Recommendation request: Drama news websites:

[alexandral]

I have decided that the resistance is futile, I am in Asian drama for life (and may be longer :D). I need to find some good sites for Asian entertainment (drama and cinema, not so much pop) news: casting news, new films, new dramas, actor updates, this kind of thing. So far the only site I have been using: soompi forums and dramabeans blog.

Any more good Asian drama news websites you know of??

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, to add, my current drama watching update:

Barefoot Youth (ep. 10, my ratings so far - 6/10, the subs are really confusing)

Cinderella's sister (ep. 7, my ratings so far - 7/10, my flavour of the moment)

Conspiracy in the Court (ep. 6, my ratings so far - 8/10, a bit too complex at times, but awesome nonetheless. It is like watching a history book, in action. The subs don't help as well, too many archaic worlds in every single sentence. The subs are made by the same person who did "Chuno" subs, I think, but "Chuno" subs are way better)

IRIS (ep.8, my ratings so far - 7/10 - I really need to get through this. But the problem is, I am so emotionally unaffected by this drama)

Jejoongwon (ep.30, my ratings so far - 6/10 - still naive, but also adorable, feel-good and pretty)

Hero (ep.13, my ratings so far - 7/10 - Good story. )

Oh my lady (ep.10, my ratings so far - 6/10 - Si Won is cute, but I am seriously contemplating dropping it for good. I have better things to finish. )

The Slingshot (Story of a man) (ep.10, my ratings so far - 8/10 - a real understated gem)

Que Sera Sera (ep. 7, my ratings so far - 8/10 - need to finish this, but the problem is - I know how it ends and it ends not the way I want it)

Queen Seon Deok (ep. 28, my ratings so far - 7/10 - I think I am beginning to understand why this was such a big hit)

Worlds within (ep. 1, my ratings so far - 7/10 - cautious love so far)

Comments

[mishane.livejournal.com]

IRIS (ep.8, my ratings so far - 7/10 - I really need to get through this. But the problem is, I am so emotionally unaffected by this drama)

Same with me. It's pretty and fun action and maybe as a movie it would be really good but I'm not emotionally invested which makes sitting through the episodes kind of long.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

But I promised myself I will finish this - at least then I would be able to criticize it freely. :D I don't think it is fair to criticize an unfinished article.

[intermezzo]

As you know, I usually go to dramabeans cos, imho, it's the most reliable.

Hancinema.net

http://asianfanatics.net/

http://seoulbeats.com/

http://www.tokyograph.com/

http://www.jazzholic.com/

don't know if this helps

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

YAY!!!!!!!!! This sounds like an awesome long list of things to check! Thank you!

I like dramabeans for the info too. But I would want some more on the film side, I don't think it is explored as deeply in dramabeans.

[vierran45.livejournal.com]

BTW, there is an LJ feed for Tokyograph (tokyograph). It's pretty good for news about the Japanese entertainment industry.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!

[intermezzo]

You're welcome. There are many more sites, esp about kpop, which I didn't link cos you said you weren't interested.

You know, I don't think there's a dramabeans-equivalent for k-movies. Actually, I've been looking for a Japanese dramabeans-clone but so far no luck; I know there are some review sites, random personal blogs or things like http://www.jdorama.com/, but they're not what I'm looking for. Ah well.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!!! I like jdorama.com, actually, but sometimes I wish it was easier to navigate, I tend to get confused there.

[intermezzo]

oh me too! XD

[timescout.livejournal.com]

http://koreanfilm.org/ Lot's of film related stuff, also reviews and even essays.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

The Slingshot is going to slow down a bit in the next 2 or 3 eps iirc. But it gets SO GOOD after those 2 eps though. The ending is fantastic, imo.

Man I envy you for watching so many dramas at once. I can only muster up enough enthusiasm for only one drama right now.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am dragging my heels on "Que Sera Sera", "Barefoot youth", "IRIS" and "The Slingshot". But I want to finish all these - I have decided to give it a big push and finish these 4 in upcoming weeks.

I checked the ending for "The Slingshot" (I always do with already finished dramas), I agree - it is one of the strongest endings!

