The Problematic of the Unproblematic

Dear God: Please do not kill Aka yet. kakashi: He is totally expendable. I'm more afraid for Aoki and much, much more for Mo. Mo Il-hwa doesn't serve any purpose but to look cool, smile crazily and comment on Jung-tae's abilities. I think he's a goner. All the ones we want dead (like Ok-ryeon! Now! Princess Seul, his Black Knight) seem to prosper eternally. They might have babies and build an empire and then we'll have AoF2 with that spawn.

I have tried to prepare myself for this week's episodes, but I don't think I have done a good job of it. People are going to start dying tonight, I assume. Unless we lose a hateful princess, his minion, or an evil grandfather, there's really no one I want to give up. And I don't even have Kakashi to commiserate with because she's off doing grown up stuff until FRIDAY and then she has to do MORE grown up stuff on Saturday! Sigh. Might as well get started. kakashi: I'm back. But I think I'll just ignore this episode. Skip! No more deaths! You don't need my comments anyway, seeing you already used up all the internet for this post :) Plus, I couldn't even watch 22 yet cause putting in the pictures for this post took all day (minus the one hour that was stolen as we switched to daylight savings)

Looks like I spoke too soon. This episode adds horror to the genre-soup that is WTFParis via Rapist Ghost. Then Show jerks us back around by giving drunk confrontations and accidental kisses. WTFParis? WHY?! I swear this show is going to kill us, but do we care? No! *sigh*  The things we do for Song Jae Rim... JoAnne: And the things we'd like to do...sadly, in the Venn Diagram of my life, there is no overlap between these two things. kakashi: Oh yeah. Here's a story for you, a true one. I was teaching in Budapest this week - 26 great students, really good interactions, very full days, etc. They are doing a group assignment, I take a deep breath, check twitter on my computer and open the blog. I do that a lot and really didn't think about it. My Twitter timeline is FULL OF Song Jae-rim quasi naked, from all sides (thanks to mary, really)  (you're welcome) . The blog? The same. I have my very quick reflexes to thank and  only  them that I realized just in time ...

Shuk: We finally get our confrontation, and proof that all the manifestations are, in fact, one ghost in desperate need of a Lithium cocktail with a Depakote chaser.  How will our intrepid heroine react to this happy news? JoAnne: That depends on whether she drinks the KoolAid, I guess.

Shuk:  Any chance for ice cream kisses? No?

It's confession time - but who will get to confess and who will not? Also, more delightful silliness from Joo Sang-wook. And man, he does agonized well ... it's broody shower time. Very much so. JoAnne: You mislead me, and I cry foul. There was not one single broody shower in this, but Joo Sang Wook definitely needed one. kakashi: Oh, I'm sorry ... did I make you all excited? What I wanted to say is this: it's agony-angst time, I really think you need to get into the shower, Joo Sang-wook.  

aka an excuse to google pictures Dear So Ji-Sub ssi...annyonghasaeyo. How are you doing? I miss seeing you in dramas so please come back soon! I remember the first time your hot body and dreamy eyes   good acting drew my eye. It was Ghost ( The surprisingly good drama about cyber crime in korea) You were so cool! Starting out as one character, then becoming another character pretending to be the first character. Watch the show you'll know what I'm talking about *mind blown* And then you were in Master's Sun ( I learnt how to say the title in hangul just for you) You! In those suits! So cute! So Hot! Much Feels!*

Shuk:  So Doo-rim has decided to embrace the Dark Side.  Well, the dark side of Love anyway.  Dad doesn't believe, but the son does.  Both our leads are stubborn, but who will give in first? JoAnne:  My money is on the girl.

(A little background on this WTF post: After Wei and I accidentally deleted our own posts due to Blogger's weird dashboard, I tried to test Google Docs integration with the blog and made this sample post with comment comment comment. When I woke up the next morning, a couple of silly squeecappers jumped in and added random totally necessary stuff. Now we can't delete it anymore. Because, OPPA! --Mary) Person1: Comment comment comment comment comment comment. Person2: Comment comment off color comment. Person1: Again comment comment comment. Person2: oooooh! A picture! Me likey.

