OK, I really need a Yang icon

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

IN FRONT OF THE EMPEROR, FOUR JUST VOLUNTEERED TO GET INFECTED WITH A DEADLY PAINFUL POISON SO LADY DOCTOR CAN PROVE TO THE COURT SHE CAME UP WITH A CURE AND THE COURT WILL THEN ALLOW IT TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN THE SUFFERING BORDER CITY!!!! Even though she's never tested it on humans and this thing is fatal without the cure and a really really painful way to go!!!

COSMIC SCREAM!!!!!

OK, it's one thing to trust and believe in your fiance's competency and encourage her to be confident in her cures, and it's another thing to do this!

OH FOUR, YOU CRAZY AMAZING LUNATIC!

ILY.

Of course, it turns out Mama Yang is infected for real, so she is the one who takes the antidote which, of course, works perfectly, because Lady Doctor is incredibly competent.

( A bunch of caps, mainly Four and Five with their ships )

OK, I really need a Yang icon

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

IN FRONT OF THE EMPEROR, FOUR JUST VOLUNTEERED TO GET INFECTED WITH A DEADLY PAINFUL POISON SO LADY DOCTOR CAN PROVE TO THE COURT SHE CAME UP WITH A CURE AND THE COURT WILL THEN ALLOW IT TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN THE SUFFERING BORDER CITY!!!! Even though she's never tested it on humans and this thing is fatal without the cure and a really really painful way to go!!!

COSMIC SCREAM!!!!!

OK, it's one thing to trust and believe in your fiance's competency and encourage her to be confident in her cures, and it's another thing to do this!

OH FOUR, YOU CRAZY AMAZING LUNATIC!

ILY.

Of course, it turns out Mama Yang is infected for real, so she is the one who takes the antidote which, of course, works perfectly, because Lady Doctor is incredibly competent.

( A bunch of caps, mainly Four and Five with their ships )

OK, I really need a Yang icon

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

IN FRONT OF THE EMPEROR, FOUR JUST VOLUNTEERED TO GET INFECTED WITH A DEADLY PAINFUL POISON SO LADY DOCTOR CAN PROVE TO THE COURT SHE CAME UP WITH A CURE AND THE COURT WILL THEN ALLOW IT TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN THE SUFFERING BORDER CITY!!!! Even though she's never tested it on humans and this thing is fatal without the cure and a really really painful way to go!!!

COSMIC SCREAM!!!!!

OK, it's one thing to trust and believe in your fiance's competency and encourage her to be confident in her cures, and it's another thing to do this!

OH FOUR, YOU CRAZY AMAZING LUNATIC!

ILY.

Of course, it turns out Mama Yang is infected for real, so she is the one who takes the antidote which, of course, works perfectly, because Lady Doctor is incredibly competent.

( A bunch of caps, mainly Four and Five with their ships )

The Duo - to watch or not to watch (and a bit on kdramas in general)

As you can tell, kdramas have largely disappointed me this year.

I am wondering if checking out The Duo may break that streak. Period dramas are my favorite genre, even if I generally prefer Chinese ones to their Korean counterparts

But the big problem is, the adults finally entered TD's story, nine (!!!!) episodes in. And when I consider that in order to watch Chun Jung Myung and the rest do their thing, I first have to watch 8+ hours of kids and teens, I blanch. Watching dramas should not feel like a chore. But that is the problem with having such a long intro - by the time the grown-ups show up, I lose interest. It's one thing if there were recaps and I can catch up that way but as is - ugh.

It doesn't help that while I like Chun Jung Myung, I am not into him enough to want to check out something he's in just because he's in it. And there is an almost total radio silence on my flist about this drama. I've checked out dramas I've initially dismissed because my flist loved them and was so persuasive (Baker King, Brilliant Legacy) but I hear nothing about TD.

As things stand, I am tempted to use my giant cdrama backlog to satisfy my period drama craving and just wait for Crime Squad/49 Days/Royal Family/Thorn Birds to start for my kdrama needs.

