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dangermousieOh, Jae-Min. Seriously, I think he’s replaced Gong-Chan as my number 1 kdrama boyfriend, even though while Gong-Chan would be an awesome guy to bring home to mother, Jae-Min most emphatically is not. In RL, I would never want to be around such a messed-up woobie, but hey. It’s drama land, world of pink shirts and fur collars on men, and women who bicycle in stilettos. A certain leeway is expected. (Hey, my other kdrama boyfriends are a mobster in love with his stepsister, a math genius who feels such guilt for a death of a friend he becomes a low-level boxer, a Crown Prince of Korea who is so withdrawn and reserved he is borderline unfunctional, a boyish but capable DA for the city of Seoul, a laid-back quirky chef wannabe, a girly looking former playboy, an immature but sweet actor and an unemployed violent guy out for revenge. It’s clearly a mixed bag).
Another interesting thing is that this is a very rare drama where I am rooting for the main ship (Jae-Min/Soo-Jung) mainly because I adore the guy and want him to get what he wants. I like Soo-Jung OK, but it’s rare for me not to fall for the heroine as hard as for the hero: usually, I either adore both or am rather blah on both.
I just thought of something amusing. In this and in Damo, Ha Ji-Won plays a lower class woman who drives an upperclass guy almost mad with love, and part of the reason it never works out is she feels obligation. And the things do not end so hot for either her, upperclass guy, or lower class guy alternative. This seems to be a small but peculiar niche to pick :D
But anyway, on to meta.
I realized something. Well, a few somethings. One is that Soo-Jung genuinely likes/loves/whatever Jae-Min. She is so emotionally off-kilter by him, she has to, because only an emotional haze would create that confusion in her.
What am I talking about? There are a number of scenes where even a blind mouse could tell he is madly in love with her but her radar is so off.
I will get to them later but for now I want to talk about the scene where she finally realizes he is in love with her, 12 steps behind everyone else, because it illustrates it all in a nutshell.
He has come to pick her up at the art gallery she works at now (that is owned by his Mom and his fiancée. That’s another proof she is rattled. She basically got baited by the fiancée to work there). He thought his mother has left but she hasn’t and a horrible scene follows. What I love about Jae-Min is that he does not prevaricate or lie about his emotions. There are so many easy outs for him to take with his doting but psycho mother but he does not.
The mother flips and tries to go for Soo-Jung’s throat and Jae-Min restrains her and then the mother is wailing as to why her baby (who is over a foot taller than she is and hasn’t been a baby for a while ;D) is doing this and Jae-Min finally loses whatever shreds of control he has and bursts out (and I do mean, he literally stumbles/yells the words out as if he can’t control them any more. This whole feeling is outside his control so utterly) ‘If I don’t see her for even one day, I’ll go mad’ and the camera cuts over to Soo-Jung and she freezes. She literally freezes stock still.
And it’s shock and something else. And it’s so ironic. Soo-Jung is nowhere nearly as tough as she likes to be. Is she? She is all (verbally) about catching the rich guy and getting settled for life but she gets trapped by emotion. If she really was all about using Jae-Min to get fixed for life, this is the time to look like you hit the jackpot and from now on it’s green pastures (yes, I am mixing my metaphors). She can be his mistress and take him for SO MUCH money. She can even play her cards right and try to be wifey, but even if not, he can give her so much cash. If she is just out for financial well-being, she is set.
But she is surprised by his outburst (and how like Jae-Min. A normal guy would confess his feelings to the OTP first, maybe get her some flowers). And she is not joyously ‘yay’ing or anything. Because she can’t just use him. She likes to pretend she is tough, but she is not, at all.
And ironically, Jae-Min’s chances of being with her would be better if she was either a tougher, more calculating woman, or he had done less for her.
