Monday, October 31, 2011

Creepy Blabbering


   We, on continental Europe don't celebrate Halloween. I don't want to celebrate that. All Hallows' Eve (Night), All Saints' Eve, Samhain. It's celtic tradition distorted by shallow American culture. I'm sorry if I offended some people's feelings, but I guess it's all what I can do in my life and I apparently do nothing more than going around and offending women, men, Divas, chickens and lentils.

Winter Dramas


Not the happiest person here when winter is mentioned, but what can I do? Make some cocoa and hope that more hawt men will be on screen. 

October 31st

For being born and for watching over me
23.08.1970 - 31.10.1993

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Fun gifts for quirky Korean holidays

Square apples with "Pass" sign on them.


I used my break to go around and read on the net what's new. And came across this nice, funny article about unusual gifts that Korean give and receive on many occasions.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Immortal Song 2 - weekly report


 Oh, OK, can't make sense because of Namstar's first win. He lost in the next round, but judges were also favorable on his performance so I can go eat my dinner as a happy woman.
Too much of Infinite lately? So?
Update: Inspirits are tireless, so all Namstar's cuts with eng subs are already out, so I'm adding. The cute reaction to winning gratis^^

INFINITE - the future of Hallyu



Oh well, some are bored already, I know. This would be my next Hancine article, so this is actually all features of Big Dipper combined. Still, it's not as broad as I would like it to make (maybe in the future, oh I dream of such concert as DBSK had, oh to be on such event would be dream come true). 
And here and now, I repeat what I wrote in many places already (official Woollim too) - please, give those boys a rest. A week would do them good. They all worked hard, plus, one special slu... star, that is Namstar, is also on Immortal Song and he's so thin I expect an IV stand close to him.

Junsu in new musical


   For the love of kyaa! This boy has chosen the right path for him, and the right musical. Oh damn, now I'm so excited to watch it (as fancams I guess over my friendly black hole youtube). He did have the "Elisabeth" highlights parts on that "Levay With Friends DVD oncert", but but...

Friday, October 28, 2011

Violin Competition


   My sister visited me just now, and she and her hubby both complained about the lack of any coverage of the one of the most important Music Competitions. I have a weak spot for violins (and violas, and all of the kind), this is why I'm reporting it here and now. Probably being in the minority that ever reports that.
The reason why I'm writing? The winner was Yun Soyoung.

JYJ spamming^^


Why? Because I adore them, that's why.


Thursday, October 27, 2011

MMA can't do math


♪ JYJ drama-llama has no eeend ♫ (sing along on the melody of Auld Lang Syne).

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Flawless JYJ remains flawless



   More under the link provided below because my PC can't handle this. Literally, it just died, and I was writing an abstract (well, I was trying to write).

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

KBS Interview with Mun Chaewon


   This is not my translation, the interview is already in English on KBS website, I just repost it here.
And you know, regardless of the interview, I really love the dress - the color, cut, shape and material. It's captivating.


What's Up! - finally


   Oh, finally some movement in this department! Drama, that was postponed, cancelled, resurrected, cancelled again - is back in the market! Truth be told, I already drank at the wake of it but now I can drink with happiness. Finally a musical drama with older singers, actors and, tadaaam! - real musical singers. MBN (no knowledge of this broadcast yet) picked it up and scheduled to December.
I have special attachment to BB's Daesung, and of kors Oh Manseok, so yeshh, me iz watching.
Plus, you know, in this teaser below (yes, 1 year old) "This is the moment" from the musical "Jekyll & Hyde" makes my blood boiling with excitement. So kyaa for real musical arias!

JYJ interview


   My internetz died in the middle of my doing things. While talking with Ori yesterday I reminded myself of this cute vide. It's from the October and we've been raving about that on DA as well, so I thought it might be good to present it to those who somehow avoid the time-devouring youtube.
In this interview (eng subbed) Jae explains their point of view on the whole KBasS banning "Pierrot" song, but the ending is pure masterpiece (eh, that brings tears to my eyes), because evil hyeongs bullied poor maknae yet again. Poor Junsu, forever trolled.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Dol - First Birthday


   As the article is already up, I just quote it here (JoongAngIlbo), and this reminded me of great and sweet ending of New tales of Gisaeng. This was an unusual drama, full of ups and downs, turns and blind alleys, with ocasional ghosts that made one old, crude man re-evaluate his path. So I'm actually putting this up here having last 5 minutes of this drama in mind.
Oh this is why I love family dramas, but waiting 30 episodes for a conclusion like now with A Thousand Kisses is a pain. 

