Drama Note 24: Kim Tae Hee of the 21st Century?

     

Random post….

Im YoonAh, SM Entertainment’s new popular actress and singer may not look like Kim Tae Hee, but they definately share some astonishing qualities togethers. You may be thinking, how can one compare a newly introduced actress who just debuted last year to THE Kim Tae Hee, considered one of the most beautiful Korean celebrities. I was thinking the other day about how similar these two are because first off, both have attempted to succeed in the acting industry, but as most of us know, Kim Tae Hee is still working on that part of her career. As for YoonA, her acting is still being highly scrutinized by critique especially because of her young acting debut. Both have succeeded in CFs and commercials and have appeared in multiple music videos because of their exceptional beauty. Im YoonAh is arguable the prettiest member of Girls’ Generation and her beauty has helped her attain many small acting positions that often would not be provided. I’m not saying she doesn’t have skill, just that her beauty has given her a significant advantage. Recently, Kim Tae Hee released her new movie Venus and Mars which received mixed review from critiques after her highly critized movie in 2006, Restless. She has appeared in music videos and CFs for the past couple years and despite her questionable acting, has gained multiple awards, most noticeablely the 2004 Best Couple Award with Kim Rae Won for her role in Love Story in Harvard and the Most Popular Oversea Korean Actress. Im YoonA on the other had has been in numerous commercials and music videoes, such as Super Junior’s U and Marry U MVs. She also gained a small acting role in 2007 in the drama 9 End 2 Outs and is now the main actress of the KBS Daily Drama You Are My Destiny. Even though it is disputable that YoonAh maybe more successful because of her advantage of being a singer, but let us hope that she will have more success as an actress…

Drama Note 23: SM Global Cast Auditions

Kim Jo Han – Love is Late, I’m Sorry ft. Jessica (SNSD)

This is going to be a pretty short post, but I think that it might be helpful for a lot of kpop and kdrama fans. So the grand SM Entertainment is holding their 2008 Global Auditions from early September to October 25. They aren’t exatly “global”, but nevertheless, the auditions will be held in about 8 locations in United States and Canada. Locations include Vancover, Toronto, New York City, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Washington D.C. For those of you who don’t know what SM Entertainment is…. It is one of the biggest entertainment businesses in Korea and has produced some of Korea’s most famous celebrities such as DBSK, Super Junior, Fly to the Sky, and most recently Girls’ Generation. The auditions will be held in the various locations on different dates and the categories are as follows: dancing, singing, lyrics/composing, modeling, film actor, and TV actor. I’m guessing that out of all the categories, singing will be the most competitve since SM focuses mostly on singing, but the other categories are definately worth a try. By my knowledge, there are several auditions if you make past the first round and you are eventually picked in the final round, you become a SM Trainee and you train for at least three to four years or even more depending on your progessive and then the rest is self explanatory.

A lot of people take the auditions extremely seriously especially some of the older applicants so it is very important that you show respect to others if you choose to audition. Of course it is okay to try out just for the heck of it, for some fun and experience. So don’t be afraid and go audition! Find more information at the soompi information topic for the 2008 SM Entertainment Auditions @ http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=238060 or go to smtown.com.

Drama Note 22: Director or Casting Issues Lead to Unsucessful Drama

David Archuleta – Crush

So as many of you have noticed, this is about my third post about the drama You Are My Destiny starring Park Jang Jeum (I Am Sam) and So Nyo Shi Dae’s Im Yoon Ah (9 End 2 Outs) and in the last post was around episode 60-70 and since then, I have had a lot of different opinions of the KBS Daily Drama that should have attained success in ratings in now…

 For those of you who want to watch You Are My Destiny, soompi and soshified are good sites are good places to find tags and links, because I’m not going to spend hours explaining the plot from 30-40 episodes ago. Basically, Soobin is a goner and Saebyuk has been accused in Nayoung’s death. Hose went to the U.S. to prove that his engagement break-off was not because of Saebyuk. After Hose leaves, Saebyuk discovers her indirect involvement in Nayoung’s death, leaves Lohas, and becomes a waitress in a potato stew restaurants. Of course Hose finds out about Saebyuk’s life and decides to fly back the next day and spends hours to find her and magically finds her… oooooh…..

