#song hee-seop

[raider5]

Six Crimson Cranes (K-Drama Edition Fancast)

Princess Shiori/Lina - Shin Ye Eun

Raikama/ The Nameless Queen - Kim Hye Soo

Emperor Hanriyu - Choi Won Young

Kiki (Voice) - Kim Hye Yoon

The 6 Princes:

Andahai- Lee Joon Gi

Benkai- Lee Jae Wook

Reiji- Hwang In Youp

Wandei- Ahn Hyo Seop

Yotan- Chae Jong Hyeop

Hasho- Rowoon

Castle Bushian:

Bushi'an Takkan- Nam Joo Hyuk

Megari- Park So Yi

Zairena- Lee Sung Kyung

The Dragons of Ai'long

Seryu- Song Kang

Nazayun- Lee Geung Young

Lady Solzaya- Kim Hee Sun

[cosmosbeelover]

The History of Korean Male Groups – From Yeonhee Professional Singers’ Quartet to BTS -> Pt. 5/? (Rewrite)

I am quite surprised by the limited information available regarding this male group, which is known by two different names. I will endeavour to clarify the situation; the group in question is referred to as either 'Arirang Boys' (아리랑보이즈는) or 'Joseon Music Troupe' (조선악극단). It remains unclear why they operated under these two names. This situation is reminiscent of the male groups 'Yeonhee Professional Quartet' (연희전문사중창단) and 'Youth Member' (청년회원), where the former has significantly more information available compared to the later.

Before Liberation – 1940s

Prior to delving deeper, I would like to clarify my approach to discussing this male group, which predates the liberation era and thus had limited information available, similar to my previous post regarding the first two male groups (Part 2). I will first outline the group and its members, followed by the company they were associated with. Additionally, I will mention the 'Jeogori Sisters,' who were part of the same company as the 'Arirang Boys,' noting that one member from each group is a married couple. However, I will refrain from providing extensive details about the 'Jeogori Sisters' as they will be addressed in a future post within The History of Korean Girl Groups.

The Arirang Boys (아리랑보이즈는), a four-member project group, emerged around 1940 and frequently performed alongside the Jeogori Sisters, a female ensemble featuring Lee Nan-young (이난영), Jang Se-jeong (장세정), Kim Neung-ja (김능자), Lee Jun-hee (이준희), and Seo Bong-hee (서봉희). The group comprised Kim Hae-song (김해송), a singer and composer married to Lee Nan-young, composer Park Si-chun (박시춘), comedian Lee Bok-bon (이복본) known for his jazz performances, and composer-arranger Song Hee-sun (송희선). Additionally, Hyun Kyung-seop (현경섭), a trumpet player for an orchestra record company, occasionally filled in for other members.

In no particular order, members of Arirang Boys: Kim Hae-song (김해송), Park Si-chun (박시춘), Lee Bok-bon (이복본), Song Hee-sun (송희선) and Hyun Kyung-seop (현경섭) who occasionally filled in for other members.

Despite not releasing any albums, they achieved popularity through their use of instruments like the guitar and violin, enhancing their stage performances. According to singer Kim Jeong-gu's (김정구) testimony prior to his death, the Arirang Boys were particularly cherished for their comedic interludes during shows.

The Arirang Boys Members:

I will briefly talk about the ‘Arirang Boys’ members here but will go into detail about them separately in future posts.

Kim Hae-song (김해송)

A few other photos of him here.

Kim Hae-song, whose real name was Kim Song-gyu (金松奎) and Japanese name Kyouya Kobayashi (金山松夫), was born in December 1911 in Gaecheon, Pyeongannam-do, during the Japanese colonial era, and he passed away around 1950 at approximately 39 or 40 years of age. It is believed that he remained in Seoul throughout the Korean War and died while being abducted to North Korea.

A multifaceted artist, he was a composer, singer, lyricist, guitarist, and musical director, active from 1935 to 1950. He graduated from Pyongyang Gwangseong High School in 1933, and although there are unverified claims of his attendance at Sungsil College and Jochi University in Japan, these remain unconfirmed. In 1935, he signed with Okeh Records, marking the beginning of his career as a singer and composer.

Lee Bok-bon (이복본)

Lee Bok-bon (李福本), born in Seoul in 1911 and died around 1950?, he was a singer from Joseon and South Korea . He first appeared on the stage of Joseon Theater Company in 1933 and appeared in director Ahn Jong-hwa's (안종화) film 'Crossroads of Youth' (청춘의 십자로) in 1934. He is also called "Korea's first jazz singer" as a member of the Seoul theater company 'Mooran Rouge'. However, during the Korean War, he was kidnapped by the North Korean People's Army during the Battle of Seoul and disappeared thereafter, and is presumed to have died.

Park Si-chun (박시춘)

A few other photos him and information but nothing new here.

Park Si-chun, real name Park Soon-dong (박순동; 朴順東) was born on October 28, 1913, in Miryang, South Korea, was a versatile artist who passed away on June 30, 1996, at 82. His talents included music composition, guitar, and proficiency in instruments like the trumpet, violin, and saxophone. He also worked in the film industry as an actor, director, producer, and music director.

One of his notable works is the pro-Japanese song "Blood Letter Support," which expresses a desire to serve as a volunteer soldier during the Pacific War. The lyrics, by Jo Myeong-am, reflect strong pro-Japanese sentiments. In 2008, he was recognized as a pro-Japanese figure by the Institute for Research in Collaborationist Activities, and a festival honouring him sparked controversy. He was also listed among 705 pro-Japanese anti-nationalists by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2009.

Song Hee-sun (송희선)

I’m not shore which person in the photo shown above is Song Hee-Sun, but I hope this information that I found on him even though it a lot, is the wright Song Hee-sun.

The birth and death dates of Song Hee-sun remain unknown. He began his music education at Sungsil High School in Pyongyang and later ventured into the Japanese light music scene, establishing himself as a saxophonist and subsequently performing with OK Grand Shodan.

His notable contributions include musical dramas like "Dongyang no Rose" (동양의 장미) and "Golden Come Out Ttuktak," (금 나와라 뚝딱) as well as the song "The Young Days of the Sea" (바다의 젊은 날). Additionally, the arrangements he created for Lee Hwa-ja (이화자) during the Japanese colonial era are featured on the Oke album.

Hyun Kyung-seop (현경섭)

I’m not shore which person in the photo shown above is Hyun Kyung-seop, he might not be in the photo because he was occasionally filled in for other members at the time. While I was looking into Hun Kyung-seop I found this blog about him, that the National Museum of Korean History published a collection of Hyun Kyun-seop. As there is little information that I could find I’m going to add all the information here, but i will post him and other members' information separately in the future.

The National Museum of Korean History has published a collection featuring 267 artifacts related to Hyun Kyung-seop, a prominent trumpet player associated with Oke Records during the Japanese colonial era. This collection encompasses photographs of Hyun Kyung-seop and his personal diaries, providing insight into his life during this tumultuous period. Despite his significant contributions to music, particularly as a key member of the Joseon Music Troupe, Hyun Kyung-seop remains largely unremembered by contemporary audiences.

Beginning his career at the age of 22 in 1935, Hyun Kyung-seop gained recognition for his performances in Japan and China, with media outlets even comparing him to the legendary Louis Armstrong. His versatility extended beyond trumpet playing to include arranging, acting, dancing, and singing. However, his life took a tragic turn during the Korean War when he was abducted by North Korean soldiers in Seoul, leading to a prolonged absence that left his family in distress. Despite efforts by his son, Hyun-won, to locate him, including a DNA test through the Red Cross, the family faced numerous hardships due to the stigma associated with his disappearance, which severely restricted their opportunities and freedoms.

Hyun Kyun-seop playing the trumpet in the middle.

This compilation encompasses original images from each day of Hyun Kyung-seop’s diary, a variety of identification documents, photographs of his music colleagues, and all phonograph records he possessed, which have been digitally restored and compiled onto a DVD.

However, these DVDs are currently unavailable for access to my knowledge.

The once-obscure trumpet player Hyun Kyung-seop, who nearly faded from historical memory following his performance at the Seoul Geukdo Theatre in June 1950, has been immortalized through a collection published by the National Museum of Korean History. Transitioning from anonymity to becoming a symbol of the Japanese colonial era and the post-liberation music scene, this collection, made possible by the contributions of his family and the museum's restoration efforts, serves as a crucial resource for understanding the evolution of popular music in Korea.

Okeh Records (오케레코드):

Oke and Okeh Records are the same company. The photos shown below are people that worked for or with Okeh Records, and were attached with the information that I found of the company.

Founded in the early 1930s, Okeh Records highlighted diverse talents from Korea and Japan. Despite facing censorship and limitations, the label effectively developed around six notable groups, producing music films and establishing the Orchestration Team, Orchestra Music 'n Dance Research Institute, while managing Okestudio and theatres both domestically and internationally. The label also toured extensively across Korea, Japan, and Northern Asia, and created military songs. Although Okeh ceased its activities due to the Pacific War, its substantial yet often overlooked influence laid an essential groundwork for future artists following liberation.

Oke Records, a South Korean record label, was operational both prior to and following the country's liberation. The name "Okeh" derives from the Japanese pronunciation of the English term "Okay," and it is represented in the alphabet as 'Okeh.'

Founded in 1932, the exact date and conditions of its inception are not well-documented; however, the celebration of the '15th Anniversary of the Joseon Musical Troupe' (조선악극단) in April 1947 implies that the organization may have been established around April 1932.

Okeh Records was the latest addition to the five major record companies active during the Japanese colonial period, which included Columbia Records, Victor Records, Polydol Records, and Taepyeong Records, all of which ceased operations by 1943, coinciding with the end of the Pacific War. Despite being the last to enter the market, Okeh Records achieved notable success, becoming the second-largest producer of records and playing a crucial role in promoting many of the era's most prominent artists and songs.

Initially, the company was known as the Japanese Okeh Gramophone Company Gyeongseong Temporary Sales Office, later rebranded as the Gyeongseong Branch. The management was overseen by a Korean named Lee Cheol, although information regarding the company's financial structure is scarce. It is clear that Okeh Records depended on Japan's Teichiku Records for its recording and pressing operations, indicating a significant initial partnership with Teichiku. A theory suggests that Lee Cheol's wife, Hyeon Song-ja, had a school friend whose father was an executive at Teichiku Records, which may have aided in the branch's establishment; however, this connection remains unverified.

Okeh Records launched its first album in February 1933 and maintained an active production schedule for approximately 11 years, concluding around late 1943 or early 1944. It ranked second in the volume of new album releases, following Columbia Records, and played a pivotal role in the popular music industry, significantly outpacing its rivals. Initially, the company operated from the Japanese Deichiku Records studio until early 1936, after which it established its own recording facilities in Gyeongseong (Seoul) by late 1936, marking the beginning of its Gyeongseong recording era.

