I'm currently following the drama You're Beautiful which airs over SBS on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I only have cable television at home and sadly, my provider didn't include SBS in my channel lineup so I have no choice but to watch the drama via online streaming. The problem is, my internet connection at home isn't fast either so I sometimes end up with a choppy playback.
I definitely envy those who have the luxury of watching their favorite shows via satellite TV such as Direct TV. Pay satellite TV companies like DirectTV just ushered a new trend in television viewing by offering the best in HD television programming. Imagine hours and hours of crystal-clear images and superior sound quality! And with the now affordable subscription rates offered by directv, high definition is the way to go.
Hey, I'm back! My last blog post was published last August 9 (clobber me, please!) and it was about k-pop girl group 2NE1. I know it's definitely bad blogging practice to go on long breaks but I deserve to be forgiven because now I'm back to blog about my current k-drama obsession.
The last k-drama I blogged about about Boys Before Flowers (Boys Over Flowers) and I truly liked Lee Min Ho's portrayal of Goo Jun Pyo. The drama, however, became somewhat boring after the first 11 episodes. The only saving grace was the cute and fun Goo Jun Pyo moments. I cannot find fault in Lee Min Ho's acting and maintain that he is the best thing about Boys Before Flowers.
But if I really liked Boys Over Flowers, I am liking You're Beautiful even more. You're Beautiful is a trendy drama by SBS. It is about the lives of the members of the idol group A.N.JELL. The drama premiered last October 7 Wed/Thurs 9:55 pm timeslot. It is written by the very popular Hong Sisters (My Girl, Delightful Girl Chun Hyang, Fantasy Couple).
I have done a lot of things just to have that much-needed k-drama fix but I am surprised that You're Beautiful more or less made me try out new things. When I started watching korean dramas, I was contented with watching k-drama at sites like MySoju and Dramacrazy and Crunchyroll (before Shinji removed most of her videos). When I discovered Boys Over Flowers, I frequented Viikii because the uploaders, segmenters, and subbers were really fast and it was the source of the BOF videos in MySoju. But You're Beautiful is something else.
I must hand it over to You're Beautiful because I watch each episode via TVAnts as soon as it is aired by SBS. I then download the episode as soon as the links are up and watch it raw after downloading it. Next, I wait for the english- subbed videos to be uploaded at Viikii. I also stalk the official You're Beautiful thread at Soompi to read all the spoilers, analysis, and drool at the pics uploaded by YB fanatics like me and head off to Dramabeans to read her wonderful episode recaps as soon as they are out. And oh, did I mention that I wait for high-quality subs to be released by WithS2 (days after an episode is aired) so that I can watch the subbed episodes again whenever I feel like it? Obsessed much, eh?
The reasons why I love You're Beautiful can be summed up in the following points:
Jang Geun-seok in guyliner! (the guy can sing, act, dance, and is smoking hot.)
Eye candy overload! (Jang Geun-seok, Park Shin-hye, Lee Hong-ki, and Jung Yong-hwa in smexy androgynous wardrobe! )
Everybody in the cast can act (unlike...**cough**).
The Hong Sisters are marvelous (I'm a fan of My Girl and Delightful Girl Chun Hyang).
Listening to the OST is bliss.
The overall tone of the drama is great, just the right balance of laughter and angst.
It is predictable and unpredictable at the same time (think new twists to age-old k-drama plots).
Beautiful, beautiful set.
You're Beautiful is currently on it's 8th episode and if you are into k-drama but haven't discovered this gem, you can watch it here and then read the episode recaps here and here. Also, here's a You're Beautiful video of A.N.JELL's live mini-concert from Raine210's YT channel. Enjoy!
I can't say I don't care much about 2NE1 because the four-member hip hop girl group caught my attention while the Wonder Girl's Nobody took Philippines by storm.
I saw the video of Nobody sometime last year because although my exposure to kpop is kinda limited to k-drama and k-movie OSTs and Bi's albums, I can't help but somehow be updated with the phenomenal rise of the Wonder Girls. The Wonder Girls, after all, was created by JYP after Bi (Rain) left his lair.
So while 90% of the Philippine population dances to Nobody, here I am blogging about 2NE1, not because Sandara Park is in it but because I love the fact that this rookie girl group has become so successful shortly after their launch. I blogged about Sandara, CL, Minzy, and Bom in January and that was way before they were launched as 2NE1 (they were prematurely called SISTA). I never really thought that they will make it big as a group then but I am glad I took interest because 2NE1 has achieved so much in so short a time.
