Here I flaunt my Asian pop culture fandom, ramble about Japanese anime, films and TV shows, share artworks, and sometimes I write for a bit o' cheese (read: moolah).
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Crazy outtakes! I dunno how I ended up being the make-up artist for everyone lol (maybe because I had the eyeshadows and creams), but the shoot (for our magazine madshack) was successful! Lasted for more than five hours and of course, every photoshoot ends with Greenoz pizza and Coke.
Then I was agitated afterward during a brief meeting for the fellowship. I wanted to say so much but it won't do any good anyway, so better shut up for now.
I'm done cropping all the photos btw. Lighting was good and makeup was good, so just one set of curves was enough. Yay!
They're not the trendiest item right now, but stamps still have that delicate, romantic, human feel to them. A stamp on a stationery or letter is almost like sealing it with candle wax, or jotting down a signature, something that gives it a personal touch -- especially when that stamp is a personalized one, which you rarely get these days.
That's where Dana & Maya comes in. A boutique that creates personalized rubber stamp sets, Dana & Maya has had great success in Israel and is now expanding to the rest of the world. Besides a 6" tall wooden stamp, a stamp set also comes with a ceramic ink pad full with ink, a ceramic stamp rest, designed packing, and personal text plate. A maximum of 60 characters is offered and a list of fonts is available, and what's even better is that you can use your very own design for your stamp set.
Dana & Maya works with the finest material and offers no compromise in creating your personal stamp set. :)
One thing I can and will never, never bring myself to do is to sit through and finish an entire episode of a local television drama. Ten minutes I can manage, but then the story usually reaches that unavoidable point where there's a whole lot of bitchy glares or all-out crying on the floor with tousled hair and bared teeth. Save me the terrible overacting experience. Everything is then made worse with the two things that can potentially make or break a drama, in my book at least: cinematography and music. Most local dramas fail epic-ly at these, and I'm sorry that I had to say that.
SHOTS.
Most local dramas pay incredibly little to their cinematography. Sometimes I think it's the number of episodes that they have to shoot in advance that pressures them and forces them to settle for less, but really, how difficult is it to find a good angle? Or include establishing shots? Many scenes cut to another and the actors speak right away, without preamble, that you get taken aback by how sudden the story jumped from one conversation to another conversation in another setting.
The visually unpleasant final confrontation scene in Mara Clara (2011)* could have been saved a little had they given more effort than simply framing the actors in the screen. A lot of fantasy or epic series have also been done and shot in breathtaking locations, but it's such a waste that the director or cinematographers sometimes don't even take full advantage of this. (Although I've seen a bit of GMA's Amaya, and, well, it is rather pretty to look at.)
* Gina Pareño and Jhong Hilario are the only good things in this 2010 remake; the latter surprised me, since he's not even a serious actor, but a dancer. The lead actors bored me and had no impact whatsoever; I didn't even bother learning their names. These days just a handful of actors have the strong screen presence that most of the older generation always had, and those two don't. Bleh.
MUSIC.
Number one on my TV drama pet peeves list. Music, when applied properly, can emphasize the characters' emotions and bring out the beauty of a scene. There are cases though that the absence of background music even fleshes out what the characters feel even more. But in local dramas? Local dramas hire music/sound editors sooo diligent enough that they insert music -- songs, instrumental, orchestra versions -- in just every singel scene there is in the episode. It's like people might avert their eyes the moment they only hear the characters' breaths, gulps, the raw crying and sobbing, etc. And it doesn't help that the musical scores sound no different from drama to drama. I can go on and on about this pet peeve #1, but digress, I shall.
So it's generally upsetting, because some local dramas have actually really good plots, with good and capable actors. I like the recently airing show 100 Days to Heaven, which revolves around this dead, sinful middle-aged woman who was not permitted entry to heaven, and thereby forced to return to earth as a small girl to redeem herself. Or Magkaribal: about two rival women in the fashion industry (I love the drama's logo) who turn out to be blood sisters. The action-romance premise of Guns and Roses sounds interesting too, but it's still to early to say anything (lovely title for a local drama; not-so-lovely Word Art-esque logo). However, until the local drama production crews find some buckets of good inspiration and experiment a little bit more with the quality and visuals of their dramas and not only care solely about the rating and money, I'm giving up. I'd stick to Korean and Japanese dramas (the good ones, of course), thank you very much.
I have only started watching dramas continuously since 2009, when I realized that not all stories revolve around the cliched rich-guy-poor-girl plot, and so my list is still relatively limited. Can't help it anyway. This post includes dramas (and some movies) that I have watched from start to end -- Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, Thai, whatever. I also decided to rate a drama according to how I enjoyed or loved it, instead of how good, objectively, I think it is. Recently watched dramas go last.
DRAMAS I WATCHED:
Meteor Garden I & II (2001).
Super hype, good chemistry, but draggy-paced especially in the second season. 5/10
Hana Yori Dango (2005).
Gorgeous shots, great acting and super chemistry! Alas, jdoramas are really short. 9/10
Hana Yori Dango Returns (2007).
I. Love. This. 10/10
Gokusen (2002).
Really enjoyable, but not amazing. The cast really looks like the anime characters! 6/10
Kimi Wa Petto (2003).
I think it ended too quickly with several unresolved issues. Koyuki and Matsujun stood out here. 7/10
Boys Over Flowers (2009).
One hell of a trainwreck. One moment it's good, the next it's utterly unwatchable. Goo Hye-sun is horrible, and this drama did little justice to Lee Min-ho's acting prowess. Enjoyed the massive hype, though. 7/10
You're Beautiful (2009).
Chock-full of laughs and crazy antics from the Hong sisters. A definite must-watch! 9/10
My Girl (2005).
Super chemistry, adorable leads, and --omg-- snow, snow, snow! Lol. Despite my indifference to Park Si-yeon and Lee Jun-ki's characters, this remains as my most favorite Hong sisters drama ever. 10/10
The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (2007).
What more can I say? It's wonderful. 10/10
Shining Inheritance/Brilliant Legacy (2009).
Such a painful, painful pace. I'm never gonna watch Lee Seung-gi in a drama again unless he's paired with somebody I desperately admire. 7/10
Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge (2009).
Poor writing and poor directing, and messy intro. Disappointed. 3/10
Devil Beside You (2005).
Funny, at times roll-my-eyes cheesy. 7/10
1 Litre of Tears (2005).
You'll cry a liter of tears yourself. 10/10
Personal Taste (2009).
Had it been properly directed and written, this drama could've been a big hit. Sadly it wasted Lee Min-ho and Sohn Ye-jin's talents. 7/10
Goong/Princess Hours/Palace (2006).
Puzzling ending, slow-paced, lovely costumes, and rather wooden performance from Joo Ji-hoon. 7/10
Delightful Girl Choon-hyang (2005).
Jae Hee, Jae Hee, Jae Hee. Y u so handsome? I advise you to watch this BEFORE watching My Girl. 10/10
The World That They Live In (2008).
Rather than calling it dull, I'd describe it as realistic and calm. Not your typical, formulaic kdrama. The characters' biggest hindrance to their relationship is not a fuming ex-girlfriend or a scheming grandma but their own pride and attitude. My favorite kdrama, hands down. 10/10
Secret Garden (2010).
This is the only drama that drove me incredibly nuts, right at the eve of my exams. It stands out with its witty dialogue, fantastic cinematography, wonderful characters, and just plain great performances from the cast. Hyun Bin kills this drama. 10/10
Bottom of the 9th with 2 Outs/9 Ends 2 Outs (2007).
As girlfriday had put it, "Two lifelong best friends turn 30 and take steps toward becoming adults…by shacking up together and denying their growing attraction. Yeah, good luck with that." 9/10
49 Days (2010).
The story is pretty much unique in kdrama standards and although the ending was initially hard for me to accept, I love this drama. Such a beautiful message and storyline. Fell in love with Jung Il-woo. 10/10
DRAMAS I DROPPED COMPLETELY:
Mary Stayed Out All Night (2010). A classic example where not even the remarkable cast can save the terrible script. Skip this and watch You're Beautiful or Antique Bakery instead.