From its inception, Okeh Records prioritized stage performances and album production, featuring one of the finest bands of the time. The company distinguished itself by ensuring that all arrangements and accompaniments for popular music were performed by Korean musicians as Gyeongseong recording evolved. In 1937, Teichiku Records appointed Imura Ryozui as branch manager, taking over the operational rights from Lee Cheol, which led to the rebranding of the company as Teichiku Records Gyeongseong Branch.

Following a fire in January 1941, plans for a new office building were set in motion, resulting in a facility with studios completed by mid-May. Although the precise date of Okeh Records' final album release remains uncertain, it is believed that production continued until late 1943, with operations effectively ceasing in 1944 after the withdrawal of Japanese capital post-liberation. The reestablishment of Okeh Records in August 1948, highlighted by albums such as “Cry Silver Bell,” signified a new entity while honouring the legacy of the original Okeh Records.

Okegrand Show (오케그랜드쇼)

Since its inaugural album release in 1933, Okeh Records had prioritized stage performances, featuring a performance group known as the "Okeh Ensemble," (오케 앙상블) which consisted of artists exclusive to the label and toured extensively across the country, Japan, and Manchuria during recording intervals.

The transition of Okeh Ensemble into the Okeh Grand Show occurred when the operational rights of Okeh Records were transferred from Lee Cheol to Imura Ryozui, who had been sent from Japan's Teichiku Records post-1937.

Group of women that worked in Okeh Records. Not shore when this photo was taken probably around 1940s, and the name of the women are in the photo.

Following this shift, Lee Cheol, facing limitations on his decision-making in the recording industry, founded the Joseon Entertainment Company (initially named Joseon Recording Company) in January 1938, thereby venturing into a new domain of stage performances.

This evolution led to the reformation of the traditional orchestra into the Orchestra Grand Show, which emerged as the premier performing group in Joseon, eventually evolving into the ‘Joseon Musical Troupe’ (조선악극단) after its inaugural tour of Japan in 1939.

Orchestration Team (오케싱잉팀)

As the Joseon Akgeukdan expanded and managing multiple schedules became increasingly challenging, a sister group was established to split the performances into two factions, concentrating on popular music. This led to the formation of the Okesinging Team.

Both Photos - Not shore the name of the two ladies but both worked with Okeh Records. Note shore when both of these photo’s was taken, probably around 1940s.

The Okesinging (오케싱잉) Team, or Okegayodan (오케가요단), made its debut in June 1940, showcasing prominent artists from Okerecord, such as Lee Nan-young, Nam In-su, and Lee Hwa-ja. Despite its formal designation as a distinct entity, the Okesinging Team frequently performed alongside the Joseon Akgeukdan during events. Active until 1941, the Okesinging Team focused on musical performances before entering a brief hiatus. In 1943, it rebranded as the Shinseng Theatre Group (신생극단), broadening its repertoire beyond music and re-emerging on stage.

Orchestra Music and Dance Research Institute (오케음악무용연구소)

Akgeuk and Akgeukdan are the ‘Joseon Musical Troup’, I’m not shore why they are written as Akgeuk or Akgeukdan.

The Okeh Music and Dance Research Institute, founded by Lee Cheol (이철), who also established the Joseon Entertainment Company and led the ‘Joseon Musical Troupe’ (조선악극단), aimed to continuously identify and cultivate talent in popular arts, marking it as the first specialized educational institution for this field in history. Established in September 1940, the institute was directed by Lee Cheol, supported by a faculty of 13 professors from diverse disciplines who provided rigorous education to carefully selected students. Notable faculty members included Kim Hyeong-rae (김형래) in music, along with Kim Min-ja (김민자), Jo Yeong-suk (조영숙), and Lee Jun-hee (이준희) in dance.

This photo was taken in 1943 after the ‘Joseon Musical Troupe’ (조선악극단), the greatest entertainment group of its time, finished a performance in Tokyo to comfort Prince Yeong Chin. It was obtained and made public by Lee Jun-hee (이준희), a visiting professor at Sungkonghoe University (성공회대학교; 聖公會大學校). English – (1) Prince Yeong Chin (Lee Eun) (2) Princess Yi/ Lee Bang-ja (3) Kim Jeong-gu (4) Jang Se-jeong (5) Lee Nan-yeong (6) Lee Cheol, head of the Joseon Musical Troupe (7) Kim Hae-song (8) Lee Bok-bon (9) Lee Jong-cheol. Korean – (1) 영친왕(이은) (2) 이방자 (3) 김정구 (4) 장세정 (5) 이난영 (6) 이철 조선악극단장 (7) 김해송 (8) 이복본 (9) 이종철.

In February 1941, the inaugural performance of the first class of cadets, who had trained for approximately six months, took place, with Kim Baek-hee (김백희; 金白姬) emerging as the most distinguished among them; she later became a leading figure in musical theatre following Korea's liberation. By April 1941, an advertisement was released to recruit the second class, establishing an annual selection process for new cadets. These trainees underwent three years of instruction, during which they were not initially compensated but were exempt from tuition and provided with fashionable uniforms. After acquiring sufficient training and skill, they performed as backup dancers or in the chorus for the Joseon Music Troupe, with the most talented individuals given the chance to perform solo by their third year. Those who remained until their third year could earn a significant salary.

Baek Seol-hee (백설희; 白雪姬), who later thrived in musical and popular song genres post-liberation, was part of the third class selected in 1942 and made her solo debut just before graduating in 1944. Alongside Kim Baek-hee and Baek Seol-hee, the Okeh Music and Dance Research Institute nurtured numerous other talents in music and dance, such as Kang Yun-bok (강윤복; 康允福), Shim Yeon-ok (심연옥; 沈蓮玉), and Joo Ri (주리; 朱莉), significantly contributing to the continuation of Lee Cheol's legacy until the 1950s. The Aoi (アオイ) Music Theatre Troupe, a performance group, was established in May 1941.

Similar to the Joseon Music Theatre Troupe, the Joseon Entertainment Company managed the Aoi Music Troupe, which seemingly maintained a strong affiliation with the Okeh Music and Dance Research Institute. The troupe consisted entirely of female newcomers, and the Okeh Institute was the primary source for such talent, indicating a natural collaboration. The term 'Aoi,' which translates to 'blue' in Japanese, likely derives from 'Aoyama,' the surname of Lee Cheol, the leader of the Joseon Entertainment Company.

Following Lee Cheol's death in June 1944, the Okeh Institute rebranded itself as the Cheongsan Music and Dance Research Institute, further linking the name to Lee Cheol. The Aoi Music Troupe made its debut along the Honam Line in late May 1941; however, the absence of subsequent records suggests it may not have achieved commercial success and was likely disbanded. From the perspective of the Joseon Entertainment Company, this initiative can be viewed as a trial endeavour.

The last witness of the 'Joseon Musical Troupe', the life of Kang Yun-bok

This article was published after Kang Yun-bok’s (강윤복) who was a veteran dancer passed away in 2015, and talk about his life who worked for Okeh Records, and like the title says, he was a witness of the ‘Joseon Musical Troupe’ (조선악극단). I’ll briefly talk about him with the little information i found about him, as for some reason there is little information about him, don’t know why?

Veteran dancer Kang Yun-bok, whose birth name was Kang Yun-deok (강윤복), passed away on May 12, 2015, at the age of 91, due to natural causes.

Born in Pyongyang in 1924, Kang was a prominent member of the Joseon Music Troupe, a notable musical ensemble during the Japanese colonial era, and subsequently performed with the KPK Orchestra under the direction of composer Kim Hae-song, as well as the 8th US Army Show.

Kim Yun-bok during a KPK Orchestra performance in the late 1940s.

The 8th US Army Show thrived from 1953, coinciding with the presence of US forces during the Korean War, until the mid-1960s, when troop levels decreased due to the Vietnam War, and it was instrumental in launching the careers of various stars, including Patty Kim and Bok hee Yoon.

Music critic Park Sung-seo remarked that Kang Yun-bok was the last living member of the Joseon Akgeukdan, the premier popular culture group of the Japanese colonial period, noting that his low public profile has contributed to his obscurity, despite his significant role in the history of popular music.

Kang was married to the late Jeon Hae-nam, a trailblazer in Korean tap dancing, and he is survived by his son Park Jae-bin and daughters Dan-hee, Jin-hee, and Hyeon-hee.

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In September 1940, a significant milestone occurred in the realm of Korean popular arts with the establishment of the Okeh Music and Dance Research Institute by Lee Cheol, a prominent figure in colonial Joseon's music scene. Lee, who had already made a substantial impact through his work with Okeh Records and the Joseon Music Theatre Company, aimed to cultivate future talent in popular arts through this private educational institution. The institute became a breeding ground for numerous musicians and dancers who gained prominence in the 1940s and 1950s.

Kim Hae-song, Kang Yun-bok, and Joo Ri during a KPK Orchestra performance in the late 1940s.

The inaugural class attracted many teenage girls, who were enticed by the offer of free music, dance, and liberal arts education for three years, with the opportunity to perform on the Joseon Music Theatre Company stage for those who excelled. Ultimately, around 40 students were selected based on their appearance, talent, and growth potential, although the curriculum, which encompassed music theory, vocal training, and diverse dance styles, proved to be quite challenging.

After three years, only nine students graduated from the initial cohort of 40, among whom Kang Yun-bok (1924-2015) emerged as a notable dancer alongside Kim Baek-hee, a vocal music standout. Kang, who passed away on May 12, had initially enrolled at the research institute while attending Sookmyung Girls’ High School, driven by her passion for dance despite her family's strong opposition. Her remarkable talent and dedication soon alleviated her family's concerns, allowing her to flourish in her chosen path.

In April 1941, merely six months after his enrolment at the institute, he made his debut with the ‘Joseon Musical Troupe’ (조선악극단), quickly becoming a prominent member of the ensemble that performed across Korea, Manchuria, Japan, and China. By May 1943, he witnessed Prince Yeong Chin moved to tears by Kim Jeong-gu’s rendition of “Fallen Flowers Three Thousand” at the Prince’s Tokyo residence, and in June 1944, he learned of the unexpected passing of Lee Cheol, the troupe's leader, in Shanghai.

Kang Yun-bok, who appeared in a theatre show in the late 1950s

Following liberation, as the Joseon Akgeuk Troupe began to wane, Mr. Kang Yun-bok transitioned to the KPK Orchestra, which debuted in December 1945. This orchestra, founded by composer Kim Hae-song—a former key member of the Joseon Akgeuk Troupe who had departed earlier—incorporated many of its members, including Mr. Kang Yun-bok, effectively becoming its successor.

