:: Sixtwentyseven ::

Juunen Saki mo Kimi ni Koishite [2010 Summer]

2012-01-06T02:04:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone and Happy New Year to all~~

I've just realised that I didn't put any Xmas greetings nor New year greetings, hence the late shout out.

Well, I thought I'd start of the new year by continuing what I did last year by reducing the back log of J-dramas. I thought I should start off with something short hence I chose Juunen Saki mo Kimi ni Koishite. Afterall, I'd consider this drama on the light side.

Juunen Saki mo Kimi ni Koishite, roughly translated as I'll Still Love You In 10 Years talks about a time travel story. Onozawa Rika (Ueto Aya) works as a editor for a book company and is in charge of an up and coming author Hidaka Koji (Gekidan Hitori) and demanding accomplished author Hamada Azusa (Watanabe Eri). One day, she suddenly meets a mysterious man Maruyama Hiroshi (Uchino Masaaki) who is stalking her. When she confronts him, Hiroshi told her that he is her husband from 10 years in the future and ask her not marry him when the current him proposes to her.

Ever since Ueto Aya broke away from her cutesy roles like the ones in Attention Please!, I have been following her dramas like Zettai Reido and Nagareboshi. I used to hate her acting in those cutesy roles, but Zettai Reido really changed my opinion of her. I do think her acting has matured as each drama goes by. We do know she can't survive on those roles when she matures, but at last I feel she is giving her performance the credit that it deserves.

In Junnen, Aya continues to produce an assured performance in the drama. I do think that the plot is as stretched out as it can be given that it's only 6 episodes. The ending is of course predictable, given that we all like nice endings, but nonetheless the drama is still worth the watch. Uchino Masaaki also gave a solid performance in the drama, especially in the various scenes where the younger and older him interacts with Rika. If you find Uchino Masaaki familiar, he appears in JIN as well.

Oh, I absolutely love the song "Time of Love" by Crystal Kay. I thought the song compliments the feelings that the drama should evoke.

You can sample the song below:

Hitsudan Hostess [2010 Winter]

2011-12-22T23:26:00.000+08:00

Instead of watching a full drama series, I've decided to watch one of the various one episode TV special instead. Digging through the trough of SP that I have not touched, I've decided to watch Hitsudan Hostess first since it's was aired close to 2 years ago.

Histudan Hostess is based on the real life story of Saito Rie, who became Ginza's number 1 hostess despite being deaf. Kitagawa Keiko star as Saito Rie in this adaptation. Rie became deaf at age 1 due to an illness. Despite that, her mother attempted to give Rie as normal a childhood as possible compared to normal children. She also sent her to calligraphy classes when she was young. However, as she graduated from high school, she begins to realise that people still have prejudice against the deaf. Her family wanted to protect her by asking her to stay at home but she is determined to find her own footing. A chance encounter with a host owner lead her to join her club to be a hostess. Initially, she still had obstacles in her job but gradually began to excel in her job by communicating with her clients with pen and paper. "Hitsudan" means communicating through writing in Japanese. However, her mother disapproved of her job. Determined to prove her mother wrong, she strive to be Japan's No. 1 hostess.

I have not read the original novel by Saito Rie, but I would like to believe the scriptwriter has more or less followed the novel. Hitsudan Hostess does not serves to be heavy, but I was touched by the story, especially at the ending 15 minutes which is essentially the essence of the TV special. The ending footage includes the real Saito Rie as well, and I got to say she is a real beauty in person. But what I was more impressed was the acting of Kitagawa Keiko in this drama as she almost has no lines in the whole 90 minutes, save for a few. Even so, when she speaks, she has to speak creditably like how a deaf speaks, which I feel is pretty convincing. Most of her acting require a strong display of facial expressions, which for an actor requires some skill as well. I do think that in this aspect, she has pulled it off creditably. Of course, with as a hostess, Keiko is dressed in several beautiful dresses and kimonos, which is a great plus point to watch the drama as well.

Nagareboshi [2010 Fall]

2011-12-22T18:45:00.000+08:00

Continuing with my backlogging of Jap dramas, the next show still lying around is Nagareboshi. As compared to Boss 2, which i took pretty long to complete, the time I took to finish Nagareboshi is somewhat much lesser. I will explain why later in this post.

Takenouchi Yutaka is the main lead Okada Kengo, a diligent employee in a local aquarium. All seems well on the outside for the Okada family, but Kengo's sister Maria (Kitano Kii) is sick with liver problems and needs a transplant. Due to Japan laws, only relatives are allowed to donate their livers to Maria, but all of them shunned away from the family. It is at this time that Kengo met Makihara Risa (Ueto Aya), a sex trade worker who is forced to pay off her brother's Shuichi (Inagaki Goro) debts. Risa is also facing problems with her brother's debts and his swindling ways. With both sides in desperation, Kengo trying to find a donor for his sister and Risa trying to start a new life away from his brother, they decide to enter a "contract marriage" where Kengo will pay Risa for her "donation" of her liver while Risa acts as his wife. But as go along the plan, they discover about that their feelings for each other is true.

This drama particularly reminds me of Bara no Nai Hanaya, not because of the similarity of the story but because of the usage of certain items and the pace of the story. For Nagareboshi, they used the Moon Jellyfish that links the two main characters together, as well as the shooting star to describe if their relationship will turn out as it is. (If you didn't understand, it's because I'm trying not to reveal too much). The pace of the drama, although slow for some, is just right for me. Anything faster and I'll feel the writers are trying to rush the story. Some dramas like Bara no Nai Hanaya can't be fast, and this is also true for Nagareboshi.

Another aspect I really liked about the drama is that every shot is beautiful. I especially loved the shots they took in Yamanashi, where Mount Fuji served the backdrop with a lake in front. The scene, taken in autumn, showcased the beauty of the spot with everything in red hues.

As for the storyline, of course I do think certain things are a bit far fetched, but a drama is a drama, so I wouldn't take all those things into account. Nonetheless, this drama does have its pulling strength. If not, I wouldn't complete it in 2 nights. Do watch it, as I think it's a beautiful drama.

And of course, Takenouchi Yutaka is pointlessly handsome.

Boss 2 [2011 Spring]

2011-12-21T01:24:00.000+08:00

Phew! I thought I would never write this article for some time! It has been a loooong while since I've last completed a Japanese drama (just did a quick check and realised my last entry for a Jap drama is in Oct 2010!!). Well, I'm just glad I've finished this one as I have tons of Jap dramas to backlog and waiting for me to clear.

Boss 2 carries on the story from season 1 where most of the cast members are still the same. Takenouchi Yutaka is Nodate Shinjiro, counsellor to the Countermeasures unit in the Metropolis Police Division (MPD) headed by Osawa Eriko (Amami Yuki). As compared to season 1, Toda Erika's character Kimoto Mami has reduced screen time and only featured at the beginning and the ending of the drama. In replacement of her character, two characters are introduced: Kurohara Rika (Narumi Riko), computer expert and daughter of the division police chief and Tadokoro Sachiko (Hasegawa Kyoko), forensics experts and a direct replacement for Kimoto Mami in the drama.

Similar to the first season, there is always a major case that will be revealed at the final few episodes while the other episodes are used to develop each character's story. In this sense, there is no surprise in Boss 2. However, the production team has managed to retain the uniqueness of the comedic acts in Boss 2, although I'd say, barely. Boss 2 also seeks to shift its focus towards the relationships between the characters as season 1 focused on each member and how were they chosen to join the Countermeasures team.

I'd say Boss 2 is a decent sequel to season 1. However, the storyline and the level of entertainment did not surpass the previous edition. That said, it is still enjoyable to watch and I'd definitely recommend the drama to be the drama to catch if you're tight on time. Maybe, just maybe...

I missed Superfly's My Best of my Life too much.....

p/s: Superfly's opening and closing theme ROCKS as usual.

Lan Kwai Fong / 喜愛夜蒲 [2011]

2011-12-08T03:13:00.000+08:00

Now how do I categorize Lan Kwai Fong? Judging from the movie poster, this is definitely a NSFW movie. And with that judgement, if you're expecting a movie with an intense plot and superior acting, I'd suggest you watch an art film instead, because this film is definitely not.

"Lan Kwai Fong"'s plot is mainly set in a fictitious bar "Club Billion" in the popular night district Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong. Boss (Sin Lap-Man), a retired triad leader frequents the club ran by Belina (Emme Wong). Steven (Z.O) run a alcohol distribution business who unexpectedly falls in love at first sight with LKF newbie Jennifer(Shiga Lin), a flight attandant. She is accompanied by her colleague Jeana (Jeana Ho), a fellow LKF newbie. Jacky (Jason Chan), a manager at the club, has his eyes on Jeana, but is always pestered by his girlfriend (Bonnie Xian). Lawyer Sean (Gregory Wong) sets his sights on Cat (Dada Chen), but Cat is the alpha-female who is only interested in looking for stand(s). Loberto(Gary Cheng) is the final piece in the casting, who pretends to be gay in order "play around" with unsuspecting girls.

As I've mentioned earlier, if you're looking for a plot then sorry to say Lai Kwai Fong is definitely not the movie to watch. It does have a loose plot of trying to tie the characters up together, but it is as loose as you can imagine. However, if you're looking for girls who bare their cleavage, boob-grabs by the male leads, stimulated intimate scenes, then you're only the right track. This movie only serves to shorten the bond between the M18 rating and the Cat III rating. The only difference being? There's no baring of boobs in this movie.

Perhaps, and ironically, the saving grace of this movie is actually the OST of the movie. Shiga Lin lends her voice to sing a nice little number called "I'm still loving you" which will totally throws you off. Shiga has a sweet voice and she pens the lyrics for the song as well. The other song from the OST is "Wonderland", sung by 24herbs featuring Janice Vidal. It's a song that fits the movie more with the dance-infused rhythm, cantonese rap and auto-tuning.

In summary, watch the movie for the intimate scenes but enjoy the songs more.

Brown Eyed Girls - Repackaged Album Unboxing

2011-12-03T02:24:00.000+08:00

I think this is the first time I have ever shared an un-boxing of an album in here but I've recently gotten my hands on Brown Eyed Girls' repackaged album "Cleansing Cream". And I got to say, this album has to be THE album of the year based on both the quality of the songs as well as the physical appearance of the album. This repackaged album consists of a CD, a DVD, a desktop calender, 4 pictorial cards with each member's signature, a pictorial book and poster. Let me start with the physical album first.

One the first look of this album, you'll notice that the exterior texture of the album is in velvet cloth. I don't know if you've bought much physical albums, but for an album box to be covered in velvet, this has seriously impressed me. Previously, I have bought the Secret Garden's OST soundtrack box and that has already impressed me. But BEG's repackaged album has definitely up the ante.

The first thing when you open the box is poster. Although it is folded, the uniqueness of this poster is that both sides contain something. The picture above shows all four members in it, while the back list down BEG's album concept:

"Resistance For Freedom of Expression Through Music via Sixth Sense"

Next up are the autographed cards. These cards are placed in a nice little brown square envelope. When you open it up you can see the individual card of each member. Their photo is on one side while their personalised message with their signature is at the back. Unfortunately, i do not understand korean hence I cannot tell you what message did each member wrote.

I absolutely love this calender as this calender is packaged in such a way that it can be folded and kept like a normal book. In the calender there are 12 different cards which represent each month. Behind the calender are random shots of each member.

This, for me has to be the favourite part of the whole deal because it is the picture book! But before I give a sample of the picture, I shall show how the exterior of the picture book looks like.

The white booklet on the left is the pictorial book while the black book partially covered by the ribbon is where it contain the CD and the DVD, which is shown below.

Now back to the pictorial book. This pictorial book is of the highest quality and each page of the book is glossed with a layer of wax, hence making the pictures last longer. In the last few shots of the book contain actual performance shots as well as a picture which showed a group photo with their fans. A preview one of the pages of the pictorial book is shown below.

Overall, I'm absolutely amazed with the packaging of this repackaged album. The quality of the album is top notch and I definitely can say this album is definitely worth the money that I've paid for it. If you haven't heard the albums' songs, you can sample a few below.

Jump Ashin! / 翻滾吧! 阿信 [2011]

2011-12-02T01:57:00.001+08:00

Due to my recent craze with Apple of my Eye and taiwan cinema in general, I've decided to catch a few movies based on the nominations at the recent 48th Golden Horse Awards. One of the movies that caught my eye was Jump Ashin!, where Eddie Peng (彭于晏) was nominated for best actor and the movie's theme song was nominated for best soundtrack.

Jump Ashin! is based on a true story of a gymnast called Lin Yu-hsin (林育信). Coming from a single parent family with his dad dying young, Yu-hsin or Ah Shin as he's commonly known, lives with his brother and mother. Born with a natural agile body, Ah Shin chanced upon the school gym one day and decides he wants to join the gymnastics team. He soon turned out to be a natural and Ah Shin loves gymnastics as well. However as he grew older, his mother disapproves him continuing gymnastics and wants him to help her with her fruit business. To rebel against his mother, Ah Shin became a street punk. Due to an incident with his good friend Pickle (Lawrence Ko, 柯宇綸) and his drug addiction, Ah Shin was forced to flee his hometown and flee to Taipei. To survive, both Ah Shin and Pickle joined a street gang. However, all that changed when Pickle was killed in a gang fight. Devastated with the loss of his friend, Ah Shin decided to head back to his hometown and resume his training in gymnastics.

Right from the start of the movie to the end, you could see why Eddie Peng was being nominated for best actor. Make no mistakes, Eddie was very dedicated in this movie with his body trained to be as strong and agile as a professional gymnast. Also, his facial expressions in various scenes makes the character believable, which is a marked improvement since I last saw him in Hear Me (聽說). Lawrence Ko, as his good friend Pickle, chips in with the good acting as well. I was especially impressed with the scenes where his addiction kicks in as well as silently feeling sorry to Ah Shin because of the trouble that he has created.

With all the acting kudos given, the only part i was disappointed in was the later parts that showed the determination of Ah Shin trying to become the best gymnast again. This is especially so when the director tried to tease the crowd at the beginning and seriously shortchanged the viewers when he replayed that scene later in the movie. I was waiting for something more and yet he just skipped to the next scene. I do not know if I call this bad editing or a serious lapse in the storyline.

As for the nod for best soundtrack, I do have to say the lyrics of the song is very apt for the movie, in the sense that it sang about the struggles of Ah Shin. Okay, this may be due to my bias in "Apple of my Eye" but I wonder is that enough to win the award. Probably the judges heard something that I missed out.

I would give a good to very good ratings for this movie, since I did shed a few tears, but I still feel I was seriously shortchanged at the back for its rushed ending. It could have been better and I do think an additional 15 minutes worth of footage would not kill the movie.

柯震東, 陳妍希 - 漂流瓶

2011-11-24T22:30:00.000+08:00

雖然這首歌不是在<那一年,我們一起追的女孩>, 但是,我覺得看過電影的人, 都會有這個可望, 希望在平行時空, 他們是再一起的.

而這首歌,也一直在我耳邊, 因為在心底, 我也希望我有這股勇氣,說出我當初沒有說出來的話.

有個承諾, 也許你已經忘了一乾二淨, 但我帶現在,還是記得清清楚楚.

主唱：柯震東,陳妍希

作曲：李煊樂
填詞：李煊樂

你會在哪裡　現在你叫什麼名
密封了勇氣　落空決心
我摀著自己　外面世界不安靜（我摀著自己　不安靜）
而心很確定　想聽你呼吸（我確定　呼吸）

Love　把心扔到海裡（Love　嗚嗚～）
刻上愛的字跡　時光帶我去有你的地方

漂流著一千年都過了我在海裡頭（在海裡頭）
有一種見不到你就不回去的念頭（的念頭）
旋渦中聽見耳邊的風微微顫抖
滄海桑田　黑夜白晝（滄海桑田　黑夜白晝）

我隨著時間的方向一圈圈打著轉（一圈圈打著轉）
你會不會找到我將要在哪裡靠岸（靠岸）
如果有一天　撞上一個小缺口
我怕　沉入海底

我摀著自己　外面世界不安靜（我摀著自己　不安靜）
而心很確定　想聽你呼吸（我確定　呼吸）

Love　把心扔到海裡（Love　嗚嗚～）
刻上愛的字跡　時光帶我去有你的地方

漂流著一千年都過了我在海裡頭
有一種見不到你就不回去的念頭
旋渦中聽見耳邊的風微微顫抖
滄海桑田　黑夜白晝（滄海桑田　黑夜白晝）

我隨著時間的方向一圈圈打著轉
你會不會找到我將要在哪裡靠岸
如果有一天　撞上一個小缺口
我怕　沉入海底

漂流著一千年都過了我在海裡頭
（漂流著一千年都過了　在海裡頭）
有一種見不到你就不回去的念頭（的念頭）
旋渦中聽見耳邊的風微微顫抖
滄海桑田　黑夜白晝（滄海桑田　黑夜白晝）

我隨著時間的方向一圈圈打著轉
（我隨著時間的方向　一圈圈打轉了）
你會不會找到我將要在哪裡靠岸（靠岸）
如果有一天　撞上一個小缺口
我怕　沉入海底
如果愛有錯　也等的起

回憶, "那一年, 我喜歡的女孩"

2011-11-21T03:04:00.001+08:00

cr: giddens.tw

雖然,以上的照片是陳妍希,但是在"那一年"裡頭, 她的形象已經變成很多男生心目中的"沈佳儀"了.我其實是可以放其他女生的照片,但是我是因為這部電影導致我有這麼多的感想."那一年"真的觸動了我的心.我真的能與這部電影殘生共鳴.我明白為什麼九把刀真的這麼執著這部電影要用那個方向拍攝.

我星期六約了幾位朋友去看"那一年", 然後因為得知九把刀將出席書展, 所以迫不及待去書展聽他分享"那一年"感言.
如果你想知道內容,其實跟他這個部落post有點相似:

http://www.giddens.tw/blog/post/35928751

老實講, 看完"那一年"的時候,我的感動尺度還處於微感動而已.但我聽到九把刀的故事,他的思想,他辛苦的旅程,他為什麼要這麼鑑定的做這部電影時,我真的感動了.他的愛,我突然能理解.畢竟,雖然這種感覺跟他對沈佳儀的感覺有小小不同,但是感覺的元素還是是一樣的.那些年前,我也曾經有過類似的經驗.那女孩雖然不是我女友,但是我也曾經為她心動過.有緣,無分.

我買了九把刀"那一年"的書,也很慶幸在書展得到九把刀的親筆簽名. 更慶幸,我還得到電影"那一年"的宣傳海報.知道我回到家上網才知道只有首100位得到九把刀的親筆簽名才有海報.

已經決定了,我不會以平常的速度把"那一年"讀完;相反的,我決定慢慢閱讀,因為我相信我會在一次被九把刀感動.

謝謝你九把刀.

謝謝你寫"那一年, 我們一起追的女孩"

謝謝你決定勇敢拍"那一年, 我們一起追的女孩".

You are the Apple of my Eye / 那些年，我們一起追的女孩 [2011]

2011-11-21T02:08:00.000+08:00

I realised through my reviews on the movies/dramas that I've watched, I've seldom review movies that are currently showing in cinemas. The last entry I could think of was Air Doll, and that is not even considered to be a current movie as it was aired in Singapore roughly a year after it was shown in Japan. But for this movie, You are the Apple of my Eye, something inside me was stirred, and I thought I should do an entry before it disappear.

You are the Apple of my Eye is a 2011 Taiwan movie based on the true story of the same name of a popular taiwanese writer, Giddens Ko(九把刀). In the movie, newcomer Ko Chen-Tung plays the lead Ko Ching-Teng, who is a prankster and does not like to study. Michelle Chen Yan Xi is Shen Chia-yi, an honor student who is very popular amongst the boys in her class. Due to an incident in class, Shen Chia-Yi is forced to monitor Ko Chen-Tung on the teacher's behalf and to tutor him on his studies. Initially, they cannot see eye to eye, but as time and events go by, their feelings for each other begins to grow. Upon graduation from high school, Ko wanted to follow Shen to the univeristy of her choice, but Shen fell sick on the examination day and did not do well for the exams. Hence they went to different universities. Even with the distance, they still kept in contact with each other. One day, Ko decides to organise a fighting competition within his campus to display his manliness in front of Shen, but Shen instead thinks that he is childish. Due to this, they had an argument and broke off. The next time Ko made contact with Shen was the Taiwan 9/21 earthquake, but by then the circumstances has changed. Nonetheless, the feelings have not.

