Trouble-chan

Saito Takumi AND Suda Masaki acting TOGETHER? I am so in, I am inside out!

Ji Chang Wook in Healer - it was one of the first mainstream Kdramas I watched and i ADORED it. But you're right about these - at least the Japanese Ink was good; the Taiwanese reboot in 2018 was DIRE. I think my favourite is the Thai version Kiss Me because it was still fairly mental occasionally, but overall was the most believable. The Taiwanese version - It Started with a Kiss and They Kissed Again was good too and the lead couple had major chemistry (even dated for a while in real life) but it was, again, MENTAL. LOL!

@Cursian - point taken and you're absolutely right; but I was trying to put across to Tao Lillian that my criticisms of her country are based my friendship with Chinese LGBT nationals living there and what they tell me they suffer and also seeing their LGBT+ dramas myself with my own two eyes.

My friends have told that since their new dictator, sorry, 'President for Life', brought in the new 'modesty laws', it's got even worse. Also although Taiwan now allows gay marriage (which is BRILLIANT), because it's under Chinese control, many Chinese LGBT+ nationals still do not feel safe there; likewise in Hong Kong.

I completely accept the world overall is not really much safer for the LGBT+community than these countries - but at least there's laws in place in countries like mine that do make those responsible for spreading hate against the LGBT+ community, as well as physical violence, that mean they face jail time.

However, I know there's certain religions in my country (UK) that wholeheartedly despise the LGBT+ community (beliefs brought mostly from the Arabic, southern Asian and Turkish countries) and certainly groups of the Labour political party who not only loathe Jews, but also the LGBT+ community and women.....but China is very scary and Russia too as I recently spoke to a young gay guy who came to the UK after getting out of a re-education camp for LGBT in the Ukraine - what he suffered was simple torture.....however, nowhere is as bad as Brunei right now. THAT has to be THE worst of all.....

Still, all I can do is speak out against the bigotry, discrimination and hate and do what I can to hopefully, make this world safer for those who love and live just the same as me, just a little off centre......personally I prefer people who are off centre......they are much kinder, accepting and caring. But that's why I said what I did to Tao Lillian.

Oh Lord that would be great if he is- I am so done with seeing him be the bad guy. He was lovely in Trot Lovers and I don't get why we don't see that sweet side of him more often. :)

I really hope that Shin Sung Rok is NOT yet another bad guy in this......I really wish he could be the good guy for once..... (T~T)

Demon Girl is really sad at the end so go in armed with tissues.....It was really good though and so was Skip Beat.

Thank you so, SO much! :)

Redemption arc's are my favourite - especially when the redemption actually happens. So much better than the jerk gets the girl but stays a jerk tropes (I'm looking at you, Boys over Flowers).

I really hope he gets a main lead character now he's finished his mandatory military service; he really deserves it because he's such a good actor. That's been shown with how much we all root for him even he's the bad guy....yet he plays every role with that spark of humanity intact and it always drags us onto his side no matter how dark he is. :)

THANK YOU for this - he deserves so much more attention because he's an excellent actor. 'Scholar who walks the Night' was only worth watching because of him as Gwi (and he had me rooting for his redemption so much).

I have to say though, and this is going to sound stupid because it was a romcom, but he broke my heart as Yoo Jin Woo in 'High School King of Savvy'. I know his character was mean to Jung Soo Young, but oh my God of Chocolate the scene when he realised what he'd actually lost, how she could've been his and been someone who loved him unquestioningly and unwaveringly, and how bad he felt about it......especially when you find out WHY he is that way, oh it broke my heart and I cried so much for him.

I know the ending part with him and Jung Soo Young's little sister was supposed to hint he'd found his own happy ending, but I didn't get that from it and his loneliness as he left the wedding was still enough to sting. I loved his part in this - as well as the whole drama, because I am a walking cliche anyway - so much that I actually bought the dvd (eng subbed)!

Now he's finished his MS I really hope he gets some good roles. I know other actors coming back are struggling but hopefully he won't be one of them. :)

I see Ji Sung I click - that simple. This has NOT disappointed either...

I love that though - I've researched Korean history, food (including recipes and they didn't turn out too bad), Korean folk tales (ghosts, monsters, etc) and even trot music! XD

I would've agreed up until episode 4 - what Kai did was so wrong, on so many levels.

Up to episode 4 so far and I want to find a shovel to BURY Kai........(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

Zai Mail - I think Shin Sung Rok took a lot of people over to Perfume with him after seeing his portrayal as Lee Hyuk in The Last Empress. I've loved him as an actor since seeing him in Trot Lovers; it's just a shame he so often plays the villain or weak anti hero these days.

I agree with you about Perfume -but I'm hoping we're wrong because of his previous roles where he never gets the girl and/or dies. Even in Trot Lovers he didn't get the girl.

Yes, I did like that about the Empress- it was her real belief in Lee Hyuk and her genuine love for him (despite him being nasty to her in the beginning because of his evil mother and greedy mistress) and his little girl that made him want to be, and try to be, a better man. In a way I think the good guy was as flawed (but in a different way) as the Emperor was. The one I truly loathed was Lee Hyuk's DNA donor and living incubator (there is no way you could call that evil hag a mother).

