#shin jun seop

[everythingbap]

📲 r_seop Instagram update:

저의 첫 K-POP 타이틀곡 연출🎬 도와주신 모든분들 감사합니다!! 정신없이 파도치듯 제작했습니다. All glory to God Moon Jong Up - ‘TWIST YA’ MV CREDIT PRODUCTION | Ad.A @.ad.a_official STARRING | JONG UP MOON @.moonjongyeup DIRECTOR | RYUNSEOP, BOUQUET @.booquet PRODUCER | JASMIN @._sminnnn LINE PRODUCER | SEONA JEONG PRODUCER ASSISTANCE | YOUNG JOO KOH LINE PRODUCTION | GER PRODUCER | SOYOUNG PARK @.nessxap PRODUCER ASSISTANCE | MINJI KIM AD | JAMES CHOI, YEONHUN CHOE, SARAH EL-ALI VISUAL & STYLE DIRECTION | DAFTBOY @d.aftyob DOP | INSEOK JUNG @.dontgoyet FOCUS PULLER | YUNHWAN PARK @.oeenqm 2ND AC | JEONGWOONG CHOI 3RD AC | SEOUNGEUN KIM DIT | JUNGEUN LEE @.19971230_ GAFFER | SEONGILL LEE @.2gender1 1ST | MINCHEOL KIM 2ND | JAEJUN YU, WOOJIN SUNG, JONGSEUNG SONG 3RD | YUSUNG HAN, HYUNJUN LEE 4TH | SIYOUNG KIM, IKHYEON JO JIMMYJIB @.yeonhuidong_dalguzi OPERATOR | KITAE KIM 1ST | JUNGHYUN BING 2ND | JAESUNG LEE 3RD | HYUNGMIN KIM ART DIRECTOR | SEBIN LIM @.our_fourth.avenue , YOOONCHEI BANG @.batodeon ART TEAM | DOHOON SONG, YOONSEO BANG, MINHO LIM, SUNGJUN HONG ROBOT ARM MADE | LEE EUNSEO HAIR STYLIST | HOJIN LEE ASSISTANCE | YERI MAKE-UP | JAEIN HEO ASSISTANCE | JU YEON KIM EXTRA HAIR STYLIST | SEONGHEE JEONG EDIT | RYUNSEOP COLOUR & 2D | CAPRA @.capra.official.colour VFX | POKIN TULAPRAPRUT, NUTTAPUT TULAPRAPRUT @.guidddiii DANCER | GRACE, ILCHEON LEE, JAE HUN JUNG, SEONJIK CHAE, TAE UK PARK, YEON JIN CHO, JI YEON LEE, SUNG YEON JEON, ZU WON YI, JI MIN LEE, SUN BIN KIM, YE JIN CHOI, TAE YOUNG KIM, YE JI JEON, JUN HEE KIM, YO SEOP BYUN, SUN HYEON HWANG, CHAE RIN LEE, YE RAN MOON EXTRA | JUHO SHIN, KYU YOUNG KANG, SCILA SOFIA, LARA, NICOLE ALDAMA, TIM BASO, TITA, KENZA KHALIFA, SOPHIA G THANKS | SURGERY, SAMPLAS, KEEPUSWEIRD

[maeumverse]

ZENITH ENTERTAINMENT is a fictional South Korean entertainment company. It was founded in 2016 by former SM Entertainment executive LEE TAEIN, shortly after his supposedly amicable departure from the company. 

They are best known for their first and flagship group FABLE, who continues to be the only artist formed solely by the company. Zenith is also notable for the way CEO Taein notoriously inserts himself into the smallest of business decisions, and their refusal to take trainees since Fable’s debut.

BASICS

NAME: Zenith Entertainment

TYPE: Private

INDUSTRY: Music, entertainment

FOUNDED: 2016

FOUNDER: Lee Taein

HEADQUARTERS: Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

AREA SERVED: Worldwide

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 20+

ARTISTS

FABLE (2018 — present): eight seven member boy group

NEON NIGHTS (2021 — present): five member girl band

JAESUN (2023 — present): idol soloist

NOTABLE PEOPLE

LEE TAEIN (1969) … Founder, CEO, and Fable's creative director. Former SM Entertainment talent acquisition director. Played by Lee Byung-hun.

PARK SANGHYUN (1972) … COO and CFO. Has been trying to get a private office for the past seven years. Played by Lee Seo-jin.

CHEN YUXUAN (2002) … Taein and Sanghyun's executive assistant. Underpaid and overworked intern. Played by Liu Yu.

WOO HYEKYUNG (1997) … Social media & marketing manager. Has held the position since 2017. Rules the open office with an iron fist. Played by Park Soobin.

SHIN JUBIN (1985) … Neon Nights and Jaesun's creative director. Classics fan. Can conjugate ancient Greek. Played by Hwang Jung-eum.

KIM GAEUN (1981) … Fable's lead stylist. Co-founder of modern hanbok brand Shinbok. Played by Son Ye-jin.

