Drama Digest: Ness’ Anime Withdrawal Alternative
Dorama is back and you better check it out yo~!
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Heya to whoever actually reads this. XD Welcome to the first post of Drama Digest for Metanorn. If you didn’t know, I am actually an avid asian drama fan and the episodic post sample that I sent in when applying to Metanorn was covering a Japanese drama that I eventually blogged here called Yankee-kun to Megane-chan. I’ve been actually planning to cover asian dramas here for a long time now but most of you who know me, probably know that I’m really busy. Fortunately, I’ve recently somehow found the motivation and time to do this.
I’ll try to follow a theme on these recommendation posts but for this first post, I’ll go with some shows that I’m watching or have finished recently. I’ll be recommending not only Japanese drama’s (J-Dorama) but also Korean drama’s (K-Drama) and maybe some in other languages that I have a liking to. As well, if you have an interest in asian dramas but don’t know what’s out there, please leave a comment on what genres or plot types you like and I’ll see if I’ve seen a related drama. I’ll then recommend one in an upcoming Drama Digest post. So, lets get this rocking…. |
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| Title: 스파이 명월 / Spy Myung Wol Genre(s): Romance, Comedy, Semi-Action Episodes: 18 Broadcast Network: KBS2 Broadcast Period: 7/11/11 to 9/06/11 Status: Complete Main Cast: Show ▼
Synopsis: Han Myung Wol, a North Korean agent has hopes for becoming a special ops agent but fails her exam. Myng Wol is then sent to escort a higher ups officer’s daughter to the concert of Hallyu Wave star Kang Woo but ends up caught in the fan wave but in a different view. Myung Wol infiltrates into South Korea against orders to spy on Kang Woo but gets orders to kidnap the star. Myung Wol has all the capabilities of a special ops agent but lets distractions get the best of her. Many obstacles come into Myung Wol’s way of winning over Kang Woo and the biggest one is when she falls in love with him. |
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Thoughts: To be honest, I’m not done watching this series but I probably will by the end of the month. But that’s not because I find this series to be slow, but I feel that it’s so exciting that I have to watch this at a slower pace to make the experience last longer. Now, that might seem silly but I just find this series to not fall under the typical love story category of girl meets boy and falls head over heels in love. Instead, this series has just the right balance of comedy, action and romance. As well, found in most dramas, we can’t forget that there’s bound to be a few love triangles. The actual plot of this series is hyped up with all the events or struggles that Myung Wol has to go through. It may seem exaggerated that this agent sneaks into enemy territory to spy but ends up getting having to marry and kidnap Kang Woo. Yet, all the stuff in between this mission for it to get complicated is actually pretty hilarious. Poor Myung Wol actually has to get training on how to woo a man and just the fact that she has to marry this person all for the sake of her country; is so amusing. I find that shows with female leads that can kick ass to be an automatic watch for me but what makes it all better is that this female lead is not perfect. Despite the fact that Myung Wol is a secret agent, she has flaws that makes her even likeable. As for the movie star, Kang Woo, I find him very nice on the eyes. Well, I won’t go all fangirly about how hawt he is. But I do say that an actor playing a movie star is probably not all how it is in real life because of course he has some dark past and I won’t get too much in detail as to not spoil the story. |
| Overall – Is this for you? If you like a show about a girl who can kick butt but also has to learn how to fall in love in order to kidnap your enemy country’s movie star, then this is for you. This show is an action filled show with comedy and romance. As well, a pretty good cast of two hawt guys. |
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| Title: 동안미녀 / Baby Faced Beauty Genre(s): Romance, Comedy, Fashion Episodes: 20 Broadcast Network: KBS2 Broadcast Period: 5/02/11 to 7/05/11 Status: Complete Main Cast: Show ▼
Synopsis: Lee So Young, a 34 year old woman with only a high school diploma has just been fired from her 14 year long job. So Young’s dream is to become a fashion designer but her family’s debt has made her put her dreams aside. But when a fashion designer opportunity comes up, So Young is in a bind because she was originally to be a temp working filling in for her sister and using her sister’s identity. Thus, So Young has to deal with keeping her real identity a secret and the struggles of becoming a fashion designer in a competitive environment. |
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Thoughts: I actually started watching this series when it first started getting subtitled and streamed. But I grew tired of waiting for a new episode to come out, so I dropped the series and it took me until this month to actually pick up this series again. I somehow find that watching dramas based on fashion or even design to be really interesting. I like clothes, I like designing concepts and hey lets throw in some competition. Yet, we can’t forget that the main plot of this story is about the hardships living with falsifying your identity and the consequences of being found out. Now, I know that the things that happens to Lee So Young isn’t something that would really happen today but false identity does actually happen. Though, the consequences to Lee So Young’s lie of her name and age isn’t something realistic but this is a drama for a reason. So Young is pushed by her 25 year old sister to cover for a temp job as a clothes model and use her sister’s identity. Just when So Young thought she could leave the company, her sister