A Music Moment (in Haste)

Photo here

I'm currently trying to cram writing two papers of 10+ pages each (on vastly different topics, I might add) into just three days. This song, "Better" by the Blue Shoes, I discovered on Bones, on the episode "Mayhem on a Cross" (4x21), and it's currently playing on repeat. I do love a show with a good music director. Just one more reason Bones is amazingly awesome. I'd try to be a little more descriptive than that, but my powers of good writing are being channeled in another direction at the moment.

And why would you not watch Bones, especially this amazing episode, when STEPHEN FRY makes a guest starring appearance as a psychiatrist who used to be a glam rocker in six-inch platforms? You don't want to miss it. It's on Netflix InstantPlay with no commercials!

Photo here

Randomness of the Kdrama Persuasion

(All screencaps from dramabeans.com and ockoala.wordpress.com.)

Pak Min-young as Kim Yoon-hee in Sunkyunkwan Scandal

It's hard to imagine that anyone would be foolish enough to think that the person above was a boy after she had appeared in front of you wearing those clothes.  And yet, somehow, someone (the guy in the second picture below) still did...and even if you don't quite buy that, the tension of "the boy liking the very pretty girl that he thinks is a very pretty boy"...mmmmm, well. It's a lot of fun. And the drama is well-directed and well-acted, and absolutely beautiful to behold. Shall I picspam you with some of the yummy male leads?

Yoo Ah-in as Moon Jae-shin, the bad-boy protector type who falls for Yoon-hee 

Pak Yoo-cheon, also known as Micky Yoo-cheon from DBSK, as Lee Seon-joon, her one true love

Song Joong-ki as Gu Yong-ha, resident playboy and my personal favorite

In other news, my latest crack drama, 장란스러운 키스 (Playful Kiss), just ended last Thursday, and now I am very sad. It wasn't the best drama I've ever seen, but it was still pretty darn captivating. It doesn't hurt that Jung So-min as Oh Ha-ni was completely convincing and utterly adorable and relatable.  Also, it didn't hurt that Kim Hyun-joong as Baek Seung-jo was utterly delectable and yummy-looking, either. Add in romantic hijinks, an excellent group of second leads, and some good camera work, and voila you have the recipe for bona fide drama crack. And lots of squeeling and awwwing.

Jung So-min as Oh Ha-ni and Kim Hyun-joong as Baek Seung-jo in Playful Kiss

And just because I love this drama and think it's adorable, more pictures!

Of Death, Dramas, and Doctrine

I've been watching this drama recently. Literally, the title translates to "Time of Dog and Wolf", which is a reference to a French proverb that I can't currently track down. It's supposed to be something to do with the ambiguity of the twilight and not knowing if the thing coming toward you is your friend the dog or a wolf that's going to eat you. But whatever. The thing is, it's been making me think. The plot isn't too terribly original, though the drama is good. It's a spy/revenge thriller, with a love triangle (of course) between the two adopted brothers and the childhood friend of the one brother who's orphaned and adopted by the other brother's family. (Hence why they're brothers.) What really got me thinking, however, is the whole theme of death and revenge.

 Lee Jun-ki as Lee Soo-hyun, Nam Sang-mi as Seo Ji-woo, and Jung Kyung-ho as Kang Min-ki

I know it's just a story, but I know that somewhere, someone -- a real someone -- is probably experiencing some kind of similar feelings. Their father, or mother, or sister, or maybe their entire family was killed for some senseless reason, and now they want revenge, thinking that it will make them feel better, or that it will somehow set things right.

The thing is, that never works. The desire for revenge inevitably does more damage to the one who harbors it than its intended target. It's like a corrosive acid that destroys people's lives from the inside out. Hate is like that. I think God commands us to love our neighbors not because He needs us to, but because that's the only way to live a sane life. Forgiveness is the only way we can truly live happy lives. But forgiving can be heart-wrenchingly difficult, especially for the innocent who have lots families, loved ones, or been brutally used by wicked people. True forgiveness takes a lot of faith in God, that He will set everything right in the end, faith that there's something more worthwhile than making that person pay in this life, faith that there is a next life in which everything will be made right. The same goes for the deaths of loved ones. Death can seem so senseless, and it can bring with it great and terrible despair when you don't have the context of Heavenly Father's plan for His children to give you perspective.

It's times like these that I am so grateful for the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, for the knowledge that this life is not the end, that we can be together as families forever, for the knowledge that it will all turn out well in the end. I am so grateful to know that the Lord knows us and our suffering, and though He won't always take it away -- that would ultimately keep us from progressing and being able to become more like Him -- He will help us through it.

