Most anticipated of the rest of 2012
Jul. 1st, 2012 10:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dangermousieYes, I know we are in the midst of a great drama season, but what can I say, I like to look ahead. Here are my Top 10 Most Anticipated, from least to most...
10. To The Beautiful You - I like schadenfreude - this adaptation of Hana Kimi, starring a bunch of idols, is bound to be horrific. The only thing better than a genuinely good drama, is a drama so bad it's fun to watch and mock. Please be this!
9. May Queen - here just for the cast. Shipping empires is not a topic that interests me, but it stars Han Hyo Joo, Jae Hee and Kim Jae Won - my kryptonite, all of them. Though please tell me Kim Jae Won is not the second lead or, if he is, that he gets his own OTP.
8. Horse Doctor - there is no way this list would not have at least one nice, traditional sageuk on the list. This one has a rock-solid cast and a pedigreed behind-the-scenes crew, even if the topic of a veterinarian becoming a royal doctor doesn't sound like a rockin' party time.
7. The Great Seer - speaking of traditional sageuks, if I had to limit myself to just one upcoming one, this one would win. I like the cast better, being a fan of most of the leads - Ji Jin Hee, Kim So Yeon, Go Soo (has he ever been in a sageuk before?), Song Chang Ui. Plus, the topic of divination and power is more my bag than medicine. Bring it on!
6. City Conquest - first, the bad - it stars Kim Hyun Joong, who is a work of art, looks-wise, but cannot act. It is also written by the writer of the trainwreck 'Lie to Me.' Still with me, guys? HOWEVER, despite his lack of acting skills, I find KHJ has a likeable screen presence and I have enjoyed him in his previous two dramas (there is also a chance he magically got better, but I am not that much of an optimist). The director is the one who did my obsession IRIS. But what draws me in is the story - based on a manhwa, this is the story of a young man who seeks revenge on society for the ruin of his family but, of course, inevitably falls in love.
5. Haeundae Lovers - it seems to be 'Time Between Dog and Wolf' as a comedy. I confess my interest went down when I realized that the rumors of Ji Sung starring were unsubstantiated and this will star Kim Kang Woo instead (nothing against the latter, but I am a big Ji Sung fan). Still, the premise, of an undercover cop who gets amnesia and believes he's really a gangster, while falling for a mob boss' daughter, seems rife with potential. Especially since the writer is the same one who did my darling City Hunter.
4. Five Fingers - About a family of pianists and evilness and birth secrets. Yes, it's a 50-episode makjang, but that won't stop me. This is the small-screen comeback of one of my earliest and biggest drama loves, Joo Ji Hoon, whose last drama was in 2007. (Said drama, Mawang, is my favorite kdrama, bar none). At this point, I'd watch it if it was puppet theater. JJH is not the only draw - I am genuinely interested - I am a lot fonder of both long dramas and makjang than most of my flisties, and the potential for angsty shippping and photogenic misery is darling. It costars Eunjung (Coffee House) as a leading lady and I like her, plus Ji Chang Wook (Warrior Baek Dong Soo) as evil incarnate, so the cast makes me happy in my happy place. Now make Joo Ji Hoon have a shower of manpain, drama!
3. Arang and the Magistrate - Lee Junki is back on my screen! In a period supernatural melodrama mystery involving a female ghost seeking justice. Said ghost is played by Shin Minah and there is a romance between her and LJK. How do I love this, let me count the ways: (a) A period drama; (b) Starring two of my all-time favorites, after a long break; (c) All the stills released are painting-gorgeous; (d) A really rarely-done concept; (e) and I am sure the romance will be beyond angsty, seeing she's a ghost.
2. Nice Guy - the more years I watch dramas, the more I realize that the writer is more important than anything, actors or PD included. No actor or PD, however accomplished, can save a badly-written drama. Luckily, this drama is a perfect combination - it stars Song Jung Ki (who blew me away in Tree with Deep Roots, and for whom this is his first leading drama role) opposite Moon Chae Won but, even more excitingly, it is written by the sublime Lee Kyung Hee, who has written drama after drama I adored. Nice Guy is a dark romantic melodrama (my favorite genre, second only to period dramas) about a man who wants to use a young woman for vengeance but ends up falling for her instead. The last time LKH did a dark, vengeance-driven romance, she gave us A Love to Kill, which was incredibly polarizing, but remains my favorite melodrama of all time (all right, tied with Snow Queen) and is in my Top 5 dramas, period. Add in Song Joong Ki's intensity and my love for Moon Chae Won, and I am sold. Beyond sold.