It’s the Lord Peter/Harriet syndrome from the Dorothy Sayers books. Jae-Min has done too much for her, for her to give in emotionally. It would violate her pride, it would feel like repayment, it would stifle any independence. He gave her a huge loan, he gave her a job when she was unemployable, he found Sung-Bae for her, he even bought her a cellphone and a coat and a bunch of meals. Combine this with the class/wealth disparity, and she feels as if her self-respect hinges on not giving in. She must wonder if she gave in, would Jae-Min ever think that she is being like a really high-concept version of a whore? Especially when he tried to pay her twice for that sort of thing and she took him up on the offer for him to reject it. No wonder she gives the money he tried to give her, back to him. She tries to get a job even though the hated fiancée as long as it’s not through him.
But oh, poor darlings. Poor messed up darlings. But yes, the fact that the confession is such a huge shock to her is proof of her tunnel-vision. How could she not realize he was in love with her after he showed up at her house and basically begged for a meal and when she said no, let’s go out, they went out and she treated :D And then I love how they are walking back and you can tell he just doesn’t want it to end and he is all ‘can I buy the next round’ looking really really young and they end up in some dive and he gets totally sloshed and she is all ‘why do you hang around the slum anyway’ and he slurs that he is going to give her a multiple choice: (a) because he is bored (b) just because (c) to annoy In-Wook or (d) because he likes her. And you see her try to push away that last one. And then she gets In-Wook to get him home and then she turns to leave with In-Wook and Jae-Min is begging her not to go. Begging.
Yeah. Girl, you think he likes you? Maybe?
Just as there is this awesome scene (my favorite in the episode) where he finds out she is working in the evil fiancée’s gallery (fiancée should give up. Jae-Min really will not play her games with her, he just walks out. *stabs fiancée for dropping the phone Jae-Min got Soo-Jung into water on purpose*) And he just goes straight into the office, where she is cleaning, and he is falling apart, in part because he hates this whole emotional entrapment thing, but also because he doesn’t want her to deal with the fiancée who he knows can be twisty and he is so afraid to lose whatever he has of Soo-Jung. And he starts rushing out the words, that she should not work there, that here are money for her living expenses, and he pulls a wad of bills from his wallet but he is so worried and his hands are shaking that he drops them all on the floor and so he is kneeling by her feet, picking them up (a contrast to that scene in ep 2 when he gave her money for ‘new shoes’ and was so detached and she was grabbing for them later when he is gone, on the floor of the lobby) and he is all ‘I was too embarrassed to ask my friends earlier, but I’ll ask, they have companies and you can get a job there.’ And basically, anyone who is not utterly a vegetable can tell that the guy is basically ‘I love you, don’t leave me, OMG OMG OMG’ but the only thing that really penetrates to Soo-Jung is the word ‘embarrassed’ because she is all thinking ‘he is embarrassed by me, or by whatever we have/don’t have.’
GRAH.
OK, seriously. The two of you should be taken somewhere and locked up and forced to sex until you work out your issues and stress. Of course, that means you’d be locked up for weeks :P
But later she gives the $$$ to evil fiancée to return to him. That’s the thing. If she was a money grubber, all about $$$ anything for a buck, she’d totally keep it. But she is trying to assert her independence and self-respect, because I think then she can view herself as more his equal and thus something might be possible. The more she likes him, the more she tries: returning his money, getting her own job (however horrid), even having her turn to buy him a meal.
Other scene I like? Earlier than any of the above, where he takes her to a hotel room, and he is all ‘hey, sleep with me. I might even take you on instead of my fiancée’ (OK. Seriously. Poster child for dysfunction, just admit you love her to her face, OK. Novel concept, I know, but it just might work). And he is jealous over In-Wook (who is SO boring. Honest, he annoys me. Very smug) and she is jealous over fiancée and the whole thing is a total disaster, and she starts taking off her clothes and of course it goes nowhere because she is mad and he is ‘you can at least to pretend to enjoy it’ and she snarls back and is all ‘did you mean I could be fiancée’ thus basically throwing in his face she thinks nothing of him at all and is only there for the money (way to get her own back, I suppose) and GRAH. Seriously. Guys, buy a copy of ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.’ Of course, this whole thing is influenced by the fact that while he was gone one of his friends insinuated Soo-Jung was a professional. Later when the ‘friend’ tried even smirking wrong, Jae-Min went for his throat, so I guess it’s good he didn’t hear about the earlier insult, but to Soo-Jung, all that comes across is that she must come across as a hor and a gold-digger and further disparity.
