Musings of the Obsessive Kind

I didn't get much further into Winter Sonata because filmi_girl came over last night and we ended up watching more Mars. Still love it, after all the rewatches. ( Spoiler through ep 13 )

I have to say, I sort of squee to see how much taller he is. When they hug (or make out, there is a make-out scene! In a twdrama!!!) she is totally enveloped. Heck, his hands are almost as big as her head :P

In other news, is anyone else excited about the upcoming Strongest Chil Woo?



It's a fusion sageuk (i.e. a period kdrama which is not eighty billion eps and is not a straight period historical thing) in which Eric Mun plays a lowly government official who is, in secret, a highly-powered and trained assassin. Goo Hye Sun (the female lead in The King and I) plays his OTP, a young woman from a noble family who, due to various hardships, ends up losing her status and becoming a palace maid.

Reasons for anticipation?

1. Every fusion sageuk I've seen, I have loved: Legend, Damo, Hong Gil Dong, Capital Scandal (though is CS too 'modern' to qualify as a sageuk?).

2. I have only seen Eric in Que Sera Sera but he totally rocked my socks there (or whatever the phrase is). He is GOOD at intense. And messed-up. Also, he is super-hot.

3. The OTP in this one is supposed to have "a tragic romance."

4. SWORDS. ASSASSINS.

5. Prettiness:



In yet other news, apparently Powerful Opponents has still, as of ep 8 (i.e. at the halfway point!) not made clear who the heroine would end up with, thus prompting an almost unheard of phenomenon in dorama world: shipper sniping. Usually, since you know from ep 1 who will end up with whom, that is the one weirdness we do not get. I'll be dissapointed whoever she picks, because I will be sad for the other one! I mean, it would be awesome with President's Son because he is so dorky and adorable and messed-up and it would be so fun to see her straighten him out and it would be awesome to see her with Gwan Pil because he is all so smouldery and reserved and when they practice together sparks fly. And so...I think she should be cloned!

Oh, and when I get home, if I feel like angstiness, I will be watching Bara No Nai Hanaya, but it not, it's finishing 1 pould no Fukuin. I mean, how much cuter can you go than Kame as a boxer with his OTP a Nun at an orphanage!

Or maybe, I'll watch the BBC romcom fun that The Student Prince promises to be.

Synopsis:

The Queen's youngest son (Rupert Penry-Jones) is off to university, mainly because "I'm hopeless at anything else". Barry (Robson Green), his new bodyguard, has no time for the royal family and left school at fifteen. He certainly didn't volunteer for this job, and is damned if he's going to enjoy it. Yet he can't help liking the hopelessly unworldly young prince, at least, until they both set their eyes on the new American student (Tara Fitzgerald).

RPJ and RG in the same show? I am set.

I didn't get much further into Winter Sonata because filmi_girl came over last night and we ended up watching more Mars. Still love it, after all the rewatches. ( Spoiler through ep 13 )

I have to say, I sort of squee to see how much taller he is. When they hug (or make out, there is a make-out scene! In a twdrama!!!) she is totally enveloped. Heck, his hands are almost as big as her head :P

In other news, is anyone else excited about the upcoming Strongest Chil Woo?



It's a fusion sageuk (i.e. a period kdrama which is not eighty billion eps and is not a straight period historical thing) in which Eric Mun plays a lowly government official who is, in secret, a highly-powered and trained assassin. Goo Hye Sun (the female lead in The King and I) plays his OTP, a young woman from a noble family who, due to various hardships, ends up losing her status and becoming a palace maid.

Reasons for anticipation?

1. Every fusion sageuk I've seen, I have loved: Legend, Damo, Hong Gil Dong, Capital Scandal (though is CS too 'modern' to qualify as a sageuk?).

2. I have only seen Eric in Que Sera Sera but he totally rocked my socks there (or whatever the phrase is). He is GOOD at intense. And messed-up. Also, he is super-hot.

