with the Korean Roslin in a billion galactic years.

Choi Min-soo as Adama all the way.
Lee Mi-sook as Roslin
Ha Ji-won as Starbuck
Ji Sung as Apollo
Lee Jong-hyuk as Baltar

BRB with more

Oops, I made a mistake

I meant Ha Ji-won as Boomer/Athena

This one is close for me: Kim Su-nah and/or Soo Ae as Starbuck. OMGawd. Too bad really that Apollo is stuck a stick in the mud, otherwise I'd pick KJH to play him.

@ockoala

I see very little (if any) difference between watching Edward James Olmos and Kim Gab-soo making out with ANYONE. Whichever one it is, that's a whole lot of face coming at you!

To me, there's only one Starbuck in this scenario. Kim Ha-nuel. I'll have to give the rest some thought. :-)

hi everyone, i haven't post anything in a long time but follow this OT faithfully every week. love the regulars who make me lol everyday. i have to say something...is it justs me, probably just me ! don't shoot me but i can't stand the chef in pasta (lee seon kyun)however i look and watch him.up side down, in side out, front, back,sides, i really try hard to like him but sorry i can't...i got a headache watching him yelling and screaming in every ep. can't see the chem between him and hyo jin at all. like him better in coffee prince.on the up side there'll be more for you to love. he's definitely Not mine. : )
signed: standing ICOYM member.

But, but, but, unniiiiii.....Kim Ha-neul can't be BOTH Starbuck and Lisa Hayes. That just can't be - its so on complete opposite ends of the spectrum, my head just about exploded. Yes, I agree, KNH has to get her derriere into a space suit and into space stat. I don't care which space drama, just pick one, lady!

But I can't see the sex appeal with KHN at all! Am I missing something, she's just the sophisticated, aloof, icy but with a soft interior type. KSA and Su Ae have much more of the sultry, dirty sex appeal, IMHO.

But I'd like to see KHN as Three?

@ ockoala

Yup, Ha Ji Won as Boomer! :D

How about Lee Jong Hyuk as Tyrol?
Han Jung Soo as Helo?
Kang Ji Hwan as Baltar :D
Kim Gab Soo as Tigh or John Cavil (One)
Lee Min Ki as Hot Dog

I dunno about KHN as Three (need someone more mature...maybe Lee Hye Young or Moon So Ri?)

Still thinking about Starbuck and the others...
(and I reserve the right to change my mind. ;) )

@ thunderbolt

Actually, I really appreciate Mister X's style. Yes, it takes a while to get into his special vocabulary, but I like that it gives an appropriate sense of period. For a non-Korean speaker, reading the non-modern English subs signals that they are not speaking modern Korean. I like my period drama to have period dialogue. I abhor modern idioms used inappropriately. I mean, I would hate to have Wang Son go "W'sup, y'all?" or DG go "fu*k my life". Though, come to think of it, if anyone in all creation should be saying FML it should be DG. Poor Dae Gil!

@ Samsooki

Supposedly, but she's Korean-Canadian (Born in US, though)...so probably has an accent.

Ha Ji Won! HA JI WON!!! ;)

---

Okay, Kim Gab Soo as Tigh with Bae Jung Ok as Ellen.
Maybe, Chae Rim as Cally (she's got chemistry with both LJH and LMK)

@hjkomo

Oh no, I like Chae Rim, but hate Cally! I don't want to hate Chae Rim!

LOVE the idea of my sweetheart as Hot Dog, though! So much so that I'm going to agree with all of your KBSG casting from now on...even Chae Rim as Cally, if you insist. :-)

Just one more suggestion from me, if Kim Gab-soo is Tigh or Cavil (either of which is kind of wickedly awesome), then how about Kim Seung-woo as Adama? He's a little too young, but could play older.

Kang Ji-hwan as Baltar? GENIUS!!

Kang Ji-hwan as Baltar. Y'all just want him to knock one out of the park so far into the galaxy, like Jang Hyuk is doing as Dae-gil, don't you? Don't let me stop you, he's got the cojones to be freaking loco and yet saner than them all at the same time. Love it!

I love, love, love Helo. Can I pick him? Did I mention I adore Helo?

General Choi will work.....but really I have in mind, none other than.......Binnie!

Hee, HJW with Binnie will melt my eyeballs, melt them I say! And make a Human-Cylon baby of sheer perfection.

Hm...HJW's definitely too much for Binnie. I think we're going to need someone who's in their thirties. Sorry, sis. ;)
I threw HJS in there because I wanted to see the HOT Bros together again, but I agree, we may have to rethink that one.

And I think Kim Seung Woo is too young for Adama. I could see him as Apollo (if we were going to move everyone's ages up a little) with Shin Eun Kyung as Starbuck.

I also wanted to fit Gong Yoo in there somewhere...

But see? Everything hinges upon who is cast as Starbuck! Aigoo!!!
I think we need to nail down Starbuck before any more casting decisions are made. :D

After Friend, there is NOTHING Binnie can't handle. Sam Shik lives on only in our memories now. *sob*