My Top 5 (sort of) drama ships, and my fantasy drama

Yes, I know, I am still working on my 5 favorites meme thing.

( Here are my 5 favorite drama OTPs behind the cut )

Clearly I like mobsters and other violent men as part of the OTP :P And yet, how could I leave out Gong Chan/Yu Ri, or Halu/Aki, or the OTP from Last Scandal? I could not, I love them just as much. Argh, evil question!!!!!!!!!!!!

While we are at it, I saw the 'fantasy drama' thing going around. Well, mine would be a period piece - it is during the period of time when there is more than one Kingdom in the area. One of them is run by an ambitious female ruler who wants to conquer the neighboring kingdom, so she sends in one of her specially trained spy/ninja type people to infiltrate - he is also a sort of 'favorite' of hers (whichever way you want to take it). To be played by Song Seung Heon.

The neighboring kingdom is run by a rather inefficient brother-sister pair and SSH infiltrates the court easily due to his mad skills - let's say he is accepted as a mercenary-general. He is disciplined and a little bit inhuman and very focused on his goals but due to unexpected events in his own kingdom (the Queen is facing some unrest) the invasion doesn't happen really quickly but instead he is left at that court for a while and he actually starts enjoying a human life - before on these missions it was always very quick and he never had time to get attached, plus the missions were never this big or important - sneaking into an enemy castle for a day to learn the layout etc is pretty different. So he now actually starts seeing these people who he is supposed to betray as people and also it's the first time he's been respected and treated as a normal person - back home people either freak about him or the Queen treats him as some sort of an exotic dangerous pet.

Oh, and did I mention that a niece of the King of this Kingdom (or some other member of the royal family) is an outspoken, fun Princess played by Sung Yuri and they fall in love with each other and then the order comes from his own Queen to help the invasion. He actually fights on the side of the 'good' guys in earnest but the damage from him earlier conveying information has been done and the 'good' guys lose and due to some circumstances, the Queen has no idea he betrayed her - but she does know he is in love with Sung Yuri and wasn't as cooperative as he should have been.

So she decides to take him away and punish him but she also takes great pleasure of informing the entire court + Sung Yuri of the true state of affairs as she knows them (i.e. SSH is her infiltrator and played them all) as SSH has to watch her do it. Of course, since she is rather evil, she has a great deal of fun with it and also acts as of SSH is 'hers' in more ways than one just to twist the knife in more in Sung Yuri. And then she takes him away and tells him not to stray any more from what he is allowed or else (it's a kdrama, I am sure you can come up with some particularly gruesome punishment). But despite it all and despite the fact that SSH believes everyone at his host kingdom now hates him, he decides to work to liberate them and expiate his sin. Meanwhile, shockingly, Sung Yuri (who is held in confinement with the rest of the secondary royals) does NOT hate him - she can tell he fought for them in earnest and that he wanted to expiate and she also does not believe he does not love her. She manages escape and soon she is also raising hell...and it goes from there. I want a happy ending, but since this is a period Korean drama, it's dubious.

My Top 5 (sort of) drama ships, and my fantasy drama

Yes, I know, I am still working on my 5 favorites meme thing.

( Here are my 5 favorite drama OTPs behind the cut )

Clearly I like mobsters and other violent men as part of the OTP :P And yet, how could I leave out Gong Chan/Yu Ri, or Halu/Aki, or the OTP from Last Scandal? I could not, I love them just as much. Argh, evil question!!!!!!!!!!!!

While we are at it, I saw the 'fantasy drama' thing going around. Well, mine would be a period piece - it is during the period of time when there is more than one Kingdom in the area. One of them is run by an ambitious female ruler who wants to conquer the neighboring kingdom, so she sends in one of her specially trained spy/ninja type people to infiltrate - he is also a sort of 'favorite' of hers (whichever way you want to take it). To be played by Song Seung Heon.

