Cute post from Dramafever...

Some funny K-drama stuff.... from dramafever.com

Actor Spotlight: Jung Il Woo

Jung Il Woo

As I mentioned before Flower Boy Ramen Shop (2011)  is the K-Drama that changed my life and made me the K-Drama Fan that I

Charismatic Cha Chi Soo

am today. Much of that has to do with the Male Lead Character, Cha Chi Soo, played by Jung Il Woo. Cha Chi Soo was the average male lead. (You will soon learn if you haven't already that the male lead is usually a charming jerk, that is insensitive to the others around him, but in the end is actually a sweet guy who was just ignorant of things due to the sheltered lifestyle of the rich).  I guess because I saw that Cha Chi Soo, was ignorant of his feelings as in he didn't know that it was love that he felt and he had no idea how to handle it which led to hilarious antics between him and Eun Bi. I loved his acting so much I wanted to see him in more. That is when I found Moon Embracing the Sun (2012), although this time he had the role of the second male lead and worse the 2nd son (by another woman), Prince Yang Myung (a double whammy in the Korean Drama world as far as the fate of the character) the show only added to my love for K-Drama. I will discuss The Moon Embracing the Sun thoroughly soon.

Although Flower Boy Ramen Shop and The Moon Embracing the Sun were top shows it was Jung Il
Woo's breakthrough role as the "scheduler" in the 2011 Drama 49 Days that really  proved he would be ready for his role as Cha Chi Soo and later his role as Prince Yang Myung. As the scheduler he was a modernized grim reaper who would help a young woman who was in a limbo of life and death, but wanted
to live and had 49 Days to do so in her outer body state.

In just two years Jung, excelled at portraying 3 very different characters, which shows his skill as an actor. What is similar about all of his roles is that each character has some comical aspect as it seems he is the guy who is always trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

He is able to be funny in one instance, then serious in another, all the while his eyes are so expressive. 

Aside from the dramas mentioned Jung Il Woo has be in many other dramas such as, Unstoppable High Kick, The Return of Iljimae, My Fair Lady, and was also in the movie My Love.

In addition to his bringing his characters to life Jung Il Woo also has had songs on the OST (Original Soundtracks) of the drama's 49 Days and Flower Boy Ramen Shop. 

Currently Jung Il Woo is in the drama Golden Rainbow alongside K-Pop and K-Drama star Uee.

For more about Jung Il Woo check out these articles:
http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/13997/20140108/jung-il-woo-transforms-as-filming-director.htm 

http://www.kpopstarz.com/articles/71789/20140103/jung-il-woo-90-servings-of-rice-cake-soup-on-new-years-for-golden-rainbow-staff-team.htm

 http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/news/golden-rainbow-jung-il-woo-becomes-an-ice-062525712.html


Do you love Jung Il Woo? Why is he your favorite actor? Which is your favorite character? Are you watching Golden Rainbow? Which of Jung Il Woo's dramas do you want to try? Let me know what you think!

Korean Drama Themes: The Flower Boys

Ultimate Flower Boys

 "kkonminam" or The Flower Boy has become a staple to Korean Drama. He is good looking, rich, arrogant, metro-sexual, tough, tall, slim, snobby, and did I mention good looking? I mean he is what I call a pretty man. The funny thing is up until I found Korean Dramas I had always liked the appearance of a good-looking guy with lots of muscles. I was the girl that liked the big football player type with a beard who was more like a bear than a flower. After Korean Dramas my tastes fell for the flower boy. It actually made me feel funny about myself as these flower boys are pretty like women. (As in prettier than me).  Although there have been many flower boy icons the best examples are the beloved F4 from Boys Over Flowers. Now I don't want to go into detail about Boys Over Flowers right now, but these guys are the ultimate example of the flower boy. Unfortunately this wasn't my first drama, but I am glad it wasn't because I would probably have more issues than I do now as this show was amazing. These guys are rich, drive NICE cars, will also kick someone's a$$ if they have to and,  they do what they want and are all in high school. I didn't know any flower boys in high school, but let's get back to my previous comment: they are pretty like women. When I talk to non-drama fans about K-Drama, I usually show them the picture above as an example of flower boys and they usually point to my bias, Kim Hyun Joong (if you aren't familiar he's the one with the auburn hair) and they say: "That's a boy?!?!" and I usually say: "Yeah isn't he gorgeous?" LOL!!! He is quite gorgeous. I was looking at pictures of Kim Hyun Joong from a few years ago and I said out loud: "He's a pretty man." 

