top of the page? (XP... i know i'm childish)

just done with Coffee house and now, am going to sleep zzZZZZ
will discuss everything tomorrow

and yay SuJu. XD and all comebacks!

happy OT everybody! :)

@ Ockoala

"Heh, love your hubby’s Best Buy experience. Tell him to shop online next time. :-P "

I think he got some kind of a Best Buy coupon. He is the total coupon king.

@ twin

"his engrish is love. i did get something about body aches tho.. lols."

LOLs!!!!!! i had to compare the lyrics against the song again to find the body aches part ha. you're right though - even GD's engrish in this was harder to understand than usual. strange. And this one has beat out even Haru Haru?? WOW. This is probably a 2nd place tie with "Koe Wo Kikasete". Haru Haru is still my numero uno :)

off to rewatch this MV a million more times... i miss my Tabi.

@ v

I'am happy to see that someone else is excited about Super Junior's comeback. I have been busy watching numerous times their comeback stages and videos on youtube. I'm afraid that when my preorder album finally arrives, I'll be sick of Boom Boom (isn't the choreography just sexy?) and Miinah.

I had second thoughts about buying the album because of SM's treament of Hangeng and DBSK (and God knows who else) that moved them to file lawsuits to end their contracts. But I decided to buy it as a way to support the boys (men) that have worked so hard the last five years (concerts, variety shows, reality shows, music shows). They'll probably be getting a cent each per album, but at least it will make them happy to know it sold well.

Well, I'm off to read their thread o soompi.

@ mookie and ockoala.

I don't actually read word by word both your posts about wuxia. :) But from it I got the "5 tigers" and when I google for their pictures... there he was... the one actor that I really like(can interchange with spazzing/ hearthrobbing here) but I don't know the name. At long last, after nearly 30 yrs (wow...so long already! Now you can guess how young I am :)) I finally can put the name on the face of the actor that I really like from that time. "Felix Wong". TQ both of you :)

ockoala "He’s probably the least good looking of the Five Tigers" . I don't know about him being not good looking but I like him the best among them. There's something sexy and attractive about a man who is comfortable in his own skin.

Gotta go. This talk about Felix Wong brings back many memories during my pre U.

@v
How did you find Coffee House?

G4 SPOILERS!!!!
I liked that it had a very humanist approach, instead of being overly dramatic with the visuals and background score -- they instead play it closer to your heart. (Manipulative suckers aren't they?)
I also agree with what janna noticed earlier, the music! It's wonderful.
Again, you really *feel* the characters' vulnerability, case in point: when SM is lying knocked out in the ring, he was no hero, he was just our 'crazy kid' Sung Mo -- in agony. I was blubbering, and like my favo villian Cho, willing Sung Mo to get back up on his feet.
I'm so glad KSH is being given this kind of an acting opportunity, he's so gifted. If I thought his performance in WISFC was so winning, his portrayal of Sung Mo will absolutely bloody haunt me for years, this is KSH in his prime -- fooh!

Nam Ji Hyun was pretty good in this episode too as Jung Yun. Even when she was chasing Kang Mo down the alley trying to stop him from fighting she was relatively cool-headed compared to her role as little Deokman and Ji Wan. Concerned yes, but not having to scream her lungs out to show that she was.
Her character isn't evil but you know she's meant to be pretty rotten when she grows up. She's been good-natured so far but the key is in the moments where she hesitates before she does something 'good'. She doesn't simply throw herself into something, she's pretty calculative, and I like that you can see these character traits early on.
It's like in episode 2 when little Mi Joo resorts to singing in the street and amused passers by are tipping her (Kang Mo was incensed when he finds her) but she ends up losing that money as they flee and Jung Yun stays behind to pick up all the coins off the street, and she was lost in her thoughts and you couldn't really figure out her intentions for doing what she was. But then she went and brought their whole family dumplings with that money, incl. herself.

Also in ep4 when she takes out her wallet and offers KM a wad of cash, she did it so proudly, and then she was like ''oh, you're too proud to accept this?'' and is about to pull it away when *snatch* he took it. Cool! Of course he's a handsome little teen with a reputation to uphold but after she'd seen him with bootpolish smeared all over his face, polishing her dad's shoes -- what reputation?

I remember Kang Mo in the first episode as a bit of a skilled thief (he was only smuggling chocolate bars but y'know), so I saw him having pickpocket potential, instead I'm glad to see him trying the honest living approach-- and that big devilish smile on his face is so disarming. Yo Jin Goo so won me over in episodes 3 and 4.
These child actors are pure quality!!

Haha, V, in girlfriday's words ''this show has made me its bitch''. Starting from episode 3.

I know! I can't believe Mi Joo and Cho's son will be love interests in the future.
Do you think the son will be as interesting and charismatic as his father? The actor playing his son sure looks hot though!

@ twin

TMG is totally my fave.. i think the freshness of it has HaruHaru beat, for now. but dang, HaruHaru does have a HUGE room in my heart.. being my first BB song.. i've been blasting TMG in my car, in my office, on my pc, on my mbp, on my mp3. have not been w/o it since i ripped it. ha!

but to be fair today.. i'm listening to SuJu.. and LOVING it!!! i didn't realize how much i missed them. they are so soothing... and i'm even able to pick out many of the voices.. it does help that there are less voices. (haha and :( at the same time). but i do miss KangIn's distinctive voice.

@any shinee fans??

i've not been keeping up w/ news on them since 2PM and SuJu's comebacks have kept me occupied. does anyone know when their next album is gonna come out? i miss my Jonghyun crybaby.

@momosan

Ohhh, I know... I haven't felt like continuing on Tnk, either... Even with the allure of Shouta kun, I'm like "Arghh, should I torture myself or not?" Not that I've gotten the time for it. I haven't even stated on my missing 6 episodes of PT. After reading some opinions about it here, plus my unexpectedly erratic schedule, I'm a bit afraid of being disappointed and procrastinating on it so far... eventually....

And OT here, it's going so fast and I've given up on reading them all. It's Tuesday, right? So much more to come... What are those new K-dramas everybody's talking about? I shall check them out soon!

I'm not a big fan of Hyori's music [even though I find her hilarious on Family Outing], but I found this courtesy of a friend's tip.

Hyori feat. Big Bang's Daesung - How Did We Get.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF7sTOX80UI

How much do i love Daesung's voice? This song is totally on repeat today :)

@ twin

oh don't get me wrong, i LOVE TMG.. It is very new and fresh and something different from BB. I can't wait until they drop their new album...and even more when Tabi releases his solo stuff. SQUEEE!!! Definitely buying those when it comes out!