So, to watch or not to watch?

The Duo - to watch or not to watch (and a bit on kdramas in general)

As you can tell, kdramas have largely disappointed me this year.

I am wondering if checking out The Duo may break that streak. Period dramas are my favorite genre, even if I generally prefer Chinese ones to their Korean counterparts

But the big problem is, the adults finally entered TD's story, nine (!!!!) episodes in. And when I consider that in order to watch Chun Jung Myung and the rest do their thing, I first have to watch 8+ hours of kids and teens, I blanch. Watching dramas should not feel like a chore. But that is the problem with having such a long intro - by the time the grown-ups show up, I lose interest. It's one thing if there were recaps and I can catch up that way but as is - ugh.

It doesn't help that while I like Chun Jung Myung, I am not into him enough to want to check out something he's in just because he's in it. And there is an almost total radio silence on my flist about this drama. I've checked out dramas I've initially dismissed because my flist loved them and was so persuasive (Baker King, Brilliant Legacy) but I hear nothing about TD.

As things stand, I am tempted to use my giant cdrama backlog to satisfy my period drama craving and just wait for Crime Squad/49 Days/Royal Family/Thorn Birds to start for my kdrama needs.

So, to watch or not to watch?

The Duo - to watch or not to watch (and a bit on kdramas in general)

As you can tell, kdramas have largely disappointed me this year.

I am wondering if checking out The Duo may break that streak. Period dramas are my favorite genre, even if I generally prefer Chinese ones to their Korean counterparts

But the big problem is, the adults finally entered TD's story, nine (!!!!) episodes in. And when I consider that in order to watch Chun Jung Myung and the rest do their thing, I first have to watch 8+ hours of kids and teens, I blanch. Watching dramas should not feel like a chore. But that is the problem with having such a long intro - by the time the grown-ups show up, I lose interest. It's one thing if there were recaps and I can catch up that way but as is - ugh.

It doesn't help that while I like Chun Jung Myung, I am not into him enough to want to check out something he's in just because he's in it. And there is an almost total radio silence on my flist about this drama. I've checked out dramas I've initially dismissed because my flist loved them and was so persuasive (Baker King, Brilliant Legacy) but I hear nothing about TD.

As things stand, I am tempted to use my giant cdrama backlog to satisfy my period drama craving and just wait for Crime Squad/49 Days/Royal Family/Thorn Birds to start for my kdrama needs.

So, to watch or not to watch?

(no subject)

I made the mistake of checking the last episode of Young Warriors of the Yang Clan. Only five minutes of it.

Big mistake.

Am crying and shaking and need to lie down and noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Fuck.

I will never forgive you, drama. Ever. ( one sentence spoiler )

Yes, I was spoiled for the ending when I went in. It still does not matter.

(no subject)

I made the mistake of checking the last episode of Young Warriors of the Yang Clan. Only five minutes of it.

Big mistake.

Am crying and shaking and need to lie down and noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Fuck.

I will never forgive you, drama. Ever. ( one sentence spoiler )

Yes, I was spoiled for the ending when I went in. It still does not matter.

(no subject)

I made the mistake of checking the last episode of Young Warriors of the Yang Clan. Only five minutes of it.

Big mistake.

Am crying and shaking and need to lie down and noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Fuck.

I will never forgive you, drama. Ever. ( one sentence spoiler )

Yes, I was spoiled for the ending when I went in. It still does not matter.

Things that were amazing in the last couple of episodes

Yes, that is Mama Yang pwning everyone on the battlefield.

( More more more more more )

Things that were amazing in the last couple of episodes

Yes, that is Mama Yang pwning everyone on the battlefield.

( More more more more more )

Things that were amazing in the last couple of episodes

Yes, that is Mama Yang pwning everyone on the battlefield.

( More more more more more )

LJ FYI

Comment notifications are down.

Just so you know.

LJ FYI

Comment notifications are down.

Just so you know.

LJ FYI

Comment notifications are down.

