Tuesday 11 December 2012

21. To The Beautiful You

Based on the Japanese shōjo manga series, Hanazakari no Kimitachi e
Broadcast: Aug-Oct 2012
Episodes: 16, Romance/Comedy/Drama
Cast:
Choi Sulli as Gu Jae Hee (F(x))
Choi Min Ho as Kang Tae Joon (SHINee)
Lee Hyun Woo as Cha Eun Kyul
Kim Ji Won as Seol Han Na
Suh Joon Young as Ha Seung Ri
Kang Ha Neul as Min Hyun Jae
Hwang Kwang Hee as Song Jong Min
(ZE:A)
Previous versions: Japanese & Taiwanese

I was a bit reluctant to watch this one as it was so similar to You're Beautiful. I gave it a go since I wanted to watch a short and no brainer drama. It turned to be more entertaining than expected. The plot has been done to death and a bit flimsy, however, the very young cast all put together a great performance. I was very impressed by the acting. Usually with kpop stars and young actors, the acting is premature. In this case, all the actors put together a very impressive drama.

Gu Jae Hee idolised Kang Tae Joon. She watches him high jumped in the junior olympics and is inspired by his performance and words. She joined the athletics club at school because of him. After an injury, Kang Tae Joon takes his time to recover and is reluctant to train seriously, especially after his mother's death.

Gu Jae Hee deliberately transfers to South Korea from California to attend Genie High School. There's a catch. Genie High is a prestigious all boys school. She cuts her hair and dresses like a boy and puts on the performance of her life to attend that school so she could be close to Kang Tae Joon.

What are the odds that she ends up being his room mate? :) The initial stages are awkward and uncomfortable as Tae Joon didn't like her (as a boy). She is a transfer student, new, and had no friends. She befriends Cha Eun Kyul and life seems more bearable. 

Because of her sincere and nice personality, Tae Joon relents and softens towards her. He suspected she was a girl but it was not confirmed until he overheard Jae Hee in a conversation with her brother who had come to visit her.  As they get to know each other and spends more time together, Tae Joon falls for her. However, he doesn't reveal to her that he knows she is a girl. Perhaps he wanted her to stay by his side while he trains and is able to high jump again?

In the mean time, Cha Eun Kyul falls for Jae Hee and questions his sexuality for liking another guy. He goes through a lot of turmoil and eventually confesses to Jae Hee he likes her. Jae Hee only has eyes for Tae Joon but treats Eun Kyul as a very good friend.

It gets more dangerous as Jae Hee and Tae Joon gets quite close. In the end Jae Hee confesses to Tae Joon she is a girl and he tells her that he's known all along. Eun Kyul accidentally opens the bathroom door one day to Jae Hee's room to use their toilet and sees her changing and realises she is a girl. He is upset and doesn't speak to her for days.

Living as a male in an all boys school when you are girl will never last. Eventually, you'd be found out and this is what happens to Jae Hee. She eventually transfers her papers back to Cali and flies back to Cali on the day Tae Joon gets into the National High Jumping championships.

Quite a mild ending. You'd think something dramatic would happen as the whole drama has been piping everyone up; what would happen if everyone found out she was a girl? But yep, nothing...she just left. One year later, Tae Joon surprises her by visiting her in Cali. Eun Kyul sends her a video email and updates her on what has happened in Genie High.

Such a good looking, young and talented cast. The whole school was full of good looking guys. Quite unrealistic.

Obviously Jae Hee is adopted into a white family I'm guessing as her name is Jay Dawson in the Cali year book and her older brother is a white guy. The drama never mentions any of this.

Lee Hyun Woo plays Cha Eun Kyul. What a character. He's only 19 years old and his acting is very convincing. The character he plays is cute, adorable, nice, friendly and comical. A very lovable character.

The character Song Jong Min is quite funny, always putting on his lip balm and wearing very feminine colours and clothes. His abrasive manners cracks me up, especially paired up the clothes.

The filming of the soccer playing, you can tell it's an older man maneuvering the ball instead of Eun Kyul. The legs are more muscly and Eun Kyul has the skinniest legs! The high jump scenes are double stunts also but the way they cut and filmed it, looks quite convincing.

