The Problematic of the Unproblematic

I have been wanting to write a post on KDrama viewing methods for a long time. In fact, a first draft has been sitting on this platform for weeks. It would have been mainly light-hearted and innocent, as most of my posts are. Yes, KDrama should be fun and make us feel good in multiple ways - it is a form of wonderful and addicting escapism that has enriched my life for the past three years. But KDramaland has turned ugly recently. This here is Part I of a personal account of my somewhat sad waking-up from this sweet, sweet dream. At this moment, I just hope I can go back to sleep and delve into this fantasyland as lightheartedly as before. ... and because this post is about ugly things, I decided to festoon it with pictures of Kim Ji-hoon. Who is definitely NOT an ugly thing. Part I is about the Park Shi-hoo rape case. I do not want to write too much about any of the details of it, because there is far too much being said already. The absurdity of it all could amuse me, only t...

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody! Received or bought a lot of chocolates today? If you do buy some, make sure it's Swiss chocolate! Cause ... you know, our economy is much dependent on our chocolate sales. Therefore, you will directly contribute to my well-being if you buy Swiss chocolate. I'm sure nothing is more important to you, right?! The cast of Flower Boys Next Door also wishes us a Happy Valentine's Day. I.e. like this: Hello, there, boys.  Or like this:  초코초코초콜렛 많이 받으셨나요~? 아..나도 초콜렛 줄 수 있는데..내 초콜렛 받아주실 분은 어디에 계신가요~ㅠㅅㅠ 근데..발렌타인데이에 남자만 받아야되는거에요? 난 사탕보다 초콜렛이 더 좋은데. Park Shin-hye also asks whether you've received a lot of chocolate. But ... hm. That is PPL! In a TweetPic! Tsts, Park Shin-hye. Is this even real chocolate? Oh, and there is even MORE PPL! She even forces said chocolate on her tiny, underage Cell No 7 co-star... So ... who else is really saddenend by the commercialization of simply everything?  Nobody? Oh well... Kim Ji-h...

An-yeong!! So you've just finished your first Kdrama (congratulations!!) and you're ready to delve into the wacky world of the Hallyu fan (watch your step... many have been *slices at neck* by kakashi....*whispers* stay away from Shi-Hoo-ssi) So to help you along I've prepared a glossary of words/acronyms you'll encounter as you venture off into this brave new world *cue dramatic music* But First!!! 1) This is Lee Min Ho....he is Lee Min Hot. Everybody will understand that you like him. There is no shame in it.  2)  This is Park Shi Hoo...I can't comment on his looks because I value my life....and Kakashi is a secret agent (oops! sorry! I promised not to say that) Well since this is my last post ever (secret agents to like being exposed. Sorry Unnie!).... Lets get on with the Glossary!!! (Not in alphabetical order)   a. MV : Music Video (no explanation needed)   b. CF : Commercial Film (I dunno why *shrug*)...

As the astute watcher of KDrama is well aware, there is almost no sex in KDrama. I say "almost no sex" because there are several instances of where the characters obviously had sex or are, rarely, about to have sex (i.e. when they get pregnant after, like in I Do I Do , or when they wake up in bed together, like in Personal Taste , or when they are in each other's home and don't leave, like in Cheongdamdong Alice - or is this my dirty mind imagining things that were not there?), so technically, there is sex, but simply not on screen. That's not very surprising, given the fact that most shows air on public television and Korean society is generally considered a conservative society. We get the occasional kiss (most of them terrible) and, behold, we get the occasional shower scene (most of them terrific). Shower scenes almost always involve men (as opposed to women, though there are exceptions) being "naked" (to the waist) and taking a shower - and mo...

Cheongdamdong Alice is done and over with. I'm tempted to shout "good riddance" and do a little happy dance, but relief that it's finished (without extension) is not the only thing I'm feeling. I guess I'm also rather angry - and disappointed. Not least because it really messed up my gif-making plans. but wait! Here is one! A gif, a gif! I had zero to no expectations going in. I didn't dare hope for anything, given the trailer , the one-phrase-standard drama description, and the lack of general information and BTS. But I watched for Park Shi-hoo (and Moon Geun-young). And then - WOAH - I was blown away by the unexpected funny, the crazy, the constant surprises in how the characters were written -- blemished, selfish, and twisted, each and every one of them -- and the unconventional way the conventional Cinderella story was told. No doubt about it: this drama was making its way onto my Top 5 list fast ... ... until they royally messed it up. How c...

｡･ﾟﾟ･(T_T)･ﾟﾟ･｡  Oh god, this episode was heart braking from beginning to end... Let's not pretend we didn't know this moment was coming. But... FINALLY it's here! What a relief!!!! The draggiest, silliest conflict ever is finally in the process of being resolved. With two episodes left, this show might, just might be able to get over it's terrible slump and give us a nice finish. (*pretty please, Drama Gods?*) It's getting a bit *spoilery* from now on - so, proceed with care!  Everybody but Seun-jo knew about the "dirty secret" in the course of episode 13. At the end of 13, he finally knows, too... but the show does not start the process of catharsis immediately in 14 ... it drags it out as long as possible, and makes Han Se-kyung's lie look increasingly cruel. I admit, it's really well done. When she finally does confess in the church, her (minor) lie has indeed become very sinful. It is not the initial deed that is the problem, but ...

Well, friends. This drama has gotten too serious for gifs. Sad, but true. There was exactly ONE gif-worthy scene in episode 13. This is it:  I watched the episode twice, but there is nothing else I can turn into a good gif. I'm quite sad about this, really, because my little gif-routine every Saturday and Sunday has grown on me ... Sure, there is always tomorrow and hope dies last ... but I am not expecting episode 14 to be any funnier. Don't get me wrong, this wasn't all bad ... the dads are marvellous together and the Cha-Cha combo has always belonged to my favorites - but this is now a different drama; and not one that I fully enjoy. Shoes are dropping left and right and soon, we'll be out of episodes. Or will we? I am praying the extension isn't happening because that would ruin this already ruined drama even more. Just get it done and over with ... two episodes to make up are plenty of time and we might, just might, have one or two funny scenes at the en...

Did you think there was a liiiiittle bit too much attention given to some random eye cream in Cheongdamdong Alice , episode 11? Lovely product placement ... NOT! Totally, utterly, hilariously random bit of product placement! Why in hell would Cha Seung-jo apply morning eye cream to his eyes when talking about his marriage proposal to hottie Doc? And it wasn't even in the morning! In case you don't mind such details and want to buy the cream, here it is: Only 42'000 Won? That's almost nothing, right? I am considering ... If it makes me look like PSH, I'll buy the whole stock! (In all seriousness: somebody should set up a service in South Korea, where people like me can bulk order all the products from a particular show. If you are in South Korea and you read this and you get spitting rich from turning this into a real business, make sure to send me Korean gifts every month as a sign of your appreciation, yes?) For everybody else: If you want to give me ...