#Prayforsouthkorea #sewolferry #StayStrongSouthKorea

When situations occur in the world sometimes my reaction time is slow. In the wake of the Sewol Ferry Incident I realize it may be insensitive for me to continue blogging about K-Drama as the country who makes these dramas is torn and grief stricken. So I would just like to take a moment to show respect to those affected, and to those who have lost their lives. We don't know why bad things occur to the innocent, but all in all their must be some reason. Kdrama/Kpop addicts, and people who care please have a moment of silence/ pray for South Korea.

 

And also with that moment of silence/prayers for South Korea let us also take the time to have a moment of silence/prayers for the Malaysian flight that is still missing....

KDrama Themes: Rachet Moms ( and Step moms and grandmas)

If you thought Cinderella's step-mother was the worst, KDrama moms make her look like Mary Poppins. I re-read that sentence and thought: "Am I exaggerating," and realized no I am not.

First let me just state this, starting this blog and attempting to work on it the way that I really want to made me realize I haven't watched enough Kdramas. I am trying to figure out how I can watch more so that I can provide better examples, because one day we will all be tired of references to "Boys Over Flowers."  

SIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Yeah Right "Boys Over Flowers give Drama-addicts life!
So let's start there:

 

Goo Jun Pyo's (Lee Min Ho) mother... Kang Hee-soo aka President Kang. Seriously this woman is known for some of the most down right awful situations. Her son Goo Jun Pyo, the rich boy, meets Geum Jan Di, the poor (I would say middle class because they were making it, to me I think it is ok for a teen to have a job, makes for good work ethic skills, regardless she was quite poor for the likes of President Kang). Kang was very controlling of  Goo Jun Pyo anyway, but then he had to go and fall in love with the poor girl. Mother couldn't have this. She put so many obstacles in from of Goo Jun Pyo and Geum Jan Di, like how about the time she had her kidnapped.Or the fact that she had kept her husband who was in a coma but alive in a secret place, but told everyone include her children that he was dead, which really drove both of her children to literally hate her. As the K-Drama audience we kind of hate her, but it it wasn't for her the main characters really wouldn't have any obstacles that literally make the show worth while (aside from the sexy F4).

2013's drama That Winter The Wind Blows (starring the super handsome oppa Jo In Sung and one of our beloved F4 members Kim Bum), is another drama with an Evil Matriarch.Wang Hye-ji – Officially a secretary, she runs the company and is Oh Young's caretaker. She is not really her mother but step's into the role after years of being in an affair with the father. Of course Oh Young was sort of a "bitter blind b*tch" as she wasn't very kind to this secretary, but Ms. Wang deserved it as she knew the condition Oh Young was in with having something on the brain causing her blindness but never had it taken care of with a simple surgery. This made Oh Young rely on Ms. Wang even though she didn't fully trust Wang.  That's a pretty difficult life to live to be blind and know the person caring for you is the reason you are blind and behind the divorce of your parents. 

We see evil mothers and step mothers but how about grandmothers? In Moon Embracing the Sun, there was, Queen Dowager Jung-hui, Mother of King Sungjo and Grandmother of Lee Hwon (Played by Kim Hyun Soo who was in the recent hit "You Who Came From the Stars") Talk about Bad Grandma...this lady put a hit out on the girl her grandson had fallen for, because of political reasons. Luckily the "shaman" who was ask to take the little girl out had been asked by her late sister to keep the girl safe. So instead of killing her she made it seem like the girl died then hid her for many years. But Karma is can be a bigger b*tch than these evil mothers. Let's just the Queen didn't fair so well in the end. 

 Other mothers aren't evil so much as they have just made poor decisions or good decisions that their son or daughter mistook for a poor decision such as in the drama Padam Padam, where we the character Yang Kang-chil, played by sexy Oppa Jung Woo Sung (go to Netflix and watch his movies you laugh, you will cry, and you will fall in love with him) calls his mom for help and watches her basically hang up on him. He took it as his mother didn't love him and abandoned him, come to find out his mother only didn't want him around as there was a detective that came around looking for him and mom was trying to protect him.