HONG SHINUI (1975) … Historical consultant for Fable. Korea University adjunct professor. Historian specializing in the middle period of the Joseon dynasty. Played by Lee Tae-ran.

JEON DAEWOONG (1995) … Fable's manager. Former SM Entertainment trainee, 2014-2017. Always thinking about who he could have been. Played by Ahn Hyo-seop.

LEE AERIN (1990) … Neon Nights' manager. Not their first fan, but still their biggest one. Played by Tiffany Young.

NAM CHOHYUN (1998) … Jaesun's manager. Also his cousin. Otherwise unqualified for his job. Played by Han Gichan.

SHAREHOLDERS

LEE TAEIN (1969) … 60%. Founder and CEO.

AHN JINGUK (1978) … 15%. Danyoung Group CAO and fourth son of the current chairman. Played by Gong Yoo.

JUNG SEOBUM (1990) … 10%. Venture capitalist, representing Daehan Ventures. Played by Lee Junho.

KANG GYEONGWON (1981) … 7%. Lawyer, the eponymous Kang of law firm Kang & Cho. Played by Ock Joo-hyun.

HAN CHEOLHWAN (1969) … 6%. Senior Superintendent in the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Played by Yoo Jun-sang.

LEE JAESEOP (1995) … 2%. Idol, member of Fable. Played by Kim Doyoung.

[coreancitizen]

2022 Year in Review: My Korean drama recommendations

2022 went by so quickly, and I think that's partly because almost every week I had new episodes of shows to look forward to. I'm a bit of a contradiction: I don't have the patience to wait for a new show to be completed so I could binge it, but I (maybe not-so) patiently wait for episodes every week, haha. TBH, I find I'm more invested in a show and its characters when I watch a drama weekly. And there were so many characters worth the investment in 2022: Woo Young Woo, Queen Im Hwa Ryeong, the Oh sisters, Kim Yumi, Jin Do Jun and Jang Uk, to name a few.

I just want to make clear that, as in previous years, this is by no means a list of the best Korean dramas of 2022. These are merely my favorites among the ones I watched that premiered in 2022 (or ended in 2022).

You can find my previous roundups here:

2021: Year in Review 2020: Year in Review

YUMI'S CELLS 2

New season means new love for Kim Yumi (Kim Go Eun) as she begins a romance with co-worker Yoo Babi following her breakup with video game designer Goo Woong. TBH, I wasn't quite sure how I'd feel about the new pairing — I have a soft spot for Ahn Bo Hyun — but Jinyoung charmed me even before the series started. He and Go Eun have a sweet and natural chemistry that made me root for Yumi and Babi, even knowing how the relationship ended in the webtoon. Another thing I love about the series is its portrayal of Yumi's pursuit of her dream to be a writer — from the frustrations of earlier rejections to keeping it positive while faced with criticisms and the satisfaction of another job (book) well done. That shot of her jumping on the bed toward the end of the series was cathartic and the perfect cap to Yumi's growth. (Viki)

LITTLE WOMEN

This is NOT Louisa May Alcott's famous novel though it does share some themes and puts sisters at the forefront of the story. The Oh sisters — In Joo, In Kyung and In Hye — just want to live a life not steeped in poverty. So when 2 billion won falls on In Joo's lap, their problems are over, right? Nope. A multitude of troubles arrive as the sisters get entangled with a rich, powerful and corrupt family with a lot of unscrupulous allies. This series got me on the edge of my seat from the very first episode and the thrills and tension never let up until the end. I absolutely love how messy and chaotic the sisters and their relationships with each other are. They love but they also fight, annoy and block each other, LOL! Now please cast Kim Go Eun and Wi Ha Joon in an action comedy series or film and give them the ending on the sunny beaches of Greece that their characters deserve. (Netflix)

BULGASAL: IMMORTAL SOULS

This is the first drama that caught my attention last year, a fantasy with monsters, past lives, immortal love and families. It's the story of how the lives of a man (Lee Jin Wook) who was turned into an immortal monster 600 years ago and a woman (Kwon Na Ra) who has been dying and reincarnating for centuries have been intertwined. The world building is quite interesting and the central mystery keeps you guessing until the very end. Keep an eye out for familiar faces as people from the past emerge in the present. (Netflix)

A BUSINESS PROPOSAL

This romcom is adorable with a capital A. Shin Ha Ri (Kim Se Jeong) shows up to a blind date pretending to be her best friend and does her best to turn off a potential match by behaving outrageously. It's a schtick she and her chaebol best friend had cooked up a long time ago to discourage suitors. Unfortunately, the blind date turns out to be Kang Tae Moo (Ahn Hyo Seop), the young president of the food company where she works. And even more unfortunately, he's interested and now wants to marry her! Hilarious chaos ensues, abetted by the couple's adorable best friends (the second couple), her zany family and his kdrama-loving grandfather. You'll never look at an archaeopteryx (bird-like dinosaur) the same way again. (Netflix)