Playful Kiss (2010). Nope. Not watching anything that has Kim Hyun-joong etched on it ever again. So much for my anticipation.
DRAMAS I WILL WATCH:
Best Love/The Greatest Love (2011). Hey, it's the Hong Sisters! I'm not missing out on this one yet.
Return of Iljimae (2009). I only read the recaps and I'm already drawn in. Jung Il-woo makes a far better Iljimae, appearance and performance-wise, than Lee Jun-ki did. And that's just looking at the screencaps.
My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox (2010). I couldn't get over how Lee Seung-gi still looks like his Brilliant Legacy character that it distracted me so much. Heard good comments on the drama though so I'll pick up on this one soon.
Devil/Mawang (2008). Uhm Tae-woong, Shin Min-ah, and Joo Ji-hoon in one detective drama. I HAVE to watch this or I'll never forgive myself. Lol, drama.
MOVIES I WATCHED:
Hana Yori Dango Final (2008). Crooked plot, but the cast makes up for everything else. Inoue Mao is still gorgeous. I'd rather you skip it and watch the series again instead, though. 6/10
I Love My Younger Sister (2007). INCEST! It bored me to tears more than the anime version did. 4/10
Doremifasolatido (2008). This movie was going all right, until that big twist in the ending and then poof, it all gets tied with a pretty pink bow and glitter. My first glimpse of baby-faced Jang Geun-suk. 5/10
200 Pounds of Beauty (2006). Well-executed and I enjoyed everything, but some viewers may take the message a bit too seriously. 7/10
Baby and Me (2008). Despite the cute and the fluff -- yawn. 5/10
A Millionaire's First Love (2006). Been-there-done-that, but still tear-jerking and endearing. 8/10
Paju (2009). A young girl harbors feelings for her deceased older sister's husband. Dark, emotional, a bit of sexual content. Fell in love with Lee Seon-kyun and Seo Woo. 8/10
3-Iron/Empty House (2004). A little creepy, but fantastic. Proves that silence can be indeed beautiful, especially when coupled with good music and good cast, and that love may not always need words. 10/10
A Crazy Little Thing Called Love (2010). High school fluff, relate-able, and cute. BUT, I can't buy their love story, or even the movie being dubbed as "Everyone's love story". How can two people who have barely even talked much beneath the surface level still cling on to the love more than, what, 5 years later? And confess their love on a TV show? I don't even.... 7/10
Hello Stranger (2010). Two Thai young adults meet in South Korea, and never even knew each other's names. If I were you, skip Crazy Little Thing and watch this. Sure, the guy's no Mario Maurer, but let's remind ourselves that actors have to act; they don't just look pretty for the camera. Fun, cute, and tugs you in the right moments. 10/10
Okay, let's get to the point: A live-action drama adaptation of the anime OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB is in the works for July! The one and only Ouran, that starred Maaya Sakamoto and Mamoru Miyano (a.k.a. Light Yagami) as the voice actors of Haruhi Fujioka and Tamaki Suoh. How. Cool. Is. That.
L-R: Morinozuka Takashi, Hani-sempai, Ohtori Kyouya, Fujioka Haruhi (sitting), Suoh Tamaki, and the Hitaachin twins
I assume this is official since the news was released through a recent magazine and I visited anime forums all over the web to confirm it. The much-anticipated cast was also revealed:
HARUNA KAWAGUCHI (Nagareboshi) plays our heroine, Haruhi Fujioka. She has a pretty, androgynous face but whoa, she's only sixteen.
Yusuke Yamamoto, Haruna Kawaguchi
Tamaki Suoh will be played by YUSUKE YAMAMOTO (Kamen Rider Kabuto, My Fair Boy). I saw pictures of his smiling face thru Google, and let's just say that while I'm not very -- uh -- fond of it, I'd cut him some slack if he plays the part well and gets the proper hairstyle. And at least he's tall enough, at 180cm.
DAITO SHUNSUKE (Rescue) will be the club's vice president, Kyouya Ohtori, and the Hitaachin twins are going to be played by TAKAGI SHINPEI and TAKAGI MANPEI.
MASAYA NAKAMURA (Tenshi no Wakemae) plays the man of few words, Morinozuka Takashi. He'll tower over everyone else at 192cm. Now I'm officially a dwarf.
Masaya Nakamura, Daito Shunsuke
CHIBA YUDAI (Tensou Sentai Goseiger) plays Haninozuka Mitsukuni, aka Hani-sempai. Isn't he the cutest thing ever? The actor stands at 173cm and is 25cm taller than the character but I can already imagine him being all cutesy and lolishota-ish and cake-loving.
Chiba Yudai, Takagi twins
RYUSEI RYO (Hammer Session) will play Umehito Nakazawa, the man who dislikes light and owns a cat-like puppet. Wow, I almost forgot about this character.
Ryusei Ryo
So there goes the main cast, and nope, I have not seen or heard of any one of them before. I only fancy Chiba Yudai but somehow I feel they'll fit into their roles just fine. They have that Ouran aura, y'know? I just hope everybody has nice teeth (I can't stop cringing when I watched 1 Litre of Tears (the series) or even Goong/Princess Hours).
Although there's still no news about whether they're adapting the anime storyline or not, I think the producers are sticking to the real manga. I dunno how much focus they'll bring to the relationship between Tamaki and Haruhi given that the drama is under the genre "School comedy". What, it's not a school-rom-com? Err. Okay. Whatever. Titles are titles. I'm still looking forward to this drama.
49 Days was the drama that I was most anticipated about after the broadcast of the phenomenon that was Secret Garden, because its premise was very compelling and I'm just a big softie for second chances and the afterlife. I almost didn't end up watching this drama just because most of the cast were actors I've never seen in anything before, minus Biker Granny and Bae Soo-bin, who were in Brilliant Legacy. But thankfully Dramabeans wrote recaps for it and my curiosity was instantly perked up again.
In the drama, Shin Ji-hyun (played by Nam Gyuri), a woman who practically has everything: background, friends, and a good fiance, suddenly dies from a car accident just days before her wedding. The problem is, she wasn't "scheduled" to die yet, so a hot reaper boy called the Scheduler (Jung Il-woo) appears and gives her a deal: she'll be able to live again if she can find three people besides her family who would cry genuine tears for her in 49 days. Those tears would be proof that her life was worth living.
To do that, she'll have to borrow the body of another woman, Song Yi-kyung (Lee Yo-won), who has been living an almost-zombie life and finding little to live for. Ji-hyun learns that her fiance, Kang Min-ho (Bae Soo-bin), and her best friend, Shin In-jung (Seo Ji-hye), have been deceiving her and working to bring down her father's company, and that her old friend, Han Kang (Jo Hyun-jae), has been in love with her all this time despite his cold, aloof behavior towards her. She also finds out some interesting tidbits about the Scheduler's old life, which by the way is my ultimate, favorite subplot/storyline in kdramasphere.
Things I love about the drama:
1. Everyone turned in a great performance in this drama but really, LEE YO-WON kills it. That woman is ageless! She makes the transition from being the soulless, walking zombie Song Yi-kyung to the smiling, bubbly Shin Ji-hyun look so effortless and natural that it's hard to get confused about who is who. You see the change not only in her eyes but in her stance and the way she speaks. Not many actors can pull off the double role and Lee Yo-won deserves all the praise she got.
2. It's a little rare to find a love storyline in the kdramasphere as heartbreaking and sweeping as the Yi-Soo/Yi-kyung subplot. What's nice about their story is that they're not romantics who believe in fate bringing them together even in death. The issue wasn't how to unite the couple again or find a loophole to bring Yi-Soo back again, but how to help Yi-kyung let go of Yi-soo's memory so both of them can move on -- she with her life, he with the afterlife.
