Eggnog chocolate smells like ham
Jan. 4th, 2007 11:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seichanDrama recs of lengthy proportions...
Hwangjiny 21-24! the end. I think many people would be disappointed by the ending of this series. I found it a little rushed and disjointed as far as Jiny's relationship with men was concerned. The writers seemed to decide that focusing on the gisaeng arts was how to conclude this series. From that perspective, it was a good conclusion and I liked it.
Kim Jung Han and Jiny are captured. Jung Han is punished....eep (flashback to painful scene in Twelve Kingdoms). Jiny miscarries, but recovers and through her beautiful dancing convinces the officials to let Jung Han go. I'm pretty positive that Jung Han and Jiny's bodyguard ran off to happy-land-of-sodomy. Next, Jiny and the rest of the troop is faced with trying to save the future of the gisaeng arts. BuYoung, Jiny's long-timeboring rival, trains with other gisaeng troops. I was impressed with her blank lifeless dancing face. Jiny, perhaps influenced by Jung Han, performs in front of a normal crowd of people. She attracts the crowd. Seo Kyeong Deok, an elderly scholar, passes by and is unimpressed with Jiny's performance in front of the commoners. He insults her dance by saying the people are more entranced by her clothing and looks. I enjoyed his constant *tch tch tch* at her. She then puts on a mask and plain clothing and tries to gather an audience and fails. She ventures further out into nature and commoner territory trying to learn about the flow & rhythms of nature and attract regular folk with her dancing. Kyeong Deok witnesses her struggle and through trading insults, they come to respect each other.
Back at the gisaeng troop, BuYoung and Jiny vie for future leadership in front of many gisaeng leaders/elders. Much blabbing goes on. Buyoung shows her mastery of the drums and the crane dance. Jiny uses no costume and no music to then entrance the audience with plain dancing. She succeeds, but BuYoung becomes Hang Su (leader position) because she more suited for that position, while Jiny's talents and love were basically best for the freedom to do what she wants. It was a lovely and happy ending, BUT you must ask yourself ....what happened to all that about love? all the guys suddenly became insignificant and inconsequential. A little into this series I read a summary of Jiny's semi-factual life (factual like Ginji) and this series did in fact trace what was written, but there didn't seem to be a good balance between the great parts (the gisaeng arts) and the seemingly obligatory dramatic drama (her relationships). It probably had to do with the pacing of the story which is a criticism of most Korean dramas. I recommend this series for its revival of the beauty and detail of traditional Korean arts. I'd be wary to rec this to those who like more active shows. ~8/10 rating~
For more recs regarding something other than Jiny...
Satorare 1-10! jdrama series. Joe Odagiri plays a doctor whose thoughts are transparent to the world. Logistically, there were holes all over this series, but it was unique and entertaining.
Like in The Truman Show, you sorta feel sorry for the main character whose life is a sort of spectacle for others. I guess this sort of plot only works when the main character is really pure of heart. In reality, I'd think a normal person would have more unsavory thoughts than what the character and story portray. Kenichi Satomi is the satorare in this series. Satorare are regarded as a national treasure since they are so rare. Satomi has 2 satorare guards who make sure he does not find out people can hear his thoughts...because they feel he may commit suicide. Satomi is a young doctor who would like to be a surgeon, but the hospital is reluctant to get him opportunities since his thoughts may be harmful to the patients. Despite the seemingly serious premise, this is mostly a comedic series. Satomi's innocent and sometimes clumsy thoughts prove to be amusing as others try not to react or react behind his back.
Satomi's love interest, Mayu Hoshino, is a new doctor in the hospital who has a hard time not reacting to his thoughts. Admittedly, she is a nice, but bland character. The series goes through what the hospital staff feels like as Satomi's thoughts irritate them to the point of plotting to get rid of him; his crush on the intern or his criticism of them become unbearable. The very last episode seemed rushed, but despite that, it was sweet. Odagiri plays the naive and quirky character well and you end up liking him...even if you kinda think he'd end up committing suicide down the road. ~7/10 rating~
Maison de Himiko, a jmovie. Joe Odagiri plays, Haruhiko, the lover of a man who runs a home for drag queens.
This role is the type of role I'd associate with Odagiri...the weird, dark, brooding role...almost like a Johnny Depp role. Saori gets a visit from Haruhiko one day with a job offer. She becomes help at her father's home for the aging drag queens. She reluctantly works there and is vocal about her dislike of the homos. Little by little she gets to know the homos and her father's legacy. It's an oddly touching movie. Saori sees what hardships and prejudice they face, and the hardships the home & the aged residents have to face. Haruhiko uses his sexuality to get support for the home as Saori eventually does. Despite how sad it might sound (Saori's father is terminally ill), the director does infuse a matteroffact nature to the plot and a bit of hope throughout the story. There's a cute part where the local young gay high school club entertains the old folks. And another where a anti-homo punk changes his ways. It's an interesting setting and a bittersweet story with a hopeful ending. ~7/10 rating~
Joe-ed out...Tried to watch Jikou Keisatsu...but fell asleep.
