Korean TV: Dramas

Sorry this is a bit late. Initially I had about a page worth of writing, but then as I thought about it more I realized that most people wouldn't want to read a novel length blog post like alot of my others have been. I'll try to cut them down in size more, without taking away any of the good stuff hopefully. Anyway, I've broken this topic down into the three list you see below:

Completed Dramas:

~The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (2)

~Take Care of the Young Lady (1)

~You're Beautiful (3)

Currently Watching:

~Oh! My Lady

~Personal Preference

~Princess Hours (Goong)

Recommended Dramas:

~IRIS

~Boys Over Flowers

~Creating Destiny

~Full House

~Shining Inheritence

~East of Eden

~Loving You A Thousand Times

For the completed dramas, I listed them based on the order in which I watched them. The number to the side is my opinion of the shows from greatest to least and I've hyperlinked the numbers so you can check out their summaries and see if they might interest you too. I didn't do that for any of the others, but looking up the show links is as easy as going on mysoju.com or if you just want the summary and a full list of the characters just travel on over to dramawiki.com. It has tons of K-dramas listed there, and J-dramas, Taiwanese dramas, Hong Kong dramas. You know, just in case you wanted to broaden your horizon a bit. Well that's all for this sections. Look out for the next part; movies. I feel that the movies and variety shows posts will be longer because I've watched so many of them. Oh well. I guess that just means more recommendations and amazing stuff for me to take about. Later :)

SM Entertainment: WHY!?

I have many great post coming up in the future. My finals that are coming up in a few weeks. Despite the fact that I should be studying right now I really had to write on this subject first. Here's the question: SM why don't you promote your artists better?

JYP is currently promoting his artists 2PM, 2AM, Wonder Girls, and himself in the States. While I'm all happy to see these barriers start to break down that keep the Korean Wave from crashing well into the U.S. mainland, to be honest these aren't the people I want to see. I support them. Don't get me wrong, but why can't it be a Super Junior concert or a DBSK concert. It makes no sense. It's not like they don't have fans here just waiting to snatch up tickets to have a, possibly, once in a lifetime chance of seeing these amazing artists perform live in the States. Now, I realize I may be a little SM artists biased, but I don't think it's something to apologize for. SM has some amazing, amazing artists and even the numbers will agree with me. DBSK for one, (if there is still a DBSK) has been in the Guinness book of world records twice, to my knowlegde. Once for having the largest official fanclub in the world- Cassiopeia. And again the following year for being the most photographed celebrity in the world- individual and group photos both included. In Japan, even this year they continued to exert their power as one of the best bands out there by creating numbers of new single/album sell records and crushing old ones set by no joke big name like Elton John and Bon Jovi. One doesn't get these numbers or have these successes by being terrible at what they do.

Super Junior, too, has made some major achievements as well. Concert after concert whether its nine of them or all thirteen they continue to sell out 15,000+ seated areans all across Asia. Their impact is so big that you just can't miss it. 2PM and 2AM of JYP Entertainment only exist today as two halves of the band One Day, because JYP wanted a band large enough in size that could revival Super Junior's awesomeness. No lie. I don't know the numbers, and I so wish I did, but I remember reading somewhere that Super Junior has the second largest fan club in the world, only lagging behind that of DBSK (*cough* not for long, though *cough*). I remember my friend coming to me one day-this is one of the ones who got me into K-Ent (Korean Entertainment)- while I was still a fledgingly fan of the whole thing and asked me why I still liked Super Junior. She told me that she was still a fan, but that there were much better artists out there. People with more talent. So I was curious, tested the waters a little. I got into 2PM some, Big Bang, F.T. Island, U-Kiss, all that jazz, and these are good artists, but to say that they are better is a stretch for me. Of course I believe that each band is gifted in theit own right, but after checking all their music out and going back to Suju (Super Junior's nickname) I became increasingly aware of the talent that Suju possessed.
At first I liked Super Junior, in part because of their singing, but also because they were drop dead funny. I'm guessing, because there are thirteen of them (yep, thirteen) it was harder for SM to keep track of their moves like they would with DBSK or H.O.T or Shinhwa, (when these guys were the stuff), so Suju had more freedom to be Suju. Perfect formula. Whenever I would watch a Suju variety show or something with Suju being their weird selves, then go back and watch one of their videos it would make me love them even more. My mindset would be "These clearly flawed, goofballs are international superstars? Yes!" They never tried to act serious or tough, from what I saw and to my knowledge all that I got from those shows was raw "this is who we are" Super Junior. And you know their -ness just pours right out, onto the stage. They don't pretend there either. No "hey look at me. i'm cool cause i can sing and dance at the same time without falling". At a Suju concert it's more like "hey look at me. i can sing AND i have a moose hat on" (lol Kyuhyun). Oh and by the way, they can sing. I don't know how many youtube videos I've watched of their live concerts, just smiling, staring in amazement at how awesome they sound. It's just love. And they're so involved with their fans too. The last concert of Super Show II looked less like a concert or work and more like an interactive party that the Super Junior members just happened to throw for their fans. I want that party feel here in the States.