As I try not to disclose too much of the details of the story, there will be spoilers within this post. So I hope I won't disclose too much and ruin your own experience in watching this movie.

If I thought Cape No. 7 is good, then I do have to put this movie slightly above Cape No. 7. Mind you, Cape No. 7 is the movie that transformed the Taiwan movie industry, proving to the chinese industry minimum that they can produce quality movies. The reason because I rate "You are the Apple of my Eye" highly is because it really connects on a personal level. Anyone who watched the show will know how the story is going to go and what the ending will be like. However, because the feeling is so personal, you will just feel it is as if the movie is answering the feelings you've hidden so long somewhere at the bottom of your heart. Personally, it did connect with me and some memories came back. If it didn't, I wouldn't have blogged this entry this early as well.

rating? 5/5 definitely.

p/s: do go to giddens' website http://www.giddens.tw for his views on the movie

Haeundae / 해운대 [2009]

2011-10-16T22:38:00.000+08:00

Now this is something that is out of the norm. 2 movie reviews in a day! Well, I've seen my movie folder increasing in size and yet I'm not clearing it. Hence, I thought it's time to remove some so that more could be added later. I've decided to Haeundae due to the fact that Ha Ji Won is in it and apparently it's the first disaster movie S.Korea ever produced. Hence, i gave it a try and came out with mixed reviews.

Haeundae is about an impending tsunami that is about to hit the beach town of Haeundae. Kim Hee (Park Joong-Hoon) is a seismologist who is monitoring abnormal earthquake movements occurring off the coast of Haeundae. Due to his passion, he neglected his wife Yu-Jin(Uhm Jung-Hwa) and his daughter Ji Min(Kim You-Jung) does not recognise him. Yeon-Hee (Ha Ji Won) is an orphaned child due to the indian tsunami where she lost her father. Man Sik (Sol Kyung-Gu) was on the same boat as her father and feels responsible for his death due to his on board decision back then. Meanwhile, Man Sik's brother Hyeong-Sik (Lee Min-Ki) got involved with a female tourist Hee Mi (Kang Hye-Won) when she fell overboard a yacht. All the characters intertwined with each other when a mega tsunami hits Haeundae and changed their lives forever.

Now, I believe most of us should have watched at least a disaster film, be it a sinking ship ala Poseidon or an impending world diasater ala 2012. Now, I shouldn't compare these blockbusters to a first time offering like Haeundae but it's a bit hard to ignore when Haeundae puzzles me a bit. Let me describe the pros first.

For a first time offering, I'd say the computer graphics in Haeundae is pretty decent, also taking into consideration that this movie is a 2 year ago production. Acting by all the artists is pretty consistent and for once I was somewhat relieved that Ha Ji Won does not take up that much screen time. After all, the main lead is the tsunami and nothing else.

Which leads me to the puzzling point. Even though Haeundae is a disaster movie, I thought the director took too much time to develop the plot regarding the tsunami. Instead, he spent more time trying to sort out the emotional plots between Yeon Hee and Man Sik. When you spent air time on human developments, especially for a disaster movie, you technically removing time from the main plot. This point in particular leaves me somewhat frustrated as I'd expect more action with regards to the natural disaster. Instead, it really shows what a tsunami is all about: coming in a rush, and pulling everything away with the same speed as well. This itself left me rather disappointed.

Although Haeundae is a good production, future offerings should take focus on what they want, action or human emotions. And even the human emotions left me shortchanged as the ending was pretty rushed again. A good effort, but more could be done.

The Bedside Detective (สายลับจับบ้านเล็) [2007]

2011-10-16T17:55:00.000+08:00

For a start, my knowledge on Thai movies is still pretty shallow as I don't fancy thai horror. Instead, I prefer their lighthearted comedic offerings. The Bedside Detective was introduced by a friend who happened to catch it during his holidays.

Jock (Sunny Suwanmethanon) is an amateur inventor who loves to dismantle and fix stuff together to create a new invention. However, his inventions are not always practical. After a failed business venture due to one his inventions, he found his calling as an private detective. He specialises in capturing married spouses who swayed in their marriage. On a particular case, he was supposed to catch a husband in action with his mistress. However, it was love at sight when Jock met Nampan (Pattarasaya Kreuasuwansri), the alleged mistress. As his sidekick Jack reminded him about the codes of conduct of a PI, will Jock be able to continue his job and not fall in love with Nampan?

I wouldn't say this movie is the best I've watched, but it isn't the worst that I've watched for thai movies either. At the very least, it has managed to entertain me somewhat with its lightheartedness. However, I do have to say that the plot is as thin as it could be. And you can roughly guess the ending without much thinking. However, this movie is not meant to be dense; it is meant to entertain you with some slapstick humor and somewhat bizarre scenes.

I am not familiar with both the male and female leads. In the movie, Sunny Suwanmethanon gives me the feeling that he's the oktaku (japanese word for geek) that he's supposed to be. Pattarasaya Kreuasuwansri, or Peak for short, due to this movie being her maiden project, does look a bit stiff in her acting, or maybe the lack of it. However, it not that bad a debut that I've seen. Decent, but not impressive. I do give the stylist some credit as she/he has really managed to get some clothes that fit Peak's vixen character though. In this movie, the show stealer is neither of the actors or actresses but it's the dog, James Bond, who stole the show. She is irresistibly cute and is the show stopper every time there's a scene with her it.

In summary, I do feel this show will suit you if you're pretty bored and needed some entertainment. But even if you missed it, I don't think you've missed much too.

Scent of a Woman / 여인의 향기 [2011]

2011-10-06T20:57:00.000+08:00

Hmm.

How should I describe this drama? How do I describe a drama that is so addictive for me that I spent 4 days after work just to finish all 16 episodes. How do I describe a drama OST that I love so much that I've practically put it on loop.

Lee Yeon Jae (Kim Sun Ah) is an average salary worker in a tourism agency who is always bullied by her boss even though she has worked there for over a decade. One day, she got into a minor accident and through a hospital checkup, she was given the news that she has only a few months to live. Hence, she decides to forgo her petty job and live life to the fullest, doing things that she has restricted herself before. It was during her vacation that she coincidentally met her department head Kang Ji Wook (Lee Dong Wok).

What really got me hooked on the drama isn't the melodramas that Koreans are famous for: the extreme crying and draggy plot. Instead, Scent of a Woman went the other direction. By informing the viewer in the first episode, you should be expecting the main character to die some point in the drama. Hence, instead on focusing on death, the drama focus on life, and how to live to the fullest and making sure that by the time your time is up, you wouldn't have regretted that you haven't tried to live. Also, the drama remained to be witty, while crying scenes are inevitable due to the fact that the main character is dying. However, it is not doom and gloom throughout; rather, they tried to lighten the mood to great effect.

I also like the drama that the "bad" characters aren't exactly bad, just that they didn't know how to be nice. (Don't they all portray chaebols to be? =/). Kim Sun Ah as Lee Yeon Jae is a natural for the character and based on the crying scenes, where you could really see her tears and sadness, I'd have given her a AAA moody's rating. Lee Dong Wok on the other hand is an unfamiliar face to me and it's no wonder as he has just finish serving national service. Scent of a Woman is his comeback drama and I do think he made a right choice. His acting is decent but one thing that attracted me was his smile. Somehow, when he smiles, he just gives me a warm feeling.

Overall, although I'm no melodrama fan, but I was really love this drama for a few reasons: good storyline, good pace, nice ending, excellent acting and lastly, a great soundtrack. I've introduced JYJ Junsu's You're so Beautiful in my last post. This time round, I wanna introduce JK Kim Dong Wook's Bucket List, another song featured in the drama. It's a slow number, and Kim's voice just takes your feelings to another level.

Really give this drama a go. There's a reason why I would forgo sleep just to finish watching it.

JYJ Junsu - You are so Beautiful

2011-10-06T00:31:00.001+08:00

I'm so in love with this song simply because the lyrics is just beautiful... And I love the drama that this song came from. Yups, I assure you that the review of Scent of a Woman is coming up.

In the meantime, take some time to listen to this beautiful track by JYJ Junsu as well as looking at the lyrics.

Lyrics:

지금 난 너의 눈을 보며 운다 네 맘을 보며 운다 애써
jigeum nan neoui nun-eul bomyeo unda ne mam-eul bomyeo unda aesseo

I am crying right now while looking at your eyes I am crying looking at your heart painfully

해맑게도 쓴웃음 짓는 그 표정에
haemalg-gedo sseun-us-eum jisneun geu pyojeong-e

the innocently (face with) the bitter smile on that expression

너를 담아두고 싶다 바보같이 예쁜 꿈들과 어설픈 모습을
neoleul dam-adugo sipda babogat-i yeppeun kkumdeulgwa eoseolpeun moseub-eul

I want to keep you in like a fool those beautiful dreams and shabby look

하루하루 네 모습이 추억을 만들어
haluhalu ne moseub-i chueog-eul mandeul-eo

day by day your appearance create good memories

나 기억해 네 여린 손 흩어진 머리까지도
na gieoghae ne yeolin son heut-eojin meolikkajido

I remember from your delicate hands to your tousled hair

(Forever you) You are so beautiful 내 가슴에 밀려와 스며와 다가와 번진 네 상처도
(Forever you) You are so beautiful nae gaseum-e millyeowa seumyeowa dagawa beonjin ne sangcheodo

(Forever you) You are so beautiful come into my heart, permeate in (into my heart) come closer (to my heart) and those swelled up wounds of yours

(Forever you) You are so wonderful시린 네 사랑도 네 눈물도 내 아픔 상처를 지우죠
(Forever you) You are so wonderful silin ne salangdo ne nunmuldo nae apeum sangcheoleul jiujyo

(Forever you) You are so wonderful that died-off love of yours too and your tears too wipe away my wounded pain

널 사랑한다 널 사랑한다
neol salanghanda neol salanghanda

I love you I love you

이제는 너를 안아주고 싶다 그 차가운 세상 끝에 홀로 서성이던 널
ijeneun neoleul an-ajugo sipda geu chagaun sesang kkeut-e hollo seoseong-ideon neol

Now, I want to hug the you who hover alone at the end of this heartless world

하루하루 내 사랑이 네 맘을 위로해 상처난 네 가슴에 내 기억들을 담는다
haluhalu nae salang-i ne mam-eul wilohae sangcheonan ne gaseum-e nae gieogdeul-eul damneunda

day by day my love consulate your heart. In your appearance afflicted with wound, memories are filled

(Forever you) You are so beautiful 내 가슴에 밀려와 스며와 다가와 번진 네 상처도
(Forever you) You are so beautiful nae gaseum-e millyeowa seumyeowa dagawa beonjin ne sangcheodo

(Forever you) You are so beautiful come into my heart, permeate in (into my heart) come closer (to my heart) and those swelled up wounds of yours

(Forever you) You are so wonderful시린 네 사랑도 네 눈물도 내 아픔 상처를 지우죠
(Forever you) You are so wonderful silin ne salangdo ne nunmuldo nae apeum sangcheoleul jiujyo

(Forever you) You are so wonderful that died-off love of yours too and your tears too wipe away my wounded pain

널 사랑한다 널 사랑한다
neol salanghanda neol salanghanda

I love you I love you

한 순간조차 잊지 말아요 얼마나 얼마나 사랑했는지 기억해요 for you
han sunganjocha ij-ji mal-ayo eolmana eolmana salanghaessneunji gieoghaeyo for you

Don’t forget it even for a single moment. Remember how much, how much exactly did we loved for you

(Forever you) You are so beautiful 내 가슴에 밀려와 스며와 다가와 번진 네 상처도
(Forever you) You are so beautiful nae gaseum-e millyeowa seumyeowa dagawa beonjin ne sangcheodo

(Forever you) You are so beautiful come into my heart, permeate in (into my heart) come closer (to my heart) and those swelled up wounds of yours

(Forever you) You are so wonderful시린 네 사랑도 네 눈물도 내 아픔 상처를 지우죠
(Forever you) You are so wonderful silin ne salangdo ne nunmuldo nae apeum sangcheoleul jiujyo

(Forever you) You are so wonderful that died-off love of yours too and your tears too wipe away my wounded pain

널 사랑한다 널 사랑한다
neol salanghanda neol salanghanda

I love you I love you

네 기억으로 살고 싶다
ne gieog-eulo salgo sipda

I want to live with memories of you

credits: pinkrazy@wordpress

City Hunter / 시티헌터 [2011]

2011-10-02T17:53:00.000+08:00

After 3 consecutive weekends of watching, I've at last finished watching City Hunter! Yeah, I got to agree I'm a bit slow on my updates on ANYTHING, but after some time, I've come to realise that even watching dramas/movies/etc require a certain set of mood and hence the slow reviews that are produced. Nonetheless, I've finished the drama and hence my take on the drama.

"City Hunter" takes place in modern Seoul 2011 where Lee Yoon Sung (Lee Min Ho) is an MIT-educated graduate who is being recruited into the Blue House. Lee Yoon Sung however, is City Hunter, who is raised by Lee Jin Pyo (Kim Sang Joong), an ex-military intelligence agent who was betrayed by his country and plot to seek revenge. Hence, Yoon Sung sought to seek revenge for his father and put those involved and bring them to justice.

Hmm where do I start? I do think the production is one of the best so far for this year. Lee Min Ho is at his best for City Hunter, and his role is not the easiest for sure with all the action moves. Park Min Young is irresistibly cute as Kim Na Na, a special agent in the Blue House in charge of the protecting the president and his family. I got to specially mention Lee Gwang Go in the drama as he's the one who always provided me with laughter in Running Man.

Overall, City Hunter has one of the best usage of its supporting cast due to the fact that they must focus the story on the 5 different characters where City Hunter is planning to take revenge on. This gives all the supporting cast ample screen time as well as helping to develop each character as the drama goes on. For this I must laud the scriptwriters for ensuring that each character is well thought of as well as closing potential loopholes in the drama.

Comparing to the action dramas I've watched so far, in terms of preference I'll rate City Hunter to be above Athena: Goddess of War, but for it to beat Iris, it'll be a tall order.

Of course, the drama OST will play a part in carrying the emotions of the drama. Although Jonghyun's "So Goodbye" and Kim Bo Kyung's "Suddenly" are good tracks, the one that really caught my eye is Yim Jae Beum's "Sarang". Just listening to his voice, you'll be able to hear the emotions he's trying to portray.

Do give City Hunter a watch. I would recommend it!

Huh Gak (허각) - Hello

2011-09-23T00:00:00.000+08:00

It has been a long time since I last shared a song with all. The first time I noticed Huh Gak was when he was featured in the OST of "The Greatest Love" and his song earned pretty good reviews as well as online sales, managing to stay in bugs.co.kr daily top 10 chart for quite a few days. Recently, he released his first mini album and his first hit single is "Hello". Even though the title is "Hello", it's actually a sad song about a guy who longed for the girl who left him. The first time I've heard this song I was just blown away...

I'll just end here to let you enjoy the song.

Lyrics:

우리 헤어지면 안되잖아
uri heojimyon andwejana

We can't break up

우리 이별하긴 이르잖아
uri ibyor-hagin ireujana

It’s too early for separation for us

이렇게 날 떠나가면 안돼요
iroke nal ttonagamyon andweyo

You can't just leave me like this

내가 하지 못한 말들이
nega haji mot-han maldeuri
아직 너무 많은데
ajik nomu maneunde

There's so much that I didn't say yet

이대로 날 떠나가지 마세요
idero nal ttonagaji maseyo

Please don't leave me like this

그대이기 때문에 난
geude igi ttemune nan

Because it's you, I'm-

정말 그대였기 때문에 난
jongmal geudeyotgi ttemune nan

Because it was you, I-

이대로는 이대로는 난 안돼요
ideroneun ideroneun nan andweyo

I can't go on like this

내가 살아가는 이유는
nega saraganeun iyuneun
오직 그대뿐이죠
ojik geude ppunijyo

The reason I live is only you

제발 나를 떠나가지 말아요
jebal-lareul ttonagaji marayo

Please don't leave me

그대는 내 사랑 그리운
geudeneun ne sarang geuriun

You are my love, my love that I long for

내 사랑 날 사랑했던 사람
ne sarang nal saranghetdon saram

You're the person that used to love me

이제는 만질 수 없지만
ijeneun manjil su opjiman

Now I can't touch you but

내가 그리운 만큼 그대도 그리운가요
nega geuriun mankeum geudedo geuriun-gayo

Will you long for me as much as I long for you?

내가 미칠 듯이 사랑했던 그 사람 hello
nega michil deusi saranghetdon geu saram hello
The person that I loved crazily, hello

사랑했기 때문에 난
saranghetgi ttemune nan

Because I loved you, I'm-

정말 사랑했기 때문에 난
jongmal saranghetgi ttemune nan

Because I really loved you, I'm-

죽을 만큼 죽을 만큼 힘드네요
jugeul mankeum jugeul mankeum himdeuneyo

Suffering to the point of death, to the point of death

죽지 못해 살아가고 있는
jukji mot-he saragago inneun
내가 보이나요
nega boinayo

Can you see me dying and not alive?

제발 내게 다시 돌아와줘요
jebal nege dasi dorawajwoyo

Please come back to me

그대는 내사랑 그리운 내사랑
geudeneun ne sarang geuriun ne sarang

You are my love, my love that I long for

날 사랑했던 사람
nal saranghetdon saram

You're the person that used to love me

이제는 만질 수 없지만
ijeneun manjil su opjiman

Now I can't touch you but

내가 그리운 만큼 그대도 그리운가요
nega geuriun mankeum geudedo geuriun-gayo

Will you long for me as much as I long for you?

내가 미칠 듯이 사랑했던 그 사람
nega michil deusi saranghetdon geu saram

The person that I loved crazily

겨우 이대로 끝날 거라면
gyou idero kkeutnal goramyon

If it was going to end like this

정말 마지막이라면
jongmal majimagiramyon

If this is really the end

지금 돌아가
jigeum doraga
그때로 서로 몰랐던 그때로
geuttero soro mollatdon geuttero

I want to go back to the time when we didn't know each other

너무 늦어버리면 너무 늦어버리면
nomu neujoborimyon nomu neujoborimyon

If it's too late, if it's too late

내가 살아가는 게 너무 힘이 들어
nega saraganeun ge nomu himi deuro
날 버릴까 봐
nal borilkka bwa

I think I'll finish myself because living is too hard

겨우 이대로 끝날 거라면
gyou idero kkeutnal goramyon

If it was going to end like this

정말 마지막이라면
jongmal majimagiramyon

If this is really the end

지금 돌아가
jigeum doraga
그때로 서로 몰랐던 그때로
geuttero soro mollatdon geuttero

I want to go back to the time when we didn't know each other

너무 늦어버리면 너무 늦어버리면
nomu neujoborimyon nomu neujoborimyon

If it's too late, if it's too late

내가 살아가는 게 너무 힘이 들어
nega saraganeun ge nomu himi deuro
날 버릴까 봐
nal borilkka bwa

I think I'll finish myself because living is too hard

Credit
Hangul :: Melon Music
Romanization :: Chichan-Onew
English Lyrics :: pop!gasa

Suck Seed Huay Khan Thep (ห่วยขั้นเทพ) [2011]

2011-09-04T23:53:00.003+08:00

Just realised I haven't been updating much on this blog. Well, the recent months has been a bit trying in terms of the stuff I'm watching due to various reasons. Yea, I could see the amount of material I have that I want to watch but for some reason don't feel like starting. Nonetheless, I've decided to watch Suck Seed since I've caught the trailers in local theaters and the movie started showing last week.

"SuckSeed" tells the story of Ped (Jirayu La-ongmanee) who first meets Ern (Natcha Nualjam) at primary school. Ern and her parents move to Bangkok and Ped soon forgets all about her, preferring to hang out with his friend Koong (Patchara Jirathiwat). They meet up again in middle school by which time Ern has become a talented guitarist. To get Ern's attention as well as attract other girls, Koong, Ped and X (Thawat Pornrattanaprasert) decide to form a band. The only problem is, they don't have a great deal of talent. (Credits: The Nation)

Suck Seed may not have the same genre as Bangkok Traffic Love Story or Hello Stranger, where the love stories in the movies are more for adults rather than teenagers. Instead, having a high school setting, it vears towards "Season Change" (see my previous post). However, one drastic difference between Suck Seed and Season Change is that Suck Seed has a very dependable OST to back on. Being a movie about forming a band, songs are essential in the movie and for this Suck Seed doesn't disappoint. In fact, in the official trailer, they have cleared shown who are the artists featuring in the movie, which will entice more people to watch the movie. Also, these musicians make their cameo in certain to further describe the characters' emotional thoughts.