TOMORROW

This is a lovely, heartbreaking, oftentimes cathartic drama about people desperate enough to consider taking their own lives and the team of resolute grim reapers who work very hard to prevent their deaths. Comatose Choi Jun Woong (Rowoon) is the newbie in the Risk/Crisis Management Team led by Koo Ryeon (Kim Hee Sun). Lim Ryung Gyu rounds up the team. Head of the Soul Collection Team Park Joong Gil, despite being a fellow grim reaper, is a thorn on the team's side — he has a special animosity for Ryeon that may have something to do with the past. Fortunately, the team has a stalwart supporter in the Jade Emperor (Kim Hae Sook). (Netflix)

MILITARY PROSECUTOR DOBERMAN

Legal action drama with a touch of comedy is probably the best way to describe this series and it's the perfect leading man vehicle for Ahn Bo Hyun. Do Bae Man passes the bar with basically just a GED and so finds himself unable to find a spot in a decent law firm until he gets an "offer he can't refuse" from corrupt lawyer Yong Moon Go: Serve in the military for five years as a prosecutor and then join his prestigious firm after. The plan is going swimmingly until he crosses paths with another military prosecutor, Cha Woo In (Jo Bo Ah), who is targeting some members of the military brass for revenge after her beloved father's suspicious death. After long-buried secrets begin to emerge, Do Bae Man finds himself reevaluating what it is he really wants to do with his life. (Viki)

EXTRAORDINARY ATTORNEY WOO

Woo to the Young to the Woo! The series follows Woo Young Woo, a young lawyer on the autism spectrum. She's got a brilliant legal mind, able to see different angles of a case but struggles with day-to-day interactions. Fortunately, she has the people looking out for her, like her dad, her boss/mentor, her law school friend and, of course, the handsome support team member who might just have more than friendship in mind. Park Eun Bin is brilliant as Woo Young Woo, she truly gets you invested in her challenges and triumphs. The legal maneuverings are fairly interesting, especially when they involve a rival law firm and somebody from WYW's past. (Netflix)

ALCHEMY OF SOULS

In the land of Daeho, an assassin trapped in a blind woman's weak body encounters a young lord from a powerful family who needs help to unlock his powers. Interesting lead and supporting characters, solid world-building, fantastic sword and sorcery action? I was sold from the very beginning. At the end of the second ep, I was absolutely in love with the feisty Mudeok and her rather bratty young master/pupil Jang Uk who just wants his gate of energy opened so he can do what everybody can — cast spells and use a sword. There's a twist at the end of the 20-episode first season, and I guess your enjoyment of the second season would largely depend on how much you accept the change. But in both seasons, the crown prince remains quite the scene stealer and he's possibly my most favorite character of all. (Netflix)

UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA

A truly female-driven drama — from the queen and the queen dowager down to the concubines and, yes, even the court ladies. The series begins with Queen Hwa Ryeong's biggest problem being the four grand princes' rather relaxed approach to their education, lagging behind the other sons of the king via his numerous scheming concubines. But tragedy strikes and the queen and her sons suddenly find themselves fighting to make sure they don't lose not just their positions but their very lives. Kim Hye Soo makes it so easy to root for the embattled queen who wields her position and her eyebrows skillfully to thwart ministers, concubines and her mother-in-law, the queen dowager. I also love that her sons, the four grand princes, are unlike other royal brothers in sageuks — they are close, affectionate and loyal, leaving the dirty tricks to their half-brothers. This series probably has the most satisfying ending among the ones I watched last year. (Netflix)

REBORN RICH

Yoon Hyun Woo is a hard-working, loyal, no-questions-asked employee of the powerful Jin Family, which controls the Soonyang Group. One day, on an overseas errand to retrieve some secret money, he is betrayed by someone in the family and murdered — but promptly finds himself "waking up" in the body of the youngest grandson of the Jins, back in 1987. How, you ask? I finished the series but that part is still unclear. What's clear is how charismatic and believable Song Joong Ki is as the twentysomething investment whiz Do Jun. And what an amazing actor Lee Sung Min, as Soonyang chairman and patriarch Jin Yang Cheol is. The push-pull in their relationship is what made the series work for 15 episodes. Not that the supporting cast members are slackers. This is one of the best ensembles I've ever seen, the actors really working to make these characters ones you'd love to hate. Some of the business stuff might put off viewers but I found the whole thing fascinating and easily understood. I cheered when Do Jun/Hyun Woo used his knowledge of the future as well as his relatives' greed to take pieces of Soonyang. I'm recommending this series but with a caveat: I found the ending a bit of a mess and rather unsatisfactory. BUT the previous 15 episodes are fantastic and definitely worth a watch. (Viki)

Bonus recommendations

I recently started dipping my toes into Chinese dramas, even though I'm still intimidated by the episode count. "Love Between Fairy and Devil" is sweet and hilarious and has fantastic special effects. (Netflix and Viki)

But my heart truly belongs to Li Wei and the sixth young prince of Xin State as they figure out family, politics and love as their "New Life Begins." (Viki)

