One Zombie, Sharing Her Love of all Things Hallyu With The World
Hey chingus! Welcome to the very first edition of Tanya (of HallyuKnow?) and Zombie’s (of ZombieMamma) drama reviews. We’re very excited to be working together to bring you a weekly review of the latest episodes of KBS2’s newest drama, Pretty Man. The next eight weeks should be fun so let’s get to it, shall we?
Continue reading “HALLYU ZOMBIE’S DRAMA REVIEW: Pretty Man Episodes 1-2 (1/2)”
If, like me, you’re finding that the days standing between you and the latest episode of Answer Me 1994 seem to drag on for an eternity, I have a simple and entertaining solution for you…fill those endless days with episodes of the show that spawned Answer Me 1994, its equally hilarious and entertaining precursor, Answer Me 1997.
Originally airing on tvN in 2012, Answer Me 1997 garnered praise from critics and audiences alike, with its final episode recording, at that time, the highest ratings for a Korean cable drama. With so much praise for Answer Me 1997, I’m sure there a lot of you who’ve already experienced the joy of watching this drama but I know there are those out there (myself included) who have only just become familiar with the Answer Me world and if any of you are like me, you’re now completely hooked.
Trying to pinpoint what it is, exactly, about the Answer Me series that is so addicting, is as difficult as trying to answer the inexplicable question, “Why do you like me?” It’s nearly impossible to find a single reason why you like series, you just do. There’s something about the combination of reality, humor, awkwardness, drama, sincerity, sweetness and camaraderie that subtly draws you in and before you realize what’s happened you’re completely entranced by its spell; which is why I’m recommending Answer Me 1997 for this weeks drama marathon.
In true Answer Me style, Answer Me 1997 tells the story of six friends as the timeline moves back and forth between their eighteen-year-old selves, in 1997, and their thirty-three-year-old-selves at a high school alumni meeting in 2012, at which, one couple will be announcing their engagement. For those of you who are currently watching Answer Me 1994 but have never watched Answer Me 1997, you’re in for a pleasant surprise as you’ll quickly learn where some of your favorite elements of Answer Me 1994 originated. Love the bleating goat sound effect at all those hilariously awkward moments? It’s there. Love the baseball coach dad and the mom who cooks way too much? They’re there. Love the long-time friends who one day realize they’ve developed feelings for each other? Oh, they’re there! The humor, the pain, the friendship, the love, the sorrow, the heartbreak…they’re all there, in spades. Which is why you need to drop what you’re doing and start watching Answer Me 1997, right now. After all, what’s a holiday weekend without a little drama?
Find yourself wishing for a little drama during the week? You can join me in a discussion of the latest episodes of Marry Him If You Dare, in the DramaFever Drama Club here.
VIXX is back and darker than ever in their latest single, “Voodoo Doll.” A hauntingly addictive tune showcasing VIXX’s incredible knack for combining both the poppy and the macabre, “Voodoo Doll” is impossible to ignore, which is why I had to give them this week’s music spotlight. 
Written from the perspective of a voodoo doll in love with a girl bent on exacting revenge from every guy who has ever hurt her, “Voodoo Doll” is both unique and powerful on its own but when combined with the darkly cinematic MV the song hits a whole new level of incredible that has me spellbound. You can check the original version of “Voodoo Doll” out here but I should warn you, this MV isn’t for the squeamish or faint of heart. The girl in this video is exacting her revenge in some of the most gruesome ways possible, inflicting as much physical pain on the members of VIXX as they apparently inflicted on her emotionally.
This girl is dark and determined and this MV leaves very little to the imagination so if you’re one of those people who freaked out about the bugs in the “Hyde” MV, you’re probably going to want to skip this version of “Voodoo Doll” altogether. However, if you’re not afraid of a little mutilation and gore, go ahead and watch this original version. Personally, I’m mesmerized by this MV because the imagery is so poignant it adds an incredible amount of emotion and power to an already compelling tune but really you just need to watch it and see for yourself.
For those of you who weren’t able to stomach the original MV of “Voodoo Doll” have no fear, VIXX has released a MV for you too! Here’s their “clean” version of “Voodoo Doll” which, while missing the powerful imagery of the original, still entertains us with slightly creepy sets and
VIXX’s well executed (though disappointingly altered) choreography. Apparently the original choreography for “Voodoo Doll” was deemed too graphic to be aired on Korean television as three different networks refused to let VIXX perform on-air unless changes were made. Though disappointed by the networks decision, VIXX complied and all the squeamish of the world rejoiced as they now have a “Voodoo Doll” MV they can watch comfortably.