1. Faith - About a general who time-travels to the present to bring a doctor back for his princess, and the surgeon who ends up accompanying him back in time, this is my most anticipated drama of 2012 by far (it was vying with Bridal Mask for that slot and BM is currently airing). It would take a miracle for this drama to not appeal to me, seeing that it is written by the legendary Song Jina, who has yet to write a drama that didn't work for me, and that this is a reunion of Song Jina with her PD from Legend, a drama that is one of my all-time favorites. It is also set around the Mongolian invasions and is a fusion sageuk (so was Legend!) involving time-travel and starring Lee Min Ho, my huge crush, and the star of City Hunter, one of my all-time favorite dramas, in his first sageuek role as a general. Kim Hee Sun is beautiful and underappreciated (I must be one of 10 people who loved Smile Again) and I think will be great opposite him. Plus, on a shallow note, it will also star Lee Phillip (Legend, Secret Garden) and Sung Hoon (New Tales of Gisaeng), so if your hormones are not overwhelmed, there might be something wrong with you.
10. To The Beautiful You - I like schadenfreude - this adaptation of Hana Kimi, starring a bunch of idols, is bound to be horrific. The only thing better than a genuinely good drama, is a drama so bad it's fun to watch and mock. Please be this!
9. May Queen - here just for the cast. Shipping empires is not a topic that interests me, but it stars Han Hyo Joo, Jae Hee and Kim Jae Won - my kryptonite, all of them. Though please tell me Kim Jae Won is not the second lead or, if he is, that he gets his own OTP.
8. Horse Doctor - there is no way this list would not have at least one nice, traditional sageuk on the list. This one has a rock-solid cast and a pedigreed behind-the-scenes crew, even if the topic of a veterinarian becoming a royal doctor doesn't sound like a rockin' party time.
7. The Great Seer - speaking of traditional sageuks, if I had to limit myself to just one upcoming one, this one would win. I like the cast better, being a fan of most of the leads - Ji Jin Hee, Kim So Yeon, Go Soo (has he ever been in a sageuk before?), Song Chang Ui. Plus, the topic of divination and power is more my bag than medicine. Bring it on!
6. City Conquest - first, the bad - it stars Kim Hyun Joong, who is a work of art, looks-wise, but cannot act. It is also written by the writer of the trainwreck 'Lie to Me.' Still with me, guys? HOWEVER, despite his lack of acting skills, I find KHJ has a likeable screen presence and I have enjoyed him in his previous two dramas (there is also a chance he magically got better, but I am not that much of an optimist). The director is the one who did my obsession IRIS. But what draws me in is the story - based on a manhwa, this is the story of a young man who seeks revenge on society for the ruin of his family but, of course, inevitably falls in love.
5. Haeundae Lovers - it seems to be 'Time Between Dog and Wolf' as a comedy. I confess my interest went down when I realized that the rumors of Ji Sung starring were unsubstantiated and this will star Kim Kang Woo instead (nothing against the latter, but I am a big Ji Sung fan). Still, the premise, of an undercover cop who gets amnesia and believes he's really a gangster, while falling for a mob boss' daughter, seems rife with potential. Especially since the writer is the same one who did my darling City Hunter.
4. Five Fingers - About a family of pianists and evilness and birth secrets. Yes, it's a 50-episode makjang, but that won't stop me. This is the small-screen comeback of one of my earliest and biggest drama loves, Joo Ji Hoon, whose last drama was in 2007. (Said drama, Mawang, is my favorite kdrama, bar none). At this point, I'd watch it if it was puppet theater. JJH is not the only draw - I am genuinely interested - I am a lot fonder of both long dramas and makjang than most of my flisties, and the potential for angsty shippping and photogenic misery is darling. It costars Eunjung (Coffee House) as a leading lady and I like her, plus Ji Chang Wook (Warrior Baek Dong Soo) as evil incarnate, so the cast makes me happy in my happy place. Now make Joo Ji Hoon have a shower of manpain, drama!
3. Arang and the Magistrate - Lee Junki is back on my screen! In a period supernatural melodrama mystery involving a female ghost seeking justice. Said ghost is played by Shin Minah and there is a romance between her and LJK. How do I love this, let me count the ways: (a) A period drama; (b) Starring two of my all-time favorites, after a long break; (c) All the stills released are painting-gorgeous; (d) A really rarely-done concept; (e) and I am sure the romance will be beyond angsty, seeing she's a ghost.