3. The OTP in this one is supposed to have "a tragic romance."

4. SWORDS. ASSASSINS.

5. Prettiness:



In yet other news, apparently Powerful Opponents has still, as of ep 8 (i.e. at the halfway point!) not made clear who the heroine would end up with, thus prompting an almost unheard of phenomenon in dorama world: shipper sniping. Usually, since you know from ep 1 who will end up with whom, that is the one weirdness we do not get. I'll be dissapointed whoever she picks, because I will be sad for the other one! I mean, it would be awesome with President's Son because he is so dorky and adorable and messed-up and it would be so fun to see her straighten him out and it would be awesome to see her with Gwan Pil because he is all so smouldery and reserved and when they practice together sparks fly. And so...I think she should be cloned!

Oh, and when I get home, if I feel like angstiness, I will be watching Bara No Nai Hanaya, but it not, it's finishing 1 pould no Fukuin. I mean, how much cuter can you go than Kame as a boxer with his OTP a Nun at an orphanage!

Or maybe, I'll watch the BBC romcom fun that The Student Prince promises to be.

Synopsis:

The Queen's youngest son (Rupert Penry-Jones) is off to university, mainly because "I'm hopeless at anything else". Barry (Robson Green), his new bodyguard, has no time for the royal family and left school at fifteen. He certainly didn't volunteer for this job, and is damned if he's going to enjoy it. Yet he can't help liking the hopelessly unworldly young prince, at least, until they both set their eyes on the new American student (Tara Fitzgerald).

RPJ and RG in the same show? I am set.

filmi_girl came over today and we decided, somewhat spontaneously to watch Mars, which she had never seen.

EEEEEEE! This must be my fourth time watching it but I love it as much as ever. It was really hard to keep my mouth shut about spoilers (we got about four eps in) because she is unspoiled...

We plan to watch more tomorrow. tatterpunk, do you want to come over and hang out?

( Mars rambling, spoilery for first four eps )

The painting in the credits is still cracktastic, and Vic is still super-hot even with awful hair :)

And speaking of Vic. I have added a third drama to my 'currently airing dramas I am watching list.' Appropriately, I now have one each of jdrama, kdrama, and twdrama. The twdrama in question? Wish to See You Again, starring Vic Zhou, Yanxi Chen, Ken Chou, Kingone etc.

The story revolves around an author with a writer's block (Vic) who decides to temporarily become a taxi driver in order to listen to the stories of his passengers and hopefully gain something for his stories. etc etc etc.

I have just gotten my hands on first subbed ep (12 eps of the drama are out so far).

Blame sytwo. She posted a link to this scene from ep 12 and I was a goner. I mean. Vic. Rain. Girls with red umbrellas. Huggy fainty boys. Hurt/comfort of awesomeness (that will not be tainted by worry that character will die, yay). Stroking of foreheads and holding of hands. Jewelry exchange. I have no frelling clue what is going on and don't care.










I mean, seriously, I screencapped.

( Here is what made me meeeelt )

( Vid here )

Yes! I am going to be showing Mars to filmi_girl soon. I am always looking for new victims viewers.

So because of that (do I really need a reason though), here is a Mars MV, which is unspoilery (a rarity):



Oh, Ling/Qi-Luo, my ultimate drama OTP!

Yes! I am going to be showing Mars to filmi_girl soon. I am always looking for new victims viewers.

So because of that (do I really need a reason though), here is a Mars MV, which is unspoilery (a rarity):



Oh, Ling/Qi-Luo, my ultimate drama OTP!

Twdramas were my first drama loves (mars and Meteor Garden were my first and second drama, respectively) and you never forget your first love, do you?

That is why, much as I might love the slickness of kdrama and the understatedness of jdrama, few things will get me as giddy or emo as a well-done twdrama.

So, after I’ve done my Top Ten Jdramas and my Top 20 Kdramas, the next logical step is the Top 10 Twdramas/Cdramas, isn’t it?

Only I kept putting it off because I yet haven’t seen some which might very well make it into my Top 10: My Lucky Star (which seems to have been universally loved), Corner with Love, The Outsiders 2 (Chances of that one making into my Top 10? 95%). And I haven’t even gotten to At Dolphin Bay, Lavender, Delicious Relationship etc. It’s like a person who only started reading listing their favorite books.