While the early 1940s marked the prominence of the Joseon Akgeuk Troupe, the late 1940s signified the rise of the KPK Orchestra. With the burgeoning Akgeuk market, Mr. Kang Yun-bok not only performed with various groups, including the KPK Orchestra, but also emerged as a significant choreographer.

The onset of the Korean War led to the loss of Kim Hae-song, the disbandment of the KPK Orchestra, and a swift decline in Akgeuk; however, Mr. Kang Yun-bok's influence in popular dance expanded during this tumultuous period.

In addition to various performances that supplanted musicals, the U.S. 8th Army Show, which gained momentum in the mid-1950s, and the presence of U.S. troops in Okinawa, Japan, created a demand for Mr. Kang Yun-bok's dance expertise. Furthermore, with the decision to deploy Korean troops to the Vietnam War, the Southeast Asian performance venues also sought his talents.

Beginning in the late 1960s, Kang Yun-bok primarily focused on stage and broadcast choreography while dedicating himself to mentoring future artists. His nearly four-decade career, which concluded in the late 1970s, represents a crucial chapter in the evolution of Korean popular dance. Despite the significant decline of this genre over the years, Kang's contributions extend beyond popular dance, playing a vital role in enriching the broader narrative of modern and contemporary Korean performing arts.

Group of women that worked in Okeh Records. Not shore when this photo was taken probably around 1940s, and the name of the women are in the photo.

The National Arts Archives has persistently sought Kang Yun-bok's involvement in the ongoing "Oral Recording of Korean Modern and Contemporary Art History" project, initiated in 2003. After several refusals, he finally agreed to participate on the 15th of last month.

Preparations for the project were progressing smoothly, with plans to finalize administrative tasks and commence the official oral recording in early June; however, Kang Yun-bok's unexpected passing occurred before this could take place. The loss of this key figure, who could have provided invaluable insights into the largely unrecognized Chosun Akgeukdan and KPK Orchestra, is profoundly felt.

While it is not uncommon for an individual's death to erase memories of a particular era, the immediate sense of loss in this instance is striking. Nevertheless, Mr. Kang Yun-bok left behind words and materials, and it is hoped that these can be gathered to illuminate the rich history of the past stage performances.

Joseon Musical Troupe's Performance to visit Prince Yeong Chin

This article published in 2010 was about a photo of the ‘Joseon Musical Troup’ visiting Prince Yeong Chin, that was deemed lost or a myth being found. I won’t go into much detail about the two royal family members shown in the photo as my main focus here is the ‘Joseon Musical Troup’.

Crown Prince Uimin Yi Eun, also known as Prince Yeong Chin or Lee Eun, lived from October 20, 1897, to May 1, 1970. He was part of the Imperial Family of the Korean Empire and held a political role within the Empire of Japan. He was married to Princess Yi Bang-ja, who was born on November 4, 1901, and passed away on April 30, 1989. Princess Yi Bang-ja was also a member of the Imperial Family of Japan and was the eldest daughter of Prince Nashimotonomiya Morimasa, making her the first queen.

At the former location of the palace, the evening smoke drifts lazily in the gentle river breeze, prompting a reflection on the fate of the three thousand palace ladies who once resided there.

In 1943, Kim Jeong-gu, a prominent 27-year-old singer of his era, performed his renowned song "Fallen Flowers Three Thousand" (낙화삼천) at the Akasaka mansion in Tokyo for Prince Yeongchin (Lee Eun) and Princess Yeongchin (Lee Bang-ja), who were held captive in Japan. The poignant performance moved Prince Yeongchin to tears, and soon, all fifty attendees were similarly affected.

A notable legend in Korean pop history recounts how the finest singers of the Joseon dynasty travelled to Japan to perform for Prince Yeong Chin, resulting in a collective outpouring of tears from the audience. The photograph surfaced, providing evidence that substantiates this poignant narrative. (The photo in question shown below)

This photo was taken in 1943 after they finished a performance in Tokyo to comfort Prince Yeong Chin. It was obtained and made public by Lee Jun-hee (이준희), a visiting professor at Sungkonghoe University (성공회대학교; 聖公會大學校). Prince Yeong Chin (Lee Eun) (영친왕(이은) and Princess Yi/ Lee Bang-ja (이방자) can be seen in the centre of the photo surrounded by the ‘Joseon Musical Troupe’.

Lee Jun-hee, a visiting professor at Sungkonghoe University and an authority on vintage pop music, revealed on the 24th that he uncovered a commemorative photograph of the ‘Joseon Musical Troupe’ (조선악극단), which featured prominent artists of the era such as Kim Jeong-gu, Lee Nan-young, Jang Se-jeong, Song Dal-hyeop, and Kim Hae-song, alongside Lee Bok-bon and Lee Jong-cheol, during their visit to Prince Yeong Chin’s residence in Akasaka in 1943, where they held a consolation performance for the king.

The photograph was preserved by Kang Yun-bok, an 86-year-old first-year researcher at the Music and Dance Research Institute of Oke Records, led by Lee Cheol, the troupe's head, and Kang's experience parallels that of a modern trainee in a major entertainment agency. He also recounted the poignant moment when Prince Yeong Chin and the troupe members were moved to tears by Kim Jeong-gu's performance.

The professor noted that the Joseon Akgeukdan, established in the 1930s, was instrumental in cultivating many legendary singers and enjoyed significant popularity in Japan, which contributed to their emotional connection to Prince Yeong Chin, reflecting their sorrow over the loss of their homeland, a sentiment shared by all the performers who have since passed away.

I found the news clip of the ‘Joseon Musical Troupe’ first public release of footage of them. First public release of footage of the 'Joseon Akgeukdan' from the Japanese colonial period Anchor Translation – “Do you know about the 'Joseon Musical Troupe', which featured the best stars of the time during the Japanese colonial period? KBS has obtained footage of the Joseon Musical Troupe's activities, which soothed the nation's sorrow. This is reporter Cho Ji-hyeon.” Report Translation - "This is a performance by the Joseon Music Troupe in Japan in 1939, during the Japanese colonial period. The song they are singing passionately is the new folk song “A New Day Is Dawning.” You can see the faces of Go Bok-su, the greatest star of the time, from Living in a Foreign Land, Lee Nan-young from Tears of Mokpo, Jang Se-jeong from The Ferry Departs, and Nam In-su. This is “Money Song” sung by Kim Jeong-gu. <Recording> “The wind is blowing. The wind of money is blowing.” The conductor, Son Mok-in, is a giant of our music industry who composed Tears of Mokpo and Living in a Foreign Land. These videos were inserted into a Japanese film and are being released for the first time in 70 years. <Interview> Lee Jun-hee (Visiting Professor at Sungkonghoe University): “The oldest popular song material... It has tremendous historical significance.” During the Japanese colonial period, the Joseon Music Troupe enjoyed immense popularity, to the point of touring China and Japan. A photo taken in 1943 with the Joseon Music Troupe at the invitation of Prince Yeongchin, who was taken as a hostage to Japan, has also been released. It is said that Prince Yeongchin shed tears when Kim Jeong-gu sang 'Nakhwasamcheon', which is about the fall of Baekje. The Joseon Musical Troupe, which comforted the pain of the nation with songs during the colonial period. You can watch videos of their activities on the special song stage for the founding of the public corporation. This is Jo Ji-hyun from KBS News."

The photograph was featured on KBS 1TV's "Gayo Stage" as part of a special broadcast commemorating Independence Movement Day on March 1. During this episode, a video from 1939 showcasing the Joseon Akgeukdan was presented, which the production team acquired through a professor. The footage included performances by notable singers such as Nam In-su, Kim Jeong-gu, Go Bok-su, Jang Se-jeong, and Lee Nan-young, who collectively sang contemporary folk songs like "Don Taryeong" and "A New Day Is Bright." Producer Kang Young-won remarked that this video is likely the oldest surviving recording related to Korean pop music

There are probably more interviews about people talking about Okah Records and other Korean record company artists out there but at this point i can't find any more. If people can find any more interviews about veteran artists just post them below, it would really helpful.

While concluding my research on Okah Records, I discovered several interviews filmed in 2009 featuring individuals who were either married to or children of the artists associated with Okah Records during the 1940s. The interviews included Lee Young-mi, daughter of Lee Cheol; Oh Jeong-sim, wife of Son Mok-in; and Kim Young-jae, son of Kim Seong-heum. Unfortunately, these videos lack subtitles, leaving me unable to comprehend their discussions.

Despite the limited availability of videos featuring their families discussing these renowned artists, gaining insights and engaging with those who knew them proves invaluable for understanding the history of the Korean entertainment industry prior to liberation.

[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

[elderflowergin]

SBS Hyena, episode 1 rewatch (part 1)

I wrote this at least a couple of years ago, and it languished in my drafts after that. It's part episode recap with a dash of style analysis. Disclaimer: I'm not trained in fashion or style writing - anything I know is from reading other people doing style/fashion/costuming analysis. This is meant to be fun, and I hope you have fun reading this if you enjoyed the show, or even if you haven't and were looking for reasons to start.

Okay, let’s hit it! 

This opening of this show is so distracting I did not connect it to the final scene of this episode until after having watched it maybe fifty times. They knew what they were doing, giving us a hot guy in the shower, displaying very fetching abs that probably required Ju Ji-hoon to dehydrate himself for a week. (But let's put a pin in my reflections.) 

Montage aside and speaking of reflections: this is the first time we ever see Yoon Hee-jae in the story. Yes, it’s in his smirking reflection. I guess we could say that's a coincidence, but I also think it means that the way he sees himself is probably not congruent with who he is on the inside, and his arc in this show deconstructs that perception he has (and in a way, we have, as viewers) of Yoon Hee-jae.

This trial gave me the giggles when I re-watched it, because it sounds like Hee-jae and Prosecutor Kwon are having a leisurely - if somewhat antagonistic -  banter over coffee. (This is not unrealistic; it would probably be exhausting to keep up with the yelling throughout.)  

Prosecutor Kwon - or the actor who plays him, Lee Ki-chan - is quite handsome, but they've shafted him here with Coke bottle glasses and unsexily messed-up hair. (I went to look up his name and learned that he played Bae Doona's totally vile, Ha Chan-hoish brother in Sense8, which I never would have known. He's also a talented singer and musician, because hey, why NOT. THE RANGE, YOUR HONOUR.)

That gown is only flattering on one person, and that is one Mr Cho Seung-woo. Who also looks great in thigh high boots and glitter eyeshadow, so you know what, that's not saying much. 

