30 Day Kdrama Challenge: Day 12

Day 12: Your Favorite Story

Arang and the Magistrate had a really amazing story. The romance was electric, the mystery was thrilling, there were also funny parts and scary parts. From the beginning all the way to the final episode, it was a great story. As Kdrama fans, we all know that a drama can be really solid and then have a shit ending. Arang's ending was hopeful, romantic, and unusual. Also, the supernatural elements were done very well and didn't become cheesy. Even though this is a sageuk drama, I was never bored. Watch Arang and the Magistrate free and subtitled on DramaFever

Upcoming 2013 Korean Dramas

Well, we are almost halfway through the year, and it is basically summertime. A new batch of Korean dramas just started, including: Shark, I Hear Your Voice, Nail Shop Paris, Dating Agency: Cyrano, Monstar, and Hearltess City. In this post, though, I want to mention a few upcoming Kdramas that I am looking forward to. As we all know, everything must come to an end, but in the Korean drama world the end of one means the start of a possibly amazing new drama.

Kyung Soo Jin
source: koreandrama.org

Eun Hee

Links: AsianWiki, Han Cinema
Cast: Kyung Soo Jin (Shark) and Lee Jun (The Slave Hunters)
Begins: June 24th, 2013
Thoughts: It basically sounds like hundreds of other Korean dramas involving birth secrets, a jealous girl, and a love triangle. I liked Kyung Soo Jin's acting as the young Hae Woo in Shark, so I am considering watching this drama, but I am not 100% sold just based upon the information I found so far.

Moon Gun Young
source: viki.com

Jung Yi, the Goddess of Fire

Links: AsianWiki, Han Cinema, Couch Kimchi
Cast: Moon Gun Young (Cheongdamdong Alice, Mary Stayed Out All Night) and Lee Sang Yoon (Life is Beautiful)
Begins: July 2013
Thoughts: This is a sageuk about the first woman who worked with ceramic in the Joseon era. It sounds like it could either be incredibly boring or epic and interesting.

Kim Jae Won
source: soompi.com

Scandal

Links: AsianWiki, Han Cinema
Cast: Kim Jae Won (Can You Hear My Heart, May Queen) and Jo Yoon Hee (Nine, Lie to Me)
Begins: July 2013
Thoughts: It could be interesting. The plot is set around Jae Won as a detective who finds out his father kidnapped him. I will try it because I like Jae Won, hopefully it's better than the last drama he was in, May Queen.

Lee Jun Ki
source: photucket

Two Weeks

Links: AsianWiki, Han Cinema
Cast: Lee Jun Ki (Arang and the Magistrate, My Girl) and Kim So Yeon (IRIS 2, The Great Seer)
Begins: August 2013
Thoughts: It sounds right up my alley. It's going to be about a man who is framed for murder and finds out he has a daughter with leukemia, and he spends two weeks trying to save her. I think Lee Jun Ki will be great in a role like this. I am looking forward to it!

Sung Dong Il and Lee Il Hwa
source: facebook.com

Answer Me 1994

Links: Drama Beans, AsianWiki, Han Cinema, The Drama Corner
Cast: so far Sung Dong Il and Lee Il Hwa (the parents from Answer Me 1997)
Begins: Fall 2013
Thoughts: Answer Me 1997 was one of the best dramas of 2012, so I think many drama fans are excited about what the sequel will be. So far there is no definite information, but it looks like it may start airing this fall.

Lee Min Ho and Park Shin Hye
source: vingle.net

The Heirs 

Links: AsianWiki, Han Cinema, DramaFever Blog
Cast: Lee Min Ho (Boys Over Flowers, Faith), Park Shin Hye (You're Beautiful, Flower Boy Next Door) Choi Jin Hyuk (Gu Family Book, Panda and Hedgehog)
Begins: Fall 2013
Thoughts: I need more Lee Min Ho in my life. I have been listening to his album My Everything, but I need some visuals too. One thing I'm skeptical about is that this drama may be about rich high school students. Lee Min Ho is older than me, and I don't think he looks old, but he can't pull off acting as a high school student anymore. We'll see...

Please comment here or contact me via email in the side bar and let me know about any other upcoming Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese, etc. dramas that you are excited to watch.