Just so you know.

Top 5 dramas of each country

I like lists, but more importantly, I think this serves as a vry short-hand guide to my tastes. If you hate most dramas on this list, my recs are probably useless to you. It also shows a lot of my preferences - there are a lot of historical dramas on this and nary a romcom.

China/Hong Kong:

1. The Myth
2. Three Kingdoms
3. Young Warriors of the Yang Clan
4. Legend of the Condor Heroes 2008
5. Return of the Condor Heroes 2006
5. (tie) Jade Palace Lock Heart

Japan:

1. Love Shuffle
2. Aishiteiru to Itte Kure
3. Pride
4. Itoshi Kimi E
5. Hana Yori Dango 1/2

Korea:

1. Worlds Within
2. Mawang/The Devil
3. The Legend/First King's Four Gods
4. Capital Scandal
5. Chuno/Slave Hunters

Taiwan:

1. Mars
1. The Outsiders 1/2
2. Black and White
3. Meteor Garden
4. My Lucky Star
5. Why Why Love
5. (tie) To Get Her
5. (tie, yes I know) Endless Love

One note: dramas I haven't seen enough of (notably Sunny Happiness) are not on the list but may be later :)

Let's see. Out of 24 dramas, 9 are period dramas (all of cdramas and 3 of kdramas). The closest we come to a conventional romcom is Why Why Love. Hmmmm. Actors who appear most are: Hu Ge and Vic Zhou - three times each. Fair enough, seeing I adore them.

Top 5 dramas of each country

I like lists, but more importantly, I think this serves as a vry short-hand guide to my tastes. If you hate most dramas on this list, my recs are probably useless to you. It also shows a lot of my preferences - there are a lot of historical dramas on this and nary a romcom.

China/Hong Kong:

1. The Myth
2. Three Kingdoms
3. Young Warriors of the Yang Clan
4. Legend of the Condor Heroes 2008
5. Return of the Condor Heroes 2006
5. (tie) Jade Palace Lock Heart

Japan:

1. Love Shuffle
2. Aishiteiru to Itte Kure
3. Pride
4. Itoshi Kimi E
5. Hana Yori Dango 1/2

Korea:

1. Worlds Within
2. Mawang/The Devil
3. The Legend/First King's Four Gods
4. Capital Scandal
5. Chuno/Slave Hunters

Taiwan:

1. Mars
1. The Outsiders 1/2
2. Black and White
3. Meteor Garden
4. My Lucky Star
5. Why Why Love
5. (tie) To Get Her
5. (tie, yes I know) Endless Love

One note: dramas I haven't seen enough of (notably Sunny Happiness) are not on the list but may be later :)

Let's see. Out of 24 dramas, 9 are period dramas (all of cdramas and 3 of kdramas). The closest we come to a conventional romcom is Why Why Love. Hmmmm. Actors who appear most are: Hu Ge and Vic Zhou - three times each. Fair enough, seeing I adore them.

Top 5 dramas of each country

I like lists, but more importantly, I think this serves as a vry short-hand guide to my tastes. If you hate most dramas on this list, my recs are probably useless to you. It also shows a lot of my preferences - there are a lot of historical dramas on this and nary a romcom.

China/Hong Kong:

1. The Myth
2. Three Kingdoms
3. Young Warriors of the Yang Clan
4. Legend of the Condor Heroes 2008
5. Return of the Condor Heroes 2006
5. (tie) Jade Palace Lock Heart

Japan:

1. Love Shuffle
2. Aishiteiru to Itte Kure
3. Pride
4. Itoshi Kimi E
5. Hana Yori Dango 1/2

Korea:

1. Worlds Within
2. Mawang/The Devil
3. The Legend/First King's Four Gods
4. Capital Scandal
5. Chuno/Slave Hunters

Taiwan:

1. Mars
1. The Outsiders 1/2
2. Black and White
3. Meteor Garden
4. My Lucky Star
5. Why Why Love
5. (tie) To Get Her
5. (tie, yes I know) Endless Love

One note: dramas I haven't seen enough of (notably Sunny Happiness) are not on the list but may be later :)

Let's see. Out of 24 dramas, 9 are period dramas (all of cdramas and 3 of kdramas). The closest we come to a conventional romcom is Why Why Love. Hmmmm. Actors who appear most are: Hu Ge and Vic Zhou - three times each. Fair enough, seeing I adore them.