Dear kakashi and JoAnne, I regret to inform you that Alex is still very much alive and conscious in this hour, despite your fervent wish to see him in a 9-episode coma (or not see him at all). On the plus side: we get Kei in a trenchcoat, Kei hanging out with a cute kid, and Kei being angsty -- because Why The Fuck Not Paris knows where its strengths lie. I hope this encourages your continued participation in our SongJaeRimJob. Sincerely, Mary

Shuk:  So FirstBorn knows the ghost, but will she tell him anything? And can both mothers be hit by a Truck of Doom? This show has still got my attention with the interaction of the characters and the WTFery going on with our mysterious scary/nice/bipolar supernatural being. JoAnne: Which ghost, though? Or have we determined that there's only one.

Just In Case Wei: Hello fellow Squeeglets! I am back again for take two (quite literally since the first draft of this post disappeared into an internet black hole) of Hongki oppa's fashion and hair. This time, we'll revisit his days as the idol band member Jeremy in the drama You're Beautiful (미남이시넹요). Like for many, Jeremy was my first introduction to Lee Hongki as an actor and idol. For me, it was instant love and adoration because how can you dislike a guy who names his dog Angelina Jolie? But while Jeremy was great as a character, there were a number of questionable fashion choices, along with his fellow bandmates played by Jang Geunsuk and Jung Yonghwa. Since JGS and Yonghwa can be pretty eye candy too, I won't leave them out! Let's take a look at the handsomest ANJells that ever walked the earth (or at least the kpop world)! Lafer aka KLnoona:  I love You're Beautiful!  And I'm so glad you included all the boys! Because there is just too much cra...

First and foremost, I'd like to thank my sponsor, kakashi - oh wait, I'm not the one winning the Name the Kiss contest! My thanks should go out to all of you who took the time to check the contest out, and especially those who painstakingly sent in their answers. I read every one carefully (and accepted any spelling or title variations!) There were quite a few who answered all the dramas and their actors correctly, so those names went in a bowl and my husband randomly picked the winner (all the while shaking his head, trying to figure out what the heck I was talking about.)

kakashi: Jeez, this is a very intense episode, with lots of, I mean LOTS of brutal fighting. It was also by far the best episode from the Shanghai arch, thank you, Dramagods! If the show keeps this momentum up until the end, I will be VERY happy. Four episodes away from the end, all our boys are still alive, but the question is for how much longer ... JoAnne: When the only people I want to have die in this entire TOWN'S worth of characters is Princess Seul and Denkai Grandpa...I am bound to cry buckets.

Shuk:  Our evil twin, scary doppelganger, freaky lookalike is back.  Now what happens? JoAnne: Shit gets messed up for our cute babies, that's what.

We're reaching the half-way point with an extreme mix of utterly silly and heartbreaking sad. Hardship split them up, but now, new hardship forces them to realize that they still mean a lot to each other ... and that their lives, though forcefully split, are still tied up with each other in a way that makes ignoring, and even further hurting your ex-spouse impossible. In a way, I got what I wanted: seeing them interact like grown-ups. But I definitely didn't get the cute that I ordered in the previous WookiCap. Be ready to cry. JoAnne: I watched three dads die this weekend in dramas. This was not the hardest one, and I'm glad because I couldn't have taken two like that. I wondered how they would find their way back in to each other and this seems to be the door. Interesting that more than one drama chose the exact same path.

I'm so tired I keep looking at the inside of my eyelids and wonder why it's so dark with the lights on (plus I'm somewhat disturbed by what we did over at that WTFParis post ), but things have to keep moving, cause KDrama waits for no one (or something like that). Plus, it's been a hard week and I am so ready for hot men! Come at me!  JoAnne: It really WAS a long hard week, wasn't it? And we're in completely different work. But I am very ready for hot men to come at me, as well. Thankfully, I can get my fill HERE. Because real ones, I don't have energy for at the moment. P.S Shinichi had some of his very best looking moments this week, somehow.