The neighboring kingdom is run by a rather inefficient brother-sister pair and SSH infiltrates the court easily due to his mad skills - let's say he is accepted as a mercenary-general. He is disciplined and a little bit inhuman and very focused on his goals but due to unexpected events in his own kingdom (the Queen is facing some unrest) the invasion doesn't happen really quickly but instead he is left at that court for a while and he actually starts enjoying a human life - before on these missions it was always very quick and he never had time to get attached, plus the missions were never this big or important - sneaking into an enemy castle for a day to learn the layout etc is pretty different. So he now actually starts seeing these people who he is supposed to betray as people and also it's the first time he's been respected and treated as a normal person - back home people either freak about him or the Queen treats him as some sort of an exotic dangerous pet.

Oh, and did I mention that a niece of the King of this Kingdom (or some other member of the royal family) is an outspoken, fun Princess played by Sung Yuri and they fall in love with each other and then the order comes from his own Queen to help the invasion. He actually fights on the side of the 'good' guys in earnest but the damage from him earlier conveying information has been done and the 'good' guys lose and due to some circumstances, the Queen has no idea he betrayed her - but she does know he is in love with Sung Yuri and wasn't as cooperative as he should have been.

So she decides to take him away and punish him but she also takes great pleasure of informing the entire court + Sung Yuri of the true state of affairs as she knows them (i.e. SSH is her infiltrator and played them all) as SSH has to watch her do it. Of course, since she is rather evil, she has a great deal of fun with it and also acts as of SSH is 'hers' in more ways than one just to twist the knife in more in Sung Yuri. And then she takes him away and tells him not to stray any more from what he is allowed or else (it's a kdrama, I am sure you can come up with some particularly gruesome punishment). But despite it all and despite the fact that SSH believes everyone at his host kingdom now hates him, he decides to work to liberate them and expiate his sin. Meanwhile, shockingly, Sung Yuri (who is held in confinement with the rest of the secondary royals) does NOT hate him - she can tell he fought for them in earnest and that he wanted to expiate and she also does not believe he does not love her. She manages escape and soon she is also raising hell...and it goes from there. I want a happy ending, but since this is a period Korean drama, it's dubious.

My Top 5 (sort of) drama ships, and my fantasy drama

Yes, I know, I am still working on my 5 favorites meme thing.

( Here are my 5 favorite drama OTPs behind the cut )

Clearly I like mobsters and other violent men as part of the OTP :P And yet, how could I leave out Gong Chan/Yu Ri, or Halu/Aki, or the OTP from Last Scandal? I could not, I love them just as much. Argh, evil question!!!!!!!!!!!!

While we are at it, I saw the 'fantasy drama' thing going around. Well, mine would be a period piece - it is during the period of time when there is more than one Kingdom in the area. One of them is run by an ambitious female ruler who wants to conquer the neighboring kingdom, so she sends in one of her specially trained spy/ninja type people to infiltrate - he is also a sort of 'favorite' of hers (whichever way you want to take it). To be played by Song Seung Heon.

The neighboring kingdom is run by a rather inefficient brother-sister pair and SSH infiltrates the court easily due to his mad skills - let's say he is accepted as a mercenary-general. He is disciplined and a little bit inhuman and very focused on his goals but due to unexpected events in his own kingdom (the Queen is facing some unrest) the invasion doesn't happen really quickly but instead he is left at that court for a while and he actually starts enjoying a human life - before on these missions it was always very quick and he never had time to get attached, plus the missions were never this big or important - sneaking into an enemy castle for a day to learn the layout etc is pretty different. So he now actually starts seeing these people who he is supposed to betray as people and also it's the first time he's been respected and treated as a normal person - back home people either freak about him or the Queen treats him as some sort of an exotic dangerous pet.

Oh, and did I mention that a niece of the King of this Kingdom (or some other member of the royal family) is an outspoken, fun Princess played by Sung Yuri and they fall in love with each other and then the order comes from his own Queen to help the invasion. He actually fights on the side of the 'good' guys in earnest but the damage from him earlier conveying information has been done and the 'good' guys lose and due to some circumstances, the Queen has no idea he betrayed her - but she does know he is in love with Sung Yuri and wasn't as cooperative as he should have been.