This smirk is both hot, and endlessly immature. Ju Ji-hoon's mouth does lots of good work here. (As Jung Geum-ja can surely attest to, heyo!) 

Ga Gi-hyeok is suited up here (a three-piece, even, which notably only Song Pil-jung wears, to my memory, so this is maybe a bit of a faux pas on his part), but he's not commonly in a suit, often opting for a sweater in the office.

For context: Kang Tae-oh - who memorably played K-Drama's Boyfriend and a paralegal in Extraordinary Attorney Woo - also wears sweaters at the office over shirts, with fairly informal jackets and overcoats, whereas his friend Attorney Kwon - who's about the same age - wears formal, if moderately fun, suits. In Chief of Staff, Lee Jung-jae never wears a white shirt as the titular chief of staff, and only Song Hui-seop, his boss, wears white. The first time we see Lee Jung-jae in white, he's an Assemblyman. I can't say to what extent these patterns are adapted from Korean society, which is probably very regimented and class-bound in its own way, but I really appreciate how fashion and costuming are used to implicitly denote class and status, telling their own story.

A personal aside: as an intern, I once wore a sweater/blouse/skirt combo to work, prompting an acquaintance to ask me why I was dressed like a secretary. In the present day, I absolutely do not care and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with dressing “like a secretary” - whatever that means - but back then I remember feeling embarrassed by this, like I’d flouted a rulebook I couldn’t access. Corporate dressing isn’t just about what to wear, it’s about what not to wear and how that might denote that you’re not an insider. 

So Ga Gi-hyeok’s clothes might be reflective of two things: 1) his social class - I don't think Gi-hyeok belongs to Hee-jae's level of upper crust; 2) his base-level  insecurity about his position. That is going to be significant later.

Yes, that is the lovely young sweet Attorney Na, in an olive suit. This is not a colour we see any of the other goslings wearing (goslings, because geese are assholes, and these boys - and they are all boys - seem like baby assholes themselves, except Attorney Mr Na.) 

I hate Ha Chan-ho. I hate the entire Ha family, who are all deliciously great at their jobs of being terrible chaebols. I feel like Ha Chan-ho saw his dad's cravats and went, I want that, but make it 10x douchier. This cravat is not hooked to anything, because he doesn’t wear a shirt. He’ll be taking off that jacket later and he’ll be topless, on the steps of a courthouse. Ew.

-infinity/10, docking points for the lack of a goddamn shirt and also being an abusive jerkface. 

Attorney Ma is wearing a double-breasted suit here and he looks cute. 7/10, because this difficulty setting is high. He’s actually...not wrong about many things, including Yoon Hee-jae’s dick moves. 

Yoon Hee-jae is jacketless here. I don't know if this is a first episode thing, but this changes very, very quickly, as we shall soon see.

We will never again see Yoon Hee-jae UNBUTTONED, with something in his mouth and his SHIRTTAILS HANGING OUT. This was remarkably unusual, because he's almost pathologically buttoned up for the rest of the series. I think this could be one of two things: 1) the costumers were still forming his wardrobe preferences or 2) this was a neat way to get across his carelessness and perhaps, vulnerability to what's about to come. Nonetheless, 9/10 for the messy distracted Yoon Hee-jae. 

I recapped this episode for my Instagram and the concept of a partner in a law firm doing his own laundry was just so ridiculous I dedicated two slides to bitching about it. But now I just don't care, because…

Hot damn. THEM. THEM. 

(To be continued! Next up: love letters to who else but Kim Hye-soo, of course)

[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)

[sonhee]

Lee So-hee (Korean: 이소희; born November 18, 1994), better known by the stage name Han So-hee (한소희), is a South Korean actress. She began her career as a supporting character in the television series Money Flower (2017), 100 Days My Prince (2018), and Abyss (2019) before transitioning into lead roles in The World of the Married (2020), Nevertheless (2021), My Name (2021) and Gyeongseong Creature (2023–2024).

Han was born as Lee So-hee (이소희) on November 18, 1994, in Ulsan, South Korea. She attended Ulsan High School of Arts where she majored in arts. In her senior year of high school, Han moved to Seoul to live with her grandmother, where she worked various part-time jobs to make ends meet. Han originally had no plans of entering the entertainment industry and wanted to continue pursuing higher education, stating that, "I got into a university in France, but I couldn't go because I didn't have enough money in my bank account. I had to have at least ₩60 million (approximately US$46,000) in my bank account to get a visa. I didn't have that, of course." While working part-time at pubs, modeling, and doing commercials to save up money, the head of the agency to which she belonged persuaded Han to try acting.

𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕-𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗: 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

Han appeared in SHINee's "Tell Me What To Do" music video in 2016. She made her acting debut in a minor role in Reunited Worlds (2017). She got her first main roles in MBC TV's Money Flower in 2017 and tvN's 100 Days My Prince in 2018. Later in 2018, she starred in KBS2's After The Rain and made an appearance in Roy Kim's "The Hardest Part". In 2019, Han played a supporting role in the tvN series Abyss, alongside lead actors Ahn Hyo-seop and Park Bo-young.

𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎: 𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝

In 2020, Han starred in JTBC's The World of the Married alongside Kim Hee-ae and Park Hae-joon, in which she played a main role as Yeo Da-kyung, a young mistress. The television series ended its run as the highest-rated television series in Korean cable television history. Han received widespread recognition thanks to the success of the television series, and for her performance she was nominated for Best New Actress – Television at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards.

𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏–𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬

In 2021, Han starred in JTBC romance drama Nevertheless alongside Song Kang. Later the same year, she starred in the Netflix original crime-action drama My Name as Yoon Ji-woo, a woman seeking revenge for her father's murder. For her performance in My Name, she was nominated for Best Actress – Television at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards.

In March 2022, Han appeared in the four-episode Disney+ mini-series Soundtrack#1 alongside Park Hyung-sik. In September, she appeared as Princess Kayena in a live-action teaser for the Kakao Webtoon series The Villainess is a Marionette. The following year, she featured in BTS' Jungkook music video for his single "Seven", which was released on July 14, 2023.

In 2023, Han appeared in the 1945 historical drama Gyeongseong Creature with costar Park Seo-joon. The first season was released on Netflix from December 22, 2023 to January 5, 2024, and the second season was released on September 27, 2024. Han also made her film debut in March of 2024 with the LGBTQ indie film Heavy Snow, which premiered at the 38th BFI Flare. She is set to appear in upcoming tvN drama Two-Faced Lover alongside Byeon Woo-seok.

𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲

In 2019, Han faced legal trouble after her estranged mother, known publicly as Ms. Shin, took out and failed to repay a ₩40 million loan with Han listed as the guarantor. A similar instance occured in 2022 when ₩85 million was borrowed using a bank account in the actress' name that "was opened arbitrarily [by Shin] when Han was a minor." Her mother was later arrested in September of 2024 for the operation of 12 illegal gambling establishments, in which "proxy owners" were used to allow patrons access to a a gambling website to play games like baccarat after purchasing game credits.

Han's agency, 9ato Entertainment, released a statement acknowledging that Ms. Shin had been involved in several fraud cases, including forgery, but clarified that their talent was not connected in any way.

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬

In March of 2024, Han was spotted at the same hotel as fellow actor Ryu Jun-yeol while on a vacation in Hawaii, igniting relationship rumors. She confirmed the relationship herself on a personal blog later that month, and hours later, Ryu’s agency released an official statement corroborating these rumors.

The couple was confirmed to be dating since the beginning of 2024; however, they split later that month. Ryu’s representatives as well as Han's agency released a statement confirming the breakup. “They both realized that their roles as actors are more important. They promised not to waste any more emotions on personal matters,” it read.

𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

Han has been active as a model since 2016. Her advertisements include brands such as Ritz Crackers, CJ Group, J.Estina, Banila Co., Eider, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, L'Oréal, and Giordano International. In 2022, Han became a global brand ambassador for luxury fashion house brand Balenciaga and Swiss luxury watch brand Omega SA. She modeled for Balenciaga's 2023 Spring/Summer collaborative campaign with Adidas. In 2023, she was announced as the global brand ambassador for Singaporean fashion house label Charles & Keith, French luxury jewelry house Boucheron, and Korean-owned sportswear brand Fila. Also in 2023, Lotte Chilsung selected Han as the new face of Chum Churum soju.

In 2024, Han became a global brand ambassador for home appliance brand Shark.

[livinglifeonpause]

BP - Mission 1

okay. watching the practice session then the youtube full performance. THEN i'll go back and watch the episode shit.

..............................................................................................................................

K-Group: LEE HWAN HEE (26, 5'9")/F/P/P - ew, also the Daewon knock off did NOT hit that note. HAN YU SEOP (20, 5'8")/F/?/F - I'mma pass them all except the one in the Johnny Cherry Bomb bib HONG KEON HEE (19, 6'2")/P/P/P - the one in the black shirt is fine at rapping JANG YEO JUN (19, 5'10")/F/P/P PARK GUN WOOK (19, 6'0")/P/P/P - okay so he's such a cutie. please take care of him.

G-Group: KEITA (23, 5'5")/F/F/P - okay the one with White Sleeves was fine at rapping CHEN KUAN JUI (23, 5'9")/F/F/F MIN (24, 5'9")/P/P/F SEOK MATTHEW (22 5'7")/P/P/P - and the one with the red shit on his fingers and tie was good at vocals WANG ZI HAO (23, 5'10)/F/P/F ZHANG HAO (24, 5'11")/F/P/P - the one with the lace-up glove was fine too

Um, to be fair WANG ZI HAO (23, 5'10)/F/P should have gotten the Killing Part based on that nonsense they did.

ZHANG HAO (24, 5'11")/F/P is the correct choice for main vocal

Wait, how did they pick which ones arm wrestled?

awwwww, MIN (24, 5'9")/P/P/F went to go stand in the corner!

.........................................................................................................................

Girl, I am just WAITING for the voice cracks on this song.

K-Group: CHA WOONG KI (22, 5'8")/F/F/F JANG JI HO (20, 5'8")/P/F/F JUNG MIN GYU (24, 6'1")/F/F/F LEE DONG YEOL (25, 5'9")/F/F/F MUN JUNG HYUN (19, 6'0")/F/P/F SEO WON (23 5'7")/F/F/F YOO SEUNG EON (20, 5'10")/F/P/F naur, only the main vocal one did semi decent but only cause his voice didnt crack on the high note.