Last but certainly not the least, "Pachinko," which even though it stars some of the biggest names in Korean entertainment is not considered K-Drama by its creators. Based on Min Jin Lee's critically acclaimed novel, the series — Youn Yuh Jung, Lee Min Ho and Kim Min Ha are key parts of the ensemble — follows the trial and tribulations of a Korean family over four generations. The story begins in Korea, moves to Japan and eventually spreads to the United States. The story is rich and emotional, the direction precise and the acting superb. It has been recognized in a lot of year-end lists and recently won the Critics Choice Award for best foreign language series. (Apple TV +)

[goalhofer]

2024 olympics South Korea roster

Archery

Je-Deok Kim (Seoul)

Woo-Jin Kim (Okcheon Gun)

Woo-Seok Lee (Incheon)

Hun-Young Jeon (Incheon)

Si-Hyeon Lim (Gangneung)

Su-Hyeon Nam (Suncheon)

Athletics

Jangwoo Kim (Seoul)

Byeong-Gwang Choe (Seoul)

Sang-Hyeok Woo (Daejeon)

Badminton

Hyeok-Jin Jeon (Ulsan)

Min-Hyuk Kang (Suwon)

Seung-Jae Seo (Buan Gun)

Won-Ho Kim (Suwon)

Ga-Eun Kim (Suwon)

Se-Young An (Gwangju)

Ha-Na Baek (Gimcheon)

So-Hee Lee (Ulsan)

So-Yeong Kim (Incheon)

Hee-Yong Kong (Jincheon Gun)

Yoo-Jung Chae (Suwon)

Na-Eun Jeong (Seoul)

Boxing

Ae-Ji Im (Hwasun Gun)

Yeon-Ji Oh (Gunsan)

Breakdancing

Hong-Yul Kim (Seoul)

Climbing

Eun-Cheol Shin (Seoul)

Dohyun Lee (Seoul)

Chae-Hyun Seo (Seoul)

Cycling

Eu-Ro Kim (Seoul)

Min-Ji Song (Seoul)

Diving

Jaegyeong Yi (Ulsan)

Jung-Whi Shin (Seoul)

Ha-Ram Woo (Busan)

Yeong-Taek Kim (Incheon)

Na-Hyun Kim (Seoul)

Su-Ji Kim (Changwon)

Equestrian

Young-Shik Hwang (Osan)

Fencing

Jae-Won Kim (Seoul)

Tae-Gyu Ha (Seoul)

Bon-Gil Gu (Daegu)

Sang-Uk Oh (Daejeon)

Sang-Won Park (Daejeon)

Gyeong-Dong Do (Yeongcheon)

Se-Ra Song (Geumsan Gun)

Hye-In Lee (Ulsan)

Young-Mi Kang (Incheon)

In-Jeong Choi (Geumsan Gun)

Ji-Su Yoon (Busan)

Sebin Choi (Suwon)

Ha-Young Jeon (Daejeon)

Eun-Hye Jeon (Daejeon)

Golf

Joo-Hyung Kim (Seoul)

Byeong-Hun An (Orlando, Florida)

Hee-Young Yang (Orlando, Florida)

Hyo-Joo Kim (Wonju)

Jin-Young Ko (Frisco, Texas)

Gymnastics

Jun-Ho Lee (Seoul)

Woong Hur (Seoul)

Sung-Hyun Ryu (Seoul)

Seo-Jeong Yeo (Yongin)

Do-Hyun Eom (Seoul)

Da-Yeong Lee (Seoul)

Yun-Seo Lee (Seoul)

Sol-Yi Shin (Chungju)

Handball

Bitna Woo (Seoul)

Eunseo Kang (Seoul)

Ji-Yeon Jeon (Samcheok)

Da-Young Kim (Busan)

Jin-Mi Shin (Seoul)

Ji-Young Song (Gwangmyeong)

Eun-Joo Shin (Incheon)

Eun-Hee Ryu (Incheon)

Jin-Hui Jeong (Seoul)

Sae-Young Park (Seoul)

Mi-Seul Han (Sokcho)

Eun-Hye Kang (Seoul)

Kyung-Min Kang (Incheon)

Bo-Eun Gim (Samcheok)

Judo

Won-Jin Kim (Cheorwon Gun)

Ba-Ul An (Anyang)

Joon-Hwan Lee (Gumi)

Ju-Yeop Han (Seoul)

Min-Jong Kim (Seoul)

Hye-Kyeong Lee (Ulsan)

Ye-Rin Jung (Daegu)

Mi-Mi Huh (Tokyo, Japan)

Ji-Su Kim (Himeji, Japan)

Hyun-Ji Yoon (Cheorwon Gun)

Ha-Jun Kim (Busan)

Pentathlon

Woong-Tae Jung (Gwangju)

Changwan Seo (Yeongam)

Sunwoo Kim (Seoul)

Seung-Min Seong (Daegu)

Sailing

Jee-Min Ha (Busan)

Shooting

Daehan Choe (Changwon)

Min-Su Kim (Seoul)

Ha-Jun Park (Yangyang Gun)

Won-Ho Lee (Busan)