The loveliest twdrama you've never watched

I am getting a mad craving to rewatch To Get Her, a twdrama starring Jiro Wang and Rainie Yang. I love TGH so and find it so ridiculously underrated it's criminal.

The story, involving a washed-out former idol who enrolls in a college and his landlady/fellow student - who is a manga-obsessed otaku not terribly interested in or good with people, brims so much with tenderness, with off-beat delicate charm, that I remember tearing up at random odd scenes.

When it came out, TGH took me completely by surprise - with such a 'wacky' premise and Jiro and Rainie as the leads, I was expecting a lot of random faces and OTT but it's a very quiet, understated story with a quirky, indie vibe (sure, there are one or two OTT scenes in the beginning but the bare minimum possible and they disappear entirely as a drama progresses). This is the drama that made me truly fall in love with both Jiro and Rainie. Jiro embues his man-child trying to grow up and cope with the world that changed from under him with so much sweetness, vulnerability, and honesty, that you can't help but love him. Mars is one of those rare drama characters you'd not mind being around in real life. And Rainie is a huge hit-or-miss actress with me (Miss No Good, anyone? *shudder*) but she is luminescent here as an odd girl content in her oddness (there are no make-overs in this drama - she does not become a gregarious, gorgeously-dressed butterfly. She is loved for who she is) who has all these barriers but once you get past them, is infinitely tender and caring.

Mars and Momo together just work. They are a couple not just because the drama pushes them together and tells you to like it, they are a couple because they become each other's best friends, confidantes, soulmates. They take care of each other, they fight, they make up. They are necessary for each other's wellbeing. And oh, they have some ridiculously crackling chemistry. Sometimes I wanted to look away.

And in a way, their love story is so lovely because, like the best twdrama love stories, it's about finding the truth behind the person's masks. Despite their polar opposite images - a washed-out idol is miles away from a dedicated otaku - they are both outsiders trapped by their personas/perceived only for them. Everyone treats Momo as a weird/untoucheable freak without bothering to look at the girl within. And Mars is perceived by everyone around him as having value only for his former celebrity status or maybe being a beefcake/piece-of-meat to play with. While the reality is infinitely more complicated and the two of them find the person hidden within.

OK, enough of my blathering. Have this lovely MV:

I am off :)

The loveliest twdrama you've never watched

I am getting a mad craving to rewatch To Get Her, a twdrama starring Jiro Wang and Rainie Yang. I love TGH so and find it so ridiculously underrated it's criminal.

The story, involving a washed-out former idol who enrolls in a college and his landlady/fellow student - who is a manga-obsessed otaku not terribly interested in or good with people, brims so much with tenderness, with off-beat delicate charm, that I remember tearing up at random odd scenes.

When it came out, TGH took me completely by surprise - with such a 'wacky' premise and Jiro and Rainie as the leads, I was expecting a lot of random faces and OTT but it's a very quiet, understated story with a quirky, indie vibe (sure, there are one or two OTT scenes in the beginning but the bare minimum possible and they disappear entirely as a drama progresses). This is the drama that made me truly fall in love with both Jiro and Rainie. Jiro embues his man-child trying to grow up and cope with the world that changed from under him with so much sweetness, vulnerability, and honesty, that you can't help but love him. Mars is one of those rare drama characters you'd not mind being around in real life. And Rainie is a huge hit-or-miss actress with me (Miss No Good, anyone? *shudder*) but she is luminescent here as an odd girl content in her oddness (there are no make-overs in this drama - she does not become a gregarious, gorgeously-dressed butterfly. She is loved for who she is) who has all these barriers but once you get past them, is infinitely tender and caring.

