Personal Taste/Preference (2010) - Korean Drama

Personal Taste/Preference

2010 - Kdrama

Romantic Comedy

16 Episodes

Synopsis:

Personal Taste is a drama, which is based on a novel "Gaeinui Chwihyang" by Lee Sae In. The story is about a man pretending to be homosexual in order to become roommates with a woman who wants to live with a gay male friend. Jeon Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho) is a straight guy who pretends to be gay in order to become a roommate to his female friend, Park Kae In (Son Ye Jin). His hobbies include organization and ironing, and he’s known for his stoic poker face.

Review:

^___^ Ahhh...Personal Taste.

This was a GOOD one. I've been meaning to watch this for a long time, but I kept putting it off. After watching City Hunter, I wanted MORE Lee Min Ho, so I finally got around to it.

What I've been missing all this time--is a pretty good drama. Personal Taste had all of the makings of a good drama. It has an interesting, original plot, a great cast of lovable and believable characters, strong, pure chemistry and love between the lead couple and tons of hilarious moments. For 16 episodes, I laughed, smiled, teared-up, snorted, rolled my eyes and cried. The OST was also really good!

Yet there was still something missing throughout. My main issue is that the pacing was really slow.  I found myself fast forwarding quite a bit about half way through as the series kind of lost its steam. While I will not miss the series itself, I WILL miss Jin Ho and Kae In.

Personal Taste is a drama that I really enjoyed and believe to be worth watching.

P.S. The BEST place for watching dramas, is over at Viki.com. Users can leave comments as they watch. It's like watching with your friends--crazy, very unique friends! The comments are usual hysterical and totally random!

Here's the link: Get your taste of Min Ho here!

Heartstrings (2011) – Korean Drama

 Heartstrings

15 episodes + 1 special (2011)

Korean Drama

Romantic, Music

Synopsis:

Lee Shin is a university student majoring in modern music. He is also the vocalist and guitarist of the band "The Stupid." Shin is known for his good looks and strong passion for music, but in reality he is cold, lacks interest in anything unrelated to music and has neither dreams nor plans for the future. He initially likes Jung Yoon Soo, a dance professor at university, but this all changes when he meets Lee Kyu Won.

Lee Kyu Won is a bright and outgoing student who was born into a prestigious family and is majoring in traditional Korean instruments, especially the gayageum. Kyu Won's grandfather, Lee Dong Gun, is one of the top 3 traditional musicians of his age and his biggest wish is to see his granddaughter become a traditional music prodigy. Trying to live up to her grandfather's expectations, Kyu Won immerses herself in training and becomes a university student who knows nothing outside of her studies. As her friends are fans of "The Stupid", she was forced to go to the band's concert with them. There she saw Lee Shin performing live, and is immediately captivated by him.

Review:

I’m totally shallow, I admit, especially when it comes to my fave pretty korean boys. I decided to watch Heartstrings because I love love love Jung Yong Hw!. I first fell in love with him in “You’re Beautiful”, then I fell in love with his band CN Blue.

I think it’s lovely that Shin Woo (Yong Hwa) and Mi Nam (Shin Hye) from “You’re Beautiful” got a chance to star in their own romance! 

So, Heartstrings…. I like the characters. Yong Hwa plays his role as Lee Shin, a student majoring in Western Music very well. At the same though..it’s sort of who he is in real life, so I don’t think we can attribute much to his acting skills. That is NOT to say, I did not love his role and how he portrayed it..I DID! Lee Kyu Won was meh… I liked her A LOT more in “You’re Beautiful”. She does okay in Heartstrings, still pretty cute and did a okay-pretty good job acting. The character I really loved though was Cha Bo Woon, Kyu Won’s BFF4EVER! She was so adorably funny and such a great friend--always interrupting Lee Shin and Kyu Won’s couple moments and getting punished as a result by Shin! LOL

As this is a Music drama, we have to talk about the soundtrack. It’s pretty obvious what I think of it..it’s CN BLue’s Yong Hwa, after all! The soundtrack was GREAT! I really loved it. I paid more attention to the performances than to the plot to be honest.

The plot was a simple one…Music school, a performance, some jealousy, attempts to sabotage said performance etc etc Yet, I found myself fast forwarding..A LOT. In addition to the performance scenes, only parts I didn’t fast forward were the romantic scenes.