Yeong-Jae Cho (Chuncheon)

Jong-Ho Song (Seoul)

Eun-Seo Lee (Seoul)

Kook-Hee Jang (Seoul)

Ji-Hyeon Keum (Ulsan)

Ha-Na Im (Wonju)

Ye-Ji Kim (Danyang Gun)

Ye-Jin Oh (Hacheon-Ri)

Ji-In Yang (Namwon)

Gee-Eun Kang (Seoul)

Bo-Na Lee (Seoul)

Swimming

Dong-Yeol Choi (Seoul)

Min-Seop Kim (Seoul)

Yeonghyeon Kim (Seoul)

Ji-Hun Kim (Seoul)

Yu-Chan Ji (Gwangju)

Sun-Woo Hwang (Suwon)

Woo-Min Kim (Busan)

Ju-Ho Lee (Seoul)

Sung-Jae Cho (Ansan)

Ho-Joon Lee (Seoul)

Yoo-Yeon Lee (Anyang)

Jae-Hoon Yang (Jinhae)

Yoonseo Hur (Seoul)

Ri-Young Lee (Seoul)

Yeon-Kyung Hur (Seoul)

Eunji Lee (Seoul)

Seo-Yeong Kim (Suwon)

Table tennis

Dae-Seong Cho (Seoul)

Woo-Jin Jang (Sokcho)

Jong-Hoon Lim (Busan)

Ji-Hee Jeon (Seoul)

Yu-Bin Shin (Suwon)

Eun-Hye Lee (Seoul)

Taekwondo

Tae-Joon Park (Ulsan)

Geon-Woo Seo (Seoul)

Yu-Jin Kim (Danyang Gun)

Da-Bin Lee (Ulsan)

Weightlifting

Joo-Hyo Bak (Goyang)

Dong-Ju Yu (Sunchang Gun)

Yeon-Hak Jang (Asan)

Su-Hyeon Kim (Suwon)

Hye-Jeong Park (Ansan)

Wrestling

Seung-Jun Kim (Seoul)

Seung-Chan Lee (Seoul)

Hanbit Lee (Seoul)

[ulkaralakbarova]

After a deadly earthquake turns Seoul into a lawless badland, a fearless huntsman springs into action to rescue a teenager abducted by a mad doctor. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Nam-san: Ma Dong-seok Yang Gi-su: Lee Hee-jun Choi Ji-wan: Lee Jun-young Han Su-na: Roh Jeong-eui Lee Eun-ho: Ahn Ji-hye Kwon Sang-sa: Park Ji-hoon Teacher: Jang Young-nam Tiger: Park Hyo-joon Yeon-su: Seong Byeong-suk Madame: Jung Young-ju Ju-ye: Lee Han-joo Director Choi: Park Sang-hoon Director Oh: Ahn Seong-bong Ju-ye’s Father: Jeong Gi-seop Ju-ye’s Mother: Kim Young-sun Western Grandfather: Sin Sin-beom Western’s Mother: Hong Yi-joo Film Crew: Production Design: Jo Hwa-seong Sound Supervisor: Kim Suk-won Editor: Nam Na-young Special Effects Supervisor: Jung Do-ahn Adaptation: Ma Dong-seok Lighting Director: Song Hyun-suk Director of Photography: Byun Bong-sun Production Sound Mixer: Jung Gun Producer: Choi Won-ki Makeup & Hair: Nam Ji-soo Special Effects Makeup Artist: Pi Dae-seong Digital Intermediate: Lee Hye-min Production Design: Park Gyu-bin Original Music Composer: Kim Dong-wook Editor: Ha Mi-ra Martial Arts Choreographer: Heo Myeong-haeng Writer: Kim Bo-tong Executive Producer: Byun Seung-min Martial Arts Choreographer: Yoon Seong-min Original Story: Kim Dong-gyun Adaptation: Kim Chang-hoon Writer: Kwak Jae-min Executive Producer: Choi Byeong-hwan Special Effects Makeup Artist: Seol Ha-un Props: Kang Shin-hong Key Grip: Lee Hyun-gyu Special Effects Supervisor: Im Jong-hyeok Line Producer: Choi Su-im Visual Effects: Yuk Gwan-woo Movie Reviews: Chris Sawin: The film features some hard-hitting and explosive action sequences that will rightfully cater to fans of the genre. The battle in the basement of the apartment building, where we see Nam-san use a shotgun to blast his way through some of the doctor’s ‘enhanced’ individuals, is a total exhilarating blast. Ma Dong-seok has been a powerhouse for most of his career post Train to Busan, but he sends people flying whenever he throws his fist or pulls the trigger. _Badland Hunters_ also has to break a record for most decapitations in a film. **Full review:** https://bit.ly/bdlndhntr MovieGuys: Badland Hunters does something things well, others just passably. Action is wall to wall and well choreographed.Special effects are excellent. Characterisations are solid if predictable and the acting is not to be sniffed at. However, the story is unremarkable, with a climax that feels, well, anti climatic. In summary, an okay but hardly exceptional watch, that would have benefited from more creativity on the storytelling front. Ritesh Mohapatra: “Badland Hunters: A Visually Striking Action Spectacle with Narrative Shortcomings” In this post-apocalyptic action thriller, Badland Hunters, while suffering from a repetitive and clichéd plot and uninteresting characters, excels in stunning hand-to-hand choreography and scintillating action set pieces. The film benefits greatly from the expertise of its veteran stunt coordinator turned director, known for his work on Train to Busan. Commendable world-building, visionary concepts, and excellent VFX are hindered by conventional writing. The short, crisply edited runtime avoids unnecessary elements. Don Lee’s exceptional portrayal of Nam-san, with exhilarating action sequences, overshadows the film’s narrative weaknesses, making it a guiltily satisfying popcorn-worthy entertainer, particularly for adrenaline enthusiasts. Instagram & X @streamgenx.