2. Nice Guy - the more years I watch dramas, the more I realize that the writer is more important than anything, actors or PD included. No actor or PD, however accomplished, can save a badly-written drama. Luckily, this drama is a perfect combination - it stars Song Jung Ki (who blew me away in Tree with Deep Roots, and for whom this is his first leading drama role) opposite Moon Chae Won but, even more excitingly, it is written by the sublime Lee Kyung Hee, who has written drama after drama I adored. Nice Guy is a dark romantic melodrama (my favorite genre, second only to period dramas) about a man who wants to use a young woman for vengeance but ends up falling for her instead. The last time LKH did a dark, vengeance-driven romance, she gave us A Love to Kill, which was incredibly polarizing, but remains my favorite melodrama of all time (all right, tied with Snow Queen) and is in my Top 5 dramas, period. Add in Song Joong Ki's intensity and my love for Moon Chae Won, and I am sold. Beyond sold.
1. Faith - About a general who time-travels to the present to bring a doctor back for his princess, and the surgeon who ends up accompanying him back in time, this is my most anticipated drama of 2012 by far (it was vying with Bridal Mask for that slot and BM is currently airing). It would take a miracle for this drama to not appeal to me, seeing that it is written by the legendary Song Jina, who has yet to write a drama that didn't work for me, and that this is a reunion of Song Jina with her PD from Legend, a drama that is one of my all-time favorites. It is also set around the Mongolian invasions and is a fusion sageuk (so was Legend!) involving time-travel and starring Lee Min Ho, my huge crush, and the star of City Hunter, one of my all-time favorite dramas, in his first sageuek role as a general. Kim Hee Sun is beautiful and underappreciated (I must be one of 10 people who loved Smile Again) and I think will be great opposite him. Plus, on a shallow note, it will also star Lee Phillip (Legend, Secret Garden) and Sung Hoon (New Tales of Gisaeng), so if your hormones are not overwhelmed, there might be something wrong with you.
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Date: 2012-07-02 05:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-03 12:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-02 09:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-03 12:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-02 10:05 am (UTC)*ARANG: I read that they're using a never-before-seen-in-a-drama video camera and I can't wait to watch all the pretiness that will ensue.
*FAITH: LMH in a sageuk! Let me repeat: LMH in a sageuk!!!!!!!!!! The only thing that worries me is the lead actress. I've never seen her in a drama/movie but in all the photos of her i've seen, she looks so much older than LMH, like she could be his aunt or mom or something.
*5 Fingers: Joo Ji Hoon. 'nough said. Mawang is also one of my favorite dramas and he was wonderful in it. I'm all for watching him be a tortured pianist in a rich and probably messed up family.
I might also be tempted by NICE GUY because I like the leads but it will depend on the execution. If he falls in love with the main girl fairly early on (like by episode 4 or 5), I'll watch it. If he's still still half in love with secondary girl and going full blast with his revenge until episode 10 or more, I'm not touching it.
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Date: 2012-07-03 12:30 am (UTC)Faith - The actress is only 11 years older so I think it will be fine. But we'll see.
From what I've read, JJH's family will be VERY messed up. Yum.
Re: Nice Guy. I've seen a lot of Lee Kyung Hee dramas, and unless this one deviates drastically from the pattern, I am sure you don't have to worry about the lead pining for secondary girl by ep 10 or even ep 4. She usually likes to have her OTPs get started super-quickly, so I think 1-2 eps in the max for the time hero will have feelings for secondary girl.
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Date: 2012-07-03 06:45 am (UTC)That's good news Re-Nice Guy. Since I know you're going to check it out, I'll wait and see what you have to say about it.
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Date: 2012-07-02 10:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-03 12:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-02 12:08 pm (UTC)"so if your hormones are not overwhelmed, there might be something wrong with you."
:) There is something wrong with me then since none of these guys move my hormones. Lee Min Ho, in my opinion cannot act (City Hunter is an entertaining drama but the action scenes were really bad - part of the entertainment in fact) Lee Philip was in Secret Garden no? I don't even know who Sung Hoon is .
From the list my interest is peeked by
Arang and the Magistrate
Haeundae Lovers
Nice Guy
Although I'll give Five Fingers a chance since I too like makjang and Joon Ji Hoon (I do like how he can convey so much without moving a muscle - not even a facial muscle :) )
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Date: 2012-07-03 12:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-02 12:39 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2012-07-02 01:37 pm (UTC)I am most excited for faith too!!