Mary: Hello fellow squeeglets! Mary here, dropping by for a quick Song Jae Rim Job aka Nail Shop Paris Squeecaps . This drama was called #WTFParis on my side of the Twitterverse so I ignored it... until Mo Il Hwa almost died last week and I was desperate to see something, anything with Song Jae Rim in it. Thankfully, the show is a cute, funny watch despite the ugly nickname someone gave it *eyes JoAnne* JoAnne: Umm, hello...I believe that back then I was live tweeting encouragement to watch and going on OT to say listen, it's crazy, but you have to see it, it's weirdly good. I got a lot of people to watch it! kakashi: Hello! I'll be joining you! You seriously made me watch this mess with all your squeeing!!!! Plus, I'm a complete goner. Mary made me fall in love with Song Jae-rim and now, my heart flutters when I see him or when I hear about him. Thanks. Mary: Hehe I know that now , but outsiders who are new to this and see it being called #WTFParis think th...

Shuk:  It's been a while since we have done a drinking game.  I'm gonna call this one "Denial Drinking" - one shot every time Kang-ju does something out of character. Two shots if  he comes up with an excuse.  And I've got a 1.75L bottle of soju at the ready!! JoAnne: Hang on I have to go buy a lot of booze.

This show doesn't seem to know whether it wants to be funny or sad or something in between and trying to keep up with the tone and mood is starting to give me whiplash! Our leads can't make up their minds either, are they sad, are they sorry, are they grateful or just mad? Do I care? Not really. I like this show. Also, thankfully, both the second leads aren't annoying or stupid or anything that seconds leads usually do, so this episode has this going for it. And it has this:  JoAnne: That curl. It kills me. And I do SO love a serious man who can lampoon himself. kakashi: I love watching him in this. And I constantly think "this is really going to make watching him in TEN3 kinda difficult".

Shuk:  The final episode as we say goodbye to Mopey Mike and our Thai gang.  I really thought this was one of the best Thai dramas that I have ever watched (sorry Cee Siwat and Dome Pakhorn). But I'm afraid with the international success of this show, the Thailand Entertainment business may lose some of it's unique characteristics to become more cookie cutter for the public palate.  On the other hand, Mike in a remake of ISWAK?  Yes please!! JoAnne:  My first Thai drama ever.  I'd say the bar is set pretty high, which is unfortunate for the rest of what's out there, I'm guessing?

On Sunday, March 16, 2014, I attended a screening of Cold Eyes at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco as part of this year's CAAMFest (The Center for Asian American Media Film Festival). Cold Eyes is a thriller written and directed by Cho Ui-Seok, co-directed by Kim Byung-Seo, and starring Han Hyo-Ju, Seol Kyung-Gu, Lee Jun-Ho (aka Junho from 2PM), and my personal favorite, Jung Woo-Sung. It was billed as a remake of a Hong Kong film called Eye In The Sky , but having never seen Eye In The Sky , I am unable to comment on its similarities or differences. Also, I admit that I was there almost exclusively for Jung Woo-Sung (who once again did not disappoint), but the movie itself turned out to be a tense and tightly paced thrill ride that my companions and I all quite enjoyed. What is more, the grandeur of the Castro movie palace's full-sized screen — so rare in today’s era of multiplexes — was a special treat for watching such a visually exciting film. Thank you so much t...

kakashi: When Poong-cha died, there was a lot of sadness. I really grieved for him, because it was so unexpected and sudden ... and so goddamn sad. But we all moved on, some more quickly than others (*sob* I will never forget you, Poong-cha!). When we heard that Kim Jae-Wook had quit the drama due to the change in writer-nims and subsequent unhappiness in how his character would develop (or, I'm guessing, not develop), people were temporarily outraged and also quite worried. Would they destroy yet another awesome drama willy-nilly? Well, some (me included) also said that it was a good move, because his character Kim Soo-Ok was about as redundant as a 6th toe. Also, is anybody (I mean the people that still watch AoF, quite a few less than started it) missing him? No? Thought so. The outrage was short and sweet. JoAnne: Poong Cha! All my Dobie babies! Where are you? Also - didn't you say that the manhwa even had Soo Ok dying?  (yes, absolutely. He dies, and his death turns O...

