PrettyCarEye

ooOOO, and I forgot to mention I AM VERY TEMPTED TO WATCH MASTER'S SUN BECAUSE OF Seo In Guk!!!

Omo, that kid ... omo, omo, omo! Pedonoona about to make an appearance! :)

And I mean every word! I love all my dongsængs here on MDL, you're all AWESOME & such a pleasure to talk to! :)

Oh sorry, dear, my bad! I read wrong in reference to your comments about Master's Sun. Actually I don't know if I like the lead girl either ... ::duck!:: :)
I mean I think she's cute & all, but perhaps a bit too cute. And childlike. She's a grown ass woman so she needs to grow up & start acting like one in the roles she chooses. She kinda got on my nerves with all the stupid holding out in TGL.

The Hongs, indeed they're horrible. They're good with humour, but that's about it. There storylines are annoying & filled with plot holes and their female leads are problematic. Not my kind of women at all. Jury's still out on whether I decide to watch My GF is Gumiho though.

As for what I'm watching ... Smile, You. Liking it, but I'm still not 100% invested. Also trying to decide what my next short drama should be. I'm trying to decide between City Hall, Can You Hear my Heart, Time between Dog & Wolf and Que Sera Sera. Which one, if any, would you choose & why?

3 Iron ... whew, we have a lot to talk about, don't we? lol
I like it!

3 Iron, absolutely amazing! This movie was my introduction to Kim Ki-duk & I'm glad because most of his other films are so dark & bizarre. I mean I like dark & bizarre, don't get me wrong, but I love love stories more & this was just exquisite.

Other Kim Ki-duk films I've seen are Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter ... and Spring (amazing!), Samaritan Girl & Breath. I liked them all though I was a bit confounded by Breath. I think Kim literally lost the plot on that film. Nobody can really put a finger on what he was trying to say, but it's still worth a watch for the cast (Ha Jeong Woo plays a supporting role, love him!) & Kim's unique signature.

I have yet to see some of his more violent, sexually exploitive films. I walked out of Pieta when it screened at Venice, I believe it was, some years ago. It wasn't necessarily because the film was bad, I just wasn't in the mood for that type of film at the time. I think that year the festival programme was filled with a lot of weird, torture porn, violent films so I felt a bit spent by the time I got to Pieta. Anyway, all his films are on the list to watch, though I doubt any of them will be able to top 3-iron. What from him have you seen besides 3 Iron?

Overall, I'd say I'm a fan of his work. I like his mode of non verbal communication through his films & in some strange way I seem to understand his worldview, even if I don't always agree with it.

I think it's amazing that your dad's still in the biz! Showbiz is pretty cutthroat, not for the faint of heart! :)

Yeah, I kinda agree with you that stalking people, actors or not, is probably not the best way to go about things. Not my style anyway. And intruding on people's personal time would be very awkward for me too. I remember a few years ago when I lived in LA, had just moved out there & was pretty young & young in my career. I was at a 24 hr diner on Sunset with a couple friends. At the time I didn't know it was a place frequented by stars. I saw the guy who played mr. Eko in the TV series Lost (I don't know if you ever watched it?) He was with some girl & on impulse I went over to him & told him how much I admired his work on Lost, that I'm an aspiring producer (at that time) and I'd love to work with him one day on some or the other exciting project. He was polite enough, but I could tell he was annoyed at being disturbed on his date.

Years later I met him again in London at the Raindance Film Fest. This time he was much more open & communicative. A totally different person altogether. I reminded him of our encounter in LA & he admitted that he really dislikes being approached by fans in such a setting. He said the woman he was with was his sister, not his date, but still that's his personal time & he doesn't want to stop his conversation to chat with fans every 5 mins. At festivals it's okay, it's EXPECTED that you approach bcuz that's what festivals are for. To network, to meet & mingle, to make deals etc. So from that point on I stopped approaching celebrities on the street. Not that it's something I had done many times, mind you. Besides since I attend most of the major festivals anyway meeting celebrities no longer feel like a big deal to me. Many times they're mundanely average & you cant believe THIS is the person you've been fangirling over all your life?!? lol

I respect your friends' experience, but I still feel the Japanese are among the most anti-American in Asia. Japan & America have a long & checkered political history. Though Japan & America are allies, the Japanese in general are known to be intensely nationalistic & have called on government many times to shut down the American military base in Okinawa due to what they claim is an increase in crime, esp sex related offences & America using their soil as a launching pad to bully other nations in & around the region.