G-Group: HIROTO (22, 5'9")/F/F/F CCONG (23, 5'8")/P/P/F ICHIKA (31, 6'0")/F/F/F MA JING XIANG (20, 6'2")/F/F/F OUJU (20, 5'7")/F/F/F  WEN YE CHEN (24, 6'0")/F/?/F YUKI (22, 5'8")/P/F/F

Oh they all really went head-to-head huh? well, i dont remember and I'm not going back to watch.

...........................................................................................................................

K-Group: LEE DA EUL (20 5'7")/F/F/F CHOI JI HO (20, 6'0")/F/P/F JEON WOO SEOK (21, 5'8")/F/F/F JEONG I CHAN (23, 5'10")/P/F/F KIM MIN HYUK (25, 5'11")/P/F/P - none of em were good. but i'll pass the one with the short-sleeve blazer cause he WAS the team LEE SEUNG HWAN (24, 5'10")/P/P/P - and the rapper with the blazer LIM JUN SEO (19, 5'10")/F/F/F

G-Group: CHEN YU GENG (26, 6'0")/P/?/F DONG DONG (23, 5'9")/F/F/F ITSUKI (18 5'7")/F/F/F TAKUTO (16, 5'5")/F/F/F WANG YAN HONG (25, 5'10")/F/F/F YANG JUN (25, 5'9")/F/F/F YUTO (19 5'7")/F/F/F

oh naurrrrr naurrrr naur.

.....................................................................................................................

K-Group: KIM JI WOONG (25, 5'10)/P/P/P HAN YU JIN (17, 5'10")/F/P/P JI YUN SEO (19, 6'0")/F/P/P - the tall kid with big ears was borderline, but no one stood out as horrible. KIM MIN SEOUNG (20, 5'8")/P/P/P KIM TAE RAE (22, 5'8")/F/P/P KUM JUN HYEON (22, 5'11")/F/P/P YOON JONG WOO (24, 5'9")/F/P/P

KIM JI WOONG (25, 5'10)/P/P seems chill? plus he's cute comforting that other kid. I just googled it, he's the BL actor.

I mean it was fine. They all get passes.

G-Group: RICKY (20, 6'0")/F/F/F - this bitch has to cover his tattoo every damn day? *eyeroll* BRIAN (22, 6'1")/F/F/F CHEN JIAN YU (26, 5'10")/P/?/F FENG JUN LAN (25, 5'10")/P/F KRYSTIAN (24, 5'10")/P/?/F NA KAMDEN (23, 6'0")/F/P/F ZHANG SHUAI BO (22, 6'0")/P/F/F

So is KRYSTIAN (24, 5'10")/P/? really a dick or did he get an MNet edit?

Awwwww, they got NA KAMDEN (23, 6'0")/F/P crying! :/ There must have been SOME truth to it! eff you followers.

RICKY (20, 6'0")/F/F has the ability to both look boring as hell yet charismatic at the same time.

.........................................................................................................................

K-Group: CHOI SEUNG HUN (16, 5'7")/F/F/F JEON HO YOUNG (19, 5'10")/F/P/F JUNG HO JIN (21, 6'0")/F/F/F JUNG SE YUN (16, 5'8")/F/F/F PARK GWAN YOUNG (23, 5'7")/P/P/P - the only one I'm passing is the older one with the bolero tie in the white. PARK MIN SEOK (22, 6'0")/F/P/F

WHO PUT this angel baby on a show like this? CHOI SEUNG HUN (16, 5'7")/F/F

G-Group: YUTAKA (25 5'7")/F/?/F CHEN REN YOU (20, 6'0")/F/F/F  HYO (22, 5'8")/F/F/F KEI (18 5'7")/F/F/F QIU SHENG YANG (23, 5'10")/F/F/F RIKU (19, 5'11")/F/F/F XUAN HAO (28, 5'11")/F/F/F

..........................................................................................................................

K-Group: LEE DONG GUN (19, 5'10")/F/F/F BAK DO HA (21, 5'11")/F/F/F CHOI WOO JIN (19, 5'7")/P/P/F PARK HAN BIN (22, 5'9")/F/P/P - the only one I'm passing is the sleeveless one. PARK HYUN BEEN (19, 5'10")/F/P/F PARK JI HOO (18, 5'9")/F/F/F

okay this baby PARK JI HOO (18, 5'9")/F/F is cuuuuuute.

G-Group: NICE (24, 5'11")/F/F/F CAI JIN XIN (20, 6'2")/F/F/F CHEN LIANG (24, 6'1")/F/F/F LIN SHI YUAN (25, 6'0")/F/F/F OLLIE (18, 6'0")/F/F/F OSUKE (21, 5'4")/F/F/F TOUI (21, 5'11")/F/?/F

...................................................................................................................

K-Group: HUI (31, 5'7")/P/P/P HAN SEO BIN (18, 5'8")/P/F/P KIM GYU VIN (20, 6'0")/F/P/F LEE JEONG HYEON (22, 6'1")/F/P/F LEE YE DAM (21, 5'5")/F/P/P OH SUNG MIN (23, 5'11")/P/F/P SUNG HAN BIN (23, 5'10")/P/P/F

okay but OH SUNG MIN (23, 5'11")/P/F over here acting like the leader

HUI (31, 5'7")/P/P doing too much though and it doesn't match the group :/ Like take it down 3 notches. Idk man. I'mma pass him though.

G-Group: DANG HONG HAI (20, 5'11")/F/F/F - failing knock off hansol ANTHONNY (20, 5'8")/F/P/F HARU (18, 5'6")/F/P/F HARUTO (19, 5'7")/F/P/P JAY CHANG (23, 5'9")/P/P/P WINNIE (25 5'7")/F/F/P WUMUTI (25, 5'9")/P/F/F

I'm liking WUMUTI (25, 5'9")/P/F alot more here than in Build Up. Here he seems real and in Build Up he seemed fake. Like not even real cunty, like put on cunty.

hahaha, omfg HUI (31, 5'7")/P/P "It's K-pop, but he's singing Pop." Um, who's gonna tell him?

haaaaaaaaaaa, the judges being in love with JAY CHANG (23, 5'9")/P/P/P. GIRL, SAME!

omggg, WUMUTI (25, 5'9")/P/F is so cute in the backround when they say the other kids ears are red!

also fr though, how CAN JAY CHANG (23, 5'9")/P/P/P sing like that while dancing? And how did he not win this whole damn competition?? AND HOW DID HE ONLY GET 66??

[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.

[saturdiey]

𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

𝐆𝐲𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 | 𝐓𝐁𝐀 / 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 – 𝐘𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐞 𝐎𝐤

Yoon Chae-ok is a famous detective who can track down missing people, even ones who are dead. For more than 10 years, Yoon Chae-ok has worked with her father, Yoon Jung-won, to track down missing people, even ones who are dead.

She has a sharp eye and agile survival skills learned from her rough childhood roaming across Manchuria and Shanghai with her father. While investigating a series of missing person cases, including her missing mother's whereabouts, she crosses paths with Jang Tae-sang, the wealthiest man in Gyeongseong and the Master of the city's biggest pawn shop. Tae-sang is under threat from the Japanese police commissioner Ishikawa, whose beloved Korean mistress is missing. They strike a deal to assist each other in their respective missions. Chae-ok, Tae-sang and Jung-won infiltrate Ongseong Hospital in search of clues.

(source)

𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 #𝟏 (사운드트랙#𝟏) | 𝐍𝐇𝐍 𝐁𝐮𝐠𝐬! & 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐲+ / 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 – 𝐄𝐮𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐨

Soundtrack #1 tells the story of the struggles of Eunsoo (Han So-hee), a songwriter, and Sunwoo (Park Hyung-sik), a boy who has been her best friend for 19 years.

When faced with the challenge of writing a hit song about a one-sided love, unexpectedly, the two must stay together and share a love story to complete the song.

Han So Hee portrayed Lee Eun Soo's bright and honest character in a fun way through her cheerful acting.

(source)

𝐌𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 (마이 네임) | 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱 / 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 – 𝐘𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐢 𝐖𝐨𝐨 / 𝐎𝐡 𝐇𝐲𝐞 𝐉𝐢𝐧

My Name tells a story about female revenge and redemption. Teenager Yoon Ji-woo experiences bullying at Shin Young Girls’ High School because of her father’s involvement in the criminal underworld. After his sudden death, Ji-woo reaches out to Dongcheon leader Choi Mu-jin, who subsequently trains the girl over the course of several years, and helps her infiltrate the Inchang Metropolitan Police Department. The storyline follows Ji-woo as she attempts to identify her father’s killer while fighting against a misogynist drug dealer.

(source)

𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 (알고있지만) | 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱 / 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 – 𝐘𝐨𝐨 𝐍𝐚 𝐁𝐢

Yoo Na Bi, a student at Hongseo University's Sculpture Department, who has given up on love but still wants to go out on dates. Due to a cruel experience with her ex-boyfriend, she no longer believes in destiny and has vowed never to fall in love again.

(source)

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 (부부의 세계) | 𝐉𝐓𝐁𝐂 / 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎 – 𝐘𝐞𝐨 𝐃𝐚 𝐊𝐲𝐮𝐧𝐠

Yeo Da-kyung is the only daughter of Yeo Byung-gyu and Uhm Hyo-jung. Da-kyung grew up in luxury so she lives without worries and life goals. She majored in contemporary dance following her mother's wishes even when she had no passion or talent in dancing. Ultimately, she decided to stop dancing and became a pilates instructor. The innocent and vulnerable girl then fell in love with Lee Tae-oh, a married man, and has been having an affair with him for over two years.

(source)

𝐀𝐛𝐲𝐬𝐬 (어비스) | 𝐭𝐯𝐍 / 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗 – 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐞 𝐉𝐢𝐧

Han So-Hee is cast for a supporting role in tvN drama series “Abyss” starring Park Bo-Young and Ahn Hyo-Seop. In drama series “Abyss,” Han So-Hee will play Jang Hee-Jin. She is the fiance of Cha Min (Ahn Hyo-Seop). She is a beautiful, but mysterious woman.

(source)

𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧 (옥란면옥)|𝐊𝐁𝐒𝟐 / 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖 – 𝐒𝐨𝐨 𝐉𝐢𝐧

𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐌𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 (백일의 낭군님) | 𝐭𝐯𝐍 / 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖 – 𝐊𝐢𝐦 𝐒𝐨 𝐇𝐲𝐞

Crown Princess, Kim Cha-eon's daughter and Lee Yul's wife. Like Yul, she is also forced into the marriage and is constantly neglected by her husband. She secretly harbours feelings for Moo-yeon, one of her father's hired killers and the father of the child she becomes pregnant with, causing great distress for her and her father, as she never consummated her marriage with Yul.

