:: Sixtwentyseven ::

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
우리 이별하긴 이르잖아
uri ibyor-hagin ireujana
이렇게 날 떠나가면 안돼요
iroke nal ttonagamyon andweyo
내가 하지 못한 말들이
nega haji mot-han maldeuri
아직 너무 많은데
ajik nomu maneunde
이대로 날 떠나가지 마세요
idero nal ttonagaji maseyo


그대이기 때문에 난
geude igi ttemune nan
정말 그대였기 때문에 난
jongmal geudeyotgi ttemune nan
이대로는 이대로는 난 안돼요
ideroneun ideroneun nan andweyo
내가 살아가는 이유는
nega saraganeun iyuneun
오직 그대뿐이죠
ojik geude ppunijyo
제발 나를 떠나가지 말아요
jebal-lareul ttonagaji marayo


그대는 내 사랑 그리운
geudeneun ne sarang geuriun
내 사랑 날 사랑했던 사람
ne sarang nal saranghetdon saram
이제는 만질 수 없지만
ijeneun manjil su opjiman
내가 그리운 만큼 그대도 그리운가요
nega geuriun mankeum geudedo geuriun-gayo
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
정말 사랑했기 때문에 난
jongmal saranghetgi ttemune nan
죽을 만큼 죽을 만큼 힘드네요
jugeul mankeum jugeul mankeum himdeuneyo
죽지 못해 살아가고 있는
jukji mot-he saragago inneun
내가 보이나요
nega boinayo
제발 내게 다시 돌아와줘요
jebal nege dasi dorawajwoyo


그대는 내사랑 그리운 내사랑
geudeneun ne sarang geuriun ne sarang
날 사랑했던 사람
nal saranghetdon saram
이제는 만질 수 없지만
ijeneun manjil su opjiman
내가 그리운 만큼 그대도 그리운가요
nega geuriun mankeum geudedo geuriun-gayo
내가 미칠 듯이 사랑했던 그 사람
nega michil deusi saranghetdon geu saram

겨우 이대로 끝날 거라면
gyou idero kkeutnal goramyon
정말 마지막이라면
jongmal majimagiramyon
지금 돌아가
jigeum doraga
그때로 서로 몰랐던 그때로
geuttero soro mollatdon geuttero
너무 늦어버리면 너무 늦어버리면
nomu neujoborimyon nomu neujoborimyon
내가 살아가는 게 너무 힘이 들어
nega saraganeun ge nomu himi deuro
날 버릴까 봐
nal borilkka bwa

겨우 이대로 끝날 거라면
gyou idero kkeutnal goramyon
정말 마지막이라면
jongmal majimagiramyon
지금 돌아가
jigeum doraga
그때로 서로 몰랐던 그때로
geuttero soro mollatdon geuttero
너무 늦어버리면 너무 늦어버리면
nomu neujoborimyon nomu neujoborimyon
내가 살아가는 게 너무 힘이 들어
nega saraganeun ge nomu himi deuro
날 버릴까 봐
nal borilkka bwa

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

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!

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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!

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.

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)

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

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%.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 :)

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

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~