Patisserie Coin de rue

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished a movie that I had downloaded a few weeks ago, called Patisserie Coin de rue. It was mainly about a girl named Natsume, that visits Tokyo because her ex-boyfriend moved there. However, she ended up realizing her love of baking while there, and decided to train under the chef at the store her boyfriend left; Coin de rue. There, she learned many new techniques, and also met Tomura. He was a well known Patisserie, but had stopped baking because his daughter died while he was baking one day (he forgot to pick her up from school). Natsume somehow brought him back to baking because her boss was in the hospital. The rest of the movie just showed Natsume and Tomura, working together to prepare for a banquet. Most of the movie showed Natsume maturing and realizing her own dreams. It also showed many pastries and delicious looking desserts! I love cooking dramas and movies, so I really enjoyed this one. I love to bake myself, so it was nice seeing all the customers and their smiles after eating the desserts that were displayed in the drama. It was a relatively light hearted movie, and worth a watch. I would give this movie a 4 out of 5 stars. Let me know if any of you have watched this movie, and what you thought about it. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Soulmate

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished another drama, this time a romantic comedy called Soulmate. It was quite an interesting drama because it was about the "game of love". The drama revolved around Shin Dong Wook and Lee Soo Kyung. In the first half of the drama, both of their perspectives were shown, including them realizing what "love" is. DW had never fell in love before, but finally found a girl, Hong Yu Jin, who was very innocent and naive. He began to realize that he could be with her, since she was so simple and different, however he never really "loved" her. There was no passion for her, rather, just fulfilling the qualities he searched for in the game he was playing. SK on the other hand, was with the same guy, Phillip, for 5 years and even got engaged to him, but he started falling for someone else. Due to that, he realized that he fell out of love with SK. It was really hard for SK, but that was how she found DW. Finally, the two main characters met halfway into the drama, as if by destiny. They kept being drawn to each other. But, DW kept pushing the thoughts aside, and SK, being friends with YJ, tried not to realize her feelings as well. The rest of the drama involved different encounters between DW and SK, and their love developing for each other. It was a cute drama, but the ending left me longing to know what happens next. I guess that is also a reason to like the drama right? Personally, I dislike being left hanging, so I would have to rate this drama a bit lower than perhaps it deserves. But, otherwise, it was definitely a worthwhile drama to watch. There were a lot of laughs, and a few tears now and then. But, it was nice seeing all the characters learn what "love" is, to them, as individuals. I also found the dating games really amusing. If you have time, give this drama a shot! I give this drama a 4 out of 5 stars.


Some notes about the drama (SPOILERS):

- damn DW had a great body!
- the instructor was such a trouble maker!
- the [OST](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wiCTMZoBtg) was interesting... very sensual...
- interesting perspectives by showing both sides
- the games were twisted
- outfit YJ picked out for DW was hilarious!
- the manager & brother were hilarious!
- YJ's way of speaking was so irritating at times!
- the phone call/crying/music scene was so sweet/touching (tear)
- so much better without the headband!
- sexual tension between DW and SK was nice
- family orchestra... hahaha
- cried: break up, when main prentends to be her bf, when DW left
- end left me hanging

That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Warrior Baek Dong Soo

Hey Everyone!

Wow, it feels like it has been a while since I last posted on here. A few things in my life have changed in the past few days, so I thought I would share them with you before mentioning the drama I just finished. First, I got a job in a clinic (YAY) and second, I got re-admitted into Med school and decided to go afterall. I was really confused these past few months, but I finally decided on which path I want to take in life, so I just had to share the good news with all of my readers too.

Anyways, I just finished another drama after a long time called Warrior Baek Dong Soo. It is the second Era drama that I have watched (SKK Scandal being the first). This was not light hearted, but it was definitely exciting (especially the hot guys and sword fighting)! I loved the bromance aspect of it, as well as the cute side love stories too. But the main thing I liked about it, was the fact that it showed true friendships and great character developments.

The drama was mainly about Baek Dong Soo, and his hardships as he grew up. Before he was even born, his father was killed because he took the fall for the (at that time) Crown Prince. DS was born without the ability to properly move his arms and legs. The Sword Saint saved DS's life by giving up one of his arms. Later, the Sword Saint thought he had lost DS, and went on a spiritual/training journey. 12 years later, Yeo Un arrived in the camp where DS stayed (his father's old friend's son). The rest of the drama revolved around the friendship that Un and DS developed through various interactions. The major twist was that, prior to even going to live with DS, Un was selected to be the next heir in Heuksa Chorong (the assassain group), whereas DS was from a warrior family. The two grew up together, witnessing many deaths and meeting many people - including DS saving the Crown Prince's life once. One person they encountered was Yoo Ji Sun - the love interest of both DS and Un (though, I did not really get why - because damsel in distress?). However, she was already betrothed to the Crown Prince (at the time). She had a twisted fate because upon her father's death bed, he tatooed a map on her back that many people sought after. She had to live with that burden for 8 years. After 8 years, it was shown that DS and Un were much closer, and they once again met with JS. DS was a naive young adult, and he just lived life to the fullest, still trying to beat Un in sword fighting. It was then, that the Sword Saint returned. It was also the time when the Crown Prince was killed and Un's cover was blown, so he had to join Heuksa Chorong as the Human Lord. After that, DS went into depression, and finally was brought out of it by his childhood friend - Hwang Jin Joo; I really liked her! DS then went on a training journey with the Sword Saint for 3 years. During the time DS was away, Un helped JS with her merchant duties. He always protected her and his old friends. Eventually, DS and all the others realized Un's real intentions, but with many misunderstandings in between. Either ways, there were many other aspects of the drama that I did not mention, but the this was the basic jist of the drama. It was light hearted at times, but I would say it was more dramatic. To be honest, I did not watch this drama due to romantic developments, rather due to the relationship between DS and Un and the character developments. I will not say anything about the end either, but it was predictable from the beginning. Either ways, it was a really good drama, and worth a watch! I will leave you all to watch the drama for yourselves, and let me know what you thought. I give this drama a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Here are some notes about the drama (includes SPOILERS):

- The kid versions were really funny "male prostitute" haha
- I like the rivalry between DS and Un from childhood
- I like Un's determination/competitiveness & compassion towards DS
- Lee Jun Ki would have been a good addition to this drama
- Such tragic love stories (eg. Sword Saint and Ga Ok)
- DS always had great timing to save the day!
- Bromance was so hot!
- I felt so bad for Un... though he chose that path... (thank goodness first mission wasn't Sa Mo)
- Sexual tension between Sword and Ga Ok... wow... really well made!
- Un's betrayal.. ouch! (betryal from someone you trust is worse than benig a villian from before)
- I think Un looks better than the female leads haha
- DS and Un remind me of Naruto and Sasuke from the anime Naruto
- Shock: paternity revealed!
- When Jap guy turned the bow around
- Human Lord just would not die!
- Disappointing: Battle with Jap guy was too short... but we always knew Un was stronger than the Jap guy and since DS was stronger than Un... quick fight?
- Loved it when Un and DS fought together again!
- Times I cried: Sa Mo almost died, Un's attempt to kill friends, GO leaving SS, the betrayal+girl choosing the Prince, second fire, when she found out her birth past, when GO was hit, when Sky Lord nurtured JJ, when find out not real daughter, when GO dies/funeral, when DS and Un reunite, when Sky Lord gets hit, when real dad leaves/dies, when Sky Lord dies, order to kill Un, misunderstandings between Un and others, first half of last episode

Anyways, that's it for now. Let me know if any of you watched it, and what your opinions were. If you have not watched it, then definitely give it a shot!