Shuk:  Did Mike join a monastery?  Will we next see him in saffron robes? He looks so much better in jeans and a singlet, for sure. JoAnne: I liked the towel best.

Shuk:  How many people know about the curse?  How many DON”T know?  How many know and won’t tell? And what’s the better look: black batwing sleeves, or slim white wool blend with red shoes? JoAnne: I think that depends on what you're going for, Shuk. Do you want to be a scary ghost, or just look like some random suicidal girl who hangs around at the beach all the time? That's his rifle, but can he handle his gun? JoAnne: That reminds me of a cadence from when I was in the Army:  This is my weapon, this is my gun, one is for fighting, the other for fun...obviously geared toward male soldiers, tee hee.

Perhaps in my overzealousness to challenge our readers, I have made the Name that Kiss Contest a teensy weensy bit too hard. With one week to go, my mailbox is still on the light side. (Like really light!  But I highly commend those who entered already!) For all of you who are afraid to answer, or who were just dying of curiosity, here are the hints! But to see the visuals that go with the clues, (and those are the best part, of course) you'll need to click on the blue link above.

This episode brings the awaited and necessary moment of truth. No longer in the mood to hurt each other given a real-world crisis that both touches Ae-ra's family and his company at the same time, Ae-ra and Jung-woo get an emotionally loaded moment to express their hurts and grievances with each other. We also see how much in love Second Lead really is with Jung-woo and how fast her brother is falling in love as well. This is a very strong episode - though it comes with a different timbre that is much more sombre than the silliness we had before.

kakashi: What a weird episode. There's interesting revelations (oh my poor Shinichi!), but there's also tons of pointless stuff (Ok-ryeon), probably there to fill the time. To me, it feels as if the writer has completely forgotten what this drama is / should be about as he lets our characters dance in circles. At least there are still pretty dances. Still, several of them have become mere caricatures of themselves: Do-ggo. Gaya. Old Man Fly isn't even there anymore. Mo gets to guest appear, but there's no purpose to his existence. At least we finally hear what the truly big bad is: Opium. It's all about Opium. JoAnne: Yes, it's all about the Big Bad, which is Opium, and it's also all about Our Hero's Kryptonite, which is Ok Ryeon. I guess that's sort of anticlimactic to us, but I can see why it was news to HwangBang. Although me, though, a flutter of excitement over our THREEWAY bromance now brewing.

KLnoona aka lafer: Kakashi, a hair post! I feel like I'm coming home again! And who better to spotlight than Hong Ki, because he is both an idol and an actor, and a very hot actor right now, in every sense of the word. Wei: *inserts herself into the conversation* Yay! Spotlight on Hongki oppa! We also need to take a peek at his nails because those are gorgeous too! kakashi: People, meet Wei! Wei, meet the Squeeglets. Squeeglets, Wei was the one that suggested we do another hair post here. It used to be our trademark after all! Two of our all-time-most-popular posts are hair posts! You didn't know that, huh. We had a life before recapping ... Wei: Oh, I should introduce myself shouldn't I? I was too excited over squeeing about Hongki oppa. Hello! I'm myweithisway on Twitter and elsewhere, current law student on the east coast of USA but a California girl through and through. My loves are Hongki oppa and GD, and I get to watch shows faster because I can read Chinese s...

Did you think the power was too unevenly distributed in Cha Jung-woo's favor last week? Well, she gets quite a bit of power back in this episode, and pays him back for making her cry and then some. Among the meaneries and childishness, there are attempts to talk to each other. These two haven't been mean to each other for long, but it seems they're already tired of it. That's good - we need to see that they care for each other. 

Reply me this, was it 1994 or 1997 when that winter, the wind blows through the plains of my sorrow. I called for you nine, nine times I shouted your name but it took you 49 days to call mine back. There’s a winter sonata playing in my heart.