SUJU!!!! ok.. i'll mention 4minute Huh too!! really good and looking forward to ss501. and SUJU again!!

now to Tnk2... um... if this drama is continuing this way, i'll might really give up even with all the cast in it.. i'll give it another chance next week but it's starting to be painful to watch it.. which is sad cuz i love kimutaku and like ryoko shinohara. TT

@Lisa
yohoo! a suju supporter! hallo sis! i know right... ive kept rewatching their comeback performance so much (i wouldnt be surprised if ive passed the 100 mark. lol) that now, i'm aware of all the mistakes they did on it and i also follow their twitter. they post the most random pix, especially heenim but dang is that guy pretty.. lol. OMG... uve preordered their album!! yay! lucky u. ive been trial listening cuz i heard that their rankings on digital charts is not high and that may take away their awards. can't believe F(x) didnt get anything for NuABO, i loved it! and i think im going to order their album later but i need to decide which one, A or B... (which one's urs?) or the repackage vers if there is one.
i'm not sick of boom boom or miinah yet (and i also like all the album's songs) and suju=thrusts=sexy. XD when i first saw their MV, i was like wow.. they really stepped it up in terms of dancing... the choregraphy is sick and more complex than any others of theirs i can recall, altho sorry sorry is most memorable, and U.

yeah... it's so sad that SM is treating their artists unfairly. it causes the family spirit to lessen a whole lot, unlike others like JYP or YG. in the past too, they had problems with FTTS and Shinwha. i really hope hangeng can join suju in the future tho. and about DBSK, i'm still in denial. but ur right, we might punish SM by not buying the album but we're punishing the boys too by doing that and they must be sad if the sales aren't high. i know they were so sad when they didnt win any melon awards last yr. and they are working SO hard and it's rare to see a group who cares so much about the group as a whole. even heechul really loves the group. but donghae and leeteuk r really caring too (have u seen Strong Heart? he teared up...) and ur right, the boys have become men, ALL of them... from kyunnie to yesung to minnie, to teukie and hyukie's ABS. even ryeowook is hot (have u seen him flip his hair while dancing?!)
lol... i look into their soompi thread too and i wrote more than i intended again so ill stop here. XD

@supah
i liked CH... i didnt love it, it was a bit snoozy at moments but overall, ill give it a chance to grow cuz it shows potential to be great or at least entertaining even tho it didnt grab me right away. KJH is charming!!! and PSY is really adorable and i like her new character a whole lot more than any of the characters she took on before. EJ is quite funny and adorable and the ex-fiance (dunno his name) is hilariously and annoyingly narcissist. i know u hate spoilers so i wont say anything about the story.

G4 SPOILERS!!!!
well, the music is wonderful, the cinematography is wonderful, the script is excellent, and the acting is just .... amazing. giant is basically a gem so far. and it's a drama that tugs to ur heart without excess but enough to make feel so deeply for it.
yeah, KSH made the right choice to choose Giant instead of CS... i would have loved to see him act adorable as JW but really, he rocked SM.. (KM???grrr. im still confused. lol) but i really want him to shine on his own as a real lead and make a breakout.. the guy deserves it.
NJH is good too! i agree. she made us the the underlying potential of a villain in her character without us hating her right at the start. we kinda understand that she has a good nature too, or at least some sympathy and conscience, altho it will be overshadowed later on. i love how she interacts with KM. they are both "proud" but adorably so. it's more like a way to hide all their insecurities and all the mess.
basically, the child actors are so good i'm sure they are making the adults work extra hard.

lol at ur girlfriday quote...
i dont know ho jo's son will be really but i saw the actors a few time in other dramas where he didnt have the lead and yet, he was charismatic enough in them for me to want to look for infos about him. and hes quite good looking too... and jo's a villain i really like. Xp

@lb_tmi
love haruharu too! and lies. and TMG of course. and BB simply.. they are so funny in most of their vids... have u seen their shouting korea vids? hihi.

yay! i'm glad u like Suju! they really didnt disappoint.. but i miss kangin too altho i might be for the best in the long run. what i dont want is for suju to disband even before kangin returns. that would S--K!!

yep.. SHINee fan here... (well not a TRUE fan per se but quite a fan nevertheless.) i have no news of them either about their comebacks as they are now busy promoting abroad a whole lot.... but im sure we'll here from them soon. after SNSD, we have f(x), then Suju so now.. Shinee seems the obvioius choice! is jonghyun ur fav? i dont have one.. or rather i do but it keeps changing. lol

@lovenyc52
hihi... i loved their duo.. ive watched the whole show before and DS and Hyori sings for each other to dance secret's magic, 2ne1 and others... it was quite funyy ^^

@momosan, celestialorigin-san

I'll check out TnK2 over lunchie... I think I'm WELL prepared, I'll find fun in it.. still pretty sure this ep will 'surprise' me in an awful way. I'll try to control my throwing things! Thanks for the headsup! ;)

@sam,
o u find Felix Wong sexy? That does not cross my mind when he's playing his typecasted warm, kind, honorable heros... but in Soldier of Fortune 香城浪子 (based on a manga by Nagayasu Takumi), when he's playing afoul mouthed bully/ impossibly romantic hero. I was reduced to a puddle. @twin I'm wondering if The Foundation http://www.spcnet.tv/TVB-Series/The-Foundation-review-r41.html will hold up for a rewatch. I rem I loved it despite having lots of tragic plots, under my 1983 Condor Hero craze.

for pple wanting to see kimutaku... here's a short cf with animation where kimu is being transported into "disneyworld" lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVVu7Z4UXt0&feature=player_embedded

@ v

haha they are great together. I saw the old 2008 MKMF performance with BB and Hyori and I think they're so cute with her! I'm so glad she did a duet with Daesung - their voices blend really well together in this song. Oh and the Shouting Korea series with Kim Yuna is ADORABLE. Daesung is such a natural comedian :) I am totally looking forward to their MV and song.

@ twin

I just rewatched The Foundation a few months ago (during my visit with the best of MM days).

It holds up, but the story is painful to witness (yes, tragic is kinda a understatement since your hero turns evil even when you are pleading with him not to). Kent is under-utilized, Felix's character is dreadful (I have this urge to pistol whip him), and MM's character (sigh, he does one thing I cannot accept for the sake of historical accuracy?)