I'm off,

- B

God of Study

Hey Everyone!

So, prior to talking about my most recent drama, I just wanted to share a bit of good news. First, I finally found a job, and second, I got re-admitted into Medical school. I know that I rejected med. school once, but it is nice to still have that option. Either ways, I am really happy to be working at a medical clinic and it is close to home as well. Anyways, enough about me, I will talk about the drama now. So, I finally finished another drama. To be honest, it took me a while this time to even find one that I like. Majority of the dramas that I want to watch, are still in the process of finishing production, so I figured that I would watch an older one. I attempted to watch Winter Sonata (both drama and anime), but I just knew it was going to get really depressing, so I stopped. I ended up reading the review for it instead. There are some really good ones out there. Anyways, after a few days, I finally started God of Study. It was an excellent drama, and worth a watch definitely. It did not have the typical lovey dovey stuff, but it had cute little romantic encounters here and there. However, the main plot did not revolve around love, rather about some delinquent kids that have a goal, to get into the best school in S. Korea (remind anyone of Gokusen a bit?). The story mainly started with Kang Suk Ho entering his former high school to help the school train 5 students to enter Chun-Ha-Dae University. SH had troubled teenage years but one teacher really looked after him. Due to that teacher, he was able to go to University and even become a lawyer. So, he decided that he would enter the his former high school, and change things, so that the troubled kids could have a proper education. He entered the school initially because he was trying to prevent the school from being sold to a company, and having to send the students away. However, in order to do that, he had to make an agreement with the Director of the school (awesome fashion sense!) to teach 5 students and send them to Chun-Ha-Dae University (one of the best/perhaps the best school in S. Korea). Most of the teachers laughed it off, but SH believed in the students, so he signed the contract. His conditions were to find the 5 students within 3 days and to make sure those students are in the 70th percentile by the pratice exam time. So, the drama took off, as SH searched for the 5 students. He had approached Kil Pul Ip, Oh Bong Goo, Hwang Baek Hyun (so good looking!), Hong Chan Doo (very cute), and Na Hyun Jung (Ji Yeon from T-ara). After he finally enlisted them, he brought in a few teachers of his for the vigorous training; Cha Ki Bong (if any of you watch animes, doesn't he look like Jiraya from Naruto?), Anthony Yang (hilarious), Lee Eun Yoo (really intruiging character), and Jang Young Shik for math, English, Korean literature, and science respectively. Each teacher taught not only their subject, but life lessons as well. Throughout the drama, there were several training camps and obstacles for the teachers and children. It was a well-made plot since it showed great character development for both teachers and their students.

What I liked mainly were each individual character's story and how they overcame their individual struggles. All of the kids had some sort of family issue. PI, had a bar-hostess mother that fell in love with a married man. BG came from loving parents, but always told him that he did not need to study since he probably did not inherit good brains from them (lacked motivation). BH lived with his elderly grandmother, since his parents passed away when he was very young, and so living expenses were difficult to come by (so he had to work to make some income). CD, though he came from a rich family, they had too many expectations from him, and he just was not interested in studying (rather dance). Finally, HJ, came from a relatively rich family, but lived on her own because of her ill-relationship with her parents (they kept their distance, but sent her money). Throughout the drama, each character matured, by learning that studying and going to school would help them overcome many obstacles in life. It was a great "slice of life" drama because it showed the struggles of many types of kids, not just one. There were also little side-love-stories involving HJ, BH, CD, and PI, as well as SH, Han Soo Jung (the assistant teacher to the special class), and the Director. The love triangles were never really resolved, but it was nice to see that the focus of the drama was more on their studies and futures, rather than just finding love. These were high school kids, and they needed guidance in life, rather than finding their soul mate. So, all-in-all, I gave this drama a 4.5 out of 5 stars because I really liked the plot. I only took off a 0.5 because of a few unresolved issues. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this drama. I would definitely recommend it because it was relatively light hearted and enjoyable.

A few side notes were (may include spoilers):

- HJ originally started as an annoying character, but I loved how she became dark (I hope Ji Yeon plays a dark character in Dream High 2 as opposed to a cutesy one)
- I loved the OST "Because I'm Weary"
- Does anyone know the songs that were playing in Ep. 12 (MVs)?
- Does anyone know the type of puppy that was shown on Ep. 12?
- It was nice to see SH's emotional side at the funeral
- LoL at the goofy smile at the end from SH
- the unresolved issues: Who ended up with who?, Did PI's mom return?, Does HJ still remain alone at the end or did the teacher stay with her?

That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

2011 M.A.M.A. Awards

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished watching another awards show. I figured if any of you are interested, the performances can be found here: http://www.koreaboo.com/index.html/_/music-shows/watch-the-performances-from-the-2011-mnet-asian-r11815. Just a basic review of the performances. I found the opening to be nice, since I really like Moonlight Sonata. The performance from JS and HyunA was really sexy, because I loved the chemistry between them! I am looking foward to when Troublemaker's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irfFOxYloSw) video comes out! I also really found miss A's performance really good, though a minor fan dropping mishap. Suzy's random appearance in during Kim Hyun Joong's performance was also a cute addition. It was also nice to see performances by Black Eyed Peas with CL and Snoop Dog with Dr. Dre, really interesting to see some Western presence! The only performance I was disappointed in was Girl's Generation's opening. There were a few mishaps including choreography flaws. I guess I just expected better from them. Anyways, here is a list of the winners:

Song of the Year - 2ne1 for "I am the Best"
Album of the Year - Super Junior for "Mr. Simple"
Artist of the Year - Girl's Generation (I disagree with this one. Just my opinion.)
Best New Male Artist - Huh Gak (once again, nice!)
Best New Female Artist - A Pink
Male Group Award - Super Junior
Female Group Award - Girl's Generation (meh...)
Male Singer Award - Kim Hyun Joong
Best Female Singer Award (solo) - Baek Ji Young
Best (solo) Dance Performance - HyunA for "Bubblepop!"
Best Male Dance Performance - B2ST for "Fiction"
Best Female Dance Performance - miss A for "Goodbye Baby" (about time!)
Best Vocal Performance (solo) - IU for "Good Day"
Best Vocal Performance (group) - 2ne1 for "Lonely"
Best Band Performance - CN Blue for "Intuition" (Yay!!)
Best Rap Performance - Leessang for "Turn Off the TV"
Best O.S.T. - Baek Ji Young for "That Woman" from Secret Garden (finally got that right!)
Best Music Video - Big Bang for "Love Song"
Best Artist (China) - Jane Zhang
Hottest Asian Artist - Koda Kumi
Best Asian Artist - Aziatix
Best Asian Artist (solo) - Wei Chen
Singapore's Choice (most popular kpop artist) - Super Junior
Best Style in Music - Seo In Young
Mnet Specialized Award - YB

I was relatively pleased with the winners this time around (compared to the Melon Music Awards). Let me know what you guys thought/think of the winners and performances. That's it from me for now.

I'm off,

- B

My Love by My Side

Hey Everyone!