As if these two MVs weren’t enough, VIXX has also released a dance practice video for “Voodoo Doll” so you can imagine yourself sitting in the studio, watching these six cuties practice for their comeback on Music Bank.
So what do you think of VIXX’s “Voodoo Doll?” Like it? Love it? Hate it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
To keep my recent flower boy theme going, this Friday’s drama is the adorable Flower Boy Next Door.
Starring Park Shin Hye and Yoon Si Yoon, 
Flower Boy Next Door is the story of a shy freelance copy editor, Go Dok Mi, who spends her days locked in her tiny apartment, staring out her window at the world passing around her. Go Dok Mi’s particularly favorite view happens to be the handsome boy next door, Han Tae Joon but when an unexpected stranger shows up in Han Tae Joon’s window, things in Go Dok Mi’s little world suddenly get flipped upside down. Suddenly finding herself surrounded by a whole host of “flower boys,” Go Dok Mi begins to wonder if life would be better lived on the other side of her door.
If, like me, your week’s been a little rough, Flower Boy Next Door, could be just the drama you need to lift your spirits. It’s lighthearted fun and flower boys galore which make it an easy show to get into and is why it’s another of my favorites. (Though to be honest, I have a lot of favorites so maybe that’s not saying much…) Whatever the case may be, good week or bad, sit back, enjoy a little Friday Night Drama and I’ll see you next week!
For those of you screaming, “What? That song came out months ago!” I know, it’s been playing on my iPod forever. However, the M/V for “Who You?” was released last Wednesday and with it has come a whole new obsession with G-Dragon and this song which is why I chose it for this week’s tune.
The concept for the “Who You?” M/V is surprisingly simple, G-Dragon sings and dances in a giant see-through box while 1,000 lucky fans stand 
outside and film the video on their own personal devices, however the result is extraordinary. The look and feel of this M/V is so unique, it takes a simple concept and makes it unforgettable. Why? I think it’s because while we’re watching “Who You?” we feel like we get to catch a glimpse of the real G-Dragon. 
Without any high-budget production pizzazz to get in the way, “Who You?” provides a clear, unaltered view of the often overlooked, fun-loving side of G-Dragon, which is nice. After watching this video about a thousand times, I’m convinced G-Dragon would be an incredibly fun person to hang out with…maybe play some SoulCalibur with, challenge to a Dance Central dance battle, or just chat with while munching on some ddeokbokki. (I wonder if G-Dragon even likes ddeokbokki…)
So what do you think of G-Dragon’s most recent M/V? Do you love it as much as I do or do you think it would have been better with all of that high-budget pizzazz? Share your thoughts in the comments below and come back next week for a new Tune of the Week. Daume ddo bayo!
We all know Friday nights are the perfect time to start a weekend-long drama marathon which is why I’ll be here each and every week, to supply you with all of your weekend marathoning needs. To continue with the flower boy theme from my last post, I’ve chosen Flower Boy Ramen Shop for this week’s drama.
Starring Jung Il Woo and Lee Chung Ah, Flower Boy Ramen Shop is a romantic comedy based on the relationship of Yang Eun Bi, a college student preparing for her civil service exam, and Cha Chi Soo, the arrogant heir of Korea’s largest food conglomerate who just so happens to be a high school student. Naturally, this unexpected age difference between Eun Bi and Chi Soo is the source of a lot of comedy and conflict and provides the set-up for one of my all-time favorite lines in a K-Drama…when Eun Bi innocently asks Chi Soo, “I can call you Oppa, right?”
For those of you who, like me, keep finding the age gap between us and our favorite stars growing ever larger, shows like this do wonders for our aging ego. After all, what could make you feel better about your age faster than a flower boy falling for his noona?
Of course no flower boy drama would be complete without an entire entourage of, well…flower boys and Flower Boy Ramen Shop, is no exception, which means there’s plenty of eye-candy for everyone. *Sweet!* Add to that a handsome 30-something ramen shop owner who insists on calling himself Eun Bi’s “hubby” and you’ve got a recipe for a world-class love-triangle that’s bound to have you laughing and crying before the end. If the blahs of the week have gotten you down, brighten your weekend with a light-hearted, flower boy filled drama and a steaming bowl of ramen. Cheers!