And lemme just say that I totally swooned over JUNG IL-WOO in this -- perm, raps, and all.
3. A follow-up to No. 2 -- the Scheduler has a very prominent sense of fashion here. Reapers collecting souls with style, HA.
4. Thankfully I felt zero chemistry between the Scheduler and Shin Ji-hyun. I know some viewers "shipped" them and even predicted a tear from the reaper boy, but their interactions were of the bickering-sibling type, which I still find adorable nonetheless.
5. I dunno about you but I loved SEO JI-HYE's character, despite the flaws and the twisted view of the world she shares with her partner in crime, Kang Min-ho (played by Mr. Forever-Second-Lead BAE SOO-BIN). All this time she clearly knows she loves Ji-hyun despite deceiving her, but she greatly overshadows that feeling with the inferiority issues she has with her best friend that lead her to plot against the company. Shin In-jung is not a very complex character; she was, simply, jealous. And that's pretty realistic, especially since she grew up with almost nothing and had to live with someone so affluent, so kind, so generous.
6. The soundtrack is simply lovely and the suspenseful instrumental at the end of episode 19 was spot-on. Despite being reminiscent of local, makjang dramas here, the music is zippy and sweeping at the same time. Why can't our local dramas have instrumentals like that?
7. Did anybody expect the Granny from Brilliant Legacy to be Madame Reaper Biker here?
6. Initially, I had major issues about the ending. Initially meaning, when I read the transcap and the comments at Soompi, and before I watched the episode itself. On one angle, it was disappointing, since, well, after rooting for the main character's success for eighteen episodes how can anyone not be disappointed to know that her success was incredibly short-lived? All that two-month suffering for nothing?
I'd like to see the 49 days as a blessing than a curse. I'd go as far as even saying she was lucky to have died two months earlier than her fated death date, because she gained a chance to have a broader sense of life and the world around her, to bring everything back in order, to receive Han Kang's love, and, albeit indirectly and unknowingly, lead a long-lost relative back. Like Ji-hyun said, she "might have lived a fake life" had she not been given the 49 days deal.
Things I didn't love about the drama:
1. Every important conversation or back-hugging scene in this drama has an audience in the form of our resident stalkers Kang Min-ho and Shin In-jung. And no one ever sees them. NO ONE.
2. The lack of Ji-hyun-in-her-real-body and Han Kang interactions drove me slightly nuts. The most they got together was a picnic date, if you don't count the oops-I-tripped-and-landed-uncomfortably-on-top-of-you flashback scenes. But it's not a big deal. Anyway, if you look at it in an actor-status (?) perspective, you don't really expect JO HYUN-JAE, the top-billed male lead, be paired up happily with a relatively new actress like NAM GYURI, do you? At the same time you can't expect him to be with his female lead counterpart, Lee Yo-won, because her character already has Song Yi-soo, even if he's dead. Lots of major mindfuck in this drama, I know.
3.The drama would have been perfectly fine without the sibling concept revealed and concluded in the course of barely fifteen minutes in the last episode. It is satisfying though to see Song Yi-kyung happy and smiling, as much as Ji-hyun-in-Yi-kyung's-body did. Ugh, I'm still grieving over her tragic, what-could-have-been love story with Song Yi-soo. :(
4. I only found out halfway into the series that 49 Days was never billed as a rom-com from the start, which explained the limited humorous antics in the show. One Scheduler was enough comedy though. Swoon.
In spite of the flaws and the bittersweet ending, 49 Days had pretty strong writing to back up its life-and-death-plus-soul-possession theme. I was swept off my feet and fell in love with the characters, who were very flawed and very human (minus the stalking trait). Overall, I'd give this drama an 8/10, and have it in my top 5 favorites, right next to The World That They Live In.
Note: Please excuse my fondness and bias over Jung Il-woo. XD
As much as I admire BEAST, I never really grew attached(?) to any of their songs before. It's not that their songs are terrible, they're pretty much likable actually, but what annoys me is that, despite having completely different melodies and moods, their songs always used the same old beats/percussion thing that came across as too teeny-boppy for me. I think the composers wanted to give the songs a stronger, energetic vibe, but it sounded so awkwardly out of place in Shock and Breath that it frustrated me to hell.
But thank God they didn't stop at Breath last year, and released Lights Go On Again soon afterward. The songs were beautiful and it was their best album to date, in my opinion. Until they took me aback and returned this week with their first full album, wonderfully titled FICTION OR FACT.
Oh. My. God. I love the mature, Western-like, emotive yet easygoing feel of The Fact, which is the intro song (Why are their best songs always the short intro ones?!). I love the emotions in the unplugged version of Lightless. I love the '90s-boy-band vibe of You. The title track, Fiction, is my favorite, unsurprisingly, and is about someone who wants to cling on to a lost love by writing a novel, thus the title. The piano melody is melancholic and very beautiful, which is even more emphasized in the orchestra version (why can't SME let SHINee do something like that?).
They obviously went all out on their first album, and it shows. I love all the songs to bits after the first listen, which rarely happens to me. This album tops all their old ones for sure.
FICTION (MUSIC VIDEO)
The choreography looks pretty slick and great by the way.
It's sad to know that many people speak of desiring freedom and exercising free will, yet many still cast out gays and homosexuals from society, like most Koreans do. What is it about homosexuality that oh so disgusts them? Is freedom exclusive to straight people?
I think there's nothing wrong if one chooses to be gay or lesbian. Who am I to interfere with their choice, their happiness? We need to respect and be respected, and that applies to every one of us regardless of our race, religion, or gender. I really despise people who treat these homosexuals as second-class, like they're some kind of aliens pretending to be human. It's good to know that there are bloggers who try to voice out their sexuality and gay culture (like gay Romania), with no fear of being ostracized. If people only learn to care a little more for each other, it would've made such a big difference not only to society but to the world.
One time I accompanied my father, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, to a chemotherapy room for his monthly dose of some bone-strengthening medicine, and I was surprised to see that his fellow cancer patients lounging in the room were women with breast cancer. Most of them wore turbans and loose clothing, and I could see how often they shifted to adjust their clothes.
I had a teacher once who survived breast cancer and now struggles to "feel" normal again. She tries to find the right Breast Cancer Clothes and Breast Cancer Bras for her new self. Red Thread is one of the more reliable fashion sites that sells special tops and Breast Cancer Clothes And Accessories, founded by a breast cancer survivor who wanted other patients to "be comfortable, and feel confident" once again.
Brendon always amazes me. From the hot, vampirish ghost in The Ballad of Mona Lisa he goes on to become this dancing sort of hippie surrounded by nippled mannequins in Ready To Go, his new song along with Spencer as the two-man Panic! At the Disco. It's just adorable how he pulls off any character he acts. (I love him more when he plays the gothic type of guys though. ♥)
These two girl groups made their comebacks recently with Virgin *giggle* and Pinocchio (Danger) *more giggle* respectively. Since I haven't found the time to listen much to either albums I'll save my cents for later. I did, however, watch a couple of their other music/dance videos.
With the chanting and the drum beats, this song to me is like a cross between their previous single Bang! and Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl, and I actually like it! Combined with the smexy red shoes, the chic black and white dresses, the tap-dance-slash-ice-skating choreography, AND 8 statuesque women, the song's so much more badass. I like how they stuck to a simple concept for the oufits, although I can't seem to understand the sash-like ribbons across their torsos. But hey it makes the dresses stand out even more so, I'm good.
To be honest I'm not a die-hard fan of After School but I keep track of their album concepts because they usually emerge with something new and more innovative than what most girl groups come up with. I like how they did Because of You in black and white with contrasting monochrome oufits. Bang!'s marching band concept was a BIG breath of fresh air, and was one of the most original in the kpop industry. I admire the girls' patience and determination to learn even the drumming for another song in the album.
