Asian drama update

[alexandral]

I have watched quite few different things recently:

Slow Dance. I gulped it in one go on Thursday which resulted in huge under-sleep on Friday. This is a lovely drama if you are a fan of the story how "an older woman helps a younger man to find himself and after that they marry in a very happy way". To be fair, the drama felt a little as if it was made to cater for the needs of over-thirty working ladies. But I didn't mind this at all because any drama that has both Fujiki Naohito and Tsumabuki Satoshi brooding, angsting and falling in love is wonderful by default.

I would appreciate recommendations of any dramas with Fujiki Naohito and Tsumabuki Satoshi very much.

Money's Warfare I have almost finished it, I just don't want to watch the last episode because I don't want the drama to finish. I have fallen in love with it's crazy ways completely. It scooped Baeksang awards for the best drama and the best male perfomace by Park Shing Yang. I must do a full post on "Maney's Warfare" to try to lure others into watching it :D, but at this time I have to mention that the episode 13 had the best kiss in the history of Asian drama. :D

Powerful Opponents (Kangjeok) I loved the first two episodes for the sake of the female herouine who is the cutest thing and the secondary guy, Yoo Gwang Pil who is wonderfully gloomy. He rocks my socks with his reserve. On the other hand, this drama has the ugliest lead male I have ever seen up to date. The President's Son has: Rabbit Teeth, Scared eyes, Bad dress sense and the haircut of Hong Gil Dong. I intend to call him Rabbit Teeth (or RT in short) from now on.

See what I mean: (Update: I watched more of "Powerful Opponents and Rabbit Teeth is improving on me).



One question: Do female bodyguards wear high-heels? Wouldn't this interfere with the duty? Don't they have "sensible shoes" dress code??????

Zettai Kareshi Love, pure love. If anyone have read the manga, please spoil me - Whom will the herouine (Riko) will choose at the end? The Robot? The Cheeky Manager Guy? I am rooting for the Cheeky Manager.. because he is human and the Robot (a gorgeous looking guy, no doubt!) is not and Riko won't be able to have many cute babies with the Robot, right?

Around 40.
Big plus: Fujiki Naohito!
Big minus: He plays a militant ecologically conscious guy and this self-righteous type annoys me to no end. I have personal reasons. :D
Some more big plus: I have only seen two episodes but so far I like the way the drama is dealing with the questions of "What is more important for a woman? Her career? Her family? Her friends? And should a woman marry and live in her marriage without love, just for the sake of the social acceptance?". The main female herouine is awesome and absolutely free of any stereotypes.
The result: I would recommend this to any fan of grown-up range of Japanese dramas.

Comments

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Fujiki Naohito: Hotaru no Hikari. Also GalCir, though that one's incredibly cracked out.

On the Zettai Kareshi front...I don't know who she ends up with, but in the end, I stopped following the manga because it seemed to have Riko and Night as the big epic love, and I just couldn't swallow that.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Fujiki Naohito: Hotaru no Hikari

This has become must-see. Thank you for the rec! YAY!

BUT !! GalCir!! "Kitajima Shinnosuke, a cowboy from the USA who goes to Shibuya to find a group of girls to dance Para-Para. Along the way, he becomes a new type of hero, helping to solve problems that afflict Shibuya-Gals. ". I am very tempted. :D

I stopped following the manga because it seemed to have Riko and Night as the big epic love, and I just couldn't swallow that.

I din't mind this turn of events as it reminds me of "The Silver Metal Lover" (one of the books I loved long time ago) but still - I would like Riiko to end up with a functional relationship.

[amandioka.livejournal.com]

Sorry to butt in, but I second the Hotaru no Hikari rec!

I'm not a huge fan of Fujiki Naohito (he's okay to me) but I LOVE him in HnH :D And Amemiya Hotaru is a wonderful character too, so funny and charming.

[miss-dian.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I will watch Hotaru no Hikari definitely now :) Thanks for the rec!!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Sorry to butt in, but I second the Hotaru no Hikari rec!

EEEEEE! Thank you! I am definitely watching this!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've noticed(and heard) the SML comparison before. I think, though, that the difference is that in ZK, he's programmed to love her. In SML, he's programmed to pleasure whoever owns him at the time, or whoever they tell him to pleasure. The love part hard nothing to do with programming.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've noticed(and heard) the SML comparison before. I think, though, that the difference is that in ZK, he's programmed to love her. In SML, he's programmed to pleasure whoever owns him at the time, or whoever they tell him to pleasure. The love part hard nothing to do with programming.

I noticed this too. But I have a feeling that Night's affections for Riiko will also develop beyond "the call of duty". I could be wrong, but I don't see her falling in love with him just yet.. he is too robot-y.

I must say, if I don't see Night changing and falling in love with her for real and not just because he is programmed, I will share your position. It will be then as if Riiko going to fall in love with someone who drank a love portion , or something similar.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

There was something in the last volume of the manga I read(3? About halfway through) that made me think that it would always be programming and reprogramming. There's also the fact that, in terms of personality, Shoji balanced her out better, and I could tell he'd never be more than a second choice.

It's where my inability to do fanon shipping and my bailing when i can't swallow canon relationships comes into play.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

that made me think that it would always be programming and reprogramming.

Hmm, I am not going to like this, I feel.

It's where my inability to do fanon shipping and my bailing when i can't swallow canon relationships comes into play.

I used to ship only canon relationships but something happened recently (Hong Gil Dong is to blame!!). I seem to ship some of non-canon pairings right now and gosh, this is a pain!!! For example, in Zettai Kareshi I really REALLY like Shoj. I mean - he noticed how awesome she is!!! I am trying to persuade myself into Riiko/Nihgt but I think I am going to struggle.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I didn't get the feel it was programming. I read the whole manga and they kept making repeated points that he wasn't reacting the way he was supposed to (e.g. when his memory was wiped and he wasn't supposed to remember her, but he did). So I thought it was pretty clear he became a person and loved her because he loved her, not because of programming.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I'll see how it goes. I also felt that the authors will make Night to fall in love with her "for real", otherwise the drama wouldn't make sense. So far I like Shoji. Night hasn't adapted yet (but Oh my gosh! He is pretty!)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Btw, did you know that the author of the manga this is based on is the same manga author who wrote Ceres (I remember you liked it).

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Oh, I didn't know this! Thank you for the info - I did like Ceres!!