Stupid SM. Why don't you wise up for once and stop depriving all the ELFs, Cassies, and Shalwols (those are SHINee fans) of the States? Great you've promoted in China, Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Sweet, you've conquered East Asia, now take that train and continue east until you come into full contact with the Western Hemisphere. Don't stop! Keep it going and let's get this party started.

Korean Music and a Healthy Lifestyle

As it grows closers and closer to summer I have developed this desire to want to live healthier. After finals kill me and all of the work from the pass semester is done I'm going to have alot of time on my hands. Not much more, but surely more than I have had. However, despite that this is the time where students like me find themselves free from the burden of school, summer is funny in the sense that the blazing sun keeps the majority of us inside for the better part of the day.

One of my professors is a specialist in Environmental Science. He says that to protect your lungs from ozone, which plagues the southeast due to bad air quality, during the summer you shouldn't go outside between the hours of 2 and 6 pm. From a beauty specialist I heard that in order to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the summer's UV rays during the summer you shouldn't go outside during the hottest period of the day, which she said is between 11am and 2pm. Now of course life won't allow us to stay homebound for most of the day. I'm taking summer classes and I also work, but for the most part, I'm going to try and heed their warnings.

But what to do? What to do? That's about seven hours a day, especially on weekends that I'm stuck inside. Of course I have K-Ent (Korean Entertain), to keep me company. Even my first thought was "Stupid summer. Just another incentive to sit around the house doing nothing", but then I thought about it. Just because I have adopted a hobby/interest that keeps me glued in front of the computer for hours on end doesn't mean I have to gain weight from it due to limited exercise.

My mindset is exactly the opposite of that. While amping up the Korean enthusiasm I plan on shielding pounds this summer. How you might ask (glad ya did). It's simple: dancing!!! There are so many amazing dances out there in the k-music world and this summer I plan to learn as many as I can starting with these few:

~Chu

~Tell Me (full. i know some of it already)
~Love Like Oxygen

~Because of You

~Heartbeat (full)

~Abracadabra (sans that slutty floor dance part)
~Wrong Number
~Sorry, Sorry (full)

For those of you who are new to the k-wave all of these songs and their respective dances are searchable. With "Because of You" you might have to add the artist which is After School and "Wrong Number" is a DBSK song. As you can see from the list I'm totally impartial to whether or not the dance is by a girl or boy group. As long as it isn't anything too crazy or out the water I'm game for it all. I'm also putting together a workout playlist for when I do hit the gym in the morning or at night. What better way to feed the addiction than have the addiction help you slim down and tone up. I'll definitely make sure to keep you posted on my progress.