I finally finished another drama! It took longer than usual because this one was one of those family dramas that are 50 episodes long. I even skimmed through a few episodes, but it still took me a while to finish. I will be honest, I did check out the last episode before I continued watching, because I wanted a certain couple to end up together. Anyways, the drama My Love by My Side, was mainly about three families: Do Mi Sol's family, Go Suk Bin's family, and Lee So Ryong's family, and the connections each has with one other. The drama started with a girl named Do Mi Sol and her journey after realizing she is pregnant (teen mother). She was impregnated by Go Suk Bin, a fellow classmate and childhood friend. SB's mother could not stand the thought of her smart and wonderful son, being involved in a teenage pregnancy, so she sent him away abroad. In the meantime, MS had to go through social scrutiny and even had to withdraw from high school to give birth. She and her (single parent) mother, had to move away from everyone they knew. 7 years later, SB returns to Korea with his wife, and has no idea about the child's birth. Meanwhile, MS had completed college and was studying to be in the broadcasting business (ideally a news anchor). By coincidence, MS meets Lee So Ryong due to some odd circumstances (really funny encounter!). Initially, the two start off as friends, but eventually SR falls for MS. In the meantime, SB realized his son's existence, and tried to get closer to MS. All the while, SB's wife was getting suspicious. The drama then proceeds into more serious matters. I won't go into any more detail than this, but the drama involved all sorts of issues such as teenage pregnancy, greed, and inheritance. I really liked it because the villian character actually made my blood boil (similar to how I felt with Shining Inheritance, yet funny enough, that same actress was in this drama as well, but as a good guy!). I liked this drama because it showed a topic that may even be taboo in Korea because no matter what, teenage pregnancy is not well-taken by society. It was nice seeing that MS did not just give up school, rather finished college and even went into a difficult field. I hope you will check this drama out because it is definitely worth a watch! I give this drama a 5 out of 5 stars.

Here are some hi-lights from the drama (SPOILER ALERT):

- SR was a very forward person especially when he confessed to MS (so cute!)
- the good luck watch necklace was sweet...
- kiss under the umbrella after being saved from a big splash was so romantic!
- 10 dates was such a good idea! (love it)... and double sided coin... classic!
- the uncle couple is too cute = comic relief
- SB's mother was pure evil... total denial!
- predictable plot (e.g. wife's revenge plot, giving up love since adopted)
- I understood wife's point of view too.. there were no explanations so obviously she assumed the worse!
- everyone kept spraying everyone with water when irritated... common theme =S
- wife with affair and sterile was predicatable
- SR's proposal was sooo sweet!
- Times I cried: car almost hitting SR, the break ups, when SR realized he celebrated his birthday with his mother, seeing SB after the accident
- SB's mother made my blood boil!!!

Well, that's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Melon Music Awards

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished watching the Melon Music Awards, and if you wish to watch it too, the link is here (no subs though and really long!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LY_0FC2n4M. I just thought I would mention a few hi-lights from the show. For the performances: The opening performance was really hot! It showed Park Shin Hye dancing to a Beyonce song. It was pretty cool. Then, there was IU's performance, which was cute and adorable as usual. f(x) had a pretty neat performance because they each performed one of their older songs, then performed one together. Huh Gak's performance of "Hello" was very touching. The Sistar vs. Secret battle was interesting as well, but at the same time, their music was totally different, so how can that be considered a battle? Sistar with more clubby, fast-paced music, whereas Secret had more quiet and cutesy songs. Though, I think Sistar won in the end. But, it was an odd battle. Baek Ji Young sang "That Man" so well. It brought back memories of Secret Garden again (goosebumps!).

Awards:

Artist of the Year - BEAST
Album of the Year - 2ne1 (well-deserved!)
Song of the Year - IU for "Good Day"
Global Artist Award - Girls Generation (SNSD)
Netizen Popularity Award - Super Junior (SuJu)
Top 10 Artists - BEAST, IU, Leessang, f(x), Lena Park, Secret, SISTAR, Big Bang, Super Junior and 2NE1 (though I feel C.N. Blue should have made the list!).
Must Style Best Rap/Hip-Hop award - G-Dragon and TOP’s “Oh Yeah” featuring 2NE1 member Park Bom
Best New Artist - Huh Gak
Music Style R&B Ballad Song - Kim Bumsoo for "Last Love"
MBC Music Star Award - Baek Jiyoung
Best Music Video Award - T-ara for "Roly Poly" directed by Cha Eun Taek
Music Style Best Rock Award – CNBlue for “Intuition” (YAY!)
2011 Hot Trend Award - Infinity Challenge
Performing Arts Award - Lee Seunghwan
Music Style Best OST Song – Sunny Hill for “Pit-A-Pat”, which was used in the official soundtrack of the drama The Greatest Love
Best Songwriter - Jeon Haesung

I liked that Huh Gak won the "Best New Artist" award, he was definitely deserving. He has a great voice for ballad type songs and the audience loved him! I am also glad that IU won, but poor girl, fell while trying to receive her award. Luckily she is really cute, so she just got back up and laughed it off. As for best music video (MV), I personally thought miss A should have won for "Goodbye baby Goodbye", but instead T-ara won for "Roly Poly", which I did not think was right. But, that is just my opinion. The rest of the awards were given as expected, though I think CN Blue deserved to be in the Top 10, but that is just my opinion because they are my fave K-pop band! Anyways, the show was good, but really long. After half of the second part, I kind of scanned through the rest of the show. Overall, it was a good awards show, and worth watching the performances at least. Anyways, that's it for now for me.

I'm off,

- B

A Princess for Christmas

Hey Everyone!

So, I have been battling this terrible cold for almost a week now, and I finally got some antibiotics for it! Thank goodness! I have had a busy day today, being the first day I was really out and about. When I got home, I was home alone with Digi (my little kitty), so I thought I would watch a movie. The movie was called A Princess for Christmas. It was a typical chick flick (what can I say, I am a sucker for princess stories). It was mainly about a girl named Jules, who has to take care of her niece and nephew since her sister and brother-in-law passed away. Her nephew was letting out his anger towards his loss by stealing and fighting, whereas her niece was in a sense, binge eating (chips anyways). Not only that, but Jules recently lost her job too (and only a few weeks till Christmas). But, of course, there was a miracle, and that was the visit from Jules' brother-in-law's father, inviting them to his castle (wow, talk about cliché). Originally, Jules's brother-in-law was ostracized (became an outcast) since he chose a normal woman to be his wife. So, Jules and the kids decided to go to the castle for Christmas, since they deserved a chance to get to know their grandfather. There, she met Ashton. He was the second son to the Duke, and the two instantly hit it off. During Jules's stay, she made everyone realize the spirit of Christmas through her charismatic personality. Everyone in the castle fell for her, and eventually they held a Christmas ball. Anyways, I don't want to spoil the whole movie. I did not mention the ending, but you can probably figure it out. Either ways, it was a cute movie. I would give this movie a 3.5 out of 5 stars because it was just okay. The acting was not amazing, and the plot was predictable. However, it was definitely very light hearted, and worth a try if you are in the spirit of Christmas and want to watch a chick flick! That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Can You Hear My Heart

