[Rating - KMovie] Speedy Scandal

Story:
Interest: 2
(2 = I loved the story very much;
1 = The story was okay;
0 = The story didn't make any sense)
Coherence: 1
(2 = Perfectly crafted story, no missing links, well-thought out, whoever wrote this is a genius;
1 = It was coherent but the story wasn't mind-blowing;
0 = Some scenes strayed too far away from the plot, not properly concluded, felt like there's no central theme)

Movie:
Execution: 1.5
(2 = The director did a magnificent job, the movie was so clean and it felt so real;
1.5 = Above average but not totally impressive;
1 = Not bad, average;
0 = Did the director have such a low standard?, boring, should've read the book/script instead)
Effect: 2
(2 = Brought out all the right emotions from me (cry, laugh, get angry, cringe... etc), left me in awe;
1.5 = Some parts moved me
1 = Almost cried, almost laughed, almost got angry.
0 = It didn't affect me at all.)
Acting: 2
(2 = The actors were completely lost in their characters, they gave me goosebumps;
1 = The actors were good but the roles weren't really challenging;
0 = The lead actors need to attend more acting workshops)
Casting: 2
(2 = It was a cast made in heaven, the acting and the faces were perfect for the roles;
1 = The actors didn't make much impression;
0 = They should have given the role to other/better actors/actors with chemistry)
Compactness: 2
(2 = Didn't blink even once afraid to miss a thing, enjoyed every second of the movie;
1 = Skipped some parts but didn't blink on some, enjoyed just half of the movie;
0 = Skipped more than watched, didn't enjoy the movie)
Cinematography: 1
(2 = Blew me away, creatively done;
1 = Just okay, nothing special;
0 = Did they even have budget for this movie?)
Scoring: 2
(2 = Helped in bringing out the viewer's emotions and I loved the soundtrack;
1.5 = The scoring matched the scenes or there's at least one song that I loved;
1 = At least the movie had a soundtrack;
0 = I don't remember if it had one)

Recommend? 1
(2 = You'll miss half of your life if you don't watch this;
1 = If you like the genre, watch it;
0 = Watch it only if you want to watch a movie and you've ran out of good movies to watch)


Thoughts:
For this movie, I think the production people did a great job choosing the right actors for the roles. The story is very predictable. There are not twists and turns. It is pretty simple and direct. But the actors were perfect for the role. Yes, I enjoyed the movie for the cast and not for the story.

Who would've thought My Sassy Girl's Cha Tae Hyun could already pass as a grandpa? Of course it felt a bit weird at first. He was 31~32 when they shot the movie. How can someone that young be a grandfather? Cha Tae Hyun is one of the best Korean comedy flick actors. He is effective and he is charming. Actually I believe that as long as it's Cha Tae Hyun playing the lead, it must be good. You can never go wrong with him.

All 3 lead actors did great. Cute little Gi-Dong (Wang Seok-hyeon in real life) also showed much potential. The kid's so adorable. I've seen him several times in the Korean variety show called "Star Golden Bell" and he's just so cute. Actually, he's the reason why I wanted to watch the movie. Well him and Cha Tae Hyun.

The first part made me think "is this really a Korean movie?". It felt like it was an American movie. Watch to see why.

Anyway, I highly recommend this movie to those who love Korean movies with a little comedy and a little drama.

[Thoughts] Running Man Gets Funnier

I've watched some of the later episode of RM and I must say, it's downright hilarious!

The funniest that I've seen so far is Episode 7 where they had Jo Kwon of 2AM, the girl from TARA, and Yong Hwa of CN Blue. I liked the hunter-prey concept where one team had to complete a mission while the other team tracked them down to stop them from doing so. In this episode, Jaesuk's team was the prey while Jongkook's team was the hunter. The bells that Jongkook's team had on their shoes definitely added thrill to the chase. Imagine the terror of hearing the sound of the bell getting louder and louder... telling you that the hunter is getting closer... Imagine the horror of seeing the hunter (especially when it's Jongkook) out of the corner of your eyes... without looking back you run for your life (well, just for the name tag)... The only way out is an elevator... you frantically press the buttons while wishing that he didn't see or hear you... you silently pray for the elevator to close... but it doesn't... You look up to see why... Kyaaah! Jongkook's blocking the door... Haha. That's what happened to poor Jaesuk in this episode and it's one of the funniest RM scenes I've ever watched.

At this point, I'd say they've rightfully claimed their spots as the perfect mainstays of the show. Additional members could still fit in, I guess, but the people who make up RM right now are perfect. The show is also at the point where they can survive even without guests.

I can see some format changes in the future but I hope the cast stays the same.

PS: Eyeing Haha and Gary. I think I'm going to like them over the course of this show.

[Flavor of the Month] October

1. Kim Jongkook

I first saw him in one of the later episode of a Korean variety show called "Family Outing". My first impression of him wasn't positive. I'm not really a fan of men with bulky muscular bodies so his muscles sort of grossed me out.

After watching one episode, I decided to watch everything starting from the very beginning. Eventually, he grew on me. The muscles disappeared into the background and all I saw was Kim Jongkook, the balladeer, the tough-looking but sweet guy from "Family Outing".

After watching the show, I got into the hobby of looking for more stuff about him. I listened to his songs and watched his past and present tv appearances. Kim Jongkook's songs are amazing. His voice and the melody are a perfect match. Listening to his songs makes my insides melt.

2. Yoo Jaeseok

For me, humor is more important than looks. Yoo Jaeseok may not have the sexiest jawline, his mouth may be protruding a bit too much, and he may look like a grasshopper but he delivers the wittiest punchlines and has the best timing among all the Korean comedians I've ever seen.

[Link Compilation] Infinity Challenge

** Note: Links are not direct download links. This is just an index of links pointing to sites where the real download links can be found. **

Format:

link [ Membership | Subs | Storage ]

Where:
Membership
- None - Membership is not required by the site where the dl link could be found
- Required - If site requires downloaders to register before they can dl anything

Subs
- Raw - No English subs.
- English subs - Has English subs

Storage
- MU - Megaupload
- MF - Mediafire
- YT - Youtube


Show Status: Ongoing


Episode 2010.09.11

Concept:
Pro Wrestling + Woodstock Festival

Links
kpopella [ None | Raw | MU]

Episode 2010.09.18

Concept:
Chuseok SP Part I

Links
kpopella [ None | Raw | MU]

Episode 2010.09.21

Concept:
Chuseok SP Part II

Links
kpopella [ None | Raw | MU]

Episode 2010.09.25

Concept:
Bingo on Bus

Links
kpopella [ None | Raw | MU]

[Thoughts] Today is the day I fall in love with Big Bang

As of today, I'm officially a Big Bang fan... or at least I'm starting to like most of the members.

