My Girlfriend is a Gumiho

Wow, it's been a while.  I started things, and never finished them.  But this show is something that I couldn't stop watching.  Now that I have finished it, its very existence in this blog is going to shake everything up.  Because I really, really, really love this show!

I held off watching this one for several reasons.  1) I really didn't want to watch an ongoing tv show again.  It kills me to have to wait a week for the next episode and then its usually only on viikii which I believe I have stated my opinion about.  So I waited for it to be complete.  2) Lee Seung Ki, although extremely adorable, was not much of a draw to me.  I'd seen him in Shining Inheritance, and just wasn't impressed enough.  I still need to watch the last episode of that show.  For the record, my opinion has drastically changed.  2.5) There wasn't any other actors that I knew and loved to draw me in.

And to tell the truth, I'm glad I waited.  I had all the episodes, so I was able to stand the beginning where Dae Woong is such a doofus.  He really irritated me, which is great because that was his character's job, and I might have given up in frustration at him if I had to wait all those weeks.

So why do I like it?  The fantasy element that creates so many crazy and wonderful possibilities.  The silliness that kept the comedy true.  The character development that shows a couple really growing and changing for the better.  The emotion that almost had me in tears near the end.  The eye candy.  OMG.  As if Lee Seung Ki wasn't enough, No Min Woo is freaking beautiful!  And his role just really turned him into a delectable, sexy villian!  I almost wanted him to win, several times.

And yes, it was a typical drama.  I've seen so many that the sterotypes are beginning to bug me, but for some reason they didn't in this one.  I knew it was coming, but I didn't mind it when it did.  Maybe it was a strange enough story.  Maybe I just loved and trusted the characters enough.

The few things I wasn't in love with?  The Aunt and Director.  SO CHEESY!  But it was obviously supposed to be.  And Park Soo Jin's character was annoying as her role dictated, but nothing terribly special.  Not really complaining though.  The show is still amazing.

The ending was great.  Although it strings a poor heart along, the ending is beautifully tied up.  And happy!

Notice how this review was more of an opinion then a summary?  I wonder why I do that.

So obviously 10/10!  I'm telling you, every other show I have seen needs to be re-evaluated to this one.  It just made me so happy.

Jotei

Jotei means Empress.  This show is about a girl named Tachibana Ayaka who suffers tragedy in her life and rises above it to become something greater.  Basically, she joins the world of Hostess Clubs to follow her dreams of greatness and revenge.  Matsuda Shota plays a young man named Date Naoto who befriends her and follows her along her path.
This show is Drama!  Pure pure drama.  And boy the story swept me along.  It was powerful and full of triumph and defeat.  I really enjoyed watching it.  Really can't say much more, because I'm left with that 'wow' feeling.
7/10

Buzzer Beat

Romance, Music, and Sports!  I love, love, loved this show!  I mean, it didn't hurt that is had Yamashita Tomohisa in it, but this time I get to see him in a true romantic role.  And Kitagawa Keiko is adorable as Riko!  Which makes a beautiful couple in my book.

The show is about two people trying to follow their dreams, and feeling a little downhearted about their lacking ability.  Riko loves to play the violin, but she just can't seem to find a way to live off her music.  Naoki loves to play basketball, but he's low on confidence and feeling off his game.  These two dreamers find strength and support in each other that quickly grows from friendship to love.  But life and love isn't easy.

There, that's my summary.  Its a great show that stays on track, gives a believable and adorable romance, and best of all, a happy ending!

9/10 and an immediate add to my Amazon wishlist!

4th Period Mystery

For some reason, I suddenly felt the urge to watch some scarier stuff.  I watched Death Bell, which I am not going to blog about because it was rather disturbing despite the laugh I got during the ending credits, and then I decided to watch this.  Looked a little safer.  And yes, this movie is more mystery than horror.

Jeung Hun is the school's pride and joy being that he scored the highest in the nation.  Truth is, he's really just a boy.  He gets in fights and deals with adoring fangirls.  Da Jeong is a quiet, outcast in her class who is a crime fan to the extreme.  When Jeung Hun finds the murdered body of Tae Gyu, a trouble making boy from his class, he realizes that he is the biggest suspect.  However, Da Jeong stumbles on the scene too, and they decide to work together to find out who really did it.  Trouble is, they only have until 4th period is over.

As far as the story goes, its a classic mystery.  Its fun to see Da Jeong whip out her secret stash of detective skills.  It's even more fun to watch Jeung Hun gape at her in awe and quickly budding attraction.  I enjoyed watching this movie a lot!

10/10.  Lame review, but I really did love this movie!

Powerful Opponents

Great show!  This Korean Drama deals with the bodyguards of the Korean President.  Cha Young Jin is a feisty female agent with an ongoing rivalry against cold and arrogant Gwan Nam Pil.  To both of their dissappointment, they are assigned to guard the president's son, Kang Su Ho, together.  Kang Su Ho has no direction in life and suffers from a past he can't remember.  After several attempts to discourage his new bodyguards, particularly Young Jin, he finds that he may have met his match.

Yep, it's romance even though the summary is not really focusing on that.  There is a big, complicated story with secrets and such, but it really does have romance.  Just look at that trio.  Don't you see the love triangle.  And yep, I found myself rooting equally for both.  The side characters are fun, cute, or infuriating but all in all its a fun show to watch.

8/10.  Great watch, but I don't feel the overwhelming need to own it.

Fantasy Couple

This drama is known by two english names.  "Fantasy Couple" and "Couple or Trouble".  Either way, its a Korean Drama version of Overboard.  Jo Anna is tha same stuck up rich girl.  Jang Chul is the Jack of all trades with drool worthy muscles.  The biggest difference is the husband, Billy.  Billy is a coward and his desire to get away from Anna's overbearing personality is what causes him to take his time trying to find her.  Jo Anna has no family, so the rich mother isn't there to pressure him.  And Kang Ja is just a lovable addition for laughs and hi-jinks, plus the three boys (which are his nephews that he cares for, not sons) are so cute!  Love the counting to 100 lesson.
The story repeats a lot of its themes, which gets old, but the length of the show helps everything develop to the point that the last few episodes are absolutely fantastic.  I was frustrated that the romance took so long to burn, but the wait was worth it so I won't complain too much.  And I guess some loose ends weren't tied up very well, but still not a big issue.
Definitely a show worth watching.
6/10

My Lucky Star

I've said it before and I will say it again.  I find a lot of Taiwanese shows to be really silly, or the heroine is annoying.  But this show was absolutely great.  Ah Xing, the heroine, is so lovable and it is so easy to root for her.  and Tian Qi, played by Jimmy Lin, is a very good looking guy!  This show was fun and dramatic with a good balance between the two.
As for the side characters, Arrow Ou does a really good job at being despicable but sticking to her character.  Han Zhi was a little short changed.  I felt his character changed too quickly and without much development, but he is awfully sexy and makes a good addition to the story.  The uncle is a necessary evil, giving advice and causing trouble for the couple.  Ni ni is a cutie, even with the little you see of her.
The story is cute and involves a lot of handcuffs.  Unlike some dramas, I had fun telling it to other people.  The turn about in the middle was a great way to refresh everything and kept me watching.
I am definitely putting this one in my top list!
9/10