If I were to review based on the storyline alone, the Suck Seed would have been just another teeny-popper movie that has passed and gone. However, due to the heavy usage of music in the movie, it has clearly distinguished from the rest of the contenders to stand out alone. Also, I thought it's a good way to introduce Thai music to foreign audience who doesn't know much about them. I've shared a playlist that featured the songs from the movie below:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF8AAA78C1D0B070B

For those in Singapore, it's still not too late to catch Suck Seed in the cinemas! Do catch it if you can!

Seasons Change (เพราะอากาศเปลี่ยนแปลงบ่อย) [2006]

2011-07-17T01:51:00.000+08:00

Thai movies (not the horror genre) are beginning to have a following in Singapore following the relative success of "Bangkok Traffic Love Story" and "Hello Stranger". My interest in thai movies are also piqued as well due to the rom-coms movies that the distributors brought in( think the above 2 again). Hence, through some you-tubing, I've managed to catch of "Seasons Change" that was shown in Thailand in 2006.

Seasons Change talks about a high school student, Pom (Witawat Singlampong), who decides to enroll into a music college to follow the crush of his life, Dao (Yuwanat Arayanimisakul). However, his father objects his decision as he fears for a hard life ahead for his son. In order to cover up his entry into music college, he asked Aom (Chutima Teepanat), the daughter of his father's doctor friend, to help him cover up the enrollment. As time goes by, Aom becomes his best friend in college. However, that relationship becomes complicated when Aom starts to fall in love with Pom and Pom has to decide between the orchestra or the band with his friends, as well as whether to accept the scholarship to study overseas.

While I do like the movie for its easiness and the use of the three seasons in Thailand to split the intervals up, I do have major grouses with the movie. Before I review the parts I didn't like, let me mention the things I liked about the movie.

I'm generally pleased with the main leads in this show. Witawat Singlampong is the kind of guy that girls would naturally swoon over due to his boyish looks and creditable acting. For the female leads, although Dao (Yuwanat Arayanimisakul) is the main crush, the character that stands out for me is Aom (Chutima Teepanat). If you find Chutima Teepanat familiar, that's because she acted in Hormones as well, as the girl who rejected her nerdy friend's affection. Her acting is pretty natural in the movie.

That said, I do feel the movie has a few flaws that sort of ruin the movie a bit. Firstly, because of the weak storyline (basically it's kind of direct), there isn't much areas for the actors and actresses to perform. The movie is easy on the eye yes, but if you're looking for good acting, then this movie ain't for you.

Secondly, I personally do not like the ending one bit. Yes, I do know where this story is heading to but I thought the ending is really rushed. The director doesn't look interested in answering some questions in the movie. The rushed ending doesn't help in the weak storyline.

Lastly, I apologise to the fans of Yuwanat Arayanimisakul as I really felt that she's a vase in the whole movie. Not many lines for her, just need to make sure that she looks pretty in the movie and that's about it. She definitely wasn't given a chance to expand her role more and her interactions with Pom is minimum, which gives me the feeling of why she even start to like Pom in the first place.

Overall, the pictures are scenic and as some reviews online has said, it will resonate with the young. However, I do feel that the movie comes out a bit short when it has the potential to be more. But, it's a nice movie to watch on a lazy weekend when the rain is pouring outside.

The only problem, I watched the movie on a hot afternoon. Sigh.

S.R.S - Real Lie

2011-07-03T03:01:00.000+08:00

It has been some time since I've last touched J-Pop and I thought it's time to check out what I've been missing so far. And I was pleasantly surprised to find this gem of a song when I was surfing one of my favorite fan blog. Take five minutes to listen to this song as I thought the lyrics is really meaningful.

credits: port87

The Greatest Love / 최고의 사랑 [2011]

2011-06-26T23:40:00.000+08:00

As I've mentioned in my previous post, the review for The Greatest Love will be out asap, and since I've just finished the drama, I thought I should review it while my memory is fresh.

Gu Ae Jeong (Gong Hyo Jin) was formerly a member of a 4-member girl group National Treasure Girls who had a hit single and was top of their peak. However, they broke up 10 years ago and Ae Jeong, who was the leader of the group, took most of the blame. Although she was an honest artiste, due to her past controversies, she was struggling in the entertainment business. Dok Go Jin (Cha Seung Won) on the other hand is a top star in the country and adored by many. He has a top star girlfriend Kan Se Ri (Yoo In Na), who was coincidentally a former member of National Treasure Girls as well but has a grudge against Ae Jeong. Gu Ae Jeong's life began to change when she met Dok Go Jin in bizarre circumstances. As Dok Go Jin began to get more involved with Gu Ae Jeong, his feelings for her began to develop. Yoon Kye Sang stars as Yoon Pil Joo, who falls for Ae Jeong and agreed to star in a couple making variety show because Gu Ae Jeong is in it.

Well, I guess you can clearly say that I love this drama to bits since I'm rather prompt in the review as well as introducing the soundtrack first before the drama review is even out. The Greatest Love does impress me on some points.

Gong Hyo Jin is an unfamiliar actress to me as this is the first drama I've watched that has her in it. A more interesting note I feel is that although Gong Hyo Jin is fresh looking, if you want to compare the practicality of dramas, especially with Yoo In Na as the 2nd female lead, Gong Hyo Jin does seem like a surprise choice for a lead drama. However, after watching the drama, I began to understand the casting reasoning. Gu Ae Jeong is a character who has undergone hardship in her work. Yet, she always takes it head on and honestly works her way in the entertainment industry. As such, having a too outstanding actress for this role may be a little appropriate.

Cha Seung Won on the other hand is not so unfamiliar to me as I've seen his uber cool character in Athena: Goddess of War. However, this is the first time acting in a comedic character and honestly, he almost made me choke on my water with his antics in the show.

Overall, the drama really surprised me. In a way, I wasn't expecting much from the drama but hell did it entertain me. I was laughing in practically every episode and the drama is well written. The drama does not rush with its plot and I thought each character in the show is given ample areas to develop in the show. Checking online, I found out out that the scriptwriters for this drama is the same as My Girlfriend is a Gumiho. No wonder I enjoyed the drama this much.

And oh, the songs in the drama is very well inserted in the scenes and hence created the desired effect for the scene. Besides G.Na's "Because You Are My Man", the other song frequently featured is definitely National Treasure Girl's "Du Geun Du Geun", or "Thump Thump" in English, signifying the sound of our heart beat. The original singers of the song is Sunny Hill and taking this opportunity, I should highlight the extreme contrast of the OST song and the single Sunny Hill is currently promoting.

Do note that the girls in Du Geun Du Geun are not Sunny Hill but the actresses in The Greatest Love.

VS

Do watch this show as I would put it as a high priority drama to watch!

G.Na - Because You're My Man / 내 사람이라서 (Nae Sarangiraseo)

2011-06-26T04:51:00.000+08:00

Recently, I'm watching a new Korean Drama called "The Greatest Love" (and I assure you the review of this drama is definitely coming up next!) and I just thought this song by G.Na is just so nice.

The feeling I get from this song is the same when I heard Baek Ji Young's "That Man" in Secret Garden. I just thought the lyrics suited the plot to a T.

So without ado, I present to you the 2nd main song for one of the hottest drama for this summer.

Lyrics:

내 눈에 뭐가 들어 갔나봐, 그래서 자꾸 눈물이 나나봐
Nae nune mweoga deureo gannabwa, Geuraeseo jakku nunmuri nanabwa
가슴한쪽에 꼭 숨겨두었던, 어떤 한 사람 눈치 없게 또 눈물이 데려와
Gaseumhan jjoge kkok sumgyeodo eotteon, Eotteon han saram nunchi eopge tto nunmuri deryeowa

들을 수 없어도, 내 맘 듣지 못해도
Deureul su eopseodo, Nae man deutji mothaedo
내 눈물이 전하는 사랑, 언젠가는 들어 주겠니
Nae nunmuri jeonhaneun sarang, Eonjenganeun deureo jugenni

내 사람이라서 내 사랑이라서
Nae saramiraseo nae saramiraseo
보내고 보내도 아직 너는 남아 날 울려
Bonaego bonaedo ajik neoneun nama nal ullyeo
내 사람이라서 아직도 난 니가 그래서
Nae saramiraseo ajikdo nan niga geuraeseo
이 못난 눈물을 멈출 수가 없어
I motnan nunmureul meonchul suga eopseo

내 가슴소리 들리지 않나봐
Nae gaseumsori deulliji anhnabwa
멍청한 눈물 흐를까봐 또 억지로 참아봐
Meongcheonghan nunmul heureulkkabwa tto eonjero chamabwa

왜 듣지 못하니, 왜 날 보지 못하니
Wae deulji mothani, Wae nal boji mothani
뒤돌아봐 내가 있잖아, 사랑한단 말이야 바보야
Dwidorabwa naega itjanha, Saranghandan mariya baboya

내 사람이라서 내 사랑이라서
Nae saramiraseo nae saramiraseo
보내고 보내도 아직 너는 남아 날 울려
Bonaego bonaedo ajik neoneun nama nal ullyeo
내 사람이라서 아직도 난 니가 그래서
Nae saramiraseo ajikdo nan niga geuraeseo
이 못난 눈물을 멈출 수가 없어서...
I motnan nunmureul meonchul suga eopseoseo...

얼마나 더 아프면 나를 바라봐 줄 수 있니
Eolmana deo apeumyeon nareul barabwa jul su inni
얼마나 더 눈물 흘리면 사랑해 줄거니, 안아줄 수 있니
Eolmana deo nunmul heullimyeon saranghae julgeoni, Anajul su inni~

내 사람이라서 내 사랑이라서
Nae saramiraseo nae saramiraseo
눈물이 더는 널 놓아줄 수 없대 미안해
Nunmuri deoneun neol nohajul su eoptae (saranghae) mianhae
내 사람이라서 너를 포기할 수가 없어
Nae saramiraseo (saramiraseo) neoreul pogihal suga eopseo
제발 부탁이야... 내 맘을 들어줘 제발 부탁이야... 더 멀어지지 마.
Jebal butagiya... nae mameul deureojweo Jebal butagiya... deo meoreojiji ma.

English:

I guess something went in my eye, that’s why I keep crying
The tears bring the man that I’ve hidden deep in a little corner of my heart

Even if you can’t heart even if you don’t listen to my heart
Will you someday listen to the love that my tears convey

Because you’re my man because you’re my love
Even after I’ve sent you even after I’ve sent you you’re still left here in my heart and you make me cry
Because you’re still my man because to me you still are
I can’t stop these wicked tears

I guess you can’t heart the sound of my heart
Because I was scared that the stupid tears would flow I force myself to hold them in

Why can’t you hear why can’t you look at me
Look back I’m here behind you, I love you you dummy

Because you’re my man because you’re my love
Even after I’ve sent you even after I’ve sent you you’re still left here in my heart and you make me cry
Because you’re still my man because to me you still are
Because I can’t stop these wicked tears…

How much more do I have to hurt before you look at me
How many more tears to I have to spill for you to love me, for you to hold me

Because you’re my man because you’re my love
The tears say that they can’t let you go any longer I’m sorry
Because you’re my man I can’t give up on you
Please I’m begging you... please listen to my heart I’m begging you... Don’t go further away.

credits:Jineun(ENG)@KpopStarLyrics

God of Study / 공부의 신 [2010]

2011-06-10T23:43:00.000+08:00

Well I thought I'd never post this entry at all! I've finished watching this drama for some time and I just procrastinated on creating this entry. Let's just assume my lazy bug has bitten me. Nonetheless, this entry is created!

I've got to say that God of Study is a bit old and my review may be a tad too late. But due to the fact that it is currently airing in Singapore on a mandarin cable channel, I thought it may be appropriate to air some comments.

I was attracted to the show primarily for two reasons: The adaption of Dragon Zakura and the actors in this drama. Kim Soo Ro stars as Kang Suk Ho, a lawyer who took up a job to review the conditions of the school. After learning about the conditions of the school and the very fact he himself was reformed by a former teacher who didn't give up on him, he decides to save the school by creating a special class promising admission to the most prestigious college in Korea, "Chun-Ha-Dae University." Hwang Baek Hyun (Yoo Seung Ho), Gil Pul Lip (Go Ah Sung), Hong Chan Do (Lee Hyun Woo), Na Hyun Jung (Park Ji Yeon) and Oh Bang Goo (Lee Chan Ho) decides to join the special class due to various reasons. The story tells about the dedication and hardships they have to go through to achieve the dreams that they want.

In terms of actor lineup, for a school drama, I would consider it to be an overkill. Kim Soo Ro is an accomplished actor and you may remember him as the "game master" in the variety show "Family Outing". Bae Doo Na is Han Soo Jung, a dedicated teacher who always thinks about her students. Bae Doo Na should not sound unfamiliar to Japan drama fans as she has lots of work in Japan. Perhaps, her most daring role to date is her role as an inflatable doll in "Air Doll" where there are scenes where she is naked. Park Ji Yeon is a member of popular Kpop group "T-ara" while Go Ah Sung is the main lead in the Korean movie "The Host".

That said, while the average ratings for the drama in Korea is pretty impressive, I am less impressed with the adaption of Dragon Zakura. Of course, the writers tried to relate it to the Korean way of excelling. Also, there are some changes where it is different from the Japan version. I have nothing against the changes. However, after watching both dramas, I'd still prefer the original version due to a couple of reasons.

For the Korean version, I thought that the tips that were given in the show is somewhat ambiguous as compared to the Japanese version. I gave this part my benefit of doubt as I do not know the Korean education structure. However, I still thought that the Japanese version seem more precise, focusing on certain areas that viewers can easily catch.

Another reason, although somewhat biased, is that I still feel the actor lineup for the Japanese version is just too strong. Kim Soo Ro really is a good actor, however against Abe Hiroshi, Abe's acting is more natural due to his smugness. Student-wise, I think of it as a tie but I was hoping the writers should develop each student's sub-plot in a better way. The flow for the Japanese version seems to be smoother, while the Korean version gives me a snip-shot feeling.

Make no mistake, overall, I enjoyed watching this drama. However, due to the fact that I have watched the original version before, this version left me with a short feeling.

Probably that why, I procrastinated.

4minute - Heart to Heart on MBC Music Core 14th May 2011

2011-05-15T14:46:00.001+08:00

After a long long hiatus of not uploading stuff, decided to upload this performance by 4minute simply because the colors look stunning. As always, reconverted their performance from another file type to a more managable avi version for those with small hardisk.

Screencaps:

File:[perf] 4minute Heart to Heart (110514 MBC MuCore).AVI
Size: 126MB

Sharing Links:

.001 file
.002 file

Use either HJSplit or 7Zip to join the files.

Enjoy!

Athena: Goddess of War / 아테나: 전쟁의 여신 [2010]

2011-05-12T02:14:00.000+08:00

Phew.

I think that will be my expression when I've just finished watching Athena: Goddess of War. Frankly speaking, I thought I'd never finish this drama, not on the fact that the drama is not entertaining but rather on the fact that there are so many quality programs out there that attract my time to watch them. Korean variety programs like Running Man & We Got Married, has particularly got me hooked on. However, I've managed to finish Athena and provided all with my take on the drama.

Athena: Goddess of War is the sequel to the ever popular 2009 drama IRIS, which featured Lee Byun Hun and Kim Tae Hee. In Athena, they have managed to snag a top actor to helm the drama in the form of Jung Woo Sung. Jung Woo Sung is Lee Jung Woo, an top NTS agent who falls in love with Yoon Hae In (Soo Ae), a supposed Black Agent but is in fact an Athena member. Son Hyuk (Cha Seung Won) is the main leader for the local operations of Athena who is under the disguise as a section chief of the CIA. Another actress of prominence is Han Jae Hee (Lee Ji Ah), a NTS agent who is a former lover of Jung Woo but is separated due to her father's insistence of a breakup.

If I were to describe Athena as a sequel to IRIS, I think it would be inappropriate. Yes, Athena was scripted to continue from IRIS, and both stories do share some common characters, like the President, the North Korean Diplomat Park Chul Young and Seon Hwa, a former agent who started a new life in New Zealand. However, that's where the similarities end. The new writers did not fully describe the roles of Chul Young and Seon Hwa in this drama and they left an open ended ending with regards to the development of Seon Hwa. That, I feel is a bit disappointing as it is possible to not introduce Seon Hwa in this drama at all.

The second more disappointing aspect of the drama is the ability to capture the audience. Granted that they promote Athena as the "official" sequel to IRIS (I put in " " due to the fact that IRIS was produced by KBS while Athena is produced by SBS), one would naturally compare both dramas. Athena, to me personally, is a drama that does not skimp on the actions and locations, but however fail to address the various loopholes in the plot. There were a few situations that was quite unreal and does not exactly make sense. Also, IRIS managed to keep the suspense right until the end while Athena revealed its main plot pretty early in the drama, hence that mysterious aura is gone and viewers may not be kept. After all, comparisons are bound to be made.

Of course, not all is bad and Athena is still a very good production. The choice of actors are good and I would choose the characters of Son Hyuk and Kim Ki Soo(Kim Min Jong) as the standout characters of the drama. It's hard to compare Lee Byun Hun and Jung Woo Sung as they're both very, very outstanding actors.

As for the actress, I think most would focus on Lee Ji Ah due to her recent marriage scandals (go google it). That aside, I think she has more room to express herself in this drama as compared to Soo Ae. For some reason, I thought Soo Ae has few expressions. Perhaps it's her role in this drama.

As always, there is always a nice song for a good drama and this time round, Taeyeon of SNSD gets the plaudits for her song "I Love You". Unfortunately, that's also the only song that caught my attention in the whole drama. You can sample it below.

IRIS / 아이리스 [2009]

2011-04-06T17:05:00.003+08:00

I got to admit, after watching IRIS, my conception of Korean dramas has changed a lot. Yes, I got to acknowledge that I'm a bit slow in watching this drama since it was air-ed slightly more than a year back, but the reason of me catching this drama is so that I could start watching Athena: Goddess of War. Tsk.

So let me start by giving the final score first. On a scale of 10, I think I could give this show a score of 11. The scriptwriters of IRIS is excellent and probably it'll a bit hard to beat this drama.

Lee Byun Hun stars as Kim Hyun Joon, who together with Jin Sa Woo (Jung Jun Ho), his best friend in the special forces, are brought into a top secret organization known as NSS. Choi Seung Hee (Kim Tae Hee) is their team leader, whom they both fall in love with due to different circumstances. However, their lives changed forever when Hyun Joon is given an individual task to assassinate a top North Korean political figure in Hungary. He got injured in the process and was instead being ordered to be silenced by an organization called IRIS. Hyun Joon is determined to find out what IRIS is and why he is being targeted.

This drama is really taxing on the actors in this show. Of course, being a thriller drama, one would expect a lot of gun battles and fighting scenes. However, scenes like special forces training by dragging a tyre behind, as well as Kim Tae Hee being flung around in various scenes. This is indeed trying on the actors and I got to applaud them for their efforts.

I got to specially mention Kim Tae Hee in this drama as I really thought she did very well in the drama. Her chemistry with Lee Byun Hun is flawless and it showed in the couple scenes that the two have together. Lee Byun Hun, as an international actor now that he has acted in foreign movies, gives a solid performance as well.

If there's a sore point in the drama, it may be that the scriptwriters may have original planned to keep this drama at 16 episodes since the majority of the story is based on one incident (trying to not provide spoliers). Beyond 16th, the rest of the story is simply trying to tidy things up regarding the organisation IRIS, but they didn't do much in that aspect as well. Probably, they were already thinking of a sequel to the drama, which is in the works for release in fall 2011. However, that brings it to the second point: The way they end the drama, how is Lee Byun Hun gonna contribute to IRIS 2 at all? (go watch the drama and you'll get what I mean).

But overall, this scripting errors should not deny the fact the drama is well written, well paced and the action is tremendous. A must-watch if you have the opportunity to do so. And oh yeah, I broke my 16 episode limit for Korean dramas.

Edit:

I got to add more stuff here. I forget to mention the OST is solid as well and Baek Ji Young gives me the chills when she belts out these ballads. She's truly the queen of OST soundtracks.

Baek Ji Young - Do Not Forget (IRIS OST)

Song Ji Eun (Secret) - Going Crazy 미친거니 (fea. Bang Yong Kook)

2011-03-31T00:39:00.000+08:00

As I listened to more and more Korean songs, I can't help but feel that Chinese songs are getting more and more repetitive, in terms of rhythm or lyrics. While Chinese songs feature more of ballads and songs about love, Korean songs are more about beats and the lyrics are diverse in genres. A good example is 4minute's HuH, and this song "Going Crazy" by Song Ji Eun.