*shakes them*
And unrelated and unspoilery. I find it interesting that in kdramas, the rich guys drive those huge blocky SUVs. I guess because space and gas are so expensive, it shows status.
I have also looked at my manga/manhwa reading roster and yikes. It’s a mile long. Here it is, in order of preference.
Vampire Knight: Am on volume 4. If there is one manga I am currently nuts over, it’s this one. The story is twisty, the artwork exquisite and Zero Kiryu is my manga boyfriend. If it keeps the way it’s going, it will end up my second fave manga of all time, behind Ayashi No Ceres. I am even reading scanlations. I’d summarize the plot but have done so repeatedly. School. Vampires. Vampire hunters. Childhood friendship and doomed relationships (think Buffy and Angel level of impossible only worse) and just…GUH.
Fruits Basket: am on volume 21. Love it. Blabbed enough about it so don’t have to now. This is the sixth volume I am reading in scanlated form. If you know how much I hate scanlations, you know how much I love this manga.
Wallflower: Vol 11. Four hot guys are supposed to transform horror-loving, tough-as-nails daughter of landlady into a ‘lady.’ Good Luck. Kyohei (one of the guys) and Sunako (the girl) are a huge OTP of mine. So funny so wacky so awesome. So needs to be a jdrama. I am going to get scanlations, actually.
Her Majesty’s Dog. Vol 6. There are no words for how much love I have for this sometimes wacky, sometimes angsty, always awesome title about a girl dispelling ghosts/spirits and her supernatural guardian ‘dog’ (in reality the hot, loyal, hot-tempered woobie who is in love with her).
Platinum Garden. Vol 3. I am scanlating this as soon as I finish one of the above. Funny, off-kilter, a bit scary. Damaged boy/spunky girl is a favorite for a reason.
Samurai Deeper Kyo: Vol 13. What do you get when you take a hero who is a supernatural samurai in quest of his real body, a bunch of awesome tough friends or foes, and a bounty hunter heroine that redefines awesome? SDK, that’s what. I would have never tried if it wasn’t for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
meganbmoore and I am totally grateful.
Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden: vol 5. I prefer the original FY, but this is fun, angsty, twisty and awesome. Just needs to come out faster.
Bring it On: Vol 4. Tomboy tough heroine. Laidback hero. Cute manhwa. Win.
After School Nightmare: Vol 3. A story so trippy I won’t summarize it again (just look for the appropriate tag for a summary). Artwork is gorgeous and the story is complicated. I don’t love the characters but I am not supposed to and I find them interesting.
Ouran High School Host Club: Vol 8. The heroine ends up cross-dressing and working as a host in a club of eccentrics to pay off a debt. Honestly, I cannot summarize anything so wacky. But Tamaki, and the Hitachin twins, and Kyouya and Mori and Hunny and Haruhi herself are loves. I like the anime better *gasp* but this is off-kilter and funny and very well drawn.
Goong: vol 8. I much prefer the drama. Much. MUCH. But the manhwa is cute enough and I’ll finish.
Red River: vol 3. I don’t care for the artwork and I am not marathonning it or anything but the story of the girl ending up in the land of ancient Hittites, schemes against her, falling for a prince etc (who is awesome) is very fun.
Cynical Orange: vol 3. Gorgeous girl with perfect poise? Yeah, right. Hye-Min’s life is no bed of roses. She is isolated and reserved, finding it hard to make friends. Boys couldn’t care less about what she is like if she looks like that, girls hate her. The one guy she likes, the school president, has no interest in her. Her life starts to change once she finally lets go of the perfect poise and shows her temper. She makes unlikely connections not just with the Pres but also with Ma-Ha, a laid-back skirt chaser (after her for a bet). And then there is Shin-Bi, Hye-Min’s closest friend and ‘oppa’ someone who is her cousin by marriage but who harbors not so cousinly feelings for her.