In other words, After School's image, or concept, is neither too cute nor too sexy, too badass nor too dance-y. That's why I like After School. (But to me SNSD's sailor concept for Tell Me Your Wish is still the best, maybe because it was backed by a good song, which is where Bang! poof-ed).
GANGSTA BOY - F(X) (rehearsal video)
Err.
I expected too much from f(x) since their debut considering that they're promoted as more of a pop dance girl group by SM Entertainment itself, only to be let down with messy comeback songs like Chu~ and NU ABO. Until SME gives them a more polished song, I'm only keeping track of (1) their dancing, which is usually choreographed by no other than Rino Nakasone (from Beat Freaks), who also works on most of SHINee's dances, and (2) Victoria's dancing, because she's just as epic as Rino is. Mommy Vicky is lurve.
Gangsta Boy is no different from their other songs. I honestly don't know what to make of it, the rapping, the catchy yet annoying chorus coupled with Krystal's nasal voice, the awkward parts that sound like chanting and rapping combined, and Amber's "my gangsta, my gangsta" parts in the chorus are mindfucking. Everything sounds frustratingly wrong.
Actually I think a lot of f(x)'s songs have the, well, potential to be more polished-sounding if the composers thought more, listened more, tweaked it a little bit more, and experimented less. I feel like SME's using f(x) as a sort of medium for songs that they're "experimenting" with, and they're horribly failing.
So at the moment I've little care for their songs and just shift my focus on the moves. With all the footwork and sharp moves, Rino Nakasone goes all out on this one yet again.
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My beloved SHINee boys are finally set to debut in Japan by June with the Japanese version of their debut song, Replay (Older Sister You're So Pretty)! A low-quality audio (here) was actually released today and what's interesting is that TaeminBB got a few of Jonghyun and Onew's lines.
I know several listeners are rather disappointed or upset not to hear Jjong's voice in the introduction. Replay, after all, was their very first single and thus more meaningful than their other songs. But I assume that since Taemin is arguably the most popular member in Japan, they decided to give him some solo parts. That, and he's improved so much since their appearance to the K-pop scene. When I heard the Japanese single I think I went to heaven.
Until I heard Yoona of SNSD is replacing f(x)'s Victoria in the music video. I landed on my butt again.
Anyway I'm looking forward to the Japanese version of Hello, since I read that it's gonna be part of their album. I got something more to anticipate when summer ends and classes resume!
Finally, SNSD (or as Japan knows them, Shojo Jidai) released a dance version video of their new single Mr. Taxi! And thankfully the video DID NOT disappoint. Addictive choreography, check. Bright, we-stand-out-because-we're-awesome outfits, check. Pretty short-haired Taeyeon, check. Blonde Yuri, check. Less Yoona and more Hyoyeon dancing, check.
I don't know why they released a dance version MV first, though. To tease us, maybe?
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And that’s not all. This SEO blog also includes many articles under different categories like movies, technology, video games, and computers. All the stuff you get from the Internet, basically.
What’s even more interesting to note is how the articles are often written by different authors. There’s a diversity in the style of writing and you don’t get stuck reading the same manner every time. You don’t indulge in only one man’s point of view and perceptions. Rather, you get to see things from different angles and thereby learn even more.
To most people, Disney/Pixar animated movies are mere treats for the kids. Just eye candy, often packed with a bouncy musical soundtrack and pretty characters. To me, though, the art of Disney and Pixar animation movies serves more than just eye candy. I love how they bring fairy tales to the screen (and turn the most gruesome story into something fit for a happy ending). I love the diverse concepts: talking toys, ants, fish, superheroes who refuse to wear capes, cars that actually seem to embody real people. I love how creative the visuals are in complementing the overall theme of the movie.
And of course, I love the animation. Period.
Despite today’s modern animation methods, I have greater admiration for the older animated films and cartoons. Why? Because it’s simply amazing how drawing every single frame gives life and movement to the characters. Traditional animation was never easy and yet, those artists were still able to produce classics like Cinderella, Lion King, Steamboat Willie, Space Jam, etc. Their perseverance, hard work, and consistency in their art makes me feel so proud. Those people had made many childhoods so colorful.
Ever since I knew of a Filipino who worked in the visuals for Finding Nemo (and a Filipina who did most of the art for The Incredibles), I dreamed of working for Disney/Pixar.
Or Dreamworks Animation.
Or maybe even Lucasfilm in Singapore!
I’d die to set foot into their headquarters, to actually see how they get a film done, to work as a mere assistant or intern. Animation, character design, concept art – my goodness. To be able to work on projects like these, AND earn money at the same time, would be pure paradise. I could already imagine how it must feel, working my ass off animating people in the comfort of my own green home.
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So what can you get from submitting your website to a directory like jasminedirectory.com?
Take note that not all websites submitted to a web directories are accepted. The websites are reviewed manually by human editors and they make sure only quality websites are listed – and if yours get accepted, it’s very beneficial. Jasmine Directory is 100% SEO friendly: you get direct, quality backlinks, and all categories also come with a brief overview for easier and faster browsing.
Jasmine Directory also allows you to submit not only one URL, but five deep links – these links can be the most visited pages of your website. This feature will give you more traffic and backlinks too. Moreover, this web directory also lists websites alongside two automatic thumbnails of your website – to visually attract more traffic and give readers an idea of your website.
Submitting your new website to search engines is, of course, recommended, as this can result in traffic, but it often takes time for your website to pop up in the first several pages. Hence, submitting your blog to search engines AND web directories will greatly help in boosting your website’s chances to be indexed more quickly by search engines. Search engines would then use your backlink in the web directories to locate and index your website faster.
Jasmine Directory is also W3 css and HTML valid, and is one of the most established web directories that are already well-ranked among search engines, especially Google, so it garners more traffic. Being listed would definitely be an advantage for you.
In conclusion, web directories help you in building your website’s credibility, improving its ranking and popularity, and garnering more readers and thus, boosting your business. Promote your website and submit to jasminedirectory.com!
Nurses and doctors of all people know how important it is to be dressed in uniforms, or medical scrubs, that are professional-looking, comfortable, and even stylish at the same time. They have to project their authority and be at ease as they tend to their patients all day long. What these doctors need are high-quality, practical, and 100% cotton medical scrubs offered by no other than one of the leading scrub stores online, Blue Sky.
These medical scrubs are, of course, not limited to women. Male doctors and nurses also get their share of comfort and ease with their men scrubs, and so will surgeons, as Blue Sky also offers surgical uniforms that are professional-looking. Doctors would also find it good news that these scrubs also come with complimentary scrub hats for a more polished look, and nursing students would also be happy to know that high-quality medical uniforms are also available, all with designs to look both flattering and respectable. What's more, all these scrubs come in various colors that would suit your taste!
I'm a bored person and I like to procrastinate by drawing, watching Asian dramas, listening to K-pop, and spazzing away.
Sometimes I also sleep and tweet.
I respond to the name JoKimiko. Cheers.
My top 5 dramas:
The World That They Live In (2008)
49 Days (2011)
Hana Yori Dango (2005)
Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang (2005)
My Girl (2006)
(Here's the list of dramas I've watched so far, in case you're even interested.)
Films: Inception, The Devil Wears Prada, Memoirs of a Geisha, Legally Blonde, Pirates of the Caribbean.
Actors: Hyun Bin, Jung Il-woo, Jae Hee, Gong Li, Alan Rickman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Reynolds, Johnny Depp
Music: SHINee, BEAST, Big Bang, Panic! At The Disco, Rihanna, Chris Brown
Art Influences: Ruben Toledo, Max Cabrera (Pyromaniac), Stanley Lau (Artgerm), Lois van Baarle
Contact
You can reach me through email at purple_city20@yahoo.com. Or you can send me a quick message through this box. Just be sure to include your name/contact/blog/whatever.