Hwangjiny 21-24! the end. I think many people would be disappointed by the ending of this series. I found it a little rushed and disjointed as far as Jiny's relationship with men was concerned. The writers seemed to decide that focusing on the gisaeng arts was how to conclude this series. From that perspective, it was a good conclusion and I liked it.
Kim Jung Han and Jiny are captured. Jung Han is punished....eep (flashback to painful scene in Twelve Kingdoms). Jiny miscarries, but recovers and through her beautiful dancing convinces the officials to let Jung Han go. I'm pretty positive that Jung Han and Jiny's bodyguard ran off to happy-land-of-sodomy. Next, Jiny and the rest of the troop is faced with trying to save the future of the gisaeng arts. BuYoung, Jiny's long-time
Back at the gisaeng troop, BuYoung and Jiny vie for future leadership in front of many gisaeng leaders/elders. Much blabbing goes on. Buyoung shows her mastery of the drums and the crane dance. Jiny uses no costume and no music to then entrance the audience with plain dancing. She succeeds, but BuYoung becomes Hang Su (leader position) because she more suited for that position, while Jiny's talents and love were basically best for the freedom to do what she wants. It was a lovely and happy ending, BUT you must ask yourself ....what happened to all that about love? all the guys suddenly became insignificant and inconsequential. A little into this series I read a summary of Jiny's semi-factual life (factual like Ginji) and this series did in fact trace what was written, but there didn't seem to be a good balance between the great parts (the gisaeng arts) and the seemingly obligatory dramatic drama (her relationships). It probably had to do with the pacing of the story which is a criticism of most Korean dramas. I recommend this series for its revival of the beauty and detail of traditional Korean arts. I'd be wary to rec this to those who like more active shows. ~8/10 rating~
For more recs regarding something other than Jiny...
Satorare 1-10! jdrama series. Joe Odagiri plays a doctor whose thoughts are transparent to the world. Logistically, there were holes all over this series, but it was unique and entertaining.
Like in The Truman Show, you sorta feel sorry for the main character whose life is a sort of spectacle for others. I guess this sort of plot only works when the main character is really pure of heart. In reality, I'd think a normal person would have more unsavory thoughts than what the character and story portray. Kenichi Satomi is the satorare in this series. Satorare are regarded as a national treasure since they are so rare. Satomi has 2 satorare guards who make sure he does not find out people can hear his thoughts...because they feel he may commit suicide. Satomi is a young doctor who would like to be a surgeon, but the hospital is reluctant to get him opportunities since his thoughts may be harmful to the patients. Despite the seemingly serious premise, this is mostly a comedic series. Satomi's innocent and sometimes clumsy thoughts prove to be amusing as others try not to react or react behind his back.
Satomi's love interest, Mayu Hoshino, is a new doctor in the hospital who has a hard time not reacting to his thoughts. Admittedly, she is a nice, but bland character. The series goes through what the hospital staff feels like as Satomi's thoughts irritate them to the point of plotting to get rid of him; his crush on the intern or his criticism of them become unbearable. The very last episode seemed rushed, but despite that, it was sweet. Odagiri plays the naive and quirky character well and you end up liking him...even if you kinda think he'd end up committing suicide down the road. ~7/10 rating~
Maison de Himiko, a jmovie. Joe Odagiri plays, Haruhiko, the lover of a man who runs a home for drag queens.
This role is the type of role I'd associate with Odagiri...the weird, dark, brooding role...almost like a Johnny Depp role. Saori gets a visit from Haruhiko one day with a job offer. She becomes help at her father's home for the aging drag queens. She reluctantly works there and is vocal about her dislike of the homos. Little by little she gets to know the homos and her father's legacy. It's an oddly touching movie. Saori sees what hardships and prejudice they face, and the hardships the home & the aged residents have to face. Haruhiko uses his sexuality to get support for the home as Saori eventually does. Despite how sad it might sound (Saori's father is terminally ill), the director does infuse a matteroffact nature to the plot and a bit of hope throughout the story. There's a cute part where the local young gay high school club entertains the old folks. And another where a anti-homo punk changes his ways. It's an interesting setting and a bittersweet story with a hopeful ending. ~7/10 rating~
Joe-ed out...Tried to watch Jikou Keisatsu...but fell asleep.