The Koreans on the other hand have more goodwill toward Americans because we provide a huge support against the North. South Koreans also look favourably on America bcuz we have what they perceive to be a superior educational system. South Korea is the only country in Asia that allow only nationals from white English speaking nations to teach English in the country & they recruit most heavily from America. Remember also that 40 yrs ago SK was dirt poor & for many of the nation’s poverty stricken nationals America was & still is a symbol of economic prosperity. Even in dramas parents work hard to send their kids abroad to get an American education or people are always planning to move to America. So yeah I can believe they feel a lot of resentment when it comes international relations, but for everything else America is still the cool kid on the block, esp in the eyes of South Koreans. Have a look see at this article: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/10-countries-love-hate-america-most-163930019.html

I've heard the report about PSY but to be honest I don't know what the fuss was all about. He's not the first & he sure won't be the last to write/say/sing something like that.

Well, I don't think anti-American sentiment is exclusive to Korea as you've pointed out. I think a lot of nations around the world admire Americans & American pop culture, but resent American foreign policy.

I live in Norway & people here are very well off. Everyone and his dog aspire to achieve what I call the 'American cool'. The NY/LA lifestyle they see on TV. So to show off on their friends or to flash their wealth people will brag about their recent or pending trip to NYC, but at the same time bash America as a big bully, always butting our nose in other people's business & exploiting other countries (often those who can't adequately defend themselves in return) for our own national gain.

Given that one of my parent is from the Caribbean I don't always mention that I'm American (not out of any fear or anything like that) so unawares people talk a lot of crap about America in front of me. Usually I'm not offended because many things I agree with, but it's sometimes shocking to hear the vitriol people feel toward America because of the choices we make internationally. I've also heard people express similar sentiments regarding 9/11 to the one you've heard. Many people are of the opinion that America got her comeuppance on 9/11. It's not that they agree with the violence, per se, but that they feel Americans shouldn’t be surprised or shocked that it happened given America's propensity to bully & attack other nations without just cause.

A very sensible approach you have to meeting him ... or rather not meeting him.

I for one live too much in my head when it comes to stars I admire. It would be good to break the grip they sometimes have on my mind by 'ruining' the fantasy with a real life encounter. Because think about it ... for sure no human being ever lives up to the high esteem and or standard others place on them.

I have a lot of respect for Byunghoney (I love it! :) for what he's accomplished so it's not just lust or whatever I feel for him! LOL I'd have a lot to say to him!

I don't get starstruck easily anymore. Well, I do if I really really dig the person, but the older I get the picker I become. Many actors I used to squeal(fangirl over in my teens & 20s no longer hold an appeal for me. Also familiarity with the entertainment industry will jade you & make you less hung up on stars. It helps you realize they're just people too, and though they may have more money, power & status than you, they're not by virtue of their material gains better than you in any way.

I'm sure after a couple glasses of champagne (not enough to be drunk, mind you) approaching & talking to Lee would be a piece of cake! haha I did it a couple years ago when I met Robert de Niro at Tribeca and we had a nice 3 min convo about the best way to direct actors (at the time I was an acting student at New York Film Academy). Short & sweet, and de Niro was surprisingly mellow. Not the cranky brute the media had convinced me he was! :)

Oh I will most definitely talk to him ... if I don't faint dead away first! Hehe.

I saw that interview where he encouraged fellow Koreans to learn (proper) English & look beyond Korea for opportunities. I agree with you. He seems very reflected and someone who chooses his words carefully. This doesn't surprise me. He's a Cancerian thru & thru.