Crazy outtakes! I dunno how I ended up being the make-up artist for everyone lol (maybe because I had the eyeshadows and creams), but the shoot (for our magazine madshack) was successful! Lasted for more than five hours and of course, every photoshoot ends with Greenoz pizza and Coke.
Then I was agitated afterward during a brief meeting for the fellowship. I wanted to say so much but it won't do any good anyway, so better shut up for now.
I'm done cropping all the photos btw. Lighting was good and makeup was good, so just one set of curves was enough. Yay!
They're not the trendiest item right now, but stamps still have that delicate, romantic, human feel to them. A stamp on a stationery or letter is almost like sealing it with candle wax, or jotting down a signature, something that gives it a personal touch -- especially when that stamp is a personalized one, which you rarely get these days.
That's where Dana & Maya comes in. A boutique that creates personalized rubber stamp sets, Dana & Maya has had great success in Israel and is now expanding to the rest of the world. Besides a 6" tall wooden stamp, a stamp set also comes with a ceramic ink pad full with ink, a ceramic stamp rest, designed packing, and personal text plate. A maximum of 60 characters is offered and a list of fonts is available, and what's even better is that you can use your very own design for your stamp set.
Dana & Maya works with the finest material and offers no compromise in creating your personal stamp set. :)
One thing I can and will never, never bring myself to do is to sit through and finish an entire episode of a local television drama. Ten minutes I can manage, but then the story usually reaches that unavoidable point where there's a whole lot of bitchy glares or all-out crying on the floor with tousled hair and bared teeth. Save me the terrible overacting experience. Everything is then made worse with the two things that can potentially make or break a drama, in my book at least: cinematography and music. Most local dramas fail epic-ly at these, and I'm sorry that I had to say that.
SHOTS.
Most local dramas pay incredibly little to their cinematography. Sometimes I think it's the number of episodes that they have to shoot in advance that pressures them and forces them to settle for less, but really, how difficult is it to find a good angle? Or include establishing shots? Many scenes cut to another and the actors speak right away, without preamble, that you get taken aback by how sudden the story jumped from one conversation to another conversation in another setting.
The visually unpleasant final confrontation scene in Mara Clara (2011)* could have been saved a little had they given more effort than simply framing the actors in the screen. A lot of fantasy or epic series have also been done and shot in breathtaking locations, but it's such a waste that the director or cinematographers sometimes don't even take full advantage of this. (Although I've seen a bit of GMA's Amaya, and, well, it is rather pretty to look at.)
* Gina Pareño and Jhong Hilario are the only good things in this 2010 remake; the latter surprised me, since he's not even a serious actor, but a dancer. The lead actors bored me and had no impact whatsoever; I didn't even bother learning their names. These days just a handful of actors have the strong screen presence that most of the older generation always had, and those two don't. Bleh.
MUSIC.
Number one on my TV drama pet peeves list. Music, when applied properly, can emphasize the characters' emotions and bring out the beauty of a scene. There are cases though that the absence of background music even fleshes out what the characters feel even more. But in local dramas? Local dramas hire music/sound editors sooo diligent enough that they insert music -- songs, instrumental, orchestra versions -- in just every singel scene there is in the episode. It's like people might avert their eyes the moment they only hear the characters' breaths, gulps, the raw crying and sobbing, etc. And it doesn't help that the musical scores sound no different from drama to drama. I can go on and on about this pet peeve #1, but digress, I shall.
So it's generally upsetting, because some local dramas have actually really good plots, with good and capable actors. I like the recently airing show 100 Days to Heaven, which revolves around this dead, sinful middle-aged woman who was not permitted entry to heaven, and thereby forced to return to earth as a small girl to redeem herself. Or Magkaribal: about two rival women in the fashion industry (I love the drama's logo) who turn out to be blood sisters. The action-romance premise of Guns and Roses sounds interesting too, but it's still to early to say anything (lovely title for a local drama; not-so-lovely Word Art-esque logo). However, until the local drama production crews find some buckets of good inspiration and experiment a little bit more with the quality and visuals of their dramas and not only care solely about the rating and money, I'm giving up. I'd stick to Korean and Japanese dramas (the good ones, of course), thank you very much.
I have only started watching dramas continuously since 2009, when I realized that not all stories revolve around the cliched rich-guy-poor-girl plot, and so my list is still relatively limited. Can't help it anyway. This post includes dramas (and some movies) that I have watched from start to end -- Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, Thai, whatever. I also decided to rate a drama according to how I enjoyed or loved it, instead of how good, objectively, I think it is. Recently watched dramas go last.
DRAMAS I WATCHED:
Meteor Garden I & II (2001).
Super hype, good chemistry, but draggy-paced especially in the second season. 5/10
Hana Yori Dango (2005).
Gorgeous shots, great acting and super chemistry! Alas, jdoramas are really short. 9/10
Hana Yori Dango Returns (2007).
I. Love. This. 10/10
Gokusen (2002).
Really enjoyable, but not amazing. The cast really looks like the anime characters! 6/10
Kimi Wa Petto (2003).
I think it ended too quickly with several unresolved issues. Koyuki and Matsujun stood out here. 7/10
Boys Over Flowers (2009).
One hell of a trainwreck. One moment it's good, the next it's utterly unwatchable. Goo Hye-sun is horrible, and this drama did little justice to Lee Min-ho's acting prowess. Enjoyed the massive hype, though. 7/10
You're Beautiful (2009).
Chock-full of laughs and crazy antics from the Hong sisters. A definite must-watch! 9/10
My Girl (2005).
Super chemistry, adorable leads, and --omg-- snow, snow, snow! Lol. Despite my indifference to Park Si-yeon and Lee Jun-ki's characters, this remains as my most favorite Hong sisters drama ever. 10/10
The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (2007).
What more can I say? It's wonderful. 10/10
Shining Inheritance/Brilliant Legacy (2009).
Such a painful, painful pace. I'm never gonna watch Lee Seung-gi in a drama again unless he's paired with somebody I desperately admire. 7/10
Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge (2009).
Poor writing and poor directing, and messy intro. Disappointed. 3/10
Devil Beside You (2005).
Funny, at times roll-my-eyes cheesy. 7/10
1 Litre of Tears (2005).
You'll cry a liter of tears yourself. 10/10
Personal Taste (2009).
Had it been properly directed and written, this drama could've been a big hit. Sadly it wasted Lee Min-ho and Sohn Ye-jin's talents. 7/10
Goong/Princess Hours/Palace (2006).
Puzzling ending, slow-paced, lovely costumes, and rather wooden performance from Joo Ji-hoon. 7/10
Delightful Girl Choon-hyang (2005).
Jae Hee, Jae Hee, Jae Hee. Y u so handsome? I advise you to watch this BEFORE watching My Girl. 10/10
The World That They Live In (2008).
Rather than calling it dull, I'd describe it as realistic and calm. Not your typical, formulaic kdrama. The characters' biggest hindrance to their relationship is not a fuming ex-girlfriend or a scheming grandma but their own pride and attitude. My favorite kdrama, hands down. 10/10
Secret Garden (2010).
This is the only drama that drove me incredibly nuts, right at the eve of my exams. It stands out with its witty dialogue, fantastic cinematography, wonderful characters, and just plain great performances from the cast. Hyun Bin kills this drama. 10/10
Bottom of the 9th with 2 Outs/9 Ends 2 Outs (2007).
As girlfriday had put it, "Two lifelong best friends turn 30 and take steps toward becoming adults…by shacking up together and denying their growing attraction. Yeah, good luck with that." 9/10
49 Days (2010).
The story is pretty much unique in kdrama standards and although the ending was initially hard for me to accept, I love this drama. Such a beautiful message and storyline. Fell in love with Jung Il-woo. 10/10
DRAMAS I DROPPED COMPLETELY:
Mary Stayed Out All Night (2010). A classic example where not even the remarkable cast can save the terrible script. Skip this and watch You're Beautiful or Antique Bakery instead.
