gravity...

'Heading to the Ground' TWO THUMBS UP FOR ME

2009-10-25T14:01:00.012+08:00

at, first i thought this series (Heading to the Ground) was another boring korean series, composed of good looking artists/actors...

but hell no..., i was completely wrong....

SM ENT. really made a good choice on accepting this project for their artists (JUNG YUN-HO & GO A-RA)...

also, this series got me inspire on pursuing my ambition/dream no matter what it takes....

ok, for d luv story... it's more like a teenage luv story--very simple & innocent...

and for the actors, jung yun-ho & go a-ra was a great pair... they look so good together on-screen... they really have this 'love-couple' chemistry...
and like what other korean viewers say, "this couple (yun-ho & a-ra) looks as if they popped out of a cartoon, definitely the best looking couple out of all the dramas!" and i agree with that, d best looking couple of 2009 hehe...

in acting, i can say jung yun-ho's (a member of popular korean boy band 'tvxq') acting was really good for his debut

for go a-ra, i think she's a better actress than lee yeon-hee (her sm ent. family as well)

also, d ost for this series was really awesome... haha... i luv everything about this series...

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note: this series received low rating in korea...

i wonder why....

REALLY!!!!

compared to 'BOYS OVER FLOWERS,' this is way more interesting....

maybe, i really have different taste...

FOR ME, this is one of d k-drama dat deserves high rating....

there r lots of scenes here dat r new to me which r not common in korean dramas,

dat's why i was hooked with it... whatever.... i still recommend this k-series to everyone...

its a must watch.... i luv it...

one of my fave asian series after 2007's j-series 'proposal daisakusen'

Sandara Park 'Kiss' Music Video (starring Lee Min-ho)

2009-09-12T05:53:00.003+08:00

this mv just proves sandara park is a real beauty in korea...

'Heading to the Ground' holds first script reading

2009-08-12T10:11:00.009+08:00

With casting complete, production is proceeding for MBC’s soccer drama Heading to the Ground [맨땅에 헤딩], which recently held its first script reading in Ilsan, Kyunggi province.

Among the actors present were the drama’s lead star U-Know Yunho of idol band Dong Bang Shin Ki, who had just arrived from a trip to Japan, as well as Go Ara (Who Are You), Lee Yoon-ji (Pure 19), and Lee Sang-yoon (I Love You, Don’t Cry).

Yunho plays passionate soccer player “Cha Bong-kun,” and reportedly spent over six hours in a phone call with one of the writers to get an in-depth analysis of his character and understanding for his motivations. Meanwhile, Go Ara plays “Kang Hae-bin,” the daughter of the team owner who wants to prove herself and achieve her own success as a sports agent.

Director Park Sung-soo (Ruler of Your Own World) had words of praise for his actors, while writer Kim Sol-ji said that she’s looking forward to seeing the progress unfold.

Heading to the Ground follows horror drama Hon on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and airs its first episode on September 9.

credits:

http://www.dramabeans.com/

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wah can't wait for this drama.... and yeah... JUNG YUN-HO will be playing the MAIN ROLE... YAY!!!

the main leads (Yun-ho & A-ra) were both SM ARTISTS... COINCIDENCE???

i think SM ENT. accepted this offer after seeing the successful debut of 'Kim Hyun-joong' in the K-Series 'Boys Over Flowers,' since dat series (Boys Over Flowers') was originally first offered to TVXQ members but SM Ent. (their management) rejected it coz of d members busy schedule... so are TVXQ members now not THAT BUSY anymore?...

i don't care much really since my favorite TVXQ member, Yun-ho is in this new series...

but SM ENT., r they really sure of this strategy to build & make their ARTIST more popular than they are now, since i heard other TVXQ members, besides Yun-ho, will debut in some series too...

if dat happens, i will not be surprised if BoA will someday act in a K-Series after SM rejected so many dramas/movies offered to her...

(JUNG YUN-HO)

(GO A-RA)

Sung Yuri “I’m Jealous of Hyori” (Old News)

2009-07-13T20:12:00.005+08:00

Sung Yuri, who was a member of the disbanded group Fin.K.L, had recently expressed that Lee Hyori is the one she admired the most.

During MBC Radio Program “Shin Dong, Kim Shin Young “( FM 95.9Mhz, 1205 am) aired on the 24th night, Sung Yuri revealed that, “I admire my previous Fin.K.L captain Lee Hyori, sometimes even till the extent of a little jealousy, all because she possess the sexiness that I do not have.”

The other star hosting this summer special program with Sung Yuri was Cha Tae Hyun. Cha Tae Hyun had acted with Sung Yuri in “Prince’s First Love”, hence this is their reunification after four years.

Sung Yuri has already stepped into this industry for 10 years and successfully changed from a singer to an actress. When asked by the audience about her marriage issue, Sung Yuri replied, “I will wait for everything to stabilize before getting married, so for now I will only concentrate on my work and my career.”

Also when questioned by the audience about her most memorable kiss, Sung Yuri said “It was Kim Nam Jin, who had the same sexy lip as Cha Tae Hyun. The reason maybe that Kim Nam Jin was a newcomer at that time so he was pretty shy. That scene is the most memorable to me.”

On the other hand, during the special, Cha Tae Hyun was also being asked about his thoughts on releasing an album. Cha Tae Hyun replied, “Compared to releasing an album, I would instead prefer to release an OST. I am currently planning to do so and also release the album in Japan.”