But I finally got tired of waiting to watch them (am impatient), so here is my Top 10 twdrama/cdrama list. Once again, same thing applies: only finished ones (or nearly), as unspoilery as I can make it, blahblahblah.

( List, with summaries, reasons, pics, and vids )

In conclusion, yes, Vic Zhou is still my favorite drama actor, all these dramas later.

As meganbmoore is to Basara is dangermousie to Mars.

Mars is a Taiwanese drama that is a rare drama I'd recommend even if you never intend to check dramas out. It was my first and still remains my favorite. It's a rare drama which isn't cheesily good but genuinely good.

It's based on a manga I am OK on, but while I mildly like the manga, the drama actually transformed it from 'enjoyable' into a 'dark complicated story I am obsessed with.'

Mars is about Chen Ling and Qi Luo, two very broken people who heal each other.

Also, Chen Ling is my permanent drama boyfriend, which considering he is a motorcycle racer familiar with the insides of insane asylum, probably says something worrying about me.

I actually managed to find a non-spoilery MV for it, which is a huge rarity:



( Spoilery but cool MV )

As meganbmoore is to Basara is dangermousie to Mars.

Mars is a Taiwanese drama that is a rare drama I'd recommend even if you never intend to check dramas out. It was my first and still remains my favorite. It's a rare drama which isn't cheesily good but genuinely good.

It's based on a manga I am OK on, but while I mildly like the manga, the drama actually transformed it from 'enjoyable' into a 'dark complicated story I am obsessed with.'

Mars is about Chen Ling and Qi Luo, two very broken people who heal each other.

Also, Chen Ling is my permanent drama boyfriend, which considering he is a motorcycle racer familiar with the insides of insane asylum, probably says something worrying about me.

I actually managed to find a non-spoilery MV for it, which is a huge rarity:



( Spoilery but cool MV )

1. Got my photo taken for passport renewal and the proprietor was watching Kal Ho Na Ho. We ended up having a long chat about Bollywood. Eeee! :)

2. I think it finally sank in that in a few months, I’ll be seeing Oguri Shun romance Horihita Maki. And there will be sleepovers, and him carrying her and eeee. Serious GLEE here. When is it supposed to air? The guy was born to play Sano :)

3. I’ve been watching Mars vids. How an artist, who is a rape victim who does not talk to anyone and cannot bear to be touched by men and an outwardly devil-may care racer who was formerly in an insane asylum and is familiar with straight-jackets, and who has out of control violence problems, can ever make a good believable couple is inconcievable, but OMG. Somehow it slowly works and they become one of my favorite OTPs of all, an OTP where I really believe they could not exist without the other.

4. Been watching the amazing anime Otogi Zoshi set in the Heian era, and following Lady Hikaru who has to pretend to be her brother Raikou and recover the sacred Magatamas. It has an animation style I’ve never seen before. It’s as if they are tying to recreate the era paintings. The same is true for the pacing, and the story itself which is bleak but never hopeless. I love all the characters, but am especially taken by Mansairaku, an enigmatic imperial entertainer who crosses paths with Hikaru now and again, and to whom she becomes attracted.



5. Am now on Dunnett’s Queen’s Play. Brilliant. You know what struck me in GoK btw? The reconciliation/admission scene between Richard and Mariotta (which is breathlessly beautiful) is in many ways parallel to the one with Lymond and Philippa at the end of Checkmate, in both the acceptance of the woman, and surrender of control by the man, and childhood restoration. I guess the brothers do have things in common after all.

6. Apparently Bushi No Ichibun is out on DVD with subs. Me want.

7. I have found a plentiful source of Pockys in the neighborhood. Yay!

8. I think I am mobbed out what with Lovers and ADC. I think I will switch to something light and fluffy, most likely Taiwanese Hana Kimi for a bit.

Somebody, please convince my a third rewatch of Mars is a bad idea. I have a backlog a mile long, I have seen Mars three times already, and I know it backwards.

But all it took was one little MV and I am back to reshuffling my drama watching plans.

Oh, Ling and Qi Luo, why must you be so awesome?

Yeah, dozens of dramas later, it is still by far my favorite.