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished another drama called Can You Hear My Heart. I have been putting this drama off for a while because I knew it would be a tear fest! Indeed it was, but the summary on dramawiki does not give it justice! This drama had everything in one - familial problems, disabilities, inheritance issues, sibling rivalry, manipulation, etc. I watched every minute of every episode this time. It is a bit longer than the usual drama that I mention, but it was worth every minute! So, before I get too excited and analyze the drama too much, here goes the plot. The drama mainly revolves around two families; the Bong family and the Cha family. The two interrelate through offspring I suppose. In the Bong family, originally existed the grandma, Bong Young Kyu, and Bong Ma Ru. YK is a mentally disabled person and is called a "fool" a lot in the drama. Yet, he was the most charismatic and lovable character in the drama! He fell in love with Mi Suk who was deaf and had a daughter named Bong Woo Ri (little Mi Suk at that time). MR always loathed being in that family because he could not understand why his father was such a "fool" and why he had to suffer so much. One day, MR met the Cha family because they were giving out scholarships. There he met Tae Yeon Suk, Choi Jin Chul, and their son, Cha Dong Joo. MR instantly fell for YS because she was such a loving mother to DJ. However, instantly disliked JC because he was such a jerk to him (disregarded MR because he was poor and "ill-bred"). That same day, DJ met WR and the two became instant friends. However, soon later, MR's mother came back, and it turned out that MR was not actually YK's son, rather his sister's (Kim Shin Ae) son. She had abandoned him when he was a baby so that she could go to America to make something of herself. But, she had returned for her son, and to make him the next inheritor of the Cha inheritance (that's right, MR is JC's biological son). Anyways, one night JC murdered DJ's grandfather and DJ witnessed the murder and fell off of a ladder and lost his hearing. Meanwhile, MS was working at one of the plants that JC owned, and died in a fire (because she was protecting something she bought for MR - to get his approval for the marriage). Somehow, JC instead framed YK and his family for causing the fire (when it was JC's fault), and forced MR to go to DJ's mother for help. At that time, YS already knew about MR's birth parents, and so, she took MR with her to get her revenge on JC in the future. 16 years later, DJ, MR, and YS returned to Korea from Saipan, and made everyone believe that DJ could hear (he could read lips really well). DJ and MR had become really close brothers, and MR was now a doctor (his childhood dream). Eitherways, YS showed MR off to JC without him even realizing that she had adopted his son (very dramatic!). Soon later, DJ comes into contact with WR again through company related business. The two did not hit it off initially, but eventually they did rekindle their old flame. WR was the only one (other than her father) that realized that DJ could not hear (well obviously, her mother was also deaf!). Anyways, all the drama began once MR realized who his real birth parents were and what YS had done (used him all these years). All the abandonment issues began, and all sorts of evil thoughts entered his head. Anyways, I will not spoil the ending, nor all the dramatic events that occur in the last third of the drama, but it is a relatively good ending.

I felt that this drama really showed a lot of important issues like, "be grateful for what you have", "listen to the people you love", and mainly "blood is not necessarily thicker than water". I really felt that this drama did justice to its title Can You Hear My Heart, because it was not only the people that could not hear, but really, the people that could hear, that were not listening! Also, it seemed that, sometimes you need tragedy to actually bring people together again (sigh).

I also really loved the character portrayals through the actors. They really did justice to their characters! I especially was fond of MR and YK. MR, mainly because he went through so much, but still managed to keep his cool. He was able to protect everyone he loved (or at least tried to). I felt that this drama emphasized his character to what was required. I did like the chemistry between DJ and WR, but I felt that romance was not the main theme, rather one's love for their family. WR and her family waited 16 years for MR, and sometimes you just need to open your eyes to see what you are missing out on. MR always wanted a family, but he did not realize till near the end, that he always had a great family, he just needed to open his eyes and see it! Regardless, it was an excellent drama, with a great plot and great characters! I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a meaningful drama. Definitely not light-hearted, but worth a watch. I am pretty sure you all can figure out that I give this drama a 5 out of 5 stars. It was just that good! Let me know if any of you watch it, and how you found it. That's it for now (and it is late, almost 2AM, need to sleep!).

I'm off,

- B

The Vineyard Man

Hey Everyone!

So, I finished another drama today called The Vineyard Man. It was a romantic comedy about a girl named Lee Ji Hyun and a guy named Jang Taek Gi. The main storyline revolves around JH finding out that she may inherit a vineyard from a distant grandfather if she farms for 1 year. She finally decides to go after getting fired from her company (since her manager stole her design, she made a commotion and got fired!). JH first met TG in Seoul, the day she lost her design, and TG was accused of being a rapist since JH mistook him for the police officer and tried to take his clothes. Eventually, TG was found innocent, but that same day JH lost her job. The two met again on the farm, since her grandfather took care of TG since he was a child (his parents passed away when he was younger). At first, the two could not stand each other, but eventually they developed feelings for each other. During their harvesting period, JH met her old sunbae from college days, and the two started dating (honestly, this guy was better looking). But, slowly, JH was falling for TG because of seeing him so often and realizing his real personality. Meanwhile, TG also fell for JH because of her determination and hard work. The two did get together finally, but I disliked the fact that JH's character was so annoying! First, she was very spoiled and disregarded the farm work (even though she could only gain from it). Second, she was so undecided. She could not pick between the two guys until the second last episode! Personally, the start of the show was slow (I think I fast-forwarded it a bit), but eventually it got better. I liked seeing the romantic development between the two. It was a happy ending, so I am happy none-the-less. A very light hearted drama and definitely worth a try if you want to see a classic drama. I give this drama a 4 out 5 stars because of JH's character. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Fireworks from the Heart

Hey Everyone!

So, I finished another Japanese movie today called Fireworks from the Heart. It was a really heart-warming movie. It was mainly about a girl named Hana, who comes out of the hospital from fighting Leukemia. When she returns home though, she realizes that her brother, Taro, has become a "social recluse" (only stays in his room). She decides to make her brother come out of there and become part of the family. He eventually comes out and gets a job. The village that they live in, has a fireworks festival every year, where the 20-year-olds and 60-year-olds create firework displays for everyone (some individual sponsors too). Initially, Hana tried to get Taro to join the 20-year-olds, but they did not accept him. But, when Hana has a relapse, he decides to be persistent with the 20-year-olds and gets permission to join. He continues to work his paper route and help with the fireworks. However, soon, before the new year, Hana passes away. At that point, Taro becomes secluded again, but then on the "day of age" (when you become 20), he received a video message from Hana, saying that she hopes to see his fireworks. So, he decides to quit from the 20-year-old group, and started to save money to make Hana a fireworks display on his own. Eventually, when the day does arrive, he joined the 20-year-olds, and in the end, his display was shown. He also received a gift from Hana, a framed picture of fireworks made by flower petals. It was really beautiful since earlier, she said that Taro represented the colour orange; someone warm and gentle. The colours of the petals were orange. It was a really touching scene. I would definitely recommend this movie, to anyone that is seeking a nice plot. I give this movie a 5 out of 5 stars. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Cain and Abel

