I know that my list of korea drama original soundtracks has been kind of meager recently and I promised to upload some more. well, here it is!! I didn’t sit and count, but I believe there are about 60-70 OST’s on my page right now!!
Archive for June, 2008
So summer vacation has started for some of us and I would like to take this opportunity to preview some of the dramas that are going to,are planned to, or just started airing this summer. A lot of actors and actresses are coming to the small screen after disappearing :O Hopefully this overview will help all of you out there decide what to watch and what not to watch… The date next to the title shows when the drama started airing or is planning to air. (credit to wiki.d-addicts.com)
KBS
1. You’re My Destiny 5.5.08
This family KBS1 drama already started airing since the beginning of May since hit drama Likeable or Not/I Hate You But It’s Fine finished airing with a strong record of 172 episodes. As usual this drama is scheduled for over 100 episodes, but can it live up to it’s predecessor’s legacy? Cute and charming so far, it has about a 21% rating and Im Yoon Ah’s smile certainly seems only to helping. You may recognize her from last year’s 9 End 2 Outs. She plays an orphan who receives a cornea transplant from a female doctor who dies in an automobile accident. The drama revolves around how she becomes for the family of her donor despite hard feelings at first. Her counterpart, played by Park Jae Jung (recognize him as Mr. Kim from I Am Sam?) comes from a rich background and holds a top position at Lohas, the company Im Yoon Ah’s character works at. Although they start off by meeting when she is paid as a blind date substitute, the drama revolves around their love story…
2. Strongest Chil Woo 6.23.2008
Starring Eric from Shinwa as his comeback drama this year after the not-so-successful Que Sera Sera last year. The story revolves around Kang Chil Woo, played by Eric, a is mediocre mid-level officer and transforms to a top assassin during the day to bring justice to the world. Goo Hye Sun plays his opposite who falls in love with him after he rescues her from a number of sticky situations. Despite her growing acting talent, I was suprised to see her entering another drama after recently finishing her hit drama The King and I that finished airing earlier this year. We also see a cameo by Kim Ji Suk who recently finished acting in I Hate You But It’s Fine/Likeable or Not. Nice plot, but seems like another Hong Gil Dong or a funnier version of Iljimae? Despite the odds of mediocre drama, maybe there will be a twist that will win this drama some praise. Hopefully Eric will make this a lasting legacy before he heads off to the army.
MBC
3. When It’s At Night 6.23.2008
After MBC’s hit drama Yi San (which by the way was actually pretty good) will be the more anticipated When It’s At Night starring Lee Dong Gun (Sweet 18, Perhaps Love) and Kim Sun Ah who returns to the drama screen after My Lovely Kim Sam Soon. Lee Dong Gun acts as an art scholar obsessed with virgins while Kim Sun Ah plays a women who is mistaken as crafty because of her natural born attractiveness. Interesting plot, though I’m interested what they can weave out of that?! Also joining the cast will be War of Money’s Kim Jung Hwa and Sweet Spy’s Lee Joo Hyun.
4. East of Eden 8.18.2008
One of the most anticipated dramas this summer with a lot of returning actors that we haven’t seen for a while and more debuts. Song Seung Hun (Autumn Tale, Summer Scent) and Yun Jung Hoon (Sad Love Song, Snow White) co-star in a drama about a mixed-up birth and revenge. In addition, Park Hae Jin (Famous Chil Sisters, High as the Sky Wide as the Earth) will also be thrown in the cast as the center of all the mix-up and chaos. As for the female casting? Lee Dae Hae returns to the second drama this year after a not-so successful Robbers and Hello! Miss from last year’s agenda. Han Ji Hye will also star in her second drama of the year after her hit drama Likeable or Not/I Hate You But it’s Fine. Newbie Lee Yeon Hee will be acting after disappearing for two years since her acting in One Fine Day. Dennis Oh is also on the casting list. Bonus or burden? Depends on if he has improved his acting skills since Sweet Spy and Witch Yoo Hee. A lot of familiar veteran actors will hopefully spice up this story line, as the drama is set for 50 episodes which isn’t the ideal number. In other words, you have to watch the whole thing. Every episode. Like a really really long mini-drama series… Yipeee….?
5. Beethoven Virus (7.2008)
First off, attracting name. Virus. Ooooh. The cast consists of KIm Myung Min (Bad Family, White Tower) and the new drama beauty Lee Ji Ah (Legend of the Four Gods). Even though there are discrepancy when this drama will start airing, either in July or September, looking forward to some excellent acting and interesting storyline.