Ji Eun is from Girl Group "Secret" under TS Entertainment. With the recent success of their newest single "Shy Boy", Ji Eun changed her image for her own album "Going Crazy". "Going Crazy" talks about a girl who is being stalked by a stalker who follows her every move and basically freaks her out. The song is backed by TS trainee Bang Yong Kook, whose husky voice belied his young age. Even though Bang is a trainee, he has extensive experience in the underground scene.

Check out this alternative MV especially for KBS Music Bank.

Lyrics:

사랑이아냐이건사랑이아냐너의집착일뿐이야
sarangi anya igeon sarangi anya neoui jipchagil ppuniya
어디있든지내가무얼하든지무서워나를바라보는넌
eodi itdeunji naega mueol hadeunji museowo nareul baraboneun neon

너의그림자를따라밟다난전화를걸어
neoui geurimjareul ttara barpda nan jeonhwareul georeo
네떨리는숨소리에짜릿해져버려
ne tteollineun sumsorie jjaritaejyeobeoryeo
빨라지는네발걸음따라뛰는내심장
ppallajineun ne balgeoreum ttara ttwineun nae simjang
미칠것만같아어두워지는긴밤
michil geotman gata eoduwojineun gin bam
너의집앞불꺼진가로등밑에서
neoui jip ap bul kkeojin garodeung miteseo
너를본다네방창문틈에서
neoreul bonda ne bang chang mun teumeseo
밤이끝날때까지날찾아봐
bami kkeutnal ttaekkaji nal chajabwa
어서나와숨막히는숨바꼭질을계속해
eoseo nawa sum makhineun sumbakkokjireul gyesokhae
넌절대내게서떨어질수없어
neon jeoldae naegeseo tteoreojil su eobseo

미친거니왜그러니이제그만나좀내버려둬
michingeoni wae geureoni ije geuman na jom naebeoryeodwo
네가보여숨이막혀내눈앞에서좀사라져줘
nega boyeo sumi makhyeo nae nun apeseo jom sarajyeojwo

넌날절대벗어날수없어넌날사랑할수밖에없어
neon nal jeoldae beoseonal su eobseo neon nal sarang hal subakke eobseo
도망쳐봐 (I don’t wanna see you)
domangchyeobwa (I don‘t wanna see you)
네가어디에있든지난볼수있으니널알지깊숙이
nega eodie itdeunji nan bol su isseuni neol alji gipsugi
넌날절대벗어날수없어넌날사랑할수밖에없어
neon nal jeoldae beoseonal su eobseo neon nal sarang hal subakke eobseo
이제날봐 (I Don’t Wanna Cry No More more)
ije nal bwa (I Don‘t Wanna Cry No More more)
I Don‘t Wanna Cry No More more

사라져버려그만좀꺼져버려정말숨도못쉬겠어
sarajyeo beoryeo geuman jom kkeojyeo beoryeo jeongmal sumdo mot swigesseo
어딜가든지내가어디있든지무서워나를따라오는너
eodil gadeunji naega eodi itdeunji museowo nareul ttaraoneun neo

수백번이고수만번이고
subaek beonigo suman beonigo
전화를걸었는데왜왜넌대답이없어
jeonhwareul georeonneunde wae wae neon daedabi eobseo
잊었니? 우리만난지벌써천일이됐어
ijeonni? uri mannan ji beolsseo cheoniri dwaesseo
네가좋아하는선물을준비했어
nega johahaneun seonmureul junbihaesseo
네가자주가는거리에앉아
nega jaju ganeun georie anja
널기다리고있어내사랑을알아?
neol gidarigo isseo nae sarangeul ara?
집착이라말하지마사랑을몰라넌
jipchagira malhaji ma sarangeul molla neon
미쳤다고말하지마내맘을몰라
michyeotdago malhaji ma nae mameul molla
넌절대내게서떨어질수없어
neon jeoldae naegeseo tteoreojil su eobseo

미친거니왜그러니이제그만나좀내버려둬
michingeoni wae geureoni ije geuman na jom naebeoryeodwo
네가보여숨이막혀내눈앞에서좀사라져줘
nega boyeo sumi makhyeo nae nun apeseo jom sarajyeojwo

너도날원하잖아나를사랑하잖아나를도망치지마
neodo nal wonhajanha nareul saranghajanha nareul domangchiji ma

헛소리좀집어치워정신차려그만좀해이제나를놓아줘
heossori jom jibeo chiwo jeongsin charyeo geuman jom hae ije nareul nohajwo
이건아냐사랑이아니야 (아니야)
igeon anya sarangi aniya (aniya)
내게상처뿐이야이러지마 (넌이러지마)
naege sangcheoppuniya ireojima (neon ireojima)
널사랑했지만이제는아니야너의기억에서날잊어줘
neol sarang haetjiman ijeneun aniya neoui gieogeseo nal ijeojwo
I Don‘t Wanna Cry No More

credits: geniskencur@friendster

Gaikoukan Kuroda Kousaku [2011 Winter]

2011-03-25T03:41:00.000+08:00

Judging from the past few posts, I bet anyone has realised that I have not been watching nor reviewing any Japanese dramas. I'm glad to say I've managed to finish just one of the many j-dramas lying around in my storage and hence providing my review on it!

Gaikoukan Kuroda Kousaku or Diplomat Kuroda Kousaku is the sequel of the movie Amalfi, which was produced in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Fuji TV. Kuroda Kousaku is a Japanese diplomat working overseas in the Central Americas Bureau. The story starts in Mexico where an incident 11 years ago caused the death of his friend's wife, and Kuroda feels remorse for not protecting her. However, when the friend Shimomura came to meet him in San Francisco and subsequently committed suicide, it left Kuroda with a lot of question marks. Kuroda's suspicions increased when he spotted someone who looked uncanny like Shimomura at the airport after the incident. Kuroda decides to fly back to Japan to uncover the mysteries.

If I were to say Amalfi is well written, then I would comment that the scriptwriter for Gaikousan Kuroda Kousaku is excellent. From the first episode, the story is instantly grabs your attention and by the time i watched the second episode, I was left wanting to know more. Japan has excellent authors for thrillers, and this is no different. The story is well panned out over 10 episodes, and each episode will let you to have something to think about before watching the next episode. Oda Yuji as usual gave a solid performance as Kuroda while Shibasaki Kou, who acts as his partner detective Ogaki Rikako, puts in a confident performance. An added bonus to the show is the appearance of Lee Byung Hun, who is Kuroda's childhood friend and US informant. His lines were delivered purely in English and I must say his English is pretty good.

An excellent detective thriller as expected and if you have the time, you must catch it! A pity though, that the average rating for this drama is only 10.4%.

The Man From Nowhere / Ahjussi 아저씨 [2010]

2011-03-18T22:16:00.001+08:00

I don't usually watch Korean movies for the same reasons as to why I do not watch Korean dramas that last more than 20 episodes. However, recently on a trip to my local cinema, a trailer caught my eye. I thought the actor looked familiar and he no other than Won Bin. And to think Won Bin starred in an action film, got me interested to watch this movie, Ahjussi or internationally known as The Man From Nowhere.

An ex-special agent CHA Tae-shik's only connection to the rest of the world is a little girl, So-mi, who lives nearby. Her mother, Hyo-jeong smuggles drugs from a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-shik with the product, without letting him know. The traffickers find out about her smuggling and kidnap both Hyo-jeong and So-mi. The gang promises to release them if Tae-shik makes a delivery for them, however it actually is a larger plot to eliminate a rival drug ring leader. When Hyo-jeon's disembowelled body is discovered, Tae-shik realizes that So-mi's life may also be in danger. Tae-shik becomes enraged at the prospect that So-mi may already be dead and prepares for a battle, putting his own life at risk.
credits: Yahoo! movies Singapore

I'd say that the movie's plot is pretty straightforward being an action film. You shouldn't expect any surprises in the show, but I thought the show started a tad slow. The only time when the movie really picked up is already past the 20 minute mark, enough time for me to make a few yawns. However, beyond that, the action is superb and the fighting scenes are very choreographed and precised. In Singapore, the local censor board has given an NC-16 rating, meaning people below the age of 16 are not allowed to view the movie. I could understand the reason as there are a few disturbing scenes as well as the realistic portrayal of blood spurting out of wounds. And I have yet to mention the bone breaking scenes during the fist fights.

Having said that, this is definitely a man's movie and the ladies would watch swooning about Won Bin's looks and his incredible physic. However, I don't the ladies would love the violent scenes unless they're a fan of it as well. A special mention has to be given to the little girl who acted as So-mi. Kim Se Ron is really natural in the role and she gave a very matured performance for a child. It is not surprising that she won the Best Newcomer Award at the 2010 Korean Film Awards.

The movie has already opened in cinemas in Singapore.

Japan Disaster

2011-03-14T01:18:00.006+08:00

Seeing the disaster pics coming from the 8.9 Magnitude earthquake that struck Japan is saddening enough.

However, seeing these comments coming from some people really makes one's heart boil with anger. Why can't people just spare a thought for those who are experiencing hardship due to mother nature?

Please. Just spare a thought for others. I ask no more.

A Chinese victim who experienced the tsunami clearly stated what humanity should be all about.

http://dreamsinapie.tumblr.com/post/3816948641/translated-message-from-a-chinese-sendai-tsunami

The Girl Who Leapt Thru Time (Toki o Kakeru Shojo) [2010]

2011-03-08T22:48:00.003+08:00

At last I've decided to finish a movie that I've put it aside for so long! Actually, I was actually looking forward to this movie due to the excellent soundtrack by Ikimonogakari, who provide both the starting and ending theme for the movie.

Toki O Kakeru Shojo is actually not a new story and there are various versions to this story. Just before this version, there is also an animated version which was launched in 2006. In the live version, Naka Riisa is the female lead Yoshimaya Akari who went back into time to help fulfill a wish that her mother had asked her to fulfill on her behalf. Back in time, she met Mizorogi Ryouta (Nakao Akiyoshi), an up and coming film director, who helped her along the way.

Toki is the typical time traveling movie where the character will go back in time, attempts to change history along the way and falling in love. However, one thing Toki definitely doesn't try to explain is the settings for the 1970s, as well as the difference in the people etc. In fact, it tries to keep these thing minimal so that the audience can focus on the main story itself. I do have to say the storyline seems a bit weak throughout and since it's fiction, there are some parts of the story that you may find it unbelievable or amusing at best. Hence, if you're heavy on details, do give Toki a miss, because that's what you aren't getting.

Instead, what you're getting is good acting from the main lead. Although Naka Riisa is young, she is very mature in her acting and her acting credibility stems from the variety of roles she has already attempted. Nakao Akiyoshi is also experienced since he started off as a child actor and has been acting since then. However, because of the fact that I've seen his dramas and movies through the years, this movie does not help him to shake off the schoolboy image even though his role is an up and coming film director.

Nonetheless, Toki o Kakeru Shojo is an enjoyable film to watch. And oh, I must share the soundtrack as well as they are excellent songs by Ikimonogakari.

My Princess / 마이 프린세스 [2011]

2011-02-28T00:58:00.000+08:00

I've just realized I've not been updating my blog for a very very long time. With the lunar new year passing by and all the feasting on new year goodies, adding the fact that my interest in J-Dramas suddenly dipped to new lows, the amount I'm reviewing or the amount of dramas I'm watching has greatly reduced. Instead, I'm watching more Korean stuff and watching more Korean variety programs which is really very interesting.

One of the dramas I've just completed watching is My Princess starring Kim Tae Hee as Lee Seol and Song Seung Hun as Park Hae Young, heir apparent of Dae Han Group and a diplomat for the government. Lee Seol is an orphan who was separated from her father when young due to her father's accident. What she didn't know was that her father is actually a crown prince who lived a life of running away from enemies. When Lee Seol was identified as the princess, Hae Young was shocked to find out that his grandfather is donating his entire estate to aid the formation of the monarchy. As he was charged to teach Lee Seol the proper etiquette of being a princess, he finds himself drawing closer to her. Yet, his heart is torn to the fact that he is about to lose his inheritance to her once the country vote for the formation of the monarchy.

I really liked the cast for this drama as Song Seung Hun, who rose to fame in Autumn in my Heart years back, is really a hunk. Kim Tae Hee, who is already in her 30s but looked really fresh in the drama. The main cast is also well supported with the likes of Park Ye Jin, who is Oh Yun Ju, the executive director of the monarchy foundation but opposed Lee Seol from being the princess; and Ryu Soo Young, who is Nam Jung Woo, a university professor specializing in Korean history who loves Yun Ju and is keen for monarchy to be formed.

Even though the cast is strong, I do feel that the script is a bit weak, especially at the end of the drama. 16 episodes for this drama is just about right, but I do feel that the ending is a bit rushed, with the last episode trying wrap the relationships between the cast members. The role of Park Hae Young's father, which is pivotal in the drama, isn't well developed at all in the drama and I thought it was disappointing aspect. But with romance as the main theme of the drama, Kim Tae Hee and Song Seung Hun doesn't disappoint. The chemistry between them is natural and Kim Tae Hee is extremely lovable in the drama. After all, this is what we should expect between 2 established artists.

Baek Ji Young - That Woman + That Man

2011-01-25T01:30:00.003+08:00

Finally I've finished watching Secret Garden... I absolutely love it!!! But this song from the drama really takes the cake. It's the same as my BGM currently, but at least there's the translated english lyrics in this fanmade MV.

Note that the rhythm is the same, but the lyrics is totally different.

Secret Garden 시크릿 가든 [2010]

2010-12-27T03:28:00.000+08:00

Having been swept away recently by the k-pop wave, I've also started to take note of Korean dramas now. I got to admit that prior to this, the only drama I've completed are Goong, Full House(with my friend scrolling throughout the whole drama) and Autumn in my Heart (DO NOT ask me why I like this tearjerker show). I've also recently completed Personal Taste and My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, but that was when I am already in this K-pop wave. Now, while trying to finish the jap dramas that I have yet to watch, I'm instantly hooked on Secret Garden, which is still airing in Korea at the moment.

Secret Garden tells the story of Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin), a seemingly perfect man yet with certain arrogance and childishness in him, and Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won), a stuntwoman whose beauty and body are the object of envy of top actresses. One day they went deep into the mountains and entered a strange house. A strange grandmother offered them chocolate to eat. The next day they found themselves changing bodies.

What attracted me to this drama is not the cast initially. I didn't even know that Ha Ji Won is the female lead in Sex is Zero. As for Hyun Bin, let's just say I'm still new to the Korean wave. So instead of the actors, it was the initial reviews that got me attracted to the show.

Although it is a bit early that I reviewed the drama since I have only watched like 5 to 6 episodes, I'm actually enjoying each episode and the standard of entertainment is consistent through the drama so far. The progression of the plot is not as slow as what korean dramas are usually like and there's always something new in each episode. Do catch it if you can.

Oh, the soundtrack is pretty good too :)

Merry Xmas~~

2010-12-24T03:40:00.000+08:00

Before I forget, I wish everyone a very Merry Xmas!!~

Lotte Gum Commercial

2010-12-13T23:56:00.002+08:00

Okay I think somebody may try to whack me for this but I thought this commercial, although as irritating as hell, is darn addictive too.

Nyang~ nyang~ nyang~ nyang~ nyang~ nyang~

Hello Stranger [2010] (กวน มึน โฮ)

2010-12-03T00:59:00.000+08:00

I've just realised that for the whole month of November, I have only blogged about Cheer Chen's concert and nothing else! No reviews for any movies, dramas etc. Well, it's not exactly nothing is going on but rather whether is there any value in blogging some stuff I've experiencing during this period. Anyway, enough said for the past month and for the start of the new month it's time for another movie review!

Hello Stranger or Kuan Meun Ho in Thai, starts its run in Singapore starting from today 2 December, in selected cinemas. The show stars Chantavit Dhanasevi as the male lead and Nuengtida Sopon as the female lead. If you have watched the Thai movie "Hormones" before, Chantavit Dhanasevi should not be foreign to you as he stars in that movie as well. As for Nuengtida Sopon, she is new to me so I do not have any data regarding her except knowing her pet name is Nuna. But one thing's for sure, she is really pretty and does not look Thai. I even commented that Nuengtida in the movie looked really like Hyomin of Korean Pop Group T-ara as below:

Although the male and female's lead names are not disclosed throughout the movie, they did use pesudo names. For the male lead, he was given the "Darng" or puppy in Thai while the female lead introduced herself as "May". The story starts with the two leads going to South Korea for very different reasons. Darng is sarcastic guy with a foul mouth while May is a fanatic for Korean dramas. Darng joined a tour group to get away the blues from the breakup with his longtime girlfriend. May is travelling to Korea to attend her Korean friend's wedding but had to do so behind her over zealous boyfriend. Upon reaching Korea, Darng got drunk and ended up sleeping on the sidewalk of a backpacker lodge where May was staying. Although May tried to guide Darng back to his hotel the next morning, the tour group left the hotel without Darng. Darng decided to tag along May as his command of Korean is poor and is traveling alone for the first time in a foreign country.

Since the director is the same as Bangkok Traffic Love Story, you should be expected to have the same kind of witty dialogue that is found in this movie as well. Also, due to the popularity of Bangkok Traffic Love Story in Singapore, this movie reached our shores pretty fast as the movie was only aired in Thailand in August. As compared to the former which took almost a year to reach our shores, this movie is really recent.

Before typing this article, I have read though some other articles on the review of this movie. I'd say that for the purpose of this movie which is a rom-com, it has served its purpose well. Some articles mentioned about the impossible relationship between the two main leads, I'd say chill down and just accept everything as it is. Yes, the storyline may be a bit out of reality but I'd say the movie won't be the way it is with the sense of reality.

Also while searching the internet for more info, I found that the movie poster has 3 different variations as shown below:

From the posters, it's obvious that this will be a fun movie to watch hence I somewhat couldn't understand all the seriousness with the other articles. Most importantly is that I enjoyed laughing at the lame jokes in the movie and I came out of the cinema as a happier person. Oh, the scenery for some of Korea's famous tourist spots helps the cinematography as well with shots at Coffee Prince Cafe, Namiseom Island where Winter Sonata was shot, Nansum Tower as well as other scenic locations.

Hmm, don't know what I'm talking? Probably the pictures below will tell more.

Still not convinced about the movie? I think the movie trailer will wet your appetite!

陳綺貞 A Piece of Summer II 夏季練習曲新加坡演唱會 13Nov2010

2010-11-14T18:07:00.000+08:00

昨天剛出席了綺貞老師的演唱會.只有一個字可以形容: 讚!!!!!!

不用多說,就讓照片代替我的字.

注意哦~ 由於照片居多,下載速度會有點緩慢~~
請耐性等待~~

credits: sunshine@cloudie

綺貞,我愛你!!!

Rainbow - A + Mach on KBS Music Bank 12 Nov 10

2010-11-14T18:04:00.001+08:00

Again, playing around with video converting, but for once not playing around with SNSD's performance. Presenting another girl group Rainbow!

Screencaps:

File:[perf] Rainbow - A+Mach (KBS Music Bank 101112).avi
Size: 151MB

Sharing Links:

Click Here

As usual if the file expire I will not upload them again.

Enjoy!

SNSD - Mistake & Hoot on SBS Inkigayo 31th Oct 10

2010-11-01T00:50:00.000+08:00

Okay maybe the previous post is not the last I'll share a download. Same as before, reconverted their performance from another file type to a more managable avi version for those will small hardisk.

Screencaps:

File:[perf] SNSD Mistake & Hoot (SBS Inkigayo 101031).avi
Size: 262MB

Sharing Links:

.001 file
.002 file

Use either HJSplit or 7Zip to join the files.

Enjoy!

SNSD - My Best Friend & Hoot on MBC Music Core 30th Oct 2010

2010-10-31T17:06:00.000+08:00

Okay. This may be the first and last time I may be doing this in my blog. Basically, I've reconverted SNSD's "My Best Friend" & "Hoot" performance on MBC Music Core to a more managable filesize for those with lesser hardisk space.

Screencap:

File:[perf] SNSD - My Best Friend & Hoot (MBC Music Core 101030).AVI
Size: 256MB

The links for the performance:

.001 file
.002 file

Use HJSpilt or 7zip to join the files.

