Ummmm, I both want to bleach my brain and cannot stop watching, as far as the recent cdrama Sealed with a Kiss, starring Hawick Lau and Liu Ying goes. It's as if China looked at Thai lakorns with envy and decided to make one of its own, only with better production values.

It's based on a very popular novel which seems to have time-traveled straight from the 1920s, the era of The Sheik and Elinor Glyn.



The premise goes a long way to explain my bizarre reaction - Liu Ying is the hapless heroine, the beautiful and naive young woman, who gets blackmailed by the ruthless businessman Hawick Lau into becoming his mistress (otherwise her uncle goes to jail). Hawick does it as some sort of bizarro revenge against Liu Ying's now-dead parents who ruined his family, or something. But then he falls in luuuuuuuuuurve!

OK, the premise is pretty brain-bleaching, but tbh, I probably wouldn't have been so 'my eyes! my brain! my morals!' if the relationship started that way but then they ended up having a functional supportive relationship.

BUT NO!!!! I have just finished the first ep, during most of which I have spent my time screaming at the screen 'die die die pig!!!!!!' at Hawick's character. Let's see, during the course of the first episode he (1) abuses her emotionally, pretty much calling her a worthless whore who is not good at faking affection and who can have no volition of her own (2) borderline abuses her physically - I don't think showing people is a good thing (3) controls her life - he is pissed off so she gets lets go from a project she likes at work

Did I mention that he's married to a woman who bought-blackmailed him into marriage (but he refuses to sleep with her evah, LOL). Which, you'd think, would give anyone with an ounce of empathy plenty of opportunity to understand why blackmailing people into relationships is bad. But apparently not.

Oh, and he gets pissed off because she fantasizes about another man when they have sex and because she doesn't ever kiss him back - I mean, how dare she not love the man who coerced her to be his mistress and than treats her like a slave! Ungrateful hussy! I mean, it is utterly incomprehensible that she is hoarding all the fancy jewelry he gave her so she can get enough to escape. We are supposed to get that he's in love with her however this started and is extra-bastardy to her because (a) she doesn't love him back (b) he is in denial and wants to prove to himself he doesn't love her, but these are explanations not excuses.

Hey, genius, maybe treating her well, will get you further?

Anyway, I want to stab him in the face and twist twist twist! But yet I cannot stop because this thing is as addictive as it is repulsive - their relationship is such a trainwreck, you never know what will happen next, and they do have amazing chemistry. Guuuuuh, I despise myself but I cannot stop!

On the plus side, Yang Mi's good taste in boyfriends is confirmed. I've only seen Hawick in period stuff before, clothed to the throat, but there are some nice things underneath those garments.



Also, the series was a huge hit and now they are making a mini-sequel. I saw some promo pics and give up - he's handcuffed and grabbing her toes! The protagonists clearly have a relationship not understood by a normal brain.

Have a MV which pretty much sums up the appeal to my lizard brain - they are fucked up people!



( Another MV )

Ummmm, I both want to bleach my brain and cannot stop watching, as far as the recent cdrama Sealed with a Kiss, starring Hawick Lau and Liu Ying goes. It's as if China looked at Thai lakorns with envy and decided to make one of its own, only with better production values.

It's based on a very popular novel which seems to have time-traveled straight from the 1920s, the era of The Sheik and Elinor Glyn.



The premise goes a long way to explain my bizarre reaction - Liu Ying is the hapless heroine, the beautiful and naive young woman, who gets blackmailed by the ruthless businessman Hawick Lau into becoming his mistress (otherwise her uncle goes to jail). Hawick does it as some sort of bizarro revenge against Liu Ying's now-dead parents who ruined his family, or something. But then he falls in luuuuuuuuuurve!

OK, the premise is pretty brain-bleaching, but tbh, I probably wouldn't have been so 'my eyes! my brain! my morals!' if the relationship started that way but then they ended up having a functional supportive relationship.