6. Bittersweet Life 5.3.2008
Even though this drama started about a month and a half ago, it is striving for a dangerous 24 episodes, which may or may not be a good thing. Lee Dong Wook returns to the drama screens after his successful acting in My Girl two years ago. This will be the second drama, including My Girl, that will have Park Si Yeon and Lee Dong Wook as co-stars. The plot talks about a tragic love story that includes the affairs of a married couple who have an unsteady marriage. The love story results in what seems to be a suicide. Wow. So original. Well, I have to give the writers credit for no sudden terminal illness, but I’m still feeling the whole Autumn Tale and Stairway to Heaven storyline, will a different casing around it. Hmmm… Haven’t watched it yet, but maybe it’ll be an exceptional drama…?
7. Spotlight 5.14.2008
A story about new reporters and the love triangle that forms between them. Again, like the same old vanilla cupcake with different sprinkles. Ji Jin Hee (Spring Days, Dae Jang Geum) plays Oh Tae Suk, an ambitious reporter who will never give up, but because of his personality, he has many disagreements with his co-workers. Son Yeh Jin (Almost Love) a.k.a. Seo Woo Jin comes under the guidance of Oh Tae Suk and two become lovers. Huhhh…. I might watch it, maybe not. Interested because Ji Jin Hee was supposed to act in Cain and Abel along side Jung Rye Won (My Lovely Kim Sam Soon, Which Star Are You From) and So Ji Sup (What Happened in Bali, I’m Sorry I loved You), but withdrew because of the long postponement of the airing of the drama. What bothers me? His hair. Sorry, but I’m not into the guys with hair that flows in the wind trend. But hopefully that won’t interfere with my perspective as to the quality of his acting.
SBS
8. Gourmet 6.17.2008
This drama will be one of the most recent that will be airing tomorrow! Kim Rae Won will be playing Sung Chan, a cook who traveler all over Korea to discover the best traditional Korean foods. Nam Sang Mi will play his co-star. Nothing much on the plot, but apparently the drama was supposed to me aired today, but it was moved to tomorrow to avoid competition with the last episode of Yi San. Nam Sang Mi seems to be the ideal actress for this drama, as Kim Ah Joong (200 Pound Beaty) and Seo Ji Hye (Legend of Hyang Dan) were all candidates for the main actress, but lost to Nam Sang MI. In addition, Han Eun Jung (Full House, The Person I Love) and Lee Tae Ran (Famous Chil Sisters) were both considered for the supporting actresses, but also lost to Kim So Yun (All About Eve, Autumn Shower). Look forward to the first episode tomorrow!
9. Iljimae 5.21.2008 
After On Air, Lee Jun Ki’s comeback drama after last year’s Time between Dog and Wolf, Iljimae, is about a useless bum on the streets who turns into a chivalrous robber at night. Also in the cast is Han Hyo Joo (High as the Sky Wide as the Earth, Spring Waltz),Lee Young Nah (Golden Bride) and Park Shi Hoo (Which Star did you come from). Aside from the chivalrous robber act is kind of a love square between all of the characters. Seems to get pretty messy, although up to episode 8, there doesn’t seem to be a heck lot of love action, but then again, the directors can just jam pack a tragic love story/ending in the last episode. Wouldn’t be surprised. The rating have been pulling up from a starting around 18% to a solid 23% viewership rating. Mediocre plot and overall okay acting although Han Hyo Joo seems to be a little stiff, but the only pet peeve I have in the this drama is the mask. Okay, I know the whole identity crisis is a big part in this drama, but we are not watching Iron Man here with the big hunk of metal as a mask. Think more ligh weight. Like um…. cloth would be nice…
10. My Sweet City 6.6.2008
The successor of Why Did You Come to My House is a story about the love life of an old maid who forms a love triangle between a man seven years her junior and an ordinary office worker. Choi Kang Hee (Sweet Buns) plays the old maid; Lee Sung Gyun (Coffee Prince, White Tower) acts as the office worker, and JI Hyun Woo (Over the Rainbow) as the man seven years younger than her. NIce conservative cast and unique plot. Haven’t seen it, but hopefully planning to see it. Even though it started out with below average rating, the drama seems to be pulling up and getting more and more interesting. Good luck!
Many of us have had our share of Taiwanese, Korean, and Japanese and usually while watching it, we think it has some good and bad points. Some dramas just make you think, “Why am I wasting my time on this?”. Rarely, we come across one that really makes us think that this drama was worth it. Fated to Love You is one of those one in a thousand drama that makes me actually think that I am not wasting my time.