Korean Movies

The King and the Clown poster

Currently I am overwhelming myself with Korean dramas to watch. I am trying to finish Love Rain and May Queen. I am also watching I Miss You, Cheondong-dam Alice, and King of Baking Kim Tak Gu. Despite my feeling of being swamped with things to watch, I have decided I want to start my Korean movie list. Technically I started it last Friday when I saw A Werewolf Boy in Seattle, but I am officially putting this project into motion tonight. Why did I wait so long to start watching Korean movies, you ask? Well, that's because of the aforementioned chaos of my Kdrama schedule. Trying to work full time, have a bit of a social life, and keep up with Korea dramas is already hectic. But, I will forge on in my quest to amass an epic Kdrama, and, now, Korean movie list.

So, the movie I decided to begin this project with (A Werewolf Boy aside) was The King and the Clown. I have heard good things about it, and I am a fan of Lee Jun Ki. I think this was a great place to start. This movie explores the relationship formed between the Chosun King Yeonsan (Jung Jin Young) and two wild clowns (Lee Jun Ki and Kam Woo Sung). Jun Ki plays the feminine Gong Gil whose portrayal of the King's royal consort earns his majesty's attention. The King, clearly a troubled fellow, begins to look for Gong Gil constantly. I am haunted by the things that the King did based upon the performances by the clowns. This film captures the insanity of the man's life. Sadly, the innocent Gong Gil is pulled into the King's chaos and so the clowns suffer. I laughed, I cried, and I also thought about the danger of power. 

Next I plan on watching My Sassy Girl, Cyrano Agency, and The Thieves with Kim Soo Hyun.

The Best Kdramas of 2012 (preliminary)

So, the year 2012 is nearly over, and it is time to look back and begin to make judgement. I started watching Korean Dramas early on this year, therefore, I am new to the game. I have made my best efforts to catch up on the classics, but there is so much to watch and only so many hours in the day. What I am going to do now is make a rough guess at what will be my favorite dramas from 2012. Obviously I didn't watch every single drama that aired this year, so my judgement must be taken with a grain of salt. It is fun to make lists, though, so I will lay down the best Korean Dramas of 2012 here. Please weigh in with your favorites in the comments section.


1. Rooftop Prince

I genuinely love this drama. Mickey Yoo Chun and Han Ji Min make a beautiful couple. I find it to be a hilarious comedy and an emotional romance all rolled in to one. I am a sucker for the ever-funny scenes that take place when a person from the past is thrust into the modern world and bombarded with the substantial advancements of technology since their time. I think Rooftop Prince is by far the best of the time travel dramas that I have seen (Faith, Queen In Hyun's Man, and 3 episodes of Time Slip Dr. Jin).

Mickey Yoo Chun and Han Ji Mia

Watch Rooftop Prince with English subs http://www.dramafever.com/drama/4101/1/Rooftop_Prince/

2. The Innocent Man (Nice Guy)

The Innocent Man (Nice Guy) become a big part of my life for a while (as sad as that sounds). I originally had planned to watch it when it completed airing, but I started this blog on October 20th and decided I need to write about this show because it is daebak. I watched the first 14 episodes over the course of 2 or 3 days (it's all a blur now) and began my screen cap/ blog writing fury. Now that it is over, I feel an emptiness. I am not loyal enough to say that I won't be able to fill the emptiness left by The Innocent Man (Nice Guy), but it might take some time to be replaced in my heart. Song Joong Ki is amazing as Kang Ma Roo because he has an angelic baby face, but does some very bad ass things in the show. Also, I fell in love with Moon Chae Won while watching this drama. She is gorgeous, and I love when she gets to act strong-willed and ferocious.

Moon Chae Won and Seo Eun Gi

Watch The Innocent Man (Nice Guy) with English subs http://www.viki.com/channels/7995-nice-guy

3. Arang and the Magistrate

Arang and the Magistrate is one of the first dramas I wrote about. Watching Korean Dramas to write about them is a very different experience than just watching them, I believe. While I am much more efficient with my time when I watch a drama without worrying about what to write about it, I feel that I get a better insight into the drama when I stop and think about it. With Arang, I was able draw out many beautiful ideas and lessons from this drama during my writing process. It really makes me think about the power of desire and will and how considering other people can be the most rewarding way to live.

