Lazy Weekend and Rerun of Gaksital Ep 1-2

I just spent a lazy weekend after a week full of deadlines, where I got an assignment due on Monday, Wednesday, and a paper which was due on Friday at 5 PM. I watched some movies after submitting my paper and then hibernated from Friday night all the way to Saturday noon to reward myself. Then I spent the rest of my Saturday just lazying around the apartment Hotaru no Hikari style and went out for dinner to eat Pho with other lovely Indonesians and I finally got a sim card for my blackberry (yes -finally!)

OK! That should be enough as a prologue to justify my first half of blog title and let me start on what really matters.. :D I watched the first two episodes of Gaksital today. I have to say that it is still as good (if not better) as when I watched it the first time. It reminded me why I got so hooked on this drama 6 months ago (phew, time flies..)! The actions, the story, the characters, *ehem* Joo Won.. And to think that I only picked it up because the sub on Ghost (a cyber crime drama by So Ji Sub) was so excruciatingly low at that time and Gaksital was the only drama that's fully subbed by Viki? It's good decision after all to click that play button six months ago.

I just have to upload a screenshot with this Viki comment! Pfftt..

The Best Ending Scene in TV Show EVER! (at least according to ME)

I don't know why, but I'm suffering from Gaksital withdrawal these couple of days back. Maybe it's an after-effect from watching the ending of Nice Guy, which after I let it marinate for a bit while, I found that it totally irked me to the core. There are so many unresolved/unclear issues, albeit the happy ending, I'm still greatly disappointed with the way they wrapped the drama..... which brings me to GAKSITAAAALl!!

A New Blog

I just knew today that Multiply will soon lose its blogging feature as it transforms into a marketplace site*. Thus began the horrendous task of downloading all of the files in my old blog (which I've been grooming for the last 5 years! Although the amount probably only come up to what average blogger post in one year or a even a month when taking Tumblr into account -_-) and migrating them all here.

~K-Drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal [2010]~

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Romantic Comedy

Yeay! Another review. This time it’s my take on K-drama Syungkyunkwan Scandal (SKKS). It’s not a new drama. The show wrapped up its finale two months ago. I planned to write a review shortly after finishing it, but alas, circumstances forbid me from doing so. I finally got tickled to type up the review after getting my friend to watch the first 6 episodes, and tweeting about it last night. Granted, it’s not another blockbuster movie. I wanted to write a review on Buried. But since it’s a one-man-show movie, I guess I could catch up sometime by making one-paragraph-review. Ha!

Anyway let’s start with the synopsis (taken from http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Sungkyunkwan_Scandal ): SKKS is set in Sungkyunkwan University in the late Joseon era during the reign of King Jeongjo, revolving around the exploits and love stories of four youths. When her younger brother’s illness worsens and their family is in danger of being evicted from their house for lack of money, Kim Yoon Hee enters the school under his name, disguised as a boy in his desperation to support him. There, he becomes friends with the intelligent and upright Lee Sun Joon, the playboy Goo Yong Ha and rebeliious Moon Jae Shin.

Chajatta! SKKS is the crack that beat all crack dramas this year, for me. I stayed up more than 20 hours for the dramathon and to go back watching my fave scenes. I would have stayed up more than 24 hours straight if only I didn’t get Rp 70.000,- rip-off for a cramped bus on my way home to Jakarta and had to go to work real early the next morning. Yes. Sometime reality has its wicked way to interfere with the wonderful life at K-dramaland. I was so hooked on the show that I had serious withdrawal symptom after it ended (going over my fave scenes, laughing at the hilarious scene on episode 8, downloading the fanvid at youtube, making screencaps, and mooning over Moonie. Ha! Puns!). This is the show that reduced me to a 12-year-old fangirl who squealed, swooned, smiled, drooled, cheered, and clapped over random scenes. Ah, how I loved Moonie’s valiant entrance in the first episode, the fights over sleeping spots in the bedroom, Moonie’s hiccups, Moonie’s smile and sad chuckles. Yong-Ha’s cute twirls and winks, the moment Moonie get a glimpse of Yoon-Hee fair maiden body, the wonderful chemistry between the four leads, and Lee Sun Joon’s dad (oops. Did I just said that out loud?)

