MUSIC REVIEW: exist†trace - TWIN GATE

Founded: 2003

Members:
-Vocals: ジョウ (Jyou)
-Guitar: 乙魅 (Omi)
-Guitar: ミコ (miko)
-Bass: 猶人 (Naoto)
-Drums: マリ (mally)

DRAMA REVIEW: My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox (2010) - Korea

It was epic.
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

That's all you need to know. Watch it.

Linwe's Rating: 10/10

(okay I'll be good and write a proper review later, but really, it'll be on the lines of above)

DRAMA REVIEW: Brother Beat (2005) - Japan

OK so i'm shallow and started watching this because of two bishies. So sue me.

This drama is essentially a family, comedic drama centred around a widow Haru and her three sons: Tatsuya, Kiku and Junpei and the trials and tribulations each go through as they grow, mature, find love and purpose to their lives. Tatsuya (Tamayama Tetsuji) and Kiku (Hayami Mokomichi) are the resident bishies. And might I say Moko-chan is mighty good looking in this . Ok nuff said. Back to serious review...ahem. Now I love Japanese family-orientated dramas as there's always that sense of respect and camaderie in each family. For example, I adore the Japanese greeting custom of 'ittekimasu', 'tadaima' and 'Okaeri'. That simple acknowledgment of when a person comes or leaves the house makes a person feel valued in the household.

This family is no different and is very close (despite the constant tantrums, brother-bashing and ninja slapping that goes on). This drama works best when they're focusing on problems each son is facing - the serious, workaholic eldest son still pining for his ex, the wild and immature middle child (with obvious middle child syndrome) and the kind youngest son that keeps getting taken advantage of. Their mother, Haru is hilarious and a complete loose cannon and she is the centre-piece of this drama. Her response to an obstinate potential in-law later on in the show is priceless!

However, the drama's pacing begins to unravel mid way through when the central romance plot-line begins to take over and bored me to tears. The main love interest Chisato fell in love with Tatsuya at first sight and pines for him ever since. The girl is personality devoid, doormat and it makes me ANGRY! Personally, i thought the ex was spunky and way better than Chisato - sure she was fickle but that can be forgiven hehe. I'm soo used to the atomic level chemistry that Korean drama couples have that watching a couple with ZERO chemistry was Painful. Painful. Painful.

I never thought I'd say a drama would be better off without the main romance. oh lulz.

Overall, the drama is worth watching for Haru, a few moments of comedy gold and for the family dynamics which is fun to watch. The love storyline is what pulled this drama down for me and if you use your fast-forward button wisely and liberally, you'll enjoy this drama very much.

Linwe's Rating: 6.5/10

DRAMA REVIEW: Coffee House (2010) - Korea

When Coffee House began its broadcast in Korea, it started with a unique premise – two actresses would play opposite Kang Ji-hwan... but just who was the actual female lead was never announced. As you all know, the lead actor/actress announcements are a pretty big deal as Korean dramas usually work on a 2F+2M system. Secondary actors are doomed to become annoying third wheels, vicious mega-bitches, emo princes, forgotten oppas and the like. So to not know the outcome before the beginning? I like the sound of this!

Seo Eun Young (Park Shi Yeon) is a smart and savvy president of a publishing house and book café whose star writer of thriller novels is eccentric Lee Jin Soo (Kang Ji Hwan) When Lee Jin Soo suddently meets ordinary Kang Seung Yeon (Ham Eun Jung) seeking shelter from the rain in her family’s ordinary café, somehow she knows her ordinary life is going to become a lot less ordinary and a lot more difficult being hired as his secretary...she just has no idea how much. She has absolutely no skills as a PA so she goes about making undrinkable coffee, shaving pencils while also becoming his dogsbody for his chores, research and personal amusement - so the first few episodes are hilarious! Throughout the series these two continue to build a bond as her straightforward nature and impertinence infiltrates other parts of his life and she gets to know him soo well that his eccentricities cease to phase her.

Always a part of his life, old friend and boss Eun Young and Jin Soo share fantastic chemistry and underlying sexual tension in their banter and bickering. She’s intelligent, doesn’t take his bullshit and is utterly charming. From the second half onwards the focus is on the relationship between Eun Young and Jin Soo and their complicated past, as well as dealing with annoying git of an on/off fiancé who reminds me of a bulldog. Ugly man get off my screen.

Jin Soo’s chronic Situation-Denial Syndrome causes soo many misunderstandings, jerking of emotions, frustration and regret that towards the end while you don’t lose empathy for him (for the sake of the woman that loves him) but you feel that the shit she’s dealing with is his fault as his actions got them there in the first place. I also didn’t feel enough personal growth in his character through the series - he never really paid the price yet got the girl. Watching this drama you'll find yourself swinging like a pendulum shipping between Jin Soo/ Seung Yeon and Jin Soo/Eun Young. Towards the end you do know who’s going to get her man (but a little part of me hoped the drama would throw a curve ball) and to the one who missed out, the final realisation scene was done soo well that naturally I bawled. I am such a sop. I just loved her too!

The main actors all played their roles well but Park Shi Yeon was the standout here. I never really liked her before this drama as in the past she’s probably more famous for her plastic surgery and relationships making the gossip rounds than her acting but she’s soo natural and vivacious in this drama not to mention her clothes were gorgeous. Spunky girl characters I like!