I really like this manhwa but am worried that I am shipping something that won’t happen. I want her with her hot, protective, funny cousin (not by blood, they are recent relations through marriage) but get the sense she’ll end up with the flighty playboy.
ETA: Eeee. Peeked ahead at soon to be published volumes, and there is hope for my ship after all.
Comic: vol 2. Girl manhwa artist, guy manhwa artist. Fights and similar awesomness. I do wish the translators would not anglicize all names. It drives me nuts.
O Infinity: vol 2. Cute if off-kilter about a girl who meets a guy who claims they were a couple in the past life.
Hana Kimi: Vol 12 (I think). Girl cross-dresses as boy to be close to guy idol. Guy idol finds out. It’s cute but honestly went on for so long I lost interest. Hence no idea what volume I am on as it’s beginning to blur.
Punch: vol 1. Girl that is heir to a boxing gym, boxer from streets. OTP. Cute but I just started, ergo not higher.
W Juliet: Vol 1. Guy cross-dresses as girl. Girl discovers…blah blah blah. Artwork is not my thing, but the story is cute enough for me to check out more.
Basara: Vol 1. Tough fighter heroine, tough fighter hero. Sworn enemies, in love, and messed up. I don’t care for the artwork but the story is good. I will probably not continue for a while though because it’s hard to find in stores and I don’t want to spend a lot of $$$ until I fall for it, so you see the catch-22.
Immortal Rain: Vol 1. Like Basara, Punch and W Juliet, this one is likely to move up in the ranks once I read more of it. I just haven’t had the chance. Bounty hunter gal, immortal of 600+, adventures etc etc.
Nana: vol 4. Everyone loves this story of two very different girls with the same name but I just find it boring and soapy not in a fun but exasperating way.
Can’t Lose You: Vol 5. this manhwa about twin sisters separated at birth and the icy angsty hottie who loves one of them (the heroine) is blah, but the proceedings are made more fun by imagining Joo Ji-Hoon as the hero.
Tenjo Ja Nai: Vol 5. Blah. Heroine needs to be stabbed and so does the hero but I am going to finish it.
Haou Airen: it’s awful. But I am in mid vol 6 so might as well finish.
And a little pic to end the day. It exemplifies both everything that is wrong and that is right with Bollywood.
WRONG; WTF is with the outfit? Who wears a tie on a bare torso?
RIGHT: Shahrukh Khan! (aka my favorite actor ever) Without a shirt!
Another interesting thing is that this is a very rare drama where I am rooting for the main ship (Jae-Min/Soo-Jung) mainly because I adore the guy and want him to get what he wants. I like Soo-Jung OK, but it’s rare for me not to fall for the heroine as hard as for the hero: usually, I either adore both or am rather blah on both.
I just thought of something amusing. In this and in Damo, Ha Ji-Won plays a lower class woman who drives an upperclass guy almost mad with love, and part of the reason it never works out is she feels obligation. And the things do not end so hot for either her, upperclass guy, or lower class guy alternative. This seems to be a small but peculiar niche to pick :D
But anyway, on to meta.
I realized something. Well, a few somethings. One is that Soo-Jung genuinely likes/loves/whatever Jae-Min. She is so emotionally off-kilter by him, she has to, because only an emotional haze would create that confusion in her.
What am I talking about? There are a number of scenes where even a blind mouse could tell he is madly in love with her but her radar is so off.
I will get to them later but for now I want to talk about the scene where she finally realizes he is in love with her, 12 steps behind everyone else, because it illustrates it all in a nutshell.
He has come to pick her up at the art gallery she works at now (that is owned by his Mom and his fiancée. That’s another proof she is rattled. She basically got baited by the fiancée to work there). He thought his mother has left but she hasn’t and a horrible scene follows. What I love about Jae-Min is that he does not prevaricate or lie about his emotions. There are so many easy outs for him to take with his doting but psycho mother but he does not.