Choi Ho Min is very good looking (minus the lazy right eye). Give him another 10 years and he'll be hot. Choi Sulli, not bad acting. I have to say much better than Park Shin Hye in You're Beautiful. This drama is very similar to it and it'll definitely be compared to it. Also similar themed to Sungkyunkwan Scandal and Coffee Prince with the characters questioning their sexuality in liking a guy :)

Funny scenes: the toilet scene and the teeth brushing scene comes to mind. There's quite a few but that's 2 of them that stood out.

Annoying characters: Seol Han Na. Gotta have one of those every time :)

Korean writers should give the audience more credit. The girl looks so feminine, how can anyone believe that she is a boy? The clues given in the drama for this character and also the one in You're Beautiful implies that the girls are quite dense in intelligence.

I loved the sports apparel in this drama. It was a promotion for New Balance. The guys especially Eun Kyul and Tae Joon wearing the nicest sports windbreakers/jackets. The fashion was smart and sporty. 

Awesome OST. Songs that stood out:  Stand Up 일어나 – J-Min. This has gotta be the best theme song I've ever heard. Actually when I heard the theme song, I then decided to watch this drama. To The Beautiful You 아름다운 그대에게 – Tiffany & Kyuhyun; Sky – Super Junior K.R.Y.

A very sweet drama. Enjoyable. Entertaining.

Rating: 4.5/5

Google Blogspot Page Limitations

Ok, I've just discovered that the Google Blogspot only allows a maximum of 20 static pages. To overcome this limitation, as I have like over 40+ reviews to write, I'll have to write my reviews as posts and then link them as pages. Hopefully, it doesn't look too messy on the main page :( I could create a static home page for everyone to land on from each search, but then, all searches would land on to that static home page which wouldn't be relevant to the user's query. This would be misleading and my CTR and QS would drop which I don't want that to happen. This will have to do in the interim until Google allows more static pages.

Monday 5 November 2012

Length Of Reviews

I do apologise if the reviews get a bit lengthy for certain ones. I get a bit excited when the drama is really good, and there are plenty of things to share; therefore, I want to get every point across. Also, because of the layout of the blog, the reviews are presented only 3/4 of the page horizontally which makes it appear quite long.

I'm sure if you like my reviews, you won't the mind length, and would enjoy reading it all, word 
by word ^^

Love Between The Lead Actors In Kdramas

Why am I so addicted to Kdramas? I think it's the "out of this planet" plots that they come up with. Some dramas have so many twists, turns, surprises and things that can never happen in real life. Also, the characters, are there really such people in real life? It's also a combination of brilliant acting, gorgeous casts, out of this world plots, and the emotional jerks the drama has on you. Sometimes after watching these dramas, it leaves an effect on me, and I find myself thinking about it, questioning it, and it'll become random conversations I have with my friends.

The thing about Kdramas that I never grow tired of is the strong love (usually) between the leading actors. The way they portray it: the hurt, the emotions, the devotion, the dedication, and the selfless love that transcends over time, situations, and events. A love so strong that I admire and am amazed at. Maybe it's love that we rarely see in real life.... Above all, Kdramas are just purely entertaining.

The Korean Language

Just finished watching Faith with Lee Min Ho and Kim Hee Sun. I will write the review for this one shortly. Another drama where the leading male actor has the nicest voice! I don't know what it is with Korean male celebrities' voices. Every single well known Korean male actor has the nicest voice and laugh. I'm a "voice and laugh" girl so I always notice these things. I'm thinking it could be the Korean language. It just sounds so nice to the ear. 

Cantonese is not bad too. I think it may also be the different low tones that make it attractive. I'm a cantonese speaker, but my cantonese is attrocious. I get by with minimal cantonese conversations^^ Further improvement required I think :) Mandarin on the other hand makes everyone sound high pitched. Not good on men as they sound too feminine, except for Wang Lee Hom (one of my favourite singers) who sounds great whether talking or singing.