Dramas -- Part I

Due to the overwhelming response to my last post (okay, two people said something to me about it, but hey, still), and partly because I just want to, I've decided to make a directory of the dramas I've seen. Just so, you know, if you want to watch one you can get addicted, too. ;) This first post will be about the dramas that I absolutely adored, for whatever reason, be it the quality of the drama or its addictive~ness. (If you click on the Korean names of the dramas, you'll be taken to a site where you can watch it with English subtitles.) So, without further ado, I present *drum roll* --

The Dramas I LOVED

꽃보다 남자 (Boys Over Flowers/Boys Before Flowers)

Kim Joon as Won-bin, Kim Beom as Yi-jung, Lee Min-ho as Gu Jun-pyo, Gu Hye-sun as Geum Jan-di, and Kim Hyun-joong as Ji-hoo

I already wrote about this drama in my last post, so I won't say much more about it here. I will say, however, that the reason I love it is because it holds a special place in my heart as my very first kdrama -- not because it's a technically wonderful drama. If you dislike crazy, plot hole-filled, inconsistently characterizatized, angst-ridden plots, don't watch this. But beware: if you start it, there's a 95% chance you won't be able to stop. Lee Min-ho as Jun-pyo really carries this drama, and even if you hate his curly hair, you'll have to admit that he does an excellent job nuancing what could be a very one-dimensional, arrogant, rich, selfish playboy character.

Quality score: 5

Enjoyment score: 9

돌아온 일지매 (Return of Iljimae)

Kim Min-jung as Officer Gu, Jung Hye-young as Baek-me, Yoon Jin-seo as Wol-hee, and Jung Il-woo as Iljimae

Despite airing at the same time as Boys Over Flowers, there couldn't be two more different dramas. Iljimae is everything Boys isn't -- well-acted, well-directed, well-edited, absolutely gorgeous visually, standout soundtrack, tightly plotted, nuanced, thoughtful and thought-provoking, and set during the Joseon era of Korean history. Return of Iljimae is the story of a hero, but not in a way you've ever seen before -- Iljimae (the name of the main character, the character on the far right in the above picture) is far more "human" and relatable than many heros, while at the same time being still larger-than-life.

Born of the rape of his slave mother by his aristocratic father, he is left to die after being forcibly taken from his mother. He is saved by a wandering monk (not a Christian one -- a Buddhist one; this is long before the advent of Christianity in Korea) and a cheerful beggar, and ends up the adopted son of a generous upper-class Chinese family. He eventually learns his true parentage and makes his way back to Korea (called Joseon at this point) to find them, only to be rejected out of hand by his father. What follows after is the story of Iljimae's growth and maturation as both a man and a hero. The drama deals with themes of duty to your people and country vs. your duty to your family and loved ones, explores the concept of justice and social equality, and beautifully portrays the struggles of Iljimae to make the right choices in a world that is awash in shades of grey. But I would hate for you to get the idea this was just a pensive, slow drama -- nope, there are lots of excellent and exciting fight scenes, a very well-constructed love story, and lots of humor and comedy. If you love stories that make you ache with both joy and sadness, this is the drama for you. 

Quality score: 10

Enjoyment score: 10

커피 프린스 1호점 (Coffee Prince)

Yoon Eun-hye as Go Eun-chan and Gong Yoo as Choi Han-kyul

Ah, Coffee Prince! Probably the biggest hit of 2007, this drama has a loyal and rabid fanbase among foreigners who watch kdramas. Coffee Prince is a drama that manages to be both light and heavy at the same time. It doesn't skate over either the happy aspects of life or the sad ones; instead, it balances both well to form an engaging, fun drama that definitely makes you think.

The drama centers around the relationship of Go Eun-chan and Choi Han-kyul, but it does so in a way that's not quite what you'd expect, because while Eun-chan is very much a girl, Han-kyul thinks she's a boy. It's a misconception Eun-chan doesn't correct, because Han-kyul offers Eun-chan a job as his "gay lover" to keep away the girls his grandmother is continually forcing on him in an attempt to marry him off, and eventually ends up hiring her to be one of the "princes" at his new coffee shop -- Coffee Prince. Eun-chan doesn't want to lie, but she has to take care of her mother and sister and her mom's just lost a friend's very expensive diamond ring. And meanwhile, Han-kyul is facing a very real, very disturbing attraction to Eun-chan...