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished watching another drama, called Cain and Abel. It is derived from the biblical story about Cain and Abel, the first sons of Adam and Eve. The story is well known for its introduction of jealousy and murder in the world. In the biblical story, Cain is the older brother, who is jealous of Abel, and so decides to kill him. In the end though, he takes in all the punishment for his sins. This drama, has a very similar story line, but of course not as simple. The main characters in this drama were Lee Cho In (Abel) and Lee Seon Woo (Cain). SW returned to Korea after being away for 7 years, whereas CI stayed and began his residency at their family hospital. CI was adopted by SW's father because CI's parents were good friends of SW's father. However, SW's father gave CI all the attention, ever since they were very young. Likewise, SW's mother only showed affection for SW and never for CI. Regardless of all this, the two brothers were always very close. This was shown by their reaction to SW returning from his long trip. But, when Kim Seo Yeon (SW and CI's childhood friend) confesses her love for CI, things become more complicated. Not only that, but it turned out that SW's father was in a coma and had left CI the rights to a new center being created. Initially, SW realizes it was him that left everyone, so he had to accept what had happened in his absence, but soon, SW's mother sends CI to China to do research on a surgery for their father, yet really hired hitmen to keep him there until the board meeting passed. While there, CI met Oh Young Ji, a North Korean defect, that was trying to get passports to smuggle her family and herself into South Korea. So, while working as a tour guide, the people that were going to kidnap CI, hired YJ to be his guide, and offerred her a lot of money. At first, YJ thought CI was a playboy and a scammer, but soon realized he was a kind doctor, that helped the poor (took hospital drugs to help a small village in China). While there, YJ had her appendix removed by CI. At that time, YJ started having feelings for CI, but realized that he had a life in S. Korea, and someday would go visit him when she got the chance. In the meantime, one of the people working for SW's mother, ordered to have CI killed because SW's father left the center to CI. The hitmen then took CI to the desert and shot him and left him to die. Miraculously, some North Korean defects found him and saved him. But, at that time, he had amnesia and did not know who he was or how he got there. During the time with the N. Korean defects, he started talking again, and met YJ's brother. The two became really close, and eventually were going to meet YJ in S. Korea, but one of the members decided to backstab them, and killed YJ's brother for the money. At that time, CI wanted to still take YJ's brother, but he shot himself so that he would not be a burden. But, before his last breath, he asked CI to take care of his sister. While CI was lost, SY searched everywhere for him. One time, they even went to the jail where CI and YJ's brother were, but SY fell ill (heart problems) and when SW saw CI, he pretended not to recognize him. Later, another man's ashes were sent with CI's couple ring with SY, and so everyone thought he was dead. At that point, a few months later, SW finally confessed to SY, and all the truths about his past were revealed. It turned out that SW had a tumour in his brain, and that is why he left, but he did not want to worry anyone about his relapse. The two then started dating. Meanwhile, when CI finally returned to S. Korea, he and YJ started to live together. But, the traitor returned and tried to hurt YJ, so the two left Seoul. During their time together, they became really close, but YJ felt guilty about lying to CI. She knew who he really was, but did not tell the truth because she wanted to escape loneliness and because she wanted to protect him from his killers. However, soon, CI started regaining his memories, and eventually YJ told him the truth. At that point, he was going to return to Seoul but got hit by a car since SW sent the hitmen to kill CI this time. But, since YJ came to intervene, the two faced less damage together. At that point, CI left, and went to the Seoul hospital. Everyone was shocked to see him alive. He was pretending to have lost his memories for the 6 months he was away. YJ thought it was best not to bother him since he was finally back to his loved ones (or so she thought!). At that point, CI found out about SW and SY. Not only that, but he was remembering more about his time away, and started creating a timeline. Soon, he realized his brother was in on the murder plots against him, and he was shocked. YJ started working at the hospital since CI wanted to protect her against the traitor. As well, as he uncovered more and more about the past, SY found out about SW's plots (saw the timeline CI created). Eventually, it was all out war between the brothers, for the two centers. In the end though, SW required surgery, and asked only CI to perform it. If he had to die, then that would be fine, but he wanted CI to perform it, so that he can receive his punishment. In the end, he became in a similar state as his father, where he was in an internal prison, awake yet unable to move. It was a painful way to live the rest of his life, but he did not mind making up for his sins. Finally, CI went to get YJ (since she left after the everything went down), and the two went to visit SW and SY. CI finally told SW to get out of his prison, and to enjoy the rest of his days. The drama ended with a scene of the four standing near a lake, smiling. It was a nice dialogue in the end too, where CI talked about how everyone has at least one really great memory, and the only way to get past bad ones, is by a fellow man (like how YJ helped CI). Well, that was long, but it was definitely a great watch! I missed a ton of little details, but it was one of the better dramas. The plot was excellent, and there was great character development. A definite must-see! I give this drama a 5 out of 5 stars for sure! That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Hanamizuki

Hey Everyone!

So, I just watched a very touching Japanese movie called Hanamizuki. It was mainly about a girl named Sae (girl from Zenkai Girl) and a boy named Kouhei (Toma Ikuka!). The two meet on the train because Sae was trying to reach an exam, but instead got into trouble because she asked Kouhei to drive her there since the train stopped (hit a deer). Soon after that, the two became closer, by talking about their dreams. Kouhei wanted to take over his father's fishing boat, wheras Sae wanted to go to Todai (Tokyo U). Finally, Sae passed the exam, and had to move to Tokyo. This started their long-distance relationship. Initially, they called each other a lot, but soon, Sae had to start working part-time and full-time school, so it was difficult for her to talk to Kouhei. She could not even go home for the summer. She also met Jun (Osamu Mukai! talk about the hottest cast!), a sempai that loved to take pictures of children in third world countries (her father was a photographer like that). The two became close, but Sae only loved Kouhei. However, when Kouhei went to visit Sae on Christmas eve, he witnessed Jun and Sae being friendly with each other. He was really upset the whole date, and eventually took it out on some random kids on the street because they broke his gift for Sae. But, later that night, they solved the misunderstanding and had sex for the first time. The next morning, Kouhei gave Sae a little wooden boat that he had made with a flag stating "gambatte Sae" (good luck Sae). Then, after 4 years, Kouhei had to break up with Sae because his father passed away and he had to take on the responsibility of his mother and sister. He then married this other girl (happens to be the secondary actress from Zenkai Girl haha; Sae's mother was also from that drama as her boss), and Sae moved to New York to work in a publishing company. A few years later, Jun proposed to Sae, Sae returned to Japan to visit a friend's wedding, where she meets Kouhei again. This time, they finally said their goodbyes to each other (Sae returned the boat). However, that night, Kouhei had to declare bankrupcy, so his mother and sister went off to live with relatives, and his wife left him (partially because of the financial situation and partially because he still loved Sae). After Sae returned to New York, she decided to marry Jun, but he had gone on another assignment, but he was killed. Finally, again, a few years later, Sae went to Nova Scotia (where she was born), and found the light house she had visited with her father. There, she happened to find the wooden boat in a shop, and realized that Kouhei had been working on a fishing boat that came to Nova Scotia once a year. She missed Kouhei, since he had left before she make in time to the dock. She had then returned to her hometown in Japan, and started teaching English to children in the area. A year later, Kouhei found the boat again and saw that someone had written "thank you" on it, and he returned home to find Sae there. The two finally reunited and stayed together. It was a very sweet story, and definitely worth checking out. I did mention pretty much the whole plot, but still, it was so heart warming! I definitely give this movie a 5 out 5 stars. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Zenkai Girl

Hey Everyone!

So, I finished another drama today called Zenkai Girl. It was one of the best Japanese dramas that I have seen in a while. It was mainly about an enthusiastic girl named Ayukawa Wakaba. She grew up with pretty much nothing, but had a dream of becoming the greatest lawyer in the world (almost like taking over the law world). Originally, as a child, Wakaba was very poor (dirt poor!), but she persevered because her father was always with her and supported her. She eventually got into Todai (Tokyo U), and passed her Bar exams. She was employed by Smith and Clark, but it turned out that the company was leaving Japan, so she decided to join another company. However, there, she was put on a 3 month trial period, where she had to multitask between work and baby-sitting the boss's daughter. Through the babysitting gig, she met Yamada Shota. They initially encountered each other on the subway because Wakaba thought he was a perverty, but later she realized that he was a really nice guy, that is a stay-at-home-dad. He had been raising his ex-wife's son for a year, and so gave up his old job as a chef in the French restaurant. Wakaba thought he was dumb to even do such a thing, but later realized that he chose it for himself, not just running away from responsibilities. Soon, Shota fell for Wakaba, but it took Wakaba a while to realize her feelings for Shota. There were many instances when Wakaba tried to confess, but every time something came up. For example, his ex-wife returned, then Wakaba's fiance told Shota to let go of Wakaba (so when she confessed, he said he liked someone else), etc. Finally, on the day that Wakaba was supposed to get married, her fiance finally decided to let her go, and she met up with Shota again. They both proposed to each other, and finally were together. Shota left for France to study some more, and Wakaba quit her job and started working for another law firm. Eventually, Shota returned, and the two were reunited again. It was a very cute drama because it was about how to be a good parent, but also how to realize the difference between love and a dream. It was nice seeing the character development of the two main characters. Wakaba, from being someone only after her dreams to someone that followed her heart, and Shota, from being too much of a carefree person to someone that decided to fulfill his dreams and stop running away. A definite must-see, for those people that want a light-hearted drama. It is classifed as a romantic-comedy for a reason! I give this drama a 5 out of 5 stars. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Ouran Highschool Host Club

Hey Everyone!