I first heard about Big Bang a few years ago. But I just didn't develop interest in them. Well, I wasn't really interested in the whole Korean music industry at that time. If I was, I wouldn't have missed Big Bang's earlier days.

My fondness for Daesung started when I watched "Family Outing". I found him cute for being so energetic and for always smiling. His smile is one of the most genuine and heart-felt celebrity smiles I've ever seen. I'd say that he's the reason why I got into watching Big Bang videos, where I saw how lovable the other members are.

TOP would be the number 2 on my list. He reminds me of Kano Eiko, one of my favorite Japanese comedians. (No offense meant)

About the other members, I'm still in the process of knowing more stuff about them.

[Reaction] Lee Hoyri Remains Standing

Despite the ugly controversy Lee Hyori is facing right now, most companies still find her worthy of their trust as their endorser.

Just when we all thought that Lee Hyori's endorsement offers would plummet and hit rock bottom due to Interpark's lawsuit against her for causing damage to the online shopping site's reputation, she receives an offer to endorse a Korean make-up company called "Clio".

It seems that her tarnished image as an endorser isn't enough to bring her down. If Interpark chose to drop her as their image model, some companies still believe that whatever controversies she's facing right now is not enough reason to hide the fact that she is still one of Korea's most influential celebrities who would be a big asset to their company as an endorser.

As a fan of Hyori, I feel bad that she had to be sued for something that she didn't intentionally do. I'm not an expert on this but I think endorsers are made to sign a contract which includes an agreement between them and the company that for the whole duration of the contract, they must protect their image at all costs. I heard some celebrities mention that some companies even require them to maintain a certain length of hair and not to conceive throughout the duration of the contract. Anything they do that goes against their agreement would result to a breach of contract. That's what happened with Hyori. Her image was stained when she admitted to the public that her album contained plagiarized songs. This event put a dent on her reputation, which consequently served as the grounds for Interpark to file a case against her. But no matter how I look at it, she didn't intentionally destroy her image to cause damage on Interpark. That's the reason why I feel bad about this whole thing.

But I was relieved when I heard about her new endorsement. It just means that we'll be seeing more of her despite what happened with Interpark.

Hyori, fighting!

Read the news article @: allkpop

[Link Compilation] Change

** Note: Links are not direct download links. This is just an index of links pointing to sites where the real download links can be found. **

Format:

link [ Membership | Subs | Storage ]

Where:
Membership
- None - Membership is not required by the site where the dl link could be found
- Required - If site requires downloaders to register before they can dl anything

Subs
- Raw - No English subs.
- English subs - Has English subs

Storage
- MU - Megaupload
- MF - Mediafire
- YT - Youtube

Status of Change: Finished
Total Number of Episodes: 29

Episode 001 - 029:

Links and information:
soompi [ Required | Raw | MU, Badongo, filesend ]

[Link Compilation] Intimate Notes

** Note: Links are not direct download links. This is just an index of links pointing to sites where the real download links can be found. **

Format:

link [ Membership | Subs | Storage ]

Where:
Membership
- None - Membership is not required by the site where the dl link could be found
- Required - If site requires downloaders to register before they can dl anything

Subs
- Raw - No English subs.
- English subs - Has English subs

Storage
- MU - Megaupload
- MF - Mediafire
- YT - Youtube

Episode Date: 02.13.09

Guests:
Big Bang

Links:
ampedasia [ None | Part 1 - Softsubbed, Part 2 - Hardsubbed | MU ]
HQBB@LiveJournal [ None | Raw | MF ]

[Link Compilation] Invincible Youth

** Note: Links are not direct download links. This is just an index of links pointing to sites where the real download links can be found. **

Format:

link [ Membership | Subs | Storage ]

Where:
Membership
- None - Membership is not required by the site where the dl link could be found
- Required - If site requires downloaders to register before they can dl anything

Subs
- Raw - No English subs.
- English subs - Has English subs

Storage
- MU - Megaupload
- MF - Mediafire
- YT - Youtube


Episode 001:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 002:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 003:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 004:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 005:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 006:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 007:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 008:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 009:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 010:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 011:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 012:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 013:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 014:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 015:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 016:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 017:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 018:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 019:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 020:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 021:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 022:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 023:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 024:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 025:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 026:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 027:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 028:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 029:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 030:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 031:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 032:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 033:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 034:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 035:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 036:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 037:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 038:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 039:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 040:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 041:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 042:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

Episode 043:

Link:
ampedasia [ None | Not sure | MU ]

[Link Compilation] Happy Together

** Note: Links are not direct download links. This is just an index of links pointing to sites where the real download links can be found. **

Format:

link [ Membership | Subs | Storage ]

Where:

Membership
- None - Membership is not required by the site where the dl link could be found
- Required - If site requires downloaders to register before they can dl anything

Subs
- Raw - No English subs.
- English subs - Has English subs

Storage
- MU - Megaupload
- MF - Mediafire
- YT - Youtube

Season 3

Episode 113:

Guests:
Yun Eunhye
Yun Sanghyeon
Jeong Il-woo
Mun Chaewon
Park Jiseon
Hong Jinyeong

Links:
lets-look [ None | English Subs | MU ]

Episode 114:

Guests:
Yun Eunhye
Yun Sanghyeon
Jeong Il-woo
Mun Chaewon
Park Jiseon
Hong Jinyeong

lets-look [ None | English Subs | MU ]

Episode 115:

Guests:
Jo Mingi
Lee Hun
Han Seongju
Park Seonggwang

lets-look [ None | English Subs | MU ]

Episode 116:

Guests:
Wu Huijin
Yun Dahun
Jeong Ungin
Park Sangmyeon

lets-look [ None | English Subs | MU ]

Episode 117:

Guests:
Choi Ganghui
Bae Subin
Kim Suk
Gil

Links:
lets-look [ None | English Subs | MU ]

Episode 118:

Guests:
Lee Seongmi
Lee Yeongja
Seong Euni
Kim Yeongcheol

Links:
lets-look [ None | English Subs | MU ]

Episode 119:

Guests:
Tae Jina
Gyeon Miri
Seong Jinu
Seo Inyeong

Links:
lets-look [ None | English Subs | MU ]

Episode 120: (Chuseok Special)

Guests:
Lee Seunggi
Bong Taegyu
MC Mong
Heo Gyeonghwan

Links:
lets-look [ None | English Subs | MU ]

Episode 121:
lets-look [ None | English Subs | MU ]

** I'm still working on the list **

[Link Compilation] 1N2D

** Note: Links are not direct download links. This is just an index of links pointing to sites where the real download links can be found. **