  

What first kindled a mild interest in me from SKKS was the setting of the drama: youth, school, student life. I always love this setting. That’s why my past beloved repertoire centered around students dorama like Great Teacher Onizuka, Dragon Zakura, Nobuta wo Produce and Gokusen. Heck, that was also the reason that drawn me to read Harry Potter. And as I recall way back, Malory Towers always holds a special spot in my heart. Anyway enough reminiscing, let’s get back to the real business at hand.

In addition to the setting, the premise (another cross-dressing plot, it’s not something new, but I always like the homoerotism overtone it creates) steered by humor, romance, bromance, intrigue, and misery made this show a one helluva ride. Not to mention the lush cinematography, and most importantly, the lovable, squeal-worthy leading characters.

Kim Yoon-Hee was a spunky yet cynical heroine. Lee Sun Joon was idealistic and righteous to the core. The perennial cutie Yong-ha was an intriguing character. He kept me guessing whether he is one of the bad guys or the good guys at the beginning. It’s interesting to watch him developed his bond of loyalty with his friends that spurred his courage.

And do I have to mention Moon Jae Shin (a.k.a Moonie)? He had me at hello. He was the vigilante who roamed the village at night to shoot arrows and letters at corrupt government officials. He had every ingredient to make a TRAGIC hero: Rough exterior? Check. Valiant? Check. Dashing? Check. Pained past? Check. Daddy issues? Check. Got the girl? Uncheck. Yes. Tragic. I guess this was why me and almost every other girl who ships for Moonie boat fell for him. His gaze as he followed Yoon-Hee home from a distance. The heartbreaking misunderstanding that ensued while he carried Yoon-Hee on his back (cruel writer-nim, giving him a piggy-ride scene with the girl he never gonna get?!) His sad chuckles when he realized that he is not the one that Yoon-Hee had her sight on. His silent retreat from the romance scene without ever making Yoon Hee aware of his feelings. It. Killed. Me. Over and over again.

Admittedly, as separate characters, they were cute and endearing. But put the four of them together and it’s awesome! It’s addicting to watch the off-the-chart chemistry from the four of them as Jal-Geum Quartet. Especially the bromance shared between Yong-ha and Moonie, which will go down as one of the greatest loves in K-dramaland. It beat the romance between Yoon-Hee and Sun Joon. I mean, I loved watching how Sun Joon was angsting over his “forbidden” feelings for Yoon Hee. And once they got together, it was really cute to watch, changing notes at the library, studying at the library, first kiss at the library. Well, they're bookworms, so it's evident that the library is their special spot. But, I was not as enthusiastic as I expected to. Maybe because I was always rooting for Moonie, but most of all, it was because I could never fully get behind their romance on an emotional level, even if I understood why they are so perfect for each other. The cynical and the idealist. They complete each other. But still, for me, it’s the bromance that kept me glued to my laptop’s screen.

The only bathos for me was the deflating ending. It has a saccharine sweet ending that was handled in a haphazard manner. As if the writer suddenly realized that the show is reaching the end and thus forced him to wrap up all of the loose plots in the last 20-minutes. But most of all, I couldn’t stand the cop-out ending where it refused to answer the ultimate question the show posed: would Yoon-Hee finally able to retain her real identity as a girl and live out her life standing tall as smart, intellectual woman amid the men? Well I can’t really tell. The ending was kinda blurred. But I hope she did. Because otherwise this whole sacrifices made by Yoon-Hee’s dad and Moonie’s hyung for Geumdeungjisa which reverberates equal education for all –an idea I would love to see being accomplished-would be wasted. And it was a letdown to not have the final look of Moonie in his mane-of-glory...

But all in all cheers for the Jal Geum Quartet and the helluva ride you guys took me in. SKKS will always hold a fond memory in my heart. :)

~JDorama Oh! My Girl!!

