yay! i was waiting to hear your discussion on Big!

By the way javabeans, you haven't updated the Currently Airing portion yet. You must be keeping busy, so I thought I'd remind you. Just in case...

Lots of Love for GAKSITAAAAL~ *bingo* wink*

Gaksital! I am happy now! Thank you.

I think looking at how Japan treats their past atrocities is very telling though, their history books gloss over or completely deny their roles in the war especially including comfort women. While the younger culture is not to blame it is a problem that hasn't truly been addressed.

Yay, thank you! I must confess, I only realized that I was feeling the same like-but-not-love emotion about Big and Gaksital when I missed a week's worth of episodes on holiday and wasn't rushing to catch up... Still, I'm hoping things perk up soon.

Also, I really appreciate what you said about personal experiences learning about Japan - I went something similar when I was in a Japanophile phase, which was looked upon with disapproval at Chinese school. Out of interest: how good is your Japanese jb? And how did you learn it?

Thanks, javabeans! I've been looking forward to this! :)

I agree Da Ran is overplaying the cute in Big. If she were among the sidelines of Boys Over Flowers watching Jan Di go all over the place, she should have learnt better! She's going all the way like Jan Di I dare say, but never to the same degree. I wonder if anyone ever can overtake Jan Di's position in ridiculous acting!
To me, only episode 10 showed the Hong Sisters' traits. Big is turning into a Big disappointment, but like you I'll sit through the 16 episodes.

Awesome! Thank you for this wonderful surprise!

Your discussion about the Japanese occupation was really interesting. As a Taiwanese-American I've only heard about the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, and while not perfect, the subsequent history of Taiwan has meant that many members of my family have a soft spot for that time and the development of Taiwan that happend during the occupation.

Thank you, girls! Absolutely agree with you on Big - kinda like it, don't love (although I decided to read recaps instead of watching at least until it finishes). Don't love the heroine, and I actually don't really like where storyline is going at the moment. Still in love with Gong Yoo, but...meh. I also agree that I do I do should have moved faster, but I don't fully agree with you on Ji An. OK, maybe 90% agree - I think that while she's cold, she has this, I don't know, curiosity, adventurous streak, with a hint of weakness (which might just be exhaustion). I love that she's even asking TK if she should get married to ES.:) Then again, everyone (especially Ivoire!) would know by now how much I luuurve TK! He's sweet, but I like that he's also getting better and better with his job - I'm no longer embarrassed for him.

I don´t know why, but Gaksital isn´t slow at all to me. Hits all the right spots for me :D

Yay, Part 2 is heeeere! Thanks heaps JB and GF. :D

Thank you, girls! That was a nice episode. :)

I have one question , though. Is it only me or is the audio file incomplete? It feels like the end part (about the Japanese occupation and Gaksital) of the dialog is missing. It doesn't match the description either.

I totally agree with what the DB ladies said about I Do I Do, I lubbbbbb Lee Jang Woo & really enjoying Kim Sun Ah despite the storyline plodding turtle-paced but the cute is upholding it up barely above the surface & I find it a nice balance for the intensity of Gaksital. Btw, coz of Lee Jang Woo's adorkableness in the drama I watched him on We got married & that was TOTALLY addictive! He's ups his adorkableness sky high & supposedly that's really him.
So Lee Jang Woo & Joo Won twice a week makes me a happy happy viewer!

Well, is it my ears or does Suzy's pronunciations differ from the others? Can't point to anything specific, but I've felt that way while watching Dream High as well.
I'm not Korean, so pardon me if I am wrong.

Nice girls.

About Gaksital, I also hope it will be one of the THE perfect drama. I just hope it will catch up with its story. It probably the A list actor (except late Kang San), but its doing quite good in the acting side, especially the two lead.

Joo Won is still new, and he is not famous like the other actors in their 20s namely Kim Hyun Joong, Lee Min Ho, Lee Seunggi and Kim Soo Hyun, but his acting is awesome and I just hope that he will continue to pick a good project in the future. Fighting.

Arghhhhh...been waiting for this podcast to hear what the girls have to say about Big. 100% behind the girls on this one. Again. I don't know why, but I guess I must be DB's biggest fan.

I was so looking forward to Big, given the big stars of Gong Yoo and LMJ AND it's by THE Hong sister. But, it has been one big disappointment. A big flop in my view because LMJ's character is another ditzy twenty-something. I'm a teacher, and it creeps me out that there might be something going on between a teacher and student. Quote the girls,"GROW UP." And the slapstick...I just don't get it.