The mother flips and tries to go for Soo-Jung’s throat and Jae-Min restrains her and then the mother is wailing as to why her baby (who is over a foot taller than she is and hasn’t been a baby for a while ;D) is doing this and Jae-Min finally loses whatever shreds of control he has and bursts out (and I do mean, he literally stumbles/yells the words out as if he can’t control them any more. This whole feeling is outside his control so utterly) ‘If I don’t see her for even one day, I’ll go mad’ and the camera cuts over to Soo-Jung and she freezes. She literally freezes stock still.
And it’s shock and something else. And it’s so ironic. Soo-Jung is nowhere nearly as tough as she likes to be. Is she? She is all (verbally) about catching the rich guy and getting settled for life but she gets trapped by emotion. If she really was all about using Jae-Min to get fixed for life, this is the time to look like you hit the jackpot and from now on it’s green pastures (yes, I am mixing my metaphors). She can be his mistress and take him for SO MUCH money. She can even play her cards right and try to be wifey, but even if not, he can give her so much cash. If she is just out for financial well-being, she is set.
But she is surprised by his outburst (and how like Jae-Min. A normal guy would confess his feelings to the OTP first, maybe get her some flowers). And she is not joyously ‘yay’ing or anything. Because she can’t just use him. She likes to pretend she is tough, but she is not, at all.
And ironically, Jae-Min’s chances of being with her would be better if she was either a tougher, more calculating woman, or he had done less for her.
It’s the Lord Peter/Harriet syndrome from the Dorothy Sayers books. Jae-Min has done too much for her, for her to give in emotionally. It would violate her pride, it would feel like repayment, it would stifle any independence. He gave her a huge loan, he gave her a job when she was unemployable, he found Sung-Bae for her, he even bought her a cellphone and a coat and a bunch of meals. Combine this with the class/wealth disparity, and she feels as if her self-respect hinges on not giving in. She must wonder if she gave in, would Jae-Min ever think that she is being like a really high-concept version of a whore? Especially when he tried to pay her twice for that sort of thing and she took him up on the offer for him to reject it. No wonder she gives the money he tried to give her, back to him. She tries to get a job even though the hated fiancée as long as it’s not through him.
But oh, poor darlings. Poor messed up darlings. But yes, the fact that the confession is such a huge shock to her is proof of her tunnel-vision. How could she not realize he was in love with her after he showed up at her house and basically begged for a meal and when she said no, let’s go out, they went out and she treated :D And then I love how they are walking back and you can tell he just doesn’t want it to end and he is all ‘can I buy the next round’ looking really really young and they end up in some dive and he gets totally sloshed and she is all ‘why do you hang around the slum anyway’ and he slurs that he is going to give her a multiple choice: (a) because he is bored (b) just because (c) to annoy In-Wook or (d) because he likes her. And you see her try to push away that last one. And then she gets In-Wook to get him home and then she turns to leave with In-Wook and Jae-Min is begging her not to go. Begging.
Yeah. Girl, you think he likes you? Maybe?
Just as there is this awesome scene (my favorite in the episode) where he finds out she is working in the evil fiancée’s gallery (fiancée should give up. Jae-Min really will not play her games with her, he just walks out. *stabs fiancée for dropping the phone Jae-Min got Soo-Jung into water on purpose*) And he just goes straight into the office, where she is cleaning, and he is falling apart, in part because he hates this whole emotional entrapment thing, but also because he doesn’t want her to deal with the fiancée who he knows can be twisty and he is so afraid to lose whatever he has of Soo-Jung. And he starts rushing out the words, that she should not work there, that here are money for her living expenses, and he pulls a wad of bills from his wallet but he is so worried and his hands are shaking that he drops them all on the floor and so he is kneeling by her feet, picking them up (a contrast to that scene in ep 2 when he gave her money for ‘new shoes’ and was so detached and she was grabbing for them later when he is gone, on the floor of the lobby) and he is all ‘I was too embarrassed to ask my friends earlier, but I’ll ask, they have companies and you can get a job there.’ And basically, anyone who is not utterly a vegetable can tell that the guy is basically ‘I love you, don’t leave me, OMG OMG OMG’ but the only thing that really penetrates to Soo-Jung is the word ‘embarrassed’ because she is all thinking ‘he is embarrassed by me, or by whatever we have/don’t have.’