He's pretty and that's hot!

I tell you what I don't know if its the fashion (as I would wear that fur collared coat Lee Min Ho has on) or the hair (I love the auburn on Kim Hyun Joong and I love the curls on Lee Min Ho) or if its that they are rich (when I say they own the school I mean they literally own the school) all I know is that I could just "eat them up." I laugh at myself because in America we don't really appreciate a pretty man. We have good looking guys, for instance back in his Romeo and Juliet days, Leonardo Dicaprio would have been called a flower boy, and back in the day George Clooney had women pining over his good looks (I never got it). Today there are the big stars of Twilight, Robert Pattinson

Channing Tatum

and Taylor Lautner.  Channing Tatum is good looking, but his body is not like that of a flower...boy, but then again there is Song Seung Heon and he has nice body and pretty face. Wait what was I talking about...oh yeah but in America we

Song Seung Heon

want our men to be tough guys and roughed, even the pretty ones, being pretty is ok, but being effeminate is a no- no and although the flower boys of Korea are tough guys at times, they have many effeminate tendencies that make some people raise an eyebrow. Like there is a scene in Boys Over Flowers where we see Goo Joon Pyo (Lee Min Ho) get his hair curled. Now I mean the reality is how else would he have those beautiful curls, but in America beauty rituals are for girls. According to a few article Korean men weren't always in to the flower boy trend, but now days, having good skin and a nice appearance is good for... well... business. So just as women the men have beauty rituals and they wear make-up. (Korea is the male make up capital of the world apparently)

Lee Min Ho sponsors make-up products

Being American and knowing our views on such ideas I always felt slightly odd for being attracted to these pretty Korean men, but I am sorry, I am going to have step over the silly ideas of society and go with the flower boy. I have always liked a pretty face anyway. And if that pretty face comes with random trips to the Jeju Islands than all the more merrier. For more flower boys watch, The Flower Boy Next Door, Boys Over Flowers, The Heirs, Flower Boy Ramen Shop, Pretty Man, Nail Shop In Paris. For more Song Seung Heon check out: When A Man Loves and My Princess.

Check out F4 in this fan made video 

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For More on flower boys check out these articles:
25 Ultimate Flower Boys  
http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/blogs/okpop/understanding-lure-flower-boys-050944369.html
 http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/10210/20130820/seven-prettiest-flower-boy-actors.htm
 http://mydramalist.com/article/2013/04/19/the-origin-of-the-flower-boy-trend#.Ut1EF7ROnIU
 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2204587/The-flower-boys-South-Korea-spend-beauty-products-men-world.html

What do you think about men being "pretty"? What do you think of men using make-up? Would you want to date a flower boy (yes probably)?  Who is your Flower Boy bias? 

Where it all started: Flower Boy Ramen Shop

 Drama Title: 꽃미남 라면가게 / Kkotminam Ramyeongage/ 

Flower Boy Ramen Shop 

Year: 2011

Genre: Romance Comedy

16 Episodes

For me, Flower Boy Ramen Shop was the beginning of my life as a K-Drama fan, which is quite interesting as it is said that the hit K-Drama "Boys Over Flowers" is the gateway drug of a K-Drama addiction. Not this time, but don’t worry "Boys Over Flowers" has its own special place in my heart and will certainly find a place in this blog as well. 

