#lee won-suk

[sloshed-cinema]

Killing Romance [킬링 로맨스] (2023)

How to even start with this movie? This is one of those completely off the wall bonkers comedies that grabs you by the collar and drags you along mercilessly from second one. Don't know what's going on? Fuck off!! This is like if Wes Anderson and Takashi Miike decided to co-direct a Scott Pilgrim type flick after Wes decided he really liked K-pop, except someone kept spiking everyone's drinks with magic mushrooms. Loner, low-achieving student Kim Beom-woo learns that he lives next to the insanely wealthy real estate mogul Jonathan Na, but more importantly, his wife Hwang Yeo-rae. She's a retired actress known for hocking shitty soda. Their marriage is far from ideal thanks to Jonathan's controlling nature. Naturally, the only recourse is to kill Jonathan, which the pair conspire to do in various ways before Beom-woo's conscience gets the better of him, saving the mogul from various means of demise. But it's not so hard to see why offing Jonathan is so difficult: the late, great Lee Sun-kyun portrays him with gleeful, charismatic malice. He's a master of machismo, with a control to delivery which commands respect and awe. Sure, he's a narcissistic tangerine hurler and ostrich killer, but it's so fun to watch.

Everything is presented in storybook fashioin, even down to an old English lady periodically interjecting narration. THings have an intentional artificiality: the hotel on the fictional island of Qualla is a cardboard box version of the Grand Budapest, and Jonathan's ludicrous mansion doesn't even try to appear authentic. Action scenes are carried out with an anarchistic Andersonian energy, the frame busy with crazy action and something to spot in every corner, precise in its disarray.

Oh yeah, and it's a musical. At random intervals our characters break into song to express their feelings of desire or repression. Yeo-rae has her own obnoxious fan club theme song but can also fall under the spell of Jonathan's crooning. There's no rhyme or reason to any of it, which makes for added charm. Yeo-rae's "I want" song is played straight, but later when she starts to sing her desire it completely baffles Beom-woo. Sometimes it's a karaoke fantasia, others just a brief interlude. As a whole Killing Romance seems primed for cult movie status. It's a little longer than it really needs to be, but if that lets us hang out in this world a little longer, so be it.

THE RULES

SIP

A fake product is named.

A type of animal is referenced.

Beom-woo climbs out his bedroom window.

BIG DRINK

Someone starts to sing.

A new plot to kill off Jonathan is hatched.

[genkinahito]

Killing Romance 킬링 로맨스 (2023) Director: Lee Won-Suk [New York Asian Film Festival 2023]

Killing Romance    킬링 로맨스 　 「Jukyeojunuen Romaenseu」 Release Date: April 14th, 2023 Duration: 106 mins. Director: Lee Won-Suk Writer: Park Jung-Ye (Screenplay), Starring: Lee Ha-Nee (Hwang Yeo-Rae), Lee Sun-Kyun (Johnathan Na), Gong Myung (Kim Beom- Woo), Bae Yoo-Ram (Young-Chan),  IMDB Killing Romance is the Opening Film of the 2023 edition of the New York Asian Film Festival and a more…

[junkobato]

Upcoming Kdrama January 2024 🌈

1/1: Marry My Husband with Park Min Young, Na In Woo, Lee Yi Kyung. 16 episodes; rom-com, fantasy.

2/1: Love Song for Illusion with Park Ji Hoon, Ji Woo, Hwang Hee. 16 episodes; historical, romance, fantasy.

12/1: Knight Flower with Lee Hanui, Lee Jong Won, Lee Ki Woo. 12 episodes; historical, mystery, comedy.

17/1: A Shop for Killers with Lee Dong Wook, Kim Hye Joon, Seo Hyun Woo. 8 episodes; action, thriller.

19/1: the Bequeathed with Kim Hyun Joo, Park Hee Soon, Park Byung Eun. 6 episodes; thriller, mystery.

19/1: LTNS with Ahn Jae Hong, Esom. 6 episodes; rom-com.

21/1: Captivating the King with Jo Jung Seok, Shin Se Kyung, Lee Shin Young. 16 episodes; historical, melodrama.

26/1: Flex X Cop with Ahn Bo Hyun, Park Ji Hyun, Kwak Si Yang. 16 episodes; action, mystery, rom-com.

27/1: Doctor Slump with Park Shin Hye, Park Hyung Shik, Yoon Park. 16 episodes; medical, rom-com.

31/1: Queen of Divorce with Lee Ji Ah, Kang Ki Young, Oh Min Suk. 12 episodes; law, drama.