Shuk:  We've had our first kiss and our first crisis. They say tomato juice is good for the skin, but is it good for the skinship? JoAnne: Tomayto, tomahto, let's take all our clothes off

kakashi: Oh dear. Do we have another Fiasco at hand? The AoFiasco? If they stop filming, I'll go cry in a corner. What is it with Kim Hyun-joong's rotten luck and dramas? Maybe he needs someone to do some kind of ritual that involves a lot of naked skin ... JoAnne: No. I reject this. They will find a way to make this work. Can we donate? This must be how those USBoFiasco fans felt, except, you know, we're fans of a GOOD drama. I'm going to contribute 5 dollars 4 times. I want Jung Tae, Jae Hwa, Do Ggoo and Mo all to whisper my name. kakashi: But for the time being, the drama is still on and it's my time to lead-squee. And squee I will! Because there is more Mo Il-hwa in this episode ... and plenty of Aoki! And Jae-hwa. Yum. JoAnne:  I'm telling you. He is so very... I just want to ... I can't even say. But it involves multiple locations, props, and breaks for naps.

We have reached the end of the road, my friends, and as so often in KDrama, the last episode wraps up each and every storyline nicely and neatly (and in the most uncreative way possible, but never mind). To my big surprise, I find this ending quite satisfactory (though very boring), as it manages to give me the sort of closure I needed. I was even quite touched by certain scenes. There were tears in my eyes. In the end, everybody (almost everybody) is happy! I am happy! Let's be happy together!

Shuk:  Our couple has a few poignant moments that make me sigh in envy and sadness. JoAnne: They make me speculate on real life nookie happening. Shuk:, Well, yeah, that too. :)

KLnoona aka lafer: Ah, the kdrama kiss. Who among us can honestly say that we don't look forward to that golden moment when, after countless episodes of angst, misunderstandings, intense dislike and sometimes even gender confusion, the OTP finally has their first kiss? JoAnne: I certainly cannot. Some of my favorite first kisses are the star kiss in You're Beautiful, and Sung Joon's first kiss (on the rooftop!) in Shut Up Flower Boy Band.   bcook: Kisseu kisseu. There's something about kdrama kissses. They're like...like rare, yellow diamonds.  kakashi: In all honesty, I prefer a good martial arts scene. But I'll shut up now.  

Shuk:  This episode gives us a little more story and a lot more interaction with our couple. And possibly a bit more skinship?? JoAnne: I'm always down for a little skinship. I wonder if her foundation is going to rub off on everything, though. Shuk:  Coming soon to a bookstore near you:

We're almost at the end, but before we get there, there's ... you guessed it! More obstacles! This time, it's work that comes between our OTP and the wedding. And that other MIL, at least for about 5 minutes. On the bright side, there is not a lot to recap because this is really a filler episode. Why, why, oh why did you go for twenty episodes?!

Shuk:  I hope we've hit the nadir of the story, because it's the cute hotness (or the hot cuteness)  that keeps me hooked.  Still, I do like a good circus for a short while [grabbing popcorn]  Bring on the elephants! JoAnne:  You know, they say an elephant never forgets. And they are good at learning tricks. [ShukNote:  I had problems downloading the videos, so, for the moment, there will be no animated gifs.]

Shuk:  Hello again everyone!  Here we go again, with another round of Late-To-The-Funeral SqueeCapping. Six episodes are already out, but never fear!  We do our best to catch up and deliver our squees and snarks to those who seek a slighty skewed recapping experience! JoAnne: Sometimes a show just isn't on your radar, and then you watch an episode and it's both better and worse than you think, and then you watch a few more and start obsessing about it, and then you start thinking, and then you realize there's another person out there thinking the same thing, and then things get a little blurry.

It's the last couple of days before Club Shanghai opens. Anticipation is building for everyone... for some, it's also an anxious time. Show time will be go time for the brewing battle, I think.  Is it too much to hope that off camera EVERYONE is plotting to take down Seul and Baek San? kakashi: It's a very anxious time for me, JoAnne!! Remember episode 8? It's the carnage episode. 8+8=16+8=24. We are now 2/3 into the show and I fear something bad is coming. It's like that tension in the air before a powerful storm. That said, I apologize to all of you with slow internet connections. I had to gif the living bejeezus out of this episode, I couldn't help it. Also ... there's a lot of Mo. Cause he is #WhenAManIsMoBetta