You know what? You've made me want to watch it again! I don't remember the guy who looked like the Emperor at the end and that would be so wonderful for her, because he said to her that if they'd been ordinary people and met it would've been nice and I think they would've been so happy too...... So I'm going to do so whilst I do my mending! THANKS! :)

Jeana -- I didn't take it as a tragedy - but it certainly wasn't the Happy Ever After (HEA, Disney TM) that most sort of expected, given how the Emperor was being nicer and better. But I do believe it led to redemption for one and downfall for the main instigator who was the true evil.
Just - for me, at least - the wrong one died. Again, I've ticked the spoiler box for safety. :)

Please do give it a watch - I'd love to know what you thought of it. :)

I watched all these dramas and agree with you on them all. I remember watching Cruel City just after Falling in Innocence and Doctor's Son was such an about face for Jung Kyung Ho. I know they weren't made even remotely back to back, but it showed his acting chops and I loved Doctor's Son SO much. After that I stalked every drama of his I could find and he NEVER disappointed.

Another weak bad guy/anti hero I'd like to add is my own - Shin Sung Rok playing Lee Hyuk in The Last Empress. Yes he was incredibly weak and all but browbeaten and ruled by his vile mother......but deep down you could see (towards to the end of the drama) there was so much potentional for redemption. They could've all been happy.....HE could've been a better man, he WANTED to be.....I cried for him I don't mind admitting (much as I did for Doctor's Son - though I do think that final scene of Cruel City was him!) I think Lee Hyuk wanted to be so much more than he was.

But I think that's the common theme with ALL these dramas. The 'bad guys' are not really completely evil (I don't believe anyone really is - saints can have moments of depravity and Serial Killers can have moments of compassion), in most cases they have reasons for being the way they are......BUT when someone comes who shows them even a little acceptance and/or love then it changes them.

A line from Falling In Innocence that Jung Kyung Ho said to the other Male Lead character. I might be paraphrasing so forgive me - "she saved me; but she condemned you." He's right and this is the thing with most dramas that have that anti hero lead - they HAVE to have someone think better of them, at least someone who shows them a scrap of kindness, to make them want to be different. BUT that lack of love, or kindness or caring beyond friendship can make a gentle second lead into a demon.

So I think, personally, that kindness and/or love was what really led these dark leads become the anti heroes of their dramas. Including Lee Hyuk in The Last Empress. :)

Thank you for such a thought provoking article. It was an excellent read. I'm ticking the spoiler box, just in case. :D

Trust me.....you don't want to know......

I........have no words for that revelation...... (ლ‸－)(－‸ლ)

Q1- Have you watched BOF?
Yup, numerous times.
Q2- If YES when have you watched it? If NO, do you plan to and why?
Most recently was late last year (2018) around Christmas time..
Q3- How many times have you watched BOF? Holy God of Chocolate - quite a few....ummm.....I think about 8 times? Possibly 9? No....8, I'm sure it was 8.
Q4- Did you watch any other versions?
Yes, ALL of them.
Q5- If YES, which ones? If NO, do you plan to and why?
ALL of them - no, I'm not kidding. I'm the same kind of OCD with Itazura na Kiss. Release another version/reboot and I'm there. I mean I even sat through Miss in Kiss.
Q6- Who is your favourite BOF character and why?
Yoon Ji Hu. He was the Second Lead and this is where my recurring bouts of SLS really became obvious. Plus he was so much better, nicer and more caring than the moron Gu Jun Pyo
Q7- What is your favourite BOF song?
Stand By Me - SHINee (I really loved this song the first time I watched BoF).
Q8- Have you watched any of Lee Min Ho's 2010 onwards work?
A few.
Q9- If YES which ones and why? If NO do you plan to and why?
City Hunter (didn't like it); Faith (okay); The Heirs (not terrible, but didn't like his character in that either); Legend of the Blue Sea (not bad; liked it - Script was a bit dire though). Only watched all these the once.
Q-10Have you watched any of Ku Hye Sun's 2010 onwards work?
Only 1.
Q11- If YES which ones and why? If NO do you plan to and why?
Just watched Blood. (Liked it overall, but didn't like her character). Only watched the once.
Q12- Have you watched any of Kim Hyun Joong's 2010 onwards work?
Yup - three of them.
Q13- If YES which ones and why? If NO do you plan to and why?
Playful Kiss (cast was really good; the script was really bad); Inspiring Generation (as for Playful Kiss); When Time Stopped (loved the cast and the script). I've re-watched all these a few times - especially Playful Kiss.
Q14- Have you watched any of Kim Bum's 2010 onwards work?
Yup, 2.
Q15- If YES which ones and why? If NO do you plan to and why?
That Winter the Wind Blows and Padam Padam (both made me cry - cast and script in both were wonderful). I've re-watched both of these a few times too.
Q16- Have you watched any of Kim Joon's 2010 onwards work?
Yes, but only 2.
Q17- If YES which ones and why? If NO do you plan to and why?
Endless Love and Lupin III (both were awful scripts, but had good casts). Not watched more than the one time though.
Q18 - Which member of the F4 would you like to pick you up at Tiffany's?
Yoon Ji Hu or So Yi Jung - both were the nicest guys of F4.

I LOVED this - really nice and unusual way to get us to interact with the article. WELL DONE!

I'll keep an eye for that one too....