So she decides to take him away and punish him but she also takes great pleasure of informing the entire court + Sung Yuri of the true state of affairs as she knows them (i.e. SSH is her infiltrator and played them all) as SSH has to watch her do it. Of course, since she is rather evil, she has a great deal of fun with it and also acts as of SSH is 'hers' in more ways than one just to twist the knife in more in Sung Yuri. And then she takes him away and tells him not to stray any more from what he is allowed or else (it's a kdrama, I am sure you can come up with some particularly gruesome punishment). But despite it all and despite the fact that SSH believes everyone at his host kingdom now hates him, he decides to work to liberate them and expiate his sin. Meanwhile, shockingly, Sung Yuri (who is held in confinement with the rest of the secondary royals) does NOT hate him - she can tell he fought for them in earnest and that he wanted to expiate and she also does not believe he does not love her. She manages escape and soon she is also raising hell...and it goes from there. I want a happy ending, but since this is a period Korean drama, it's dubious.

Thursday drama round-up

1. I am so excited for the upcoming 'special' (i.e. short) drama My Love, Ugly Duckling because it stars Kang Ji Hwan and Li Ji Ah, two of my favorites (Hong Gil Dong and Sujini - ahhhh).



Here is a youtube teaser - I still have no idea what it is about but who cares.

2. To the list of upcoming 2009 dramas I am excited about (Take Care of the Lady, Chuno, IRIS, Heading to the Ground) we add a fifth - Suspicious Heroes, about a guy who loses everything and then becomes some sort of a hero. Blah blah blah, who cares, it stars Lee Jun Ki and Han Ji Min. OMGOMGOMG. To air in November.

3. All those who are not watching Swallow the Sun, why not? As my list of favorite OTPs seemed to indicate, my preferred ship type is of the 'he worships the ground she walks on' variety and StS has it in such delicious abundance.



Here is a scene from ep 11 as summarized by Luv from soompi: JW was telling SH about his past...how he was abandoned right after he was born. He told her about the his memory of her bright eyes...he wanted to destroy the farm so she would like him. (She's rich and he's poor...if he destroys the farm then they'll be equal). But he knows...she's someone he can't have and he shed tears. He told himself that next time when they meet...he'll have confidence in himself.(This part is when they're still kids). But when they met again...he already sold his soul. He's shameful and can only look at her from far away. Falling in love with her would be a sin so he'll keep the pain to himself. SH said she had never seen eyes that were so sad. She said they should comfort each other and cure each other.



Mmm. And then he leaves her, leaving her a note that he will come back for sure and be worthy. Oh YES.

( See caps from such a delicious scene )

4. I have now watched the first episode of Worlds Within and I adore it ridiculously - is so lowkey but very effective.

Thursday drama round-up

1. I am so excited for the upcoming 'special' (i.e. short) drama My Love, Ugly Duckling because it stars Kang Ji Hwan and Li Ji Ah, two of my favorites (Hong Gil Dong and Sujini - ahhhh).



Here is a youtube teaser - I still have no idea what it is about but who cares.

2. To the list of upcoming 2009 dramas I am excited about (Take Care of the Lady, Chuno, IRIS, Heading to the Ground) we add a fifth - Suspicious Heroes, about a guy who loses everything and then becomes some sort of a hero. Blah blah blah, who cares, it stars Lee Jun Ki and Han Ji Min. OMGOMGOMG. To air in November.

3. All those who are not watching Swallow the Sun, why not? As my list of favorite OTPs seemed to indicate, my preferred ship type is of the 'he worships the ground she walks on' variety and StS has it in such delicious abundance.



Here is a scene from ep 11 as summarized by Luv from soompi: JW was telling SH about his past...how he was abandoned right after he was born. He told her about the his memory of her bright eyes...he wanted to destroy the farm so she would like him. (She's rich and he's poor...if he destroys the farm then they'll be equal). But he knows...she's someone he can't have and he shed tears. He told himself that next time when they meet...he'll have confidence in himself.(This part is when they're still kids). But when they met again...he already sold his soul. He's shameful and can only look at her from far away. Falling in love with her would be a sin so he'll keep the pain to himself. SH said she had never seen eyes that were so sad. She said they should comfort each other and cure each other.



Mmm. And then he leaves her, leaving her a note that he will come back for sure and be worthy. Oh YES.