Great opening song (someone just uploaded to YT, I've attached below), everyone in the drama LOOKED GREAT, wonderful costuming from the grand TVB wardrobe department of the 80s. I remember loving The Foundation myself as a kid, but have come to the conclusion that the story is hard to swallow (you won't get the warm and fuzzies afterwards). I think Tang Tai Zhong got shafted as a historical emperor origin story in The Foundation.

MM and Barbara have loads of chemistry (as always), in fact, since its a love triangle btw Felix, MM and Barbara, its the first time we can compare the chemistry, and it's no contest. Felix and Barbara in LoCH 1982 won out hearts bc of their characters as a couple. But Barbara and MM sizzle on screen.

Still, Barbara's character in The Foundation is all sorts of awful, imagine Mu Nianci without a backbone and even less personality. I think MM's version of Chor Leu Heung is heaps more re-watchable for a drama which aired the same time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9-3fB7eUY0

INTERNET! Why are you hating on me so much. It isn't even raining that hard. I tried two download TnK2 three times. Maybe this is the universe telling me to stay the hell away.

But is so bad and I don't want to look away. Even where I go to watch Giant was in a tizzy over loading, so I still haven't seen episode 4. (rage) Sometime tonight, hopefully.

@momosan: "The only way this could be made bearable is to make a drinking game out of Lin Chi Ling’s dialogue. And you’d need a liver transplant by the end of the series."

As I said before I made a drinking game out of the word "lady" (and for the record I only drank a shot when they said it in English) on YamaNade. After two episodes I told myself this is probably not such a wise choice to be making.

for IWxHRers
copy/pasted from PP 14 thread:
wow… the vid preview for ep 15 looks like we are going for more angst… TT there’s not even one person smiling !!

for those interested in seeing, here’s the BTS of the ep 14 kiss scene, courtesy of mandalaywith @soompi
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTc0MTc1OTAw.html

it’s quite funny to see what goes on before the kiss and how he has positions and all… lol. and looking at the kiss from another angle=KYA!
there’s also a short making of ep 13.

@lovenyc52
love the MKMF08 perf!!! but i really didnt think TOP would do the kiss for real... i remember taking a double take at that...now, i love how he smiled before he did it..
as for daesung, the guy has talent, in comedy or otherwise... i loved how he doesnt hesitate to use his comical skills at their fullest (the scene where he ran away from yuna.. ROTFL..) yep, looking forward to their mv and songs too.

@janna
aww... hope ur internet improves.. i know supah has been impatient sharing her giant 4 experience with u. as for TnK2, u can take ur time, ur not missing a masterpiece here.. lol. and tell me what u think of CoffeeH

@janna
Just some preparation procedures prior to watching G4 (whenever you get round to it that is):
1) Remove all traces of mascara (unless goth is your thing).
2) Have two x boxes of heavy duty Kleenex in front of you.
3) Leave pleeenty of room between you and the TV/PC screen for making fists and arms and legs flailing purposes.
4) Indulge in some comfort foods - you'll need some! (Cherry tomatoes won't cut it. One of those vintage (Hardy's?) American candy bars that Kang Mo is fond of will be perfect.)
5) Sit comfortably.
6) Watch Giant 4.
It's like SOOO F--KING GOOD!! xD

@ v
LOL @ daesung's running away from yuna scenes!! he does it so dramatically it's awesome! but i think i prefer his more subtle comedic scenes like in Shouting Korea part #1 where they're brainstorming and ignoring him. He keeps trying to talk and they keep overriding him lols.

@V
Kim Soo Hyun was almost in CU??
Playing the role that Taecyon is?
WOW!
First I've heard about that.
Nope, I love him as Lee Sung Mo, it's a much more powerful and meaty role and he's sublime in it.
OMG! I can't imagine what my life would've been without KSH playing LSM! Wahhh!
I'm off to watch Giant 5 in a bit. L'excited!

@lb_tmi
Woooh! SHINee!
There must be something in the pipelines but nothing's been mentioned about any new album just yet. Currently, they're still publicising their mini-album Y.O.U., have been touring around some Asian cities, only weeks ago wrapped up Hello Baby and have recently sang 'Fly High' for the PP OST and that's pretty much it really.
I (heart) OnJongKey!

@ supah (what ever happened to being Prosecutor Yoon's gf?) lols.

OnJongKey are my faves.. but i heart JHyun like crazy.. i have massive orgspasms when it comes to hearing his voice. not to mention he is one hellava sweetheart in my dreams. ha! i love YOU, but it was released LAST YEAR!!! i want new stuff. i want more SHINee. and for not even watching any PP, there's only so much "fly high"' i can take. lols. now i can listen to Si Fuera Ella, YOU, and Please don't go ALL.DAY.LONG. but i guess since the title of the last album is YEAR of us.. they should promote for a YEAR. lols

Hello Baby.. how sweet were they as "appas" (w/ the exception of Taem, cuz he was more like 'hyung' to Yoogeun)? i was really hoping for some surprise "they're recording the new album tomorrow!" kinda news cuz i miss seeing Jhyun bawl like a baby on music shows. he is such a crybaby!!!

@ twin

i need to re-watch the MKMF 08 perf again. i wasn't too into BB the first time i watched it. i'll prolly have a completely different reaction to it now that i know who's who. ha!

@ twin

the 2008 MKMF BB/Hyori collab is a lot of fun. They sing each other's songs and everything.. and Daesung does his Trot song and dance which is FABULOUS. quite enjoyable :)

@lovenyc52
oh yeah, i totally forgot about the scene where he gets ignored... it seems to me like there's always a scene like that somewhere in BB vids.. taeyang and top NEVER get ignored.. i think GD did get ignored once in a vid tho i cant recall which one... but usually, they play around with his dynamics with seungri more. XD. lol. and in FO, daesung's really funny too. too bad season1 ended...

@supah
yeah, he had the role in Giant and he was also asked to be JW in CS but then, he had to refuse cuz off Giant (smart move!). CS is becoming so dramatic i'm between being deadly exasperated with it and impressed at how the actors rock their overkill scenes. lol.
and yeah, totally forgot Fligh high was shinee's latest kr activity.
i've watched giant 5 live already. but it got buffered a lot so i missed quite some stuff so i plan to watch it raw again. as u dont like spoilers, let's wait till ur done and for me to complete the missed parts.

loved CN Blue new MV and song!!!
woo! keep the comebacks coming.. i'm loving this!

