Real Man (Korean Variety): My Thoughts

So recently, I've been into this Korean variety show called Real Man/ Real Men. I wasn't really sure what to expect from it except that the setting was in the military. The reason why I decided to watch it in the first place is because of Super Junior's Henry. Somehow, all the news I've read regarding the show is all centered in Henry. (Or it could be because I only read the news when I see Henry's name in its title.) It was interesting for me to read about some of his 'adventures' in the military especially when he was just starting and his friends tricked him into believing all the lies they said about the army (bring cash for weapons, red caps are the managers, knowing girl groups is a no-no, etc.) Recently, I've read about him calling SNSD's Tiffany to score some points from his superior and that's when I finally decided that I must watch the show once and for all. Good thing there are subbed versions for me to enjoy.

So excited, he doesn't even have any idea.

I was expecting it to be interesting but it did so much better than that! I find myself tearing up numerous of times because I've been laughing too much. I don't know why but Henry's character is so comical, sometimes I even wonder if all of it is real. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if it's scripted but fellow SJ members vouch for his innocence regarding army life that even though it's hard to believe how clueless he is, I still do! He does unbelievable things I've never imagined one could actually muster up to do inside the military but sometimes, his baby face just makes me believe he's completely innocent about the world.

Dad, I'm right behind you! :)

Another thing that I like is his relationship with his 'Appa (father)'. It's nice to see him getting support from other guys since I really think if he doesn't get any, he wouldn't survive. I like that Park Gun Hyung has always been taking care of Henry as if it was a part of his nature to do so. (If you think you've seen Park Gun Hyung before but can't seem to remember exactly where you've seen him, think "Innocent Steps" or "I Do, I Do". That might help.) He doesn't get mad at him, understands him and always tries to teach him 'the ways' in a way that Henry would understand- because Henry is such a baby. Don't get me wrong, though. I love Henry and I think he's cute and being a military baby doesn't make me like him any less. :)

Currently, this is my favorite reality show of the moment. I have a few more subbed episodes to watch and I just can't wait to finish them all and continue watching out for new releases. I'm more than ready to laugh some more. Bring it on, Henry! I'm ready.

Have any of you watched this show already? Or are you planning to? I wanna know your thoughts!

5 Centimeters Per Second: Review

5 Centimeters Per Second is one of those movies that I had such high expectations for but didn't quite meet them. Don't get me wrong, though. I don't hate the movie. In fact, for reasons I cannot explain, I like the movie. I'm not a slice of life story fan. In fact, I find them boring and I usually think the pacing is too slow for my taste. If you didn't already know what I like, I'm into romantic comedy stories so slice of life stories don't really appeal to me that much.

To me, 5 Centimeters Per Second is a romantic slice of life kind of story. It is a chain of short stories revolving one guy from his teenage years up until he became a working man in modern times. It was divided into three chapters. The first chapter was all about Takaki's first love, Akari, how they got separated and their short but sweet love story. The second chapter was still all about Takaki Tono and his days when he moved to Tanegashima, his good friend Kanae, and her unrequited love. The third chapter focuses in the modern times when Takaki was already grown up and Akari is preparing for a marriage with another man. They pass by each other under a cherry blossom tree where they decided to watch the cherry blossoms thirteen years in the past.

At first, I gotta be honest, I found it boring. I didn't like the first chapter. I had too many unnecessary comments regarding each scenes and basically, I just didn't find it interesting. The second chapter, however, made me take interest. I particularly liked Kanae's character. I like how genuine her feelings for Takaki is, even at such a young age. I can't really talk about it so much since I would probably drop some spoilers if I do, since each chapters are too short to summarize.

All in all, I wouldn't include this movie in my must-see list but I would definitely recommend it if you're into romantic slice of life stories. Here's the trailer, for those who are interested.

My friend Jade is leaving for UK today so I just want to wish her good luck and a safe flight. I'm not sure if she will be reading this but either way, since she's an important person in my life, I want to make her a part of this blog post.