BUT NO!!!! I have just finished the first ep, during most of which I have spent my time screaming at the screen 'die die die pig!!!!!!' at Hawick's character. Let's see, during the course of the first episode he (1) abuses her emotionally, pretty much calling her a worthless whore who is not good at faking affection and who can have no volition of her own (2) borderline abuses her physically - I don't think showing people is a good thing (3) controls her life - he is pissed off so she gets lets go from a project she likes at work

Did I mention that he's married to a woman who bought-blackmailed him into marriage (but he refuses to sleep with her evah, LOL). Which, you'd think, would give anyone with an ounce of empathy plenty of opportunity to understand why blackmailing people into relationships is bad. But apparently not.

Oh, and he gets pissed off because she fantasizes about another man when they have sex and because she doesn't ever kiss him back - I mean, how dare she not love the man who coerced her to be his mistress and than treats her like a slave! Ungrateful hussy! I mean, it is utterly incomprehensible that she is hoarding all the fancy jewelry he gave her so she can get enough to escape. We are supposed to get that he's in love with her however this started and is extra-bastardy to her because (a) she doesn't love him back (b) he is in denial and wants to prove to himself he doesn't love her, but these are explanations not excuses.

Hey, genius, maybe treating her well, will get you further?

Anyway, I want to stab him in the face and twist twist twist! But yet I cannot stop because this thing is as addictive as it is repulsive - their relationship is such a trainwreck, you never know what will happen next, and they do have amazing chemistry. Guuuuuh, I despise myself but I cannot stop!

On the plus side, Yang Mi's good taste in boyfriends is confirmed. I've only seen Hawick in period stuff before, clothed to the throat, but there are some nice things underneath those garments.



Also, the series was a huge hit and now they are making a mini-sequel. I saw some promo pics and give up - he's handcuffed and grabbing her toes! The protagonists clearly have a relationship not understood by a normal brain.

Have a MV which pretty much sums up the appeal to my lizard brain - they are fucked up people!



( Another MV )

Well, I believe the upcoming cdrama Sealed with a Kiss just may be your chance. The plot involves a rich and ruthless businessman who is seeking to avenge his father's death by blackmailing the daughter of the man who caused the death. Basically he tells her that her uncle is going to jail due to embezzlement unless she becomes his mistress. And then he treats her like dirt. Yup, hero of this blackmails his OTP into sex and 'relationship' (I fail to see how this is revenge but I am not sure I want to enter into his headspace).

Ummmm. WHUT.

Since this is pretty much a 1980s romance in disguise, of course he falls in love with her and angst ensues. Did I mention he is married?

What a Prince Charming!

Personally, after reading the synopsis/watching the trailer, I hope most of the cast kills each other and mistress gets together with her first love. I mean, I love Hawick Lau (who doesn't?) but there are limits.

Trailer:



I am so there - trainwreck!!!!

Also, in happy news, according to my cdrama guru mookiehyun, Peter Ho got cast in 楚汉传奇 (haven't seen it romanized anywhere) as Xiang Yu. alexandral, come squee with me! Chen Dao Ming is Liu Bang. Did they cast the ladies yet? I think I have my most anticipated drama! It probably won't air until 2013 or something, but I don't care! EEEEE!

This is from presscon, I think:



I wonder if the lady on the right is in the cast. Hmmm. I am especially dying to see who will be Lu Zhi.

Well, I believe the upcoming cdrama Sealed with a Kiss just may be your chance. The plot involves a rich and ruthless businessman who is seeking to avenge his father's death by blackmailing the daughter of the man who caused the death. Basically he tells her that her uncle is going to jail due to embezzlement unless she becomes his mistress. And then he treats her like dirt. Yup, hero of this blackmails his OTP into sex and 'relationship' (I fail to see how this is revenge but I am not sure I want to enter into his headspace).

Ummmm. WHUT.

Since this is pretty much a 1980s romance in disguise, of course he falls in love with her and angst ensues. Did I mention he is married?

What a Prince Charming!

Personally, after reading the synopsis/watching the trailer, I hope most of the cast kills each other and mistress gets together with her first love. I mean, I love Hawick Lau (who doesn't?) but there are limits.

Trailer:



I am so there - trainwreck!!!!