SNSD - Hoot 훗

2010-10-28T19:13:00.002+08:00

SNSD's newest MV Hoot is finally out! I'm so glad that at long last Soo Young gets more exposure in this MV! ♥♥♥

SNSD - ☆★☆ (별별별 Byeol Byeol Byeol)

2010-10-26T01:32:00.004+08:00

Seriously,

After watching this MV, it's very hard not to NOT fall in love with these 9 ladies....

♥♥♥

Credits: port87.blogspot.com

Brown Eyed Girls - Abracadabra

2010-10-25T21:30:00.001+08:00

As I've mentioned in my previous post I've been watching quite a bit of Korean Variety "We got Married". Because the artistes involved all comes from the Korean music scene, I began to find out more about their music.

I don't usually listen to any form of dance numbers but this song by Brown Eyed Girls really got me hooked on. Firstly, the MV is of a different standard from conventional Korean MV as it has an international feel. Secondly, the dance is really sizzling hot and the song arrangement is absolutely fantastic. I'm definitely not surprised that this song won best Korean Dance Track at the Korean Music Festival 2010.

Oh by the way, Ga-In of B.E.G is part of the Adam Couple in "We Got Married".

C.N. Blue - Love Light

2010-10-20T22:26:00.003+08:00

Recently, I have been watching a lot of Korean variety "We Got Married" and I got to say this variety really has got me hooked on it. I can understand why people would like this variety even though it's not the real deal. Basically, "We got Married" pairs celebrities up and they will live the lives of a married couple and do things together.

Through this show I got to know a band C.N. Blue due to the participation of their band leader Jung Yong Hwa, who was paired up with SNSD's Seohyun. I find this song especially touching as Yong Hwa wrote the lyrics of the song as he thought of Seohyun and the lyrics really fit her perfectly.

Sand's Chronicle (Sunadokei) [2008]

2010-10-12T00:36:00.002+08:00

I could say I'm quite of depth with older Japanese movies. In fact, if not for an extensive back-dating of major Japanese movie releases I may not even know that this movie existed. However, how I encounter Sand's Chronicle wasn't through my back-dating of major releases. Instead, it was through the movie's theme song "Kaeritaku Natta yo" by Ikimonogakari that this movie caught my eye. There were scenes from the movie in the PV for this song that I thought was familiar and that piqued my interest in watching this movie.

Sand's Chronicle tells about a story of a girl called Minase Ann (Matsushita Nao/ Kaho) who couldn't get away from the shadows of her mother's death. When Ann was young, she followed her mother to the countryside to stay with her grandmother after her mother was divorced. She was touched by the villagers' kindness and espcially the companionship of Daigo (Shunya Isaka/Sosuke Ikematsu). However, her mother was too overwhelmed by the divorce that she killed herself in the hills one night. Ann saw her mother leave the house and even told her mother that she will follow to wherever she was going at that moment but was powerless to do so. This incident became a scar and hampered her whenever happiness seems to arrive. However, Daigo is determined to pull her away from the past and to pull her closer to him where he could guarantee her happiness.

Sand's Chronicle's pace isn't fast, but then again you wouldn't notice that time flies by real quickly as you watch the movie. The movie format is similar to another movie "Crying out Love, in the Centre of the World" where they intersect the past and the present regularly to tell the story. Another similarity between the two movies is they both have pretty good young actors to helm the show. "Crying out Love" had Nagesawa Masami and Moriyama Mirai, while "Sand's Chronicle" has Kaho and Sosuke Ikematsu. In fact, I found Kaho very familiar when I started to watch Sand's Chronicle. I only realised she is the girl with the one in Otomen. However, I felt her acting in Sand's Chronicle is much more natural, and she has less baby fat on her cheeks, making her prettier. If you find Sosuke Ikematsu familiar, he appeaered in the movie "Dive!" as well.

Overall, the movie is well written but of course compared to "Crying out Love", "Sand's Chronicle" has some way to go. Nonetheless, it is still an enjoyable love story and I definitely need to introduce the theme song for this movie, which really is a great song from Ikimonogakari.

Credits: port87.blogspot.com

Sunao Ni Narenakute [2010 Spring]

2010-10-10T17:58:00.001+08:00

Sunao Ni Narenakute or loosely translated as "hard to say I love you" is written by Kitagawa Eriko, who is famous for works such as Tatta Hitotsu no Koi, Orange Days, Overtime and Long Vacation. Hence, when this drama was announced, there was much anticipation. Furthermore, with cast members like Ueno Juri, Eita, Seki Megumi and Tamayama Tetsuji, one can expect this to be a good drama.

The story is about 5 person who follow each other on twitter and decides one day to meet up for a gathering. "Linda" is the main organiser, who is actually a magazine editor trying to get a story out regarding the usage of twitter and the effects it has on the people involved. "Haru" is a substitute teacher for a prestigious private school who just couldn't pass the examination to become a full fledged teacher. "Nakaji" is an aspiring photographer who could only get work taking photos for AV models while also living under the shadows of his dad. "Doctor" is an ethnic Korean struggling to make ends meet as a underperforming salesman selling medical products. "Peach" is the last member to join the group, who is Haru's real time friend but has a troubled past being a mistress of a married man and getting shunned by him after she got pregnant. The story tells the struggles of every character and how they overcome it through each other's support.

At first when I watched the first 3 episodes I was afraid this story will be like "Last Friends" where Ueno Juri and Eita were in it as well. Among all the Japanese dramas I've chosen to watch, Last Friends is considered to be one of the dramas that has the heaviest and darkest content, talking about domestic violence, lesbianism and incest. Sunao comes close, however it did not go that deep, which I feel luckily it did not. I will not comment much on what happened in the show but I do have to admit Kitagawa Eriko's scriptwriting is indeed different from the rest of the scriptwriters. In her shows, it seems to be more precise and more dense, making the content richer.

However, it is still disappointing that there are quite a number of characters which I thought seems excessive. Haru's brother Shu, who has a drug problem, together with one of her students who is also into drugs and even main character Peach herself, Kitagawa did not give them much room to grow, or to end these characters well. In a well scripted drama, having these loopholes is somewhat disappointing.

Have said that, the drama is still a pretty good production. The soundtrack for the drama is rich as well and differ from other dramas by using not self composing their own tunes but instead used various international songs to provide the background music. Expect a lot of music from the Ting Tings that is featured in the drama.

Moteki [2010 Summer]

2010-10-08T23:45:00.000+08:00

Moteki has be one of the more entertaining dramas that I have watched over the years. In fact, TV Tokyo has been producing some pretty quirky productions and they have made this their selling point for their dramas. And since Moteki is a late night drama, you'd expect some scenes to raunchy according to Japan TV standards, which is still pretty conservative as compared to other regions.

Moteki is a general term in Japan for someone becomes popular and attractive to others. Moriyama Mirai stars in this drama as Fujimoto, who is unpopular with girls, not fantastic in work and basically no direction in life. All that changed suddenly when four of his female acquaintances suddenly called him for a catch up. Will Fujimoto, the Moteki finally find love among the four?

And since it's a late night drama and the theme of Moteki is about being popular with girls, eye candy is natural for this drama. In fact, the actresses featured in this drama is pretty popular, such as Nonami Maho, Matsumoto Rio, Kikuchi Rinko and Mitsushima Hikari.

Okay, I got to admit I watched this drama for eye candy and I pretty much know that TV Tokyo's offerings is more on the entertaining side, especially for this genre of dramas. However, the only difference of this drama is that the actor and actresses who agreed to star in the drama are pretty power packed themselves. Hence, despite the loose plot, I thought each of them gave their best abilities to act out their respective roles. Hence, if you're watching this drama, just take everything with a pinch of salt and just relax and enjoy all the fun on offer in the drama. Afterall, why so serious for a after midnight show?

Tobo Bengoshi [2010 Summer]

2010-10-08T22:50:00.000+08:00

Onslaught with my review of Japanese dramas! This year's summer drama is pretty exciting and quite a number of well known actors and actresses are back with new dramas this season. One of my favourite actress is Ishihara Satomi and I was pretty pleased she's back with a decent drama in Tobo Bengoshi. I liked Satomi-chan ever since H2 era (she was exceptionally kawaii in that drama!).

Tobo Bengoshi, or Fugitive Lawyer, talks about an upright lawyer who was framed for murder, arson and embezzlement. Kamiji Yusuke of "Celeb to Bimbo Taro" stars in this drama as the main lead Narita, who was framed for killing his mentor, setting his lawyer firm on fire to destroy evidence and embezzling money through shoddy paperwork. In order to prove his innocence, he escaped from police custody to become a fugitive so that he can search for evidence to prove his innocence. Along the way, he met ordinary citizens who were bullies by people abusing the law and decides to help them as he continue to search for clues.

The line up of this drama is pretty heavy, with experienced actors and actress such as Kitamura Kazuki, Yada Akiko, Sato Jiro, Toyohara Kosuke in the drama. Hence, the acting quality of this show is pretty good. Also, since Tobo Bengoshi is adapted from a manga of the same title, and usually manga adapted stories are better in story telling, the pace of the drama is well even out as well. However, just like Shinzanmono, the drama is slow off the blocks are I thought the first few episodes are slightly draggy. Because the ending focuses on the main plot, I thought the sub plot towards the end where the lawyer continues to help ordinary folks can be shelved off and instead continue to develop on the main plot itself. Nonetheless, Japan scriptwriters does not disappoint on detective stories and this is no exception. The ratings for this show is also pretty decent with 9..1% viewership average.

Do catch this drama if you're a Ishihara Satomi fan, as I thought her previous outings on popular dramas is a tad disappointing.

Mioka [2010 Summer]

2010-10-08T15:06:00.000+08:00

Summer seasons usually provide the best line ups of dramas and this season is particularly exciting as all the tv stations are going all up with a wide array of dramas to choose from. In fact, I'm already breaking my personal record of catching up with 8 dramas this season. Usually on average, I only catch up with 4 dramas per season. Hence, this shows the potential for this season. I shall kick off my review with this season's tearjerker, Mioka.

Mioka is the name of the main protagonist acted by Yoshitaka Yuriko who finds out that she has an incurable brain disease and has the most one year to live. She ran up to her school's rooftop where she often hanged out, intending to jump off the building to end her life. However, she is stopped by a fellow student Taichi, who himself has a fear of height but still prevented her from jumping. From that incident, love blossomed between them but the cruel fate of time is still ticking away from Mioka. Will the love between the two stand the test of time?

As you progress to watch Mioka, you can't help but compare Mioka with Ichi Ritoru no Namida, one of the most successful tearjerkers starring Sawajiri Erika. Afterall, the disease affecting Mioka seems to be very similar to the one in the latter show. However, that is where the comparisons between the two stop. In Ichi Ritoru no Namida, the storytelling is more about the struggles of the main character, and in the end how she accepted her fate and live her life to the fullest. In Mioka, the emphasis is more on love, between the two young lovers, between the family members and between friends. It tells of the gratefulness that even though I may have this disease, you're still there to love me till the end no matter in what state am I in, and for that I'm truly grateful that I exist in this world and thank you for loving me.

Even though I termed Mioka as a tearjerker, I'd say the tear content is minute as compared to Ichi Rotaru no Namida. In fact, I hardly recall shedding a tear in this drama. That is not to say this show is poor. On the contrary, the show played perfectly to the theme of gratefulness of love, and the soundtrack emphasizes on that. The theme song "Hotaru" by Fukuyama Masaharu is an excellent choice for this drama and bascially you can feel the lyrics of the song in the drama. Do give it a go for this drama, and the average 10% of the Japan population will agree with you that they enjoyed watching it as much as you do.

Shinzanmono [2010 Spring]

2010-10-08T14:45:00.000+08:00

Doing some quick fire posts trying to cover some backlog since I've watched so many dramas and yet not sharing it here. As I've said in previous posts, there's quite a few good dramas this spring season and of course there's some really disappointing ones (read: Tsuki no Kohibito and NO, I don't feel like reviewing it because I think it's a waste of time). Japan scriptwriters seems to be still in the mood for detective stories, hence besides Zettai Reido which I reviewed it earlier, Shinzanmono is another that is available for this spring season.

Abe Hiroshi stars as Detective Kaga, who is new to the Nihonbashi police precinct as he has just transferred over to. Newcomers to a particular location are called "Shinzanmono", hence the title of the show. The first case Kaga is handling is the murder of a woman named Mitsui Mineko, who like him, is also a shinzanmono. Detective Kaga will need to use his keen sense of deductive reasoning to find out the real killer in a town where everyone seems to be keeping secrets that they do not want others to find out. Kuroki Meisa and Mizobata Junpei are the other notable names in this drama.

Usually, dramas or movies with Abe Hiroshi will not disappoint. However, I do feel that Shinzanmono, although is nice to watch, is somewhat lacking in the story telling department. As usual, Abe Hiroshi gives a solid performance with his confident acting and the rest of the cast gives a good performance. However, the story is a bit slow moving in the beginning even though as one progresses with each episode, it should lead the detective closer to the real killer. The story only gathered pace at the later half of the series, which a tad disappointing as the potential for the drama is there.

Nonetheless, it is still an enjoyable drama to watch and the Japanese clearly love their detective stories, giving it a 14.9% rating. However, fans of Kuroki Meisa may complain as she clearly does not feature as much as the leading female character in the show, who is already murdered. Thus, if you want to see more of Kuroki Meisa, I's suggest you watch "Dance, Dance Subaru" instead.

Team Batista 2: General Rouge no Gaisen [2010 Spring]

2010-10-08T14:22:00.001+08:00

I'm not sure what is the trend of previous years, but 2010 spring season has sprung quite a number of good dramas. One of those is Team Batista 2: General Rouge no Gaisen. People who have been following the series on the movie screens shouldn't be unfamiliar with this series since this has been shown on big screen with Takenuchi Yuko and Abe Hiroshi as the main leads as Taguchi Sensei and Shiratori respectively. I've also reviewed Team Batista no Eiko, which is the part 1 of this series, both movie and drama versions.

Ito Atsushi and Nakamura Toru reprises their respective roles in part 2 of this series where instead on dealing with medical malpractice within the hospital, a bigger scandal looms when the ER department lead by the brilliant but erratic Hayami sensei is quietly building up discontent among the department. However, when both of them dig further, they uncover something bigger which both of them may not be able to handle.

As per normal, people may start to compare the movie version with the drama version. No doubt there may be similar characters such as Hayami Sensei. However, that's where the similarities stop. Compared to Part 1 where the drama and the movie version is pretty similar, albeit with an extended version for the drama version, this second drama series takes a life on its own, which I personally feel is a good move by the writers. There's no point for the drama version to be the same as the movie version as there's no link at all between the two.

The overall feel of the drama is pretty positive, with each case ending at the end of each episode, of course with the main exception for the main plot that is building up as the drama goes along. The pace for the show is good and atypical of medical dramas. Acting is good with experienced actors such as Kato Ai and Shirashi Miho complementing the three main characters. The average ratings for this show is 14.4% (Kanto Region), which is considered very good for a drama rating. Do catch it if you can, and of course if possible, do watch part 1 of the series first to get a basic understanding of the two main characters. However, if you decide to start on the series, it's still fine as the drama does not carry any baggage from the previous series.

Zettai Reido [2010 Spring]

2010-10-08T01:49:00.001+08:00

Just realised for the past few reviews that I have made was all on movies or other stuff that I have posted and the last drama review I made was way back in March and it's not even a new drama. Hence I thought why not I update the scene a bit with a new review for a drama.

So far, the summer season for the Japan drama season has ended for a couple of weeks. However, they are still a few dramas that chose a later start date hence it's still screening currently in Japan. I've caught a few nice dramas since the start of the year and I thought I kick start the drama review with a Spring drama called Zettai Reido, or "Absolute Zero" in direct translation.

Zettai Reido talks about a special department in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police where unsolved murder cases will be sent to this department for storage and to be reviewed if any new lead or testimony comes up. Each case has a statutory of 15 years, after which the case will be dropped and all evidence retrieved disposed of.

Ueto Aya stars as the main lead in the show as Sakuragi Izumi, a rookie in the department. Although she is most inexperienced of all of her colleagues, she has an uncanny ability to be able to feel how the victims think before each of them met with mishap. Of course, this is not about some special ability but rather able to sense.

I would say this is the first show that I enjoyed with Ueto Aya in it. Previously, I really couldn't stand her over the top acting in dramas like "Attention Please!" which i thought was plain irritating. It was nice to see her deviate from those cutesy pie image to one of a serious actress (although I do admit I enjoyed Celeb to Bimbo Taro). As with most Japanese scriptwriters, they truly excel in writing up detective stories, hence this drama will not disappoint with each case that crops up. This is also backed up with a very decent rating of 14.4% during the Spring season. The insert songs for this drama is pretty good too, with Love Psychedelico providing both the main theme and the insert song. In summary, this drama is a pretty entertaining drama and deserves your 45 minute attention for 11 episodes.

Honokaa Boy [2009]

2010-10-06T01:29:00.000+08:00

Honokaa Boy is what I would call an arthouse film for a few reasons:

1. The pace of the movie is slow, and I mean really slow.
2. Beautiful scenes throughout the movie through sight and angle of normal places.
3. Few characters in the whole movie in total.

I wouldn't say the above points are reflective of all arthouse films. It's just that I feel most films have these few characteristics to be included in this genre.

Okada Masaki is the Leo, the male lead and main protagonist of this movie. The movie started off with his girlfriend and him going on a trip to Hawaii and they passed by this little called Honokaa when they got lost and had to ask for directions. Eventually, the girlfriend dumped him because he thinks he's too boring. Leo then decide to stay in Honokaa and got a job at a local theatre. He meets a quirky old woman named Bee (Baisho Chieko) who make a nice pastry called Malasoda and sells it at the theatre. Bee forms a friendship with Leo and prepares his meals everyday. However, that friendship is put to the test when Leo falls in love with a local girl Mariah (Hasegawa Jun) and starts to miss the meal appointments.

Overall, I'd say that I enjoyed the movie as the story does not seek the spectacular but instead tells a story through the relationships between each of the cast. What holds the movie together are the human emotions in the story. Afterall, you seldom see an old lady getting jealous over a young nubile and purposely adding the ingredient that she hates most while preparing a meal for both her guests. But then again, understanding why she did that and the various actions by each character is more important than the actual event itself. Hence, I did enjoy the movie quite a bit. I just wished the movie wasn't that long through...

The Mamiya Brothers [2006]

2010-09-20T23:07:00.000+08:00

It was by chance that I found this movie and it was also by chance that I had the opportunity to catch this movie. My first reaction after watching this movie is: "Only the Japanese can pull this kind of movie off." The second reaction after watching this movie is thinking what genre this movie is. I'll explain that later.

The main protagonists of this movie is of course the Mamiya brothers, with Elder brother Akinobu played by Kuranosuke Sasaki, more famous in Iryu series as Fujiyoshi Sensei. The younger brother Tetsunobu is played by Muga Tsukaji of Hansome Suit fame. The story tells about 2 brothers who in their 30s but yet still very close together. Their only short-coming is that they live in a rather otaku lifestyle with little social life and of course a lack of women in their life. One day, Tetsunobu decided to introduce girls to his elder brother by organising a curry party. Tetsunobu decides to invite a shy primary school teacher, Yuriko-sensei (Takako Tokiwa), while Akinobu decides to invite Naomi (Sawajiri Erika), the video store counter girl that he meets often. Akinobu subsequently falls in love with Naomi, while Tesunobu had a crush on his brother's colleague's estranged wife Saori. As things turn out, things do not have as they wish, but at least they have each other to fall back on.

The reason I mentioned I have no idea what genre this movie is is because it's neither a comedy, yet it's not exactly a melodrama either. But I got to love the casting of the show with three hot actress (Sawajiri, Takao and Keiko Kitagawa, who acted as Sawajiri's younger sister). Also, the acting between the Mamiya brothers is superb. You could really feel the bond between the two actors, and I think it can put real siblings to shame. And also, how can you resist 3 hot ladies in kimonos?! ♥♥♥

Overall, the show is a bit too slow for me, or I happen to run out of patience when I was watching it. But definitely, this show is quirky none the least. I think most will enjoy watching this show.

SNSD - Genie Jap Version

2010-09-14T21:56:00.001+08:00

Omg, Soo Young's Japanese is so good!!!! Absolutely ♥♥♥!!

不完美

2010-09-08T22:32:00.001+08:00

我知道自己不完美.
魔鬼之戰也才剛剛開始.
只有勇敢對面,
才能走出陰霾.
每天的陽光,
也就證明我每天的戰爭.

雖然我不完美,
但,
I'll be somebody someday.