Playful Kiss (2010). Nope. Not watching anything that has Kim Hyun-joong etched on it ever again. So much for my anticipation.
DRAMAS I WILL WATCH:
Best Love/The Greatest Love (2011). Hey, it's the Hong Sisters! I'm not missing out on this one yet.
Return of Iljimae (2009). I only read the recaps and I'm already drawn in. Jung Il-woo makes a far better Iljimae, appearance and performance-wise, than Lee Jun-ki did. And that's just looking at the screencaps.
My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox (2010). I couldn't get over how Lee Seung-gi still looks like his Brilliant Legacy character that it distracted me so much. Heard good comments on the drama though so I'll pick up on this one soon.
Devil/Mawang (2008). Uhm Tae-woong, Shin Min-ah, and Joo Ji-hoon in one detective drama. I HAVE to watch this or I'll never forgive myself. Lol, drama.
MOVIES I WATCHED:
Hana Yori Dango Final (2008). Crooked plot, but the cast makes up for everything else. Inoue Mao is still gorgeous. I'd rather you skip it and watch the series again instead, though. 6/10
I Love My Younger Sister (2007). INCEST! It bored me to tears more than the anime version did. 4/10
Doremifasolatido (2008). This movie was going all right, until that big twist in the ending and then poof, it all gets tied with a pretty pink bow and glitter. My first glimpse of baby-faced Jang Geun-suk. 5/10
200 Pounds of Beauty (2006). Well-executed and I enjoyed everything, but some viewers may take the message a bit too seriously. 7/10
Baby and Me (2008). Despite the cute and the fluff -- yawn. 5/10
A Millionaire's First Love (2006). Been-there-done-that, but still tear-jerking and endearing. 8/10
Paju (2009). A young girl harbors feelings for her deceased older sister's husband. Dark, emotional, a bit of sexual content. Fell in love with Lee Seon-kyun and Seo Woo. 8/10
3-Iron/Empty House (2004). A little creepy, but fantastic. Proves that silence can be indeed beautiful, especially when coupled with good music and good cast, and that love may not always need words. 10/10
A Crazy Little Thing Called Love (2010). High school fluff, relate-able, and cute. BUT, I can't buy their love story, or even the movie being dubbed as "Everyone's love story". How can two people who have barely even talked much beneath the surface level still cling on to the love more than, what, 5 years later? And confess their love on a TV show? I don't even.... 7/10
Hello Stranger (2010). Two Thai young adults meet in South Korea, and never even knew each other's names. If I were you, skip Crazy Little Thing and watch this. Sure, the guy's no Mario Maurer, but let's remind ourselves that actors have to act; they don't just look pretty for the camera. Fun, cute, and tugs you in the right moments. 10/10
Okay, let's get to the point: A live-action drama adaptation of the anime OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB is in the works for July! The one and only Ouran, that starred Maaya Sakamoto and Mamoru Miyano (a.k.a. Light Yagami) as the voice actors of Haruhi Fujioka and Tamaki Suoh. How. Cool. Is. That.
L-R: Morinozuka Takashi, Hani-sempai, Ohtori Kyouya, Fujioka Haruhi (sitting), Suoh Tamaki, and the Hitaachin twins
I assume this is official since the news was released through a recent magazine and I visited anime forums all over the web to confirm it. The much-anticipated cast was also revealed:
HARUNA KAWAGUCHI (Nagareboshi) plays our heroine, Haruhi Fujioka. She has a pretty, androgynous face but whoa, she's only sixteen.
Yusuke Yamamoto, Haruna Kawaguchi
Tamaki Suoh will be played by YUSUKE YAMAMOTO (Kamen Rider Kabuto, My Fair Boy). I saw pictures of his smiling face thru Google, and let's just say that while I'm not very -- uh -- fond of it, I'd cut him some slack if he plays the part well and gets the proper hairstyle. And at least he's tall enough, at 180cm.
DAITO SHUNSUKE (Rescue) will be the club's vice president, Kyouya Ohtori, and the Hitaachin twins are going to be played by TAKAGI SHINPEI and TAKAGI MANPEI.
MASAYA NAKAMURA (Tenshi no Wakemae) plays the man of few words, Morinozuka Takashi. He'll tower over everyone else at 192cm. Now I'm officially a dwarf.
Masaya Nakamura, Daito Shunsuke
CHIBA YUDAI (Tensou Sentai Goseiger) plays Haninozuka Mitsukuni, aka Hani-sempai. Isn't he the cutest thing ever? The actor stands at 173cm and is 25cm taller than the character but I can already imagine him being all cutesy and lolishota-ish and cake-loving.
Chiba Yudai, Takagi twins
RYUSEI RYO (Hammer Session) will play Umehito Nakazawa, the man who dislikes light and owns a cat-like puppet. Wow, I almost forgot about this character.
Ryusei Ryo
So there goes the main cast, and nope, I have not seen or heard of any one of them before. I only fancy Chiba Yudai but somehow I feel they'll fit into their roles just fine. They have that Ouran aura, y'know? I just hope everybody has nice teeth (I can't stop cringing when I watched 1 Litre of Tears (the series) or even Goong/Princess Hours).
Although there's still no news about whether they're adapting the anime storyline or not, I think the producers are sticking to the real manga. I dunno how much focus they'll bring to the relationship between Tamaki and Haruhi given that the drama is under the genre "School comedy". What, it's not a school-rom-com? Err. Okay. Whatever. Titles are titles. I'm still looking forward to this drama.
49 Days was the drama that I was most anticipated about after the broadcast of the phenomenon that was Secret Garden, because its premise was very compelling and I'm just a big softie for second chances and the afterlife. I almost didn't end up watching this drama just because most of the cast were actors I've never seen in anything before, minus Biker Granny and Bae Soo-bin, who were in Brilliant Legacy. But thankfully Dramabeans wrote recaps for it and my curiosity was instantly perked up again.
In the drama, Shin Ji-hyun (played by Nam Gyuri), a woman who practically has everything: background, friends, and a good fiance, suddenly dies from a car accident just days before her wedding. The problem is, she wasn't "scheduled" to die yet, so a hot reaper boy called the Scheduler (Jung Il-woo) appears and gives her a deal: she'll be able to live again if she can find three people besides her family who would cry genuine tears for her in 49 days. Those tears would be proof that her life was worth living.
To do that, she'll have to borrow the body of another woman, Song Yi-kyung (Lee Yo-won), who has been living an almost-zombie life and finding little to live for. Ji-hyun learns that her fiance, Kang Min-ho (Bae Soo-bin), and her best friend, Shin In-jung (Seo Ji-hye), have been deceiving her and working to bring down her father's company, and that her old friend, Han Kang (Jo Hyun-jae), has been in love with her all this time despite his cold, aloof behavior towards her. She also finds out some interesting tidbits about the Scheduler's old life, which by the way is my ultimate, favorite subplot/storyline in kdramasphere.
Things I love about the drama:
1. Everyone turned in a great performance in this drama but really, LEE YO-WON kills it. That woman is ageless! She makes the transition from being the soulless, walking zombie Song Yi-kyung to the smiling, bubbly Shin Ji-hyun look so effortless and natural that it's hard to get confused about who is who. You see the change not only in her eyes but in her stance and the way she speaks. Not many actors can pull off the double role and Lee Yo-won deserves all the praise she got.
2. It's a little rare to find a love storyline in the kdramasphere as heartbreaking and sweeping as the Yi-Soo/Yi-kyung subplot. What's nice about their story is that they're not romantics who believe in fate bringing them together even in death. The issue wasn't how to unite the couple again or find a loophole to bring Yi-Soo back again, but how to help Yi-kyung let go of Yi-soo's memory so both of them can move on -- she with her life, he with the afterlife.
And lemme just say that I totally swooned over JUNG IL-WOO in this -- perm, raps, and all.