L-DK (Ongoing Manga): Review

Okay so I'm back with another manga review. I've been busy with reading manga for quite some time now mainly because I only have two shows that I currently am following- Emergency Couple and Cunning Single Lady. Usually, I watch 3 along with my blogging and youtubing. But since I can't find a suitable show to add on my list, I just decided to dedicate my time on reading.

I found out about L-DK when I found out that a live action movie will be released soon. I reckon thinking, 'If this is going to be adapted on the big screen, then the story must be great'. And it is! Although the pacing of the story is a little fast for my taste, I feel that the core story line makes up for it.

It is a story about a regular girl living alone, who finds out that the school's "prince" is apparently her neighbor. You would think that this is an exciting discovery for any girl from their school. Yes, that's true. But not for Aoi. She thinks Shusei is full of himself and doesn't deserve a second look. That's how she thought until she meets the real Shusei through inevitable circumstances in her apartment, as her neighbor.

I'm currently in volume 9 and can I just say that this is a very cute romantic manga? It's not outright comedy, in my opinion, but there are definitely times when I just burst out laughing. I would definitely love to recommend this manga for all of you who are looking forward to reading a nice manga to kill time. Oh, and I particularly like the drawing. If you didn't already know, I am a firm believer that for a manga/anime to be truly beautiful, the drawing must first be beautiful. There several exceptions, of course. There are drawing styles that I am not particularly a fan of, but the story line is amazing. I'm just saying that most of the time, I look at the drawings first prior to the plot. Sorry, that sounded so shallow but it's the truth. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive my shallow self. I thank you, bow.

A Pink "Pink Blossom" Mini Album: Review

For the past two days, I have been listening to A Pink's latest mini album called "Pink Blossom". It was released last March 31, 2014 with seven tracks, one being an instrumental. This is the perfect background music for when I'm reading romance mangas. I don't know why but all their songs seem to emit a romantic feel, which I surprisingly have been loving lately.

I gotta be honest with you. I'm not a big A Pink fan. Although I have big respect for them for not going with the "sexy concept" trend, I'm still not familiar with all the members and I don't have enough knowledge on the group's total personality. They have been in the industry for a while but I haven't really listened to their albums as much as I listened to this one. So basically, what I'm trying to say is I really really like this album compared to the previous ones. I have high hopes regarding this album and I really hope that they get the recognition they deserve for this.

There are seven tracks and I would like to share my thoughts on each track, in a regular netizen's point of view, who doesn't understand the Korean language. I won't be looking for english translations so I will just comment on how it sounds to me.

1. "SUNDAY MONDAY (썬데이 먼데이)" 

This is probably my favorite track in the album. I love the acoustic feel/ sounds of the song. It matches A Pink's vocals very well. I don't exactly know what the song means (too lazy to search) but it emits a very romantic feel. I like to put this track on repeat.

2. "Mr. Chu (On Stage)"

Their title track that has been released a few days ago. It's a very catchy song that I always end up singing along with. I love the transition of different parts of the songs right from the verses to the chorus. Oh, and have you seen the MV??? I love it! All the members look so fresh! I wonder if it's possible for me to also have the same feel- fresh and youthful. (Frustrations activated! LOL)

3. "Crystal (크리스탈)"

It's the type of song that would make you take a step  side by side while listening to. I also like the transition of different parts of the song and the harmony of their voices are quite pretty to listen to.

4. "Fairytale Love (사랑동화)" 

This gives me that drama OST kind of vibe. I personally like how their voices came out in this particular song because it doesn't sound too small for my taste. (I don't know if I'm even making senses with that comment. Haha)

5. "So Long"

This has got to be my second favorite track of the list. I like the sound, their voices and I feel nostalgic everytime I hear this. I don't even know what the song means but when they say "Do You Remember", it actually stimulates me to think of different memories.