Format:

link [ Membership | Subs | Storage ]

Where:

Membership
- None - Membership is not required by the site where the dl link could be found
- Required - If site requires downloaders to register before they can dl anything

Subs
- Raw - No English subs.
- English subs - Has English subs

Storage
- MU - Megaupload
- MF - Mediafire
- YT - Youtube

Episode 163

1N2Dfansubs [ None | English | MU ]

Episode 164

1N2Dfansubs [ None | English | MU ]

Episode 165

1N2Dfansubs [ None | English | MU ]

Episode 166

1N2Dfansubs [ None | English | MU ]

Episode 167

1N2Dfansubs [ None | English | MU ]

Episode 168

1N2Dfansubs [ None | English | MU ]

Episode 169

1N2Dfansubs [ None | None | MU ]

[Links] Korean Variety Shows

Index:

1N2D

Change

Happy Together

Invincible Youth

[Thoughts] The downside of Running Man

Reacting to one of the articles I read about the show: ALLKPOP

Running Man is indeed fun to watch and for us viewers, it's just an hour long show packed with a lot of running and occasional hilarious moments. But for the celebrities who take part in it, it is more than a half day of continuous activities which is sure to make everyone feel sore all over.

According to the article I read above, some celebrities who have been invited to the program felt burdened rather than ecstatic.

I totally understand why some celebrities dread being a part of the show especially the busier ones. Although the recording lasts for just 12 hours, participants should be well rested before they go to the shooting or else they'll pass out. It also doesn't end when the cameras stop rolling cuz when they get home, they have to rest. So for the show, they should at least allot 2 days and 1 night for the preparation, taping, and resting. Some people may look at it as if it was just for 12 hours but the show actually takes up more time. That, now, could cause conflicts especially for celebs whose planners are almost full to the brim.

Another issue is the short airtime of the guests. For this part, I can't blame the mainstays and the editors if they can't find any good footage on the guests. Celebrities should grab the attention when the opportunity arises. If Jae Seok seems to overshadow them due to his talkativeness, we can't blame the guy for being a genius. I mean the guests should at least do their part. But the full blame is not on the guests either. I think the mainstays and staff should also consider their guests and change some stuff so that the guests get more exposure. But airtime is always a problem when it comes to big numbered casting. I think this was also a problem with FO where not everyone got enough airtime (esp Park Hae Jin and Park Shi Yeon). But then again, the problem was not with the other members but it was because they just didn't make efforts to stand out.

If RM wants to run for several seasons with different guests, they should do something about the format of the show. They should give more camera time for the guests and make the games less strenuous but more enjoyable. The picture taking game isn't strenuous but it's fun. I don't care if the games are intense or not anyway. As long as they don't fail to make me laugh at least once, then it's fine.

[Thoughts] Undying admiration for Kim Jong Kook

I have just watched Running Man EP 02 and I can't stop my inner fangirl from screaming.

If there's one person who can define the phrase "real man" with his existence, that would be Kim Jong Kook. It seems that this tough-looking guy isn't just appearance. He is a man inside and out. Of course, the definition of the phrase is subjective. For me, a real man is someone who can jump from a 10-meter high platform into a 5-meter deep pool without showing any fears.

I was actually waiting for him to take the plunge. After seeing him in Family Outing, I knew that he'd challenge the 10-meter high platform. I just didn't know how he'd jump into the pool. He's a pretty competitive guy and he does everything within his powers just to win. You know what his greatest power is? No not his muscles. His fearlessness. The guy doesn't seem to have any fears at all. I think the word 'fear' is not included in his vocabulary.

Hmmm... Swoooon... He's a very cool guy. 진짜 남자 - 김종국.사랑해요 \(^*^)/

[Thoughts] Running Man

This program has a lot of potential. I have only seen the first 2 episodes of it and based on what I saw, this show lacks 2% of something.

Running Man will be the 2nd Korean variety show that I have watched from the beginning, the first one being Family Outing. This blog is a witness to how good FO S1 was for me. FO had me at hello. It was my first Korean variety show experience and I think it's so good that it raised the bar quite high for the other Korean variety shows.

Though Running Man has a different concept, it still isn't good enough for me to rank it somewhere near FO. But I'm not saying that it will never reach that level. I think it might be able to surpass FO in the future but right now, I think there's still something missing. It will never have the drama FO had but Running Man's PD can always think of something to make up for what's missing.

My honest opinion about the show ATM:
ATM, Running Man is a little bland. It could use some help from Yoon Jong Shin's ramen powdered seasoning. lol. I think they should give the cast a 'character' to play. Yeah, like Chunderella and Stepmom Kim in FO. Adding some flavor to the characters would help a lot because right now, I couldn't care less about the cast. I also think that they should do something to claim the show as theirs. I want them to show the viewers that there are no other celebrities who'd be perfect for the spot that they are holding. Again, I can't help but compare it to FO where at day 1, the members marked their territories and showed everyone that they are the sole owners of the spot they're holding. (Proof is that the successors of Chun Hee and Ye Jin didn't stand out as much as they did.)

But as I said, the show is promising. I'm already growing fond of one of the members so I guess the missing 2% will be showing up soon.

Fave/Best Korean OOO

Note: This list is not yet finished and it will definitely change from time to time.

Fave Korean Celebrity:
Lee Hyo Ri
- I won't say that she's my favorite Korean singer cuz I don't even consider her as a good singer. But when she does variety shows, I can't help but fall in love with her. Lee Hyo Ri, when she lets her hair down (and removes her make up) becomes the most beautiful and charming woman on earth.


Fave Korean Smile:
Lee Hyo Ri
Kang Daesung (Big Bang)


Fave Korean Ballad Singer:
Kim Jong Kook
- There are a lot of other ballad singers who are better than him. But whoever arranges his songs does a very good job at making the melody fit his voice perfectly. The sweet melody coupled with his uniquely high singing voice sounds heaven to me.


Fave Korean Song:
How Did We Get (Lee Hyo Ri ft Kang Deasung)
- There are 2 things that I love about this song: Hyo Ri and Daesung's perfect blending and the hair-raising melody. The first and second time I heard the song, tears welled up in my eyes and I had goosebumps. Daesung's voice is perfect for the melody of the song and for Hyo Ri's voice.


Fave Korean Variety Show:
Family Outing Season 1 (SBS Good Sunday)
- I don't know if there will ever be a Korean variety show as good as this (according to my standards). What hooked me into finishing the whole season was the format which showcased the casts' real personalities. It's where I saw Korea's celebrities let their hair down and show who they are off cam or at least something close to that. FO showed something that's not usually seen on TV like the casts and guests' bare faces, sleeping habits, cooking skills, and personalities. The show gave the public a total of 84 episodes of that. I also loved how the casts' relationship blossomed. While they grew more comfortable with each other, I got more attached to them.