Let's start the year with some good dramas!!

[strangepoetrynut]

My Liberation Notes

[kactors-kpop-kdrama]

[cercasinomeworld]

30 Days Kdrama Challenge

Day 6 - Favourite male lead

Vincenzo Cassano (Vincenzo) - Yoo Shi-jin (Descendants of the Sun)

Park Jae-won (Lovestruck in the City) - Noh Jin-wook (Suspicious Partner)

Lee Ik-jun (Hospital Playlist)

[somanykdramas]

CAPTIVATING THE KING

GENRES: Historical, Romance

SUMMARY: The King of Joseon loves you whether you are dressed as a woman, a man, or a baduk swindler.

THIS SHOW HAS EVERYTHING: Baduk board lugging, poisons, treachery, international deceit, adorable Princes, scheming Dowagers, secret rendezvous, fashion eye patches, gisaeng friendships, terrible beards, and frustrated guardsmen.

HOT TAKE: I think there might be as many plot holes, gaps, and hand-waves as there are episodes of this drama. That being said, this show is gorgeous, full of desperate weeping, and some decently-progressive lust.

If you like slow palace drama or private royal romances, you'll enjoy this. If you're seeking out some REAL edge-of-your-seat mystery and intrigue, you might want to pass on this longing romance.

[binging-asian-dramas]

Call It Love. 9

Story: 9

Acting: 10

Chemistry: 10

Comparable to: Just Between Lovers (kdrama) ; When the Weather is Fine (kdrama)

Flat out has to be one of the most depressing but romantic melancholy healing kdramas. Male lead’s character is written in the most whump’ness way. Don’t get me wrong female lead’s character is just as whumpy, but oofing ML is dialed up to 💯 No matter the storyline flows excellently despite some questionable editing choices. Gosh knows how many slow motion scenes this drama, if you took a shot every time there was one you’d be drunk by the end of the episode. Despite that everyone did an outstanding job, both leads chemistry was oozing on screen, I mean honestly I’m a bit bias always with Kim Young Kwang dramas. For me there’s never a drama I disliked of his. He always manages to pull off excellent dramas (still standing on that D-Day is top fav) If you love melodramas, this should definitely be a must watch!

[survivalistghost]

[zania85]

My favourite korean actors

[afza147]

Ep1 and Ep2 Blood Free Short review

So I was not planning to watch this drama due to no romance ..and I was right after watching ep2 as the main lead guy is married and with child😫

I thought it was just a random family die picture but they were alive and texting him too

But the chemistry between hyo joo and ji Hoon ..can I root for them to be together depsite he's being married man ?

So far the story progressed is average but fast..also there are some familiar faces from other drama I watch..so I'm seated

From 39 and do bong soon guy

From killer Paradox.

So onto the drama..so much test even destroying his house

But when he's back at night, the house turn fine again..I guess they clean it up after making the mess🤣

The hacking is so intriguing that I will just watch and see as I also don't know who did it plus with specific timing..maybe the glasses guy

Well not this guy ( a mystery man ) which I'm sure he got something to do with the suicide.

So let's wait for next ep on Wednesday☺️ 2 more day left as I watching on monday

Please stop making me shipping them together ..or at least make his family die😅😅so I can ship them confortably

[passionforfiction]

Arthdal Chronicles

The first season of this fantasy story hits close to home. It depicts the cruelty and greed of villages that have the resources, food and technology to take advantage of others. The story doesn't waist time, the first episode starts with the Arthdal leaders asking the Neanthals to become part of their power. The Arthdal are afraid of the peaceful but strong Neanthals and pretend to negotiate, knowing they are not interested. And what do they do? The Arthdal leaders trick their own people and kill the Neanthals in order to take their lands. Asa Hon learns this when she is in the middle of the attack, and in order to safe Neanthal children, she leaves with a child and Ragaz, with whom she later has children with.

Arthdal continues to annihilate weaker villages, taking them as slaves for hard labor. It is Tagon, an Itgu in hiding, that makes all this possible for Arthdal. And even though he is loved by the village as a hero, his father and other leaders are trying to find ways of killing him, including making Mihol's daughter, Teaelha, into a spy. Even though Tagon is cruel, there is an innocence to his longing to be loved and accepted by the people. His relationship with Teaelha is of a love stronger than their ties to their families and interests. And even though we don't like what he does, some times we do wish him success in his endeavors and fight against the Arthdal leaders for power.