( See caps from such a delicious scene )

4. I have now watched the first episode of Worlds Within and I adore it ridiculously - is so lowkey but very effective.

Thursday drama round-up

1. I am so excited for the upcoming 'special' (i.e. short) drama My Love, Ugly Duckling because it stars Kang Ji Hwan and Li Ji Ah, two of my favorites (Hong Gil Dong and Sujini - ahhhh).



Here is a youtube teaser - I still have no idea what it is about but who cares.

2. To the list of upcoming 2009 dramas I am excited about (Take Care of the Lady, Chuno, IRIS, Heading to the Ground) we add a fifth - Suspicious Heroes, about a guy who loses everything and then becomes some sort of a hero. Blah blah blah, who cares, it stars Lee Jun Ki and Han Ji Min. OMGOMGOMG. To air in November.

3. All those who are not watching Swallow the Sun, why not? As my list of favorite OTPs seemed to indicate, my preferred ship type is of the 'he worships the ground she walks on' variety and StS has it in such delicious abundance.



Here is a scene from ep 11 as summarized by Luv from soompi: JW was telling SH about his past...how he was abandoned right after he was born. He told her about the his memory of her bright eyes...he wanted to destroy the farm so she would like him. (She's rich and he's poor...if he destroys the farm then they'll be equal). But he knows...she's someone he can't have and he shed tears. He told himself that next time when they meet...he'll have confidence in himself.(This part is when they're still kids). But when they met again...he already sold his soul. He's shameful and can only look at her from far away. Falling in love with her would be a sin so he'll keep the pain to himself. SH said she had never seen eyes that were so sad. She said they should comfort each other and cure each other.



Mmm. And then he leaves her, leaving her a note that he will come back for sure and be worthy. Oh YES.

( See caps from such a delicious scene )

4. I have now watched the first episode of Worlds Within and I adore it ridiculously - is so lowkey but very effective.

Upcoming kdrama roster

UPCOMING KDRAMAS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:

Drama: Take Care of the Lady
Cast: Yoon Eun Hye, Yoon Sang Hyun, Jung Il Woo
Plot: Rich girl, plucky male butler, icy fiance.
Why: Silly romcom with sparkly cast
Start Time: August 19, 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Heading to the Ground
Cast: Yun Ho (I refuse to put in his full idiotic name), Go Ara
Plot: an aspiring soccer star and an aspiring promoter
Why: Cute leads, potentially adorable story
Start Time: September 9, 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: IRIS
Cast: Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Hee, Jung Jun Ho
Plot: Spies and assassins and love and chases and other awesomeness
Why: Are you freaking kidding me?
Start Time: October 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: You're Beautiful
Cast: Jang Geun Seok, Park Shin Hye
Plot: Idol boybanders
Why: Hong Sisters wrote it
Start Time: October 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Jae Joong Won
Cast: Yeon Jung Hoon, Han Hye Jin
Plot: Doctors in 19th century Korea
Why: I adore period dramas and seeing my huge crush YJH lead one is a dream come true
Start Time: November 2009 (Monday/Tuesday)

Drama: Suspicious Heroes
Cast: Lee Jin Ki, Han Ji Min
Plot: guy climbs out from pit of despair to become a hero. Fangirls rejoice
Why: the cast the cast the cast the cast
Start Time: November (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Chuno (Pursuing Servants)
Cast: Jang Hyuk, Oh Ji Ho, Lee Da Hae
Plot: A runaway slave and a slave catches who chases him
Why: I repeat what I said about IRIS: Are you freaking kidding me?
Start Time: December (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Paradise Meadow
Cast: Lee Yeon Hee, Changmin
Plot: Former divorcees fall for each other again
Why: I like LYH and I love the plot of former couple falling for each other again.
Start Time: Possibly December

Currently airing noteworthy dramas are Iron Empress, Queen Seon Deok, Dream, Friend (OMG), Swallow the Sun, Hon.

Recently ended dramas for this year that are supposed to be good: City Hall, Partner, Princess Ja Myung Ho, Brilliant Legacy.

Oh, and this is the year for that Telecinema project. Yay!