(source)

𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 (돈 꽃) | 𝐌𝐁𝐂 / 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕-𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖 – 𝐘𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐧

The show is about a family consumed by their greed and love for money, who are unknowingly being plotted against by a person within their inner circle. Here, So Hee’s character is a former employee of this family’s conglomerate and the secret lover of their CEO.

(source)

𝐑𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 (다시 만난 세계) | 𝐒𝐁𝐒 / 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕 – 𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐧

Reunited Worlds centers on the story of a 19-year-old who dies in an accident, only to mysteriously find himself alive 12 years later, not having aged a day. The drama served as So Hee’s TV acting debut, where she played the fashion journalist named Lee Seo-won. Her character was the fiance of Young-joon (played by Scarlet Heart Ryeo’s Yoon Sun Woo), and the daughter of a hospital director.

(source)

[celtalks]

SBS Drama Awards 2023: Triumphs, Tears, and Top Talent Shine at the Prism Tower

A Night of Glitz, Glamour, and Unforgettable Performances Celebrates the Best in Korean Dramas

In a dazzling spectacle held at the SBS Prism Tower in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, the SBS Drama Awards 2023 unfolded on December 29th, drawing the curtain on a year filled with exceptional television storytelling. Hosted by the dynamic duo of Shin Dong-yup and Kim Yoo-jung, the ceremony not only showcased the immense talent within the Korean drama industry but also featured electrifying musical performances by TOMORROW x TOGETHER, Hwasa, Guckkasten, Doldams, Ahn Hyo-seop, and Lee Sung-kyung.

Grand Prize: A Celebration of Excellence

The prestigious Grand Prize was awarded to Kim Tae-ri for her outstanding performance in 'Revenant,' while Lee Je-hoon took home the honor for his remarkable role in 'Taxi Driver 2.'

Top Excellence Awards: Recognizing Genre Prowess

Top Excellence Award, Actor (Specialized Genre/Action Drama): Park Sung-woong in 'The Killing Vote' Top Excellence Award, Actress (Specialized Genre/Action Drama): Moon Chae-won in 'Payback' Top Excellence Award, Actor (Miniseries Romance/Comedy Drama): Song Kang in 'My Demon' Top Excellence Award, Actress (Miniseries Romance/Comedy Drama): Kim Yoo-jung in 'My Demon' Top Excellence Award, Actor (Seasonal Drama): Ahn Hyo-seop in 'Dr. Romantic 3' Top Excellence Award, Actress (Seasonal Drama): Lee Sung-kyung in 'Dr. Romantic 3'

Excellence Awards: Showcasing Versatility

Excellence Award, Actor (Specialized Genre/Fantasy Drama): Lee Joon in 'The Escape of the Seven' and Hong Kyung in 'Revenant' Excellence Award, Actress (Specialized Genre/Fantasy Drama): Lee Yu-bi in 'The Escape of the Seven' Excellence Award, Actor (Miniseries Romance/Comedy Drama): Ryeoun in 'The Secret Romantic Guesthouse' Excellence Award, Actress (Miniseries Romance/Comedy Drama): Shin Ye-eun in 'The Secret Romantic Guesthouse'

Supporting Cast: A Vital Backbone

Best Supporting Actor (Specialized Genre/Fantasy Drama): Bae Yoo-ram and Jang Hyuk-jin in 'Taxi Driver 2,' Kim Won-hae in 'Revenant' Best Supporting Actress (Specialized Genre/Fantasy Drama): Son Ji-yoon in 'The First Responders 2' Best Supporting Actor (Miniseries Romance/Comedy Drama): Jung Soon-won in 'Trolley' and 'My Demon' Best Supporting Actress (Miniseries Romance/Comedy Drama): Seo Jung-yeon in 'My Demon' and 'Trolley'

Unforgettable Bonds: Best Couple and Scene Stealer

Best Couple Award: Song Kang and Kim Yoo-jung in 'My Demon' Scene Stealer Award: Go Sang-ho in 'Dr. Romantic 3,' Byun Jung-hee in 'Dr. Romantic 3'

Welcoming New Talents: Best New Actors and Actresses

Best New Actor: Kim Do-hoon in 'The Escape of the Seven,' Kang Yoo-seok in 'Payback,' Lee Shin-young in 'Dr. Romantic 3,' Lee Hong-nae in 'Dr. Romantic 3' Best New Actress: Kwon Ah-reum in 'The Killing Vote,' Yang Hye-ji in 'Revenant,' Jung Soo-bin in 'Trolley'

Rising Stars: Best Young Actors and Actresses

Best Young Actor: Choi Hyun-jin in 'The Killing Vote,' Han Ji-an in 'Dr. Romantic 3' Best Young Actress: Park So-yi in 'Revenant,' Ahn Chae-heum in 'Taxi Driver 2'

Collective Brilliance: Best Supporting Team and Performance

Best Supporting Team: 'Dr. Romantic 3' Best Performance: Jin Seon-kyu in 'Revenant'

Netizens' Choice: Best SBS Drama of 2023

'Taxi Driver 2' claimed the hearts of netizens, earning the coveted title of Best SBS Drama of 2023. In a night filled with emotion, laughter, and celebration, the SBS Drama Awards 2023 paid tribute to the incredible talent and creativity that graced the small screen throughout the year. As the curtains closed on the Prism Tower, the memories of this spectacular event will undoubtedly linger in the hearts of both the industry and its avid viewers, setting the stage for another year of exceptional storytelling and unforgettable performances.   Read the full article

[unnieshimkoongkdramas]

A Time Called You - Woah

Actors: Ahn Hyo Seop, Jeon Yeo Bin Where to watch: Netflix Plot Joon Hee (Jeon Yeo Bin) is mourning the loss/disappearance of her boyfriend, Goo Yeon Jun (Ahn Hyo Seop) who was in a plane crash and his body was never found. She receives a package in the mail containing a Walkman with a tape. The song playing on it is Gather My Tears by Seo Ji Won. She is transported into the body of Kwon Min���

[korelist]

YOUTH OF MAY //  KDRAMA DİZİ YORUMU

UYARI : Yazılar genel olarak spoiler içerebilir. İçermeyedebilir.

İmdb puanı: 8,4 Benim Puanım: 5

Drama: Youth of May (English & literal title)

Hangul: 오월의 청춘

Director: Song Min-Yeop

Writer: Lee Kang

Date: 2021

Language: Korean

Country: South Korea

Cast: Lee Do-Hyun, Go Min-Si, Lee Sang-Yi, Keum Sae-Rok, Kim Won-Hae, Eom Hyo-Seop

2021 KBS Drama Awards - December 31, 2021

Best Actor (Lee Do-Hyun)

Excellent Actress (Go Min-Si)

Best Supporting Actress (Keum Sae-Rok)

Best Youth Actor (Jo Yi-Hyun)

Best Couple Award (Lee Do-Hyun & Go Min-Si)

   Dizi 12 bölümden oluşan zırıl zırıl bir dramı konu alıyor. Herkesten özür dileyerek ve tüm içtenliğimle söyleyebilirim ki hiç bana hitap etmedi. Öyle ki, izlerken ruhum daraldı, ufunetler bastı. Bir türlü “evet bu” diyeceğim noktaya gelemedim. Bunaldım, üzüldüm, daraldım, sıkıldım. Aslında daha en başından mutsuz sonla biteceği belli olan birçok dizi izledim. Hiçbiri bu kadar gırtlağıma yapışmamıştı. Silah zoru ile izledim desem yeridir. Hiçbir yerde olumsuz eleştirisi olmayan ve puanı oldukça yüksek olan bu dizi için bu şekilde yorum yapmak zorunda kaldığım için üzgünüm.

Dizi 1980 yılının Mayıs ayında meydana gelen Gwangju Ayaklanmasını konu alıyor. Öncelikle bu diziyi izleyecekseniz çok kısa da olsa Gwangju Ayaklanması ile ilgili yazıları okursanız, izlemesi belki bir nevi daha kolay olur. Aslında birazcık bizim tarihimizde yaşanan 1980 öncesi Türkiye'si sağ-sol olaylarını anımsatıyor. Hwang Hee-Tae (Lee Do-Hyun), çok zeki bir Tıp öğrencisidir. Hemen hemen hiçbir konudan hoşlanmaz. Hayatını ‘Ön yargıya karşı bir savaşçı’ olarak tanımlar. Oyuncuyu ilk Hotel Del Luna’da izledim. Dizi içinde başka diziye spoiler vereceğim ama benim için kendisi Hotel Del Luna’nın ateş böceğidir. Hala gıyabında konuşurken ateş böceği diye bahsederim. Sonradan kendisini Sweet Home dizisinde de izlediğimden burada görmek benim için tanıdık bir yüz oldu. Karakterimiz bekar bir annenin çocuğu. Hayatı etrafındakilerin ön yargılarını kırmaya çalışmakla geçtiğinden misyonu da ön yargılar ile savaşmak. Bu savaş uğruna hep en çok çalışan, en başarılı olan kişi olmak zorunda kalmış. Ve neticesinde birincilik ile bitirebileceği Tıp okulunu hobisini bahane ederek uzatmıştır.

Lee Soo-Ryeon (Keum Sae-Rok ) ise zengin bir ailenin hukuk okuyan kızıdır. Ülkenin karışık olduğu bu dönemde üniversiteli öğrenciler komünist ilan edilmektedir. Soo-Ryeon ise darbeci yönetime karşı gelip protestolarda en önde yer alır. Ailesi onu bir an önce evlendirmek istese de asla evlenmek istemez. Karıştığı protestolardan biri artık bardağı taşırınca babası ona görüşmesi için birini ayarlar.

Kim Myung-Hee (Go Min-Si), Soo-Ryeon’un fakir arkadaşıdır. Üç yıldır hemşirelik yapan naif, sakin bir kızcağızdır. Eğitimi için paraya ihtiyacı vardır. Bu nedenle de izdivaç buluşmasına para karşılığında arkadaşının yerine gitmeyi kabul eder. Amaçları basittir, buluşma sırasında uygunsuz davranacak, ilişki başlamadan karşı tarafın olumsuz yorum yapmasını sağlayacaktır. Buluşacağı kişi ise Hee-Tae’dir. Hesaba katmadıkları şey ise Hee-Tae’nin daha önce onu görmüş ve görür görmez aşık olmuş olmasıdır.

Lee Soo-Chan (Lee Sang-Yi) ise Soo-Ryeon’un abisidir. Fransa’dan yeni dönmüştür ve uzun süredir Kim Myung-Hee’ye ilgi duymaktadır. Yani kendisi dizideki ilişkilerin kör düğüm olması için gereken son düğümdür. Oyuncuyu Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha da ikinci erkek rolünde izlerken baya keyif almıştım. Bu dizide de yine aynı rütbesini koruyarak kariyerine devam ediyordu.