[kdramaaaaa]

Title: 7 Days Of Romance / One Fine Week

Pairing: Han Jung Woo & Jung Da Eun

Where to watch: https://youtu.be/WvQmPZpHx_8

“How can I list everything that bothers me?”

“Tell me. From now on whether it’s a show or not, Tell me. Everything.”

[skyasma]

I just keep getting frustrated with all the shallow characters in this drama. I have to fight myself to stay with this to see the goodness to get unfold. 

Finally, gradually one of such horrible people, Woo Jin realized his mistake and apologized to Jung Boon. I don’t want these two to fall in love and start dating, that would be exaggeration. No idiot can have change of heart and mind so easily when the whole culture is based off good-looks only. It’s ok, for them not to date, but at least Woo Jin now knows how to look beyond looks. 

This particular Ahjumma, is labelled as a mother who left her kids and home to be with a younger guy, in short, victim of slut-shaming. But have y’all seen her toxic husband..!!!??? He pretends to be nice with poor people, lives a pretentious life 24x7, and expects the same from his family as well, just to be a Congressman. How could a woman live with a person like him? 

She must have had it really hard to decide to leave her kids behind. I find her nice, kind independent woman who did what she wanted but had to pay the price of being a woman. I really want her kids to realize the same and open their hearts once again to her. She deserves a second chance, definitely not for her husband but with her kids. Asian culture sets extremely difficult criteria for mothers who want to come out of their toxic marriage. The biggest reason behind this is, it is believed that raising a kid is solely a mother’s responsibility. A father’s contribution was nothing beyond a sperm. 

The drama’s pace is very slow, but I can understand since they are handling a topic which is imbibed so deeply in Korean culture. It’s tough to resolve it overnight. 

[kpopmultifan]

Music Works’ new boy group MYTEEN has released teaser images for their upcoming debut mini-album which is scheduled to be released on July 26th.

[robinxmob]

I should at least do something. ✘ D.P (Deserter Pursuit +1x06)

[kpop-wanderlust]

[stylekorea]

Park Jinyoung, Park Jun Sung, Lim Ji Seop & Lee Hyun Shin for GQ Korea August 2020. Photographed by Hong Jang Hyun

[kpopdex]

MYTEEN- Teaser images for debut!

[veronica-nardi]

Chief of staff Commento

Dopo aver passato diverso tempo a guardare serie piuttosto leggere e divertenti, è stato piuttosto difficile riprendere il ritmo con un drama così impegnativo come Chief of staff. I primi due episodi sono una carrellata di intrighi politici talmente frenetica da non darti quasi il tempo di respirare, e questo è stato davvero un problema.

Ogni episodio dura un'ora buona, e dopo aver passato tutto il tempo a seguire le vicende politiche dei personaggi in scena, quell'ora si fa sentire. A mano a mano che si prosegue con le puntate, la trama si fa sempre più avvincente e sono sempre stata curiosa di sapere cosa sarebbe successo, ma non sarei mai riuscita a guardare più puntate di seguito o a maratonarmi questa serie, perché semplicemente mi si sarebbe fuso il cervello.

Ma una volta introdotti i personaggi, le loro psicologie ed obiettivi, una volta capito di che cosa si sta parlando, una volta preso il ritmo, la serie scorre molto meglio ed è più facile seguirla.

Chief of staff non è una serie perfetta, tuttavia penso che sia una serie molto interessante, che racconta un mondo politico in modo terribilmente onesto, veritiero, crudo, che mi ha fatto intristire ed arrabbiare.

Durante la visione mi sono letteralmente segnata varie frasi pronunciate dai personaggi che mi hanno colpito molto perché in quelle parole ho sempre visto una triste verità. Giusto per citare due esempi:

"La nostra società è diventata immune e intollerante al dolore degli altri."

"Non si può cambiare niente senza il potere."

Inoltre la serie presenta anche alcune questioni molto interessanti e dilemmi morali che mi hanno portata a riflettere e a chiedermi come avrei agito io in quella situazione.