For the two of you wondering where my weekly F3 posts have gone, I’m afraid I’ve given them up already…though not for any reason other than that I simply think trying to highlight both a band and a drama in the same post is a bit much. In an effort simplify things and give more attention to each artist in turn, I’ve decided to split my F3 posts in two and bring you a different “Tune of the Week” as well as some “Friday Night Drama.” With two posts from me a week, you’ll have twice as much to look forward to *woo-hoo!* so let’s get to it…
This week’s tune is none other tha
n Taeyang’s “RINGA LINGA”. Since the release of Taeyang’s MV for “RINGA LINGA” last Saturday (11.9.13) the world seems to be abuzz with Taeyang’s first solo single in three years, and for good reason. This pounding mix of electronic beats, velvety vocals and rhythmic rap, composed by non-other than band-mate 
G-Dragon and Jose E. Luna, highlights Taeyang’s vocal diversity and the hip-hop meets soul vibe of “RINGA LINGA” combines in a chorus so catchy you’ll find yourself singing it for the next week. As amazing as the song is itself, it’s the MVs Taeyang released with his newest single that really make this song. Two days before its official release, Taeyang released a four-minute, black and white, one-take video focused solely on the choreography of “RINGA LINGA”, crafted by Parris Goebel and let me tell you…It. Is. Epic.
Of course the actual MV is nothing to sneeze at. A high-budget piece set in a gritty industrial park provides a powerful backdrop for Taeyang’s smooth vocals and killer moves. Of course seeing G-Dragon riding shotgun in Taeyang’s time-traveling DeLorean inspired space car only makes the video that much better.
The release of “RINGA LINGA” has shown the world what fans of Taeyang have known for years, that his awesomeness spans well beyond his adorable eye smiles and chocolate abs. If this song hasn’t already found its way onto your favorite playlist, it should because one listen of “RINGA LINGA” will never be enough.
On this (relatively) quiet, cloudy and very fall-ish Friday afternoon, I decided to forgo doing the dishes and actually write a F3 post on Friday *novel idea, I know!* and since I did promise to introduce you to my second favorite J-Rock band and the Granddaddy of all K-Drama’s I better get at it!
This week’s featured artist is the Japanese rock band, MY FIRST STORY. Debuting in April, 2012 with their album My First Story (very original title, I know) the band released their sophomore project The Story Is My Life this past February. I wish I could say these guys’ music was incredibly easy to get your hands on but alas, it’s been quite the chore. 
Maybe it’s because MY FIRST STORY is still a relatively new band, or maybe it’s just because I live on the wrong side of the world (well, at least when it comes to feeding my addiction to Asian music) but I have yet to find a music store (both physical and online) that offers MY FIRST STORY and that’s just sad because these guys are GOOD! If you liked anything I posted in my first 3F blog by ONE OK ROCK, then you’re going to like MY FIRST STORY. MFS has a slightly edgier sound to them (and by slightly I mean, very slightly) so when you’re in that particularly rebellious, “I don’t want to look at you or listen to you anymore” mood (which I find myself in a lot at the moment) these are the boys I turn to, to fuel my rebellious fire. Are these guys actually rebels? I have no idea but the very fact I can blast their music, make myself feel better and annoy the crap out of my in-laws at the same time makes me positively giddy. (And yes, I realizes I now sound like I’m seventeen but I don’t care; it’s just turned into one of those days.) So take a sec to listen and see if these guys really are the bee’s knees.
And now, as promised, I’m going to introduce you to the Granddaddy, the Godfather, if you will, of all K-Dramas…Boys Over Flowers.
Ok, so I don’t really know if I can call BOF the Godfather of all K-Dramas, but it is one of the most talked about and well-known K-Dramas (at least in the world of K-Drama crazies, like myself). I don’t think it’s actually possible to hold any K-Drama conversation (of any substantial length anyway) without making some sort of reference to Boys Over Flowers at some point. *Seriously, it’s just not possible.* Based on the ever-popular manga, Hana Yori Dango, Boys Over Flowers is essentially a modern Cinderella tale, about a spunky poor girl who finds herself caught up in a world of wealth and indulgence so very unlike her own. Starring Gu Hye Sun, Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Joon, Kim Bum, and Kim Joon, Boys Over Flowers is one K-Drama, you really don’t want to miss! (Don’t believe me, just read that lineup of actors one more time. Go ahead, I’ll wait…and now that you’ve gotten back up off the floor, I’ll continue. And for those of you who have no idea who any these guys are yet, this is why you need to watch this show…now!)
So that concludes another edition of F3 (I know, I was trying really hard to come up with another “F” word to throw in there just so I could call my Friday posts “F4” but I just didn’t want to go there). Hope you’re enjoying these post as much as I am and are back again next week to see what I come up with next. Until then…happy marathoning! (Oh wait, that’s not what weekends are for???)
Already a crazed K-Drama addict, like myself and walk to talk more? Join me on DramaFever as my fellow Drama Clubbers and I discuss love, fate and time-travel in DramaFever’s Marry Him If You Dare Drama Club. Hope to see you there!