This drama has some really wonderful acting on the parts of Yoon Eun-hye and Gong Yoo. Yoon Eun-hye turns in a pretty darn convincing performance as a girl who's been to busy taking care of her family to worry about her femininity (despite being an absolutely stunning woman). Gong Yoo could have taken the easy way out, since he knew his costar was a girl, but he does an excellent job portraying Han-kyul's growing attraction to an Eun-chan he thinks is a boy and the resulting doubt and confusion. I think my favorite part of this drama is the very real-feeling relationships between the characters. The drama isn't really realistic, per se, but it feels very real, if that distinction makes any sense. If you like a good mix of comedy and fun and stuff that makes you think, or if you just want a great introduction to kdramas, this is the drama for you. (I still go back and watch this drama all the time, it's that good.)

Quality score: 8.75

Enjoyment score: 9.5

 
미남이시네요 (You're Beautiful)

Jang Geun-seok as Hwang Tae-kyung, Pak Shin-hye as Go Mi-nam/Go Mi-nyeo, Lee Hong-ki as Jeremy, and Jung Yong-hwa as Kang Shin-woo

You're Beautiful didn't have high ratings while it was airing, but it inspired a very, very loyal "mania" fanbase both in Korea and abroad and shot its four leads to almost overnight success. Go Mi-nyeo (her name means "beautiful woman") is an orphan who's been raised at a Catholic orphanage her entire life, and is about to become a full-fledged nun...when her twin brother's manager shows up unexpectedly and begs her to take Mi-nam's (his name means "beautiful man") place as the new member in the premier boy-band in the country. What follows are some crazy hijinks as a female almost-nun pretends to be a male pop idol and tries to negotiate a world utterly foreign to her. Jang Geun-seok delights as the band's prickly leader, Hwang Tae-kyung, and perfects a nasty sneer that'll make you crack up. If you want a drama that will show you a good time, make you laugh hysterically, and give you lots of eye-candy, this is the drama for you. Don't pass over it, though, because you think it's just a light bit of fluff; the writing is generally tight, and the writers do a pretty good job of circumventing or subverting traditional tropes.

Quality score: 8
Enjoyment score: 9.25

When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad...

...I simply remember my favorite dramas, and then I don't feel so bad. (All screencaps from dramabeans.com.)

Chun Jung-myung as Ki-hoon and Moon Geun-young as Eun-jo in Cinderella's Sister

I love stories. When I was younger, and my mother will attest to this, I used to spend hours and hours and hours reading. My parents never bothered grounding me, since I never went anywhere anyway; they just took away my books. Oh, I take it back. They never grounded me from playing with friends -- they grounded me from the library. I distinctly remember one time when I got in trouble, pleading with my parents to do something, anything, other than taking away my books. So instead they made me weed the front flower beds, which kept me busy for three days, and effectively kept me away from my books, as well. I always insisted on having a night light -- not because I was afraid of the dark, but because then I could read after I went to bed. I made my little sister sleep on the top bunk so I could store my favorite books in the slots on the underside of her bed and have them within arm's reach at all times.

Chae Rim as Yoon Kae-hwa and Choi Shi-won as Sung Min-woo in Oh! My Lady

I still love to read (I would never have gone to SJC otherwise; in fact, that's what got my attention -- a college that reads books for a curriculum? Where do I sign up???), but as you probably already know, these days my crack is Korean dramas. There are several reasons; I first started watching them after the mission because I missed Korea and hearing Korean. There isn't a lot of Korean in small towns in rural Tennessee, after all. My first drama was the explosively popular Boys Over Flowers, about a poor dry cleaner's daughter that gets a scholarship to an exclusive prep school for rich kids and her run-ins with the school's ruling clique, F4, four incredibly rich, incredibly handsome, and incredibly stuck up boys. And of course she and F4's leader -- the most rich, most handsome, and most stuck up of the four -- become entangled in all kinds of romantic tension and angst. There's love triangles, kidnapping, evil mothers, trips to exotic locations, hot boys, romance -- what's not to love? I was hooked. (By the way, if you click on the names of the dramas under the screencaps, you'll be taken to sites where you can watch them with English subtitles.)

Gu Hye-sun as Geum Jan-di and Lee Min-ho as Gu Jun-pyo in Boys Over Flowers

Of course, watching Korean dramas is a great way for me to practice my listening skills -- there aren't that many more opportunities for speaking Korean in downtown Annapolis than in rural Tennessee -- but if I'm honest with myself, that's just an excuse. (It's not untrue, however -- it really does help. I've learned all kinds of new words and expressions from dramas. For example, while serving as a missionary in Korea, I never knew anything more offensive than the Korean equivalent of "stupid" or "idiot", and I only learned that by accident. I'm much more familiar with the less polite side of Korean now than I ever was before. That's not to say I haven't learned anything else, though.) There are thousands of Korean drama fans who don't speak a single word of Korean and still watch them religiously, with the aid of subtitles provided by other Korean-and-English-speaking fans. So just what is it that's so compelling?