There are MANY other evil mothers, but this sort of gives you a clue about the evil mothers of Kdrama. We hate them but let's face it without them we wouldn't have the obstacles that out beloved main characters must get thru during the storyline.  

Inspiring Generation Finale Episodes 23-24

SOOOOOOOO..... if you haven't watched yet do not read any futher....

 OK REYEON dies... she knows that Hwangbang had poison for Jung Tae and because she couldn't bare to see anything happen to him she switched cups and drank his, then died in his arms shortly their after. She dies and Jung Tae goes as I like to say "Ape Shit" running all through Bamsamtong to Hwangbang, until Jung Jae Hwa talked sense into him. Then Jung Tae began to use his mind and came up with a plan.

Throughout episode 23 and 24 we see Jung Tae scare the crap out of the leader of Hwangbang. In Episode 24 it seemed that Hwangbang had gotten the upper hand setting a trap for the Bamsamtong gang. Shin Jung Tae could be compared to a super hero as he fights a guy who is apparently famous and known as the tiger style of fighting master. Shin Jung Tae must be the master because he took him out. Still it seemed like Hwangbang was about to take Bamsamtong but some General and the military comes out of no where and takes ALL of them Bamsamtong and Hwangbang. He talks to the leader of Hwangbang who lies, but the general already had documents proving he was lying and locked him up. Now all Shin Jung Tae asked for was for the Joeson people of Bamsamtong have a safety area. The General said he would see what he could do... in the mean time WHAT ABOUT THE IL GOOK HWE????

Well Aoki set up a plan to take over Bamsamtong before it could become a safety zone, unfortunately for him Gaya loves Jung Tae too much for him not to be warned. He comes and takes of the rest of the guys that Jung Jae Hwa didn't get and then fights Aoki who never could fight. Then the official message comes in that Bamsamtong will be a safety zone and Il Gook Hwe has to leave them alone. And in the end Gaya brings Chung Ah to Shin Jung Tae.

Now I really loved Inspiring Generation it was a great drama. It had so much action and melodrama. There was romance and there was hate, but for me it sort of failed towards the end because it seemed rushed and I think that throughout the drama they tried to put way too many story arcs in it. I really wanted to see more with Jung Tae and Chung Ah but they only gave this situation like two minutes and the show was over. Jung Tae gets neither girl as Ok Reyeon dies and Gaya goes on bout her business with Aoki and the Japanese. I guess with any drama you have to just say that the rest of the characters went on to live happily ever after.

Overall I was pleased to see Kim Hyun Joong as a character like this, fighting, and being like a man. He has always been a flower boy, but Jung Tae is a long cry from Ji Hoo; although we can fall in love with both. Was his acting better than before? I am not sure. I love Kim Hyun Joong so I am bias, BUT I can say his eyes act well. I am not sure. He still seems just as stoic as he has been in other programs. He is never given a character that is multifaceted but then again you can't say he plays the same characters either. Ji Hoo was a hopeless romantic who was rather stoic. Baek Sueng Jo was a child genius who was set in his ways and spoiled (to a degree) also very stoic. BUT then again looking at the word stoic, Shin Jung Tae wasn't stoic he was also ways showing emotions, especially anger.

Inspiring Generation seems like it was going to be a long road of fights and more fights, but now looking back I feel like it was really short. Now I am wondering what I will do on Wednesday and Thursday night?!? 

Kim Hyun Joong: OST Inspiring Generation "When Today Passes"

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! Here were are!!! I knew he just HAD to sing a song for HIS own show RIGHT!!!!!!

WHAT DO YOU THINK????

Inspiring Generation!!! 17-22!!!

So I have to apologize... I went to a comic convention and never had a chance to #1 watch any episodes of Inspiring Generation and #2 I never had a chance to blog. So I have quite a bit to go over. So I'll do it the best I can with lots of pics...