But it is the story of the Wahan Tribe that reminds us that Tagon and all Arthdal are cruel and greedy people that have no respect for others. This is a peaceful tribe in a far away land. They are more like Neanthals in their believes but they are also prejudice against Itgus like Eunseom, whose mother leaves him there before she dies. Eunseom's only true friend is Tanya, the daughter of the priestess and scientist of the village.

It is almost impossible to reach the place but Tagon and the Arthdal leaders find the way to reach the land, it takes them 10 years to reach it and less time to destroy it and take its people as prisoners and slaves. Here we see the struggle of these people who get separated, sold into slavery and fight with each other and their enslavers in order to survive. But it also shows the Wahan people mesmerized by the innovations and way of life in this civilized village.

Tanya ties Eunseom to her by naming him her dream and he will do anything to save her, but destiny takes them into two different paths. These two characters are also very naive, their innocence and sense of justice is what makes others follow them. They both want to forge a world where everyone is equal, no prejudice against people that are different, everyone on equal standing.

Tanya's relationship with Saya is a sad one at best. She is using Saya while Saya genuinely likes her. And even though, at some point she sees him as a friend and cares about him, she still uses his affection towards her. But she is not the only one using Saya, so is Tagon who separated him from his mother when he was a child and Teaelha who became his caregiver for Tagon. Still, Saya is not stupid and he knows how to play the game.

This first half ends with the downfall of the rule of the Arthdal leaders: Daekan, White Mountain, and Hae tribes; giving way to Tagon's rule under the name of Aramun; which damages the relationship he had with Teaelha. Tanya is now the high priest while Eunseom becomes a god for the Ago tribe and starts unifying weak tribes to end fights among them and focus on fighting against their common oppressor.

The second season starts 8 years after the final events of the first one. And the fighting is no longer centered on colonialism, but on taking down a threatening force that is not letting them continue with their expansion of territories. I have heard of people wondering why the change of actors for critical characters. I wouldn't have minded seeing the same actors since they are excellent ones and we got used to them. But I didn't mind the changes, I think that these new actors, brought some darkness to the characters that had been innocent and naive in the first season. They have learned to play the game and they are using what they have learned for their gain.

Tagon and Teaelha are no longer the close couple they had been, but they still love each other and have a son that unites them. Theirs is a tragic and powerful love story, tainted by the struggle for power.

In this half, we see Tagon's fall, and the rise of the ideology that drove Tanya and Eunseom into battle. But we are left with an open ending that promises more blood and restlessness. Saya wants Arthdal for his own since he can't have Tanya's love; and Teaelha wants to take Arthdal back as she promised Tagon; while Eunseom struggles to make Arthdal the land he and Tanya had envisioned.

It is the bloody story of a civilization in this fantasy world that reflects the truth about the history of our world so full of tyranny, blood and inequality.

It is not a story with clear lines and we will switch sides as their goals become twisted, but so is the story of rulers in the past and the present. This is a fantasy story, but it also criticizes what makes a country a country - it's bloody history of greedy men.

[stuff-diary]

Twinkling Watermelon

TV Shows/Dramas watched in 2023

Twinkling Watermelon (2023, South Korea)

Directors: Son Jung Hyun & Yoo Beom Sang

Writer: Jin Soo Wan

Mini-review:

I loved Twinkling Watermelon so so much. This drama made my Mondays and Tuesdays for eight weeks. The story might not be groundbreaking, but it's incredibly well-written and fun. I was afraid the plot would be too simple to make it through 16 one-hour episodes, but it never dragged at all. There was always something to look forward to, and many of the twists caught me by surprise. On top of that, the writer gave us two fantastic love stories. Seriously, both of them are among the best I've seen in a K-drama. But the real focus of the show is the friendship between all the main characters, and its portrayal of youth was really heartwarming and nostalgic. And the whole cast was incredible too, they absolutely delivered at every turn. The only flaw I can point out is that the representation wasn't perfect, and they should've hired at least some deaf actors. Besides that, I don't have any complaints. I might go as far as saying this is one of my favorite dramas of all time, and I'm gonna miss it so much.

[k-star-holic]

Jeong Yeong-suk, daughter-in-law Lee Hwi-hyang escaped for three years (filial pension)

[kdram-chjh]

Kdrama: While You Were Sleeping (2017)

He hugged the wrong person and was seen by his girlfriend 🤣🤣#whileyouweresleeping #fypage

Watch this video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BXJ0sN3tDrA

[olivierdemangeon]

DECIBEL (2022) ★★★★☆