Jung Il-woo as Iljimae in The Return of Iljimae

I don't know that I could speak to the merits of Korean dramas for other people, especially ones who don't speak Korean and have never been to Korea. For me, that connection is a big draw, because I miss Korea and it's nice to have a small taste of it in my crazy school life. The structure of Korean network TV is also different than American networks, in (I think) a much better way: they don't interrupt the shows with commercials, they air two episodes every week, and Korean TV is still censored, so a lot of the crap that's making its way into American primetime TV isn't there. (Sometimes, though, the innocence goes a little too far, in my opinion. For example, in some romantic comedies, when the couple finally get around to kissing (and it may take more than half the show), all they do is lean together and touch lips -- that's it. The camera's whirling around, the music is swelling, all indicators are pointing to big romantic moment -- but it's difficult to watch two people awkwardly just standing there not doing anything while they're "kissing.") Probably the biggest difference, though, is that there are no "seasons" of a show -- the show is set for 16, or 20, or 24, or even 50 episodes (sometimes even more) and the storyline unfolds within those confines. Rarely is there a sequel in the true sense. And most dramas aren't episodic, meaning that there's usually one larger storyline that continues throughout all the episodes (often it's the romantic pairing, but not always), with suspense-building cliffhangers at the end of each episode.

Yoon Eun-hye as Go Eun-chan and Gong Yoo as Choi Han-kyul in Coffee Prince

I guess, for me, it all boils down to the simple fact that I love stories, and I love Korea. I don't think it's more complicated than that. Some stories are well-written, well-acted, well-directed, well-scored, and well-edited to produce a lovely, compelling story (see The Return of Iljimae, a semi-historical series based on a Robin Hood-esque hero, or Cinderella's Sister, a modern-day twist and excellent elaboration on the classic fairy tale). Some aren't any of those things, but you just can't stop watching anyway (see Boys Over Flowers). The best dramas, like the best books, bring their characters to life, make you laugh, make you cry, make you gasp or giggle, make you fall in love -- but most of all they make you examine the world and your place in it. They make you think. They raise issues, whether they be deep, epic themes about life or love, or smaller, quieter ones like good friendships and happy families. Stories are important, precisely because they do make us consider those things, and in ways that we might not be willing to if faced with them outright. 

Kim So-yeon as Kim Sun-hwa and Lee Byung-heon as Kim Hyun-jun in IRIS

I hope that even if you don't become an addict like me, that you'll take the time to check out some of the better dramas I've mentioned (all of the ones here are good, in different ways, but of course there are others; just ask me and I'll tell you anything you want to know). Even if the stories weren't that dissimilar from what you'd see on your own TV tonight, I think it's worth experiencing how someone else -- some other culture -- treats the same situations and experiences you have. You'd be surprised, I think, and who knows? You might even learn something.

It Seems Like All I Ever Write About Is Snow

Yep, that's right: it's snowing. Again. That makes three snowstorms of fairly major proportions (at least for this neck of the woods) in a week and a half. A week and a half! When some winters it doesn't even snow at all! And if you remember, there was another big snowstorm here back in the middle of December. Four snowstorms in one season? 말이 돼?!?

So what have I been doing with this windfall of extra time? Given that I can't go to work and classes are canceled, surely I've been doing something productive like finding a cure for cancer, right? Wrong. The most productive thing I've accomplished since last Thursday has probably been shaving my legs.

I know, I know. I'm hopeless.

But now, to spice things up, I thought I'd compile a short list for you, entitled:

Some Reasons Why I Watch Kdramas

1. The men are hot. (I never claimed this would be a meaningful list of reasons.)

2. I like romance. Kdramas are usually full to overflowing with romantic cliches. 

3. I'm a snob. I like that I can (mostly) understand Korean.

4. Did I mention the men are hot? And always doing romantic things for the girl?

5. I like that family ties are strong and meaningful to many of the story-lines. It's an aspect of life that is often missing in popular American television.

An Obsession for Everyone

WHAT:꽃보다 남자

WHERE: 

http://www.viki.com/channels/50-boys-over-flowers

WHY: Because it’s the coolest show that’s no longer on TV. In Korean. 

(with English subtitles, though)

You won't regret watching it.

Trust me.