Also, in happy news, according to my cdrama guru mookiehyun, Peter Ho got cast in 楚汉传奇 (haven't seen it romanized anywhere) as Xiang Yu. alexandral, come squee with me! Chen Dao Ming is Liu Bang. Did they cast the ladies yet? I think I have my most anticipated drama! It probably won't air until 2013 or something, but I don't care! EEEEE!

This is from presscon, I think:



I wonder if the lady on the right is in the cast. Hmmm. I am especially dying to see who will be Lu Zhi.

Just because I clearly do not have an insane watching list already, I started Scent of Fragrance, a period cdrama starring Michelle Yi, Hawick Lau and perennial Yu Zheng 'never gets the girl' favorite Mikey He.

It's set at the turn of the century and revolves around rival perfume-making clans. There is true love, vendettas, murder, doppelgangers and a lot of angst. Of course.

I have just finished the first episode and like all Yu Zheng dramas it's gorgeous (oh, the costumes), melodramatic and insanely addictive.

Have a shippy MV:

Even though this journal is 90% kdramas, my favorite drama type is actually Mainland period dramas. Nothing is as good as those, nothing as designed to appeal to my tastes. I haven't seen nearly as many of them as I have kdramas, in part because the subs are hard to find, in part because at minimum 30-40 eps, they are a major time committment, and in part because once I find a good one, I tend to hoard (yes, I am still saving Romantic Red Rouge for a rainy day. Sue me).



You know, what I love as much as I do period cdramas? Yang Mi, the gorgeous and charismatic star of Jade Palace Lock Heart (and many other dramas). I have a massive girlcrush on her. Another thing I love? Manpain and romance.

What do you get when you add all of these together? You get the upcoming period cdrama romance Ruyi starring Yang Mi and Hawick Lau.



And do you know the plot? Using fragrant tea plantations as the setting, new drama “Ruyi” is a Republican era piece starring Yang Mi and Hawick Lau. Hawick Lau will play Tan Mingkai, the young master of the Tan clan and the heir to its fortune. The title character, Ruyi (played by Yang Mi), is an ordinary worker on the tea plantations. A secret? Their lives are the result of a switcheroo – Mingkai’s real mother almost died giving birth to him; to save his wife, Mingkai’s birth father (a plantation worker) sold him to be Madam Tan’s son. Family conflict, former best friends become enemies, disaster and calamity…and of course, challenging it all, love. (from cfensi).

Oh God, has this thing been designed especially for me or what? I WANT I WANT I WANT!!!

( Behind the cut, gorgeous preview stills )

Even though this journal is 90% kdramas, my favorite drama type is actually Mainland period dramas. Nothing is as good as those, nothing as designed to appeal to my tastes. I haven't seen nearly as many of them as I have kdramas, in part because the subs are hard to find, in part because at minimum 30-40 eps, they are a major time committment, and in part because once I find a good one, I tend to hoard (yes, I am still saving Romantic Red Rouge for a rainy day. Sue me).



You know, what I love as much as I do period cdramas? Yang Mi, the gorgeous and charismatic star of Jade Palace Lock Heart (and many other dramas). I have a massive girlcrush on her. Another thing I love? Manpain and romance.

What do you get when you add all of these together? You get the upcoming period cdrama romance Ruyi starring Yang Mi and Hawick Lau.



And do you know the plot? Using fragrant tea plantations as the setting, new drama “Ruyi” is a Republican era piece starring Yang Mi and Hawick Lau. Hawick Lau will play Tan Mingkai, the young master of the Tan clan and the heir to its fortune. The title character, Ruyi (played by Yang Mi), is an ordinary worker on the tea plantations. A secret? Their lives are the result of a switcheroo – Mingkai’s real mother almost died giving birth to him; to save his wife, Mingkai’s birth father (a plantation worker) sold him to be Madam Tan’s son. Family conflict, former best friends become enemies, disaster and calamity…and of course, challenging it all, love. (from cfensi).

Oh God, has this thing been designed especially for me or what? I WANT I WANT I WANT!!!

( Behind the cut, gorgeous preview stills )