Shin Min Ah and Lee Jun Ki

Watch Arang and the Magistrate with English subs http://www.dramafever.com/drama/4133/1/Arang_and_the_Magistrate/


4. Queen In Hyun's Man

Queen In Hyun's Man is one of the best love stories I have seen in a Korean drama. Maybe not everyone will agree with me on that, but that's okay. I think that the love between Kim Bong Do (Ji Hyun Woo) and Choi Hee Jin (Yoo In Na) is pure and sweet. Unlike some Kdramas where the main couple starts off with
a relationship of hate and hostility, they were never tarnished by that dirty feeling of "are these people masochists or what?" that I get from some couples. As a time travel drama, it is almost (but not quite) as amazing as Rooftop Prince. I don't really like to compare these two dramas too much, though, because I think that they each have their own individual spirits. Queen In Hyun's Man is a must-see drama for any Korean drama lover.

Yoo In Na and Ji Hyun Woo making out!

Watch Queen In Hyun's Man with English subs http://www.hulu.com/queen-and-i

5. Reply 1997

Reply 1997 (Answer Me 1997) is a treat. Sung Shi Won (Jung Eun Ji) is such a spunky, relatable female character that it is impossible (for people with warm blood) not to love her. She lives in the world of super fandom and worships her kpop idol with an extreme (almost dangerous) passion. This drama features an array of interesting and well-developed characters that interact flawlessly with each other in their realistic environment spanning from the late 1990's up to present day. The ending has a sweet twist that is both funny, and romantic (clearly, I love that combination), and there is really nothing but joy, youth, and fun (with some tears too) to be had.

Seo In Guk and Jung Eun Ji

Watch Reply 1997 with English subs http://www.viki.com/channels/9462-replay-1997-answer-me-1997

Honorable mentions: I do, I do and The Moon That Embraces the Sun

Right now I am watching Bridal Mask which seems to be another contender for my 2012 list. I am also watching I Miss You and May Queen too. I will try to get a few more Kdramas from 2012 in before the end of the year so that I can come up with a more accurate judgement of the dramas of this year. Please, please, please tell me if there is something great from this year that I should watch.

Arang and the Magistrate Final Review

If you are wondering whether or not you should watch Arang and the Magistrate, I will save you the time spent speculating. WATCH IT! SPOILER WARNING beyond this point.

Lee Jun Ki and Shin Min Ah as Kim Eun Ho and Arang episode 1

Shin Min Ah is perfect, of course. She is beautiful, but also tough. I think that she is my favorite Kdrama actress after watching her as Arang. Lee Jun Ki is great as well, I was affected the most not by the love story between Arang and Eun Ho, though it was beautiful, but by the pain KEH went through as a child and adult because of his mother's desire for revenge.

Kim Eun Ho and Arang episode 19

Desire was the star here. What is your greatest desire? I really began to think about this while watching. The characters were living and dying by their desires. In fact Mu Yeon's greatest earning was to have desire. But does getting what you want really satiate the appetite? I think the answer is no. Wanting for something is human (and apparently nonhuman as well), and it is not a part of living that can be avoided. I think this is what made me feel sympathetic toward Ju Wal. Even though he was killing innocent people to live a comfortable life, I could see the sadness in him. He made a choice to want to have what others take for granted, he can't be blamed for choosing that path as a young boy.

I don't think the point of this story is to make desire seem evil or selfish, though, because Arang's desire in the end to keep her love alive through her or KEH's memories was something she was willing to sacrifice herself for. It wasn't a selfish want, she was earning to leave the least amount of pain for KEH as she could. KEH, on the other hand, learned through Arang that caring more about other people is the type of desire that can lead to the most satisfying result, if not to complete satisfaction of the want. The drama started with KEH ignoring injustice and disregarding his oppurtunity to help those who were suffering through his power.After his time spent with a woman who was constantly struggling between life and death and heaven and hell, he realized that desire can be the best motivation when used correctly, unlike his mother's want for revenge.

I could go on for days about Arang and the Magistrate because there are so many amazing characters, relationships, and plot lines to discuss. There is Mu Young and Mu Yeon's relationship, the Jade Emperor, Heaven and Hell, Dol Soe and the Shaman, ghosts, and Lee Seo Rim and Arang's shared soul, but I need to think more about all of this. I may write more about it later, though. But, I would like to touch on the ending. I found it to be beautiful and unexpected, and it wasn't rushed. I think it implies hopefulness because the sweet and wonderful memories in life are what sustain us through the rest of it. If we can hold onto those memories even beyond this existence (wherever or whatever that beyond may be), then we are not merely marching toward death, but collecting treasure that we will hold onto for eternity.

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