Two big 'avoid' dramas for me though - Tamra the Island (God, no, just looking at the posters make me gag!) and Smile - it stars Jun Pyo's fiance from Boys Over Flowers and the moment I watch anything with her in the leading role hell will freeze over - she was a horrible actress in a horrible role and just the thought of looking at her face enrages me.

Upcoming kdrama roster

UPCOMING KDRAMAS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:

Drama: Take Care of the Lady
Cast: Yoon Eun Hye, Yoon Sang Hyun, Jung Il Woo
Plot: Rich girl, plucky male butler, icy fiance.
Why: Silly romcom with sparkly cast
Start Time: August 19, 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Heading to the Ground
Cast: Yun Ho (I refuse to put in his full idiotic name), Go Ara
Plot: an aspiring soccer star and an aspiring promoter
Why: Cute leads, potentially adorable story
Start Time: September 9, 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: IRIS
Cast: Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Hee, Jung Jun Ho
Plot: Spies and assassins and love and chases and other awesomeness
Why: Are you freaking kidding me?
Start Time: October 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: You're Beautiful
Cast: Jang Geun Seok, Park Shin Hye
Plot: Idol boybanders
Why: Hong Sisters wrote it
Start Time: October 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Jae Joong Won
Cast: Yeon Jung Hoon, Han Hye Jin
Plot: Doctors in 19th century Korea
Why: I adore period dramas and seeing my huge crush YJH lead one is a dream come true
Start Time: November 2009 (Monday/Tuesday)

Drama: Suspicious Heroes
Cast: Lee Jin Ki, Han Ji Min
Plot: guy climbs out from pit of despair to become a hero. Fangirls rejoice
Why: the cast the cast the cast the cast
Start Time: November (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Chuno (Pursuing Servants)
Cast: Jang Hyuk, Oh Ji Ho, Lee Da Hae
Plot: A runaway slave and a slave catches who chases him
Why: I repeat what I said about IRIS: Are you freaking kidding me?
Start Time: December (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Paradise Meadow
Cast: Lee Yeon Hee, Changmin
Plot: Former divorcees fall for each other again
Why: I like LYH and I love the plot of former couple falling for each other again.
Start Time: Possibly December

Currently airing noteworthy dramas are Iron Empress, Queen Seon Deok, Dream, Friend (OMG), Swallow the Sun, Hon.

Recently ended dramas for this year that are supposed to be good: City Hall, Partner, Princess Ja Myung Ho, Brilliant Legacy.

Oh, and this is the year for that Telecinema project. Yay!

Two big 'avoid' dramas for me though - Tamra the Island (God, no, just looking at the posters make me gag!) and Smile - it stars Jun Pyo's fiance from Boys Over Flowers and the moment I watch anything with her in the leading role hell will freeze over - she was a horrible actress in a horrible role and just the thought of looking at her face enrages me.

Upcoming kdrama roster

UPCOMING KDRAMAS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:

Drama: Take Care of the Lady
Cast: Yoon Eun Hye, Yoon Sang Hyun, Jung Il Woo
Plot: Rich girl, plucky male butler, icy fiance.
Why: Silly romcom with sparkly cast
Start Time: August 19, 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Heading to the Ground
Cast: Yun Ho (I refuse to put in his full idiotic name), Go Ara
Plot: an aspiring soccer star and an aspiring promoter
Why: Cute leads, potentially adorable story
Start Time: September 9, 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: IRIS
Cast: Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Hee, Jung Jun Ho
Plot: Spies and assassins and love and chases and other awesomeness
Why: Are you freaking kidding me?
Start Time: October 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: You're Beautiful
Cast: Jang Geun Seok, Park Shin Hye
Plot: Idol boybanders
Why: Hong Sisters wrote it
Start Time: October 2009 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Jae Joong Won
Cast: Yeon Jung Hoon, Han Hye Jin
Plot: Doctors in 19th century Korea
Why: I adore period dramas and seeing my huge crush YJH lead one is a dream come true
Start Time: November 2009 (Monday/Tuesday)

Drama: Suspicious Heroes
Cast: Lee Jin Ki, Han Ji Min
Plot: guy climbs out from pit of despair to become a hero. Fangirls rejoice
Why: the cast the cast the cast the cast
Start Time: November (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Chuno (Pursuing Servants)
Cast: Jang Hyuk, Oh Ji Ho, Lee Da Hae
Plot: A runaway slave and a slave catches who chases him
Why: I repeat what I said about IRIS: Are you freaking kidding me?
Start Time: December (Wednesday/Thursday)

Drama: Paradise Meadow
Cast: Lee Yeon Hee, Changmin
Plot: Former divorcees fall for each other again
Why: I like LYH and I love the plot of former couple falling for each other again.
Start Time: Possibly December

Currently airing noteworthy dramas are Iron Empress, Queen Seon Deok, Dream, Friend (OMG), Swallow the Sun, Hon.