Flower Boy Ramen Shop definitely stamped the Korean flag right on my heart as I followed Yang Eun Bi (Lee Chung Ah), a teacher intern (student teacher) who has doubts about being a teacher, but wants to be something in society as she gets over a break up with a long- time boyfriend and also deals with some daddy daughter issues. 

BUT WAIT…

First we meet the tall, slim, pretty faced Cha Chi Soo, (Jung Il Woo) who gets out of trouble by being cute and saying something charming. Females melt in front of him as he says something random such as: “That mole, it’s pretty” and then walks away looking back and giving the female a quick wink of the eye.

After Yang Eun Bi and Cha Chi Soo meet randomly (in a female bathroom stall) as the always insecure tomboy Eun Bi looks at Cha thinking he could be around his twenties. After an encounter with her EX she takes off with the unknowing Cha Chi Soo who is more concerned with his cashmere sweater possibly being stained than acknowledging the vulnerable Eun Bi. 

It isn’t until the teacher intern goes to her first day of work after embarrassing herself by calling Cha Chi Soo “oppa” (although Oppa really means older brother, it is growing as slang for honey/sweetie) before realizing he is in fact a student. Not only is he a student he is the richest student and his father’s company owns the school.  

Another thing you will learn about K-Drama’s is that there will usually be a second male lead. I will take the time to talk all about the beloved second male lead another time but with Flower Boy Ramen Shop the second male lead is Choi Kang Hyuk (Lee Ki Woo). Throughout the show he is known as Pillar. Yes ladies this is another tall and pretty faced man. Kang is usually found sleeping in a random place. Eun Bi didn’t even know he was there for a while. 

Through unforeseen circumstances, Eun Bi, Kang and Cha Chi Soo all become involved and end up working at Eun Bi’s father’s Ramen Shop. (I don’t want to give too many spoilers).

This show grabbed my attention because it was pretty funny. I could relate to Eun Bi. When I first watched Flower Boy Ramen Shop I was getting ready to enter my student internship. She also day dreamed which I do way too often. I also understand how it feels to be getting older without a boyfriend and without any prospects of getting married as many others are well on their way to marriage.  

BUT….

As you will find as you enter your own journey into K-Drama, the flower boys will get you every time. Cha Chi Soo ultimately stole my heart as I watched this rich kid fall in love and has absolutely no idea what he is feeling. He had never had such experiences having been sheltered and initially thought he was sick. (He went to the hospital saying a fist was in his heart).  Kang was also a great face and body to look at throughout the story line. As a reasonable woman I understood how it made a lot of sense to be with someone who would stand at a pillar for you. (Hence his nickname as pillar).

Again I am not into spoilers, but there is more to Cha Chi Soo than just a cute face and money. He has some secrets as does Choi Kang Hyuk. They both share a common bond (a shocking revelation) and a love for Eun Bi. By the way President Cha, Cha Chi Soo’s father doesn’t like the idea of being involved with someone who is below them on the caste system if you know what I mean. (Another reoccurring theme in K-Dramas). 

The cast members make the show colorful and keep the storyline moving and also are the reason for the show being called Flower Boy Ramen Shop as these cute young boys all find themselves working at the shop. There are also sub-plots as other characters help to Eun Bi with her problems and their problems are revealed. 

Jung Il Woo was so magnificent to me as Cha Chi Soo, so much so, I wanted to see him in more dramas, which will lead to my next review. Without even knowing anything about K-Dramas I could see genuine acting. I mean it takes skill to have the comedic timing for certain characters and to me he did well. He also was amazing with emotional scenes. We often see Cha Chi Soo with tears welled up in his eyes.  I even named one of my dogs, Cha Chi Soo, which was approved of as I showed my mother Flower Boy Ramen Shop and she also fell in love with the show and K-Drama, now she and I usually watch K-Drama together.  Imagine that K-Drama pulls families together.   

It was intriguing to see this Noona/Dongseng situation as well.  OH the Noona/Dongseng theme…yes…another topic I will have to discuss for another day as for now, it’s the older woman/younger man relationship.  In America this drama would have been more of a tragedy than a comedy (although Cha Chi Soo is 19, therefore of age). 