So, I finished another drama today (well... I have been watching this one on and off a lot). The drama was called Ouran Highschool Host Club. It was a remake of the manga and anime. I liked the drama version, because it was cute, but it was pretty much just a remake. I also would have preferred more love development between Haruhi and Tamaki, but they did not do it till near the end (and still only a little bit). I was glad they introduced Hikaru's feelings for Haruhi, but they did not show that Tamaki realized his feelings yet. I have a feeling they plan on making another season, because the manga had a lot more on the aspect of romance, as well as drama. Overall though, I give this drama a 4 out of 5 stars because it only showed a bit of the actual love development. It was definitely funny, but I would love to see another season to make up for all the lost drama and romance. Anyways, that's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Protect the Boss

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished another cute romantic comedy drama. I have been watching this one for over a week because I have been a bit busier lately. Either ways, it was called Protect the Boss. It was mainly about No Eun Seol, an ex-Player (like Yankee in Japan), who wanted to turn a new leaf, by working as an office Secretary. She gets a job, but only to find out the boss is a pervert, so she gets into a fight with his gangsters and ends up coming into contact with Cha Ji Heon. JH is basically a Chaebol's son, but does not care about being the next in line for the family business. He also had a panic disorder during public speaking. Soon, JH's cousin, Cha Moo Won hires ES to spy on JH as his secretary. But, in the end, she was loyal to JH and always protected him. Not only that, but JH and MW both fell for ES. ES only cared about work and money, so she did not initially fall for either of the boys. However, eventually, she did fall for JH. There were a few obstacles in their way, like MW, and JH's ex (Seo Na Yoon). But, they still ended up together. Everyone was happy, but then, JH's father decided to do some dirty business, and ES happened to find out. Then, MW and NY's mothers decided to frame ES about coming out as an informant on the information. At that time, ES and JH were both transferred to different locations. Not only that, but once JH and ES finally met up again, JH's father became ill. JH then asked ES to wait for him, and after a few months, the two finally got back together again. In the end, the two got married, and JH finally got the courage to leave the company and because a professor (ironic due to his previous struggles with public speaking). ES decided to go back to school. NY and MW finally got together for real, with real feelings (before it was more about the name). It was a cute drama, and not as dramatic as most, which made me happy to have a light hearted one again. I give this drama a 5 out of 5 stars. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Runway Beat

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished watching a movie called Runway Beat. It was mainly about high school students trying to hold a fashion show because their school was about to close. The story mainly revolved around Beat, a boy who moved back to his old town to take care of his childhood friend while she is in the hospital. He happens to be the son of a famous fashion designer. But, he held a grudge against his father because he held his first fashion show the day his mother passed away. Later, he realizes that he wants to hold his own fashion show with his friends. Many obstacles came in the way, but finally he and his father had made peace, and his father helped him build a runway for his first show. That night, the fashion show went perfectly, and a year later, we saw that everyone had moved on in their separate lives. It was a nice movie overall. I give this movie a 4.5 out of 5 stars mainly because the love development left me confused. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Koukou Debut

Hey Everyone!

So, as you can tell, recently I have not been posting. It's mainly because I want to study and focus on studying. I am really looking forward to getting back into dramas, but first, I want to get my GMAT over with (again =P). Anyways, though I am not watching dramas, I am still watching movies whenever I get a chance. Surprisingly, I have not had that many chances because I study majority of the day, then I watch TV or spend time with family. Oh well, that will probably change back to normal again next Thursday. But for now, a movie (I wish drama) that I had been waiting for finally came out; Koukou Debut. I read this manga a couple of years ago, and they finally made a live action movie out of it. It was just so cute! It is mainly about Nagashima Haruna, who enters high school, hoping to find love. She is unsuccessful for 2 years, and finally decides to take drastic action. She meets Komiyama Yoh one day, and asks him to be her "love coach" because of his popularity in school (she uses coach because she used to be a softball player in juniour high). Anyways, Yoh is reluctant at first because of a past relationship (she dumped him due to a misunderstanding), but eventually gives in (with the exception, that she does not fall for him). Initially, all is well, where Haruna learns about fashion and dating. She even dates Yoh's friend, Fumiya. But it turns out that Yoh's sister liked him, and so, those two started dating, and Haruna was left alone again. Eventually, Haruna starts to fall for Yoh, but decides that it is forbidden, so she fires Yoh. In the meantime, Haruna meets Yoh's ex, and somehow has to give Yoh a letter from her, for Christmas eve. Yoh's friend realizes that he likes Haruna, so to test him, he goes out with Haruna and Yoh does appear (though, Yoh's friend liked Haruna too - what a nice guy). Yoh and Haruna decide to go out (for practice) on Christmas eve, but Haruna gives Yoh the letter and says good bye. She realizes that he is worth fighting for, and returns, and the two meet again coincidentally. Yoh explains that he did meet up with his ex, but he realized he likes Haruna. They to make up, hug, and kiss. It was a cute ending. I give this movie a 5 out of 5 stars since it was a good representation of the manga. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta

Hey Everyone!

So, I finsihed another drama just now called Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta. It was a very dramatic drama, that I sort of fast forwarded near the beginning. The drama was mainly about the relationship between Shuji and Natsumi. The two are seen to be engaged at the beginning of the drama, and both are teachers at the same school. But the first scene actually involved Shuji waking up to find a girl in his bed (not Natsumi) and later realizes that the girl was a student! He actually could not remember what happened that night, so he believed Hikari (the girl) when she told him that he had sex with her. Eventually, Hikari blackmails Shuji and tries to break the two apart. She does succeed, but not because he slept with her (which he did not), but because he was always so defensive when it came to Hikari. The school does find out about the incident, but before Shuji is punished, Hikari confesses that she had sex with someone else, and then stayed at Shuji's without him knowning she was there. Shuji does get suspended and Natsumi cancelled the engagement as well because she though he was falling for Hikari. However, Natsumi realized she was pregnant, and decided to keep the baby. When Shuji returned from his suspension (6 months), he still decided to put Hikari first and did not go back to Natsumi even after finding out about the pregnancy (she did say she would raise the baby on her own - she did not want him back just because of the baby). She then meets another guy that was willing to be with her because he is infertile. But in the end, Shuji tells Hikari that he does not see her as a woman, and that he does not love her. He then meets with Natsumi and they both confess their love for each other. The baby girl is born and the two live together happily. It was a good drama to watch, but the dramaticness was a bit much for me. In particularly because I am not used to seeing the actress playing Hikari in such a villanous (well beginning) role since I watched Asuko March! first. Anyways, overall it was a good drama and worth a watch because it does explain that trust and patience in a relationship is very important. I give this drama a 4.5 out of 5 stars because the story was a bit predictable, though it had me on my toes for which girl he would pick. I was on team Natsumi, but at times I thought he was actually falling for Hikari. But again, you don't realize what you have until you lose it. He realized the hard way. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Hanawake no Yon Shimai