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Kids & Family

Finally!! I’m here with another review after almost-two-year break. Put your hands up peeps! Errr… and your feet too! (And yep you are gonna fall) So, I decided to write a review on my recently watched jdorama Oh! My Girl!! Why dorama? Why not another Hollywood movie? Well the main reason is that because I’m still stuck in a middle of nowhere. I’ve been stocking doramas from my last vacation, hence this is all I can write right now. And since I’ve always been a fan of dorama, why not eh? Anyhow, here goes…

Oh! My Girl!! has a simple yet enjoyable story about Yamashita Kotaro who was living a peaceful life as a publisher part-timer. He aspires to be a much-admired mobile phone novelist in order to publish his own novel. One day, two females suddenly appeared in his life. One is his six-year-old celebrity niece and the other is the little girl's stern manager. As he is forced to live under the same roof as the little prodigy, their differences soon manifest and disputes ensue. However, through co-habitation, Yamashita slowly comes to appreciate having a family and the warmth it brings, all the while developing a love-hate relationship with Takamine Mineko, the manager. (taken from: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Oh!_My_Girl!!)

The plot is rather predictable. Although there are twists here and there that I didn't see coming. Some of the lines are corny but some of it was serious stuff. You see this guy who is used to have no one in his life suddenly has a little girl thrust upon him. He doesn't know what to do, how to handle her. It is endearing to watch how his relationship with Ann and also Mineko evolves. The soundtrack also perfectly suited the movie and helps builds up the sentiments during some of the poignant scenes. The dorama is also stuffed with numerous life lessons: the value of family, how to raise a kid, doing your best everyday to achieve your dream, to how difficult it is when you have to pretend to be someone else.

As for the cast, Ann is adorable. It was amusing to watch her ability to swiftly change her sophisticated-beyond-her-years-attitude into a cute, innocent little girl when she faces the reporters or her fans. Kotaro is kakkoi and well… really TALL! I think that what makes him really stand out in here. Kato Rosa is a bit lacking in depth in portraying the supporting role as Mineko. Kotaro and Ann has palpable on-screen chemistry. And, I absolutely adore Biwa, the dog. He is so adorable and one of the reasons that kept me watching. (Does anybody know what kind of dog it is? I’m guessing that he’s half poodle, am I right?)

The bottom line is there are probably other family doramas better than this. One of the reasons also involving Ozora Hinako’s voice that is starting to get on my nerves ^^. But Oh! My Girl!! is still funny, enjoyable, sweet, and all heart. While predictable in some parts, the dorama evolves smoothly and never drags. I would recommend it for anyone who likes a good family dorama!

The Best Things in Life are FREE!!

Yup that sentence beyond doubt summed up these couple of days. Every employee who is working around and underneath Nemangkawi mountain must be rejoicing right now as we’re spoilt with free internet access. Before I move on, I think I need to shed a light on the internet system in my office. Not everybody can access the internet from my office. Only the chosen group of people who can gain the privilege of accessing the internet. Even if you managed to gain the privilege, you still have to face the annoying internet blocks. No multiply. No facebook (oops, sorry multiply. I didn’t mean to promote other social network in your web). No downloading music.  No streaming. No fun!

So how did we manage to have a free internet access in this strict, harsh, and cold working environment? Well I would like to brag how I use an advanced command prompt to bypass the office internet blocks. I mean that would make it sounds a lot cooler. Make me feel like Sandra Bullock in The Net -minus the identity thievery and actions-. But unfortunately I’m not at that level yet. There’s been a leak in the system that allows me, and others, to have access to every site I want. Streaming. Uploading. Downloading. Browsing. Virtually having all the fun you can in cyber world.  Even subscribing an internet provider couldn’t produce this much fun. The secluded area caused us being timed out more often than actually using the internet. Therefore, here I am making the best out of this situation by writing an update on my blog after sucha long time. Am keeping my fingers crossed for another day of internet leak at the office. Might as well enjoy it while it last!

Cast Away

Man!! I can't believe that I finally can browse the internet from here.. It even can be considered as the 8th wonder of the world for me to have the internet access bearing in mind that i live in a quite secluded area (read: tembagapura) with no internet access (only intranet),and no modem to get me connected.. Pretty depressing riteee? So how did I finally manage to post this blog? Well by using my all-powerful cellphone.. Yup,that's why it takes a long time to construct a blog..

Anyway,just an update.