Sunday, October 23, 2011

3rd Generation Hallyu Idols, Infinite


I was about to shut the internets, but damn, this is just too good to not to post.
Hamster leader, please, have some ointment for yer eyes and ears, those girls you mentioned can't sing a note. And even I dance better! (* a moment for some naughty fantasies*...)
And yes, I just love the hint of sarcasm they can throw here and there, without fangirls noticing, I bet^^
I just love how humble they are. Just love it.

Interview with The Princess’ Man writers


As promised, big interview with writers is served.


Immortal Song 2 - report


   And so I was yesterday, watching IS 2 as usual, getting all giggly for Wuhyeon's appearance and the song put me in a swingy good mood when... damn me, a wild Dongwu appeared and ruined the mood. I mean ruined in a good way, in a great way. Those who follow DA's thread know I have special feelings for this crazy boy, so seeing him there just made me all fluffy and happy.
The winner was Hong Kyeongmin, who did a rather interesting yet risky version of the song. And don't get me wrong, I really do think he or Ali should take the crown, but I think he should just stop with multi-intrumentalism. We all know he can play. But he ain't no Mike Oldfield, his main weapon is his voice and many, many years in the business.
Heo Gak was also good, but this time the victory was snatched from him, yet he finished second.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

KAU - Y U not in Hanguk?


   While having my head spinning by both fever and Rigveda analysis I decided to have a break and go through some standard websites.
Ji Seong adressed the issue we've been b*tchin for over... oh, I don't know - always, maybe? 
More actors should talk about this, because this is not one and not two dramas we are talking about. And, well, SBS is known for such actions, they did exactly the same with YAB, and they did the same with Bad Guy. He should be grateful if he's getting paid for that, cause some aren't that lucky.
Oh and KAU - Korean Actors Union is a non-existant unit in Korea, and they should form this.
Accidentally, "kau" in Japanese means "to buy" and it fits perfectly to the situation when TV Broadcast buys the actors and staff, and the audience buys the drama (and all that accompanies that). And we all buy sh*tload of TV promises and fake smiles of tired, exploited actors.
The article is below.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Supernatural in Kdrama




What is the first thing on our mind when we hear “supernatural”? Wizards? Magical powers? None of them belong, in fact, to the world of “supernatural” or “overnatural” as I prefer to call it. The difference is huge. “Supernatural” depicts some extra amount added to the existing “natural” base (as in super-computer, it’s still computer nonetheless), but “overnatural” is some kind of transgression. It stays with a distance from the natural, and it may or may not have few common places. As you know (or not) I deal with such things on my daily research basis (have two spare spectres in the closet, want one?), and I don’t jump into the groundbreaking conclusion after seeing trailer to one movie. That would be as wise as judge Kdramaland after seeing only one episode of some drama. I read hundreds of sources, to tell the truth.
This is not thought as the article delving into archetypes of such occurrences. More likely I’d like to present some types of characters and happenings that take place in obscurity where the sunshine of usual Kdrama fluff is unable to reach.

Kim Namgil interview


   It's not new, of kors, so don't panic. The man is still in the military, but as I was cleaning my folder with various flv vids, I found this one, so I thought I'd share it as well. It's a marvelous mixture of Korean and Japanese and I'm kind of amazed it all makes sense, because he starts the sentence in Japanese and ends it with Korean or messes it up in other cute way.

TPM - cast thoughts


   Actually I didn't plan to "officially" release this short article because it's nothing new. It has five main actors speaking a bit about their characters and favorite scenes. That's all. Article is around one week old, I guess, but can't verify this (and have absolutely no will to do it).
Forgive me any typos, unlike other translations I wrote not in Word, as usually everything, but directly here.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

TPM cuts


   One cut is from Entertainment Weekly 1394 and it's with subs (not mine, they are made by KBSWorld), and the other cut is raw (EW 1396), without subs, when KBSWorld make them, I will make srt file to play along really good quality video I cut.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

JYJ ban confirmed


   Kpop doesn't know "boring", "uneventful" etc.
Oh well, sky is blue, rain is wet, what else is new?