Running Man
- Running Man is a game show where 2 teams compete against each other using their skills and wits. The 2 teams will be given the same mission and whoever completes the mission first will be given the code that they will need to open the exit gates for their group to be able to leave the venue. As a punishment, the losing team will have to perform another extra mission for them to be set free.
I just watched 1 episode of it but I think it's tolerable. The first episode was fun for me only because it featured Lee Hyo Ri. The format is similar to one of my favorite Japanese shows entitled "Tousouchuu"/"Run for Money" except that Tousouchuu is more intense and the rules and missions are more serious because of the big prize that awaits the winner and that Running Man is a team battle while Run for Money is a competition among individuals. ATM, I think this show is promising.


Fave Korean Drama:
Full House
- This drama started the Korean drama boom here in the Philippines. Song Hye Gyo and Bi Rain's love-hate relationship in the drama undoubtedly won over our hearts.

Boys Over Flowers
- The second Kdrama I watched from start to finish that left a huge impact on me.

My Delightful Girl Chun Hyang
- This drama woke up the K-addict in me. I recently watched the whole series and it made me fall in love with Korean entertainment once again.

He's Beautiful
- Like "Boys Over Flowers", this is one of the best-looking Kdramas out there. Personally, I prefer romcoms over heavy dramas so this drama was a perfect blend of comedy, romance, drama, and visuals for me.


Best Body
Kang Daesung

Lee Hyo Ri
- Though they are always making fun of her long torso and relatively short legs, I think she's got a great body.

Bi Rain


Fave Korean Actor
Jae Hee


Fave Korean MC
Yoo Jae Seok
- This man is a genius when it comes to hosting. In one of the "Infinity Challenge" episodes that I've watched, an expert interpreted him as someone who has the decency to keep quiet when he needs to and speak up only when necessary. Yes, he's not really funny all of the time but his timing is really impeccable. He can quickly recover from corny punchlines.

[Thoughts] Done with Family Outing Season 1

Whew! I'm already done with all 84 episodes of FO S1. The last outing was not the best cuz there weren't a lot of games and the battle for the exemption from morning chores wasn't that great but there were a lot of good moments.

I cried while watching them say goodbye to each other. The most tear-jerking part was when Jae Seok was about to get into the van but he goes back and hugs each one of his 'siblings'.

My attachment to the cast is just so deep that I feel so sad that they weren't able to do more seasons. I wish they were a band instead. Bands have longer lifespan than shows. Well, most bands last for about 5 years. Shows don't usually run that long.

My love for the show and the cast made me want to support and be a fan of each of them. They'll all be my favorite Korean celebrities from now on, esp Kim Jong Kook, LHL, LCH, and Daesung.

[Thoughts] Wishing for a show for the FO1 cast

I'm almost done with FO season 1 and I don't know what I'd watch next. I think I'm going to watch "Infinity Challenge" next. But there's no subbing team for it so I'll just watch what's available.

But I wish I could see the gang again in the future. All the guys except for Park Hae Jin and Deasung have already completed their military service and I don't see Daesung being drafted anytime soon so I guess they could make another SBS variety show with all the FO season 1 cast. I really want to see them together again. I'm wishing for something that would run longer, something that would go for at least 4 seasons with all of them.

Maybe they should also do something like "The Bachelorette" for the woman who they wanted to marry off to someone - Lee Hyori. If I were to produce something like that, I'll include Jong Kook in the choices. Jong Kook will be the only person she can't eliminate. I'm thinking of something like this:
At the start of the month, they'll invite 2 single guys to the show (Jong Kook is a mainstay so he's always the 3rd guy). She'll be dating one guy per week spending one whole day with him doing whatever the guy prepares for her. At the end of the month, she chooses who stays and who goes. Since Jong Kook can't be evicted, she has to decide whether one of the 2 guests should stay or both of them should just leave. However, for Jong Kook not to feel at ease with his role as a contender who can't be evicted, he'll be punished if Hyori doesn't like what he does.
The audience also has a say on this. They can vote for the guy who looked best with her.

For the whole FO gang, I'm wishing for something similar to Family Outing. It has to be a reality tv show.

[Thoughts] Not too late?

I'm officially baited into the Kim Jong Kook fandom...

At this point, I don't know how big that fandom is. Him having a large-sized fanbase would be helpful for me. It will make stuff about him more accessible, thus, making it easier for me to feed the flames and keep it burning.

I think I have fallen for him. Yeah, I had all those question marks written all over my face too before. I used to dislike his face and his body - all those bulky muscles! I just hated how he looked like. But seeing a lot of him everyday through tv changes everything. When he sings, I see a different guy.

He's actually more of a 'despite of' guy than a 'because of' guy. (despite of guy - a guy whom I love despite of this and that)

But he's kind of old... I hope I'm not too late.

Kim Jong Kook oppa! Don't retire for the next 5 years yet okay? I still want to listen to your voice and see you doing variety shows. Oppa, fighting! Saranghaeyo! (^.^)v

[Thoughts] "What's Up" - Korean Version of "Detroit Metal City"?

Anything with the name "Daesung" just stands out for me these days. My heart leaps every time I see his name or his face. So while I was browsing through some news articles, I found out that he's going to be appearing as the lead of a drama entitled "What's Up". After reading about the brief concept of the drama, I thought to myself "I've seen this somewhere".

It's very similar to the Japanese movie entitled "Detroit Metal City", where Kenichi Matsuyama acts as a university student taking up music who is forced to work as the lead singer of a death metal band to make ends meet. He used to dream about living a classy (think cardigans and tea parties) life once he entered college in the city but all of his dreams crumbled to the ground when he auditioned and got into a death metal band. Fortunately, he was able to separate the vocalist him from the normal him through his make up so he was able to continue being a normal college student despite his rising popularity as a DM vocalist.

I just don't know the details about Deasung's drama but they're pretty similar since Deasung also uses a mask to cover his real identity.

I just realized, it's also somewhat like Hannah Monatana.

[Thoughts] How Did We Get

The chemistry between Hyo Ri and Deasung is just so overwhelming that even their song (collaboration) sent shivers down my spine. By 'chemistry' I don't mean the romantic kind. They just click together and they seem to have a really good noona-dongsaeng relationship. I wish to see more collaborations from the both of them in the future.

