... But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Cryin's not for me
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the dramas by complainin'
Because I'm free
Nothin's worryin' me...
Nothing would be surprising IF I didn't have 4 articles waiting and a month to write them. Plus, some other things. Oh well, fangirling won't do itself.
Yesterday I started Monstar. This way, I probably made the biggest mistake of last few weeks. I mean, I was incredibly hooked on Heaven's Order, I still am, but this little drama about highschoolers... damn. I blame lovely @jubies for advertising the cocaine (sung with Eric Clapton's accent).
I was partially tempted and partially put off by this drama before it started, a perfect bipolar relationship. The tempting factor was music and I'm such an easy woman when it comes to this. The abhorring factor was the description I read once that it will be a drama about "idols". The cheesy line about "mending their troubled life thanks to music" sits perfectly fine with me because in my credo there is that the music holds unspeakable power over anything. As I've already written on twitter - episodes are over 1 hour long, but they feel like 40 minutes the most because the filter-heavy action on screen can hold anyone in a tight grip.
I never really liked school stories. I could never relate to those teens brimming with problems and emotions that seemed somewhat far-ferched and dilapidated characters resembling more some cartoon versions than real people. That being said, I'm only after first episode due to multitasking and Wednesdays being days from Hell so I have to prepare a lot.
We have various characters falling into seemingly typical boxes with: rebelious, quiet, talented, mysterious etc., however each character presents a certain twist. And our main idol boy is kind of a weird mixture of "want-donotwant" person that poses to be indifferent but longing in fact for some normal contact. Plus, he's adorable.
This drama has done something no other did in quite a long time. I cried. OK, I cried also while watching last episode of Love Contract, but in that moment there were totally different circumstances (love, death, sacrifice!!) but here... There is bullying in this class, nothing new, but in this case this takes other form than usual, it's not threats, beating, money-stealing, crawling etc. The bullied guy is galled "radio" - go figure why. he's forced to sing and dance and due to unbearable pressure his thoughts are hovering (almost like himself on the roof) over suicide. This class has a new girl, slightly autistic if you ask me, very confined to herself, frozen at some point girl. And when this poor guy was ordered to sing again, he did - through tears, without the slightest hope. Then it happened what just put me in a state of sobbing mess - this crystal girl started to sing with him. They sang the song, silencing the whole class, breaking the tension, will and stale air. The power of this scene knocked me down. Music that was a torture for this poor guy became in one second his weapon. Music, that was just means to gnaw upon him, became the medium to free himself, if only for a moment, it does not matter. At precisely this minute he was the creator and his life was in his hands. Oh, I love how they used this perfect singing of those two contrasted to a total silence and boiling storm of a bully. The power of this scene made me swear I will go down with this drama.
I demand more singing though. More!!
Next one that caused sleepless nights would be Cruel Palace. And it's really cruel. It takes place at King Injo's reign, exactly in 1644 when Prince Sohyeon returned from Beijing to Joseon. Poor Prince, he'll live only one year... And he and his wife are one of my favorite characters in this bloody and turbulent Korean history. Princess Minhoe is not a weak woman and the love between them is genuine and touching. However, they were so ahead of their times they had to die. Ep 21 ended with Injo grabbing royal seal that was on his table trying to hit the Yuan ambassador. This was a dangerous premonition as Injo hit Prince with this seal causing brain hemorrhage and - in effect - premature death of this awesome man. Rumors have it, there was also a poison involved and I wouldn't be surprised at all, given the dynamics inside the court.
And I have to admit, I really like Jeon Tae Su here (Nam Hyeok!!), because Hyeok was here the most innocent character and first victim to Soyong's growing, bloody greed (she lured him into the trap knowing he'd come, she hired assassins, she watched him being killed). She's scary, trust me. The scene when she has beaten this palace maid made me lose all remnants of my sympathy for her. What sympathy? Well, I know she's the concubine's daughter, she had no education, she can't read or write and she's getting mocked about that every time, she's been called uneducated and lowborn. I do get where her blazing hatred and greed come from. But she crossed that one bridge too far and nothing actually can explain her behavior. The more you eat, the more you feel hungry, I guess. Plus, The Queen mentioned it's not a crime or sin to be born ineducated, however it's a shame to not do anything about it. Soyong however shows no intention of it. Every episode I pray Hyeok will come back (he ain't dead, rejoice!) and turn her life into living hell.
Oh well, Kim Ju Yeong as Prince Bongrim doesn't hurt either (teh Cutie from Vampy Oppa).
On other note, drama made waves when breastfeeding was shown and ALMOST NOTHING was blurred. Morals of Koreans dropped significantly.
We have various characters falling into seemingly typical boxes with: rebelious, quiet, talented, mysterious etc., however each character presents a certain twist. And our main idol boy is kind of a weird mixture of "want-donotwant" person that poses to be indifferent but longing in fact for some normal contact. Plus, he's adorable.
