Search This Blog

Saturday, November 5, 2011

RUNNING MAN 奔跑吧!!孩子們

Having two reviews about dramas so dar, it's time for some variety shows...

Hereby i present Running Man!

RunningMan.jpg
This show is classified as an "urban action variety"; a never-before-seen new genre of variety shows. The MCs and guests complete missions in a landmark to win the race. [from Wikipedia]

The aim of the game is to get as many running balls as possible. The more balls the members have, the larger probability of being exempted from the punishments.


The CAST:
from left: Gwang-soo, Jong Kook, Jae Suk, Ji Hyo, Joong-Ki, Suk Jin, Haha, Gary

A one-by-one introduction:

Jaesuk is the main host of the show known as Yu-ruce Willis during the race mission where he is good at running away. He is also known as Yu Hyuk , acting as a popular student that can dance well based on his own request.
Juk Jin is the eldest member of the show and often addressed as Hyung by the other members. He is known as Big-Nose Hyung due to his exceptionally big nose. He is often shown as weak during the race mission and is frequently and easily caught hence forming the Jail Regulars Trio with Jae Suk and Gwang Soo.

Jong Kook, better known as the Commander, was the strongest man in the show. Everytime comes to Hide and Seek mission he would strike fear in everyone. There was once Ji Hyo was running away from Haha when Jong Kook just walked past and Ji Hyo fell to the ground (supposedly lose her strength). He was also known as Kookie~♥^^ (꾹이~♥^^) for his cuteness and "aegyo".

Lee Gwang-Soo. a new variety host known as a "Framer Gwang-soo" as he like to fabricate tales about the other members (for example claiming to see jong kook painting his nails). He's often seen as a weak member on the team that always got caught easily. Together with Jae-Suk, Suk Jin, they formed the Jail Regulars Trio.
Gary, also a new variety host known as Peaceful Gary due to his calm facial expressions during the Photo Zone Game. He often expressed his interest in Ji-Hyo, and hence together with Ji-Hyo they were known as the Monday Couple (as their filming was on Mondays). Together with Haha and Jong Kook, they were known as Jong Kook and his two kids, as they were always seen under the control of Jong Kook.


The only female member on the show: Song Ji Hyo.
Also known as Song Ji-yok, due to her assumed swearing at the members (started by the framing of Gwang-soo). She is the Ace of the show, as she was as capable as Jong Kook in catching the guests. She is also the Monday Couple with Gary.
Song Ji Hyo's Hat on 'Running Man' Where Can I Get That

My favourite cast: HaHA, also known as Haroro (due to his appearance close to the cartoon character Pororo). He likes to imagine himself as the main lead of a movie, and often play childish games with Jae Suk, naming themselves over heroic characters (for example Ha-rad Pitt VS Yu-mes Bond) Together with Gary and Jong Kook, they were known as Jong Kook and his two kids, as they were always seen under the control of Jong Kook.


Joong Ki is also one of the variety kookie and is of same age wiith Gwang-Soo. Song Joong-ki is known for his good-looks and is referred to as Flower Joong-ki, meaning pretty and is referred to as Brain Joong-ki due to his high intelligence.. He is also known as Active Young Man(적극청년) when he either wants to try something new or believes he can do something well, but fails. As of episode 42, he has left the program to focus on his acting career


I simply LOVED this show! It's so entertaining, and had always been fresh and creative in its games. There was never the same games for more than 10 episodes. i especially loved their Find the Guest(s) game, where they have to find guest(s) among many temporary/volunteer people who would try to distract the running man members without knowing who and how many guests there are.

Another favorite segment of the game would be Catch the Thief, a card game. Everyone would be dealt with a card, and there's only one thief card. The members would undergo a lot of mini games to switch their cards and in the end, who get the thief card would not get the running ball.

步步惊心 Startling Surprises at Every Step

Here's another review on a drama... This time, i'll reviewing on a special kind of a mainland historical drama known as 穿越剧 (kinda protagonist returning back to the past).



So, the most important thing to do when reviewing a 穿越剧 would be introducing its protagonist, the 穿越女!


马尔泰。若曦 RuoXi
She came from the future era through an accident (shown in ep.1) to the KangXi's era. Her original identity is a normal working girl 张晓ZhangXiao.
ZhangXiao and her boyfriend in the modern era (HuangDi)
She's a cheerful girl, and brought many laughter to the show at the first part of the drama due to her modern mindset and her inability to adapt some traditional practices. As she entered the palace to become a servant, she became a more convergent character while falling into love with the 8th and 4th princes in the process...