My insides melt every time I listen to the song. The album this belongs to is worth buying. Deasung's voice is heaven's sound! I didn't know he'd sound so good doing a ballad. This is the first time I heard him sing one. I usually hear him doing trot... I'm not really sure if his songs are trot but they sound so Korean.

There are just 2 songs that make my insides melt. The first one is a "Serendipity" soundtrack called "The Distance" by Evan and Jaron and the second one is this.

[Thoughts] Tearjerker - FO bidding fairwell to LCH and PYJ

I'm really in love with the show.

I knew that I'd cry while watching this episode. Of course I knew that Lee Chun Hee and Park Ye Jin were leaving the show and the episode was shown more than a year ago but I still cried a lot and it felt like I was watching it on the same day as it was aired on Tv in Korea.

Like what Ye Jin said, she felt like she became a part of a real family. Watching them made me feel the same way. It made me feel like I was watching a family in a reality TV, yeah something similar to the "Kardashians" but a subtler and hilarious version.

I will forever love all the people in Family Outing 1: Lee Hyo Ri, Yoo Jae Suk, Yoon Jong Shin, Park Jin Ye, Lee Chun Hee, Kim Jong Kook, Kim Soo Ro, and of course Kang Daesung.

[Thoughts] Wondering...

I'm wondering how Lee Hyori is doing. Mid 2010, the composer of the songs included in her "H-Logic" album was sued for plagiarism. This forced her into taking a temporary leave from singing. To think that she didn't renew her FO contract because she wanted to concentrate on her singing career. Well at least according to what I read. If it was true, I think she shouldn't have given up FO in the first place. But she didn't know that this was going to happen. There's nothing wrong with trying. She can still come back anyway.

I wish that she recovers from this slump.

[Thoughts] Deasung!

Let me...

Just like what I said in one of my posts, I'm in a Family Outing S1 marathon and I've fallen deeply in love with all of them. If this is the feeling I have now while watching it, what more could I have felt if I watched it at that time. I can no longer wish for Hyori to be the only woman in Jong Kook's life because the show's been over for a year now and there's no news about them being together. The only advantage I get from watching it now is I can go on a marathon and finish it in a week or so. Seeing them for more than 2 hours a day makes me fall even more.

But there's this thing that crept its way in from a backdoor. I didn't realize that I have completely fallen for the adorable and energetic Daesung. I'm very sure that there are a lot of other people, especially fans, who feel the same way as I do. Every time I look at him smiling, I crack up. I can't help but smile and feel happy seeing his face. He makes me feel so good. His innocence is so refreshing. I love looking at his face. But the love I feel for him is so different. It's more of a noona's love for her younger brother. That's how I feel. It's like I want to pamper him and I want to make sure that his genuine and bright smile is always plastered on his face. He makes me want to take care of him. He's such a cute baby. Daesung, saranghae! (Hmmm... I wish I said it right. lol)

[Thoughts] Kim Jong Kook - Now I Know

I mentioned in one of my posts something about how I find it weird that a lot of Korean artists are so into him. I'm taking that back. After watching a few old episodes of Family Outing (yeah, I'm 2 years late lol), I saw what's there to like in this guy. His masculinity is not just physical or superficial but he seems to be a guy in and out. I like how he speaks short lines - a man of few words. *wink*. I like how he acts more than he talks. It's not that I hate talkative men but men who can keep their mouths shut look manlier. I like him.

Aside from knowing who he is a bit more, I fell in love with his song entitled "Can't Get Better Than This". I just do that a lot. Every time I fall in love with a song, I end up liking the voice behind it.

But there's still something weird about him. His voice doesn't suit his body. lol

[Rating] Family Outing - Outing 011

Guest: Bi Rain (Jung Ji Hoon)

Image Source: http://kyuketsuki-sama.blogspot.com/2009/07/bi-rain.html

Rating: ★★★★

★★★★★ - Loved it!
★★★★ - Liked it!
★★★ - Good
★★ - Hmmm...
★ - Ughhh...

Guest - 2
( 2: Loved the guest/s; 1: Guest/s was/were okay; 0: Hated the guest/s)

Laughter: 1
( 2: My sides ached from laughing; 1: There were some funny scenes; 0: What happened to this episode?!)

Compactness: 2
( 2: I loved every second; 1: Had to skip some parts cuz they were boring; 0: Waste of airtime!)

Games: 1
( 2: The games were exciting!; 1: The games were okay; 0: Most of the games were boring)

Food: 2
( 2: I wish I could eat with them; 1: The food looked okay; 0: They call that food?!)


Comments:

Whew! Bi Rain as guest! This show's really gone big time!!! ^_^

Anyway, again, there were a lot of revelations and I made a lot of discoveries. Here are some of them:

1. The famous Bi Rain is afraid of live mollusks. He says he can stand cleaning live fish but he is scared of suckers like the octopus.
2. Jong Kook is not afraid of anything but he is afraid of Hyo Ri.
3. Rain has pretty long legs, which even looked prettier when he jumped over a puddle/pool of water in one of their games.
4. Jong Kook deals with embarrassment by running away.
5. Daesung has short legs, something we alraedy know but was emphasized more when he didn't make it over the pool of mud that Rain effortlessly surpassed.
6. Bi Rain cancels out the Hyo Ri effect. Well, she had 2 of the toughest guys in her team - Soo Ro-ssi and Rain but she still had Jong Shin-ssi and herself to cancel out the strength and abilities of the two guys. But I guess Rain+Soo Ro-ssi is an unbeatable tandem cuz they still won in the end. (First game)
7. Soo Ro-ssi is not just strong, he's also smart.
8. Jong Kook is softhearted. After pushing Chunderella around, he fed the younger guy grilled octopus. Sweet!
9. Chun Hee and Soo Ro-ssi know a lot about each other.
10. Chun Hee graduated earlier than Soo Ro-ssi despite of the latter being older. Chun Hee mentioned that even though he's been in and out of the military, he still graduated earlier. And he kept bragging about graduating earlier.
11.Daesung is a really really good dancer and is an energetic boy. I wonder where all the energy is coming from. He's so cute! I'm 7 years his senior so I might treat him the way Hyo Ri treats him - like a baby - if we knew each other.
12. Rain can cook.

Family Outing isn't Family Outing without the rib-breaking hilarious scenes. Here are the funniest scenes I saw:

1. Jong Shin-ssi never fails to catch my attention whenever he does the "aeh!" sound.
2. The first game's second part was another relay (which is a default game in FO) where the guys had to run towards a goal then back to the starting line while carrying the girls. Rain carried Hyo Ri as if she was just a towel he was draping around his torso proving that Hyo Ri isn't as heavy as the other guys are saying. Well, the funny part is that Daesung tripped and dropped Ye Jin not just once but twice, making Ye Jin lose her poise for those short moments. It must've hurt.


