Rants and Weekly Raves #62 (RAWR)

kakashi: I am sorry, I have completely fallen off the KDrama-wagon for the time being. I even had to delete all my Six Dragon and Twenty Again files on the computer to make space for Hu Ge.
JoAnne: Would you say you have a huge thing for him?
Jaehyus: Bwahahahahahahaha!
That's a very good question. Actually, I don't find him erotic at all. I've got other actors for that. But he is in incredibly good dramas right now and is a good actor. That's what I love about him
'HuGe'...for a change, I wasn't making an off-color joke.
But it's happening without you even thinking about it.
A lot of the time, people do my work for me. I just sit there quietly and grin.
Yeah, anyway ... I just wanted to say I'm not commenting this week cause Hu Ge.  
Wait just a cotton-picking minute...is that him?  Mmmmm.  Nice shoulders.  Nice shoulder vein.  A bit lean but...okay, yes.  Yes, I will. And if you don't find him 'erotic', as you say... why you postin' near-nekkid pics, Kakashi?
To test my resolve. No, actually, to test yours! You said you don't particularly fancy him, somewhere

Six Flying Dragons (Korea) 

Nabi: I finally started it! It's a bit...bombastic, and seems overly fond of dramatic glaring. Also, So. Many. Characters! But I'm kind of enjoying how they're focusing on each Dragon one episode at a time. I just finished Lee Bang-Ji's first starring episode, and just look how broody and sexy the sweet cutie from Ex-Girlfriend Club (Byun Yo-Han) suddenly is:
I thought he was that guy from Misaeng. Also, my favorite is still Gil Tae Mi and his funny faces and movements.
'...that guy from Misaeng...'
Despite being a villain, he's totally, disingenously dumb.
South Asian clothes suit everyone.
I think it's going to a be a long dark ride, which is why I'm so glad I'll have some fluff a little longer, namely...

She Was Pretty (Korea) 

Shin Hyeok is awesome. Shin Hyeok is adorable. Shin Hyeok is the best. I am going to kidnap Siwon and make him (among other things) speak English to me  for two years while the world assumes he quietly went off to do his military service. I suppose I should also mention that Park Seo Joon is no slouch, the stakes are ramping up in the drama, and I spent this entire episode thinking he was going to turn out to be deathly ill because he keeps on falling down and that has to be a brain tumor, right? 
Ditto. Choi Siwon crowing "Jacksooooon!" is my new favorite thing. I think it annoys the real Jackson in my life just a bit, since I now echo a manic Korean pop star every time I say his name, but he'll get over it. And we finally got some kisses this week! Yay for kisses!!
Seo-Joonie's character may not exactly be slaying me in She Was Pretty, but I give him full points for kissing technique. RAWR!
I've mostly enjoyed the rest of this drama so far as well, but I'm not sure what it is going to do with its last 3 episodes, now that the real Hye-Jin has been revealed, the OTP has fallen swiftly into OTL (One True Love), and both second leads are being gracefully supportive, and even apologetic (when appropriate). There's still the whole "Save The Most" quest, but honestly that never interested me all that much. Please surprise me, Show, by not falling apart at the end!
Shiwon is my new almosht-ultimate biash. And hish shpeaking English helpsh that along. I even shuffered a few minutesh of Dragon Blade for him.  (But he wasn't funny there, and neither wass Jackie Chan, so I dropped it.) Everyone, Shiwon Shaves. 
He's not the Prefecture Chief's army, I just couldn't get a pic without subs. 

Cheer Up/Sassy Go Go (Korea)

It is not up for debate whether Yeolie wins Yeon Doo's heart or not.  He gets the girl.  He already has her heart, and she has his. That's just how the story goes, and he's terrific anyway, and she's got charm for days, and they belong together, and that's that.  But Ha Joon gets our devotion and our hearts, forever, and that is also not up for debate. #TodayWeAreAllJiSoovians
We're all in for a world of heartbreak from this one...yet again.
#JoAnneIsAlwaysRight

Bubblegum (Korea) 

Oh boy. If this goes the way the first episode did, with just the right touch...this is going to be a little bit special. I don't think it will appeal to everyone, but it definitely appeals to me. There's this bittersweet-ness to it, with just enough twist, just enough edge, just enough humor...and SO many really accomplished, steady, reliable actors who just, you know, know how to do things right. Give it a shot! The story is built around two childhood friends; one is doctor, the other a PD for a radio show. The large cast of characters comes from their family and friends, and there are lots of cross connections and everything is flavored with years of history together, and it's filmed beautifully. If that's your kind of thing - even if it isn't - this is worth looking into.
I fully intend to add Glorious Temptation and Gaekju to my weekly watchlist, so I plan to pick this one up as well. I will need something less dark to balance all the others out after Cheer Up and She Was Pretty wrap, right?

Village: The Secret of Achiara (Korea) 

I like it. I am frustrated at the lack of subs and ended up just reading a recap for ep 8. We are getting more clarity as to who was who and why they are acting as they did - except for the little girl and her older brother. Can't understand the little girl's nastiness towards her mother nor her determination to ruin a funeral or anything else.  Plus, I'm wondering if she's really the samonim's daughter.  And what is with accusing your mother of killing the child that died in her womb?  Vicious, and slanderous, and completely irrational when a woman like the samonim needs every possible child to cement her place in the family.
I think I've seen 2-3 episodes. I want to watch but I'm just not keeping up with shows.