Episode 17:

Jung Jae Hwa had his grand re-opening of the Shanghai Club. Ok Reyeon gets to sing but backstage.  It is during such time that Hwangbang threatens Leader Mo and forces him to fight Shin Jung Tae in order to regain some of his stability and to keep Hwangbang from killing his family. In a weird turn of events Shin Jung Tae beats Leader Mo. Also during this the Director of Intelligence Aoki has arrested Ok Reyeon in which Shin Jung Tae goes to get her, but gets caught by Aoki.

 Episode 18/Episode 19: 

In this episode Shin Jung Tae has gone after Ok Reyeon, but gets caught by Aoki. Shin Jung Tae then fights Aoki who punks out and brings out the firing squad, but before they can shoot Gaya sets the place on fire and they have to go take care of that, in the mean time DoGgo has

Ok Reyeon and cons her into signing paperwork for Hwangbang. So Hwangbang finds that Ok Reyeon is Shin Jung Tae's heart. Also Gaya reports to Il Gook Hwe everything that has occurred. Also On the low Hwangbang use a group of Mongolians to attack the people of Bamgsamtong and the actually killed about 10 people. This makes Jung Jae Hwa look to be a bad "owner." 

Episode 20:

In this episode Shin Jung Tae and Jung Jae Hwa have to fight. Shin Jung Tae beats Jung Jae Hwa and was trying to uncover what Hwang Bang had done by bringing the Mongolian who attack the town to confess who had told them to do it but before they could get it out the assistant leader of Hwang Bang killed them. Meanwhile at Il Gook Hwe the Boss is mad at everyone from Gaya to Aoki. He messing up Shinichi pretty bad making him unable to us his arm. He also puts out a hit on him, basically letting any and everyone know that if you see him take him out there is a reward. Gaya also comes at the big boss wrong as she talks all about how her mother loved a Joseon man (Korean) and was killed for it and she also says that she loves a joseon man (shin jung tae). Il Gook Hwe is falling. Also Ok Reyeon draws a map for Shin Jung Tae so that he can know his way through Hwangbang. While Shinichi brings some very important docs to Hwangbang.  A fight ensues.

Episode 21: First I just have to say Shin Jung Tae is a beast!!! He is a strong fighter and he thinks on his feets. He ninjas to HwangBang to save Ok Reyeon but ends up only really saving Gaya. (Go figure) But it is in this episode that with him, Leader Mo and the help of others he is able to create a plan that will cause HwangBang and Il Gook Hwe to attack each other in hopes to deplete Hwangbangs men while taking down Il Gook Hwe. We see Shin Jung Tae and friends blitz Il Gook Hwe. It is in this episode Shin Jung Tae and Gaya their first tender moment since their last when they were kids. AND!!!!! KIM HYUN JOONG's OST plays in the background yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OOOOOOOO and by the way AOKI kills Il Gook Hwe's leader Denichi. Takes him right out!

Episode 22:
The Plan goes into action and it is a success, they deplete both Hwangbang and Il Gook Hwe. In the light of victory Shin Jung Tae ask to marry Ok Reyeon and they are wed. That is the most Important aspect of the episode to me LOL!!! BUT what will happen next. I have seen some spoilers for episode 23 so I am ready to cry my eyes out :(

Inspiring Generation Weekly Review Episodes 15/16

Yes Finally Shin Jung Tae realizes he is a pawn in this situation (The war between Hwangbang, and Il Gook Hwe). Finally he sees that there is something fishy about Hwangbang. Now he is starting to think instead of just fight. He goes to Hwangbang and asks if the leader, Seol Doo- Sung, to be his surrogate father as Jung Tae is now parent-less, of course Jung Tae did it in front of everyone in town and it would have looked terrible if the old man declined. So Jung Tae was adopted by Seol- Doo- Sung in a Chinese ceremony, making it almost impossible for Seol Doo Sung to kill Jung Tae it will make him look bad morally. Then Jung Tae says he wants to learn under Jae Hwa. He's sort of screwing with Hwangbang. The episode ends with Jung Tae and Jae Hwa back to back under attack at Club Shanghai, which is rather interesting to see these two together as they were once at odds. The TALK of episode 15 has nothing to do with Jung Tae fighting or trying take revenge for his fathers death, but was all about Kim Hyun Joong and his almost naked scenes, which lasted all of 5 seconds LOL!!! But it was kind of a big deal. I guess a bath in this time period, in this particular drama is the shower scene equivalent. Regardless thanks Korean Drama Gods because we love Kim Hyun Joong but more importantly we like him naked. Especially with the definition of muscles!!!