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished another drama tonight called Hanawake no Yon Shimai. It was a very cute drama about the lives of 4 sisters and their ways of interacting. Initially, it was seen that the second oldest, Takemi, had already been married twice and had three children. She soon moves into her parent's house because the third marriage doesn't work out (bigamist - the guy). Soon, we see the three sisters, eldest: Fujiko, second youngest: Sakurako, and youngest: Ume (from Kokosei Restaurant). Fujiko is an overachiever and a fashion magazine substitute editor (youngest in her company). Sakurako is a kind girl, and a cleaning lady at a wig company. Ume is an arts student in college. Their mother was a kind lady that always looked after their father like he was the sun, yet he cheated on her countless times. Later, their mother passes away due to after effects of an accident. The girls blamed their father, and so for a while they asked him to leave their house. In the meantime, Sakurako was going out with Shozaburo, but he ended up falling for Takemi. Initially, Takemi brushed him off because she was still in love with her ex-husband, but later started to fall for him too (she was lonely). But, she did not give in, and kept pushing him away (there was a kiss though, but she pushed him away). Eventually, after their father has a sudden stroke, the girls had to sell the house to pay for his medical bills and his debt from work. That is when Sakurako finally leaves Sho, and decides to move along in her career (became a PR rep for the same company). Eventually though, Sakurako and Sho get together again because once she was gone, Sho realized how much she did for him, and missed her (you miss what you lose - typical!). Takemi and her ex-husband got together again after a mishap at work (she helped him regain his company and get rid of his lying new wife - claimed to be pregnant to take his money). He also bought their house back for them and thanks to Ume, they all moved back in together. Finally, as Sakurako was leaving for a business trip, the suitcase had a letter from their mother. It basically just said how much she loved each and every one of them. They ended the drama off with the anniversary of their mother's death. It was a very sweet drama, with some dramatic times. But, overall an enjoyable drama. I would give this drama a 5 out of 5 stars because how real it was. They decided to kill off the mother because that was needed for the characters to grow, and become closer. It was a nice family drama, and worth a watch. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

IS

Hey Everyone!

So, I finished another drama today. This one, I have been meaning to watch due to the controversial nature of its topic; intersexuals (IS). Hence the drama was called IS. It was mainly about Hoshino Haru and his struggle in society being an IS. His parents were shocked at child birth and could not decide whether to have the genital surgery because they did not know which gender would be the better choice. However, due to a complication (testes were inside the intestine), they had to remove the testes. He was then registered as a girl. But, later, they realized the psychologically Haru was a boy and acted as one. Though this worked up until middle school, once high school came around, the school requested that he dress as a girl due to his birth register. Therefore, Haru had to behave as a girl at school. During this time, he met Aihara Miwako, another IS. But, she did not reveal herself because her family was much more conservative about her gender (especially her mom, she was trying to force her to have the genital restructuring surgery). The drama mainly revolved around the struggles Haru had, since she was facing physiological characteristics of a woman (got period and breasts were growing) yet inside she felt like a guy. Not only that, but she also started having feels for her new friend, Ibuki Kenji. Though they both liked each other, he knew that it could not be since the relationship would be based on lies. Soon after, he revealed to the school that he is an IS, and tried to make people understand. At that point, there was a lot of confusion and chaos in the school, trying to comprehend the situation. Initially, it was just gossip, then other boys teased and vandalized his "questions" box. Eventually though, his friends returned and stood by him. Even the teachers gave in, and realized that he is a very strong person that can stand all the pressures. So, finally, there was resolution with Haru as well as Miwako (since her mother finally gave in to her avoiding surgery until she wants it). It was a very good drama and worth a watch if you are interested in some real issues. It was not the typical romance drama that I am used to posting about, but it was definitely worth a watch. It showed a lot of emotional and touchy topics that are not usually discussed in such shows. Though this drama is based off of a manga, it was still well executed. I give this drama a 5 out of 5 stars because it was very different and kept me wanting to see more. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Save the Last Dance for Me

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished another drama. This one I kind of zoomed through because I did not really feel like watching the whole thing. Not sure why, but it was a bit predictable. It was called Save the Last Dance for Me. It was actually Eugene's first drama and only drama I have not seen by her. Even though it was her first, I now see why she was the lead in so many dramas after this. It was a really good drama and worth a watch if you want a more classic drama. The plot is relatively predictable, and the tale is quite sad, but it is worth a watch if you like Eugene as much as me! Anyways, the drama was mainly about Kang Hyun Woo, and how he gets into an accident and loses his memory. That's when Ji Eun Soo finds him with her father. The two live together for 1 year and fall for each other. But after getting engaged, ES's father passes away and soon after HW disappears because he regained his memory (forgot the 1 year though!). ES lives on for 1 year waiting for him, till she finally finds him in his old life in Seoul. She decides to work with her friend at HW's company and try to help him regain his memory. But at that time he was with his ex-girlfriend, and so she left him be. But, HW still fell for her. After many struggles and family obstacles, the two finally ended up together. Of course you cannot forget near the end, when she gets run over by a car and loses her ability to walk. At that time she left him so she wouldn't burden him. But, he eventually finds her and the two live together finally, while she gets therapy for walking again. I was going to give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars, but then after seeing that she can regain her walking, I was happy. I know it may be more realistic if she was left in a wheel chair, but after all the obstacles they went through, it would not be fair if she lost so much and went through that many hardships only to lose one of her motor skills. Anyways, I give this drama a 5 out of 5 stars. It was definitely a sweet and sad drama. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Scent of a Woman

Hey Everyone!

So, I finished another drama today called Scent of a Woman. I have been waiting to watch this one for awhile because I have not seen Kim Sun Ah or Lee Dong Wook in a while. Wow, she lost a lot of weight since My Name is Kim Sam-Soon. I was surprised. But still, she looked really pretty with her new look. Anyways, the drama was mainly about Lee Yeon Jae, a woman that has lived her life saving money and working in a job that she was underappreciated in. However, one day, she gets into a car accident and finds out that she has gall bladder cancer, and has about 6 months to live (from her elementary school friend - from Dream High!). That same day, she decides to quit her job because she was being accused for being a liar (when she wasn't) and treated terribly by her coworkers. After quitting, she created a bucket list (20 things she wanted to do before dying). She took out a lot of her money and started spending on herself. The first spending was on clothes, then a trip to Japan. At the same time, Kang Ji Wook (her department head) also went to Japan to do touring there for a project. There, the two first met and enjoyed each other's company. But, JW was engaged to Im Se Kyung (the person that called YJ a liar - from SKKS!), and got in their way. The two continued to meet due to several circumstances (such as the necklace she won at a beer drinking contest, then tango lessons - very sexy tango lessons indeed!). But, JW still stayed away. In the end though, he gave in, and the two started seeing each other. Then, because of her cancer, YJ decided to give up JW instead of having him stick to her since she will die soon (and since he lost his mother while young, and did not want to lose another precious person in his life). But, eventually JW and YJ got back together again, because it was worth being with each other, even if for a few months. YJ also got her mother and ex-teacher together again because she did not want to leave her mother lonely after her departing (her father died of cancer too). So, in the end, though she was close to death, she survived past her deadline of 6 months, and continued to fulfill her bucket list. Though, she knew she would pass on eventually, she kept living to the fullest. I give this drama a 5 out of 5 stars because it was not your typical romance drama. It had a lot about life in it, and it spoke about the issue of death and losing someone precious. Mainly, it spoke about living life to the fullest, since you never know what will happen. So, overall, a greatly suggested drama, but you will cry every now and then because it is pretty sad! Otherwise, a worthy watch! Enjoy! That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Eternal First Love