I have to apologize for not keeping my promises about translations, but I'm kind of busy lately.


Monday, October 17, 2011

Lee Soo Man on his system of management


Uhm... so I should understand that SuJu are leftovers from DBSK? Oh my, hard to tell. Ekhem...
We may like SMEnt or hate it, but truthfully, the founder if it has his business head on place. The fact his methods are slightly "cruel" is a totally different story.
As always, read and make up your own mind.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

TPM - writers


   This time, what writers have to say about the drama and the cast. As we know (or maybe not), this drama had two writers, one that wanted to focus on the revenge and Seung-yu as the main axis, the other - love story and Seryeong. We got a lovely caesura after the harsh kidnapping and the story went more romantic from that moment on, and Seung-yu showed yet again his change (good thing he didn't develop split personalities).

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Immortal Song 2 weekly report


   I may make this my weekly routine, because this episode was just so damn good. Ali made audience cry (seriously, there was a lady who cried, maybe some memories with the song?), Hong Kyeongmin put everyone in awe, and Wuhyeon did his best. Unfortunately, the line-up is really, really hard.

Kim Yeongcheol on Park Shihu


   Kim Yeongcheol: "I realized why Park Shihu was the hero".
That's the title of the translated article below. If it wasn't for other things that kept me far from TPM and articles, all would be ready by last Thursday, but well, I'm no happy student that can neglect the homework. Plus, it got really cold here and my fingers are numb (sniff...), need some hawt body to warm them up.
Nevermind...
Oh, to just warn everyone - you may not like some of this man's statements. Being honest is apparently equal to being rude and insulting people. So I read.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Protect the Fluff

   
   This is not going to be one of my (in)famous reviews that take 40 pages. It's rather a short post about the drama I finished (yey!) two days ago and enjoyed to the last episode. This is this kind of drama I watch not for a particular actor/actress but for the premonition that it would be fun. And it was. It was wacky, unpredictable (in some cases) and cute story. A drama about few people and how their lifes changed.
Nothing new, huh?

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Column – An Inconvenient Truth about JYJ’s TV Appearance


   It's the translated article from Nate that appeared here, on JYJ website. And it's heavy, and it's right into your face. I'm not a big fan of conspiracy theories, but what is happening around JYJ isn't normal. As always, read this and make your own judgement, but since this article appeared as Column part on Nate, not in fan section - something is going on, and pray that will help boys' situation.

Infinite reason to love^^


   And the translated article that made me pour my well-known venom on The Diva.
And I will write here what I have to write - being humble is not a shame. And it doesn't have to be a facade to just show it to other people so that they may like you. Because contempt cannot be hidden no matter how one is trying.
What I especially liked it this article? Two quotes:
To this,the Infinite members blamed themselves and said, “We were lacking. Even though they say luck is needed in order to reach the top, our skills were lacking as well.”
I disagree. Good timing or bad timing is important as well. They always had either SuJu or HoMin as their rivals, so it was more than obvious they'd lose.
“Where could the limit be for music. Since the genres are infinite, we need to continuously show new upgraded sides to ourselves. If we don’t overcome these things ourselves, we feel there’s no improvement. Infinite’s rival is Infinite.
I said that few times, boys can use their brains (at least some of them).


The Diva Goes to Hollow Wood

Stay still and don't move. Maybe he won't bite...

   Oh please, by any means, go go. 
I just came back from work, somehow excited with my students progress and, I don't know, feeling this strange vibration of joy for an unknown reason, being caught by rain (au contraire - it was I who caught rain by surprise, haha!, because I had my umbrella ella ella e... damn it) and then - what awaited me? Paradise repackage album! I wasn't expecting it at all because I calculated it would arrive in November (yeah, need to restart on my math I guess). Anyway, after starting my pc, I checked regular websites, KNG - still in the army, nothing changed, PSH - still flawless, nothing changed, Yucheon - blabbering about fishing, nothing changed, Infinite - infinitely worthy, nothing changed. After reading the translation on their fan page that I will provide in the next post, I decided to write something about something... someone. Whoops.
My dear bitch friend Orion made a post about that as well, and I was hesitant to taint my blog with that, but reading what those 7 boys have to say I decided I will unleash some hell as well (that even makes me rhyme, maybe I should leave that depressing research mess and become a poetess?).