It's like childhood all over again: two weeks ago, we were playing Capture the Corpse. One week ago, we watched all the kids fight over the new boy in town. This week, Jung Tae makes a decision about his date for the prom. Along the way, we get tons of what we love: more fights, more Yummy Tummy, more Shinichi, more Aoki, more Do Ggoo....there's even a sighting of the fabled Mo! Seriously, what could be better than Mo? Do you think they really brought him back because we complained so loudly? I'm going with that. There's enough wink and nod in his reappearance to make me think that writer absolutely knows who butters his bread. Life is good.   kakashi: JoAnne, I love this show. I fear the day it will be done. I hate goodbyes.  

Another episode that doesn't lose time with the side-characters. Nice! The formula, so far, has been this: they say goodbye and make it sound like they mean it. But then, something happens to throw them together again. Sometimes, she is more on top of things and in control, sometimes, it's him. In this episode, it's him. I am SO GLAD Joo Sang-wook took this role.

This drama continues to make me laugh, and this episode in particular had almost only OTP interactions, with a little bit of other stuff on the side. Exactly what I want. Of course, I know it will not last ... in about three weeks, we will most likely enter angst territory and all the usual KDrama wtfuckery hullabaloo, but, whatever, let's enjoy this while it is enjoyable. The only thing missing so far is a Joo Sang-wook shower scene.

Shuk:  So boneheaded Mike dumps his entire family, and his wife, on the basis of one phone call, with no explanation.  Really, his priorities are so off they seem to be in a different county, like, Switzerland or something (kakashi: Oh! Yes please! Come to Switzerland!) .  I think Om-Am’s face at the end of the last episode says it all. JoAnne:  I am continually amazed that people even answer their phones during dinner, and then to leave without a word of explanation?  'I'll be right back' is only sufficient when you're stepping out onto the porch to finish the call, Mike.  Not for when you're leaving the building!  That was rude and disrespectful to everyone at the table - and we're not even getting to the point where you abandoned your wife with no ride home.  I will grant him a wee bit of alarm based on the reason for the call - Min's hospitalization - but after reflection I can also say that this appears to be a recurring event in her life an...

We're getting into the wrap-up phase of this drama and it seems everybody will get a nice little ribbon tied neatly around their respective stories. Well, if you can call a really messy and vengeful divorce case neat... Oh, and Ex-husband is back again, and there's potentially more Tae-geuk trouble... Sigh ... Come on, drama, we've had enough now. I liked you for being a drama about real people and their real problems, but recently, you have become all too melo for me.

Oh well, no wedding yet, but some more obstacles. Sigh. This time, it's Jung-wan's insecurity that gets in the way - and Oh Kyung-soo's überfriendliness with every woman he encounters. It's sometimes hard to fill twenty episodes, right? Maybe some aliens will land next week and kidnap her right before the wedding? Or Oh Kyung-soo could hit his head an develop amnesia! That'll fill at least one episode! The other stories are also going sideways and in circles, I'm afriad. Yes, I won't lie ... I am glad this is over soon, because no drama has ever profited from too many episodes. 

Shuk:  Kiss!  Kiss!!  Now that we have had a little action, are we getting more cute?  Or does the angst start? Boo Angst Boo Go away.  Anyway, there's going to be lots of screen shots and gifs in this one.  I can't help it!  It's madness!! JoAnne:  I just want them to admit they love each other, go for an elephant ride, and then maybe show us lots of cute babies.

This drama doesn't seem to be getting much love (yet?), which is fine with me, because it simply means more Joo Sang-wook for me. Haha, come to mama, Gorgeous! I enjoyed episode 2, for the stupidity and pettiness of these characters and I must say, I am looking forward to the coming let's-see-who-can-be-more-childish shenanigans. This is simply not to be taken seriously. I said the other day that I will most likely not recap this show, but now I realize that that might mean JSW's gorgeousness might not be properly squeed over?! Noooo! That's sacrilege! So this is what I will do: the equivalent of my KimJiCaps (recaps focused only on Kim Ji-hoon scenes in Kim Ji-hoon dramas) for Joo Sang-wook. Let's call them WookiCaps.