Recently ended dramas for this year that are supposed to be good: City Hall, Partner, Princess Ja Myung Ho, Brilliant Legacy.

Oh, and this is the year for that Telecinema project. Yay!

Two big 'avoid' dramas for me though - Tamra the Island (God, no, just looking at the posters make me gag!) and Smile - it stars Jun Pyo's fiance from Boys Over Flowers and the moment I watch anything with her in the leading role hell will freeze over - she was a horrible actress in a horrible role and just the thought of looking at her face enrages me.

Worlds Within: if there is perfection, this is it

I might be one of only 10 people out there but I am madly, ridiculously "can't tear myself away" in love with Worlds Within (also known as The World They Live In). I am currently on episode 3 and if it continues to be half as good, it's going into my favorite dramas of all time.




What is the story? It's a bit hard to explain - it is set in a television studio and involves lives of a number of characters but Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo are the protagonists. They are both production directors and they used to date some years ago and the relationship ended because of his going back to his ex-girlfriend with whom he has a dyfunctional off-on relationship and because Hye Kyo was "easy" (I don't mean sexually - thankfully this drama treats adult sexuality in an appropriately adult fashion - but emotionally facile - not exhibiting any depth or power in her feelings - seemingly shrugging everything off too easily.) But despite the relationship's end they are friends, even best friends, arguably. And as the story starts, it's clear that spark is still there ready to be rekindled.

WW came out last year and despite starring the popular (and beyond gorgeous) Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo flopped in the ratings like a stone. I can see why - it has its own rhythm and is, without doubt, the most understated drama I have ever seen from any country, double shocker because kdramas, unlike jdramas, usually wouldn't know understated if it came and bit them.

Normally I am all for big splashy "in love with my terminally ill stepsibling" type dramas but for some reason WW grabbed me and won't let go - maybe because somehow it feels so freaking real that it's not at all like watching a drama but peeking into someone's life, real life, without them knowing. Its conversations and interactions, skipping from poetic to mundane but avoiding any melodrama utterly feel like those I could observe between people I know - I could see myself as one of the characters, which has never happened to me with any drama.

Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo have ridiculously amazing chemistry together, one of the best I have ever seen and it carries through all their interactions - there are no grand over-the-top gestures but the drama is shot through with their comfort and familiarity - the scene that really stands out to me is when they are in some diner and she is engrossed in reading a script and he sees she is about to reach for her cup of tea which is a bit out of her reach so he quietly moves the cup closer so she could find it without taking her eyes away from the page. It's just --- I know I keep saying it, but it's so realistic.

It's a drama if a French arthouse movie makers made one, or the people who made Before Sunrise/Before Sunset. I am so very very in love.

( A few caps from ep 2, courtesy of dramabeans )

An awesome shippy MV for the drama:

I know a number of flisters tried and didn't care for this drama. Fair enough. But if you haven't, I really recommend checking it out - you might love it. I certainly did.

Worlds Within: if there is perfection, this is it

I might be one of only 10 people out there but I am madly, ridiculously "can't tear myself away" in love with Worlds Within (also known as The World They Live In). I am currently on episode 3 and if it continues to be half as good, it's going into my favorite dramas of all time.




What is the story? It's a bit hard to explain - it is set in a television studio and involves lives of a number of characters but Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo are the protagonists. They are both production directors and they used to date some years ago and the relationship ended because of his going back to his ex-girlfriend with whom he has a dyfunctional off-on relationship and because Hye Kyo was "easy" (I don't mean sexually - thankfully this drama treats adult sexuality in an appropriately adult fashion - but emotionally facile - not exhibiting any depth or power in her feelings - seemingly shrugging everything off too easily.) But despite the relationship's end they are friends, even best friends, arguably. And as the story starts, it's clear that spark is still there ready to be rekindled.