goes and enters one of So Young’s clothing sketches into a designer job competition. Obviously this sketch wins, so now So Young has to go back to being her sister and try to hide her identity. There’s actually a love square in this series with two guys liking the main but there’s another girl who likes one of the guys. It kind of gets annoying and persists to almost the end of the series. There’s a good amount of evil/dirty schemes going around in this fashion company, which I find to be so amusing. The romance between Lee So Young and Choi Jin Wook is pretty cute or maybe it’s because I find the actor of Jin Wook to be cute XD Almost every character in this series plays some role in this company and plays it well. Aside from the two main characters, we have this boss who’s cold hearted yet has love for his kid. Then there’s the designer who loves the boss and goes all jealous crazy of So Young to the point of going along with her mother’s (who is a director) way of dirty business. I find that in most romance type drama’s, there’s a big amount of scheming to screw over the main character and in this one, it feels so obvious that I’m not amazed. |
| Overall – Is this for you? There’s well represented and likeable characters. This series has a fashion theme with good comedy and cute romance but there’s workplace drama. There’s life hardships and love struggles. |
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| Title: 시크릿 가든 / Secret Garden Genre(s): Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Melodrama Episodes: 20 Broadcast Network: SBS Broadcast Period: 11/13/10 to 01/16/11 Status: Complete Main Cast: Show ▼
Synopsis: Kim Joo Won is an arrogant an yet rich CEO who comes upon Gil Ra Im, a beautiful stunt woman, by accident when he mistakes her for the actress she was stunting for. The two don’t hit it off too well and yet Kim Joo Won can’t understand his attraction to Ra Im. Then to make matters worst, there’s a sort of love square in this. Oh and we can’t forget that somehow the two main leads switch bodies. |
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Thoughts: Actually, I haven’t finished this series yet because it’s stuck in my “unfinished because I really like this” category of shows. But yeah! This series has such an outstanding pair of lead actors. First off, there’s Now, I’ve never really watched a show or a movie that has such a pairing of two professions but this has a Cinderella type fantasy feel to it in the sense that a rich guy falls for a poor woman who appears as beautiful. Obviously having a stunt woman as the lead brings in some action but there’s also a good amount of melodrama in this with the clash of a wealth class and yeah… those damn love squares. But hey, there’s also comedy in this and some cute romance scenes. Now where the heck does fantasy kick in? Well, just when you thought you had this series figured out, the two main characters goes through some miraculous even that switches their bodies. I actually wasn’t expecting such a thing because I obviously didn’t read into this series but man, I was somewhat disappointed because it just feels unneeded. But, I guess that’s where more comedy can come in and a closer relationship between the two. The character Gil Ra Im goes off as a person who only cares for her career and dream to actually become an action actress. There’s no room for romance in Ra Im’s life but she somehow attracts Kim Joo Won with the curiosity of her lifestyle but eventually it changes to love. Kim Joo Won is a rich man who does whatever he wants and thinks that he can buy anything with money but is dumbfounded at Ra Im’s disinterest in his wealth. There’s also those side characters who love one of the leads and man it’s actually kind of annoying in this series. But really what this series focuses on is the melodrama of love. |
| Overall – Is this for you? BAMF stunt woman and hawt rich man. Melodrama romance with a love square but there’s a good amount of comedy relief with the switching of bodies. |
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End Note: Man, it took me a while to get this post done in one sitting. WordPress pisses me off with it’s inability to work with my HTML tables on viewing text the way I want it to. But oh well. I’ll try to get Drama Digests out at least every other week or so but don’t hold me at that because watching dramas in a short amount of time is hard. Asian dramas run at about an hour long and there’s usually more than 16 episodes of them. I can’t power through them like anime or manga because hey! It’s do-ra-ma! So until next time, lataz~ Reminder: So, do you have an interest in asian dramas and don’t know what’s out there? Leave a comment on what genre or plots that interest you. I’ll then see if I’ve seen such a drama that relates and recommend it in an upcoming Drama Digest.
About Ness
Self-proclaimed Graphic Artist and the trap of Metanorn... or is Ness really a trap?! We can only guess. Lazy on some days but outgoing on most. You'll find this individual to be easy going and open minded.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Aside the awesome post format, all the trailers are pretty interesting and so are the names. I mean, how can Lee So Young be 34 year-old to begin with?! xD
If only I had time, I would be checking all of these out. Someday, Ness, someday!
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
I know, that name is just yeaaaah hahah. Someday huh? When animanga cease to exist XP
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
OH MY GOD. NESS. WATCHING K-POP
I’ve watched Secret Garden. The ending was soo good IMO. Have you watched My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox? Or Shining Inheritance? Those are good stuff ^^
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Btw, Hyun Bin was in Indonesia a couple of weeks ago
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Haha, of course I watch K-dramas and man I even love manhwas.