Recently, I haven’t been particularly impressed by any Taiwanese dramas in the past couple years and usually try to avoid them; maybe catching a few scenes once in a while. Examples? Bull Fighting, Reaching for the Stars, Engagement of Love, Why Why Love, Ying Ye 3 Jia 1, etc. Most of them really made me wonder why I was watching them. On the other hand, Fated to Love You has really been climbing up the rating ladder in the past couple of episodes; not only in my mind, but it seems to be in the minds of the rest of Taiwan as well (refer to the Statistic chart below which compares Fated to Love You with some other popular dramas). Starting with a rating of about 2.56/10, which is the normal starting rate for any drama, the drama has climbed to a stunning 7.84/10 rating! Of course, I always say not to base your judgement because many times the rating are high are low based on the name and experience of the cast and not necessarily based on the plot and the skill level of the acting.
Why am I so impressed with this drama? First off, when I previewed the cast and saw that Chen Chiao En and Ethan Ruan where the main cast, I wasn’t exactly excited. I had seen Chen Chiao En in Prince Turns Into Frog and Ying Ye 3 Jia 1 and a couple other of her dramas, and she didn’t really seem to impress me with her acting ability and it seems that she could only be paired with Ming Dao according to her dramas in the last 2-3 years. Ethan Ruan was almost a new face to me, because I had only seen him in Green Forest My Home, which I’m sorry to those who are fans, was a disaster; and not just because of him, but I think because the overall disappoint was transferred to him as well 
I was surprised at the thought because I didn’t remember reading a plot similar to this for a tw drama or a kdrama before. *cough* Smiling Pasta *cough* (but still an awesome drama 
) I was wondering how the actors and actresses would play this out: as a classic drama ( for a better image think of something like Stairway to Heaven) or something humorous but still romantic (kind of like I Am Sam)? Now, I think that it is just a perfect blend of both, with more humor than anything else, but still retains that romantic feeling and once in a while there is a tinge of romance and suspense; just like a pinch of spice to make a dish have the perfect taste.
I felt the last episode was particularly impressive, especially because it ran into dangerous territory. What I mean by “dangerous” territory is the scene with the car accident. For all those drama connoisseurs, there has been a fair amount of car accidents in any drama field, kdramas, twdramas, etc. so I looked at this like a test to see whether the scene could have the same intensity and emotion without all the cliche moods in it. Definitely passed my test, doesn’t mean it passed will pass yours, but it definitely passed mine. I was really shocked by the huge change in Chen Xing Yi at the end, where she was telling him not to hurt her child because she felt heartbroken because of Ji Cuan Xi and now she could only rely on her child to keep her going. The flashbacks were nice, though they were kind of long and I got lost at first, but nice feel. Ethan’s acting was great to and inside the hospital. I am really curious how the drama will play out now despite the new Chen Xi Yi look ( eh, so so) and further developed feelings. Hopefully, the drama will keep in tip top shape as it is now and not disappoint us with another redundant, seen-it-a-million-times ending.
STATISTICS : (all rating are out of a possible 10.00)
Corner With Love (2006) Peak: 3.96 Range: 2.85-3.75
Why Why Love (2008) Peak: 3.52 Range: 2.22-3.35
Hana Kimi (2006) Peak: 5.09 Range: 3.25-3.63
Wish to See You Again (2008) Peak: 1.17 Range: 0.91-1.12
Sweet Relationship (2008) Peak: 1.69 Range: 1.67-1.42
Bull Fighting (2007) Peak: 2.38 Range: 1.99-2.13
It Started With A Kiss 2 (2008) Peak: 3.94 Range: 3.62-3.39
Fated to Love You (1-13) Peak: 7.84 Range: 2.56-7.84
Romantic Princess (2007) Peak: 3.56 Range: 3.33-3.55
My Lucky Star (2007) Peak: 4.67 Range: 2.24-4.67
Summer x Summer (2007) Peak: 1.51 Range: 1.3-1.4
Brown Sugar Macchiato (2007) Peak: 1.97 Range: 1.58-1.07
Ying Ye 3 Jia 1 (2007) Peak: 2.62 Range: 2.58-2.58
credit: wiki.d-addicts.com
Legend of the Four Gods (Tae Wang Sa Shin) MV – What I’ve Done (great MV and music)
credit: JennyProductions2