I hope KHJ plays a different character. I feel it is kind of hard to tell how good he is at acting because both of his characters I have seen are the same and I don't think it is all his fault. If his character seems the same inthis drama then I will think he does suck at acting. Sounds like a revenge seeking character shouldn't be flat like his PK and BOF rolls though!
Can not wait to see Shin Min Ah, Lee Jung Ki, Lee Min Ho, Song Joong Ki, and mostly Joo Ji Hoon!!!!!!!!
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Date: 2012-07-04 01:53 am (UTC)And JJH!!!!! Back on my screen!
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Date: 2012-07-06 06:53 pm (UTC)JJH is super exciting!! I hope DF picks up his drama so I can watch it!! i am a litlte scared of the length....but it is easier to watch lengthy dramas as they air!
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Date: 2012-07-07 12:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 01:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-02 01:39 pm (UTC)My thoughts exactly. There's nothing I like better than making fun of Kim Myungsoo, and this is going to give me so much fodder omg.
but it stars Han Hyo Joo, Jae Hee and Kim Jae Won
Oh, wow. I l ove this cast. I wasn't going to watch that one because honestly: shipping companies? Seriously? But I've missed Jae Hee's face badly, so.
Still, the premise, of an undercover cop who gets amnesia and believes he's really a gangster, while falling for a mob boss' daughter, seems rife with potential. Especially since the writer is the same one who did my darling City Hunter
Oh, wow. That sounds potentially so much fun!
I absolutely cannot say no to Joo Ji Hoon. I've missed him so much! And I will watch Shin Min Ah do absolutely anything. And Lee Min Ho can do no wrong. If only Yoon Eun Hye would get cast in some halfway decent drama, I would be perfectly happy with dramaland right now.
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Date: 2012-07-03 12:06 am (UTC)Jae Hee is so awesome but his latest dramas have been such snorefests. I hope this one breaks the pattern.
YEH does need to be in something, agreed!
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Date: 2012-07-03 01:24 am (UTC)I feel like I should be annoyed by Jae Hee because he mugs so very much, but I can't help but find him totally endearing. I've heard that everything he's been in since Delightful Girl... has been awful, though, so I hope this new drama is worth watching so that I have an excuse to see his face again!
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Date: 2012-07-03 02:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-02 04:19 pm (UTC)A Gent's Dignity flew under the radar despite ur ravings but I've started on it yesterday and it's awesome! I laughed so much and feel vv interested in the relationship developments. Right now it reminds me of the early stage of Triple which was warm and quirky. That red string scene was full of whimsical goodness I couldn't help but squeal.
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Date: 2012-07-03 12:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-05 09:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-05 11:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-03 12:00 am (UTC)Faith- I'll watch anything with Lee Min Ho...he was f'ing hot in City Hunter and so bad-ass
Nice Guy- Based off the premise, I'm sold
Arang- Reminds me of My Girlfriend is a Gumiho with the fantasy rom-com
Right now, I'm just fixated on AGD's and my smexy ajusshis
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Date: 2012-07-03 12:07 am (UTC)I just hope Nice Guy has a lot of angsty makeouts :)
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Date: 2012-07-03 03:37 am (UTC)i'm still hoping that she is the second female lead and the news got it wrong.
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Date: 2012-07-03 12:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-04 12:25 am (UTC)honestly i think that a good way to get him back on track would be a drama with YEH, she still is friends with him and talks about him openly even with the scandal, so there is a possibility.
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Date: 2012-07-04 12:50 am (UTC)If he ever did anything with YEH, my fangirl heart would explode. Goong was the drama that hooked me on kdramas.
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Date: 2012-07-04 01:07 am (UTC)so would mine, like you said goong was what got me hooked on kdramas, having him to work with her again, or even shin min ah, would pretty much make me pee my pants.
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Date: 2012-07-04 01:54 am (UTC)Yeah, the societal double-standard is insane.
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Date: 2012-07-03 05:50 am (UTC)Five Fingers - Love Joo JI hoon and Eunjung. Hate makjang dramas, and dont have the attention span for anything longer than 20 eps (and even that tends to push it for me) so yeah highly unlikely I'll watch it. But I'll def read ur posts about it :D
Faith - definitely watching it! not for LMH even (tho he looks gorge with that long flowing hair) but for the zany premise.