Seriously, why are Korean dramas depicting the women this way? It's the same with the whiny 30-something Kim Ha Neul character in AGD. And I've seen these females play strong characters in other projects. WHY are writers still choosing to depict women in these roles?

And about Gaktisal, where do I start? I am loving the show. This is where I don't agree with the girls, probably because I never knew this part of Korean history and so am lapping everything up. But I totally agree, Joo Won is killing it. Just don't make him sing and dance anymore. Please. Seriously.

LOL for like 30 seconds I seriously thought Joo Won was Shin Min Ah....*Fail*
Thank you for the awesome-sauce podcast and the laughs! (:

Ahh! I love your podcasts - it always helps me to hear more in-depth commentary on the dramas.

As for Gaksital, particularly Mok Dan's one-dimensional-ness...I think it's because she doesn't have as much to work through...if that makes sense. Like, Kangto has his whole thing where he's working for the Japanese so he can provide for his family. Yes, he isn't a "good guy," but we've seen that he actually has a heart and regrets [some of] what he's doing. And Kangsan had his moral dilemma on giving more to the independence cause than to his family. Mok Dan just has her father, who is mostly absent though we've seen that she will risk her life for him, and the circus people. And it doesn't seem like she has any shade of grey to her character, so to speak, so she seems much more one-dimensional. She's clearly on the Korean side, and doesn't have much reason to sympathize with the other side's reasons and choices, or really even anyone on her own side's moral dilemmas, because she hasn't really connected with anyone else enough to feel what they are feeling. I think it's possible that they might use Shunji in a way to blur the lines a bit more for her, and I think it's inevitable that Kangto will do that also once she finds out the truth...we just have to get there. xD But I have faith that Gaksital will turn out good.

Sorry for rambling!

Thank you for the speedy part 2! You guys are hilarious!

if joo won had not been casted as gaksital, i probably would've dropped 'bridal mask' fast.

there were moments where they COULD HAVE explored kangto's inner turmoil, but they didn't.

episode 7 going into 8 would've been the perfect opportunity. just 5 MINUTES of turmoil would've set us up enough for his change into hero, since he already took care of the revenge part by killing kenji. that should've been his last act of evil.

from ep 7 to ep 8, since they had already done the filling-in-the-gaps editing from one episode to another--like when kangto shot mok dan at the end of ep 4 and they filled in the holes of everything else that took place in that scene in the opening of ep 5--i was hoping they would do the same for his transformation... that OTHER stuff had taken place in between (like his contemplation of what it was and meant to be a hero) BEFORE his mask donning at the tree. but no.

just a few minutes would've done it for me!

and now, it's a little weird because i'm not fully convinced he's hero yet. i'm still with gf that maybe they're working on it, but i just watched ep 11, and i'm still on the "maybe they're working on it" ship. i'm at the mercy of subbers though, so i'll have to wait to understand more.

come on, gaksitaaaal!

still have faith, still have faith, still have faith. even though they're only just skimming the surface of his innards, i'm still enjoying the watch. must be the joo won magic. says a lot, since i just boarded the joo won ship when gaksital started.

and just a touch on the occupation and your thoughts.

since when do asian parents and grandparents say anything they're feeling? ha. my parents and grandparents have a similar occupation story elsewhere, and if i had not asked, i never would have known. there is still so much to know. i likely will never fully understand it, but i've started to a little more recently.

maybe that's why i could never really hate lee kangto, and why i even find myself trying to understand circus troupe traitor kyesoon.

i don't know. ~

come on, gaksitaaal!

great podcast, by the way. gaksital, i might find myself loving in spite of. big, however, i cannot seem to forgive.

I agree with you both on most of everything, but I didn't quite understand why you said Kangto was still a bad guy even after donning the mask. Maybe I'm biased just because of the actor, but I found that Kangto was never an irredeemable bad guy to begin with. He was just doing his duty as a very strict policeman, and during those times I assume they were allowed to use violence/torture people. As we all already know, Kangto did all that for his family. Now that he doesn't have a family, he has no more incentive to keep up all his police duties, and so far after becoming Gaksital he hasn't done anything that we would consider evil except perhaps kill Kenji, which I thought was justified since I would've done the same. He's just keeping up his "evil" image in order to ward off any possible suspicion of his secret identity as Gaksital.