I didn't know Koreans had a love/hate relationship with Americans! Really? Why? Actually I had the opposite impression. I've always thought the Koreans were very pro-Americans, unlike the Japanese.

I didn't see the interview where he spoke about his dad. Can you link me? I know his dad has passed away, right? And that he lives with his mom, who he gets along really well with, in Seoul. This is great! I love a man who loves his mom, BUT! What's it with Korean men & their moms? They can't seem to cut the navel string no matter how old they are!:)

OMG, no! I don't remember that scene! Chocolate fudge? What?!? LOL

I have been meaning to rewatch ABL for the longest while! I started it a few months ago & ended up putting it on hold because it didn't feel like the right time to watch it.

But I'm soooo going to watch it again this weekend. Yes, ma'am! :)

Due to my job in the film industry I don't lack opportunity to meet & interact freely with Asian stars. Here in the West since the vast majority of Asians are unknown to western audiences when they attend festivals they're just normal people, not the mega stars they are in Asia. It's very easy to approach & talk to them, if you have the nerve! lol

I never took advantage of this opportunity before. Earlier this year (or was it last year? Can't really remember because I attend so many festivals!) at the Berlinale, 3rd largest film festival in the world after Cannes & Sundance, I discovered that I could have easily met the entire cast & crew of Hyun Bin's movie Come Rain, Come Shine, including Hyun Bin himself. We were all in the same room at some meet&mingle;, but at the time I was pretty new to or had barely set foot in dramaland. I didn't know anything about the movie, hadn't seen it, wasn't interested to see it (reviews were bad) & I didn't know who Hyun Bin was. I just didn't care one way or another so I missed out on a great opportunity to chat up a guy I've since come to like a great deal. If ever I'm lucky enough to run into him again I won't let this happen twice, that's for sure! :)

It's more of a long shot now to meet LBH since he's rubbing shoulders with some really big names in Hollywood. But probably not impossible. I know many people who have met him & they all report he's a very humble, approachable guy, if a bit shy so fingers crossed.

Thx for the encouragement & reassurance re: Thank You. That is good to hear. I will add it to my list. I've been wanting to see more dramas with Jang Hyuk but nothing he's done seemed to interest me besides Thank You & Chuno. I'll look forward to watching it in the very near future, tho I'll probably watch Chuno 1st! :)

Ironically our love affair with the lovely & talented mr. Lee started around the same time. Since the early 2000s I've had him in the periphery of my mind, having seen or heard about this rising Asian star at some film festival or another. The first movie I actually watched from him was A Bittersweet Life, but I didn't have enough interest for Asian culture & cinema yet to really appreciate his talent so this movie kind of went over my head. Then I watched him in the first GI:Joe movie in 2009. Since I was invested in this movie for other actors (for eg Channing Tatum) I was forced to really take a good look at Lee. His role was very small, but just enough for me to notice that he's actually quite a good looking guy.

Bounded by this newfound appreciation of his looks rather than his talent (which admittedly was not very well highlighted in GI:Joe) I watched him in 2010 in I Saw the Devil & THAT was when I really stood up and took notice. Not only was he gorgeous, he was super talented too. From then on I became his biggest fangirl in the west! :) I watched as much of his backlist as I could find. Addicted was a particular favourite & that trademark look of his ... as if he's making love to you with his eyes. Hot damn! Actors with that 'come hither' gleam in their eyes get me everytime! Haha. The latest of this sort is Lee Seo-jin (guy in the first pic on my profile). Oh, lordy! LOL

Anyway, now our beloved mr. Lee (Byung-hun, that is) is all grown up & moving on to the next phase of his life. Married life, no doubt a couple of bambinos in the coming years. I hope he's happy. I'll certainly love him forever, I'm sure. And although he's probably become too famous now for me to just chat him up at some festival I'm determined to meet him one day! :)

I get what you mean. He's not a flower BOY. And thank god for that. I don't really care for the flower boy types, esp those of the Jang Geun Suk persuasion. Ugh!