6. "Mr. Chu"

Practically the same song as the On Stage Mr. Chu, except for some added accompaniments and added song duration of a few seconds.

7. "Mr. Chu (Instrumental)"

A nice instrumental so you can definitely make a cover in no time.

I've been loving the concept so much that I actually made a makeup tutorial inspired by their Mr. Chu concept!

Ao Haru Ride (Manga): First Impression

Today, I've been itching to watch Cunning Single Lady's newest episode but I can't find subbed videos yet, and since I can't understand Korean, I had to venture out on other things that might be worthwhile to do. So at first I was very frustrated because I am originally an impatient person but as I was searching for something to watch, I came across a link that led me to find out about the upcoming live action movie of this particular manga. I wanted to watch it but since it's not yet available, I just decided to read the manga. Now I'm hooked!

I've only read Volume 1 but I can say that this story will keep me hooked! I love the characters, I love the artwork, how the characters are drawn and I just love how romantic this story is. Just to give you a jist, I will talk about the main plot of the manga.

Futaba is a pretty timid girl who's not fond of boys except for this one guy named Tanaka. Tanaka is a short, quiet guy Futaba has been crushing on. Series of events brought them together and just as when a good opportunity to actually get to know each other's feelings for one another, Tanaka had to move out of town and switch schools. Futaba was left in her old school with some friends. A school year later, guys eventually noticed that Futaba is quite the charmer and is indeed pretty. This sparked interest among the opposite sex but induced jealousy from her female classmates and friends. Eventually, Futaba was alienated and left alone. This led her to dramatically change how she acts once she stepped into high school. From the timid girl she used to be, she tried to be more outspoken and be unlady-like, just to change her image. She was then able to make friends and was living the life she thought she dreamed of until she met this boy, who looks extremely like Tanaka- only he's taller and with a different personality. He points out that her current friends are fake, which bothers her. To top things off, he's called "Mabuchi", not Tanaka, but she's sure he's the same guy. So far, the story revolves about her high school life, getting real friends and discovering love for the person she once liked.

I really really like the plot and I am definitely planning on reading some more after I type this post, which in translation is 'now'.

Cunning Single Lady (Ongoing): Review

Since my last drama post is all about a divorced couple who meets each other after six years (Emergency Couple), I might as well just make it a trend and talk about another drama that revolves around a divorced couple. Although it is possible for you to go, "Not another divorced couple drama!", I would still like to point out that the similarity of the two ends with the fact that both the leads are divorced. Other than that, the plot is very much different, so is the setting.

I hope I got your attention with my introduction paragraph and if I did, then I guess it's time for me to introduce you to "Cunning Single Lady". It is my number one favorite drama at the moment, just a tad bit higher than Emergency Couple. The reason behind this is because Lee Min Jung stars in this drama. If you're not aware, Lee Min Jung is one of my favorite Korean actresses of all times, alongside Moon Chae Young, Kim Tae Hee and Jeon Ji Hyun. Oh, and Song Hye Kyo too! So yeah, with her being in this drama, it instantly gets an automatic additional of 10 points for my like-ability meter. And mind you, my meter has 10.5 as its upper limit so it literally only needs a little push for me to over-like it.

Anyway, if everything still seems blurry to you because you're not aware who Lee Min Jung is, then I would like to slap you on the face! Just kidding! Of course I wouldn't do that to a lovely reader. (Virtual Hug- ON) Instead, I would be more than willing to try and help you get to know this great actress named Lee Min Jung by refreshing your memory on where you might have seen her. I first saw Lee Min Jung through Boys Over Flowers (Korean version, of course). She was the short (not super short) haired girl who was set up to be Goo Jun Pyo's wife. If you didn't watch that, then you might have seen her as the lead of Smile You (with Jung Kyung Ho- SNSD Sooyoung's boyfriend) or Big (with Gong Yoo- Coffee Prince). If you still haven't watched those two then you probably have never seen her before, except maybe if you've been to a boutique of a Korean cosmetics brand Skinfood, which she apparently models for. Anyway, I love this actress so much. She is one of the most beautiful person I've ever seen on screen (cause obviously, I haven't seen her in real life yet). I can only wish to be as pretty as her but I know that's really far from happening but anyway, her chemistry with Joo Sang Wook in this drama is just soooo good. I think the casting director made such a good job in getting both of them as leads.