[valkyriesailor.livejournal.com]

Wow, I feel lazy, next to your list! :)

About the site, maybe it's lame, but I use the dramawiki (http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Main_Page). It has direct links to the upcoming dramas, which comes really handy for fans like me, who like information at one place. :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you so much! This is a great tip. I use drama wiki a lot, but mostly I just use the search facility. The upcoming dramas page is indeed very informative!

[linfer.livejournal.com]

he subs don't help as well, too many archaic worlds in every single sentence. The subs are made by the same person who did "Chuno" subs, I think, but "Chuno" subs are way better)
I'm so glad that the Chuno subs are not crowded with so many archaic words. I mean it's great if they preserve the feeling of a more ancient language, but it was way to excessive in "Conspiracy in the Court" to the point that it distracted from the plot.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

but it was way to excessive in "Conspiracy in the Court" to the point that it distracted from the plot.

I thought it was just me. In other ways, sometimes I like CitC even more than Chuno, it is not as fan service oriented and there are some absolutely breathtaking cinematographic moments (I need to post about my recent favourite - the moment of "GenChoi"'s death).

But EEEEEE! Have you finished CitC? Who is your favourite in it?

[linfer.livejournal.com]

But EEEEEE! Have you finished CitC? Who is your favourite in it?
I've finished it and well...they're all awesome, but I really, really liked the king. The others were great as well, especially Na-Young and Man-Oh, but the king was the character whose story moved me the most.

But while I liked so many things with this drama, I'm glad they didn't do the action like this in "Chuno". I absolutely hated this fastforwarding of action scenes, it destroyed a lot of otherwise great moments. Using this technique felt so pointless.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

The King is awesome. So many times I just want to scream at them all "Please give the guy a break!". I think all his reforms were followed by his son, though.

Out of the lead three I love Man Oh the most. ** sigh ** I just don't like the way he ended - I wish he didn't give up on "changing the world" and didn't emigrate.

Oh, I loved the fastforwarding / slowing of the action scenes, this is one of the things I really loved. But I don't think it would work in a longer drama, as "Chuno".

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

I agree. ): I only lasted twenty minutes into the first ep before the subs made me quit.

[linfer.livejournal.com]

I think if the drama had been longer, I'd have quit too, but after getting used to it, it was only mildly annoying most of the time. And since plot and characters where both awesome, it was okay for me.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

The same for me, I am persevering because the drama is so good.

[robotmatsuri.livejournal.com]

I started getting annoyed with having to look up the meaning to the subs in CITC, but then I just let it go (as long as I got the general meaning of what they were talking about). lol.

PS. Not much help with the websites, sorry, but I second HanCinema. You can find some awesome translated articles there.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I started getting annoyed with having to look up the meaning to the subs in CITC, but then I just let it go (as long as I got the general meaning of what they were talking about).

yes, but the drama is very plotty and though sometimes I do this, I lose the meaning. ** sigh ** I have just 2.5 episodes left.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

[o-daisy-o.livejournal.com]

Maybe you already know Sevenses, unlike Javabeans she is used to recap movies other than only dramas. The problem is that she often takes long pauses >_<. Nevertheless, her writing is funny and witty :).

http://sevenses.wordpress.com

I also wish there was a dramabeans for j-dramas :P

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am in love/hate relationship with dramabeans. I like the news reports, but I avoid drama recaps like fire. I find her to be have that "I know better" attitude that I find grating (this is just me, but what i hold dear is that there is no rights or wrongs in fandom. everyone's tastes differ).

[simplyjanie.livejournal.com]

Aww... so many have the same feeling about Citc's sub, like I have to google almost every second vocab to understand the convo, that's rather distracting but I persevered just to enjoy the directing, scenery etc.

BTW, has anyone recommended you this site... she has perculiar tast of films and dramas... check it out and find for yourself... by the way, I really enjoy your blog, very information and not the "I know better' kind ;p

http://thundie.wordpress.com/

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I have seen this site before somewhere, but it seems really good! Thank you!

[maryxmas.livejournal.com]

omonatheydidnt
yellowcinema.com

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the rec!