Coffee House is slick and stylish like a rom-com movie…albeit only one that goes for 18 (enjoyable) hours. Its tone is light and fun without being slapstick or sitcomy and the novelty of finding out the ‘true partner’ makes it engaging to watch. The story itself doesn’t have much re-watching appeal to me but besides bawling my eyeballs out in the final episode (there's my curveball), there’s a lot of laughs to be had in this drama so check it out.

Linwe's Rating: 8/10

ANIME REVIEW: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009/2010) - Japan

A long time ago two brothers embarked on a journey in search of what they had once lost. The elder was called Edward Elrik, the younger Alphonso Elrik. They fought, the cried, they gained and they lost. Made friends, made enemies,shaped a whole country, and maybe even the world.

DRAMA REVIEW: Shining Inheritance/Brilliant Legacy (2009) - Korea

I came across this drama quite by accident as I didn't know any of the actors or actresses but I knew that it was a ratings juggernaut in Korea during its run. Despite my requirement of male eye-candy in a drama, I actually find that the drama deal-maker or breaker is the likability of the female lead. If she happens to be an annoying git like Geum Jan Di from Boys over Flowers... no amount of bishies will make that drama watchable for me (and in that drama the F4 was to die for). In Shining Inheritance, Han Hyo Joo's portrayal of Go Eun Sung was soo likeable I was invested in the story straightaway despite the typical Korean drama Cinderella storyline.

The story starts with her coming back from the United States to her upper middle class family in Korea where she lives with her father, mentally disabled younger brother, stepmother *cue omnious music* and step-sister. Due to circumstances the father dies and the whole family is torn apart with her stepmother taking her father's fortune and kicking her brother and her to the curb. She magically becomes really resourceful for a rich girl and takes care of her brother in their reduced cirumstances. Enter the rich, arrogant love interest Sun Woo Hwan (Lee Seung Gi) and boy is he a royal ass! Most snappy, gruff chaebol-heir leads are usually rich but are at least competent in their jobs but here his Highness is a spoilt, lazy, disrespectful playboy. No wonder the drama is 28 episodes - it's going to take a whole lot of episodes to convince us that the pole wedged firmly up his ass is removable.

As the story is about family inheritances, fed up kick-ass grandma cuts off Sun Woo Hwan's inheritance and makes him work for his allowance at their family chain of restaurants where Eun Sung now works. Later on, kick-ass grandma makes Eun Sung the sole heir of the business which will leave him and his family penniless and unable to support their extravagant lifestyles. So naturally they hate each other's guts but Eun Sung's plucky, good nature is contagious and soon the suave playboy is just another gawky guy who's a little henpecked by all the women in his life. To make things complicated, it also just so happens that he is also the same guy that Eun Sung's step-sister Yoo Seung Mi has loved like since...birth. She's sticks to him like unwanted gum on his shoe. Second male lead Park Joon Sae plays the caring 'oppa' to Eun Sung and many will weep when him and his beautiful face is heartbroken but he's too bland and just 'nice' to be really in contention (no denying his hotness though). He really should get the memo that Korean women only like reformed jerks.

The story establishes the characters well and the drama's length allows all characters to get sufficient time to grow, mature and in other cases, plenty of screentime for devious stepmother to plot evil deeds. It's a light melodrama after all and stepmother stereotypes exist for a reason. While the drama isn't rapturously romantic, the hero does redeem himself and their love builds slowly and realistically with many cute scenes. Ultimately, the ending is satisfying with all ends tied up nicely. All in all Shining Inheritance is a drama deserving of its hype.

Linwe's Rating: 9/10

About

Taury: addicted to coffee, bishies, books, good music, shinsen-radio community, thunder storms, sun, cakes, anime, money; tries to find her way in life, writes when she can, reads when she can, watches shows when she can, finished her master degree and wants to take over the world one day

<3

Linwe: As the resident Drama Queen I see it as my duty to share with the world about all the latest sleep-stealing, social-life consuming, dream invading asian dramas and beautiful beautiful bishies I go completely crazy for (an unfortunate side-effect of my drama addiction). Expect copious amounts of squeeing, ranting and drooling. Outside of asian entertainment, I'm an avid reader of historical and fantasy novels, indie music and all things graphic design.

Guss: Music addict and king of useless wisdom. Though I struggled to get through school, I can tell you that all polar bears are left-handed and that cows do moo in various dialects. \o.O/ But my one true love is music. All kinds of it. I have a collection of over 11k now songs and have to store my cds throughout my place cause they don't fit in one (or two) racks by now. But somehow, I like the indie stuff more than that mainstream crap. Weird. Outside my two addictions I have a third one: football. Yes, football. Not handegg. But I don't go outside too often atm. No time and every time I'm in the outside world, life itself tries to ruin my life. ;; Some may not believe that I was actually born as a happy kid but steadily transformed into a real pessimist. (But I prefer it to be called "realist", cause I have my reasons...) That's all for now o/

Same place - other title

So Taury on Anime is now called: Beyond the radio - where the cookiemonsters live.

Why?

Our secret!

<3