Overall, I give Heartstrings a "good" rating. While the soundtrack was Amazing, it alone cannot make a drama. Problem is that I can’t quite put my finger on what was lacking…the drama simply didn’t leave much of a lasting impression. I don’t have the feeling of lose one usually feels after a great drama and I certainly don’t see myself re-watching it a million times in the near future.

**Love CN Blue too? Leave your favorite song in the comments!

Down With Love (2010) - Taiwanese Drama

Down with Love

2010 - Taiwanese

16 episodes

Synopsis:

Shiang Yu Ping, a divorce and inheritance lawyer, is seen by others as cold, selfish, and ruthless. He had taken in his brother's orphans and was in need of a nanny. But after he exhausted his supply of nannies, he still couldn't find one who doesn't fall in love with him or gets scared off by the kids. Fed up, Yu Ping asks his secretary, Yang Duo, to find a nanny that meets his requirements. She recommends her younger sister, Yang Guo, for the job; assuring Yu Ping that her tomboyish sister will not fall in love with him by lying that she does not like men at all.

Review:

What I loved most about this drama was the lead couple! Yang Guo and Yu Ping were the one of the cutest couples I've seen. I loved watching the two of them together. I also loved the side characters, especially Yang Guo's family , her sister and father. This drama would have gotten a "very good" rating if not for the dang ending! It was HORRIBLY done, essentially false advertising (you'll know what I mean after watching, but keep the image above in mind)! The rest of the series was so well done and then to botch it up so much at the very very end was kind of unforgivable! :/ 

**Did you love Yang Gui and Yu Ping as much as I did?! Do your gushing in the comments! I'll join you! xD

[Book Review] The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner Series, Book 1)

James Dashner

Blurb:

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recolection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is empty.
But he's not alone. When the lift's doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don's know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as anyone can remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, for just as long, they've closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the Maze after dark.

The Gladers were expecting Thomas' arrival. But the next day, a girl is sent up- the first girl ever to arrive at the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might find their way home... wherever that may be. But it's looking more and more as if the Maze is unsolvable.
And something about the girl's arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers- if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.

Review:

"The Maze Runner" has been on my to-read list for quite a while. I am so glad that I finally got the chance to give it a try! I truly enjoyed this novel. What this one has going for it is an intricate plot filled with the perfect balance of suspense. It has been a long time since I last read a novel that hooked me, kept me on the end of my seat with my heart beating violently, as much as this one had. From page one, I was anxious about the fate of Tommy and the gang. The ending especially is an effective one for a trilogy. I cannot believe how much I feel the NEED to read the sequel. I mean it's 10 minutes before my local library closes and I'm VERY tempted to run out and go get "The Scorch Trials"! My only complaint about this novel is that it needs more fully developed characters. It would have been nice for Newt, Teresa and Minho to be more developed as characters and for readers to have been able to truly get into their and Thomas' heads. Overall, "The Maze Runner" was worthy of staying up late to finish! :-)


** Enjoyed the Maze Runner series? Abhorred it? Liked the Hunger Games exponentially better? Leave your rants in the comments!

[Book Review] Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

By: Ransom Riggs

Blurb:  

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

Review:

Oh Riggs....why do this to me?

This book captured my attention because of the photographs--the intriguing, creepy, and well, peculiar photographs. The amateur photographer in me was giddy with excitement at the prospect of a great story told around these photographs. For that Riggs does a very good job. The images are very carefully and appropriately placed and the visuals really add more depth to the story. 

I enjoyed Riggs simplistic, but effective writing style, BUT (you knew it was coming) what the heck happened about half way through? For the first 150 pages or so, the suspense, tension and mysterious creep factor were captivatingly balanced, but then readers are handed a sparknotes version, giving all of the answers in one swoop. With all the mystery...demystified, the rest of the novel sort of plopped. I found myself speed reading just to see how it would end. Overall, it was a good try and I will still most likely purchase and read the sequel to find out the end of Miss P's peculiars and to see more of the amazing photographs. 

**Read Miss P's Home for Peculiar Children? Leave your thoughts in the comments! ^__^