Glamorous Temptation (Korea)

I am paused on the brink of the adult portion of the story and I'm teetering. I want to watch but I'm not sure if I want rage in my life, since I'm preparing for so much angst from a couple other viewing choices.

D-Day (Korea) 

Why can I never get to this? Everyone who's watching it likes it, I'm not really hearing terrible things, but then again I'm not really looking for them, either. I really like what I saw so far. Maybe once She Was Pretty ends...but I sorta think that Bubblegum has already filled that spot.

Nirvana in Fire (China)

Oh Jingrui. I hope Southern Chu works out for you. And did Southern Chu's princess ever marry any of the princes? But gosh, I was so struck by all the pretty headpieces. All pretty, except those monstrosities the Empress and Noble Consort Yue wear.
Office wear.
Best one.
Quietly elegant.
God, no.
It has to be big because she's a Noble Consort.
I liked this one the best.
Very pretty.
Just, no.
Did a bird die on her head?
No, it was one of the last dinosaurs.
Not 20 minutes ago, I asked the Chinese ahjussi at the bodega where I buy my lotto tickets if he's watching this drama. He swears he's not, but I see now that it started 10 minutes ago on the very channel he says he watches every night, so I think he just didn't understand my English translation of the title. Note to self: learn Cantonese. Also, pick up "Nirvana in Fire" in your copious spare time -- the headpieces are fabulous!

The Disguiser (China)

Not much later today, the first recap of NiF will go up on this blog. It has all the love right now, but you know what? The Disguiser might be just as good, judging from the first 5 eps that I have seen by now. If you like spy stories, it's a must watch. It also has plenty of romance and heartache and family-stuff and IS REALLY GOOD! You know what, I'm so happy my life will be filled with recapping two extremely good shows for the next, well ... three months or so.

Moon River (Taiwan)

I'm up to episode 23 and Senior CoCo turned out not to be all that hateful, while ShaSha is even more contemptible than I first imagined.  Skating Grandma and Xaio Xi stumbled, but they're back on track, and yet this drama has 9,786,458 more episodes to go.  Does this mean they stumble over and over again?  Not sure I have that in me, not even for Sam Lin. Not when I have Hu Ge, Wang Kai, and Jin Dong waiting in the wings, and especially with Wallace Huo looking over their shoulders.
I lost track of this show. I'll get to it later. 

Love Me If You Dare (Taiwan) 

The stills my TList are posting KILL me. Wang Kai smiling and cute...and to think it's Wallace Chuo that I wanted to watch this for! Haven't started yet.
Wang Kai is stunning. I'm glad he's everywhere right now

Kiss Me (Thai) 

Can't watch because of the Viki Fan Channel issue, which cropped up in time to prevent me from this week's episodes. Drop 'em a note if you have the same problem... they don't seem to think it's them. (It's them.)

The Girl's Speech (Japan) 

It was good up through ep 5.  I liked the strategy the best, and that guy who plays the strategist is a fave actor of mine, though I can't remember his name.  The speeches are rather dull.  But the politics part is interesting.  However, no more subs after ep 5.
Well if subs run out... then I'm pausing. Ain't no way I'm watching a Japanese drama without subs.

Other Stuff 

AHS: Hotel and The Walking Dead. My English-language shows tend to be gory.
Jane the Virgin: I'm just never going to be TeamMichael, no matter what happens.
Haven't seen the last episode. I'm kinda not feeling like it. That's not a good sign. I also glanced at Sleepy Hollow, still meh. The Bones-Sleepy crossover didn't help. I was just really shocked how OLD Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz looked in it. A bit like corpses.


Stuff We're Looking Forward to... 

Can't remember it right now. I did start with the tv movie Lizzie Borden took an axe and then the first ep of the tv program. It's good because Christina Ricci is good.  That is all with that show.
I've been wanting to start The Disguiser, and this evening, the twitter drama club tried.  But, we thought we'd watch from Viki, and Viki decided not to play The Disguiser. Very disappointing.
They seem to have messed up the fan channels during their last update - I hear the streaming was wonky for other shows too

I've also been testing out Japanese dramas. One was The Girl's Speech with the aforementioned subs problem. The other was Teddy Go.  That's pretty good and nice and short too.  Tried Okashi No Le, which is about a sweet shop owner who just randomly decides on a relationship with a single mother just because she showed up after years away, his grandmother chatted with her, and she assumed it.  Someone should've treated the massive cystic zit on Odagiri Joe's chin, first, though, because once I saw it on screen, bursting, I couldn't watch anymore.  
Wait, Odagiri Jo is in a J-dorama?! Where are were you watching it?!?!
On another note, did anybody else see the 'trailer' for Oh My Venus with So Ji-Sub doing some beautifully weird sideways pull-up swings? Dramabeans mocked it for its lack of 'trailer'ness, but I'm totally sold. By which I mean, I'm really, really looking forward to the fan video(s). Cass' video of My Beautiful Banker still inspires me in all kinds of perverted healthy ways...
I'm looking forward to recapping two extremely long Chinese dramas and nothing else. Goodbye, Korean shows, I'll see you next year.