My Girlfriend is a Gumiho 내 여자친구는 구미호 (Nae Yeojachinguneun Gumiho) [2010]

2010-09-01T00:25:00.002+08:00

I got to admit: I seldom watch Korean dramas. Usually I find Korean dramas to be draggy, even more so than Chinese or Hong Kong dramas. Another peeve I have against Korean dramas is that I do find some of their plots to be over exaggerating and their way of culture to be a bit peculiar. However, from time to time, I do find some of the dramas to be pretty interesting and funny. One good example is Goong, which starred Yoon Eun Hye. Another drama I enjoyed a lot is My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, a 16 episode comedy-fantasy drama that is still airing in South Korea at the moment on SBS.

The drama centers about a forbidden love between a human and a gumiho (a nine-tailed fox). The story begins when a man named Cha Tae Woong (played by Lee Seung Ki) meets a lively girl (Shin Min Ah) who is actually a gumiho who is awakened after 500 years sealed. Although, he is afraid of the gumiho’s power which traditionally eats human organs, but later he falls into her.

Shin Min Ah is irresistibly in this show as the gumiho. In fact, she's such a darling in the trademark white dress in this show. So much so, I just wish the whole show was about her and the main lead played by Lee Seung Ki. As usual, there's are the usual sidekicks like the male lead's aunt and grandfather, who are equally hilarious in their element. The goblin is played by No Min Woo of boy band 24/7 fame. Although I don't exactly like his image in the show as I thought it was a bit girlish (I seriously think he put on lipstick-like substance!), acting-wise, I thought he did okay. In fact, his character is a bit of a balance in the show as the rest of the cast is quirky and hilarious, while his role is more of the calmer-thinker kind.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the show and if you have the opportunity, do try to catch it as well!

The Main Song "Losing My Mind" by Lee Seung Gi

The Ending Theme "Fox Rain" by Lee Sung Hee

Lalapipo [2009]

2010-08-17T04:05:00.002+08:00

4/5.

Actually it was difficult to give a grade for this movie. First thing first, I really enjoyed watching this movie. It's bright, quirky and each character is interesting themselves. However, as compared to the previous Japanese movie I've commented, Air Doll, the depth for this movie is somewhat too shallow for my liking. Or maybe it isn't fair to compare this movie with Air Doll.

"Adapted from a sex-stuffed cult novel, LALAPIPO (a play on the phrase "A Lot of People") follows divergent seedy strands of sexual and narrative spaghetti through the sticky Tokyo night. The film features a "talent scout" aka pimp, a semi-reclusive freelance writer, a women who wants to be a voice actress who makes her living with a hidden camera, a female office worker whose morals are being progressively corrupted, a voyeuristic science fiction geek, and a housewife who lives in a disgusting house; these underdog characters face a fight for survival in the seedy sex industry world of porno films. No matter how sordid things get the movie never loses its sense of optimism that maybe tonight things are going to get better and this time around the sex might really mean something.. "
(credits: Japan Film Festival Singapore 2010)

Narimiya Hiroki stars as a pimp in the movie, who holds the movie together as the person who is connected with all the characters in the movie. In terms of this genre of roles, Hiroki is a natural as I've seen similar performances in J-Dramas such as Orange Days. However, that's where the problem comes in. Hiroki is eye-catching, but the rest of the cast seems to be overshadowed by Hiroki in the movie. Nakamura Yuri stars as the department store girl who was pimped by Hiroki and eventually carved out a career in the Japan Adult Industry. She just looks a bit "plain" in the show and frankly speaking seems just to add some candy in the show. Murakami Tomoko stands out more as an aspiring voice actress who chronicles her lonesome private sex life with a series of homemade sex tapes. Her performance is vintage best and I thought besides Hiroki, she stands out more with her outlandish room and costumes.

Overall, a really enjoyable movie. However, it may leave you to wonder where to place this movie that is neither this nor that.

You can catch this movie in the Japan Film Festival that is starting this weekend and ends on the 29th August 2010.

Yuriko-chan~~~

2010-08-17T00:07:00.000+08:00

Yoshitaka Yuriko looks just absolutely fabulous! You can catch her in this season's drama "Mioka"

Happy Birthday Singapore!

2010-08-09T22:45:00.008+08:00

This is Home, truly. Happy 45th Birthday, Singapore!

Bangkok Traffic Love Story (รถไฟฟ้า..มาหานะเธอ) [2009]

2010-08-07T17:07:00.007+08:00

Bangkok Traffic Love Story or Rodfaifah.. Ma Ha Na Ther in Thai, was recently released in selective cinemas in Singapore. The show stars Cris Horwang as Ly, a thirty year old lady desperate for love when all her best friends married. Theeradej Wongpuapan is Loong, or Uncle, who met Ly when she met with an accident after trying to drive home after her good friend, Ped's, wedding. Ly was infatuated with Loong, and she was thrilled to meet Loong again when Ly caught her maid having a rendezvous with her boyfriend and so happens the boyfriend called Loong to bail him out of trouble. Ly decided that she has to take initiative to "chase" Loong if she is to realise her future happiness.

Filming of Bangkok Traffic love Story was sponsored by the BTS, and the film included many scenes depicting maintenance work on the system and its infrastructure. The film was promoted as part of BTS's tenth anniversary celebrations. The film's Thai name, Rod fai fah.. Ma Ha Na Ther, translates as "Skytrain, coming to meet you", and is a word play on Rot Fai Fa Maha Nakhon (รถไฟฟ้ามหานคร), which, however, is actually the Thai name of the MRT underground system rather than the BTS. The English title is abbreviated BTS to coincide with that of the skytrain system.
(credits: wikipedia)

Usually for Thai films which made it to Singapore, there are three distinct genres: Comedy, Horror or action. Of the three, I prefer comedy as usually when I go to watch a movie, I prefer something light break the seriousness of things happening around the world. Bangkok Traffic Love Story certainly fits the bill as the laughter starts almost from the beginning till the end. The film didn't purposely produce the laughter, but it comes almost naturally to entertain the audience. Of course, having some quirky characters such as a boy who loves to jeans so tight that he can hardly lift his legs certainly helps. Oh one more thing, the Thai language plays a part too. Somehow or another, if a particular scene changes its language to say, English, I don't think the laughter will be produced.

One special mention in the movie is Ungsumalynn Sirapatsakmetha or Pattie for short. She's one of the up and coming actress in the country and I realised she was also part of the cast in Hormones, the movie that I reviewed recently.

Overall, the acting by the cast is good, with Cris really looking irresistible in the movie. Maybe it's the fact that she doesn't carry heavy make up in the show and is all natural in the movie. ahhhh~~~

Here's a special MV from the show:

Air Doll (Kuki Ningyo) [2009]

2010-08-06T01:10:00.003+08:00

5/5.

That's the verdict I will give for Air Doll. Mind my readers, I seldom watch what I consider "artistic" movies, but I happen to recognise the lead of this movie, hence I thought I might give it a try. What I didn't realise was that I did not expect that I would feel that much for a movie since I last watch "Babel".

"A life-size Air Doll named Nozomi(starring Bae Doo Na) “lives” in a shabby apartment in Tokyo. Her middle-aged master(starring Itsuji Itao) talks to her, puts her in a bath and makes love with her every day after he returns from work. This routine life is disrupted when fantasy turns into reality. One morning, the Air Doll suddenly comes to life, filled with a soul. Exploring the world around her, she soon falls in love with Junichi(starring ARATA), a video store clerk. She discovers what it means to live, to love, to be lonely. Everything is going well until one day when her hand is accidentally cut and she begins to deflate in front of Junichi…"
(credits: Japan Film Festival Singapore 2010)

Apparently when the movie was first shown during the Cannes Movie festival, the reviews for it was mixed. They critise the film for a lack of substance, but they praised Bae Doo Na for her exquisite acting. However, there are other reports that describes the film as "an achingly beautiful meditation on loneliness and longing in the city" and suggested its themes would particularly appeal to female audiences.
(credits: Wikipedia).

My take on the movie is that although the movie travels at a poetic leisurely pace, none of the scenes in the movie is boring. In fact, I like the director's artistic delivery of each scene. Also, some critics think that the movie is too long, but I beg to differ as the length of the movie is required to introduce each sub character's problem in this lonely city landscape:

- An old lady who is lonely, has dementia and always apologises to others for no reason;
- A small neighborhood policeman who yearns for big time action and satisfy his yearning by constantly renting gangster movies;
- Nozomi's master who can't communicate with woman but instead buys a life-size doll to fulfill his sexual pleasures;
- A young boy with a fetish for maid uniform;
- A graduate who gave up finding a job in the city and yet not willing to go back to her hometown;
- A father who is divorced and can't communicate with his daughter;
- A retiree whose life was lived always being a substitute for others;
- A receptionist who is past her prime and is not noticed by anyone.

These small characters is especially empathized in a memorable quote spoken by the doll in the movie:

"Life is constructed in a way
that no one can fulfilled it alone.
Just as it's not enough for flowers
to have pistils and stamens.
An insect or a breeze
must introduce a pistil to a stamen.

It seems the world is the summation of Others
and yet,
we neither know nor are told
that we will fulfill each other.
We lead our scattered lives,
perfectly unaware of each other...
Or at times, allowed to find
the Other's presence disagreeable
Why is it,
that the world is constructed so loosely?"

Another reason to give the movie top marks is the acting by the lead actress Bae Doo Na. Given the plot, Bae Doo Na is required to do quite a number of naked scenes in the movie (after all, unless the owner dresses the doll, it is usually naked). And I do mean there are a lot of nudity scenes in the movie. For that reason, I salute Bae for the braveness shown. However, I was more impressed at how she portray the expressions of being a "live" air doll. Her expression is starkly similar to the expression of a real doll and throughout the movie she has made sure that her hand movements resemble that of a blown up doll. Furthermore, a lot of scenes require her to keep her eyes wide open as well as not to blink throughout the shot.

Overall, as what most reviews mention, after watching the movie, one may leave the cinema with a heavy heart and a deep sigh, trying to feel one's long-lost soul and pondering on the meaning of ephemeral life. I did too, and I started to realise, maybe I'm not different from that air doll afterall....

If you're in Singapore, you can catch it at the Japanese Film Festival that is running from Aug 19-29. Tickets are moving real fast so do grab your tickets!

Climber's High [2008]

2010-08-05T17:41:00.001+08:00

Climber's High in a way is not your typical disaster film. Instead of focusing the main tragedy, it instead focus on the works of a fictional newspaper agency, North Kanto News, and how the tragedy shaped how the newspaper should present its news. Climber's High is based on the novel by Hideo Yokoyama depicting the human cost, the exploitation of the media and the government blame shifting on the matter. The tragedy itself though, is real as the actual accident happened on August 12 1985, where the plane crashed into the ridge of Mt Takamagahara, on Osutaka Ridge in Gunma Prefecture. Of the 524 passengers and crew, only 4 survived, making the worst single plane accident in the world.

The movie's main protagonist is Kazumasa Yukii (Tsutsumi Shinchi), a reporter with the North Kanto News but has a rebellious streak. He was supposed to go for a climb with his good pal Anzai when the accident happened. However, he stood Anzai up because the chief decided to appoint Yukii as the head for the crash reporting. However, as Yukii tries to impose his own style of reporting, he met with resistance from the upper management as office politics, external political pressure and rivalry between newspapers heats up in the math of the tragedy.

This show was last shown in cinemas a year back in my country but I've only managed to catch it recently. One principal reason of watching is that you seldom get this type of genre of shows on local screens ie. talking more about the journalistic side of it rather than the accident proper. Another reason to catch the show is that Tsutsumi Shinchi is an excellent actor who acting credentials inlcude Suspect X of the Galileo series as well as Japanese dramas such as "Good Luck!".

Overall, the movie is pretty good and well paced. However, people who watched the show may be a bit confused as it talks about his private life in present and the flashback to the main story. While the movie is trying to tell the audience that what happened during that period has caused a change in his view of life, the movie didn't exactly explain much on that. Nonetheless, the best scenes are no doubt in the newsroom where all the action is happening: the arrangements, the feelings after viewing the accident scene, the stories that each reporter is trying to tell.

After all, reporters are human.

Counter

2010-07-29T18:31:00.002+08:00

This will be a pretty short post. As I had problems with the previous blog counter, I've decided to change the counter and back to zero! Haha, till the next time i change my blog layout for the reset......

Fure Fure Girl [2008]

2010-07-21T02:46:00.001+08:00

Fure Fure Girl has the typical Japanese high school setting that talks about the struggles the students face and ultimately triumph over all the adversities that they face. Aragaki Yui is the main lead as Momoyama Momoka, a dreamy 2nd year high school girl that loves romantic novels but does not know how to fall in love in real life. One day, while reading her romantic novel while walking out to the school gate, she was accidentally hit by an errant baseball. In the process, she fell in love with the perpetrator. Wanting to cheer him on, she decided to join the cheering team which is almost disbanded due to a lack of members. Together with the vice-leader, they managed to form a cheering team but in the process, learn the art of cheering as well as the meaning behind cheering sincerely and not asking anything back.

I would have to say this topic of a cheering team will be quite foreign to those who does not know the Japanese culture. These cheering teams are more prevalent in baseball matches where they lead the whole school as one to cheer for their team. You may find similar video clips on the web with regards to cheering team.

However, besides the possible unfamiliarity of a cheering team, I thought the movie fell short as well. No doubt this zero to hero theme is tried and tested, for example movies like Swing Girls & Water Boys, Fure Fure Girl seems to deliver less. More emphasis was placed on the cheers which isn't a bad thing, but I thought it was slightly draggy at the end of the movie. In terms of acting-wise, although it was decent, the cast somehow did not manage to pull me into the movie, which was disappointing in that aspect.

Give it a try, but I believe they are better choices if you're looking for this genre of Japanese movies.

Au Revoir Taipei 一頁台北 [2010]

2010-07-13T00:38:00.003+08:00

Anybody who tried to conjure out how the synopsis of a story using just the movie poster is going to be terribly wrong with Au Revoir Taipei. Just when you thought this is gonna be a sweet love story between the two cast shown in the poster, again you'll be very surprised.

The story started with the departure of the Kai's (Jack Yao, 姚淳耀) girlfriend, Faye, to Paris. In order to attempt to join his girlfriend, he began going to a bookstore to self learn French through one of the guidebooks available. In the bookstore, he befriended Susie (Amber Kuo, 郭采潔), who worked in the bookstore. Susie, who has feelings for Kai due to his determination to learn, had always tried to make small talk with Kai, but he was more interested to learn than to bother her. However, things changed when Faye decided to break up with Kai. Kai, in his desperation to go to Paris to salvage the relationship. However as his family is poor, he decided to turn to soon-to-be retired triad boss Bao　(Gao Ling Feng, 高淩風) for help. In exchange for the money, Bao asked Kai to help him collect a parcel from another person. Bao's nephew Hong(Lawrance Ko, 柯宇綸), is jealous that his uncle did not ask him to do the job instead and decide to thwart the transaction. However, things got a little messy when a kidnapping and cop-chasing were involved in a messy night in Taipei.

Frankly speaking, I was thoroughly entertained by the movie as I was surprised by the storyline (FYI, I did not read any reviews or sort before I watched the movie). And one thing I love about the show is how the director tried to portray Taipei as Paris with the clever use of soothing background music that is jazzy yet utterly french, as well as the line dancing in the middle of the movie to convey Taipei can be romantic as well.

Credits has to go to the rest of the cast that has small parts but important for the movie. Characters such as Gao, Kai's good buddy who got abducted due to the parcel; Jiyong, who was chasing Kai due to the parcel and got dumped by his girlfriend on the same night, add colors to the movie which is already vibrant in its own nature. The director also showcased Taiwan's street snacks scene, making anyone who watched the movie with an empty stomach wanting to try those snacks as well. The director also stuck with the formula to keep each scene short and simple so that they do not bore the audience and kept the colors bright to make it a visual escapade.

Overall, I was very surprised with the storyline as well as the production of the movie and I'm beginning to feel the movie churning out from Taiwan is going to surprise quite a few persons. Although trying to replicate the success of Cape No. 7 is going to hard, they can still score in the indie film scene.

Here's the official trailer of the show:

严爵 Yen-J

2010-07-06T18:25:00.004+08:00

Just realised that I haven't been keeping up with the chinese pop scene, I've decided to scour the charts to see what's new in the charts. I was pleasantly surprised with this newcomer who is so multi-talented that it defy beliefs. Apparently, he wrote the songs, rhythm and lyrics everything, arranged the songs and played the keyboard for all of his songs. Technically speaking, he is like a one man band, handling almost everything by himself. I guess what is more surprising is that the record company has confidence in letting him do his way, which is pretty unheard of in the chinese pop industry.

If you want to know more about him and you know Chinese characters, feel free to check out his official website here or his personal blog at here.

What I liked about his songs is the variety that you can find. It's hard to pin point the genre of his songs because he does not fall into any category. [我喜欢，不我爱] has a Jason Mraz feel which uses just a wooden guitar and acoustic drums to bring out the feelings of a guy express his puppy love. [爱就是咖哩] has a jazz arrangement instead, using an old jazz number as the base and yet fusing mandarin, english and the local taiwanese dialect into the song, making it extremely infectious. [困在台北] is a more angst number telling about his life story and the struggles he faced before he finally produced this album.

You can sample the songs below:

Another song from Yen-J, but I thought this song is more commercial.

Japan Freekicks

2010-06-25T19:11:00.006+08:00

For all those footballers who complain about the Jabulani balls for the world cup, let the Japanese teach you how to control the ball. The freekicks they scored last night in the 3-1 defeat of Denmark are absolute beauties!!!!!

Pandemic (Kansen Retto) [2009]

2010-06-24T23:11:00.001+08:00

Japanese disaster movie is somewhat of a cliche in terms of how they make the movie. In a way, it's pretty distinctive Japanese styled. However, in terms of disaster movies, the Japanese movie industry is still far ahead in the Asian markets as the rest seldom does a disaster movie as well as the Japanese.

Pandemic tells about a virus that was imported by a doctor who went back to Japan to visit his daughter just before her wedding. However, as the doctor was already infected with this unknown virus, and the virus is an airborne virus, the virus was caught on by his daughter's fiancee. When the fiancee went to the hospital to seek for treatment, the doctor in charge misdiagnosed it as a common cold due to its symptoms. However, not long after, the fiancee arrived at the ER with bleeding from the mouth, nostrils and eyes, and died not long after. As the time goes by, the doctor begins to realise this is not the normal type of virus he is encountering and soon the virus spreads like wildfire among the population unknown to its existence.

What I really liked about this movie is its portrayal of the medical staff: the doctors, the nurses and their nobleness to treat highly infectious people that continues to stream through their doors. Another reason for feeling about the movie is the remembrance of the SARS outbreak that happened in my country and how each medical staff put the patient before thinking about themselves; truly great personnel.

Although I find the movie considerably good, I just thought the ending was a bit draggy for my liking and the pace was slightly slow. Also, they are certain sub plots that I thought the director just simply brushed though where it could be further developed. Nonetheless, I'm glad to see Satoshi Tsumabuki on the big screen again as I thought his new work somewhat dried up recently.

A movie worth a look, but do not expect too much surprises.

Aoi Tori [2008]

2010-06-11T04:34:00.002+08:00

I always admired the acting skills of Abe Hiroshi. I always felt he has that X-factor in his acting, and can't be found in other actors. The way he portray his roles is somewhat different; in the sense that you will feel more for his character. Aoi Tori is all about Abe Hiroshi, and I felt he portray the character in the show to its absolute max.

Aoi tori talks about bullying in school which is somewhat common in Japan. Abe Hiroshi stars as Mr. Murauchi, a relief teacher for a class that just had a classmate attempted suicide due to bullying by this classmates. Although the students were reprimanded and asked to reflect on their behavior through lengthy essays, the class did not fully repent from their actions. This is shown by chucking the classmate's seat into the store room. Mr. Murauchi, on his first lesson, instructs the students in charge of duty that day to restore the seat at its original position, and hence digging the past that none want to revisit.

If you're not a fan of movies that slowly develop the plot, I strongly suggest that you give this show a miss. The pace of Aoi Tori is extremely slow and if you're not patient enough, I bet you'll chuck this movie after 5 minutes. However, once pursuing it, you'll realize the deep meanings behind Murauchi's actions and the need to accept one's own actions, and not conveniently forget about it to move on. Also, you'll be able to appreciate Abe Hiroshi at his finest in portraying as a stuttering relief teacher. The supporting cast also lends its support in the show, but Abe Hiroshi is without doubt the standout character in the movie. The theme song for the movie is also worth a special mention as it helps to set the mood in the beginning of the movie as well as at the end of the movie. Take a closer look at the lyrics for the theme song. I feel that it really sticks close to the message the movie is trying to convey.