At first, it felt like Rain didn't belong to a show like this. I mean he's THE Bi Rain everybody knows. Seeing him play games, catching octopus, cleaning it, grilling it, sleeping in such a small place, cooking, is just so new to me. I'm not used to seeing that side of him. He does those things for dramas or movies but he doesn't really fall asleep on the set right? And he seems like someone who won't accept an invitation to guest in FO. Well... he did so maybe THE Bi Rain isn't really as stuck up as I thought he was. ^_^

Anyway, I loved the episode. I had a great time staring at Rain's face. The man really looks good! He's a perfect performer. Seeing another side of him made me like him more as a person.

[Rating] Family Outing - 010

Guest: Kim Jong Kook

Source: http://www.jazzholic.com/category/kpop/kim-jong-kook/

Rating: ★★★

★★★★★ - Loved it!
★★★★ - Liked it!
★★★ - Good
★★ - Hmmm...
★ - Ughhh...

Guest - 1
( 2: Loved the guest/s; 1: Guest/s was/were okay; 0: Hated the guest/s)

Laughter: 2
( 2: My sides ached from laughing; 1: There were some funny scenes; 0: What happened to this episode?!)

Compactness: 1
( 2: I loved every second; 1: Had to skip some parts cuz they were boring; 0: Waste of airtime!)

Games: 1
( 2: The games were exciting!; 1: The games were okay; 0: Most of the games were boring)

Food: 1
( 2: I wish I could eat with them; 1: The food looked okay; 0: They call that food?!)


Comments:

I don't find Jong Kook that attractive. A lot of female K celebs swoon over him but honestly, I don't know what they see in him. I guess my impression of him is not really the same with everyone else. I don't even like how his muscles look. They're too big and puffy. He looks like "The Korean Hulk". His arms are extremely big, they're painful to look at. But there's still room for changes in my impression of him. I didn't really like Chun Hee in the beginning but after 20+ episodes, I fell in love with him. If KJK sticks by Hyo Ri's side, I might just overlook the unpleasant bulges on his arms and learn to like... or love him.

As always, the show is downright hilarious. It didn't just tickle my funny bones but it gave me stomach spasms!

Funny parts that I loved:
1. There was this part where they went to harvest rice. Chun Hee was pressured because of the new guy - Jong Kook. So he wanted to impress the other guys especially Hyo Ri and Ye Jin. He went turbo and gathered as much wheat as he could, trying to do better than KJK. The trail he left behind was so clean. Hyo Ri suggested they get the "combine" (a machine used to harvest wheat/rice) to make things faster. Poor Chun Hee whose name has been made fun of ever since he was called "Chunderella" (being Soo Ro-ssi's junior, he also became the guy's servant) was given something worse in this episode. They named him "Chunbine" for being a human combine.

2. For the ranking, the girls asked the guys to show them some cool action moves. I'm pretty shocked to see this other side of Chun Hee. Despite looking like an actor whom everyone respects and girls swoon for, his image in FO had to be downgraded, just like all the other hosts. That actually created this huge gap between his 2 personalities: the great Chun Hee and the clumsy Chunderella. FO actually gives him a chance to redeem himself by giving him a chance to show his good side. The previous episode revealed that he had the highest IQ among the MCs. This episode revealed that he looks good punching and kicking a punchbag! He starts off good, saying that he has a Tae Kwon Do instructor. They all believed him and it looked convincing. I also believed him. He was actually good until he slipped and crushed his... pride! LOL. There's no one who can beat the expression he had on his face! He's funny without him knowing it.

3. As part of the duties given to them by the owners of the house, they had to feed the calves with bottled fresh milk. They had to milk the mother cows and put the milk in feeding bottles so that they can feed the calves. After feeding the calves, they let a calf out so that it can walk or prance or run around a larger space. The calf they released agreed with Hyo Ri when she said "I just feel like poking your butt every time I see it." in one of the earlier episodes. The calf walked towards Jae Seok (there were other people there but the calf chose him) and poked his butt.

I discovered a lot of things in this episode. As I've said, I'm a Kpop fandom noob so I don't really know Big Bang. I've heard of the band but that's about it. So I didn't have an idea that Deasung could play the drums. That was a big surprise to me. I didn't know that Chun Hee could play the bass guitar. Is there something this guy can't do? He's a licensed diver, he studied ballet, he's into Tae Kwon Do, he plays bass... oh, there's one thing he can't do - sing! He's tone deaf. Ye Jin plays the piano aside from having an IQ of 147.

Plus, there was this part where Hyo Ri was standing in front of the cameras. They played the song of Jose Mari Chan entitled "Beautiful Girl"! I just felt proud and happy after listening to it.

I like seeing Chun Hee and Hyo Ri together. They went to gather chestnuts together. I actually liked Hyo Ri better here cuz she just proved that she really doesn't care about poise. She let Chun Hee use her as a platform letting him step on her while she was on all fours. Girly girls won't do that. I also like Chun Hee better when he offered his jacket to Hyo Ri. Hyo Ri said she was cold so he was like "Do you want this?" unzipping his jacket. He made her wear it and zipped it all the way up revealing the hood-cum-mask. She looked funny but Chun Hee was still sweet!

Last but not the least, I really liked the jam session they had. It's a breath of fresh air. This is the first time I saw the perform for other people as members of the family.

Family Outing - Outing 009

Guest: DBSK - Kim Junsu & Jung Yunho

(Source: http://bigwondershinki.wordpress.com)

Rating: ★★★★★

★★★★★ - Loved it!
★★★★ - Liked it!
★★★ - Good
★★ - Hmmm...
★ - Ughhh...

Guest - 2
( 2: Loved the guest/s; 1: Guest/s was/were okay; 0: Hated the guest/s)

Laughter: 2
( 2: My sides ached from laughing; 1: There were some funny scenes; 0: What happened to this episode?!)

Compactness: 2
( 2: I loved every second; 1: Had to skip some parts cuz they were boring; 0: Waste of airtime!)

Games: 2
( 2: The games were exciting!; 1: The games were okay; 0: Most of the games were boring)

Food: 1
( 2: I wish I could eat with them; 1: The food looked okay; 0: They call that food?!)


Comments:
Who won't love this episode?! The guests were no other than DBSK's Yunho and Jusu! Actually I prefer watching idols and comedians rather than actors. I'm more interested to know how idols act in situations like those that they have in the show. I want to see who runs away at the sight of a fish flipping on a chopping board and who looks best with mud or sand all over his/her face. It's just so interesting to see them be Hyorified (the term I use for idols who transform to plain and silly people because of the show. Hyori was once an idol but when she entered the show, she was downgraded to everybody's silly noona and unnie, she was even paired up with Jaesuk and the pair was called "Dumb and Dumbsoon".) Idols have a reputation and an image to maintain. This show challenges them to keep the level of respect people have for them until the end of the show even after doing humiliating stuff.