GRAH.
OK, seriously. The two of you should be taken somewhere and locked up and forced to sex until you work out your issues and stress. Of course, that means you’d be locked up for weeks :P
But later she gives the $$$ to evil fiancée to return to him. That’s the thing. If she was a money grubber, all about $$$ anything for a buck, she’d totally keep it. But she is trying to assert her independence and self-respect, because I think then she can view herself as more his equal and thus something might be possible. The more she likes him, the more she tries: returning his money, getting her own job (however horrid), even having her turn to buy him a meal.
Other scene I like? Earlier than any of the above, where he takes her to a hotel room, and he is all ‘hey, sleep with me. I might even take you on instead of my fiancée’ (OK. Seriously. Poster child for dysfunction, just admit you love her to her face, OK. Novel concept, I know, but it just might work). And he is jealous over In-Wook (who is SO boring. Honest, he annoys me. Very smug) and she is jealous over fiancée and the whole thing is a total disaster, and she starts taking off her clothes and of course it goes nowhere because she is mad and he is ‘you can at least to pretend to enjoy it’ and she snarls back and is all ‘did you mean I could be fiancée’ thus basically throwing in his face she thinks nothing of him at all and is only there for the money (way to get her own back, I suppose) and GRAH. Seriously. Guys, buy a copy of ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.’ Of course, this whole thing is influenced by the fact that while he was gone one of his friends insinuated Soo-Jung was a professional. Later when the ‘friend’ tried even smirking wrong, Jae-Min went for his throat, so I guess it’s good he didn’t hear about the earlier insult, but to Soo-Jung, all that comes across is that she must come across as a hor and a gold-digger and further disparity.
*shakes them*
And unrelated and unspoilery. I find it interesting that in kdramas, the rich guys drive those huge blocky SUVs. I guess because space and gas are so expensive, it shows status.
I have also looked at my manga/manhwa reading roster and yikes. It’s a mile long. Here it is, in order of preference.
Vampire Knight: Am on volume 4. If there is one manga I am currently nuts over, it’s this one. The story is twisty, the artwork exquisite and Zero Kiryu is my manga boyfriend. If it keeps the way it’s going, it will end up my second fave manga of all time, behind Ayashi No Ceres. I am even reading scanlations. I’d summarize the plot but have done so repeatedly. School. Vampires. Vampire hunters. Childhood friendship and doomed relationships (think Buffy and Angel level of impossible only worse) and just…GUH.
Fruits Basket: am on volume 21. Love it. Blabbed enough about it so don’t have to now. This is the sixth volume I am reading in scanlated form. If you know how much I hate scanlations, you know how much I love this manga.
Wallflower: Vol 11. Four hot guys are supposed to transform horror-loving, tough-as-nails daughter of landlady into a ‘lady.’ Good Luck. Kyohei (one of the guys) and Sunako (the girl) are a huge OTP of mine. So funny so wacky so awesome. So needs to be a jdrama. I am going to get scanlations, actually.
Her Majesty’s Dog. Vol 6. There are no words for how much love I have for this sometimes wacky, sometimes angsty, always awesome title about a girl dispelling ghosts/spirits and her supernatural guardian ‘dog’ (in reality the hot, loyal, hot-tempered woobie who is in love with her).
Platinum Garden. Vol 3. I am scanlating this as soon as I finish one of the above. Funny, off-kilter, a bit scary. Damaged boy/spunky girl is a favorite for a reason.
Samurai Deeper Kyo: Vol 13. What do you get when you take a hero who is a supernatural samurai in quest of his real body, a bunch of awesome tough friends or foes, and a bounty hunter heroine that redefines awesome? SDK, that’s what. I would have never tried if it wasn’t for
meganbmoore and I am totally grateful.Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden: vol 5. I prefer the original FY, but this is fun, angsty, twisty and awesome. Just needs to come out faster.