Amalfi [2009]

2010-06-10T04:07:00.002+08:00

I can't believe I actually missed out this superb movie from my must watch list. Amalfi packs a superb main and supporting cast as well, with Oda Yuji, Amami Yuki, Toda Erika and Sato Koichi as the lead cast, and Otsuka Nene, Fukuyama Masaharu and Ito Atsushi heading the strong supporting cast.

The story starts with Kuroda, acted by Oda Yuji arriving early in Rome due to a visit by the Japanese Foreign Minister. Originally to overlook the security of the visit, he was distracted by another case whereby a mother(Amami Yuki) who is on tour with her young daughter has lost her daughter at a museum. Things turned for the worst when she received a call from the kidnapper demanding a ransom for her daughter. Kuroda decides to help the mother to get back her daughter.

The reason I really gave praise to the show is because it kinds of reminds you of Angels & Demons, with the plot on suspense as well. Furthermore, more impressive is the fact that the whole movie was shot entirely in Italy, an uncommon sight for Japanese movies, baring Nodame Cantabile. Lastly, the cast and supporting cast is very, very strong. You seldom see a movie casting with so many heavyweights in the lead and supporting cast.

Another part I love about this movie is that it's rather refreshing to watch a jap movie with an international appeal. Usually, jap movies have a certain "edge" with it and with one watch you know that you're watching a jap movie. Amalfi, on the other hand, as I've said earlier, have some similarities with Angels & Demons and the feel for this movie is more international, which makes it good for marketing in overseas market. Maybe this is also the reason why this show is also distributed to my country.

Lastly, a nice part for the movie is that it's not slow paced at all. Jap movies sometimes require certain amount of patience to watch as it can get draggy and takes a longer time to get into story. This movie, on the other hand, keeps the pace well.

In summary, a great suspense movie and I certainly will recommend this show to anyone who wants a first try into jap movies.

Hormones or ปิดเทอมใหญ่ หัวใจว้าวุ่น (Pit Thoem Yai Hua Chai Wawun) [2008]

2010-06-08T01:33:00.001+08:00

I must admit,

Even though Thailand is in close proximity to my home country, I seldom had the chance to watch thai movies. Firstly, I do not exactly like to watch horror films which most movies imported from Thailand are of that genre. Secondly, I believe film distributors here have a problem with the language as well as the fact that most thai artists are not well known in here. Hence I was pleasantly surprised that this movie went straight to DVD in my country and caught my eye.

The film revolves around a group of high school and university students during their school break, and the relationships that develop (or don't). Four threads are followed: Poo (Charlie Trairat) and Mai (Sirachuch Chienthaworn) are in competition for Nana (Ungsumalynn Sirapatsakmetha), class geek Jo (Ratchu Surachalas) is in love with a popular girl Cee (Chutima Teepanat) while Oh Lek (Focus Jirakul) is wild about a Taiwanese singer Titi (Lu Ting Wei), and Hern (Chantawit Thanasewee) is thinking of cheating on his girlfriend Nuan (Thaniya Ummaritchoti) when he meets Japanese tourist Aoi (Sora Aoi). [credits: wikipedia]

I got to say that the Thais have a way with their movies. Even though there is nothing new with the plot or the storyline, I still find it refreshingly interesting to watch the whole show. Also, this show has an excellent soundtrack to go with the show and I believed it helped to keep my attention span on the show. In fact, I got to say I like it quite a bit.

What I'm more amazed are the acting abilities of the actors and actress in here. Half of the cast are believed to be at around middle school age but their acting abilities belies their age. In fact, I thought they have outshone the older cast members in the show.

Overall, a very nice, light-hearted romantic comedy inspired by "Love Actually". When you watch the show, you'll get what I mean *wink*

The Fear of Lonliness

2010-05-18T15:10:00.001+08:00

The very reason of why Facebook, Twitter, Plurk etc has became so ingrained into our society. And the very phrase i can relate to: "One can be among people, and still feel lonely".

Credits: Eugene Loh & Mediacorp

Team Batista no Eiko

2010-05-14T17:51:00.002+08:00

I believe some readers will find this post slightly amusing as this show is clearly not last season's offering. However, as this season is showing season 2 of Team Batista, I thought there a need to watch the first season to know what the story back then.

If you find the title familiar, that's because there's a movie version of the same title. It was acted by Takeuchi Yuko and Abe Hiroshi where Yuko was the female version of Taguchi-sensei in charge of investigating the allegations while Hiroshi is the government official assisting Taguichi-sensei in solving the mystery.

Taguchi-sensei is in charge of the psychosomatic medicine department, where basically his job is to listen to the complaints of the hospital patient. The hospital is also famous for its Batista surgery, which is one of the more difficult t cardiac surgeries. Prior to the mystery, the team has 27 consecutive successive surgeries, which is considered as an amazing achievement. However, after the 27 surgeries, 3 consecutive patients have died in succession on the operating table, and the chief is concerned with the deaths. Hence, Tanguchi-sensei is assigned to find out the root of the problem. Shiratori-san, the Ministry official believes that these 3 deaths are murder by of the team members and is determined to find out who it is.

The problem with dramas having a movie of the same title is that people are bound to make comparisons and this drama is no exception. I do have to admit that Yuko and Hiroshi makes a good team but for this instance, the leads acted by Ito Atsushi and Nakamura Toru is no flash in the pan either. Both of them had put up very credible performance in the show. However, what I felt was a let down was the drama tried to drag the story too much by adding a few more sub plots into the story. Generally, the movie version seems to triumph in this aspect as the whole storyline focus on one outcome while the drama version was dragging its storyline, seemingly to fulfill its episode requirement.

However, given the fact that the original storyline remained, the drama is still a very much enjoyable show and these drama shows actually shows the prowess of japanese dramas for its medical drama. A good show to catch and I thought it'll be good to catch this show first before watching Team Batista season 2.

Apologies + Code Blue 2

2010-05-14T17:20:00.001+08:00

A few apologies for a lack of posts for close to a month. Not that I have not stopped watching my fave japanese dramas, but it's just that whether it's worth to give a mention about it.

For short, managed to finish Code Blue 2 once I managed to wait for the english subbed version to be released. A bit surprised with the ending of the show, but from the looks of it, with the ending that it portray, there may be a high chance that there will not be a sequel for the show. It has managed to close several incidents that was left hanging in the first season, but I won't be surprised if a third season or a movie version is coming up. After all, the drama has been popular for both its series and the SP that was aired prior to season 2.

To be frank, a lot has been commented on the net that season 1 seems to be better, but i think season 2's aim is to look at the thoughts of each character. Also, with impending death of one character early on in the series, the mood is somewhat somber. However, that should not be the case for criticism as the show needs to address that and how each character matured from it.

Overall, a good drama, but with all the niggling small issues with the show, it did spoil the overall entertainment value. Nonetheless, still the best drama of the season.

杜拉拉升职记 Go Lala Go! [2010]

2010-04-22T14:28:00.002+08:00

To be frank, I seldom watch films that came out China.　There is a major difference between films produced by Hong Kong and films produced by China. However, what caught my eye for this show was that it was directed by one of China's hottest internationally known actress Xu Jinglei. Furthermore, the cast of the movie include Karen Mok, Stanley Huang and Pace Wu, making the movie seem somewhat more appealing.

The movie centers around the main character Du Lala, starred by Xu Jinglei. It basically describes how she managed to work her way up from a small position in a big company to become the HR manager of that company. Along the way as well, she fall in love and came to a crossroad as her job ambition clashes with her love.

Now, does the plot sound familiar? Why not? Afterall, it sounds like one of those Hollywood plots that we may be a bit familiar. However, this plot has a distinct Chinese flavor as the movie is adapted from a well known novel written by Li Ke. Apparently, this book has created quite a buzz in China and hence the movie adaption.

I'm sure if this is Xu Jinglei directorial debut, but if it is, I must say I'm pretty impressed with her work. The movie is not heavy at all in mood, everything's pretty enjoyable actually. Each character has played it part well and frankly speaking, there wasn't a dull moment at all. However, one thing the movie does not for me is letting me have the urge to re-watch it again. Sure it was enjoyable, but there are other movies out there in the market that is able to capture the audience and makes them wanna watch it again. I do not know if it's the storyline or what but most likely it may be a hi and bye show.

That said, I still think it was an thoroughly enjoyable movie. Do watch it if it's screening at a cinema near you. Quite good for de-stressing!

My Rainy Days (Tenshi No Koi) [2009]

2010-04-15T18:48:00.002+08:00

I got to say I seldom watch movies on my own in cinemas. Everybody's always going with someone to watch a movie and here I am watching it alone by myself. But then again, sometimes my movie choices can be a bit perculiar. Tenshi no Koi is one the example. I remember the first movie I watched alone was "Swing Girls" and luckily the cinema was pretty empty, so I didn't felt weird. For this instance, I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't the only one watching it alone. Even though the cinema was half packed, seeing these individual strangers made me feel at ease and hence able to enjoy the movie more.

Tenshi no Koi stars Sasaki Nozomi as Ozawa Rio, a 17 year old girl who has experienced life more than others. Due to a traumatic incident when she was 14, Rio decided to only care about herself from getting hurt again. Friends and boys to her are just tools for her to get money to live a lavish lifestyle. However, all that changed when she met a 35 year old history professor Ozawa Kouki, acted by Tanihara Shosuke. From him, she learns what is true love and how her actions before has in fact hurt the people that she really cares. Through him, she began to open up to her true self and through her, slight changes can be seen in Kouki's character as well. However, one day, Kouki suddenly disappears....

I have to say I had trouble recognising Sasaki Nozomi as she seems to be a new face to me. When i did a search on google, I was pleasantly surprised that she has already acted in a couple of movies and dramas as well. For the Winter'10 drama season, she starred in Massanagu no Otoko and her movies include Handsome Suit as well. This means she has actually starred in the same movie as Tanihara Shosuke. I don't think anyone should find Tanihara Shosuke unfamiliar as he has acted in various dramas and movies including Love Shuffle (One of my all time favourtie drama!)

For a newbie like Sasaki Nozomi and landing a lead role after one movie is pretty amazing and she shows she may be primed for stardom. She has the Fukuda Kyoko pout which I thought when she did that in the movie really looks like the former. I find her chararcter quite likable in the movie even though she is supposed to be quite persistent when love arrives, as shown in the movie. Kawaii, but not overly so. On the other hand, I thought this movie is too simple for Tanihara's acting. Just had this feeling that he didn't need to use much of his acting skills to protray his character. Maybe it's this factor that let me to think Sasaki Nozomi doing a decent job on her part.

However, I was still a bit disappointed the promotional movie poster that they used here in my country. I just feel that this poster doesn't properly reflect on the whole basis of the story. If you really need to know how the poster looks like, it's the picture shown below.

Overall, I like this movie especially the soundtrack sung by Yuna Ito and Love Psychedelico. But how I wish I had someone to hug with when I watch this love story. =/

Ikimonogakari - Nostalgia

2010-04-01T16:00:00.009+08:00

A band that never fails to create good music. Enjoy~

Nodame Cantabile Movie Part 1 [2009]

2010-03-19T23:20:00.001+08:00

For those who lives around the Asia-Pacific region, you should not be surprised that this movie is already in all major cinemas and it was first shown in Japan in December'09. It opened in Singapore 2 thursdays ago and so far the review from the newspapers is positive.

For me, the movie is more like an extended addiction for me as it continues the story after the drama which was first aired in 2006 followed by a 2 part 2 hour special. In fact, it can be said that this movie is like an extension of the 2 hour special and they need to earn the cash to justify the on location shooting in Paris, Wien and Prague.

To be frank, although I liked how the story progressed from the the special, I was a bit disappointed in the sense that the sub plots that the director created wasn't well concluded. I couldn't describe more as it may spoil your viewing pleasure. However, it may be answered in the 2nd part of the movie which will be in cinemas in April (Hooray!!).

As usual, Nodame is at her crazy best but I thought the effects for some scenes was worse as compared to the drama. In conclusion, although I fully enjoyed the movie, I felt that it can be done even better. But Nodame Cantabile fans shouldn't miss this movie AT ALL!

Go catch it at a cinema near you!

Nobuta Wo Produce

2010-03-12T20:48:00.000+08:00

This is a bit peculiar to me as I remembered watching this show before but when I (re)watched it again, I didn't find any parts familiar to me. And besides I've heard of this show way back and managed to complete it just recently. But it still bugs me: why I managed to miss out on such a great show?

Kiritani Shuji (Kamenashi Kazuya) is a popular guy in school who can gets along with everyone. However, to him getting popular is just a game to him, thus he doesn't have any real friends in school. However, he has one person he can't stand in class and that's Kusano Akira (Yamashita Tomohisa). To Shuji, Akira is plain irritating. He laughs, talks and acts fuuny. Things change when a new transfer student, Kotani Nobuko (Horikita Maki), appeared. She's a girl with no self confidence and is content to be bullied around. Shuji, unable to accept bulling, eventually teams up with Akira to "produce" Nobuko, to change her to become the most popular student in school. Together in the journey about friendship and youthfulness, they changed themselves as well for the better.

Again, how I managed to miss this show is at best bewildering. This show is like 5 years ago, with high rating of close to 17%, almost quite impossible to miss. However, I'm glad that I managed to watch it. Especially important is that I'm able to see the improvements made by Yamapi and Maki in terms of their acting through these 5 years. I could really say they have matured in their acting, especially for Yamapi.

Do catch it if you missed it out like me!

Olivia Ong - Olivia 同名專輯

2010-03-11T12:12:00.000+08:00

Yes!! At last Olivia's new album under taiwanese label group 華研國際音樂!! Just sampled her first single "You and Me" which you can hear it in my playlist.

Do support her as she's a great singer!

Ima Ai ni Yukimasu

2010-03-06T02:27:00.000+08:00

I just realised I haven't been giving reviews for Jap drama recently due to being on par with the current season's shows; being lazy/busy that I have no time to blog; and I didn't clear my stockpile of old shows to catch up.

Also due to the distraction of taiwanese dramas for the past 2 months, I sort of neglected my old jap drama stockpile as well. But I did managed to finish this classic from 2005. If you find the title familiar, it's because this title has been adapted onto the big screen as well, with the irresistible Takeuchi Yuko. The show is adapted from a novel of the same title by Takuji Ichikawa who also wrote 2 other novels that was adapted into movies and dramas.

The story starts with Takumi and his son Yuji struggling living their lives properly from the death of his wife Mio a year back. Being the doting mother, Mio has wrote a picture book telling Yuji to be strong upon her death. When she die, she will be far away at another planet to live. However, she promised to him that she will return when the rainy season comes. Yuji believes in this story and thinks that his mother will come back when the rainy seasons arrive. One rainy June morning, Yuji runs out into the forest to the special place where he used to play with his mom. His father chases after him to get him to go out school. However, when they reached the place, they saw his mother Mio seating in a corner and alive and well. However, she has completely no memory of them or any incidents regarding their lives.

I have watched the movie version before and I remembered crying buckets. Now I watched the drama version and I still cry buckets about it. As compared to the movie version, the drama version may be longer, and for some people they considered it to be draggy. But I would beg to differ as having longer hours will enable certain parts of the story to be better explained. In this case, the story I feel is better explained, but of course they did change certain parts so that they can explain why certain incidents happen in the show. I won't drop any hints so that at least you could find it out yourself how the differ for the drama and the movie version.

Overall I was pretty surprised with the cast. Mimura looks absolutely pretty in this show! As compared to Call Centre no Koibito, I would consider it to be completely different in terms of style. I was also pleasantly surprised with Narimiya Hiroki's acting in the drama as the roles he usually portray is not the serious kind of roles as Ima Ai ni Yukimasu.

For a show that let me cry buckets load, it has to be a good show. haha! Just give it a try and you'll be touched by it.

再愛上 <下一戰,幸福>

2010-03-05T02:54:00.001+08:00

有些戲看了一次就不會再想去看;有些戲再看也不膩. 偶然讓我發現<下一戰,幸福>的製作特輯,也讓我再一次的深深愛上<下一戰,幸福>.

<下一戰,幸福> 之所以能深深達動我的原因是她精緻,但絕不乏味,更不會讓我覺得她的拍戲手法誇張.另外一個我喜歡的原因是每個演員的演技都很專業,甚至讓我覺得他們的用心,他們的汗水.故事不會被刻意拉長,小細節都管理得很好.

我無意中再重看<下>最後一集的時候才發現一直有製作特輯,就馬上在youtube搜搜,一連3小時把所有的製作特輯看完.我之有所感觸再blog<下>的原因是因為看到他們的辛苦,看到他們的努力,而且看到他們的認真.我尤其對小小彬非常佩服.他雖然只有5歲,但演起戲來非常專業,尤其是那段他追著光唏的車時,真的會感受到他的傷心與牽掛.

雖然Vaness在戲里有出色的演出,但我覺得最讓人引人注目是飾演花拓也的吳慷仁.在那段慕橙告訴花拓也她已經跟光唏結婚,而且只是把花拓也當成她最重要的朋友那一幕,我真的為花拓也流眼淚.那一幕可說是<下>最重要一幕之一. 在這裡讓你們回味一下:

這些美麗的照片都是來自<下>導演的部落格.點擊這裡就可以遊覽導演的部落格.看到他們愉快的照片,真的覺得他們的努力是值得的.他們親切的笑容,就有如一家人的開心照,給人一種心暖暖的感覺.

<下一戰,幸福>真的完了.真的希望會有另一部台灣劇能給我這樣的感動.

就像<海角七號>,<聽說>和<下一戰,幸福>.

Tranquility

2010-03-03T00:01:00.000+08:00

credits: Tim Wallace @ fotoviva.co.uk

I thought of this word suddenly when I decided to pay my blog a visit at the main page. I don't know why but the current song playing in my playlist never fails to invoke a sense of blogging. Most likely, I remembered the part the song has played in Autumn's Concerto (下一戰,幸福). Speaking of which, Autumn's Concerto has just finished it run last sunday.

Was a bit disappointed with the ending. Although it's only half an hour, I just felt it's a bit rushed. The perpetual problem with Taiwanese drama is that they know how to make a great story, but they have no idea how to end it. Sadly for a great drama, the ending is so abrupt and it's like this half an hour can be incorporated in the last episode shown the week before. I know they need to draw viewers to the next show airing at the same time slot, but please make it more entertaining and meaningful.

The reason why I thought of the word is because I was having an image in my head regarding tranquility and I thought what results would google churn out. I didn't feel most of the picture depict tranquility and certainly not one picture that featured somebody's asses. Tranquility is like the extension of my last post; the stillness of the air. But tranquility is much more. It's about the peace of the inner self, being in balance inside.

I don't think I'm in balance, but living life as it is, I guess, is a good expression of tranquility: finding the balance in the chaotic world.

-= Under the silence of the Night =-

2010-02-26T00:39:00.002+08:00

Just realised I haven't been posting much about my personal stuff. Mostly what you see in here are just some reviews for some shows that I've watched. Not that I do not like to post things about myself but sometimes I wonder is there a need to post something about myself. After all, ever since I changed the blog skin from the old one to this current skin, I've removed the personal info section as well and first timers who come to my blog will just assume it's just some review blog.

I do have close friends coming in every now and then to check out what I've been up to and probably I thought I owe them a post since if your friend checks out your blog most likely they would like to know what you've been up to and how are you etc. So here goes a slight update!

I've been taking a part time course since last August and I'm already 3/4 done with it. Just a few assignments, projects and one final paper and I'm done with the course. I'd say this course has been really enjoyable because it's something which I really enjoyed studying and for the first time I'm probably studying for something I have a major interest in. Sadly to say sometimes it takes a lifetime to know what you like and what you don't. But at least I'm fortunate enough to know I pretty much enjoy what I'm studying right now. Hope to do well for the remaining semester and pass with a nice diploma.

Because of the night classes for this course, I had to give up my weekly session of tennis with my dad and his friends. Interestingly, I really missed the tennis sessions. I didn't know I would enjoy playing tennis that much and frankly speaking, I'm poor in it as well. But having a few good rallies will really perk your feelings up. Besides, it's a good activity that I share with my dad. There's this saying that girls will stick to their fathers more while guys would always be the mommy's boy. Well, I view it as an important activity that I bond with my dad.