Thank you!

Thank you for the podcast! I was glad to finally hear your guys' comments on Big.

Regarding Da Ran, I understand why she can be annoyingly dim-witted and naive, and I admit myself that in the first episode, Lee Min Jung certainly acted her character in a way that was more childish and not really appropriate - or what you'd expect - of a teacher. Despite her character flaws, I oddly find her really endearing, and I think that's still thanks to Lee Min Jung. In her vulnerable or contemplative moments, Lee Min Jung shows a different side to Da Ran, and those moments win me over. I also think her acting has become less childish as the drama progresses; Lee Min Jung seems to have found her footing.

i actually think joo wons acting is pretty amazing. especially comparing to how he acts in 1N2D , its crazy how well he changes on gaksital. he shows so much emotion i lovvee ittt !
plus i actually think the pace isnt that bad, i just realllly want mok dan to realize who he is already ! thats my only problemm !

Thank you Ladies. I really like your podcast. I was waiting for your view on Big, especially on LMJ character Da Ran and you people said every single word of my mind. Her immature behavior, those beyond limit naiveness irks me. I want to shout Come on plz act like as 26 years old woman ...

Girlfriday, you haven't watched Chunhyang yet? Please watch it as it's definitely one of the Hong sisters' best dramas :)

Just noticed your podcasts; I'm glad that I can now assign jovial, if perhaps inebriated, voices to the recap writing. Or, at least, mostly jovial with a case of drama blue balls.

Agree that Mok Dan is disappointing, but I blame the actress.

Gaksital could have been and still has room to become much darker...

You girls are so... drunk. Hahaha!

Valid points on gakistal but I think its still too early to say, I feel its going to pick up pace and deliver, well I hope so.

Thank-you very much! I enjoyed it. Can't believe you guys are drunk while doing this. HAHA

Omg - by the end of the Podcast you two were practically incoherent with laughter and booze-effect! It sounded like a genuine 'Depends needed' moment. My sister and I get like that. Good times!
Thanks for the Podcast. Will look forward to the next one!
:)

Drama Blue balls - Pwahahaha! I'm not watching Gaksital but given that its 10 episodes out of 28, isn't the statement a bit, umm, premature???? (badumdum) happy 4th ladies!

Aiyayaya! Why did I listen? I am so spoiled! I guess this is what I get for being behind on Gaksital.

Hi GF & JV ^__^

I can't help but post my comment here..after listening with the 2part podcast..I really feel like....Is there a part 3 coming? Oh my.. I really think that GHOST deserves a part 3 ..

I've been watching all the dramas you've mentioned except for Bridal Mask for the same reason that you mentioned.."It didn't have any A list cast " but now, I'm so Up for it for my weekend schedule.

I seriously beg for your opinion on Ghost as I really loved it, I don't have much love for Ji Sub as much as I love Min Ho but his acting was so "daebak" to me..

I also think the same for Lee Jang Woo..he was so awesome at I do, I do and I really fall for him too..I'll be rooting for his next drama...

I was so entertained with your podcast..I basically agree with most of your comments, so keep it up and Thank you so much....

Hello Girlfriday and Javabeans, I have not listened to the podcast, mostly because I don't want to be spoiled. I did read however from one of the commenters here that "Bridal Mask" doesn't have a single A list kind of actor. So I guess Joo Won is not considered an A list actor in Korea yet. He seems to be so popular though...
Can anyone help me with this: how does one know if and when an actor is an A list actor/actress? If there are criteria/ ways to measure/recognize it, what would they be? I am just very curious now, as I am realizing that my assumptions (some of them at list) were wrong. Could anyone mention a few Korean A list actors/actresses and explain why they are considered to be so? Thank you!

Ep 12 is what IDID is about.
I wish the cast would lead SlutWalk Seoul 2012

I am really disappointed with Gong Yoo's comeback drama. Why does it have to be a soul switch? I can only do one drama for each theme. I had Secret Garden for soul switch, Queen In Hyun's Man for sageuk time travel, Baby Faced Beauty for fashion. Please K-drama land, please be more innovative and take risks. Venture into some other unexplored themes.

I wish GY did something different. I have not attempted to watch any episode yet and I don't know if I will.

I think gaksital is good pacing, I don't like drama rushing for an end ~ especially now there's 28 eps... it'll hafta slow down or else they'll kill the ending of the drama for sure