 

Oh, and before I forget, I think it is only fair for me to mention a little something about the lead actor too since I kind of babbled away while talking about Lee Min Jung earlier. For me, Joo Sang Wook is a familiar face although I keep on forgetting his name. (Don't fret, I will have his name stored in my brain by the time this drama ends.) I saw him in a drama called Good Doctor (another great drama with Moon Chae Won and Joo Won). His role was the head of the pediatrics surgery department- Dr. Kim Do Han. And yes, this is where my little something about Joo Sang Wook story ends. I don't mean to be biased with Lee Min Jung but I have yet to get to know him some more for me to write a longer paragraph dedicated to him.

Now that you've found about the two main leads, let me talk to you about the plot of the drama. It talks about two divorcees. Immediately after having the divorce filed, the guy became a successful IT businessman. He became DonTalk (a company similar to Line)'s CEO while the girl remained struggling as a regular employee in a boutique. After a series of unfortunate events, Na Ae Ra decided to find her ex-husband, get into his company and work under the same environment.

This is indeed a romantic comedy and Lee Min Jung lived up to my expectations. She's actually good with roles like these. On the other hand, I was very surprised that Joo Sang Wook is actually also doing well. He was very serious in Good Doctor and it was just hard for me to imagine him doing comedy. And now that I've seen him do it, I actually feel like he fits comedy too!

Lastly, if you are an Infinite (K-Pop) fan, a reason for you to watch this is L!!! He stars as Cha Jung Woo's assistant.

As you can probably tell, I only have praises for this drama. You might have a different opinion, I'm okay with that. I just basically wanted to share this because I didn't want you to miss out on this drama, if you have the same drama taste as me.

Oh, this is off topic but tomorrow, I'm going for a job interview. Hopefully, everything goes well. Please pray for me,

Emergency Couple (Ongoing): Review

So lately I have been loving this ongoing Korean drama called Emergency Couple. It stars Song Ji Hyo and Choi Jin Hyuk. I remember Song Ji Hyo as the ballerina girl from Princess Hours and as a permanent cast of Running Man. Choi Jin Hyuk, however, has left an impression on me since he was Kim Tan's older brother in The Heirs. Needless to say, I was really excited about watching the drama because two great leads are starring in it.

The drama is all about a couple who married early in their lives despite not having their parents' blessing. Life particularly became harder for them as Oh Chang Min couldn't finish his degree in medicine and Oh Jin Hee wasn't doing well in her own field as well. To cut the plot short, they ended up in a divorce. Six years later, they meet again as interns in the Emergency Room department.

This drama is still ongoing and I have been watching out for its weekly releases (with subs) every week since week 1. It is a romantic comedy that has definitely captured my heart. I find myself laughing at numerous scenes and I just love how sweet the story is going (so far). I watch this along with my mom, who also likes the show. I'm not gonna write up a long review as I might reveal spoilers if I don't get stopped.

I will leave you, however, a photo of the cutest character I've ever seen in my life. Everyone, meet Baby Gook!!! Isn't he the cutest? Whenever he pops into the screen, I always wonder whose baby he is. I wanna tell them they might actually just have delivered the cutest baby ever!

I really hope they wrap this drama up well because most of the time, it's the last episode that ruins the whole watching experience for me. And when that happens, I just continue to watch it anyway since I've already spent a lot of time on the other episodes that I just can't let go on the last one. I really hope this particular drama doesn't disappoint.

Are you watching or planning to watch the same show? It airs every Fridays and Saturdays. If so, what are your thoughts? Leave them all down below in the comment section and see you in my next post!