Alright! Alright! I know I missed last week’s 3F post (blame it on a frantic rush to get Halloween costumes finished by Saturday) and for that I’m sorry; so to make it up to you, I’ll treat you to a Monday edition as well as a regular post on Friday. I know, you’re all squealing with delight now but try to keep it down or your boss may notice you’re not actually working right now.
Today’s feature band is the super poppy B1A4, who made their debut in 2011 with their single, “O.K.” (Which, by the way, has to be one of the catchiest songs ever. Seriously! Every time it pops up on my iPod, I have to dance.) 
Since their debut, B1A4 has released a full-length album in both Korea and Japan as well as four mini-albums, their fourth releasing in May of this year. If, like me, your home has been invaded by a tweenage girl and you feel that if you hear one more Justin Bieber or One Direction song you just might throw yourself out a window, I’d recommend introducing her to B1A4. In true Bieber/1D fashion, B1A4‘s albums are full of super catchy tunes that’ll have your tweenage princess dancing around her room as she sings into her hairbrush (well, at least to the lyrics in English) and maybe, just maybe, you won’t spend the rest of your life with the lines “You don’t know you’re beautiful” running through your head. *Hey, it’s worth a shot, right?* (And just in case you’re wondering where all the music videos for B1A4 are, the embedding of their videos on YouTube has been disabled so if you really want to watch one, click on B1A4 anywhere in this post and you’ll be taken straight to a video. Have fun!)
With Halloween fast approaching, I thought it only fitting to highlight a drama full of things that go bump in the night. Enter my favorite K-Drama of 2013 (so far)…The Master’s Sun. Written by my K-Drama writing heroes, the Hong Sisters, and starring Gong Hyo Jin and So Ji Sub, The Master’s Sun is the story of 
a poor, miserable girl, haunted by ghosts no one else can see. Labeled as crazy, she’s spent years alone, trying to hide from the unsettled spirits that refuse to leave her alone, until one stormy night, she happens to meet a man who, with the slightest touch can chase all her ghosts away. It doesn’t take much to imagine where things go from here but let me just say, this is one of the best dramas I’ve seen in a long time. There’s more to this story than ghosts and the seventeen episodes it takes to reach this story’s conclusion are well worth your time. If you only ever watch one drama, I’d recommend this one as its ending is probably one of the most satisfying in the history of K-Dramas and you won’t have to spend the days that follow in some miserable post-K-Drama funk because things weren’t resolved to your liking. Seriously, this was one of the easiest dramas to walk away from at its conclusion because it felt like everything had been really resolved. *If you watch any amount of K-Dramas, you know exactly what that post-drama funk feels like.*
So that’ll do it for this belated edition of Fantastically Foreign Friday. Join me this Friday as I introduce you to my second favorite Japanese rock band and one of the most beloved K-Dramas of all time. See you Friday! Oh…and Happy Halloween!
As promised, this week’s music spotlight belongs to none other than the amazing F.T. Island. Debuting in 2007, the five-member band has met with incredible success across Asia, with their single, “Theory of Happiness” grabbing the #1 spot on Japan’s Oricon Daily chart earlier this year. If chart ranking mean nothing to you, have no fear because listening to just one of F.T. Island’s songs is enough to impress you. Their pop/rock sound is taken to a whole new level with the vocals of Lee Hong Ki. Seriously, every time Lee Hong Ki starts to sing I feel like I’m going to melt, his voice is just. that. good. *sigh*
If, after downloading all of F.T. Island’s albums and singles, you still can’t get enough of Lee H
ong Ki, you can watch him in We Got Married-Global Edition or you can check out his book of nail art, which was released earlier this year…if you can get your hands on a copy. The pre-sales alone caused Nail Book to take the top slots on the Tower Record’s book and magazine charts and it’s been a bestseller since its release. The fact that it’s sold out on Amazon, with no indication of if or when it will be available again, should give you some of idea of just how popular Lee Hong Ki is. If anyone out there knows where I can find a copy of this book, please let me know! o_O
As much as I’d like to go on and on about Lee Hong Ki and the rest of F.T. Island, I should move on to this week’s drama, Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo, which just happens to be the most recent adaptation of one of my all-time favorite manga, Itazura na Kiss. Starring Honoka Miki and Furukawa Yuki, MK:LIT follows the story of Aihara Kotoko, an ordinary high school girl with a severe crush on an extraordinary boy, Irie Naoki, who turns her down flat seconds after she confesses to him. If that weren’t bad enough, Kotoko’s house is soon after destroyed by a meteorite and she and her father are forced to move in with her father’s childhood friend who just happens to be Naoki’s father. Things only better from there as Kotoko and Naoki find their lives intertwining in ways they could have never imagined.
So that pretty much does it for this week…enjoy and I’ll see you next week for another edition Fantastically Foreign Friday!