 So where does the criticism come in? There seems to be a perfect couple with a perfect ending. Not. First off, Hose spent, I don’t know, 15-20 episodes fighting with Soobin over their break up and at the same time not being able persuade Saebyuk to admit their mutual love. Soobin does a lot of fainting (which helps the stalling) but Hose isn’t decisive enough. Swaying back and forth even though he seems really determined to win his love. Then there is the famous quote “I’m not breaking up the engagement for Saebyuk. I just don’t love Soobin.” Man, can you make it anymore obvious? Half the time Saebyuk isn’t even mentioned in the conversation, Einstein. SO, to prove his point, he flies to the U.S. and wastes a plane ticket, actually two plane tickets, because he flies back the next day. Come on, just admit that you like and fight for it and move on. Saebyuk and her foster family causes a whole new set of problems because the mom is unable to accept the fact that SB may have had any connection with the death of Nayoung. The connection SB in Nayoung’s death? SB was crossing the street and Nayoung swerved in order to avoid hitting her and hence ended up in a car crash and died. Well, you might think that SB is at fault and all this blame is justified. Just one problem. SHE WAS BLIND FOR GOODNESS SAKE! So how in the world was she able to do anything? Apparently there Nayoung’s “boyfriend” was in the car with her and he is randomly thrown in the case, because there wasn’t enough confusion to start out with. He going around saying that SB is involved in Nayoung’s death and then when SB finally finds out, he says that he’s not sure. Gosh. Make up your mind. Either keep the information inside until you’re ready to let the whole world know and not retract into the corner when people start to confront you. But on the bright side, and earning brownie points, is the final confession between SB and HS after 100 episodes of agony and if there is any more breaking up, there is going to be some computer screen slapping… The acting is not the best, but I think that the main actress and actor are trying very hard to improve their acting skills because they’re both new and KBS Daily Dramas are kind of 160 episodes of prep practicing for new actors/actresses. Hopefully I’ll be able to right a more optimistic and positive review in a couple weeks, maybe around the 120-130 mark (Thanksgiving)…!

 

Drama Note 21: SG Wannabe Back as Three Sum

SG Wannabe – LaLaLa from My Friend (5th Album)

In April, Chae Dong Han officially announced his resignation from the popular Korean band SG Wannabe in pursue of an acting career. Why then, you may ask, does he have to quit SG Wannabe? Strict rules set by Mnet Media state that the members of SG Wannabe are only allowed to concentrate their efforts on music and not on acting and music simultaneously. After much thought and consultation, Chae Dong Han still decided to leave the three-man group which has enjoyed growing success since it debut in 2004. Despite the dramatic loss, Mnet was up and ready with a new vocalist to replace Chae Dong Han and maintain the reputation of SG Wannabe. The group now consists of Kim Yong Jun as the leader and sub vocalist, Kim Jin Ho as the main vocalist, and new member Lee Seok Hun as a vocalist. Since the renovation of the group, they have released their fifth album, My Friend. Let’s welcome Lee Seok Hun and hopefully SG Wannabe will maintain its success as we wait for Chae Dong Gun to make a television debut.

Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003) Review

     

Rating: 7.7/10

 So a couple days ago, I just finished watching Legend of the Condor Heroes, 2003 version. If you’re not into Chinese kung fu/romance dramas, I wouldn’t quite recommend this drama, but I think that the graphics, considering the time it was filmed and edited, were pretty good and the acting was decent. It’s about 42 episodes, so I want summarize and review every single aspect of it, but the major parts that I thought were important, otherwise I would be here for hours. J

The basic setting is during the early and mid 1200 and is about the conflict between the Jin Empire and Genghis Khan, who is a leader of the Mongolian clan. Yuan Tian Xi and Guo Xiao Tian were sworn brothers that each had a wife who was pregnant, but before the children were born, both brothers were supposedly killed by Mongolians led by Duan Tiande (not really sure who killed them). The two wives were separated; Guo Xiao Tian’s wife was taken to the Jin Empire and became the empress. Yuan Tian Xi’s wife was taken in by Genghis Khan. Guo Xian Tian’s son was named Yang Kang and Yuan Tian Xi’s son was named Guo Jing. Yang Kang grew up thinking that he was the true son of the emperor and learns kung fu from Qui Chuiji. Guo Jing grows up in the Mongolian clan of Genghis Khan and learns kung fu from the 7 Weirdoes of Jiangnan. Qui Chuiji had just befriended Guo Jing and Yang Kang’s father before they were killed and vows to get revenge, so he makes a deal with the 7 Weirdoes of Jiangnan that in 18 years they will have Yang Kang and Guo Jing compete in kung fu skills and see who had the better teacher. Eighteen years later, Guo Jing he meets a girl called Huang Rong or Rong’er and falls in love with her. Rong’er’s father is the chief of Peach Blossom Island, a magical island that no one can enter or escape without the approval of the chief. Guo Jing goes through a lot of trouble to get the approval from the Chief to marry Rong’er. Then, Guo Jing’s 7 teachers mysteriously die in the tomb of the Chief’s wife. Bound to get revenge, Guo Jing tries to kills the Chief, but is stopped when Rong’er reveals that her father is innocent and that Yang Kang killed the 7 Weirdoes of Jiangnan. Yang Kang meets a girl called Mu Nanci and falls in love with her. It turns out that Nanci’s adopted father is Guo Xiao Tian, who didn’t die during the attack eighteen years ago and when he finds out whom Yang Kang’s mother is, he reveals his true identity. Yang Kang is told that Guo Xiao Tian is his real father, but Yang Kang refuses to believe the truth. Shortly after their reunion, Yang Kang’s mother and Guo Xiao Tian commit suicide and Yang Kang sort of turns evil. Another kung fu master comes into play called Ouyang Feng who is also known as Old Venom because he specializes in using poison to kill his enemies. His nephew Ouyang Ke’er is in love with Rong’er and wanted to marry her, but loses to Guo Jing in a competition set up by Rong’er’s father. Yang Kang wants to become Ouyang Feng’s disciple, but is unable to because Old Venom has already vowed to only take in his nephew as his disciple. Hence, Yang Kang kills Ke’er and in revenge, Old Venom kills Yang Kang. In the end, Guo Jing and Rong’er are together.