Deep Rooted Tree


  Sageuk, sageuk everywhere! After the first episode I know who Suyang takes after. The first episode was very fast, and it's not a rule in a period drama, usually it starts slow and needs 4-6 episodes to fully bloom. But after The Princess' Man I'm not really sure if any near historical stuff can sweep me off my feet again so ferociously. And the more I watch period dramas the more pleasure I find in the shadow politics, forcing, distorting, scheming and plotting. The impuissance of people who, faced with cruelty, can do really nothing but wait and get stronger, the smouldering revenge and consumming flames of emotions... all this moves me more than jaebol's problems, seriously. Period dramas have also one more advantage - they are huge in terms of feelings and people. There is broader spectrum of emotions and characters.
Having said that, let's look at that tree.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Idiot Baek Dongsu

Eh, happy first 4 episodes, I shall treasure you^^

   It's the first time I dropped a sageuk. I never did that before, I mustered all my willpower in the past and somehow went through all idiocies that always appear in this kind of drama. The Princess' Man and Deep-rooted Tree now set the bar for period dramas really high lately.
Dongsu disappointed me for the first time when they saved Prince Sado and made him killed by assassins and not from starving in a rice box. I was not pleased by such distortion, but found my leniency and forgave that.
But just when I thought they would go with their logic of killing off characters - they made a move that enraged everyone in the Western world.

Sunday, October 09, 2011

Hangeul Day


   According to the Sejong Sillok (세종실록;世宗實綠) King Sejong proclaimed publication of the new alphabet (Hunmin Jeongeum (훈민정음;訓民正音) in 1446. Dear readers, King Sejong was father of Prince Suyang.
Leave, obsessions...

‘Nightly assassin’


   Another translated article. This time with glossary, because without it, my work is just some  incomprehensible blabbering. I tried my best to translate it in an understandable way, but it's impossible without additional information. I also left few words in original in parentheses, just in case anyone wants to translate them in your way.

Saturday, October 08, 2011

Cat, cat cat


   So just to spoil my caturday entirely - new documentary on cat. Cats. On those otherworldly beautiful creatures that grace us, mortals with their presence.
http://blog.naver.com/catcat2011

Immortal Song 2 respawn

   
   I watched that show for... 3 weeks, and mah derp baby Jjongie left, so I just forgot about this. Last week NamWhore... I mean, Nam Wuhyeon started to appear and... and I watch the show again. And before anyone accuses me of pedo bias, I don't find him the best in this line up. The best is Ali. 

JYJ sunshine in October

 
   
   Was Yucheon always this handsome? Was Junsu always this cute? Was Jaejung always this dashing?
Weekly dosage of pure sunshine into your lifes^^
But boys do need a rest, at least a whole week rest, they are tired, and it's visible.
Plus, I hate German organizators of the concert, I was left out without the ticket. So close yet so far... (*hides to drink heavily while listening to Time*)


Friday, October 07, 2011

Prince Suyang's Coup d'Etat documentary

  
   There was yesterday a documentary broadcasted on Prince Suyang's Coup d'Etat (계유정난) that made him new King. In case anyone is interested, look below. The show is interesting because it compares drama version with the history. We all know, and PD also said that they weren't that focused on the actual history but on the romance part. Nonetheless, history shown in this drama was also great. The time span for it is around 2 years, not including few years after, when King Sejo was close to his death and he saw Seung-yu with Seryeong.
They even went to the famous cave that - in unofficial history - was a temporary refuge for our lovely and brave couple before they fled further south.


Thursday, October 06, 2011

TPM - The End


Dear TPM staff!