Şimdi bu noktada, diziye ilk başladığımda bana hissettirdiği şey “Business Proposal” dizisinin o eğlenceli havası oldu. Biraz eğlenceli biraz gergin bir aşk izleyeceğimizi düşündüm. O kadar yanılmışım ki… Bütün bu hissiyatım 2.bölümde su balonu gibi patladı. Bir anda dizisinin havası sanat filmlerinin o ağır melodramatik rengine büründü.

Lee Do-Hyun ve Go Min-Si ; “Sweet Home” dizisinde abi kardeş rolünde olmalarına rağmen bu dizide umutsuz aşık rolünü sırıtmamışlardı. Gel gelelim dizi her bölüm o ağırlaştırılmış havasını arttırmaya devam ettiği için ben çöktükçe çöktüm. Olaylar derinleşti, savaş çirkinleşti. İnsanların mücadeleleri alevlendi. Masum insanların çaresizlikleri yuvarlana yuvarlana büyüdü. Bütün olayların ortasında yanlışlıkla bir araya gelmiş bir çift olarak kaldılar. Hakkını arayan masum insanların katledilmesi bende üzüntüden çok buhrana neden oldu. Dizide çekilen sahnelerin bir çoğu tarihte günümüze ulaşan fotoğraflardan sahnelenmiş. Belki kendi tarihimiz olmadığı için bilmiyorum, bizim olaylarımıza bu kadar benzemesine rağmen ben ağlayamadım.

Ve mutsuz son tabi ki… yani bunu spoiler olarak düşünemezsiniz bile, çünkü zaten ilk bölüm bittiğinde bu dizinin gidişatının hiç mutlu olmadığını herkes anlıyor. Günün sonunda özetlersek, diziyi kimseye önermem. Benim için kötü bir tecrübeydi.

Raven Melus

BAŞKA NELER VAR ?

FOTOĞRAFLAR

[enterenews]

Hyun Jin-young, the godfather of hip-hop, makes a surprise appearance

On the TV CHOSUN entertainment program ‘I Like Tuesday Night’, which aired on the 17th, Kim Hee-jae, Hyun Jin-woo, Jo Myung-seop, Seong Jin-woo, Kim Yong-bin, and Kang Moon-gyeong appeared and showed a passionate stage with the members of Mistrot 2.

On this day, Hyun Jin-young appeared as a lucky fairy singing 'You in the Cloudy Memory'. Hyun Jin-young's explosive singing ability and stage control surprised everyone in the cast.

The second song selected by Hyun Jin-young, the king of dancing in the 1990s, was “Sad Mannequin.” Jang Min-ho and Kim Hee-jae acted as backing dancers to Hyun Jin-young's song and showed off a sharp group dance to add to the excitement. The final score was 91 points, and he succeeded in winning the lucky ticket.

[boysplanetrecaps]

Boys Planet Episode 3-4 Recaps: Kill This Love 

If you’re following the MNET show Boys Planet, you probably know by now that the editors are extremely irritating. For a song “mission” like this, they show 2-3 minute montages of some of the teams practicing, then fast forward to show time passing, then make it look like the performance will start any moment, and then have a lengthy flashback before we finally get to see the performance. 

So, I made a main recap that takes you through episodes 3 and 4 in a linear way, but then when it comes to focusing on each team, I’ll put all those thoughts in a separate post so you can keep the storylines straight. This post is on the Kill This Love teams. 

The Teams

K team:

Leader: Lee Hwan Hee

Real leader: General Park Gunwook

Other members: Hong Keon Hee, Han Yoo Seop, and Jang Yeo Joon. 

I’m going to assume you recognize Hwanhee (with the silvery hair), though I’ll remind you briefly that he’s the main vocalist of Up10tion. I also assume you recognize Gunwook by now, so here are the other three:

Left to right, that’s Han Yoo Seop, Hong Keon Hee, and Jang Yeo Joon. 

Han Yoo Seop (18) and Jang Yeo Joon (17): Both Jellyfish trainees, they both used to be in 3 stars and have fallen to 2 stars.  Yoo Seop is ranked 71st, and Yeo Joon is ranked 60th. 

Here are the Jellyfish trainees in their GBTB audition: 

Left to right: Jang Yeo Jun, (Park Hyun Been - not in this group), Han Yu Seop, Park Gun Woo

Hong Keon Hee: He’s 18, he auditioned with Nunu Nana, and while he’s ranked pretty low (he’s at 87th place) and overtly ignored by MNET editors, he has been a 3 star trainee the whole time. And he’s got a cute smile! 

Here’s NuNu NaNa:

G team: 

Leader: auburn haired center Zhang Hao 

Other members: Keita, Seok Matthew, Wang Zi Hao, Min, and Chen Kuan Jui

I’m going to assume you know Keita, Seok Matthew, and Zhang Hao by now, but let me remind you about Min, Wang Zi Hao, and Chen Kuan Jui. 

Min auditioned with Anthonny and Haruto in Glitch Mode. He’s from Thailand, he’s 22, he’s signed to Wake One, he has been three stars the whole time, and he moved up in the rankings from 80th place at the end of ep 1 to his current rank of 65. 

Wang Zi Hao

His audition wasn’t aired, but it was pretty good. He did Veil by Lay. 

He’s 21 years old, and has moved down from 29th place to 38th place in the rankings even while he’s moved up from 3 stars to All Stars. Apparently, his special is Krumping, which he showed the judges in a segment that we’ve only seen a few seconds of. 

You probably remember Chen Kuan Jui. He’s that extremely flexible guy. 

He’s from Taipei, he’s 22, he auditioned with Tiger Inside, he’s moved up in the rankings from 54 to 30, and he was a 4 star at first but has dropped to 3 stars, which can happen.

Team Selection:

We saw both teams being selected in this case, so we know that the G-team was the second G-team to be formed, while the K-team was the 6th (of 7) teams to be formed. Keita chose the members of G group, while Hwanhee let Gunwook bully him into picking the members of K-group. 

We begin 53:51 in to episode 3.   

The two Kill This Love teams face off in a shared practice room. Hilariously, auburn haired center Zhang Hao interviews in his excellent if halting Korean, “Park Gunwook is scary. He’s young, but he’s scary. Even though we have one more member, I feel like we will lose.” 

The Global trainees say that they will ask the Korean trainees later about the lyrics (and how to pronounce them or what they mean, I guess?) and Hwanhee jokes that the lyrics are “I kill you.” Aww, Hwanhee, you’re trying to be funny. Bless!! 

There’s a brief intermission in which we see who is on which team, and then we’re back to the teams. 

Part Selection 

As usual, the different parts (main vocal, sub vocal, etc) are dramatically imbalanced, with the “killing part” getting 44 second of center time.  I’d make some sort of comment about MNET but I think we all already know. 

On the G-side, all of them want the killing part, of course, but the team unanimously chooses Keita, and I think that’s probably wise. Then we have one of those sympathetic MNET edits where we watch Matthew try for each part and keep losing out. But I mean, Zhang Hao sounded perfect in his “audition” for main vocal, and Wang Zi Hao brings more color and personality to subvocal 1. 

On the K-side, General Gunwook has A Plan.

Gunwook has planned for Hwanhee to be the main vocal -- of course -- and for Keon Hee to be the rapper, with the other two teammates being the other vocals. All comes to pass as Gunwook has ordained. Han Yu Seop is a little sad that he couldn’t be main vocal, but I’ll put in that I didn’t think he did the most spectacular job with the main vocal part in GBTB, and Hwanhee is an actual main vocal in a real (nugu) group. So I think it was the right call. 

A staff member asks Jang Yeo Joon if their team has “two suns,” and Yeo Joon is like, no, we only have one sun, and it’s Gunwook. 

Since Gunwook planned it all in advance, K-group decides all its parts quickly and is ready to start rehearsing. G-group decides to delegate a bit -- Chen Kuan Jui can learn the choreo while they finish figuring out the parts. 

So he gets comfortable and begins watching the choreo, and somehow, learns it, just by watching it, like some kind of savant, while stretching his legs to a full 180°. Then he’s able to teach the choreo to the rest of his team, so pretty soon G-group catches up to K.  Hwan Hee interviews, “Chen Kuan Jui is an OP [overpowered] character.” Yeah, strong agree on that. 

Gunwook thinks it would be “really fun” to beat G-group, so his team decides to do big strong movements in their choreo. Hwanhee openly admits, “I’m just Gunwook’s puppet.”

The Performance 

Episode 3, 2:04:14

The judges say they’re excited for both teams’ performances. Clearly, G-group is extra excited for them:

The audience is excited, too. 

The teams introduce themselves:

Hwanhee: “I’m the oldest but I act like the youngest.”

Gunwook: “I’m captain Maverick, Top Gun Wook.” He salutes, and his hand is shaking. 

Hong Keon Hee: “완전히, 굳건히, 왕건히, 홍건 히” (wanjeonhi, gudgeonhi, wang-geonhi, hong-keon hi), which is a play on words. It could be translated “completely, firmly, firmly, completely.” But also, the last three syllables are actually his name. Cute! 

Poor Jang Yeo Jun and Han Yu Seop don’t even get to introduce themselves. 

MNET never shows all six members of the G-group standing still together, but I was able to composite in a picture of Min with Microsoft Paint, and it came out pretty seamless, right? 

It’s almost as if Min got to perform on the stage with them! 

Zhang Hao: “My face is the best, my skills are the best, and my charisma is the best, Zhang Hao!”

Keita: “An all-rounder rapper is here, Keita!”

Wang Zi Hao: “I’m the dance Wang Zi Hao.”  (Wang means king) 

Matthew, while his soul leaves his body: “I love you. I want you. I’m Seok Matt-chu.” (Chu is a kiss sound.) 

Chen Kuan Jui and Min don’t get to introduce themselves, but it’s fine because the editors used the time to show us the judges laughing at Matthew’s joke and I guess that’s more important. 

Minhyun asks Zhang Hao about how their rehearsal went, and….

At 2:06:00, we see the groups in rehearsal. The judges ask Hwanhee about how they ended up facing off against this excellent G-group team, and Hwanhee says “I thought someone needed to compete with them,” which is a good answer, even if the judges don’t accept it. Gunwook admits that he “encouraged” Hwanhee, which is one way to describe what happened. 

The judges complement Keita on his excellent choice of team members, and rightfully so. 

The judges ask if anyone was unhappy with the part they got, and either pick up on Matthew’s discomfort, or get a producer message telling them to ask him about it. Matthew just acknowledges that he’s a bit disappointed with his part, but in a polite way. 

They sing the song, and they’re completely perfect. 