Back to the Korean language. I think it's the language that makes the sound attractive, except for when they start making these nasally and deep throaty sounds when they emphasize something or is angry. The Korean language is definitely on my bucket list to learn.

Monday 20 August 2012

Korean Film Festival Melbourne 8-12 September 2012

This year's 3rd Korean Film Festival in Melbourne, I should be able to catch since I missed it last year. Starting on Saturday 8th - Wednesday 12th 2012 showing at ACMI Cinema, Federation Square.

There's a few I want to watch but will probably only end up watching one since most of the times are inconvenient. I want to see the one with Gong Yoo called Silenced. However, that one is showing at 9pm Sunday 9th September 2012. Who watches movies on a Sunday at 9pm?! The majority of us have work the next day.

Other options of interest: All About My Wife, The Client, and Bleak Night. I'll see who I can round up with to go with me :)


Comments:
Ended up watching Bleak Night & All About My Wife

Bleak Night starring Lee Je Hoon (Fashion King) was a serious and grim story about teenage growing pains and betrayal which led one of the main characters to suicide. 

All About My Wife was light hearted and amusing. Starring Lee Sun-Gyun (Coffee Prince. Will write the review on this one later.) A story about how a married couple after many years of marriage take each other for granted. The husband desperately wanted to get rid of his annoying wife and so hired a Casanova to seduce her. Funnily, the Casanova fell in love with the wife and the husband in the end realised he truly loves his wife and didn't want to get rid of her after all!

Really enjoyed both the movies :) 

Sunday 19 August 2012

Good Korean Food In Melbourne

Does anyone know where to find good Korean food in Melbourne? It's a shame they don't have a Korean food festival here. I've been to a lot of Korean restaurants here and have not tasted good korean food.  The bukoki and kimchi always turn out too sweet, not spicy or sour enough. Mainly catered for Aussies.

The Korean food up in Sydney Strathfield is not bad.  Some of those restaurant owners should branch out in Melbourne ^^

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Jay Park Melbourne Concert September 2012

For all you Jay Park fans, he's coming to Melbourne in September 2012 at the Dallas Brook Centre, Albert Street, East Melbourne! His first ever concert in Melbourne. You can still purchase tickets. Only Silver and Gold tickets are left so be quick! Hopefully, this will be the start of many more kpop stars to perform in Melbourne.

I went to the Kpop concert up in Sydney last November 2011.  It was awesome, well worth it. So don't miss out, Jay Walkerz.  Purchase your tix pronto.




Tuesday 14 August 2012

Why do Koreans all dye their hair brown?

Almost every drama I watch, everyone has either brown or blonde hair. Is black so boring? Most of the girls are so white. I understand asian women wanting to look flawless and white. But then, some of the men are quite tanned such as Yoo Ah In & Gong Yoo. Is being white only strictly limited to females in the asian countries? I personally believe being lightly tanned is gorgeous and healthy looking.

Where are all the good looking spunky Korean men in Melbourne?

I've been living here for years now and I have not seen many good looking Korean guys. Wait, let me rephrase that. I have not seen many good looking asian men. I believe good looking asian men are back in all the asian countries. Or perhaps everyone needs a personal trainer, stylist, make up artist & some plastic surgery? :P

Sunday 12 August 2012

Introduction

Hey everyone, I've decided to start my own blog today on Korean drama reviews. Kdrama is something I like to watch in my spare time. After each drama I watch, there is always a lot of curiosity, thinking & questions involved. I'd like to use this blog to write down my own personal rants and raves.  I have a Kdrama board on Pinterest, but Pinterest doesn't provide much versatility in writing reviews, and hence the start of this blog...

The reviews are solely my own personal opinions and judgement. I will not go in to in-depth character and plot analysis. My style is to give an overview or summary of the drama. I am someone who likes to read a review before watching a drama and dislike it when every nitty gritty detail is given to me. If that is the case, there is no point in watching it; the review would suffice. Having said that, this is a review blog on Kdramas I've watched, therefore there will be plenty of spoilers.

I hope you find this blog helpful, entertaining, and hopefully will stimulate questions and thoughts before or after watching the dramas :)