3. A follow-up to No. 2 -- the Scheduler has a very prominent sense of fashion here. Reapers collecting souls with style, HA.
4. Thankfully I felt zero chemistry between the Scheduler and Shin Ji-hyun. I know some viewers "shipped" them and even predicted a tear from the reaper boy, but their interactions were of the bickering-sibling type, which I still find adorable nonetheless.
5. I dunno about you but I loved SEO JI-HYE's character, despite the flaws and the twisted view of the world she shares with her partner in crime, Kang Min-ho (played by Mr. Forever-Second-Lead BAE SOO-BIN). All this time she clearly knows she loves Ji-hyun despite deceiving her, but she greatly overshadows that feeling with the inferiority issues she has with her best friend that lead her to plot against the company. Shin In-jung is not a very complex character; she was, simply, jealous. And that's pretty realistic, especially since she grew up with almost nothing and had to live with someone so affluent, so kind, so generous.
6. The soundtrack is simply lovely and the suspenseful instrumental at the end of episode 19 was spot-on. Despite being reminiscent of local, makjang dramas here, the music is zippy and sweeping at the same time. Why can't our local dramas have instrumentals like that?
7. Did anybody expect the Granny from Brilliant Legacy to be Madame Reaper Biker here?
6. Initially, I had major issues about the ending. Initially meaning, when I read the transcap and the comments at Soompi, and before I watched the episode itself. On one angle, it was disappointing, since, well, after rooting for the main character's success for eighteen episodes how can anyone not be disappointed to know that her success was incredibly short-lived? All that two-month suffering for nothing?
I'd like to see the 49 days as a blessing than a curse. I'd go as far as even saying she was lucky to have died two months earlier than her fated death date, because she gained a chance to have a broader sense of life and the world around her, to bring everything back in order, to receive Han Kang's love, and, albeit indirectly and unknowingly, lead a long-lost relative back. Like Ji-hyun said, she "might have lived a fake life" had she not been given the 49 days deal.
Things I didn't love about the drama:
1. Every important conversation or back-hugging scene in this drama has an audience in the form of our resident stalkers Kang Min-ho and Shin In-jung. And no one ever sees them. NO ONE.
2. The lack of Ji-hyun-in-her-real-body and Han Kang interactions drove me slightly nuts. The most they got together was a picnic date, if you don't count the oops-I-tripped-and-landed-uncomfortably-on-top-of-you flashback scenes. But it's not a big deal. Anyway, if you look at it in an actor-status (?) perspective, you don't really expect JO HYUN-JAE, the top-billed male lead, be paired up happily with a relatively new actress like NAM GYURI, do you? At the same time you can't expect him to be with his female lead counterpart, Lee Yo-won, because her character already has Song Yi-soo, even if he's dead. Lots of major mindfuck in this drama, I know.
3.The drama would have been perfectly fine without the sibling concept revealed and concluded in the course of barely fifteen minutes in the last episode. It is satisfying though to see Song Yi-kyung happy and smiling, as much as Ji-hyun-in-Yi-kyung's-body did. Ugh, I'm still grieving over her tragic, what-could-have-been love story with Song Yi-soo. :(
4. I only found out halfway into the series that 49 Days was never billed as a rom-com from the start, which explained the limited humorous antics in the show. One Scheduler was enough comedy though. Swoon.
In spite of the flaws and the bittersweet ending, 49 Days had pretty strong writing to back up its life-and-death-plus-soul-possession theme. I was swept off my feet and fell in love with the characters, who were very flawed and very human (minus the stalking trait). Overall, I'd give this drama an 8/10, and have it in my top 5 favorites, right next to The World That They Live In.
Note: Please excuse my fondness and bias over Jung Il-woo. XD
As much as I admire BEAST, I never really grew attached(?) to any of their songs before. It's not that their songs are terrible, they're pretty much likable actually, but what annoys me is that, despite having completely different melodies and moods, their songs always used the same old beats/percussion thing that came across as too teeny-boppy for me. I think the composers wanted to give the songs a stronger, energetic vibe, but it sounded so awkwardly out of place in Shock and Breath that it frustrated me to hell.
But thank God they didn't stop at Breath last year, and released Lights Go On Again soon afterward. The songs were beautiful and it was their best album to date, in my opinion. Until they took me aback and returned this week with their first full album, wonderfully titled FICTION OR FACT.
Oh. My. God. I love the mature, Western-like, emotive yet easygoing feel of The Fact, which is the intro song (Why are their best songs always the short intro ones?!). I love the emotions in the unplugged version of Lightless. I love the '90s-boy-band vibe of You. The title track, Fiction, is my favorite, unsurprisingly, and is about someone who wants to cling on to a lost love by writing a novel, thus the title. The piano melody is melancholic and very beautiful, which is even more emphasized in the orchestra version (why can't SME let SHINee do something like that?).
They obviously went all out on their first album, and it shows. I love all the songs to bits after the first listen, which rarely happens to me. This album tops all their old ones for sure.
FICTION (MUSIC VIDEO)
The choreography looks pretty slick and great by the way.
It's sad to know that many people speak of desiring freedom and exercising free will, yet many still cast out gays and homosexuals from society, like most Koreans do. What is it about homosexuality that oh so disgusts them? Is freedom exclusive to straight people?
I think there's nothing wrong if one chooses to be gay or lesbian. Who am I to interfere with their choice, their happiness? We need to respect and be respected, and that applies to every one of us regardless of our race, religion, or gender. I really despise people who treat these homosexuals as second-class, like they're some kind of aliens pretending to be human. It's good to know that there are bloggers who try to voice out their sexuality and gay culture (like gay Romania), with no fear of being ostracized. If people only learn to care a little more for each other, it would've made such a big difference not only to society but to the world.
One time I accompanied my father, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, to a chemotherapy room for his monthly dose of some bone-strengthening medicine, and I was surprised to see that his fellow cancer patients lounging in the room were women with breast cancer. Most of them wore turbans and loose clothing, and I could see how often they shifted to adjust their clothes.
I had a teacher once who survived breast cancer and now struggles to "feel" normal again. She tries to find the right Breast Cancer Clothes and Breast Cancer Bras for her new self. Red Thread is one of the more reliable fashion sites that sells special tops and Breast Cancer Clothes And Accessories, founded by a breast cancer survivor who wanted other patients to "be comfortable, and feel confident" once again.
Brendon always amazes me. From the hot, vampirish ghost in The Ballad of Mona Lisa he goes on to become this dancing sort of hippie surrounded by nippled mannequins in Ready To Go, his new song along with Spencer as the two-man Panic! At the Disco. It's just adorable how he pulls off any character he acts. (I love him more when he plays the gothic type of guys though. ♥)
These two girl groups made their comebacks recently with Virgin *giggle* and Pinocchio (Danger) *more giggle* respectively. Since I haven't found the time to listen much to either albums I'll save my cents for later. I did, however, watch a couple of their other music/dance videos.
With the chanting and the drum beats, this song to me is like a cross between their previous single Bang! and Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl, and I actually like it! Combined with the smexy red shoes, the chic black and white dresses, the tap-dance-slash-ice-skating choreography, AND 8 statuesque women, the song's so much more badass. I like how they stuck to a simple concept for the oufits, although I can't seem to understand the sash-like ribbons across their torsos. But hey it makes the dresses stand out even more so, I'm good.
To be honest I'm not a die-hard fan of After School but I keep track of their album concepts because they usually emerge with something new and more innovative than what most girl groups come up with. I like how they did Because of You in black and white with contrasting monochrome oufits. Bang!'s marching band concept was a BIG breath of fresh air, and was one of the most original in the kpop industry. I admire the girls' patience and determination to learn even the drumming for another song in the album.
In other words, After School's image, or concept, is neither too cute nor too sexy, too badass nor too dance-y. That's why I like After School. (But to me SNSD's sailor concept for Tell Me Your Wish is still the best, maybe because it was backed by a good song, which is where Bang! poof-ed).