2NE1's digital single, Lollipop, was released in March and I found it just okay. Lollipop was a collaboration of 2NE1 and Big Bang to promote an LG phone so I sort of expected the mediocrity. It was in May this year when 2NE1 debuted with Fire. Fire, I think, is a pretty good song which is waaayyy better than Lollipop. Watching Fire's MV, one would instantly know what makes 2NE1 different from South Korea's gazillion girl groups.
2NE1 means New Evolution of the 21st Century (I had to laugh at this because I thought the group is called 2NE1 because of the members' age). I think it is a statement about the need for the group's departure from the cutesy image which is a common attribute among South Korean girl groups now. Watching videos of close to a dozen girls with identical hairstyles, facial expressions, outfits, and moves can be tiring and confusing.
L to R: Dara, CL, Bom, Minzy
I am glad YG Entertainment took in CL, Dara, Bom, and Minzy as trainees a couple of years ago and decided to launch them as a hip hop girl group. It was a very bold move by YG Entertainment but with 2NE1's overwhelming success (they conquered KBS Music Bank for the 4th consecutive week), it's probably the wisest decision ever made in Kpop history. Talk about stumbling upon a gold mine. And taking into consideration 2NE1's huge success, I won't be surprised if hip hop girl groups will just appear out of nowhere. LOL.
2NE1 is currently promoting their hit single I Don't Care which is part of their 1st mini-album. Of all the songs released by 2NE1, I like I Don't Care best (I listen to I Don't Care alternately with the songs included in my Jang Geun Seuk playlist). I really feel its reggae-cum-R&B vibe; reminds me of TLC and All Saints. Great lyrics, too.
IMHO, the most talented members of 2NE1 are the youngest ones, Minzy and CL. Minzy raps well and dances even better. CL, on the other hand, raps and dances really well and has a very strong presence onstage. Park Bom, the oldest member at 25, sings well earning her the right to be main vocals. And lastly, Dara (Sandara Park) is the cutest 2NE1 member and watching videos of her perform alongside other members of 2NE1 brings a smile to my face. She may not be the most talented singer or dancer in the group but she certainly looks like she's having the time of her life each time 2NE1 goes on stage.
his management revealed they’ve been dating for 2 months!!
I was like, ummm, really? I had to be a little skeptical since actors and actresses do resort to all sorts of gimmick for publicity. So what I did was to search for blog posts on this juicy piece of Korean entertainment news. A couple of blogs have reported that Song Hye Kyo and Hyun Bin have been dating since June. It is said that the management companies of both stars confirmed the reports.
Song Hye Kyo and Hyun Bin both starred in the Korean drama The World That They Live In (Worlds Within), which, everybody knows suffered a lot in the ratings game. I tried to watch the drama despite the negative feedbacks regarding Song Hye Kyo's acting. I really liked Song Hye Kyo in Full House and since my admiration for Hyun Bin hasn't waned since the first time I watched My Name is Kim Sam Soon, I made a go for it. Sadly, The World That They Live In is so uninteresting that I had to quit around Episode 4, I think.
I know lots of die-hard BiKyo (Bi and Song Hye Kyo) are probably seething in anger right now but what the heck, stars have the right to choose their own mates. If they are really dating, then fans and non-fans should just be happy for them. If Bi and Song Hye Kyo were meant for each other, then they should have dated by now. Maybe the attraction wasn't even there to begin with.
And as for myself, I am glad I have since redirected my fangirling to other Korean actors (current fave: Jang Geun Seuk) so I can be wholeheartedly happy with the news that Hyun Bin is dating Song Hye Kyo.
I was looking for articles on Lee Min Ho when I stumbled upon a new site with fresh articles about Korean celebrities. This entertainment site features the latest news about your favorite Korean celebrities like Solbi, Lee Min Ho, Bi (Rain), and Kim Yu-na. And aside from publishing well-written articles on the Korean entertainment scene, it also offers free Korean celebrity wallpapers for its readers.
Meanwhile, Boys Over Flowers has really taken the Philippines by storm since it premiered via ABS-CBN on May 11, 2009. In the most recent reports by TNS Media Research, Boys Over Flowers has been lording it over GMA's Hole in the Wall.
Boys Over Flowers has recently been moved to the 6:00 pm timeslot and is being aired five days a week.
Han Mania is a weblog dedicated to all things Korean. It shall contain posts on Korean movies and dramas, celebrities, food & recipes, fashion, and the Korean culture in general.