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished a Japanese movie called Eternal First Love, and coincidentally just finished reading an artical about a real life love story that ends in tragedy. I will speak about the tragic death of two young teens. It seems that the boy was a depressed and lonely teen, that had one and only best friend, whom he loved. However, the girl, who saw him as a best friend, loved him, but only as a friend. Based on speculations, it seems that the boy killed her and then committed suicide. It is so tragic if that is the case, because, there is so much more to life. If he had just waited till high school was over, he may have found happiness later in life. There is so much more waiting for you after the troubled high school years. He did not have to take someone else's life, nor his own. Regardless what the truth is, I say, Rest in Peace to both of them, because at the end of the day, two young lives were taken. Now, to move on to the fictional drama, it was mainly about Takeshi Tanaka, a simple chef, that only loved two things in life; to cook and Ruri Sato. At the start of the movie, Ruri is proposed to by another man, and Takeshi hurries to tell her something, but unfortunately dies trying to save Yuki Makihara. Yuki had cancer and since he was on the edge of a building, lost his balance and fell to the ground above Takeshi. As a result, Takeshi died, but lived on inside Yuki. At this point, Ruri did not believe Yuki was Takeshi, but with Yuki's nephew, the two helped Takeshi fulfill his last wish; to cook for Ruri's wedding reception. Though Takeshi loved her, he knew that there was no way to be with her inside Yuki, so he said his farewell through a dish that was only for her, on her big day. In the end, they said their goodbyes, and Takeshi passed on, as did Yuki (he only had a little time to live with his deadly cancer). It was a tragic death for Takeshi, but it showed that he always cared for Ruri, enough to not confuse her on her wedding day. He let her live on, thinking he only wanted to congradulate her, and he left peacefully from this world. It was a touching and sad movie. I give this movie a 5 out 5 stars because it really touched my heart. Though, I cannot say the same about the real life story, but I do sincerely hope those two were able to move on to a better place. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Kokosei Restaurant

Hey Everyone!

So, this is the actual drama that I finished recently. It was called Kokosei Restaurant. It was mainly about a chef; Muraki Shingo, that recently quit from his job in Tokyo and moved back home to open up a 'high school restaurant' with his friend Kishino Hiroshi (from First Kiss!). It was basically a restaurant run by high school students. There, he taught a group of 20-30 students the basics about cooking. It was definitely an interesting drama because my other hobby is to cook! I loved this drama because, although there were no real romantic developments, it was still about something I enjoy. I really liked this drama and the comedy in it too. I give this drama at 5 out of 5 stars just because of the cool looking dishes they made, as well as the fact that a restaurant was run by high school students. That's it for now (for real now!).

I'm off,

- B

Asuko March!

Hey Everyone!

So, I finished this drama a week or so ago, I just completely forgot to write about it! It was the first good Japanese drama I have seen in a while. It was made after a manga, so of course it was a good one. It was called Asuko March! and it was mainly about a girl named Yoshino Nao who ends up failing her high school exam because she missed putting one answer and so all her answers ended up out of order. Since that occurred, she was unable to apply for any other schools except Asuko. It is mainly known as an applied school, where majority of the students are males. They go there to learn trades and majority enter the work force after graduation instead of going to college/university. Nao really disliked the school, but after meeting the boy she likes (Aruto), and the other boys, she changes her mind and decides to stay there. Initially, the boys did not like her because she just wanted to leave, and the one other girl did not like her because she had issues with girls in the past. In the end, she decided to continue her studies at Asuko, and got together with Aruto. The meaning behind "Asuko March", is that at the end of the term, since many were leaving the school and moving on, they made a large project with wings representing them to fly onwards into their futures. It was a touching piece, and before breaking it down, they made candles and made wishes for their future. It was a very emotional drama because there were many stories about the struggles of high school students and having to learn the trades because they need to support their families. I give this drama a 5 out of 5 stars. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Heartstrings

Hey Everyone!

So, I just finished another amazing musical drama called Heartstrings. The drama featured Park Shin Hye and Jung Yong Hwa after You're Beautiful again (finally I got to see this pair-up)! I was so excited for this drama, and it was worth the wait. The drama was mainly about Lee Gyu Won and Lee Shin. GW is a traditional music major (gayageum), whereas LS is a modern music major (guitar). The two originally bump into each other at Jeju-do island, but do not really interact too much. After that, GW moves to Seoul with her grandfather, so she can enter university there. One night, she and her friends go to the band "The Stupid", which LS is the lead vocalist. She is immediately mesmerized by their music. After that, LS and GW bump into each other a lot, and argue a lot. During that time, LS was in love with a professor at the school. GW figured it out, but felt pity for him because the professor did not love him back (she loved the director of the play to be produced). Eventually, LS gave up on her, and started to realize how much he liked GW. GW already confessed to him, but at that time he was still getting over the professor. Later, the school play began to be produced, and during that time, GW and LS became closer (even more so when LS moved next door to her). GW was the understudy for the lead actress role, but the lead was jealous of her talent, and so caused many scandals to spread about GW and the director. Eventually, the lead lost her voice due to an ulcer, but GW allowed her to take part in the musical still but with lip-syncing. After that, GW got an opportunity to train abroad and make her own album, but at that time LS got injured from saving GW from a fall, and had to get surgery on his wrist. GW found out about the injury and decided not to go, but LS broke up with her so she would. A year later, LS was still recovering, and playing the guitar again, whereas GW became famous and returned to Korea to take part in the school play again (the director also returned). LS and GW did not interact on good terms because LS tried to avoid GW finding out about the surgery. However, in the end, the director finally told GW, and she had it out with LS. Finally, the end scene involved the two of them going to visit the places they went together, and finding each other again. LS finally returned to the stage, where LS and GW sang with The Stupid. This was a really good drama, and worth the watch. It was light hearted with a few tears here and there. The romance finally made my heart flutter again. It was a good plot with an incredible cast. I give this drama a 5 out 5 stars. Definitely beats You're Beautiful in my opinion. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B

Baby Faced Beauty

Hey Everyone!

I finished another drama today called Baby Faced Beauty. It was mainly about Lee So Young, who gets fired from her job of 14 years, only to have to pose as her sister (Lee So Jin)'s age (25). At first she didn't want to lie, but everyone just believed her because of her baby face, and she was able to fulfill her dream of working as a designer. Prior to working at The Style, she met Choi Jin Wuk. They caused some trouble at a club and she left JW by himself without taking responsibility. So, when she started work at The Style, he followed her around for the money. Initially the two bickered all the time, until JW started to fall for SY. However, in the meantime, the President fell for her too, yet the girl that liked him is jealous of SY all throughout the drama. In the middle of the drama, everyone finds out about SY being 34 years old (and her real name). By then, she already fell for JW, but gave him up because of the age gap. However, eventually she is called back to the company because of her talent. After that, SY and JW become closer. As well, there were various competitions, where SY won most of them fairly against the other girl. Finally, after a lot of struggles for both her designer talent and her relationship (making his father agree to their relationship), she was able to show off her talents and marry JW. So, in the end, it was a good ending. Although the drama was a bit slow at the beginning, it picked up near the middle. I would give this drama a 4.5 out of 5 stars, mainly because how slow it was at the start. Otherwise, a relatively light hearted drama. Not too many tears were shed. That's it for now.

I'm off,

- B