GANGSTA BOY - F(X) (rehearsal video)
Err.
I expected too much from f(x) since their debut considering that they're promoted as more of a pop dance girl group by SM Entertainment itself, only to be let down with messy comeback songs like Chu~ and NU ABO. Until SME gives them a more polished song, I'm only keeping track of (1) their dancing, which is usually choreographed by no other than Rino Nakasone (from Beat Freaks), who also works on most of SHINee's dances, and (2) Victoria's dancing, because she's just as epic as Rino is. Mommy Vicky is lurve.
Gangsta Boy is no different from their other songs. I honestly don't know what to make of it, the rapping, the catchy yet annoying chorus coupled with Krystal's nasal voice, the awkward parts that sound like chanting and rapping combined, and Amber's "my gangsta, my gangsta" parts in the chorus are mindfucking. Everything sounds frustratingly wrong.
Actually I think a lot of f(x)'s songs have the, well, potential to be more polished-sounding if the composers thought more, listened more, tweaked it a little bit more, and experimented less. I feel like SME's using f(x) as a sort of medium for songs that they're "experimenting" with, and they're horribly failing.
So at the moment I've little care for their songs and just shift my focus on the moves. With all the footwork and sharp moves, Rino Nakasone goes all out on this one yet again.
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My beloved SHINee boys are finally set to debut in Japan by June with the Japanese version of their debut song, Replay (Older Sister You're So Pretty)! A low-quality audio (here) was actually released today and what's interesting is that TaeminBB got a few of Jonghyun and Onew's lines.
I know several listeners are rather disappointed or upset not to hear Jjong's voice in the introduction. Replay, after all, was their very first single and thus more meaningful than their other songs. But I assume that since Taemin is arguably the most popular member in Japan, they decided to give him some solo parts. That, and he's improved so much since their appearance to the K-pop scene. When I heard the Japanese single I think I went to heaven.
Until I heard Yoona of SNSD is replacing f(x)'s Victoria in the music video. I landed on my butt again.
Anyway I'm looking forward to the Japanese version of Hello, since I read that it's gonna be part of their album. I got something more to anticipate when summer ends and classes resume!
Finally, SNSD (or as Japan knows them, Shojo Jidai) released a dance version video of their new single Mr. Taxi! And thankfully the video DID NOT disappoint. Addictive choreography, check. Bright, we-stand-out-because-we're-awesome outfits, check. Pretty short-haired Taeyeon, check. Blonde Yuri, check. Less Yoona and more Hyoyeon dancing, check.
I don't know why they released a dance version MV first, though. To tease us, maybe?
Learning both the treats and tricks of search engine optimization, or SEO, may be confusing for the new or inexperienced typical blogger, but you can turn to particular websites for tips and help. One blog you’d want to keep checking is CqWen.com, a rising blog that offers countless SEO tips and tutorials about the wonderful world of the Internet.
CqWen primarily focuses on the benefits of utilizing SEO at its best to boost your website rank. You learn to improve your business, online or offline, be it online shopping, event management, travel agencies and the like. It offers advice on how to pick the best and most reliable search engine optimization expert and to make real money online.
And that’s not all. This SEO blog also includes many articles under different categories like movies, technology, video games, and computers. All the stuff you get from the Internet, basically.
What’s even more interesting to note is how the articles are often written by different authors. There’s a diversity in the style of writing and you don’t get stuck reading the same manner every time. You don’t indulge in only one man’s point of view and perceptions. Rather, you get to see things from different angles and thereby learn even more.
To most people, Disney/Pixar animated movies are mere treats for the kids. Just eye candy, often packed with a bouncy musical soundtrack and pretty characters. To me, though, the art of Disney and Pixar animation movies serves more than just eye candy. I love how they bring fairy tales to the screen (and turn the most gruesome story into something fit for a happy ending). I love the diverse concepts: talking toys, ants, fish, superheroes who refuse to wear capes, cars that actually seem to embody real people. I love how creative the visuals are in complementing the overall theme of the movie.
And of course, I love the animation. Period.
Despite today’s modern animation methods, I have greater admiration for the older animated films and cartoons. Why? Because it’s simply amazing how drawing every single frame gives life and movement to the characters. Traditional animation was never easy and yet, those artists were still able to produce classics like Cinderella, Lion King, Steamboat Willie, Space Jam, etc. Their perseverance, hard work, and consistency in their art makes me feel so proud. Those people had made many childhoods so colorful.
Ever since I knew of a Filipino who worked in the visuals for Finding Nemo (and a Filipina who did most of the art for The Incredibles), I dreamed of working for Disney/Pixar.
Or Dreamworks Animation.
Or maybe even Lucasfilm in Singapore!
I’d die to set foot into their headquarters, to actually see how they get a film done, to work as a mere assistant or intern. Animation, character design, concept art – my goodness. To be able to work on projects like these, AND earn money at the same time, would be pure paradise. I could already imagine how it must feel, working my ass off animating people in the comfort of my own green home.
When it comes to promoting your website and improving its page ranking, you might want to consider submitting it to a web directory like jasminedirectory.com. Despite being considered “old-fashioned”, business web directories, like jasminedirectory.com, actually offer more services than merely categorizing quality web sites and business listing all over the Internet.
So what can you get from submitting your website to a directory like jasminedirectory.com?
Take note that not all websites submitted to a web directories are accepted. The websites are reviewed manually by human editors and they make sure only quality websites are listed – and if yours get accepted, it’s very beneficial. Jasmine Directory is 100% SEO friendly: you get direct, quality backlinks, and all categories also come with a brief overview for easier and faster browsing.
Jasmine Directory also allows you to submit not only one URL, but five deep links – these links can be the most visited pages of your website. This feature will give you more traffic and backlinks too. Moreover, this web directory also lists websites alongside two automatic thumbnails of your website – to visually attract more traffic and give readers an idea of your website.
Submitting your new website to search engines is, of course, recommended, as this can result in traffic, but it often takes time for your website to pop up in the first several pages. Hence, submitting your blog to search engines AND web directories will greatly help in boosting your website’s chances to be indexed more quickly by search engines. Search engines would then use your backlink in the web directories to locate and index your website faster.
Jasmine Directory is also W3 css and HTML valid, and is one of the most established web directories that are already well-ranked among search engines, especially Google, so it garners more traffic. Being listed would definitely be an advantage for you.
In conclusion, web directories help you in building your website’s credibility, improving its ranking and popularity, and garnering more readers and thus, boosting your business. Promote your website and submit to jasminedirectory.com!
Nurses and doctors of all people know how important it is to be dressed in uniforms, or medical scrubs, that are professional-looking, comfortable, and even stylish at the same time. They have to project their authority and be at ease as they tend to their patients all day long. What these doctors need are high-quality, practical, and 100% cotton medical scrubs offered by no other than one of the leading scrub stores online, Blue Sky.
These medical scrubs are, of course, not limited to women. Male doctors and nurses also get their share of comfort and ease with their men scrubs, and so will surgeons, as Blue Sky also offers surgical uniforms that are professional-looking. Doctors would also find it good news that these scrubs also come with complimentary scrub hats for a more polished look, and nursing students would also be happy to know that high-quality medical uniforms are also available, all with designs to look both flattering and respectable. What's more, all these scrubs come in various colors that would suit your taste!
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With today's technology and trends, investing on an online business is not unheard of; it's a growing opportunity. However, most people have limited knowledge on the tricks in online business and internet marketing, and that's where the reliable Global Success Club comes in, ready to help you and teach you how to realistically make $8,333/Mo. without fail… (FREE). Unlike other websites that usually end up as scams, Global Success Club includes a training program under trustworthy people who have been featured in magazines like Time and Vanity Fair, people like Tony Robbins, Bob Proctor, and Jack Canfield.