Back to the episode...

Yunho and Junsu didn't disappear into the background. I felt them. They just stood out. There were a lot of scenes where the other members kept talking about them and praising them. So they were hard to miss, really.

The games were fun. I liked the "Webfoot race". This is actually the first time I saw a guest play as rough as the family. I can't remember who it was but one of them played equally dirty. Guests don't usually do that.

The dinner looked great. They had a lot of food. I agree with the one who said that it was so far the best dinner they've had. But the breakfast looked terrible! First, the kimchi pancake was done with Jongshin-ssi's bare hands! Something that made Soo Ro-ssi skip breakfast. Second because of the stew which looked like pig food. They dumped all the substandard kimchi pancake they first made into the stew.

Generally, this episode was great!

[Rating] Family Outing - Outing 008

Guest: Shin Hye Sung

(image source: watermarked - www.thesingle.co.kr)

Rating: ★★

★★★★★ - Loved it!
★★★★ - Liked it!
★★★ - Good
★★ - Hmmm...
★ - Ughhh...

Guest - 1
( 2: Loved the guest/s; 1: Guest/s was/were okay; 0: Hated the guest/s)

Laughter: 1
( 2: My sides ached from laughing; 1: There were some funny scenes; 0: What happened to this episode?!)

Compactness: 1
( 2: I loved every second; 1: Had to skip some parts cuz they were boring; 0: Waste of airtime!)

Games: 0
( 2: The games were exciting!; 1: The games were okay; 0: Most of the games were boring)

Food: 1
( 2: I wish I could eat with them; 1: The food looked okay; 0: They call that food?!)


Comments:
I don't know the guest. But I did some googling after and found out that he's a part of Shinwa, a group I don't know either. Well, that's because I'm a Kpop fandom noob. Anyway, he was okay. At least his presence was felt when he mentioned that his mom wanted him to cook for the family. All the more when the guys found out that he had a pack of ramen flavoring tucked in his car. His mom really watched the show cuz she knew exactly what they needed when she handed the pack to her son before he went to tape the show. But I wasn't crazy for him since he was always choosing Yejin. I like Hyori more so I can't help but like the guys who stick to her. She's the reason why I like Jaesuk a lot.

The games were rather boring. I didn't enjoy the boat relay and I didn't really like the word game they played while they were picking persimmons. I liked the last game though cuz it was actually a clean game, the very first fair game I've seen them play. It just looked dirty but no one really broke the rules.

Family Outing Season 1 - Episode Rating

Linked to ratings page.

★★★★★ - Loved it!
★★★★ - Liked it!
★★★ - Good
★★ - Hmmm...
★ - Ughhh...

Outing 001
Outing 002
Outing 003
Outing 004
Outing 005
Outing 006
Outing 007
Outing 008 : ★★
Outing 009 : ★★★★★
Outing 010
Outing 011

[Flavor of the Month] September

Okay. I think I've been bitten by the "You're Beautiful" bug because 2 of this month's flavors of the month are from that drama.

1. Jang Geun Seok - "You're Beautiful" would not be the first drama of him that I've watched. I have seen him in "Beethoven Virus", a drama, which thanks to the horrible subs, I didn't enjoy and understand. His role in BV didn't make an impact on me so I didn't really like him that much during that time. His role in YB, however, left an impression that made up for his volatile role in BV. He is addictive. He is the perfect example of someone who's made perfect by his imperfections. I mean his teeth aren't perfectly aligned but it looks good on him, his face isn't silky smooth but it makes him look manly, his eyes aren't symmetrical but it sets his gaze or stare apart from other Korean actor's gazes and stares.
He is also a good actor, who acts with his mouth and eyes. (Which reminds me of Ninomiya Kazunari who can tell a story with his eyes and mouth, something that sets real actors apart from celebrities who act.) I think he's proven his worth as an actor in YB as Tae Kyung. A lot of people might disagree on that since the role wasn't very challenging but hey, who says no one can pull an easy role perfectly? In my opinion, he just did. Despite the level of difficulty of his role (level nearing zero cuz all he had to do was glare, tsk, and roll his eyes almost all the time), I found him very effective. He completely erased the image of Jang Geun Seok and he evolved into a new person.
The best part of is body would be... his vocal chords or his voice box or whatever it is that takes control over someone's voice. If I could marry a voice, I'd marry his. It's so low and manly and I just think that it's the best voice I've ever heard. His singing voice is also amazing. Not the best out there but he sings rather well.

2. Lee Hong Ki - The one word I'd use to describe this guy would be "cute". No other word could describe him. I love his smile, his eyes when he smiles, his teeth, his gestures. I love his singing voice. It's perfect for me. I love how husky it is.

3. Ninomiya Kazunari - I just watched "Letters From Iwo Jima". Yeah I know I'm a bit late or behind but at least I watched it. Hands down to this guy's acting. Every time I watch his work, Ninomiya Kazunari fades away and his character takes charge.

4. Chunderella - Or Lee Chun Hee of Family Outing. I just discovered the show and I'm now in an FO marathon. When I started watching the show, I didn't really like him. In fact, I thought I'd hate him. But as the show progressed, I learned to love him because of his clumsy but adorable personality. In one of the episodes, Bi actually told him that being "Chunderella" was his charm and that people loved him for that. I totally agree. If his personality deviated a bit from that image, I wouldn't have liked him. Plus, he's like a child trapped in a man's body. I watched an episode's opening where Jae Seok called them to tell them where they were going. When he heard that they were going to Jeju Island, he jumped up and down despite his tailored look (he was in the middle of a photoshoot). He looked handsome and cute at the same time.

5. Daesung - I'm not a fan of Big Bang... but I might become one. This guy is totally cute and adorable. His energy is unparalleled. His slightly stupid image actually suits him and I don't think that it makes him less of an idol. I don't really mind whether an idol is actually smart or not. Well if he is, then that's just a bonus. Daesung doesn't need to be smart cuz he already has a lot of talents, not to mention his adorable face. He's always smiling and I think I can count the instances he wasn't smiling by hand.