"Under the silence of the night, where I fell in love with silence and learned to embrace its beauty"

下一站,幸福

2010-02-17T22:55:00.004+08:00

I don't have a thing for Taiwanese dramas. Seriously. I can assure the amount of Taiwanese drama that I have completed is less than the amount of fingers I have. One of the pet peeve regarding Taiwanese dramas is that it is usually too cheesy, too exaggerated and just simply, dumb. I can still remember one particular drama that make my heart boil. The starting was good, the middle was okay and the ending I felt was so bad that I want sumo wrestle the male lead and throw an asteroid the director for ending that drama in that manner.

What made me started this show was from a local free-to-distribute local newspaper. During this period there were 3 dramas that featured some of the hottest male leads in the Taiwan industry and they were comparing the viewership for these dramas. 下一站,幸福 managed to garner 7.63%, which was pretty decent given the competitiveness of the golden time slot for dramas. All I can say is that once I started the show, I just want to finish the whole drama at one go.

Interesting to note, the drama is still airing in Taiwan right now. Why do I say it's interesting is because I seldom blog about any dramas when it's still airing. The last episode was delayed due to Chinese New Year weekend (DARN!), so the last episode is this coming weekend. I got to say this drama has surprised me quite a bit. The script was very well written, no cheesy acting, or in fact I should say very convincing acting by everyone (esp. 小小彬), and a great soundtrack to boot. In fact, the soundtrack is the main draw as the songs complements the drama like a glove to a hand. It touches the heart at the right moments.

For once, here are the soundtrack songs:

品冠 - 我以为

丁噹 - 我愛他

丁噹 - 你為什麼說謊

丁噹 - 親人

Up in the Air [2009]

2010-02-03T15:14:00.001+08:00

I still remember the last show that really got me thinking was "Thank you for Smoking" and that show was way back in 2005. What I love about "Thank you for Smoking" was the witty dialogue and the true meaning of life and explanations about choices. These facts are also apparent in this new movie by George Clooney in "Up in the Air".

"Up in the Air" is about George Clooney acting as a Retrenchment expert where companies are too timid to fire their own workers and will hire professionals like him to help them fire their workers. Due to the current US economic situation, more companies are hiring firms with experts like him to carry out their retrenchment activities. For this job, he has to frequently flying around the country to do his work. However, just when he thought is the chance for himself to settle down, thing don't go as what he thinks.

I think the reason I liked this show a lot basically is the same reason I like "Thank you for Smoking". The dialogue's witty, the characters intriguing, but mostly of all, an ability to allow me to think about the issues that were mentioned in the show. I guess somehow or another, we may be able to relate to George's character in the show as well; how we disengage ourselves from the world, how we missed out on family and finally, how we realised how lonely we actually are.

Give it a try, catch it in the movies. I bet it'll worth your movie ticket.

聽說（Hear Me） [2009]

2010-01-19T19:40:00.001+08:00

Taiwanese films are getting more and more interesting. The ability of Taiwanese directors to express simple emotions in a movie is somewhat different from the rest of the region. They did it with 海角七号 (Cape No.7) and now with this movie out not long ago, 听说 (Hear Me).

听说 (Hear Me) is about a boy who helps to do delivery for his family take away business meets a girl who has a sister who aspires to go to the deaflympics through swimming. Due to the fact that she is always caring her sister and uses the sign language to communicate, the boy mistaken her as a person with hearing limitations. The girl also mistaken the boy as a person with hearing limitation as he uses the sign language well and never utter a sound out while communicating with other people with hearing disability. By using the sign language, will the two able to connect with each other?

While the storyline seems common and you'd probably know the ending even before the show ends, the movie does have the ability to show the sincerity of the director. The direction of the movie is very similar to Cape No.7 but of course lower in budget. Furthermore, the movie manages to bring the taiwanese element, something that I feel sometimes is taken for granted. Maybe it's about the rough edges present in the movie. But sometimes, it is these rough edges that brings out the flavor of the movie.

A simple and nice romantic movie to watch. Do give it a take.

Happy New Year~~

2009-12-31T19:55:00.000+08:00

Just in case I missed the golden timing. Hope all of you had a great 2009 and have a wonderful 2010!~

This is what four of my good friends who will be viewing this live in taipei!~ Argh I so wanna join them!

credits: vincentloy.wordpress.com

The Triumphant General Rouge [2009]

2009-12-23T03:04:00.001+08:00

I got to admit this. I watched this movie purely because Abe Hiroshi and Yuko Takeuchi was in the lineup. And it was a medical movie that's all. What I didn't know is that this movie is actually the sequel to a previous movie "The Glorious Team Batista" and it sort of continue from the previous movie. Especially when at the last part of the movie where there were cameo appearance of a couple of actors that I recognised, then i realised that I missed something out earlier.

Nonetheless, just based on this movie alone, it's pretty entertaining as Takeuchi stars as the Chairman of a Ethics Board in a Hospital with close to zero knowledge. Her character is genuinely adorable as she's like a totally blur queen. Abe Hiroshi comes in as a lawyer that helped her solve a case in the first movie but continues to help her in this second installation.

If you're looking for some serious medical movie thingy, I suggest you give this movie a miss. Because, this movie is frankly speaking, quite light in terms of the depth of the plot. There's no twisting or turning, or betrayal sort of scenes in the movie. What the movie does is actually entertaining its audience through its humor and a simpler plot. And probably that's why I feel it saved the movie somewhat. Go deeper, and the movie may sink; but any shallower the movie will can.

An enjoyable movie to watch, but not for the serious please.

New Albums

2009-12-21T02:46:00.003+08:00

Was expecting Lee Sheng Jie's album to be out soon, but here I am listening to his album already! I got to commend that based on the first 3 songs that I'm listening, at least 2 songs will be on my KTV list! If the quality of the songs is held consistent, this album will be as good as his <痴心绝对手放开> album. I can still remember after that album, he struggled a bit for consistency, which is his k-able songs.

What I didn't expect was Harlem Yu to come out with another album as well! Although it's a compilation + 3 new songs, I don't think it will disappoint much. From the songs he chose for the compilation, the song genre is pretty good. I haven't heard the 3 new songs yet, but I hope it won't disappoint as some of his songs recently is really bad... And this coming from a long fan who has 13 of his albums and counting.

In the meantime, I'm happily listening to Lee Sheng Jie's new album!

2 lines of stain

2009-12-14T03:00:00.000+08:00

I have told my friend once that there is always this drama that I wouldn't attempt to watch it again. Afterall, he had first time witness how i managed to sob throughout the show. But for some compelling reason and by fate, as what the main lead emphatise, I re-watched an old drama. Although I didn't tear like the last time where i literally brawled, I still managed to leave 2 lines of stain beneath my eyes.

Not one litre of tears, but not little as well.

Solitude

2009-12-10T21:54:00.000+08:00

I always realised that certain solitude is essential, especially for thought. Of course, if you're feeling screwed up, then it's more of wild thoughts. But sometimes, just stepping out of the shell and experiencing solitude, especially in a crowded place, brings on a different perception.

I met up with a buddy this afternoon and to be frank it's a welcome break for me. Although i got to admit my break is long enough, this "break" is essential in breaking the monotone in my life. We met up at a new mall in Orchard road just to check out the shops there. As we met, chat and ate, I realised after all these years, nothing much have changed about it. The usual banter is there, some common likes and of course some common differences. Then at the corner of my mind, suddenly it may not be the case. We have grown older by the second and things still remain the same?

We parted at Borders around 7pm. He was rushing back home due to his insanely heavy laptop while i was trying to finish the latest edition of a computer magazine. Just as I finished reading it, a de javu feeling began to surface: Solitude. Walking along the crowded streets, yet it feels like I'm walking the street alone. I remember a quote from my lecturer that city people are more lonely than you think. In spite of all the communication tools such as msn, facebook and ever connectivity, we may in fact be more lonely than we would expect. All the numbers in the phone may not reflect anything; in the end it's just a number.

2 incidents triggered my post actually. The first was seeing a friend hurriedly exited a shop and to another location in my opposite direction. The second incident was seeing a university senior and her almost 2 years old kid. In both incidents, I didn't call out to them. Instead, I merely stopped my footsteps a little and looked at them. At both instance I let out a tiny smile; merely knowing they're alive and well is enough.

Solitude allows me to view some incidents objectively. But then again, is it objective?

New Layout

2009-12-09T20:39:00.001+08:00

I seldom do two posts in a day but I realised after I posted Shonen Merikensack I decided it's time to do a major revamp on my blog. Afterall, the old blog skin was suitable only for web1.0 and it's like the css templates era now. After consultation with my ever dependent webmaster (haha!), here's the new layout.

As how i like it, nice and simple.

Shonen Merikensack [2009]

2009-12-09T15:37:00.004+08:00

Well it a break from my usual routine of giving my thoughts on Jap drama as this is actually a movie. I managed to get hold of this wacky comedy was just out this year and featuring the irresistibly cute Miyazaki Aoi as the lead.

The show's is about Kanna (Miyazaki Aoi), who on her last day of her contract, saw a clip posted on the web about a punk band and her manager instantly liked them. What's more, the clip the manager posted on their record label website managed to garner 100,000 hits! What's more, the label managed to sell out their tour of Japan! Hence, Kanna has track the band down. However, the big problem was that the clip was actually 25 years ago and the band has been a bunch of old geezers in their 40s and 50s!

It's quite refreshing to see Koichi Sato (if you're wondering who he is, he's the manager in the drama series "Pride") as an old geezer trying to act rock. But the then, isn't this whole show about a bunch of has-been geezers trying to make a comeback based on their 25 year ago clip?

What draws me to the show in the first place is of course the super duper cute Aoi-chan. Looking at one of the scene below, definitely she's a draw.

Another thing about Japanese comedies is that you can be assured of the quality in slapstick humor. Somehow, it's somewhat different from the western or Stephen Chow
slapstick but it's kinna make sense. Oh well, this movie definitely has been rolling.

Give it a try!

Call Center no Koibito

2009-11-19T14:11:00.003+08:00

At last I've completed this series!

Oh the series isn't too bad, but due to the fact that the subbers had delays in the subs that's why it wasn't completed until recently. Nonetheless, I thank the subbers for their hard work to complete the project!

It was an interesting choice for me to choose this serial to watch as it greatly differs from the genre of serial that I'd choose normally. The story talks about an executive who was demoted from the main office to a local call center to handle customer complaints. The story revolves around the happenings around the call center.

I guess it deserves the overall 6.1% kanto rating as it takes a bit of patience to finish this serial. Again, I must emphasize that the serial isn't too bad, but the pace and the storyline is so typical jap style. After watching some much jap dramas over the years, you can deduce a kind of "pattern". Furthermore, with no famous cast in the drama, it lacks the star power to pull viewers in as well. Nonetheless, the storyline is refreshing as dramas seldom focus industries like this.

Not highly recommended, but I wouldn't condemn it as well.

Yoshitaka Yuriko~~~~

2009-11-03T18:25:00.001+08:00

Yuriko-Chan so pretty~~~~~~~

Oh She's in Fall'09 Tokyo Dogs!!! Do catch it! =)

Buzzer Beat

2009-10-27T12:27:00.003+08:00

Ok I got to admit I was a bit lazy with this post. After all, I have completed this drama since early October. But here goes the review.

Sometimes you would think, if there's Kitagawa Keiko, Yamapi, Aibu Saki and Mizobata Junpei in a show, (1)It's a pure idol show (2)the show wouldn't be too bad. Frankly speaking, I was kinna disappointed with the show. Sure, Keiko's acting was pretty good, Seeing Aibu Saki acting as a bad ass lady is pretty refreshing, but Yamapi is totally disappointing in this show. I mean, his acting was alright in Proposal Daisakusen, but in this show he looks absolutely stoned.

Furthermore, although this show has a basketball theme, there's only like one serious basketball game scene in the whole series. Urgh!!! Can't they just insert a few more games? I know the relationships in the show is important, but they looked kinna draggy in a way.

Nice show to follow, but disappoints me in general.

Taiyo to Umi no Kyoshitsu

2009-09-21T02:03:00.003+08:00

I would call this show a story of 2 halves. Seriously, if I didn't watch this show till the end, I'd have panned this serial a long time ago. Okay, I got to admit I started to watch this show due to the fact that Kitagawa Keiko is inside this show and I can't wait for each episode of Buzzer Beat on Monday. I thought this show would be a nice substitute. In the end, she's acting like a bimbo teacher. -_-''' So much for Keiko-chan.

Anyway, the story starts with a high school by a seaside town. As usual, japan's high school is a bit screwed up with emphasis on exams and little of anything else. However, the principal decided to hire a mysterious teacher who thinks differently and whose principles would slowly get into the student's heart and influence them. Sounds like any other high school drama? You're not far off actually.

The reason I said this drama is a story of halves is because the first 5 episodes is TOTALLY different from the last 5 episodes.The first 5 episodes is almost like GTO, with Oda Yuji as the caring teacher doing things that Onizuka-sensei would be proud of: tearing down a signboard, saving a student in distress etc. I mean, if I'd want something like this, I'd rather watch GTO seriously. Then suddenly in episode 5, the story becomes darker, with a student having suicidal thoughts and relationships become testing. You could just sense that somewhere along the way, the production team realizes that the story isn't enticing anyone anymore and they decided to sack the scriptwriter. Because, the last 5 episodes is superb and I felt that it saved the show from being GT0 2.

Surprisingly in this serial, the emphasis on the young cast is pretty strong. Besides, Oda Yuji and Kitagawa Keiko, other familiar faces in the high-school dramas include:
- Okada Masaki(Hana Kimi) as Negishi Hiroki
- Hamada Gaku(Proposal Daisakusen, Taiyou No Uta)
- Yoshitaka Yuriko(Love Shuffle, Ashita no Kita Yoshio)[No-panda @@]
- Tanimura Mitsuki(Mei-chan No Shitsuji, 14 Sai no Haha)
- Yamamoto Yusuke(Hana Kimi)
- Kurose Manami(Hana Kimi)
- Oomasa Aya(Mei-chan No Shitsuji)
- Kutsuna Shiori(Mei-chan No Shitsuji)[No matter how small your role is, you're still visible]

So, looking at the artists i could identify, you could say that high-school dramas are a pretty good way to introduce young actors and actresses into the drama scene, although I kinna sympathizes Hamada Gaku for acting having to act out the loser roles. But hey, at least he got the girl in Proposal Daisakusen(Eikura Nana) and in this serial(Yoshitaka Yuriko, DAMN IT).

And as this drama is a story of 2 halves, I shall give 2 ratings.

1st 5 episodes, 5.1/10
last 5 episodes, 8.5/10 (10 for Yuriko and Gaku!!!)

Change

2009-09-21T01:30:00.004+08:00

It's interesting actually.

Usually I'd give political dramas a miss, because they're usually kind of serious. Not to mention Japan politics is a bit foreign to me. Another interesting thing is that this serial was actually recommended by my sister! For a person who prefer American serial to Japanese ones, now that's really new.

The story basically starts with a politician and his son dying over the skies at Vietnam, and a by-election has to be held in a prefecture in Fukuoka. However, with no suitable candidate to run for the seat, Seiyu party, the main political party, decides to ask the dead politician's second son, Asakura Keita, to run for the seat. With no political experience and zero knowledge, he manages to win the seat by a razor-thin margin. With party secretary Kanbayashi thinking that Asakura is a perfect puppet for him, he pushes him to run for party chairman candidacy when the Prime Minister resigned. However, with his raw experience, Asakura proves his mettle as Prime Minister and Kanbayashi is forced to used other means to force him to resign as prime minister so that he can snatch the top post.

The reason that kept me riveted to the show isn't Takuya Kimura this time, but the storyline itself. For a political drama, this series is surprising refreshing, possibly due to comedy moments peppered into the show. However, what I feel that under this show is the underlying message regarding the current Japan political scenes. Issues like health care, declining childbirth, education reforms etc are all mentioned in the show. If you've watched enough Jap dramas, you'll understand these problems quite well enough. Also, they also highlighted the very problems of the current Japanese bureaucrats and parliamentarians.

Normally I wouldn't comment much of Takuya Kimura as I've always felt he's an accomplished actor, almost guaranteeing viewership success. However, the pairing of Takuya Kimura and Fukatsu Eri is one of my favourite pairngs, since Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi.

An excellent drama all around, with a very strong cast and excellent acting all around. 8.5/10 for me.

:: Sixtwentyseven ::

Juunen Saki mo Kimi ni Koishite [2010 Summer]

Hitsudan Hostess [2010 Winter]

Nagareboshi [2010 Fall]

Boss 2 [2011 Spring]

Lan Kwai Fong / 喜愛夜蒲 [2011]

Brown Eyed Girls - Repackaged Album Unboxing

Jump Ashin! / 翻滾吧! 阿信 [2011]

柯震東, 陳妍希 - 漂流瓶

回憶, "那一年, 我喜歡的女孩"

You are the Apple of my Eye / 那些年，我們一起追的女孩 [2011]

Haeundae / 해운대 [2009]

The Bedside Detective (สายลับจับบ้านเล็) [2007]

Scent of a Woman / 여인의 향기 [2011]

JYJ Junsu - You are so Beautiful

City Hunter / 시티헌터 [2011]

Huh Gak (허각) - Hello

Suck Seed Huay Khan Thep (ห่วยขั้นเทพ) [2011]

Seasons Change (เพราะอากาศเปลี่ยนแปลงบ่อย) [2006]

S.R.S - Real Lie

The Greatest Love / 최고의 사랑 [2011]

G.Na - Because You're My Man / 내 사람이라서 (Nae Sarangiraseo)

God of Study / 공부의 신 [2010]

4minute - Heart to Heart on MBC Music Core 14th May 2011

Athena: Goddess of War / 아테나: 전쟁의 여신 [2010]

IRIS / 아이리스 [2009]

Song Ji Eun (Secret) - Going Crazy 미친거니 (fea. Bang Yong Kook)

Gaikoukan Kuroda Kousaku [2011 Winter]

The Man From Nowhere / Ahjussi 아저씨 [2010]

Japan Disaster

The Girl Who Leapt Thru Time (Toki o Kakeru Shojo) [2010]

My Princess / 마이 프린세스 [2011]

Baek Ji Young - That Woman + That Man

Secret Garden 시크릿 가든 [2010]

Merry Xmas~~

Lotte Gum Commercial

Hello Stranger [2010] (กวน มึน โฮ)

陳綺貞 A Piece of Summer II 夏季練習曲 新加坡演唱會 13Nov2010

Rainbow - A + Mach on KBS Music Bank 12 Nov 10

SNSD - Mistake & Hoot on SBS Inkigayo 31th Oct 10

SNSD - My Best Friend & Hoot on MBC Music Core 30th Oct 2010

SNSD - Hoot 훗

SNSD - ☆★☆ (별별별 Byeol Byeol Byeol)

Brown Eyed Girls - Abracadabra

C.N. Blue - Love Light

Sand's Chronicle (Sunadokei) [2008]

Sunao Ni Narenakute [2010 Spring]

Moteki [2010 Summer]

Tobo Bengoshi [2010 Summer]

Mioka [2010 Summer]

Shinzanmono [2010 Spring]

Team Batista 2: General Rouge no Gaisen [2010 Spring]

Zettai Reido [2010 Spring]

Honokaa Boy [2009]

The Mamiya Brothers [2006]

SNSD - Genie Jap Version

不完美

My Girlfriend is a Gumiho 내 여자친구는 구미호 (Nae Yeojachinguneun Gumiho) [2010]

Lalapipo [2009]

Yuriko-chan~~~

Happy Birthday Singapore!

Bangkok Traffic Love Story (รถไฟฟ้า..มาหานะเธอ) [2009]

Air Doll (Kuki Ningyo) [2009]

Climber's High [2008]

Counter

Fure Fure Girl [2008]

Au Revoir Taipei 一頁台北 [2010]

严爵 Yen-J

Japan Freekicks

Pandemic (Kansen Retto) [2009]

Aoi Tori [2008]

Amalfi [2009]

Hormones or ปิดเทอมใหญ่ หัวใจว้าวุ่น (Pit Thoem Yai Hua Chai Wawun) [2008]

The Fear of Lonliness

Team Batista no Eiko

Apologies + Code Blue 2

杜拉拉升职记 Go Lala Go! [2010]

My Rainy Days (Tenshi No Koi) [2009]

Ikimonogakari - Nostalgia

Nodame Cantabile Movie Part 1 [2009]

陳綺貞 A Piece of Summer II 夏季練習曲新加坡演唱會 13Nov2010

聽說（Hear Me） [2009]