@lb_tmi
Sadly, Prosecutor Yoon died a tragic death at the end of episode 10, and was replaced by some bored looking dude who wants nothing to do with PP and appears for 0.05 seconds per episode for some vague, random reason. I kind of dropped the show because of what they did to him. *sniffle*
HJS is sure HJS but man! They sure messed his character up here after making him the perfectest specimen for the first 10 eps.
But it's ok, I've since moved on to newer pastures: Giant! Have you checked it out yet? It's a must for any Kim Soo Hyun fan, or if you're into sweeping well-made epics in general..?

I adored Hello Baby, I really miss their fooling around. Hey, Taemin's always getting the flak for being the baby, yet I think he's really mature for his age, both mins in fact. onjongkey should be relegated to yegi status, they was nothing appa about them, well ok -- maybe our fave diva, Key was more 'ommonim'. Haha!
SHINee are just instant happiness and so talented, love' em all.
About Y.O.U, Onew's solo ballad (The name I loved) was fantastic, once I got over laughing at it though. It's just he's so freakin' hilarious (in a good way), that once he tries something serious I still find it funny for some reason.

@v
KSH made a very, very excellent decision. Bravo!

@ mookie

Latest blurbs from our triplet.

"Yankee-kun to Megane-chan: The school is infested with undercover Yankees.

Year of the Rain: Have courage, my child."

Okay, after reading that, I now have officially no stomach to dare watch Year of the Rain. I'm saving my tears for when Tamra hits its Park Kyu rip my guys out stride (oh, around ep. 9, 10, 11, 12 &(&^%%^&!!!).

I have to say, jdoramas typically have less crap as a whole than TW or TVB dramas are wont to do (K-dramas are in between in the crap-production). But I've just watch two back to back crap jdoramas. Yet its buffered by Yankee-kun, which is So. Much. Win. that its erasing the bitter bile caused by Kurosagi and TnK. Yankee-kun, good, and good for you!

@V and janna
Giant 5??
OK, I won't go all out spoilery like last night but I'm itching to discuss.
I quickly just want to say that from both the villians, I'm in love with Major Cho and abhor Tae Sub (aka. Jung Yun/NJH's dad) more and more as the episodes progress.

And I had also been wondering whether Cho's son would grow up to have any of that charm, charisma of his father, well the actor to play his son also played Wolya in QSD! Check him out!! He's the first guy you see, sat at the desk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqJ5u1RK0tg
(Hello Heartthrob!! *faints*)

@twin

maybe I mind control triplet to write that on Yankeekun!! ;) haha I said that same thing to my SIL! :) Yankeekun 4 has such a great balance, it's sharp, entertaining, silly, w/ heart + lesson of the day, OTP <3 or even OT3 <3 if I add on Izumi. all bundle up in one sweet, not a min wasted ep.

I dun rem last I saw sth as well done all around as Year of the Rain in TWdrama. I'm trying to retrieve when I last saw sth as good and w/ as much heart and grounded acting?! it's drawing blank. every scene is shot w/ care and thought and I'll give credit to Miss PD, she's better than ever here. I'm also w/ u that she's the best thing about AC (sorry girls, I thought Vanness' acting is very all over the place... better than I rem, but still meh to me)

*******************************************************************************

So I've dedicated 2 hours of undivided attn to PP ep 1, 2 and beginning of 3. I've earned my right for my following rant. Hardcore PP lovers please look away.

This is not a well written drama AT ALL. MHR is not a lady I can root for 2 eps in, actually I'm very frustrated w/ her, yet I can clearly see she's designed for me to go all GIRL POWER. Nope. I have to stop. Instead I have developed a nonchalance towards Ma Hye Ri and everything that she does or says or dresses on herself. I know she'll grow later on, I know the eps get better...blablabla.. I just cease to care.

IF I'm General Choi, I would've fired her in ep 2.
I've been a green newbie, a lot of us have. NOW I have to work w/ a wave of green freshgrads every couple of months, the experience takes a lot of patience out of me to say the least. That's where I'm coming fr.

The lvl of entitlement and just the nonchalance towards EVERY other person she should be socializing w/ fr what I've witnessed is astonishing. I did not lose my bearings or myself being an impressible newbie, but when I've been given nuggets of advice, I took that to heart. If an old-timer told me my dress code need a revision and clearly I have eyes to see I dont dress like the others, I'll redo my closet. This is a paid job, not a romp in a sleazy bar, NEWBIE. and IF I were her superior and the next day she dressed EXACTLY the same horrific way w/ 1 freaking CM added to her hem and hollered me on where in the dress code cant she wear her pirated Chanel by the colorblind tranny, I would have made her squat then and there and show me how that butt piece wont tear and show her whole panty and how is it decent when she's walking the stairs?!

And it's legit to fire her on that confidentiality offense. How dare MHR go by the book in prosecution and no overtime ever...YET I saw her putting makeup on at her desk, munching cherry tomatoes in front of clients, freeing up tax payer PAID working hrs to read on juicy gossip found in some case file.. PARDONING herself off DURING a case to READ said material in the toilet AND FORGETTING it there. I dont care if her IQ is 1800. That is horrifically ditzy and she's not operating w/ her brain on most of the time, is she?!

And y did I insist on the firing by Gen Choi?! he's all there being patient and giving her a good talk and she dissed afterwards y he's SO serious?! this is a serious offense, I did fire a newbie on that ground.

Will I tell my mom to lie about some life threatening ailment to dispense my dad fr my commencement so I can hop and shop for a skiing outfit, so I can go to a skiing resort.. SO I can buy a pair of crystal shoes...and all the while thought I'm entitled to it?! It'll take such an inflated ego, and do I particularly root for spoiled brats?! NO

So MHR and I started off on a very wrong foot, pun intended. I do not see the smarts in her whole room arrangement tete a tete w/ PSH who is literally creeping me out w/ his paleness and abundant red lipgloss. It's again all that princessing that's very turning me off. eg: ur friend admitted to cancel your reservation, u lost your wallet because u r a careless, should others suffer and pay your dues? so u r sharing the room u r no longer entitled to, taking a bubble bath w/o closing the doors, dozing off to draining *ROLLEYES* and dude comes to your rescue...AND U FAULT HIM?! and whined that pair of fugly shoes off him, PROMISED To pay but NOT. and the dude is NOT allowed to think anything less of u than ur princess self?!?!?!? *poke eyeballs*

What is most disturbing me w/ this drama is that I'm supposed to cheer for her, digging herself into holes and 'saving her own day' by her 'sharp witty tongue' when all I can see is because she's surrounded by very tolerant, easy going, big hearted, sweet, considerate, forgiving ppl. She got out of her troubles because they r merciful.

