Mistaken identity

Learn the difference.

  

   I’ve been planning to write on this topic for a long, long time. Somehow other things got in a way and this was postponed. Finally, I had some time to spare and collect my (scarce) thoughts and write a post.

My affair with Korean entertainment developed into serious relationship, this is why so many things amuse me now. Fangirls are one thing, but illusions that fangirls have, are infecting, oops, I mean, influencing the journalism in Korea. And this is not about ‘we-all-know-which-website’ articles. This is about the trend that has roots in fangirls’ perception of their bubble world and how it affect the real world.

Ban-ready dramas

Dear Commission for Pissing Off Normal Viewers!

I prepared the list (with help of some readers here) of dramas, that your board may take under the consideration of banning. And when you're on it, ban peppero sticks (phallic symbols), ice-creams (OMG!!), lollipops etc. and create the enforce law that would put everyone under zen meditation to get rid of all emotions. Oh noez, I forgot, it was already done. The movie was called Equilibrium, there was a drug  injection. You remember how it ended, dear Cosmic Bullshit Commision?

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.

Warrior Baek Dongsu

   

   I'm after only two episodes (too much drama to watch, and other stuff, no time!), but after rough start with me in episode 1, episode 2 convinced me. There is a lot more fight scenes in here comparing to other sageuk, so if you don't like it, that might be a slight hindrance in immersing into the story. There is a lot of familiar faces, and huge score - typical for fusion sageuks: rock, orchestra and a great, powerful song by BMK.

Basic info:

Title: 무사 백동수 / Musa Baek Dong Soo
Previously known as: 야뇌 백동수 / Honorable Baek Dong Soo
Genre: Period
Episodes: 24
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2010-Jul-04 to 2011-TBA
Air time: Monday & Tuesday 21:55
Official Website
Plot:
Set in the Joseon Dynasty during King Jeongjo’s reign, this martial-arts fusion sageuk is centered around the events involving Crown Prince Sado’s conspiracy. Warrior Baek Dong Soo was a real-life legend who created a martial arts guide in Joseon. His group who defends King Jeongjo is pitted against a mysterious organization of assassins who plot to kill the King.(koreandrama) 

 

I dropped The Duo because of Cheon Jeongmyeong who was a complete miscast in here, and if I can't connect to one of the actors (especially main ones) watching of the show becomes a nightmare. So this is my first sageuk since... oh, SKKS. Hope there won't be any mistakes like this one.

Anyway, back to Baek Dongsu, I noticed funny fact how they changed the titles. Previously it had "honorable" in it, now we are left with "warrior" only. I guess writers concluded that in dark times, to be a good and loyal warrior excludes being honorable in a certain way.

Some ramblings

   Before I vanish again into the stuff I have to do for yesterday, I want to express my sincere hateful love for Life Is Beautiful drama. I have never thought any drama longer than 20 at most (yes, Goong was an exception) episodes could make me glued to the screen so much. Don't count taeha dramas. LIB was the first to do that and Assorted Jewels just followed. After that, only Seongkyunkwan Scandal made me feel rejuvenated again.

What has become out of me? I embarked on long journeys with New Tales of Gisaeng, Twinkle Twinkle and Royal Family (OK, this one is short). I'm helplessly enamoured with long, full of details and well paced dramas. So what if I have to wait for a proper "spark" between main couple 20+  episodes like in Family's Honor? So what if I have to endure all evil characters that apparently don't sleep only to come up with their ultimate plan to ruin somebody else's life? Long dramas have certain charm in their pace that no drama can fulfill. Or maybe I'm just getting old?

Queen Seondeok - Who is Who

            To all: this is my own, private take on this drama, written after re-watches (OK, truthfully, from 21^st episode, mehehe), so it includes my own personal feelings, and I do not care about opinions of others. This way, you are entitled not to care about my opinion as well. I was thinking about writing a separated insight into one of these characters, but this could prove me speechless.

This drama is not perfect. It has many flaws (I am not talking about the CGI effects used in the battles scenes, but some huge screenplay nonsense as well), many annoying characters, and way too many episodes. This all could be done nicely in 50 episodes. Still, this is one of the best dramas I watched. I enjoyed the show, I was angry, frustrated, I cried, I laughed and I trembled in sheer terror. This is how I watch movies/dramas.

After episode 50^th, everything went awry, it looked like if all the crew was fighting each other over the ending and final shape of those doomed characters.

Queen Seondeok ruled the following years: 632-647, and according to some stories, she remained unmarried, and according to other sources, she had two political spouses. Whatever the truth is, it is a solid, proven fact she was a remarkable character, very strong and independent. I was hoping that drama would include the famous episode with Tang envoys and the paintings of peonies. But I didn’t see it. They could do it instead of extended, boring Kim Yushin’s battle of Gaya honor. They jumped 10 years from one episode to the next regardless.

            The truth is, I was addicted to this drama back then, I started to watch it from the 6^th episode and I quickly watched missing 5. From then, I was waiting every Monday and Tuesday for new episodes. Around the end of a first half, I had enough. The actions were swift in the first 15 episodes, but then they just protracted all movements. If it was any other drama, I would most likely give up, but it was a period drama and my first watched almost “live”. Therefore, I wanted to continue no matter what. And I’m glad I did.

So much for my personal attachment.

Kim Nam Gil interview

Quite new^^.
The whole interview is here:
Interview with KNG: 2010-06-16
But since I'm not that interested in Kim Jae Wook, I won't quote.
For those who are, just follow the link. Interview is in English.
The interview itself is from June 14.

Random thoughts

I have to prepare myself for an exam next week (the History of South East Asia) as well as prepare an exam for others to write, hehe, instead I'm just watching some dramas, re-watching two others and writing here. I started to watch When It's At Night, with Kim Suna Ah, but I'm not sure if I manage to watch the entire 16 episodes. The story is nice, about national treasures, a womanizer, a tough woman... so it should be good. Plus, it's Kim Sun Ah, dammit! I liked her in She's on Duty, and I love to bits My Lovely Kim Sam Soon. This one is kinda average drama, but I judge it after the first episode. If I had to judge dramas after the first episode, I would have never watched You're Beautiful, or I would be very sceptical about currently airing Bad Guy. That is why it is my policy to give a drama the chance to prove I'm wrong. I like to be wrong in that matter. But I gave up on Sunao ni narenakute and... the hell with it!