I haven’t watched the Nine Tailed Fox one yet but I have seen Shining Inheritance, that main character guy is cute! XD
Omg, Hyun Bin is sooooo hawt but in Secret Garden he looked so boney but still hawt :3
POWUH: 800-899 and Self-proclaimed Manga Queen with 874 comments
~I LOVE SECRET GARDEN OMG. I have yet to finish it too though xD I’m really bad keeping up with k-dramas even though I have friends who constantly nag at me to finish them. I haven’t even finished the ones I’ve bought LOL
ONE OF THESE DAYS…
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Hahha, it takes great interest to keep up with it and sometimes keeping that interest up is even hard because it is 1hour episodes after all. XD
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Awww yeaahh Ness’ drama posts are back! Er, to be honest I’m not a big dorama fan, but my friend is obsessed with them so I’ll be sure to poke him and tell him to check out your posts! =D
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Haha okay :3
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
The spy show has a kind of funny premise. I watched the trailer before reading your synopsis, so when she answered her phone just as she was lining up her shot I was thinking, ” What? Should she be doing that at the moment?”
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Yeaaaah who would have their cellphone ringer on when assassinating someone? XD
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
I’m not a big fan of K-drama but there are some gems that I really love, like My Girlfriend is a Gumiho and Lady Castle. I’m not really fond of the usual K-drama formula wherein there’s a rich arrogant guy who meets a poor girl (who is either smart but poor, or idiotic but energetic), while there’s a nice guy rival who never gets any, and a mean girl rival who’s nearly always shown in a negative light. If I find any dramas that subvert these cliches, or else have a plot that overshadows these cliches then I’m game.
I think I’ll try out the Spy Myung Wol one. Sounds very interesting.
Anyway, congrats on your new digest and I’ll be following this one if you decide to continue it! <3
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Yeah, well I believe most dramas have those typical elements in it which makes it a drama but I know what you mean about it.
Yep, I’ll be continuing on with these posts with about one every other week. So be sure to watch out for them and thanks for following XD
I’ll try to recommend some of the less dramatic typical drama type series :3
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Wait what is this? You mean there are REAL PEOPLE in the world?
Just kidding! Where do you watch these shows? Downloads and are they subbed for noobs like me….
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Ha ha ha, good one there aniki~
I’ll mention in the next Drama Digest where you can watch them and of course they’re subbed XP
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 67 comments
I think the last drama I completed was Secret Garden.. Loved it.
but idk recently I try to watch a drama and get bored after several episodes because they just get predictable.
I tend to favor Japanese dramas. idk, maybe in a few months i’ll do like a kdrama marathon.. haha who knows.
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
I mainly watch between K and J-dramas, it all just depends on the story and sometimes the actors in it.
Yeah! K-Drama marathon, maybe by then I’ll have recommended a good amount for you to check out XD
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 67 comments
Did you watch 49 Days?
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
No, but it’s on my watch list.. My friend watched it and says its really good. But man, reading the synopsis.. seems like I’ll end up crying a lot. Yes, I do cry easily when watching those sad moments in dramas<_<;
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Hmmmmmmm. I’m actually thinking of watching some dorama…… So far I’ve only seen “Playful Kiss” and loved it/ Well, all 13 episodes I’ve watched until now, anyway ^^”
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Playful Kiss is really popular because it was actually adapted from the Japanese manga, It Started With a Kiss. There’s also a Taiwanese version of the drama and an old Japanese version. There was also an anime adaption that came out in 2008 XD So, good stuff! Haha~
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Yeah, I actually watched the show because I adored the anime. Though I had no idea about the Taiwanese version oO”
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Yeah, the Taiwanese version isn’t all that bad, I like the actress they use for it and it’s 2 seasons long like the K-drama one.
It’s amusing how there’s so many adaptions of manga to drama like how there’s a Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese version of Hana Yori Dango. Then there’s 2 Japanese and a Taiwanese version of Hana Kimi XD And much more others haha
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
That’s the power of mass production. O_O
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Indeed and the people love it XD
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 48 comments
I enjoyed Baby Faced Beauty. Nara and Choi Daniel are surprisingly compatible and I love watching their interaction. But besides that, the director was pretty cute (in term of personality and characterization) as well and I ended up rooting for a threesome.
I love watching korean drama too but quite picky. Spy Myung Wol has just too much drama off-set and that was off putting. As for Secret Garden, I wasn’t a fan of Ji Won so I tend to ignore it. I know how the drama goes though since all the other family members watched it.
Atm, I’m watching the latest drama from SBS: Deep Rooted Tree.
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Oh, cool that another drama watcher shows up XD
Yeah, I enjoyed the relationship between the two main leads cute love. I wasn’t rooting for the president to hook up with So Young haha.
Even though the character Ji Won is annoying in Secret Garden, it being played as Hyun Bin made me able to go through. Just the mention of the name Hyun Bin makes me… excited.
As for Deep Rooted Tree, I still need to check that out. I just recently started getting back into watching Dramas. Just finished Baby Faced Beauty and Oh! My Lady.