And did I touch on her being a bigoted superficial in the case of the ahjummas?! O so a woman is nth if we do not lose wt, and that's the lesson of the day fr an ep of PP. I threw things at that scene.

yay! hello baby was so enjoyable!!! i liked both season with SNSD as well as SHINee.. they were so sad when they had to stop

@supah
GIANT 5 Spoiler
lol.. now u can talk. this episode, NJH was the highlight for me... at the end when she was crying and huggin her dad... and then how she gave the booklet to SM (KM??) when he was outside the store and looking at other students... btw, cant believe the kid got into a fight AGAIN!! love her interaction with him, and when they ran away together... lol
as for KM (SM), omo... they did a shower scene with him... didnt expect that... what a pleasant surprise... haha.
yep, NJH's dad is hateful... grrr. and jo is really something... i like him as a villain and i feel that it's going to be so complicated later on after his relationship with km/sm deepens, the situation might not be as black and white anymore...
what about u... what's the highlight for u here?
and yeah, like i said, i quite like the actor who plays his son.. but ive only seen him in minor roles so he didnt get enough chance to prove himself. however, he was really good looking and charming. and thanks for the clip.

@mookie
lol... as u might have noticed from my PP comments invasion in OT, i'm quite a PP fan... and i did read ur opinion about it anyways because i can't resist anything PP related, whether good or bad.. XD
i wont respond much to ur comments cuz if i start, it becomes a wall of comment instead. haha. anyways, i dont share ur disdain of PP for reasons that i dare not develop on for fear of essay writing but i do understand where u r coming from so no harm here.... the drama is really over the top for the first 2 ep (which i enjoyed anyways) but like u said, she gets better and the drama gets better (for the fans at least.. maybe not u.. dunno) and MHR (not her princessy self) has become one of my fav female characters.
oh well, altho it's sad u wont continue PP, i'll give u thumbs up for trying to watch it!! :)

@ v

o feel free, please enlighten me on what u think is terrific on what I ranted on?! If MHR is not an entitled, annoying princess, I dunno who should get that title.

It's not OTTness I'm offended w/, it's her questionable values and integrity as a functioning part of society. She's a sexist against her own sex and that is so not equating individuality. Very poor taste in clothes is not helping. She can co-ordinate ONE color, that's when her whole outfit is diff shades of frilly pink.

@mookie

Step away from the ledge. Take a deep breath.

I don't think MHR is suppose to be likable at all so when she does grow as a human being your suppose to like and respect her. She does change and some of her circumstances are explained but her character is not one I can identify with though I think KSY is doing a a very credible job of playing her. I think her character is a bit like LSG's character in Brilliant Inheritance and agree PSH is creepy in the beginning and the middle though his creepiness is also explained.

I would comment more but PP is kind of on my fringe watch list so its not on my rant radar. I can't seem to muster up energy for it. Now PT on the otherhand did get my panties in a knot...

@mookie
ooopss, sorry, ive just checked OT before im going to sleep. im unstoppable if it concerns PP. ur warned. haha... well if ur willing to suffer through my ranting about PP, i will unleash my uncontrollable rambling...
unfortunately, i will only be able to do so tomorrow since it's zzZZ time for me now.
i'll just quickly say MHR=entitled, annoying princess >>> agree, BUT...to be continued.. XD
nycgirl did say some stuff i wanted to say tho.. altho she has the inability to be concise which i lack.

cheers!

enjoy OT everybody!!

See, I totally get mookie and nycgrl's rants on PP and PT. Because said rants are true as an objective observation of the drama, but as an emotional quotient affects mookie (PP) and nycgrl (PT) so strongly in a negative way when the same drama as reversed elicits milder sentiments of dislike.

I think it comes down to certain elements, whether characters (like a MHR in PP) or actions/constructs (like PT) really bothering certain viewers extra strongly, for probably personal reasons, shaped by experience and idiosyncracies.

For example: I could NOT watch Full House. Oh, I tried, I really really did, I watched up to ep. 3 and was so fed up, so pissed off, I wanted to smash the DVD into pieces, and then remembered it was my sister's and I couldn't. What pissed me off? No, it wasn't Rain's god-awful outfits, strangly off-acting, or even his asswipe of a character. It also wasn't SHG being cute, chirpy and over-acting.

Nope, what send me over the freaking ledge was the set up. The second those two so-called friends SOLD HER HOUSE!!!!! I was like no f-cking way this would happen in real life. Not on any country, planet, universe, does a unrelated person not on a deed of trust have the ability to just so sell a house (yes, I know it was forged, stolen, whatever). Sorry, property rights are tantamount to me (Property was my fave 1L class, the Rule Against Perpetuities I can still recall if you feed me a Boost Bar).

So when they screwed with her by having her friends sell her house and then she had to go live in it with Rain, I was like sayonara, adios amigos. The 3 Bear's Song can kiss my behind. That's my pet peeve (or one of them, heh).

So I think there is no explanation needed, MHR's character is probably one of the uber-pet peeve character constructs of mookie. Am I right? I think she would bother me, too, but perhaps not as much as you. Same with PT, I'm zzzzing out of that one, and agree with what nycgrl says 100%, but it doesn't elicit the same strong visceral reactions.

And so I love all these opinions, because it sheds light on how we each watch the same drama and react differently, whether by increments or light years. :-)

Yankee-kun is still the best drama (so far) since Asuka made that perfect cake for Ryo.

I agree with what you said Ockoala and btw I would love for JB and Girlfriday to explore what topics set them over the edge in kdramas in their next podcast and if they already discussed it, shame on me since I actually didn't listen to the podcasts yet.

My PT rants started on a very personal level because gay issues are big for me. My best friend's mom growing up in NJ was a single gay woman and I observed how hard that was for her mom and to my best friend at a time when no one we knew was openly gay. So no surprise then why I hated how PT treated gays so lightly, so stereotypically AND treated it as a vehicle for straight love. I know, I know its my personal issue.

I'm not a big fan of Coffee Prince though I liked elements of it but I think Coffee Prince did a much better job of honoring what it means to be gay. Once I decided to let bygones be bygones and watch PT devoid of wanting it to promote any gay agendas and just watch it for the entertainment value only, it lost me again because it was how you so eloquently put it "zzzzzing".

I think PP and MHR character would have put me over the edge in an earlier incarnation of myself. Women like MHR would have been the target of my wrath in my younger days and yet this mellower older version would view her more with a mixture of pity, annoyance and bemusement as a human wonder. However, I think PP as a drama does not have me invested enough to get angry with it though I can very well understand why it would ilicit anger.