Nice Guy - i am not the biggest fan of melodramas, there are exceptions to this rule (I am enjoying gaksital but thats more of an action drama but still) but I highly doubt Nice Guy is gonna be one of them. but I LOOOOOVE Song Joong Ki and Gwangsoo is gonna be in it! same age friends from running man reunite <3 and while A Love to Kill was largely comical to me. Maybe this time I'll get into the plot. If not I can always make googly eyes at Joong Ki the whole time. hey oppa hey <3
To Beautiful You - I am excited for this! I fully expect it nay actively hope it will be a hot mess. honestly I only want one thing out of this drama and thats for them to copy the jdrama's plot where they put all the boys in drag. If I get to see Minho in drag again this whole shitty remake would have been WORTH IT. (he is so pretty as a girl omg) what I have a thing for guy's in drag. dont judge me. lol.
May Queen - I have no idea what its about? so uh pending then. we'll see.
City Conquest - LOL nope.
and I dont generally watch sageuks esp not traditional ones, so far the only one I could ever get through was Sungkyunkwan Scandal. and I'd probably like Hong Gil Dong. but I suspect thats it. I just prefer modern settings. If there's any more period dramas set in Korea post 1900 tho I am so there.
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Date: 2012-07-04 01:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-03 08:52 am (UTC)I love this fan-made vid with post-MS footage from his various fan-meets and interviews:
At his birthday fan meet in Seoul. Lol he might actually have had a decent career as an idol if he'd debuted as one...
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Date: 2012-07-04 01:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-09 09:30 pm (UTC)Faith – Pros (strong leads, a scriptwriter who can write political intrigue and fantastical epics, period piece), cons (time-traveling is a plot device that has worn out its welcome for me). Verdict...? Undecided.
Nice Guy – Pros (one of my girlcrushes Moon Chae-won, other strong leads, talented scriptwriter of I'm Sorry, I Love You fame, interesting setup), cons (romantic, revenge-driven melodramas are not really my thing; story points towards despicable characters). Verdict...? Pass.
Arang and the Magistrate – Pros (Lee Jun-ki, period piece, Provost's Dog-like setup with ghosts and crime, hero-sidekick crimefighting duos - hell yeah!), Cons (unfamiliar with scriptwriter and director). Verdict...? YES.
Five Fingers – Pros (Joo Ji-hoon, Joo Ji-hoon, Joo Ji-hoon), cons (makjang, 50 episodes - 'nuff said). Verdict? Pass. Sorry, Joo Ji-hoon, but I wish you the best of luck!
Haeundae Lovers – Pros (talented scriptwriter of Story of a Man and New Heart, hilarious set-up), cons (Cast doesn't interest me). Verdict...? Checking out the pilot and going from there.
City Conquest – Pros (director of IRIS, noir genre), cons (Kim Hyun-joong, uninteresting cast - and character descriptions, meh scriptwriter). Verdict...? Pass.
The Great Seer – Pros (strong main leads, director of Iljimae, political intrigue, period piece), cons (unfamiliar scriptwriter, so-so plot set-up). Verdict...? Pass, unless reviews are amazing.
Horse Doctor – Pros (talented director/scriptwriter team responsible for Dong Yi and Yi San, strong main leads, promisingly strong main female character, period piece), Cons (medical dramas are a hit and miss for me). Verdict...? Pass.
May Queen – Pros (solid female lead - she did well as Ji-yeon in East of Eden, Jae Hee AND Kim Jae-won, solid director, period piece - Korean modernization), cons (who's the scriptwriter??, very little information on story, and shipbuilding industry holds no interest for me, but it IS one of Korea's top fields, so... toss-up?). Verdict....? Undecided.
To The Beautiful You – Pros (High Kick 1, 2, 3 and Nonstop 5 scriptwriter, Director Jeon Ki-sang of My Girl and Delightful Girl Choon-hyang, strong second leads Lee Hyun-woo and Kim Ji-won, Seo Joon-young of Tree with Deep Roots, overall solid cast of supporting characters, light-hearted), Cons (Director Jeon Ki-sang of Boys Before Flowers, idols as main leads, typical crossdressing plot device, homosexuality censored – possibly along with sexual innuedos and pervy jokes, so-so source material). Verdict...? Undecided.
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Date: 2012-07-09 10:39 pm (UTC)I am fine with 50+ eps ever since I fell for East of Eden (loved Ojakgyo Brothers, Giant, Family Honor, Gloria, etc) - I always find long dramas easier to follow as they air though because otherwise they are too intimidating.
Heundae Lovers' writer wrote City Hunter, not SOAM btw - SOAM was the writer of Faith :)
City Conquest - the premise sounds so perfect but why did they get someone who cannot act at all?