Here are some stills to further the imagination:

So episode 15 leaves us with Jung Tae and Jae Hwa in a bind, and it is with episode 16 that Leader Mo returns, unfortunately even though he helps the two in their situation he is there to take Club Shanghai and become the owner. It seems though that Hwangbang didn't mention that Shin Jung Tae had anything to do with the club and Leader Mo was like "what's up with that" in so many words. It was obvious to Leader Mo that Hwangbang had something again Jung Tae and was trying to get rid of him without having to do it themselves as Jung Tae was his "Son". In the mean time Aoki Doyama (the guy who gave Gaya the tip when she had to battle that one guy back in the day) he is in town and lets Gaya know that she needs to make more progress or it will be her life. Of course you can see he is in love with her so, I am wondering about that statement. Also while digging up info about Shin Jung Tae, Aoki Doyama is told of Ok Reyon's situation from the past when she killed ol' boy who was obviously of importance so I am nervous about her fate.
How cute are Jung Tae and Ok Reyeon? How hilarious was it when he walked in on Ok Reyeon about to get a shot of some medicine in her booty. And then he acts rather regular about seeing her butt saying he saw it as a child. They are becoming a loving couple so now I feel like I need to hold on to my seat because the more loving they become the more likely their relationship will have a tragic fate. So we are at Club Shanghai's grand opening and the rumor is that Leader Mo will fight Shin Jung Tae. Of course Hwangbang threatens to have Leader Mo's whole family murdered if he doesn't fight and beat Jung Tae. So Leader Mo is in a predicament as he has to think about his conscience as if was Jung Tae's father who saved him years ago in which he had debt to Jung Tae.
This drama takes me through a lot changes, so many FEELZ coming over me. GREAT Actors, GREAT characters!!! Next Week we will see episodes 17/18, which actually makes me sad as this is a 24 episode drama. So we are getting so close to the end. :-( I really don't know what will happen in the end. I really want Shin Jung Tae to live see that his sister didn't die, and marry Ok Reyeon living happily in some part of Asia. But that is just my wishful thinking... We should prepare for more fights!  

K-Drama Actor Spotlight: Kim Sung Oh

It seems like all of Korea can be seen in Inspiring Generation. Everytime I turn around I am like oh wait he's from *Insert Drama here*.  I think I already mentioned Kim Sung Oh but this time I decide to spot light him.

I know him from When A Man Loves (2013), where he was the older brother of  a young man who had fallen for the boss' "girl". The boss played by Song Seung Heon was also besties with Kim Sung Oh's character who had gone to jail instead on Song Seung Heon. This is apart the drama to unfold as the younger brother puts everything together.

Kim Sung Oh was also in the Kdrama, Secret Garden (2010). This is one of the dramas that I have heard so much about yet still haven't taken the time to marathon. Apparently the main theme of  Secret Garden is a body swap where the main characters pull a "Freaky Friday" and must live each others lives.

He is also well known for the KMovie, The Man From Nowhere which can currently be seen on Netflix.( I think I'll watch tonight or sometime soon.)  Kim Sung Oh plays a thug and apparently a playboy.

Although he is a great actor, what really caught  my attention was the fact that he has light eyes. Lights aren't eve my thing, but WOW!


 Kim Sung Oh has lots of other roles on his list of work and I am sure the list will grow after his role on Inspiring Generation.