Bring it On: Vol 4. Tomboy tough heroine. Laidback hero. Cute manhwa. Win.
After School Nightmare: Vol 3. A story so trippy I won’t summarize it again (just look for the appropriate tag for a summary). Artwork is gorgeous and the story is complicated. I don’t love the characters but I am not supposed to and I find them interesting.
Ouran High School Host Club: Vol 8. The heroine ends up cross-dressing and working as a host in a club of eccentrics to pay off a debt. Honestly, I cannot summarize anything so wacky. But Tamaki, and the Hitachin twins, and Kyouya and Mori and Hunny and Haruhi herself are loves. I like the anime better *gasp* but this is off-kilter and funny and very well drawn.
Goong: vol 8. I much prefer the drama. Much. MUCH. But the manhwa is cute enough and I’ll finish.
Red River: vol 3. I don’t care for the artwork and I am not marathonning it or anything but the story of the girl ending up in the land of ancient Hittites, schemes against her, falling for a prince etc (who is awesome) is very fun.
Cynical Orange: vol 3. Gorgeous girl with perfect poise? Yeah, right. Hye-Min’s life is no bed of roses. She is isolated and reserved, finding it hard to make friends. Boys couldn’t care less about what she is like if she looks like that, girls hate her. The one guy she likes, the school president, has no interest in her. Her life starts to change once she finally lets go of the perfect poise and shows her temper. She makes unlikely connections not just with the Pres but also with Ma-Ha, a laid-back skirt chaser (after her for a bet). And then there is Shin-Bi, Hye-Min’s closest friend and ‘oppa’ someone who is her cousin by marriage but who harbors not so cousinly feelings for her.
I really like this manhwa but am worried that I am shipping something that won’t happen. I want her with her hot, protective, funny cousin (not by blood, they are recent relations through marriage) but get the sense she’ll end up with the flighty playboy.
ETA: Eeee. Peeked ahead at soon to be published volumes, and there is hope for my ship after all.
Comic: vol 2. Girl manhwa artist, guy manhwa artist. Fights and similar awesomness. I do wish the translators would not anglicize all names. It drives me nuts.
O Infinity: vol 2. Cute if off-kilter about a girl who meets a guy who claims they were a couple in the past life.
Hana Kimi: Vol 12 (I think). Girl cross-dresses as boy to be close to guy idol. Guy idol finds out. It’s cute but honestly went on for so long I lost interest. Hence no idea what volume I am on as it’s beginning to blur.
Punch: vol 1. Girl that is heir to a boxing gym, boxer from streets. OTP. Cute but I just started, ergo not higher.
W Juliet: Vol 1. Guy cross-dresses as girl. Girl discovers…blah blah blah. Artwork is not my thing, but the story is cute enough for me to check out more.
Basara: Vol 1. Tough fighter heroine, tough fighter hero. Sworn enemies, in love, and messed up. I don’t care for the artwork but the story is good. I will probably not continue for a while though because it’s hard to find in stores and I don’t want to spend a lot of $$$ until I fall for it, so you see the catch-22.
Immortal Rain: Vol 1. Like Basara, Punch and W Juliet, this one is likely to move up in the ranks once I read more of it. I just haven’t had the chance. Bounty hunter gal, immortal of 600+, adventures etc etc.
Nana: vol 4. Everyone loves this story of two very different girls with the same name but I just find it boring and soapy not in a fun but exasperating way.
Can’t Lose You: Vol 5. this manhwa about twin sisters separated at birth and the icy angsty hottie who loves one of them (the heroine) is blah, but the proceedings are made more fun by imagining Joo Ji-Hoon as the hero.
Tenjo Ja Nai: Vol 5. Blah. Heroine needs to be stabbed and so does the hero but I am going to finish it.
Haou Airen: it’s awful. But I am in mid vol 6 so might as well finish.
And a little pic to end the day. It exemplifies both everything that is wrong and that is right with Bollywood.
WRONG; WTF is with the outfit? Who wears a tie on a bare torso?
RIGHT: Shahrukh Khan! (aka my favorite actor ever) Without a shirt!