Per esempio, questo drama mi ha ricordato l'atmosfera politica di Designated Survivor, e come ho trovato difficile e incomodo il lavoro di presidente di una nazione, la stessa cosa ho pensato dei politici. Per quanto un uomo sia retto e onesto, penso che per raggiungere certi obiettivi sia spesso necessario scendere a compromessi con la propria moralità.

Ecco perché aggiungo la politica nella lista dei lavori che non potrei mai fare.

Passando ai personaggi, penso che tutti quelli principali siano caratterizzati bene e mi sono davvero piaciuti.

Il protagonista non è il classico eroe che combatte per la giustizia e per i più deboli. Jang Tae-joon vuole sì cambiare il mondo, ma giocando in un certo modo. Mi aspettavo una sua evoluzione che lo portasse definitivamente dalla parte buona, e sono rimasta piacevolmente sorpresa quando l'ho visto tornare ad abbracciare "l'oscurità". È stato per me un colpo di scena e stimo la sceneggiatura per questa scelta che trovo molto coraggiosa.

Bello anche il personaggio della lead, nemmeno lei una santa (in questa serie nessuno lo è). Devo dire che ho empatizzato molto per lei e le sue battaglie nel corso della serie. L'unica piccola pecca è che, come ha giustamente fatto notare @dilebe06, non è ben chiaro perché a un certo punto diventi fredda col protagonista per un paio di puntate.

Il deputato Lee è la prova definitiva che nessuno a questo mondo è immacolato e che siamo tutti un po' ipocriti. Lo avevo soprannominato Ned Stark per la sua inflessibile rettitudine, ed è stata davvero una sorpresa scoprire la "macchia" sulla sua coscienza. Ho empatizzato tantissimo per lui e l'ho trovato davvero molto umano, e alla fine dei giochi penso sia diventato il mio personaggio preferito di questa stagione.

Molto carina e interessante la bromance tra lui e Jang, un po' maestro e allievo, un po' amici con lo stesso sogno (anime gemelle?), un po' padre e figlio. Ho trovato interessante il dibattito tra "bianco e nero" e sui limiti che non bisogna superare che accompagnano il rapporto tra i due.

Voglio citare anche Han Do-kyeong, il "Bambi" della situazione, un giovane ragazzo fresco di laurea, idealista e sognatore, ingenuo ed inesperto. L'ho trovato un personaggio carino e ho trovato commovente il suo rapporto con la Nonna, tuttavia penso che la sua ingenuità sia stata un po' esagerata.

Per quanto riguarda i villain, ne abbiamo ben tre:

- il signor Jo, una banderuola sessista che cambia idea a seconda di come gli va comodo.

- il signor Oh, viscido, antipatico e leccaculo. E anche povero illuso oserei dire.

- il signor Song, ipocrita, falso, egoista, senza una morale. Devo però fargli i complimenti perché, nonostante Jang sia stato un protagonista estremamente intelligente e se il suo capo è dove è ora è grazie a lui, Song mi ha stupita perché ha saputo giocare bene anche lui, e quando in una serie sia la parte "buona" sia la parte "cattiva" vantano personaggi astuti a me piace tantissimo, perché in questo modo è uno scontro equilibrato. Inoltre ancora complimenti alla sceneggiatura per aver tratteggiato Song un personaggio coerente fino alla fine e per non essere caduti nel buonismo.

Di solito prediligo villain complessi e sfaccettati, che abbiano lati con cui io magari possa empatizzare, mentre questi tre cattivi sopracitati sono antipatici e basta, è davvero impossibile empatizzare per loro per una qualsiasi cosa, tuttavia la cosa non mi ha infastidita, perché questi uomini rappresentano tutti i difetti e le macchie negative della politica. @dilebe06

Sono molto curiosa di vedere come andranno le cose nella seconda stagione e come si metterà la relazione tra i due protagonisti, che a parte qualche momento in questa prima stagione sono riusciti a rimanere piuttosto uniti. Cosa che mi ha sorpresa, devo essere sincera.

È una serie che consiglio, ma bisogna stare davvero molto attenti durante la visione (cervello assolutamente acceso), perché le cose che accadono sono tante e spesso il ritmo usato è frenetico.

Punteggio: 7.9

[dopening]

My ID is Gangnam Beauty   2018   Opening

[dilebe06]

Chief Of Staff (1° Stagione)

La strada per l’inferno è lastricata di buone intenzioni

Drama da 10 puntate su Netflix ( almeno la prima stagione), Chief of Staff narra le vicende di Jang Tae Jun - Capo dello staff del Deputato Song - nella giungla politica che pare più un Vietnam. 

Intrighi, tradimenti, voltafaccia, minaccioni, udienze, risse...Chief of staff mette in campo una realpolitik davvero convincente con una serie di spunti di riflessione davvero interessanti: quanto e fino a che punto possiamo percorrere la cattiva strada in nome di un Bene Superiore? è possibile fare politica al servizio della comunità senza sporcarsi le mani? è giusto scendere a compromessi..e quanto siamo disposti ad accettare? 

Le prime due puntate di questa serie mi avevano lasciato un pò disorientata poichè inizia buttandoti la storia senza uno straccio di spiegazione, e quindi ho fatto fatica anche solo nel ricreare nella mia mente tutto il contesto tramite cui si svolge la vicenda. 