This is a really sketchy summary, but just for those of you who haven’t watched the drama to get the general storyline and my review probably won’t be as long as the summary. Of course there was a lot of kung fu fighting because the entire dramas revolves around kung fu. I was really lenient towards the graphics because of the time the drama was filmed and edited, but it was pretty good, even in today’s standards. There was a fair amount of romance between the four main characters although I find that Guo Jing and Rong’er’s relationship was much cuter, although the hand-holding scenes were pretty random most of the time, but nonetheless sent butterflies to my stomach. Nanci and Yang Kang’s relationship was really sad yes, but also pretty unrealistic. The relationship started off on a bad foot because Yang Kang was playing with Nanci in the beginning and even after their relationship had started, Nanci was still trying to kill Yang Kang for causing the death of her adoptive father. So it was pretty crazy watching her love him and try to kill him at the same time. Complicated love… and somehow she gets pregnant with his son at the end which was really random…As for the factor that really upset me was that at the end, the fight between Yang Kang and Guo Jing never happened because Yang Kang died and the 7 teachers of Weirdoes of Jiangnan died which side-tracked the entire story. The whole suicide act between Yang Kang’s mother and biological mother was okay, although it was really histrionic with the slow motion twirl and the fact that it took both of them like 10 minutes to fall to the floor. Just think Stairway to Heaven version, except stabbing. Brownie point again to Guo Jing and Rong’er’s relationship because it was really too cute. I really liked Rong’er for her wit and cunning and her care for Guo Jing even though he wasn’t the smartest guy of the planet. There was scene were Guo Jing was stabbed by Yang Kang and Rong’er was freaking out (but of course in a composed way) and it was just really cute. Even though I didn’t mention her in the summary, for those of you who did watch the drama, Mei Chao Feng was probably the creepiest woman I have even seen in my life… with all the cracking of the skulls and the extending fingers (or fingernails) was really graphic and gross, but an interesting element. Of course in a drama this long, there was a period of dragging in both love relationships, but nothing too bad.

In the end, I recommend this drama for fans with a taste for old school kung fu fighting with tad of love added in. Hope you enjoy!

** For those of you who are curious, the son of Nanci and Yang Kang I believe is adopted by Guo Jin and Rong’er and become the main character of the sequel to this drama: Return of the Condor Heroes.

Watch with English subtitles @ Youtube: blu3g

NEWS UPDATE: Back Again!

I know that I’ve been on a three weeks hiatus and I feel really bad for those of you that have been anticipating a post for weeks… But I’m back and I plan to write about one post a week or two, but my schedule is very impacted this year so I can’t make promises.

 Here is my plan for the rest of the year:

• I have a couple more posts and news bits to post that I have almost finished writing, so in the next couple of days will be overloaded!
• Expand the site by adding a couple more categories and maybe change the design
• I also want to do a Winter Preview which is like the post I did at the beginning of the summer, to preview the dramas that are airing already or supposed to air between now and the end of the year. I’ll probably do the top 10 because 15 is a little too much. I know that in the summer preview, I only did one for Korean dramas, so I plan to do one for Taiwanese dramas this time in addition to Korean dramas.
• I wanted to recap a Taiwanese drama, but I got lazy so it didn’t happen this summer… but if I somehow find time to recap a drama, then I’ll try, but there is not guarantee.
• I try to have music in every post and as of now I still have to insert music videos from YouTube because I haven’t been able to figure out how to embed a player from imeem, or something of the sort, so as of now, I will try to post a video in every post, but sometimes there are technical problems that don’t allow me to insert a video… sorry
• Lastly, I am hoping that I can find someone to co-write this blog with me because the site is expanding and there are more and more viewers. If you are interested please email me! Write subject as “Innocentsteps Blog” in capital letter, and I’ll try to get back to you as soon as possible. If I haven’t replied you in a week, send me a pm at YouTube (user: innocentsteps456). I hope to find a partner soon!