  I'm writing this a minute after the last episode ended, so some sentences may seem incoherent. Thank you for wonderful 12 weeks. Thank you for presenting the story that is universal to every one living in distant times and distant places. Thank you that I didn't have to use fast-forward button even once. Thank you that you upheld my faith in a good sageuk without useless plotholes, flat characters and annoying twists. Thank you for the cast you assembled that brought us closer to emotions of people long gone. Thank you for reminding us that the power of Macbeth and R&J is still alive deep in our minds. 
And thank you for giving me a heart attack five minutes before the ending. That was an intense blow right into my face, so I started to choke on my own tears.
After that I cried because I don't regret spending over 25 hours with this drama. 
Sincerely yours,

Ethlenn

Kim Yeongcheol on Mun Chaewon and Park Shihu

   
   This is my another translation of the short recapitulation of the interview with Kim Yeongcheol who plays Grand Prince Suyang (King Sejo) where he talks about the story and two leads in this story.
I'm not a butthurt fan, and I don't curse older, more experienced actors when they point out weak points of my other actors. I can pinpoint the very same problems. And -omo!- those criticized actors don't cry their eyes out, but work, work, work. Oh well, PSH doesn't have 25 years of "acting experience" as The Diva has so... And probably this was the reason why I didn't like the Iljimae (among other issues I had with this drama) - it was this feel that PSH was so out of place there. Even in TPM he did need few episodes to become Joseon man. But he did.

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Korea and drugs


   Web is abuzz. Netizens don't know how to react - either put G-Dragon to hell or forgive him. There are comments that make me giggle like: "Oppa didn't mean it!". Oh yes, butterfly princesses, he DID mean it! I won't believe he didn't know what he was smoking, he probably thought he could get away with that. So maybe this is why he cut his hair short. Ekhem...
The story?
According to investigators, G-Dragon had smoked marijuana sometime in the middle of May this year, and had taken a drug test in July. Although the results had come back negative with an initial urine test, further tests overturned that decision, and he had confessed at the time that he had been taking the drug at a Japanese club when he had visited the country for a concert.
“I smoked a cigarette that someone had given me at a club,” G-Dragon said. “The smell was somewhat different from that of a regular cigarette so I was slightly suspicious that it was marijuana, but it is true that I smoked it,” he said.
According to investigators, since the amount of marijuana was so small and G-Dragon had no prior offences, they decided to give him a warning.

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Vampire Prosecutor


   I will be honest - I thought of ignoring that drama. Trailer was cheesy and I thought, well, I probably didn't think at all. But, aren't the vampires in the orbit of my research? Kind of Saturn orbit, but close enough. And I watched the first episode. And now I'm waiting for the second. The fact that main actor looks like Yucheon's hyeong also doesn't hurt, ekhem...
The last drama with vampires I watched was Freeze, and it was good.

JYJ drama episode ??


   I thought I had classes today but I'm stupid and didn't look carefully. So I'm back to being mean. Oh yes, did I make few other people cry into their unicorn pillows? I'm sooo sorry. 

JYJ Drama Episode ??
In the previous episode: KBS banned song "Pierrot" claiming that P.S.M. stands for President Lee Soo Man and this is just a personal attack. Cliffhanger left us with WTF faces of the trio.

Monday, October 03, 2011

Drama Festival


Oh, and I find it funny how butthurt some fans can be. I wrote the comment that I don't find Secret Garden all that good, and the reply I got was: "Sssh, go back to your Mary Mary show, and PLEASE, just shut up!" I find it hilarious because I don't usually get so worked up when someone criticize dramas I love (it's a natural phenomena), and here someone was so painfully hurt. And the person has chosen the most inadequate drama ever. Because I'm not really sure if there is any drama worse than Bury Me Mary. Oh, I used so multilettered words? You mad?


Sunday, October 02, 2011

Sunday Infinite


The reason was stated few times. I'm filling for adoption.

Netizens


   The word comes from internet and citizens. And they may be described using Lucian's words: "a pack of rabid dogs" (yes, from Underworld). We've been discussing this countless times, and I think more people should be vocal about this pathology. Yes, this is borderline psychotic behavior. I frequent both Korean and Western websites and boards. I witness surges of hysteric posts on DCGall. Fans are demanding, that's true, but normal fans know that the object of their admiration is just a human being. Netizens, chained to the internet with their mobiles, can post everytime and everywhere, unlike usual people who has to go to work. And shielded by the anonymity of the web, they post what may be seen as some delusions of really sick minds.