Con l’andare avanti degli episodi però, sono entrata nel mood ( grazie @veronica-nardi per avermi supportato ) ed anche se non leggero e distensivo, mi sono sempre più interessata alla storia.

 Un altro motivo di “fatica” è stato l’enorme presenza della politica nelle puntate: devo dare ragione a @veronica-nardi ...per il 100% della puntata si parla dell’esercizio del governo e questo potrebbe essere pesante per lo spettatore. Mi sarebbe piaciuto avere scene di svago o di calma piatta anche solo per riprendere fiato. 

Un grande plauso devo farlo agli scrittori: ci sono alcune scelte di scrittura davvero coraggiose e che ho tanto apprezzato..si vede l’impegno che hanno messo nello scrivere i personaggi, sopratutto per il Lead ed i Deputati Song e Lee. 

Potrei battere le mani per la caratterizzazione di Jang Tae Joon tendente al grigio. Questa “vipera” della politica mira ad entrare nell’Assemblea Nazionale come deputato sognando di cambiare il mondo: il Bene Superiore sta tutto qui, nel cercare di creare un mondo più bello e giusto.

Ovviamente è un discorso utopistico, da sognatore. 

Un sogno che si infrange duramente con la realpolitik: SOLO SE HAI POTERE PUOI CAMBIARE IL MONDO E PER AVERLO DEVI SPORCARTI LE MANI. 

“ per fare politica devi buttare via tutti i tuoi principi ed i tuoi ideali”

dice il Deputato Song al protagonista. 

Ed ha ragione. 

Tanto che Jang alla fine della serie torna in ginocchio da Song pronto ad abbracciare il Lato Oscuro. della forza

Jang ci ha provato, davvero. 

Insieme al deputato Lee, suo amico e mentore, tenta di inseguire i suoi obbiettivi senza la realpolitik, ma fallisce. E trovo molto coraggioso aver scelto di far proseguire Jang sulla strada dell’oscurità, culminata con l’omicidio del Capo dello Staff della Deputata Kang.

PS: non so se sia stato Jang o no a farlo fuori, ma il sospetto rimane. 

Il Deputato Lee e Song sono i due metodi opposti tramite cui si governa: uno segue la strada dei principi e di moralità - più o meno - l’altro è spregiudicato nelle bassezze per ottenere il potere. E secondo il principio “che non ci sono nè santi nè eroi” si viene a scoprire che anche il Deputato Lee non è così pulito come si è sempre mostrato. 

Anche lui, esattamente come Jang, ha accettato di ricorrere a mezzi illegali per ottenere potere, rendendo il suo personaggio travagliato e molto umano. 

Il mio personaggio preferito è stato il Deputato Song: questa “carogna” infame capace di vendere pure sua madre pur di avere ciò che vuole. Capace di mandare in galera Jang dopo che lui lo ha portato ad ottenere il posto che desiderava, dopo 10 anni di lavoro fianco a fianco.... il tutto senza una traccia di rimorso. #capolavoro 

Nel drama viene dato spazio anche a tematiche importanti sopratutto per quanto riguarda la donna, come il sessismo o anche il tema dell’aborto: è interessante notare come queste questioni vengano dibattute dalla politica, in base all’opportunismo. 

Non mentirò dicendo che questa serie oltre a far riflettere, tira fuori diversi momenti frustranti per lo spettatore. Esattamente come il popolo, chi vede la serie si ritrova inerme di fronte ad episodi di corruzione, potendo solo indignarsi mentre ascolta discorsi “sulla pace nel mondo” detti con molta ipocrisia.

Nel drama viene dato spazio anche ad un pò di amore - altrimenti che drama è - con la relazione tra Jang e la deputata Kang. Questa è stata una relazione un pò strana: mentre la signorina appoggia e spesso aiuta il protagonista nel compimento dei suoi obbiettivi, ho visto meno coinvolgimento da parte del Lead. Mentre lei si faceva in quattro per togliere il protagonista dai guai, Jang rimaneva in disparte quando era lei quella nei guai. Penso ad esempio nella polemica sorta per la questione dell’aborto.

L’ultimo appunto lo voglio fare al povero stagista ingenuo che si vede crollare un mito. Han entra a lavorare per il Deputato Song per via dell’adorazione per Jang e passerà episodi ed episodi ad idolatrarlo: solo nel finale si accorgerà di tutto “lo sporco” che regna nel mondo della politica e di quanto il suo eroe ne sia macchiato. 

Ovviamente ho apprezzato questo evolversi della relazione con Han che pare prendere la strada del Deputato Lee con la sua massima :” La politica deve aiutare la gente”.

In sintesi, consiglio questo drama a chi interessano le vicende politiche, chi si vuole interrogare su come funziona la ragion di stato, o chi vuole dibattere su principi, etica e morale.

Voto: 7.8

[kdramaaaaa]

One Fine Week / 7 Days Of Romance