@ockoala

"Nope, what send me over the freaking ledge was the set up. The second those two so-called friends SOLD HER HOUSE!!!!! I was like no f-cking way this would happen in real life. Not on any country, planet, universe, does a unrelated person not on a deed of trust have the ability to just so sell a house (yes, I know it was forged, stolen, whatever). Sorry, property rights are tantamount to me (Property was my fave 1L class, the Rule Against Perpetuities I can still recall if you feed me a Boost Bar).

So when they screwed with her by having her friends sell her house and then she had to go live in it with Rain, I was like sayonara, adios amigos. The 3 Bear’s Song can kiss my behind. That’s my pet peeve (or one of them, heh)."

LOL! I know what you mean. When I first started I was outraged by this set up. Nonetheless, Rain was too cute to dismiss and on I went. Later on after getting to know K dramas a bit more(it was one of my first K dramas, Full house), I realized anything is possible in K drama world as opposed to J doramas, which tend to be a bit more realistic, of course, with some exceptions.

@nycgirl

Thanks for the link! Daesung!!!! My pie!

@momosan.

Hahaha, I forgot to watch Shinzanmono ep5... After getting home, I should download it. I suppose I should look for the book while in Japan next time.

And nobody's mentioning Sunaoni narenakute... Why? Nobody's watching? This is one place you can see Jaejung's<3, Tamayama testuji<3 and Eita's<3 close-ups over and over(Where else!?) I quite like somewhat dis-functional, desolate young lives in a big city(Tokyo) getting together seeking to be connected, to feel safe within their connections and finding what they are longing for.

@mookie
About MHR:
I can honestly only agree with you about PP 1-2, she was deliberately annoying in the initial two episodes and I felt quite the same way as you, I almost dropped out but kept on going... 3 was a game changer and I finally only began rooting for the girl in 5!
Eps 3 & 4 were reality check time for MHR, it was two episodes full of lashings, both verbal and physical ones and for most of them she only had herself to blame. You can hang around and watch 3 & 4 purely in a masochistic way -- watching MHR get the thrashing of a lifetime if you want? Haha!

If you don't want to continue further I honestly don't blame you. Sometimes if you can't bring yourself to like a character you just can't.

And I agree about the writing, I found it quite hit and miss, sometimes promising and brilliant (particularly 5-10 for me) and sometimes plain 'wrong', I eventually gave up watching it myself But then there are people who are loving PP especially for episodes 11 onwards.

Guess it's all very subjective, as they say.

@v
Was rushing off to work earlier so couldn't finish off commenting. Just quickly sneaking on at lunchtime now.

Some Giant character names for referencing, I understand how you can get mixed up if you’re watching so many other dramas.

Kang Mo (Yeo Jin Goo) = Younger Brother/shoe polisher/in a blossoming childhood romance with Jung Yun.
Sung Mo (Kim Soo Hyun) = hyung/being used as a spy by both US and Korean army heads (against each other)/blossoming love story er, father-son relationship with frighteningly powerful enemy Major Cho.
Major Cho = Evil, powerful enemy #1. (Charismatic, handsome, wonderful...)
Tae Sub = Evil enemy #2 and all round gruff, filthy mouth and sneaky worm.
Jung Yun = (Nam Ji Hyun) Tae Sub’s daughter, childhood love interest of Kang Mo.
Mi Joo = Lee brothers’ 5 y/o sister, went missing somewhere in Seoul.
Jun Mo = Lee brothers’ infant brother – sent off to orphanage.

-------------

G5 SPOIILERS!!

Yeah, Jung Yun was fantastic here, especially the part where she's about to run away from home and when she goes into her room to pack, the lawyers have redtaped every damn thing.
The part where her and Kang Mo hold hands and run was so sweet. Their childhood love story is so wonderfully written so far.

Kang Mo has officially redefined the term 'hyung', just the way in which he yearns for his big brother.
Ohhh… 'hyung'… just come back already will ya?! *sob*

When he sees those three boys walk down the street wearing the same (cadet?) uniform Sung Mo used to wear he follows them almost in a hypnotic state – I could just hear his heart resonating with ‘’hyung... hyung…’’

When he stops to see what they’re looking at when they stop at a book stall it’s a pocket Beginner’s English book, he then starts gazing at the book with such longing. And it was so sweet how Jung Yun was watching from a distance and then goes and buys it for him in secret.

KM was also brilliant in this episode. Especially with that sorry-kicked-kitten expression of his. Like the one he wears when she goes to find him in the alley engaged in yet ANOTHER street brawl and uh-oh! She shows him the book she just got him and then tosses it on the rubbish tip before walking off.
So glad he finds it again though, that book has such a valuable feel to it.

And speaking of hyung, wow! The way in which his body became all disorientated as he’s walking back down the corridor after ‘that’ confrontation with Cho and then BAM! He collapses. That is what you call pure, solid, fear!
I don’t think it was the pointed gun but the fear of how deep into his deception against Cho he has become, especially after Cho grips his shoulders in a fatherly ‘’ well done, son’’ kind of way. That was REALLY scary.

And this kid IS crazy, who’s side is he REALLY on? He has no protection whatsoever and if he angers both sides..?
We can understand his motives for going against Cho, on a purely personal level, but at the same time – those US officials are so very… (urgh! I so want to swear here!) annoyingly inept (acting aside – hey they’re still miles better than Daniel Henney, even they're Korean is impressive).
But have they ever heard of witness protection? They threw this defenceless kid into the lion’s den!
I guess it’s right though, they ARE the US army after all, of course they’re pig headed and short-sighted when they invade foreign land (sorry, I’m just so anti-war). This is the one part where I understand why Cho’s so anti-US-army-presence-in-Korea. And where I can truly understand the conflicting loyalties in SM’s mind right now.
(I’ll also need to research the Vietnam war to further understand this portion of the drama.)

And oye, V! That shower scene was not meant for our perving, on either SM or the Major! But of course even I couldn’t concentrate on their important top secret discussion when they honed in on SM with the water spraying over his face, wearing one of THE most intense looks he’s ever worn, cue: Giant’s theme tune. Holy moly!

---------------------------

Whew! That was a longer comment than anticipated!

@janna
I've done it again haven't I? Sorreee!

@ mookie

That was a rant and a half! As someone who's not averse to a good rant myself, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I know I promised I will not fret over PP anymore. But I lied:

I agree with your views on the Princess. You've saved me the effort of counting the ways I think she is an affront to smart professional women the world over. Personally, I can only enjoy PP when I switch off my powers of critical thinking.