I know many (most?) Asian men embrace the metrosexual look. It’s not my favourite, but I don't mind it if they don't go overboard. I've seen LBH in some weird costumes, but thankfully this isn't very often. Mostly he seems to dress his age & is still able to appear manly, though well groomed. I’m pretty sure, tho, that he's gotten some work done. Maybe a facelift or a chemical peel & botox. His skin looks very taut to me & a bit too well-scrubbed. Have you noticed? :)

Anyway, I'm still not sure I agree that drama viewers reject him bcuz of his looks. Everyone I've spoken to (which is admittedly a very small sample of the drama watching populace) seem to agree that he's quite a catch. But he's a mature guy in his 40s whilst dramaland, not just here on MDL but also on other sites like dramabeans, dramafever etc, seem to be populated with 15-25 somethings. Even if/when he was in his 30s he'd still be looked upon as an ahjussi. Plus, he isn't that well known as a drama actor. He's more of an action star in the movie world & a lot of drama folks aren't that big into movies. Then there's the unfortunate truth I mentioned previously ... that most of his more recent dramas (Iris, All In) end on a tragic & or unsatisfying note, something western viewers usually want to stay clear of. Kim Nam Gil & LBH have this attitude about playing only tragic characters who either end up dead or broken (never gets the girl, sick etc). It pisses people off & make them scared to watch their shows.

So I think these factors play a bigger role in the fact that he's underrated more so than a lack of appreciation for his looks.

I'll have to take your word for it as I'll never find out for myself! .)

And you're right, grossly overrated. Only decent role I've seen this woman in is Closer to Heaven. Everything else she did, for me, was just hammy. She has the most bizarre facial expressions. She and Kim Na Heul are in the same both from where I sit. I'll never willingly watch them in anything. Unluckily for me both are extremely popular in the SK film industry & they often tend to play alongside male leads that I like ... which kinda forces me to drink their swill whether I want to or not.

I'm not surprised to hear the movie & drama are completely different. They gotta find or make up enough story to fill 24 eps whilst the movie has to be as short and concise as possible. Anyway, I at least hope it ends in a way that's satisfying for you!

What are you planning to watch next? I'm trying to decide between these dramas: City Hall, Can You Hear my Heart, Time between Dog & Wolf and Que Sera Sera. Which one, if any, would you choose & why?

No. But we'll see when it comes out.

It was great. Liked it.

I'm not surprised. Ha Ji Won is a very annoying actress. I personally would never spend 24hrs with her in a drama willingly. Pity you didn't just watch Hwang Jin Yi the movie. I saw it and it was pretty good. Lead actress Song Hye Gyo is also far more pleasant to spend time with, imo, though I wouldn't call myself her biggest fan.

Yes, Cruel City.
I had a lot of issues with this drama, but it's still worth the watch. The characters are great, it's action packed & will keep you suspended on the edge of your seat. I'd recommend it over Shark. Granted I haven't seen Shark myself, but people who have seen both told me CC is better. My impression is that they're right if the buzz and reviews around the drama are anything to go by.
By the way I don't like gender benders either. That's the reason why I haven't watched SS. I did enjoy Coffee Prince though. Seen that? May I also recommend you Lovers? I think this is a lovely drama with a passionate, mature romance. I really liked it.

Aniyo! How could I forget my lovely, bromance loving Aghassi?! I'm just busy & on any given day I have tons of people to respond to! I try to answer everyone while I'm working ... which makes it a damn good thing I work for myself because I sure would've gotten fired for the amount of time I spend on MDL! :)

I have no idea who LJS is, don't shoot me. I'm sure I'll meet him eventually.

Master's Sun, huh? Just about the only airing drama I'm planning to avoid just because its written by the horrible Hongs! lol

If you're loving it so much why are you stuck on ep 2? Isn't there about 6 eps out already? :)

LOL, ok xoxo