6. Kim Jong Kook - I'm officially in love with him and his voice. I will never get tired of listening to his good songs. Physically, he's not the typical Korean cutie. He's not 'artistahin'. Actually, the first time I saw him, I didn't know that he was a singer and that he used to be some kind of a matinee idol when he was younger. Seriously,to me, he looked like a gym instructor... errrr... he's bigger than gym instructors here so he kind of looks like a weight lifter - one who joins weight lifting competitions. I assumed that he was one. I've never seen an actor or a singer as bulky as him. Well, except for retired wrestlers who enter showbiz. Yeah, he looks like a wrestler or someone who does combative sports. I actually thought that he was an athlete who represents Korea in the olympic games that's why he's so popular.
But after hearing his songs and seeing a lot of him in Family Outing, that 'athletic' image I had of him was erased. He became a crooner who easily stole my heart and made me eat what I said earlier.
Man! I love him!
Plus of all the guys I've written in here, he's the oldest. That makes me feel less of a cradle snatcher. Geun Seok, Hong Ki, and Deasung are 4-7 years younger than me. lol

[Rating - JMovie] Kuuki Ningyo/ Air Doll

Story:
Interest: 1
(2 = I loved the story very much;
1 = The story was okay;
0 = The story didn't make any sense)
Coherence: 1.5
(2 = Perfectly crafted story, no missing links, well-thought out, whoever wrote this is a genius;
1.5 = The story was good but the coherence didn't stand out;
1 = It was coherent but the story wasn't mind-blowing;
0 = Some scenes strayed too far away from the plot, not properly concluded, felt like there's no central theme)

Movie:
Execution: 2
(2 = The director did a magnificent job, the movie was so clean and it felt so real;
1.5 = Above average but not totally impressive;
1 = Not bad, average;
0 = Did the director have such a low standard?, boring, should've read the book/script instead)
Effect: 0
(2 = Brought out all the right emotions from me (cry, laugh, get angry, cringe... etc), left me in awe;
1 = Almost cried, almost laughed, almost got angry.
0 = It didn't affect me at all.)
Acting: 1
(2 = The actors were completely lost in their characters, they gave me goosebumps;
1 = The actors were good but the roles weren't really challenging;
0 = The lead actors need to attend more acting workshops)
Casting: 2
(2 = It was a cast made in heaven, no other actor suits the role;
1 = The actors didn't make much impression;
0 = They should have given the role to other/better actors/actors with chemistry)
Compactness: 2
(2 = Didn't blink even once afraid to miss a thing, enjoyed every second of the movie;
1 = Skipped some parts but didn't blink on some, enjoyed just half of the movie;
0 = Skipped more than watched, didn't enjoy the movie)
Cinematography: 1
(2 = Blew me away, creatively done;
1 = Just okay, nothing special;
0 = Did they even have budget for this movie?)
Scoring: 1.5
(2 = Helped in bringing out the viewer's emotions and I loved the soundtrack;
1.5 = The scoring matched the scenes or there's at least one song that I loved;
1 = At least the movie had a soundtrack;
0 = I don't remember if it had one)

Recommend? 1
(2 = You'll miss half of your life if you don't watch this;
1 = If you like the genre, watch it;
0 = Watch it only if you want to watch a movie and you've ran out of good movies to watch)

It's either I missed the part where this movie was supposed to be good or I just didn't like it at all.

There are movies that still leave an impression or make an impact even thought they're slow-paced or look low-budget. So a movie doesn't have to be a grand production for me to be blown away. Even then, this movie failed to do just that. It felt so dull and lifeless. The story was good but the execution didn't amplify its goodness.

I'm not ruling out a mistake on my part though. This movie is quite popular and is often included in people's top 10 Japanese movies. That fact makes me question my own perspective and understanding of the movie. Did I fail to see what the movie was really about? I'm not satisfied with it.

To sum it all up, I think this movie is a bit overrated. Maybe that's where my disappointment is coming from. After hearing good words about it, I might have expected far more than what the movie could offer.

Total Rating: 3.25/5

[Rating - KMovie] Old Miss Diary

Story:
Interest: 2
(2 = I loved the story very much;
1 = The story was okay;
0 = The story didn't make any sense)
Coherence: 1.5
(2 = Perfectly crafted story, no missing links, well-thought out, whoever wrote this is a genius;
1.5 = The story was good but the coherence didn't stand out;
1 = It was coherent but the story wasn't mind-blowing;
0 = Some scenes strayed too far away from the plot, not properly concluded, felt like there's no central theme)

Movie:
Execution: 1.5
(2 = The director did a magnificent job, the movie was so clean and it felt so real;
1.5 = Above average but not totally impressive;
1 = Not bad, average;
0 = Did the director have such a low standard?, boring, should've read the book/script instead)
Effect: 2
(2 = Brought out all the right emotions from me (cry, laugh, get angry, cringe... etc), left me in awe;
1 = Almost cried, almost laughed, almost got angry.
0 = It didn't affect me at all.)
Acting: 1
(2 = The actors were completely lost in their characters, they gave me goosebumps;
1 = The actors were good but the roles weren't really challenging;
0 = The lead actors need to attend more acting workshops)
Casting: 2
(2 = It was a cast made in heaven, the acting and the faces were perfect for the roles;
1 = The actors didn't make much impression;
0 = They should have given the role to other/better actors/actors with chemistry)
Compactness: 2
(2 = Didn't blink even once afraid to miss a thing, enjoyed every second of the movie;
1 = Skipped some parts but didn't blink on some, enjoyed just half of the movie;
0 = Skipped more than watched, didn't enjoy the movie)
Cinematography: 1
(2 = Blew me away, creatively done;
1 = Just okay, nothing special;
0 = Did they even have budget for this movie?)
Scoring: 1.5
(2 = Helped in bringing out the viewer's emotions and I loved the soundtrack;
1.5 = The scoring matched the scenes or there's at least one song that I loved;
1 = At least the movie had a soundtrack;
0 = I don't remember if it had one)

Recommend? 1
(2 = You'll miss half of your life if you don't watch this;
1 = If you like the genre, watch it;
0 = Watch it only if you want to watch a movie and you've ran out of good movies to watch)

I'm not really a fan of movies which are originally tv series/dramas/sitcoms. These movies tend to look like 2-hour collections of good clips from the series. A perfect example of a drama turned to a movie that I didn't really like would be "Unstoppable Marriage". The story was incoherent and the movie looked rushed. It came out looking like a collection of the good stuff from the drama. But "Old Miss Diary", originally a tv series, proved to me that some movies that came from tv serials are actually good.

This movie showcased the good chemistry between Ji Hyeon-woo and Ye Ji-won despite their age gap, Ye Ji-won (the lady) being older by 8 years. Ji-won was perfect for the role and she pulled the funny drama-queen role off perfectly. Hyeon-woo's performance was also good enough to make me wish that he was real.

Total Rating: 3.875/5