A good drama does not rely only one the protgonist, and the other casts are:

马尔泰。若兰 RuoLan(若曦's elder sister) an ill-fated woman who was forcefully married as a concubine to the 8th prince and lost her lover indirectly due to the 8th Prince. An originally cheerful girl that succumb to the fate of many women in that era.

the 4th prince, the future emperor. A prince that loved RuoXi dearly and is willing to tell her all the truth about he wanting to be an emperor (despite in front of others, he seemed disinterested). RuoXi's true love.

the 8th prince, RuoXi's brother-in-law. He fell in love with RuoLan when he saw her being so bright, cheerful. However, when she was married to him, she changed. She became a quiet, aloof woman. So when he saw RuoXi, he saw the past RuoLan and fell in love with RuoXi too.

The 8th prince's wife. She seems to be a fierce and ruthless figure in the show but she loved the 8th prince alot and was willing to die for him. She's also the 10th prince's wife's elder sister.

14th Prince 十四阿哥 十三阿哥13th Prince
Both caring guys to RuoXi, and were good friends of RuoXi. One loved her as a women while one loved her as a confidant. Both have their own sad tales to tell.

One of my favourite couple of the show: 十阿哥and十福晋 (the 10th prince and his wife)
They brought laughter to the whole show and remained as the only happy couple till the end. They were at first, against their own wishes married together. But loved each other in the process...

The 9th prince and YuTan (RuoXi's good friend in the palace)
A very sad couple? YuTan was the 9th prince's spy in the palace. She loved him, but does he?


What i liked about this drama:
It's a decent drama, with suitable historical facts inserted and no playing around with the historical facts. some 穿越剧 just changed the whole history to suit the taste of the audience. i'm not saying it's bad, but i don't like the idea of it. Anyway, this show is touching, hence for those who liked those sad korean dramas, i'm sure you'll loved this too! The show also has alot funny parts at the front, so for those who liked to watch those mild comedies, this would be a good choice too!

Here's the preview of the show and some MVs(SPOILER!):





Rating:★★/

Friday, November 4, 2011

49 Days/ Pure Love


Here's my drama review on a 2011 Korean Drama named 49 Days/Pure Love:


The Main Characters are:

Nam Gyu Ri as Shin Ji Hyun 。Lee Yo Won as Song Yi Kyung
Seo Ji Hye as Shin In Jung 。Bae Soo Bin as Kang Min Ho

Jo Hyun Jae as Han Kang 。 Jung Il Woo as Scheduler / Song Yi Soo

What's the story about:
A few days before her wedding with her 3-year boyfriend Min Ho,Ji Hyun gets into a car accident that leaves her in coma. However, unknown to her parents, fiancé and friends, Ji Hyun's soul was actually in the body of a part-time employee at a convenience store called Yi Kyung. Ji Hyun was given a second chance at life by a reaper(who likes music and preferred to be called as a scheduler). If she can collects three pure tears from three people that aren’t her blood relatives in 49 days, she would be deem as worthy to live and would awake from her coma. She, however, cannot use Yi Kyung's body after midnight and had to keep her identity a secret. During the 49 days, she saw how her parents fiancé and friends live without her, discovered dark secrets about her friends (SPOILER!) and experienced true love with her high school classmate Kang. However, as the 49th day approaches...


What i liked about(SPOILER ALERT!) :

When i started watching this drama i don't actually hold any anticipation. i'm just watching for the sake of watching. But, after watching the drama, i thought that i'm LUCKY to not have missed this drama! Unlike other korean dramas, this drama is more supernatural but yet full of moral values and touch on issues like love, betrayal, karma etc. I don't usually cry while watching dramas, but i have to say that this is a very touching story. What i like about the story is that everyone in the story is linked and related in one form or another. The plot unravels itself at a right pace, that makes you want to continue watching. 5 STARS for this drama!

I specially enjoyed watching the love story between Yi Kyung and Yi Soo, an ill-fated couple from an orphanage. they truely loved each other but yet was separated by misunderstandings and by Yi Soo's death. Yi Kyung lived like a walking zombie after Yi Soo dies, and attempted many sucide attempts. At her last attempt, she went to Yi Soo's accident scene and stood in front of a driving truck. The truck driver, in order to avoid hitting her, braked and sweered, resulting in a chain car accident, with Ji Hyun being the victim. Yi Soo on the other hand, regretful of unable to resolve his misunderstandings with Yi Kyung before his accident, volunteered 5 years of his service as a scheduler-an angel of sorts who awaits to take souls to their final destinations in order to be given a chance to tell Yi Kyung he loved her before going over to the afterlife. However during this 5 years he have no recollections of his past life, and it's sad to see Yi Kyung and Yi Soo interacts without knowing each other.



Watch the preview:






Rating:★★/