Mars and Momo together just work. They are a couple not just because the drama pushes them together and tells you to like it, they are a couple because they become each other's best friends, confidantes, soulmates. They take care of each other, they fight, they make up. They are necessary for each other's wellbeing. And oh, they have some ridiculously crackling chemistry. Sometimes I wanted to look away.

And in a way, their love story is so lovely because, like the best twdrama love stories, it's about finding the truth behind the person's masks. Despite their polar opposite images - a washed-out idol is miles away from a dedicated otaku - they are both outsiders trapped by their personas/perceived only for them. Everyone treats Momo as a weird/untoucheable freak without bothering to look at the girl within. And Mars is perceived by everyone around him as having value only for his former celebrity status or maybe being a beefcake/piece-of-meat to play with. While the reality is infinitely more complicated and the two of them find the person hidden within.

OK, enough of my blathering. Have this lovely MV:

I am off :)

The loveliest twdrama you've never watched

I am getting a mad craving to rewatch To Get Her, a twdrama starring Jiro Wang and Rainie Yang. I love TGH so and find it so ridiculously underrated it's criminal.

The story, involving a washed-out former idol who enrolls in a college and his landlady/fellow student - who is a manga-obsessed otaku not terribly interested in or good with people, brims so much with tenderness, with off-beat delicate charm, that I remember tearing up at random odd scenes.

When it came out, TGH took me completely by surprise - with such a 'wacky' premise and Jiro and Rainie as the leads, I was expecting a lot of random faces and OTT but it's a very quiet, understated story with a quirky, indie vibe (sure, there are one or two OTT scenes in the beginning but the bare minimum possible and they disappear entirely as a drama progresses). This is the drama that made me truly fall in love with both Jiro and Rainie. Jiro embues his man-child trying to grow up and cope with the world that changed from under him with so much sweetness, vulnerability, and honesty, that you can't help but love him. Mars is one of those rare drama characters you'd not mind being around in real life. And Rainie is a huge hit-or-miss actress with me (Miss No Good, anyone? *shudder*) but she is luminescent here as an odd girl content in her oddness (there are no make-overs in this drama - she does not become a gregarious, gorgeously-dressed butterfly. She is loved for who she is) who has all these barriers but once you get past them, is infinitely tender and caring.

Mars and Momo together just work. They are a couple not just because the drama pushes them together and tells you to like it, they are a couple because they become each other's best friends, confidantes, soulmates. They take care of each other, they fight, they make up. They are necessary for each other's wellbeing. And oh, they have some ridiculously crackling chemistry. Sometimes I wanted to look away.

And in a way, their love story is so lovely because, like the best twdrama love stories, it's about finding the truth behind the person's masks. Despite their polar opposite images - a washed-out idol is miles away from a dedicated otaku - they are both outsiders trapped by their personas/perceived only for them. Everyone treats Momo as a weird/untoucheable freak without bothering to look at the girl within. And Mars is perceived by everyone around him as having value only for his former celebrity status or maybe being a beefcake/piece-of-meat to play with. While the reality is infinitely more complicated and the two of them find the person hidden within.

OK, enough of my blathering. Have this lovely MV:

I am off :)

The switch! The switch has flipped!

You all know the switch I am talking about - the one which transforms a drama (or book or movie or...) that you are enjoying into something you simply can't be without and must see more of, all the while being emotionally invested like a lunatic. All of a sudden, they cease to be characters to you and become people, people you love and care and worry for. When that happens, there is no way back - you are hooked, you must continue, and you will love it to the bitter end. Many (most) dramas don't get there, but the ones that do - that is why I watch dramas, after all.