The main vocal judge addresses Chen Kuan Jui, saying “You never do it as you practiced. Not even once,” says and I think the translation was off? Like maybe it should have been something more like, “You don’t come across like someone who is just practicing”? But I don’t know. The judge is in fact complimenting him, as he concludes, “I loved your attitude of doing as if you were on stage.” 

Kuan Jui is so happy to be praised, he looks like he might cry. 

Maybe it’s the headband changing the shape of his face, or the emotion showing in his expression, but I feel like this is the best he’s looked all show, or at least, the most appealing. 

Then the teacher tells Matthew not to worry because his part shows off his charms, resolving that storyline. Oh no, there’s no storyline now.  If only some new drama would begin. 

Suddenly, the male judge brings up that he noticed that Min was doing a few lines that weren’t assigned to him. Turns out that Keita, the main rapper, had given Min a few of his lines, because Min’s part as sub-rapper was so small. You guys. Keita = good egg. We see a clip of it, and it’s Jennie’s part that goes, “Feelin' like a sinner, It's so fire with him I go boo, ooh,” and oh no, his pronunciation isn’t that good. To be fair, this is an early rehearsal and he certainly could still have worked on it.

The judges say that he can’t keep those lines -- to make the judging fair, they say. Which makes no sense. The teams are unbalanced in number as it is, 5 to 6. So why are you being precious about the line distribution? But they are, and at least this means that there’s a new drama.

Min is really heartbroken over losing those lines, and can’t stop himself from crying. The other trainees all kindly tell him that “everybody here understands how you feel.”

Zhang Hao and Chen Kuan Jui end up sitting with him for a bit on the couch. Min apologizes for being so greedy. You get the feeling he’s having a lot of trouble communicating in Korean, but he’s Thai, so it’s the closest thing they have to a shared language. 

Zhang Hao says, “We’re all greedy. We all tried to get the killing part.” Min says, in what must have been very broken Korean, “can I try for the killing part again?” I say it must have been very broken because Zhang Hao immediately replies, “You want to try for the killing part again?” which must have been just a confirmation that that is what Min said. Then Min starts to say “And if I don’t get the part this time, I’ll…” and Kuan Jui finishes for him, “I’ll understand.” 

If you just read the subtitles and don’t really think about it, you might think that they were encouraging him to do this, but once you realize they’re literally just trying to communicate, it makes more sense. Because, of course, they are not endorsing this plan, because they can’t change parts at this point -- it would throw the whole performance into chaos. They don’t say that, though -- they just tell him that they can’t do that, gently, and he doesn’t push too hard. And Zhang Hao says, “Even if your part is very short, let’s find the best way to show it.”  Surely, they can do that much, right? (Spoiler: Apparently they can't and they kind of don't.)

I really loved this conversation -- Hao is so empathetic and mature, with the right mix of firmness and gentleness, not giving Min false hope but also making him feel seen and understood. And Kuan Jui  does well, too. It’s just nice to see. 

At their dress rehearsal, the judges talk about how their eyes kept getting drawn to Min’s abs (he is wearing a cropped blazer), and add that Min’s singing part is mostly doubling, but somehow it ends up feeling like he has “so many parts.” Min seems happy hearing that. BTW, Min’s name looks cute in Korean: 민 

And what do you know? They’ve resolved all of this group’s storylines but one: Will they win or lose?

The performance starts, and their vocals are great, their rapping is great, their dancing is great, I mean, they’re great. There’s a part where Wang Zi Hao and Matthew harmonize and it sounds fantastic. They also double their vocals up here and there to give more power to them. I wish Matthew had helped his teammates more with their English pronunciation, since it’s one area that could be improved. Also, poor Min is literally behind someone most of the time. You really can barely see the poor guy. But overall, fantastic, basically no notes. The idea of drawing on their faces with bright red lipstick right at the end, as if they were scratching open their skin -- it sounds kind of dumb but it worked and I think it would have worked even more from a distance. Good job, team G!  

At 2:15:57, we flip over to K-team, and head into flashback mode. K-team is at dance rehearsal with the kindly LipJ and when they dance as a group, she compliments their exaggerated dance style. When it’s Hwanhee’s turn to dance almost by himself, he kind of just gives up, looking embarrassed. When he’s done, LipJ, acting like a human being instead of a literal demon who came to earth to terrorize young dancers, tells him it’s ok, she could tell he was just very nervous. Poor Hwanhee has been yelled at for his dancing a few too many times, and we are seeing the end result of a long line of psycho dance teachers -- a really talented singer and a sweet guy who get so scared when he dances that he basically can’t dance at all. It’s almost as if that’s not the best way to help someone improve. 

At the big group rehearsal where the trainees all gave feedback, Hwanhee is chosen as the trainee who needed the most work. Later on, Hwanhee apologizes to his team and says he’s going to really try his best. Gunwook says he’s going to help him more, and his other teammates encourage him. At dress rehearsal, we find out that he has added a big impressive ad lib at one point, but it just… doesn’t sound fantastic. He says his throat is in bad condition. I don’t know, maybe a lower note that you can really hit?

Anyway, at 2:20:40 they come out and it’s time for the performance to begin. Here's the link to the full cam.

They also look great. Overall, it’s really good, though it can’t beat Keita's team. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t think that Gunwook is that great at rapping, as charismatic and charming as he is. Han Yu Seop sounded really nervous -- in fact, all of them sounded a bit shaky. Hwanhee’s voice is so powerful and his vocal color is so distinct -- I so wish he wasn’t a bit under the weather. His big ad lib was just a bit cringe for me. Oh, my heart breaks. This wasn’t a bad performance -- it just wasn’t excellent the way that G-group’s was. 

The voting totals come in, and...

Main Vocal K Lee Hwanhee  91 G Zhang Hao 197 

Sub Vocal 1 K Han Yoo Seop 5 G Wang Zi Hao  72

Sub Vocal 2 K Jang Yeo Joon 42 G Seok Matthew 121 

Main Rapper K Hong Keon Hee 60 G Keita (also killing part) 151

Sub Rapper 1  K Park Gunwook (also killing part)  158 G Chen Kuan Jui  33

Sub Rapper 2 G only: Min 12

G Group wins, 586 to 356.

I always feel bad for the trainees who get like 5 or 10 votes -- it has to hurt a lot. I couldn’t put myself through something like this.  But G team is so happy to win!

Yay!! They were so good and it’s nice to see G-team pick up a win. 

K-team is consoled by their friends.

In an interview, a staff member asks General Gunwook, “If you could go back in time, would you make the same choices?” And General Gunwook replies, “Yes. Even if I could go back in time, I’d still compete with the Kill This Love G-team." He begins to cry, and I’m reminded that as tall and mature as he looks and seems, he’s just an 18 year old kid. 

“I really… I knew our chance of winning was slim. Let’s meet again as a team. I’ll make sure we win next time. I’m sorry.” Aww, Gunwook. 잘 했어. (You did great.) 

And that brings us to the end of the Kill This Love review. 

Click here to go back to the Master Recap.

Click here to go on to Love Me Right.

[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

[randomobsessionsofa30something]

The dramas I’m currently watching (June 2019)

It’s always the same. As summer approaches korean dramaland gets really busy. Here are my thoughts on the dramas I’m watching these days.

WWW

Only two episodes have aired and I’m already hooked. I have high hopes for this one. Honestly the first part of the first episode felt a bit boring but now I can understand they were taking the time to set up what was coming next. When I read the synopsis I thought the drama would be a rom-com but I can already predict the romance will not be the main focus. Instead the drama seems to be getting a really interesting take on two fictitious search engines in Korea. Im Soo Jung, an executive of a search engine that is going through some scandals, is trying her hardest to keep the company in its first place while being pushed into being an scapegoat. However things will only get more difficult for her. In this scenario, she meets a young CEO of a small tech company and gets involved with him.

Abyss

Park Bo Young just can’t do no wrong in my eyes. So I -of course- checked out her new drama where she plays a prosecutor that is killed and brought back by her long time friend played by Ahn Hyo Seop with an “abyss”. Their appearances are different since the “abyss” resuscitate people with the image of their soul. Thus they get the chance to solve her murder. 

This drama is a fantasy rom-com that I’m really enjoying. The romance is good, the comedy is good and the suspense in their quest to find the killer keeps you engaged. There are some parts with ridiculous scenarios but I didn’t have a problem with it.

Angel’s last mission: Love

This drama is just sweet. It can be funny and I kind of get mad at how naive some of the characters are sometimes but the chemistry between the main characters is worth watching. L (Infinite) plays an angel that makes a mistake and is punished by being sent as a human to make sure a girl (Shin Hye Sung), that has gone through a lot and has a really nasty temper, finds love. However by being with her all the time, he will develop feelings for her even though it  might be fatal for him.

The secret life of my secretary.

I try to avoid dramas that are too clichéd. I like some cliched story lines but when it’s too much I really dislike it. However somehow this drama is one of the exceptions. If I had to sum up the drama so far I would say: girl hates boss, boss gets propagnosia (he can’t recognize faces), girl falls for boss when she starts going out with him pretending she’s someone else. I feel there’s loads of scenarios that I can see coming miles away but somehow I’m still excited to watch each episode. Also I really like the secondary couple.

My absolute boyfriend

I admit it. I’m a bit of a Yeo Jin Goo fangirl. He’s just an actor I really enjoy in dramas. No matter the role he always seems to pull it off. I think I’ve watched all his dramas ever since he played the young crown prince in Moon Embracing the Sun. He’s only 21 but he has a lot of range so when I read he would play a robot I was like: sure why not? I’m picky when it comes to my robot dramas but this one has been fun so far. Girl’s day Minah plays a special effects artist that is going through a break up with a top star when suddenly she gets sent a robot whose only goal is to be the perfect boyfriend. 

Perfume

This drama reminded me at first of a 90s movie called If the Shoe Fits with Rob Lowe. Even though it has some influences Perfume is different. A rude fashion designer with a lot of phobias (played by Shin Sung Rok) gets his world turned upside down when he hires a girl for her fashion show as his last resort and she ends up demanding a job. However she is no ordinary girl (Go Won Hee), she actually is an overweight housewife that is at her lowest because of her divorce. When she’s about to commit suicide she gets a delivery: a perfume that turns her into her younger self. 

I’ve only watched two episodes so far so it’s too early to tell but so far it looks like it’s a light hearted drama to make you laugh.

P.S. I checked out Arthdal Chronicals (starring Song Joong Ki and Kim Ji Won) but saying that it’s not my kind of drama despite of the stellar cast is an understatement. I haven’t checked out One Spring Night with Jung Hae In yet because I’m already watching too many dramas but I hope I can catch up soon because I’ve heard it’s good.