Korean TV: Dramas, Movies, Variety Shows and More

It seems that me and my friends have been full of good ideas lately. My friend Tae Hee (no she's not really Korean- wishful thinking) read my post about my newly discovered Korean husband and apparently, I must be a darn good writer, because she thought my idea was so good that she decided to "borrow" it. She even had the nerve to write in it that my hubby was cheating on me with her. That girl. Anyway, she uploaded another post recently about Korean Dramas. Now it's me who is inspired and I feel like writing my own post about k-dramas, except I won't only be talking about k-dramas. To be honest, I've only ever fully completed three. I'm not much of a drama watcher it's true (you can seriously waste away by watching those things. they're so addictive @_@), but it doesn't mean I haven't taken in my fair share of Korean TV. I have. Just through different media. Variety Shows for one. They are the best! Movies are good too. Game shows, guest interviews. They all fit. Honestly, I could write a novel on all the Korean TV goodness there is out there. But I won't.

Instead what I have decided to do is create a three part segment on k-tv. Dramas will be first, then movies, and variety shows and more will make up the last segment. In each I will tell you the shows (or movies) I have watched, the ones I'm watching, and the ones I want to watch. Even shows that I don't feel compelled to watch, but that I feel are interesting or vital to a Korean Wave goers knowledge will be mentioned. So just keep checking in on the site. Expect the first segment up by Thursday or Friday. Later!

Korean Husband

I have found my Korean husband. I know what you're probably thinking, "Geez, girl. You've been into K-pop for this long and you've only now found you're ideal type?" But that's not the case. I already have a K-pop husband. That would be Han Geng, a.k.a Hankyung of Super Junior (click his name to found out why). So yea, I have a K-pop husband already, but Hankyung is Chinese, so I feel that I'm entitled to another ideal type. A Korean ideal type. I currently have alot of Korean ideal boyfriends, like if this person asked me out I wouldn't hesitate to say yes. There's Big Bang's T.O.P and G-Dragon (when he's showering us with his cute side), Super Junior's Leeteuk and Eunhyuk (don't tell Hankyung), SHINee's Minho (though he's kinda young so I waver with him alot. Somehow I always let that masculine voice fool me), and possibly F.T. Island's Hongki. Those are all my Kpop boyfriends, but no K-pop idol has ever made it to the husband standard until now.

Who is that person, you ask? Should I be dramatic for this part? Well if you haven't figured it out from the massive picture that smacked you in the face right after the title there, that person is none other than DBSK's (TVXQ's) Shim Changmin (internationally known as Max). Since the Mirotic video where I saw this guy coming out of the water, I pegged him as my favorite DBSK member. This was before I even knew his name and now that I know more about DBSK, even though I think Jaejoong (Hero) has the best sense of humor and Junsu's (Xiah's, pronounced "shi-ah". geez what's with all these double names anyway @_@) voice is so cute and amazing, Changmin still remains in that immovable number one DBSK member spot.

Basically it goes like this: if Changmin were to, by some miraculously event come to my little dwelling place in the southern part of the U.S., get down on one knee and ask me to marry him, I promise you within less than a year's time I'd be Mrs. Changmin Shim (don't know how to write Korean style married names). Without even thinking I'd say yes. So there you have it. And if you'd like to see the video that pushed me over the edge just click the word video. He's like the first 16 seconds or so, and before you ask, yes it's true. I was won over by a perfect English accent, but in my defense he has spent over a year being my favorite DBSK member 'that guy who comes out of the water in the Mirotic video'.

To give you a little info on Changmin he is the magnae (the youngest) member of DBSK. He is snarky, audacious, and a little brutal to his hyungs (male version of 'older brother'. ladies your word is oppa so if you ever happen to find yourself in South Korea, don't use hyung unless you're referring to a male using it, which is probably still kind of weird, or you just wanna get laughed at). Depsite that these words may seem negative they are a part of his honesty and he's honesty is his charm. Don't get me wrong, he does have his cute moments too. Now, I don't know if I'm his ideal type or not be I read somewhere that he likes girls who can speak English. I speak English!!!:) Now all I have to do is get over that stupid language barrier that prevents me from speaking to him in Korean, or Japanese. Whichever, he knows both. Anyway, it's no secret that I've littered this text with links. Now, it's up to you to decide for yourselves if Changmin is 'Korean Husband Standard Worthy' because I already know he is :) .