This drama has done something no other did in quite a long time. I cried. OK, I cried also while watching last episode of Love Contract, but in that moment there were totally different circumstances (love, death, sacrifice!!) but here... There is bullying in this class, nothing new, but in this case this takes other form than usual, it's not threats, beating, money-stealing, crawling etc. The bullied guy is galled "radio" - go figure why. he's forced to sing and dance and due to unbearable pressure his thoughts are hovering (almost like himself on the roof) over suicide. This class has a new girl, slightly autistic if you ask me, very confined to herself, frozen at some point girl. And when this poor guy was ordered to sing again, he did - through tears, without the slightest hope. Then it happened what just put me in a state of sobbing mess - this crystal girl started to sing with him. They sang the song, silencing the whole class, breaking the tension, will and stale air. The power of this scene knocked me down. Music that was a torture for this poor guy became in one second his weapon. Music, that was just means to gnaw upon him, became the medium to free himself, if only for a moment, it does not matter. At precisely this minute he was the creator and his life was in his hands. Oh, I love how they used this perfect singing of those two contrasted to a total silence and boiling storm of a bully. The power of this scene made me swear I will go down with this drama.
I demand more singing though. More!!
Next one that caused sleepless nights would be Cruel Palace. And it's really cruel. It takes place at King Injo's reign, exactly in 1644 when Prince Sohyeon returned from Beijing to Joseon. Poor Prince, he'll live only one year... And he and his wife are one of my favorite characters in this bloody and turbulent Korean history. Princess Minhoe is not a weak woman and the love between them is genuine and touching. However, they were so ahead of their times they had to die. Ep 21 ended with Injo grabbing royal seal that was on his table trying to hit the Yuan ambassador. This was a dangerous premonition as Injo hit Prince with this seal causing brain hemorrhage and - in effect - premature death of this awesome man. Rumors have it, there was also a poison involved and I wouldn't be surprised at all, given the dynamics inside the court.
And I have to admit, I really like Jeon Tae Su here (Nam Hyeok!!), because Hyeok was here the most innocent character and first victim to Soyong's growing, bloody greed (she lured him into the trap knowing he'd come, she hired assassins, she watched him being killed). She's scary, trust me. The scene when she has beaten this palace maid made me lose all remnants of my sympathy for her. What sympathy? Well, I know she's the concubine's daughter, she had no education, she can't read or write and she's getting mocked about that every time, she's been called uneducated and lowborn. I do get where her blazing hatred and greed come from. But she crossed that one bridge too far and nothing actually can explain her behavior. The more you eat, the more you feel hungry, I guess. Plus, The Queen mentioned it's not a crime or sin to be born ineducated, however it's a shame to not do anything about it. Soyong however shows no intention of it. Every episode I pray Hyeok will come back (he ain't dead, rejoice!) and turn her life into living hell.
Oh well, Kim Ju Yeong as Prince Bongrim doesn't hurt either (teh Cutie from Vampy Oppa).
On other note, drama made waves when breastfeeding was shown and ALMOST NOTHING was blurred. Morals of Koreans dropped significantly.
As for other dramas? Still on ep 10 of Mandate of Heaven/Heaven's Order/Fugitive of Joseon, but I'm enjoying it so far, mainly thanks to Song Jihyo, Park Jiyoung (Queen Munjeong) and Song Jongho. No, don't get me wrong, I like LDW, but I feel he's not cut for sageuks. Some actors are and some are not. He's the second group. Despite that, I enjoy his father-daughter scenes a lot.
Also like Im Seul-ong as the Crown Prince Yi Ho and he's able to show the absolute loneliness of the Prince who doesn't have any allies and people he trusted turn out to be enemies. The Prince, I repeat, is horribly alone and surrounded by those who only wait for some mishap so that he can be accused of treason. Funny thing is, and from what I was reading, little people understood what kind of trap Prince was caught when the talk about abdication of his father was on the plate. The problem was - if he didn't accept the abdication of his father (as he was forced) that would suggest he's plotting something, but if he pushed for this - it would mean he's harboring a treason, because there can't be two rulers under the same heaven. Plus, if he'd accepted and was crowned as King, the Queen would still hold the power as Queen Mother.
Having L from Vampy Oppa is a plus too.
The rest of the dramas from the sidebar - I was spazzing about, so not today.
Still didn't start Shark. Waiting to have 4 eps at least to lose it.
Also like Im Seul-ong as the Crown Prince Yi Ho and he's able to show the absolute loneliness of the Prince who doesn't have any allies and people he trusted turn out to be enemies. The Prince, I repeat, is horribly alone and surrounded by those who only wait for some mishap so that he can be accused of treason. Funny thing is, and from what I was reading, little people understood what kind of trap Prince was caught when the talk about abdication of his father was on the plate. The problem was - if he didn't accept the abdication of his father (as he was forced) that would suggest he's plotting something, but if he pushed for this - it would mean he's harboring a treason, because there can't be two rulers under the same heaven. Plus, if he'd accepted and was crowned as King, the Queen would still hold the power as Queen Mother.
Having L from Vampy Oppa is a plus too.
The rest of the dramas from the sidebar - I was spazzing about, so not today.
Still didn't start Shark. Waiting to have 4 eps at least to lose it.