If I thought about things, I would just be too vexed by all the disregard for proper criminal procedure (it doesn't have to be text-book, but it shouldn't defy sense either -- See KimuTaku's Hero for how public prosecutors can be depicted without travesty, and still be entertaining). I also would not stop at firing the Princess (and I totally would fire the ep1&2 Princess if she landed on my lap in real life) -- I would in addition fire General Choi and the entire prosecution team for not adequately training or supervising her before unleashing her ineptitude on the world.

But, of course, it's not meant to be real-life or realistic. I understand that one is not meant to take PP too seriously, which sets out to entertain, not educate. Nonetheless, I personally find that the switch-off-brain mental gymnastics requires a lot of mental effort, which I can only be bothered to deploy if I get some romantic pay-back (see Partner - risible courtroom procedure, but hot hot OTP). It was near the end of ep8 when I decided the pay-back scale just wasn't tipped in my favour anymore (Yes, I'd watched up to ep8; it just felt as if I'd only seen enough material for 5 ep.s). For me, it was just the old saved-by-the-love-of-a-good-woman trope in one of its more trite manifestations, i.e., "Mysterious, masterful man with air of danger, revenge on his mind and marshmallow in his heart is un-manned by indomitable, spunky woman", and that lack of freshness combined with PSH's lack of acting conviction just couldn't carry me far enough. But, who knows, if I'm in the mood for a bit of froth and can't find my old paperback bodice-rippers, I might come back to it. Or I might not...

@ supah

ok. i concede, Onew was too busy being scared of Baby Geunie to be the best appa, but he made much progress from beginning to end, that i had to give him credit. at least he was thinking of Geunie when he wasn't approaching him. that made him a good appa, albeit lazy and frightened, but thoughtful. jhyun--always striving for skinship w/ baby was so freaken cute!!! i wanted to jump into my monitor and give him a kiss just cuz he kept asking for it!! ha! of course, i LOVED that Diva got taken down a notch everytime Geunie called him "jonghyun appa". i derive much pleasure from their fails. lols

i have no vested interest in PP to even start watching. i think i'll enjoy the recaps a lot more than i would enjoy watching the show. and Giant is way too long for my ADDness... but i'm so far behind on so many dramas w/ the one exception of CU.. i can't start something else now as i'm just starting PT (can't really get thru ep 1 tho) just to get to the "game over" kiss.

@ celestialorigins

i'll fight for MY daedae.. so bring it!!! ha!

SUJU!!!! XD XD XD and CNBlue and 4minute!! and BB! and MBLAQ!
and Coffee House and Giant!!
and Y-k n M-c!!
i know PP is out today but i have decided to defer watching it... i really dont want the experience to end... TT.
meanwhile, ill watch PT and CS for fillers... already watched CS... dang.. what an episode!

@mookie
lol... i was gone for just a night and pple have already spoken for me on the subject of MHR so i'll just add to that.
like i said yesterday, and like nycgrl and supah said, MHR is a BRAT during the first few episodes, and she still continues to be sometimes oblivious to other people's thoughts even after some times.. not because she's stupid but due to the fact that she never really had close interactions with others and is ignorant in the ways of life... a bunch of booksmart people are so STUPID when it concerns relationships and people (i know that since my bro is a nerd... truly GENIUS smart and yet so insensible for plenty of other things). she's stupid but the interesting thing about PP is to see how she grows and learn to not only to understand people but to develop genuine concern... PP is like a journey for her to grow from an inconsiderate (tho not bad-hearted) selfish superficial princess to not only a dedicated prosecutor who knows the importance of justice, and feels for the victims but also grows as a person as well as a woman. she starts having the experience of romance and love of a teenager and ends up learning what love really is. but really, this side of her could be seen all along. the girl is honest (sometimes too brutally and insensitively), strong and independent and always true to herself. altho she used those attributes for all the wrong causes and her own use at first like defending her non-overtime work and skipping away for the grace shoes, she later defers her passion and strong will to focus on her cases later on. her persistence is translated into a will to solve the case and find the truth, and instead of caring for shoes, she now cares for people. she comes from using her logic to argue for selfish reasons to making sacrifices and working hard for other people's sake. in truth, because of her lack of life experience, she acts a lot like a teenager despite her age at first. horrible. yes. but never ill-meaning. and she is ALWAYS honest. btw, her fashion sense does improve and it's part of the development we see from her (she starts wearing tone-down suits, flats!! and more office appropriate clothes near the end..) and her obsession for physical appearances is explained in later episodes.
PSH is kinda creepy but like nycgrl, it's explained too. one of the draws in PP is to see what HR truly is, what a gold-hearted but strong woman she is (tho still quite clutzy sometimes) once the superficiality is removed and she learns to grow out of the "teenage" phase. of course they are other appeals too such as how she learns to love, and the mystery and all but since we're talking about HR, i'll just cut that short.
like supah said, the later episodes will strenghten ur understand of HR among other things (while freaking *&^*% confusing u with others) and most pple will grow to love her and care for her.
it's a shame u cant watch later episodes so u'll have to take our word for it. lol.

but maybe ockoala is right (btw, read her article on thundie for wuxia and sageuk and loved it)... this whole thing might just be a question of background and perspectives which might make a difference on how we perceive each things. maybe u can't accept that HR is acting this way, no matter what the circumstances are... and don't get me wrong, i also thought it was awfully selfish and ungenerous of her to not work overtime and do not condone it. but while i learned to understand her as a clueless teenager, selfish but with potential to mature, and forgive her for her ignorance as such, as i would let some kid off, maybe for u, it's something that u absolutely can't stand watching like ockoala cant stand watching FH. LOL. oh well... not everybody can all like the same thing. as serendipity obviously also does not like PP but i totally agree with her concerning Kimutaku's HERO... u should totally check that drama out. it's a well done one about prosecutors and all.
but i stick to my opinion... PP is one of the highlight of 2010 and HR is permanentaly on my top fav female character list! while KSH is once more a BRILLIANT actress. as for PSH, he still needs improvment but he also has some brilliant moments it it
and yay... i managed to make it short!! phew...

@ockoala
great sageuk/wuxia review! and great way to explain our differences regarding PP.
lol about FH... i totally understand u about the friends in FH... seriously, i was like WHAT THE (*&^($#%#*&*( when i saw what the friends did.. and Rain's fashion kept bugging me during the whole drama too. however, i learned to like the 2 love birds and found their growing love cutely developed (let's forget the last few episodes shall we..). and like celestialorigin said, Rain was really loveable. it was the first time i was exposed to him and while i didnt find him handsome, i grew to like his adorable character.

