amrita828

Such a sweetie! This young man has the ability to make me smile every time he's on screen. I truly like him. :D
Happy birthday!

So, I've written a novel. lol
It's now your turn to forgive me, since after all I fear I haven't said what I wanted, or all of it. To the next chapter, I suppose. ;);)

And yet, the Japanese style of telling story speaks a more similar language to my ear than the Korean one. While I am passionately in love with some Korean shows, I relate better to the Japanese ones. It seems to me Japan deals less with money than Korea does. If I think about it, almost all Korean dramas I've watched had to do with money and power: lack of it, abundance of it, difference between economical classes. In their anxiety to tell the viewer money isn't everything, they end up making it into everything. And women are the best example of this, since every time we have a rich woman, or one with a career, she's invariably a bitch. It seems to send a subtle and quite disturbing message: be a sweet mother and housewife and the sun will shine on you.

I have lived in South East Asia and I know the issue is still at an early stage there, but I have never been to Korea or Japan myself, so I can't guarantee the same things apply. At times it's the religion, at others a simple cultural matter, and it takes different forms which dramas pick up but, I believe, exacerbate - just as they do with almost every issue, romance included.
I am, indeed, in an all Japan phase. I turn to Japan every time I feel like I'm losing zest for asian dramas. For reasons I can't truly pinpoint, the Japanese setting seems to reinstate that old feeling of pure pleasure and wonder I had when I started watching, a good 7 years ago. It's funny, 'cause the women situation in Japan isn't any better than in Korea, for all I know. In the 21st century they are still fighting for the right to keep their job when they marry!

First of all, thank you for the long message: never apologize for those, I love them. :D
I doubt I'll be able to address each issue properly, and knowing myself I'll probably jump from a pole to a frond - forgive the arboreal expression, I know it doesn't exist in English, but I think it describes the process of my mind a little better than a simple jump from one topic to another, lol.

I am in total agreement with everything you wrote. I call myself a feminist because I believe there's still a lot to be done before we can truly talk about equality, even in the west. I feel like equality has been too often mistaken with equivalence and instead of growing towards a new form of human beings, we women have often developed into feminine version of our male counterparts. Instead of becoming even partners with men we turned into rivals, taking on their role AND ours.

Biya, dear!!! Indeed, it's been a century. I think you were rightly busy creating a new life, while I was simply having a slump. But I'm back on track now, although I seem to be suffering from a severe case of re-watching nostalgia. I've been rewatching my favourite j-dramas like a mad woman, lol.

But tell me about you! How are you coping with the doubled babies demands? Do you still find some time to watch dramas? Do you still love Nutella? lol :D

If it's for female eye-candy, then they are all good choices, with the exception of My Girl, which is a sweet drama but involved a super cute kid, I don't think she qualifies... yet. ;) On a more substantial level, I believe I'd recommend slightly different dramas:
- Bara No Nai Hanaya and Love Shuffle from your list are fine
- Orange Days
- Tatta Hitotsu No Koi
- Pride
- Nagareboshi
- Nobuta wo Produce (I know, perhaps you think it's just another school drama, but it's not. I actually believe it's genius)
- Strawberry Night
- Long Love Letter is indeed a favourite of mine, but I would not recommend it as a "starter". If ever you get to watch many j-shows I think you'll understand why. :)

LOL, I don't think it really suits me. I'd rather wait you start watching more Japanese things and write another joint article with your sister. :D

How shall we call you, by the way? The Purplewill Sisters? ;)

Since you asked to share our taste, here I go. :)
I love Ha Ji Won, she's a terrific actress, but if I had to chose female eye-candies I'd jump to Japan. I know Koreans are universally acknowledged as prettier than their neighbours, but I find the Japanese delicacy more appealing. I'm thinking of my most beloved Takeuchi Yuko, of Nakama Yukie, of Aragaki Yui, of Ayase Haruka, of Esumi Makiko and many others.

Pretty, I'm sorry I have to quote you: "This is an overall issue I see in many Korean productions when they try to portray ‘strong’ women. There can’t seem to be a healthy balance. Either men write women as over sweet doormats or women write women as raging bitches. Grrrr."

I sooo love you!!! I've been trying to have this message come across so many times and never got the right words. Loved your review as a whole, but this sentence made my day (well, my night). ;)
From the point of view of the feminist I am, Korean female heroines are often a big disappointment, all the more so when the production expects me to love them, or excuse them. (I'm thinking of Innocent Man, TWTTLI which I never completed, Bad Guy and even That Winter The wind blows, among others).
Why do you think they do this?

Thank you for being so patient with me, my friend. Of course you're excused if you finish the drama before I even start it, lol. Our timing isn't perfect, but I'm confident it will be, sooner or later.;)
Meanwhile I hug you back very tightly. :D

Akai, dearest. please forgive me, I am such a lousy co-watcher! This week is proving a lot busier than I had expected it to be and I didn't get a chance to watch even the 1 ep. of Ryusei. Gomenne!!!
I don't even know when I'll be able to start, as my translation deadline is approaching too. :(

Akai, I was beginning to worry as to why you hadn't published a stalker guide yet: I think Won Bin was a glaring absence. :D
Great article in both filling in the void and providing us with interesting info about him and your obsession, hehe.

By the by: where did you find Friends 2002? I have been trying to watch this for a very long time and never found it online. :(

Don't worry. Stop. Leave your life. Stop. Even crazily. Stop.
Hugs. ;)

Takeshi could just wear a sack, declare the capitals of the world and sit still and he'd be yummy anyway. LOL
Now and then, it's all I ask a drama. But the whole melodramatic feel of that kamisama drama does not appeal to me, right now.

As for sharing, I have been a non watcher for a long time, but in the meanwhile I've managed to create two addicted monsters : my mum and my best friend Monique. The first is now nursing a senile crush on Kame-kun, and the second had the courage to watch Secret Garden 4 times in a row. LMAO
I feel deliciously wicked. ;)

Okatta! :D
To be honest, I'm more enthusiastic of the idea of watching together than watching, lol.
So how was that Kamisama of yours? Crazy kisser aside... ;)

Hmm... lol, I love your use of the plural, it makes me feel less guilry if I fall a little behind with our schedule. I think I may try to watch the first episode tonight, what about you? :D

Love you too, by the way! ?

LOL LOL LOL, poor you!
How dare that woman kiss around so randomly? :P But don't worry, my friend, your fav males did NOT enjoy it! Won Bin least of all! ;);)

With pleasure! :D
Unfortunately though, I can't start before Tuesday and I may be a little slow, but it would be lovely, so we could discuss.

Forgive me, Akai, I'm answering 2 hours later... :P
I have been wishing to watch this drama for a while:
http://mydramalist.com/japanese-drama/102/ryusei-no-kizuna
It has a beloved one of yours in it, and I'm intrigued by the plot.
What do you think?