And, you guys, the switch just flipped on for my with Sunny Happiness! Six episodes in, it just went from 'entertaining and well-made, I don't mind watching more' to 'must must must must watch more I love them so much want want want'. I can pinpoint the exact scene it happened, actually - when Yun Jie and Yong Yong (that's Mike He and Janine Chang's characters' names btw - you know it's bad when I learn names) went drinking after YJ met his son. The scene with them talking in the bar, quietly, with Yun Jie having his reserve slowly broken by the double whammy of emotional overload and wine, and thus actually opening up and pouring his heart out about his life and what he hopes for and thinks to Yong Yong in a scene that felt so very real, just - it got me. There is no other way to explain. Suddenly the drama went from fun to loved.

And then the scene with her having to drag him to her home, as the normally control-freak YJ gets to be the funniest, most inconvenient, adorable drunk ever - it's like the cherry on top of the sundae. I giggled my way through that scene. But in a happy, adoring, loving way. Because SH finally got my heart and it is not giving it up any time soon.

If I combine watching this with Young Warriors of the Yang Clan - that's a hell of a twofer.

The switch! The switch has flipped!

You all know the switch I am talking about - the one which transforms a drama (or book or movie or...) that you are enjoying into something you simply can't be without and must see more of, all the while being emotionally invested like a lunatic. All of a sudden, they cease to be characters to you and become people, people you love and care and worry for. When that happens, there is no way back - you are hooked, you must continue, and you will love it to the bitter end. Many (most) dramas don't get there, but the ones that do - that is why I watch dramas, after all.

And, you guys, the switch just flipped on for my with Sunny Happiness! Six episodes in, it just went from 'entertaining and well-made, I don't mind watching more' to 'must must must must watch more I love them so much want want want'. I can pinpoint the exact scene it happened, actually - when Yun Jie and Yong Yong (that's Mike He and Janine Chang's characters' names btw - you know it's bad when I learn names) went drinking after YJ met his son. The scene with them talking in the bar, quietly, with Yun Jie having his reserve slowly broken by the double whammy of emotional overload and wine, and thus actually opening up and pouring his heart out about his life and what he hopes for and thinks to Yong Yong in a scene that felt so very real, just - it got me. There is no other way to explain. Suddenly the drama went from fun to loved.

And then the scene with her having to drag him to her home, as the normally control-freak YJ gets to be the funniest, most inconvenient, adorable drunk ever - it's like the cherry on top of the sundae. I giggled my way through that scene. But in a happy, adoring, loving way. Because SH finally got my heart and it is not giving it up any time soon.

If I combine watching this with Young Warriors of the Yang Clan - that's a hell of a twofer.

The switch! The switch has flipped!

You all know the switch I am talking about - the one which transforms a drama (or book or movie or...) that you are enjoying into something you simply can't be without and must see more of, all the while being emotionally invested like a lunatic. All of a sudden, they cease to be characters to you and become people, people you love and care and worry for. When that happens, there is no way back - you are hooked, you must continue, and you will love it to the bitter end. Many (most) dramas don't get there, but the ones that do - that is why I watch dramas, after all.

And, you guys, the switch just flipped on for my with Sunny Happiness! Six episodes in, it just went from 'entertaining and well-made, I don't mind watching more' to 'must must must must watch more I love them so much want want want'. I can pinpoint the exact scene it happened, actually - when Yun Jie and Yong Yong (that's Mike He and Janine Chang's characters' names btw - you know it's bad when I learn names) went drinking after YJ met his son. The scene with them talking in the bar, quietly, with Yun Jie having his reserve slowly broken by the double whammy of emotional overload and wine, and thus actually opening up and pouring his heart out about his life and what he hopes for and thinks to Yong Yong in a scene that felt so very real, just - it got me. There is no other way to explain. Suddenly the drama went from fun to loved.

And then the scene with her having to drag him to her home, as the normally control-freak YJ gets to be the funniest, most inconvenient, adorable drunk ever - it's like the cherry on top of the sundae. I giggled my way through that scene. But in a happy, adoring, loving way. Because SH finally got my heart and it is not giving it up any time soon.

If I combine watching this with Young Warriors of the Yang Clan - that's a hell of a twofer.