Be prepared to literally laugh out loud, cry, and root for Eun Bi to find her way.  Watch and tell me what you think.  Have you already watched it? Did you love it? Did you hate it? Who was your favorite character? Who would you choose?  Why?  

In the meantime check out a few trailers: 

Drama Queen with Seoul: An Introduction

Hello!!! 안녕하세요 Annyeonghaseyo!!!

I am known by many names, Danielle, Daneeyell, Miss Danielle (or Miss Daniel for some of my students who mispronounce), Miss Dawkins, Dawkins, Dani, Dani D. or Dani D. the Princess of Delaware…

… But for my fellow Drama Lovers I am: Noona (what a younger man/boy would call his older sister) or Unni (what a younger woman/girl would call an older sister).

K-Drama (Korean Drama, i.e. South Korean soap opera, telenovela) hit me hard and I fell in love. I was already a fan of all things of Asian Culture, especially that of Japan as I am a huge Power Ranger/Super Sentai fan, a fan of the Japanese artist Hokusai, and a fan/writer of Haiku. Even so I was skeptical of Koreans, primarily because of North Korea. Growing up I just felt that it was taboo to discuss Korea, North or South. A miserable stormy boring day changed all of that. Thank God for Netflix, which can at times, cure the common boring day. Somehow, I was led to Korean TV Drama. I saw many interesting titles, but one caught my attention. “Flower Boy Ramen Shop.” Flower Boy? I wondered, what could it mean to be a Flower Boy. More than that I wondered how there was something called a ramen shop. Ramen in America is not known as an entrée in a restaurant or diner (Unless you find a Ramen Shop which are around big cities). Ramen is more like an easy and cheap meal, you make at home that takes no more than 1-5 minutes. I soon found out that our packs of oodles n noodles don’t have ANYTHING on ramen made in a Korean Ramen Shop. Ramen aside I fell in love with the drama for so many reasons and learned so much about Korean Culture at the same time. 

 

I am a writer at heart (terrible at editing so be warned). I am a teacher by nature. So, when I find something that I think is great, I have to share it with the world. I have pulled my mother, my brother and others into the Drama World. Getting my brother being the hardest to impress, involved in watching Dramas, tells me that these dramas must be pretty good. I also believe that we can learn a lot about other cultures (positives and negatives). When we  learn we can use that knowledge to be sensitive to others and try to co-exisit instead of being racist or discriminating. Basically there is nothing wrong with loving our yellow brethren. (Trust me ladies and gentlemen; there are some gorgeous Asian men and women out there).

Before taking part in this blog it is important to know where you can find Korean Drama, just in case you become intrigued by any future post. As mentioned before my journey with K-Drama began with Netflix. Please take note in the fact that Netflix changes its listing every now and then. I started a drama on Netflix and the next day when I went to look for it, they had removed it. Luckily I found a website called: DramaFever (thanks to a friend who told me about it). DramaFever has a huge collection of Dramas and is always adding more. It is also a great place for K-Drama news. Of course just when you think life is peachy, someone decides the comeback drama for your favorite Korean Celeb will not stream on Drama Fever. (Seriously, I thought I was going to go nuts!)  To cure this situation I did a google search and found Viki, another website with Korean Dramas. The great thing about Viki is that there are people working to get subtitles in MANY different languages. 

I have watched many K-Dramas and with a friend’s nudge I decided to create a blog, in which, I can do the things I love (write and teach) with what I love (Korean Dramas). If you are curious, you should definitely follow this blog as I will be reviewing the old and the new, the good and the bad (although I haven’t found many bad). K-Drama Seoul (pronounced like soul) will show you a new culture and maybe you will gain a better understanding of cultures and people in general. Overall you will be fully entertained hopefully from my blog and later from actually going to one of the mentioned sites and watching a K-Drama. 

In the words of many characters from many dramas:

화이팅 Hwaiting!!! Fighting!!!!