WW came out last year and despite starring the popular (and beyond gorgeous) Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo flopped in the ratings like a stone. I can see why - it has its own rhythm and is, without doubt, the most understated drama I have ever seen from any country, double shocker because kdramas, unlike jdramas, usually wouldn't know understated if it came and bit them.

Normally I am all for big splashy "in love with my terminally ill stepsibling" type dramas but for some reason WW grabbed me and won't let go - maybe because somehow it feels so freaking real that it's not at all like watching a drama but peeking into someone's life, real life, without them knowing. Its conversations and interactions, skipping from poetic to mundane but avoiding any melodrama utterly feel like those I could observe between people I know - I could see myself as one of the characters, which has never happened to me with any drama.

Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo have ridiculously amazing chemistry together, one of the best I have ever seen and it carries through all their interactions - there are no grand over-the-top gestures but the drama is shot through with their comfort and familiarity - the scene that really stands out to me is when they are in some diner and she is engrossed in reading a script and he sees she is about to reach for her cup of tea which is a bit out of her reach so he quietly moves the cup closer so she could find it without taking her eyes away from the page. It's just --- I know I keep saying it, but it's so realistic.

It's a drama if a French arthouse movie makers made one, or the people who made Before Sunrise/Before Sunset. I am so very very in love.

( A few caps from ep 2, courtesy of dramabeans )

An awesome shippy MV for the drama:

I know a number of flisters tried and didn't care for this drama. Fair enough. But if you haven't, I really recommend checking it out - you might love it. I certainly did.

Worlds Within: if there is perfection, this is it

I might be one of only 10 people out there but I am madly, ridiculously "can't tear myself away" in love with Worlds Within (also known as The World They Live In). I am currently on episode 3 and if it continues to be half as good, it's going into my favorite dramas of all time.




What is the story? It's a bit hard to explain - it is set in a television studio and involves lives of a number of characters but Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo are the protagonists. They are both production directors and they used to date some years ago and the relationship ended because of his going back to his ex-girlfriend with whom he has a dyfunctional off-on relationship and because Hye Kyo was "easy" (I don't mean sexually - thankfully this drama treats adult sexuality in an appropriately adult fashion - but emotionally facile - not exhibiting any depth or power in her feelings - seemingly shrugging everything off too easily.) But despite the relationship's end they are friends, even best friends, arguably. And as the story starts, it's clear that spark is still there ready to be rekindled.

WW came out last year and despite starring the popular (and beyond gorgeous) Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo flopped in the ratings like a stone. I can see why - it has its own rhythm and is, without doubt, the most understated drama I have ever seen from any country, double shocker because kdramas, unlike jdramas, usually wouldn't know understated if it came and bit them.

Normally I am all for big splashy "in love with my terminally ill stepsibling" type dramas but for some reason WW grabbed me and won't let go - maybe because somehow it feels so freaking real that it's not at all like watching a drama but peeking into someone's life, real life, without them knowing. Its conversations and interactions, skipping from poetic to mundane but avoiding any melodrama utterly feel like those I could observe between people I know - I could see myself as one of the characters, which has never happened to me with any drama.

Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo have ridiculously amazing chemistry together, one of the best I have ever seen and it carries through all their interactions - there are no grand over-the-top gestures but the drama is shot through with their comfort and familiarity - the scene that really stands out to me is when they are in some diner and she is engrossed in reading a script and he sees she is about to reach for her cup of tea which is a bit out of her reach so he quietly moves the cup closer so she could find it without taking her eyes away from the page. It's just --- I know I keep saying it, but it's so realistic.

It's a drama if a French arthouse movie makers made one, or the people who made Before Sunrise/Before Sunset. I am so very very in love.

( A few caps from ep 2, courtesy of dramabeans )

An awesome shippy MV for the drama:

I know a number of flisters tried and didn't care for this drama. Fair enough. But if you haven't, I really recommend checking it out - you might love it. I certainly did.