@celestialorigin
i do watch Sunaoni narenakute and despite my LOVE of Ueno Juri and Eita (and Jaejoong too but not as an actor... more as a DBSK member), i dont feel much excited about that drama... but i do follow it diligently since i do like it.

@supah
saw ur comment on CH recap... it's so awesome how JB and i thought the same thing and yet she expressed it so well!!! anyways, glad ur going to watch the drama... we'll have one more to discuss in addition to giant. ^^
and of course, PP on occasion (trust me, i'll feel extremely PP deprived when it's done..)

Thanks for the Giant character/names list... it really helps.. it takes me a while to get used to names since i'm watching around 7 dramas currently, and perhaps even more. but once i remember the names, i remember them for a long time.

G5 SPOIILERS!!
lol. it's okay to write a lot about Giant since ur writing for someone who totally understands the drama-related ranting. ^^ hi sis!
oh i know right... when the lawyers redtaped her escape, i was so frustrated.. i believe NJH"s character will grow to be really quite interesting... and as much as i love KSH and NJH pairing (get them together in a drama please... cha kangin and ha ji wan love forever!!!) i have to say that her relationship with the little bro KM(?) is really great! and really adorable. they are both proud and strong willed and that makes it even cuter. and NJH definitely has a soft spot for him... i mean giving him the book is really caring of her and i'm sure that scene is going to get some flashback moments later on.

and yeah, KM yearning for SM is so damn heartwrenching... but really, who can blame him with KSH as a bro.. ^^. but YJG sure got his role to a T... he's so good at displaying his emotions, pain and longing.

as for KSH... i know, i know, the shower scene was more than just that but really, i could barely concentrate. it doesnt help that there was jo in it too! :) haha.. me and my shallowness...
but ur right, SM is crazy... but that's what makes the show so well written and exciting right?
as for your jibe about daniel henney.. lol. i agree. the guy is one HOT dude but one, he can't act and deliver lines, he can't even speak kr... really, i love when in dramas there is no engrish but it's still a korean movie/drama for the love of it. it becomes quite annoying when he doesnt even utter one full sentence during the whole thing. well, i'm not THAT annoyed but still...
anyways, back to the US... well, they are quite jerks in the way they act while jo is the charismatic man so SM is going to have one hell of a hard time sorting out his conflicts and loyalties. and ask me anything about the VN war.. i'm quite the expert. ^^

@ twin

i'm still only on ep 5 for PT.. i think after the first few eps it gets better. and Lee Min HO-MY-GOD is so hot you should watch it just for him anyway ha. Plus, you'll need something to fill up non-CU time. though i really do suggest yankee-kun. it's a fun fun fun show! Or if you want something that's already finished airing, watch Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge. Total cracktastic fun and Kame is all sorts of yummy in it. I'm trying to get you on the jdorama train if you couldn't tell :)

btw, didn't i gift you Daesung some 15-20 threads ago when i claimed all of BB? LOL!! it's just cuz we're super jealous that @ celestialorigins got to see BB live in Japan and we didn't ha.

wow....
as u know.. im not watching PP today... however, i did watch Bad guy preview after it... SPOILER BAD GUY lots of blood, lots o action, and a freaking kiss scene... basically INTENSE...and of course, kim nam gil.

@ twin

because celestialorigins attended and saw BB in person (super jealous, but don't tell her that!), she should not get MY Daedae. she had her chance to jump him/dae-nap him/tie him up to be her loveprisoner for all eternity and she let him go.. opportunity gone, lady. GONE! he's mine now and forever :D

i'm still trying to work thru ep 1 of PT for the past week. it's just not grabbing me like i thought it would. i mean, i think the JB/girlfriday recaps kinda ruined it for me... in that i had so much fun reading the recaps, that watching the actual episodes are a bit less enjoyable compared to the awesomeness of the recaps. i really need to avoid the awesomeness writing duo of JB/girlfriday if i am going to watch the drama.. or read the recaps after i've already seen the eps.. like i'm doing for CU.. cuz the recaps just make the episodes more awesome.

i'm still kinda hesitant to delve into jdoramas. idk why.. i'm just not as interested--prolly cuz i don't know any actors/actresses..

@ twin

oh jdoramas are SO MUCH FUN!!!!! yes it's weird not being familiar with any of the actors/actresses, but start with the gateway dramas and the rest will follow. gateway jdoramas (IMO) are: Hana Yori Dango (1&2), Nodame Cantabile, and Gokusen (my fave season/cast was 1, but hottest cast is season 2). I've heard good things about Nobuta wo Produce as well (i mean, you got Kame and Pi together!) and you gotta love Horikita Maki - the girl is freakin adorable. Try 'em on for size - i think you'll enjoy them. ;)

gosh... just finished PT and CS 15... they were good episodes but *sigh*... can't believe PP is ending this week.
anyways, LMH so did not deserve that slap.. but what a mess they are in... looking forward to the ending but i still feel lukewarm towards this drama. and for CS, HS is getting more and more interesting... and really, JW taking the tears away from EJ is love... i really wonder who she is going to end up with.. altho she clearly loves KH right now. but i'm not even sure is KH is the "prince"..

@lb_tmi
sorry to butt in ur conversations but I second 100% lovenyc52 regarding jdoramas. she gave some good recommendations and they are much more jdramas that are good out there too. ive watched a whole lot more of jdramas than kdramas or tw dramas, and that's saying a lot (probably close to 200).. so it means that there are a high number of good jdramas: once ur in that world, it sticks for life... or at least as long as i have lived thus far.. XD it's extremely fun and exciting.
dont know what uve watched already but if ur in need for recommendations, dont hesitate to ask. ok, ive got my say now... sorry but can't resist any occasion trying to recruit more pple into jworld. XD

@ v

feel free to butt in anytime!! :) yes, there are a TON of great jdoramas out there, i was just tryin to think of some lighter-weight 'starter' dramas as a jumping off point. please do recommend some more for me though :) I prefer the more lightweight ones versus kleenex-heavy ones like 1Liter of Tears (which is the one my twin watched I think). And yes, I know I must watch Pride. I have it in my queue :)

Thundie has posted Sageuk Awards, with selections from herself, Mr. X, hjkomo, Dahee, javabeans and Dramaok. Oh, and my bastardization of the award by throwing in a few wuxias here and there. :-)

Enjoy: http://thundie.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/sageuk-awards/