Alexandra Leaving

( Korean drama ratings list )

These are the dramas I have watched in full (there are quite few dramas I gave up on but I don't think it is quite fair for me to judge a drama without finishing it). I will appreciate any new drama recommendations.

Thank you so much, guys! Now I have top fives of almost everything . The lists are compiled in no particular order, if something is numbered "1" it doesn't mean it is the very top of the list.

(  Top five Korean actors )

( Top Five story arcs in Rome TV series )

( Top Five moments in a Song of Ice and Fire book series )

( Five Favourite films )

( Five favourite icons that you've made yourself )

(  Top Five painters )

( Top five Russian/USSR movies )

(  Five favorite Russian words/phrases )

( Top five Stringer Bell scenes (from The Wire TV series) )

( Top five Angel story lines (from Angel TV series) )

( Top five Russian novels )

( Top five OTPs )

(  Top five sci-fi films )

(  Top five pairs of shoes  )

( 5 favorite things about living in England )

( Top 5 favorite kinds of tea )

(  Top five dramas )

(  Top five Korean men )

( Top five favorite drama cliches )

( Top 5 paintings )

( Top five moments in Generation Kill )

( Top 5 actors )

( Top 5 actresses )

( Top 5 favorite foods  )

( Top five books ever )

( Top 5 things that should fly )

(  Top 5 things you can find at the bottom of the ocean  )

( Top 5 cheeses! )

(  Top 5 facial expressions you love )

( Top five cities you have visited  )

Having satisfied my list-making obsession I can go on holidays in peace. Florence - we will be there tomorrow! I wish everyone a great end of summer and will see you all in two weeks!!!!!!! ** hugs **

I am feeling very happy and sun is shining (sort of) so I feel I can make this post without any excessive bitterness the subjects don't deserve. As usual, these are just my personal opinions.

Films
1. English Patient: I don't see any sweeping romance. All I can see is a story about a woman cheating on her husband. Later everyone dies at will just because "they don't want to live without each other".

2. Titanic: Probably the weakest Oscars winner in the history.

Books:
1. Anna Karenina: I feel more for Anna's husband (whose main crime is that he is a plain boring chap) than I do for Anna. And I hate Vronsky's character with passion.

2. Harry Potter books: are amusing, but quite unoriginal, middle-of-the-road and are always trying to "teach you important lessons" (aka, to be preachy).

TV:
1. Buffy : I think that being a special girl with special superpowers is every girl's dream. But why is Buffy constantly unhappy with her life, to the point of making her mother's and her friends' life difficult?

2. Battlestar Galactica: I loved this show when it started. But after two seasons it disintegrated into a self-important soap opera set in space. With Cylons.

3. Doctor Who: David Tennant's poor acting and over-exaggerated facial expressions make me cringe. I am so glad Doctor Ten is over.

Asian drama:
1. "Hana Yori Dango": To start, Matsumoto Jun is one the ugliest men alive. This drama is probably the most popular Japanese drama of all times but I don't understand why. In my opinion "Hana Yori Dango" is the second name for jdrama mediocrity. It is pleasant, but nothing more than that.

2. "Hong Gil Dong" is many people's Korean drama favourite. I find it misogynist and it also has the most horrible ending.

I am back in the fannish land of living! I have seen quite few good Korean dramas recently and it feels like a good time to make a "My top 10 favorites" list.

1. The Legend – it is a truly great piece of TV, Eastern, Western and otherwise.
2. Lovers in Paris Cinderella's story! Dimples! (read more below :D)
3. Goong (aka Princess Hours aka Imperial Household) – The greatest love story in Korean drama for me. EVER.
Usually in Kdrama love stories develop the following way (I take 20 episode drama as an example) :
a) Episode 1: They meet.
b) Episode 4: They are in love but they don't know it yet themselves.
c) Episode 10: They discover that their feelings are mutual and that their love is BIG LOVE.
d) The rest of the episodes: Many obstacles on the way of Their Big Love.
My personal favourite parts are from a to c and because part d doesn't interest me much I usually end up lagging at the end. In "Goong" part c lasted up to the episode 22 (I think) with Shin never being sure that CG loved him and throwing fits of jealousy. I loved this. Plus the best costumes.
4. A Love to Kill – Tragedy that is psychologically very true. Best angst. Best kissing scenes. Rain.
5. Winter Queen – SO lovely. Snow! Winter! Hyun Bin boxing! Dimples again!
6. Full House – Rain! Young and pretty! And the good ending!
7. My name is Kim Sam Soon is the most "Western" Kdrama I have seen. I loved the main herouine. Add Hyun Bin and dimple obsession.
8. Capital Scandal – May be the best made drama after "The Legend", devoid of the usual Korean cheesy music, cheesy costumes and unnecessary secondary characters. But I am not sure about the flippancy with which it dealt with murder for terrorist purposes.
9. Lovers – I adored the main couple but at the end the storyline with the pregnant girlfriend left me with heavy feelings. I am not sure if I feel that Kang Jae should have been more responsible for his girlfriend instead of going around staring at Mi Joo with puppy-dog eyes. I know – BIG love! But we are in charge of our feelings, right? At least to the point where we don't show them to our pregnant girlfriends who can miscarry our child? In short, losing a child is a really big subject for me and I rather don't have it in a drama.
10. My Girl – The best "third man" in the history.
11. Tree of Heaven - I have forgotten this one! It has to make number 11. Forbidden step-sibling love with Lee Wan totally deserves it.

Hong Gil Dong
I really quite liked Hong Gil Dong up to a point and was hoping it would make it into the top ten, ( but (spoilers) not anymore. )

Lovers in Paris
Her dress is so pretty:



( Big promotion for Lovers in Paris, in Pictures )

Lovers in Prague I have started this drama (and it took me a while to find it! I learned how to use Clubbox just for this occasion!). Very good, but not as good as "Lovers" or "Lovers in Paris" so far.