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but for me, though honestly, lee hyo-ri is prettier than her, i still like d type of beauty sung yuri unni have, and also, i like her being skinny (or the 'skeletal' type she was called back then in fin.k.l.) yet still have dat sexiness...

Sung Yuri Unni!!!

2009-07-12T14:25:00.009+08:00

sung yuri unni during her fin.kl days

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don't ask why... but i'm abig fan of her...

when i was younger, i used to mix her up with yoon eun-hye coz they both have d same hairstyle & make-up back then (fin.k.l. & baby v.o.x. era), but later on i was able to differentiate them from each other, and thought sung yuri unni is much much prettier than yoon eun-hye (for eun-hye's fans, don't kill me, this is just my perception of beauty)...

also, i really like d shape of sung yuri unni's face, in my previous post about sung yuri, i always like to emphasize that i like d shape of her face, also, she's so skinny, tall and has nice shoulder blade, not all girls have nice shoulder blade, including me, so i just envy her so much....

she's just so perfect in my eyes... haha

2NE1 Korean Girl Group

2009-07-03T21:46:00.005+08:00

i like this newly formed korean girl group, 2ne1...

i think they have some potential...

and yeah, sandara park is in there a.k.a. 'dara'

one of my friends just recommend this girl group to me, coz i don't like the popular korean girl groups these days, they're too much of a 'cutee image effect', so when my friend told me dat this girl group '2ne1' is not like d other girl groups 'snsd' or 'wg', then dat got me curious to see their mv... and yeah, i'm not disappointed, i like this girl band, 2ne1 got 'attitude', i mean they absolutely rock, not d typical korean girl group around. i hope they won't turn out like 'snsd' or 'wg' one day... haha...

BoA NYLON Magazine - July 2009 Issue

2009-06-19T20:07:00.009+08:00

Blood: The Last Vampire Live Action Movie

2009-06-13T21:19:00.004+08:00

can't wait to watch this movie...

i've been a fan of this anime (the anime series & the anime ova version)...

this is a hollywood film adapted from the japanese anime 'blood: the last vampire,' starring the korean actress jeon ji-hyun (though she's too pretty for the character of 'saya' in the anime ova version)...

Finally i received my copy of BoA's U.S. Album

2009-05-04T18:46:00.007+08:00

finally, i got my very FIRST BoA's Album bought from the net and JAPAN VERSION RELEASED, too.

this is BoA's BEST & USA Album (2 cd+2 dvd)...

haha i'm so happy...

my eldest sis misu bought it for me... yay..

BoA: Universal CityWalk Free Live Performance, March 21, 2009

2009-03-28T07:59:00.018+08:00

one of her photo from her US album
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photos above during autograph signing
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photos above during the performance

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photos above during d rehearsal...

she's so cool & pretty with her shades on... yay...

and i so like her leather jacket (note: it's one of her designer's clothes collection)

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creditz:

boajjang.com

BoA at Radio Room 106, CrossFM/Northwave

2009-02-16T19:00:00.002+08:00

oh my gosh, BoA really looks so pretty & young here..

maybe coz she isn't wearing any make up

These Things Made My Day!!!

2009-01-31T19:59:00.002+08:00

i was checking the net of what's interesting in the kpop world....

well, at first i was excited of boa's debut album in the u.s. which will come out on march 17 of 2009 along with her Eien / Believe in Love japanes single...

but what really makes my day is that i found boa's newest japanese mv "Eien" and it was awesome... so cool... ASTIG!!! watch it... here's d vid

[PV] BoA - Eien 永遠

and also, i just found out that flytosky's new album, entitled "Decennium" will come out this february 13 of 2009...

wah i can't wait for their new mv to come out... gosh i miss brian oppa!!!

and i just listen to their new song "가버려 너 (Goodbye to You)" and it was so awesome as well...

gosh... atleast these things take away my stress....

The complete timeline of BoA, The growth of BoA

2009-01-03T16:11:00.012+08:00

well i posted this one coz someone post this topic in boajjang.com...

so maybe i should let others know & see boa's transformation since 2000 to 2008...

it's already been 7 years that i became a boa fan...

and i would never forget the first time i saw her on tv, year 2002, when her "no. 1" song/music video was a big hit...
i would never forget the days where she was in her prettiest during 2002 up to early 2004...
her thinnest, when she was so skinny, in 2005, when her "girl's on top" korean album & her "dakishimeru" japanese single were out...
and her hardest moment/time during 2007 when she admitted dat she no longer enjoys working...

and yeah, in 2008 when she finally released her debut single in the u.s...

me and her fans grown up with her... time really flies so fast... at first she was just a cute & pretty 13-year-old teenager who became a big hit in korea & japan bcoz of her talent and passion in music... and now she is one of the most influencial asian artist who had achieved so much at a young age... and that is boa.... B o A
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2000

2001

2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008

creditz:
boajjang.com

BoA 2009 Look!!!

2009-01-03T15:57:00.002+08:00

luv the hairstyle!!! specially d 2nd pic...

should i get d same hairstyle like her... haha...

creditz:

boajjang.com

Baek Sung Hyun

2008-12-29T11:11:00.003+08:00

this is my 2nd post about Baek Sung Hyun... (note: i'm 3 years older than him... hehe)

well i just watched his 2008 korean movie 'our school e.t." or 'english teacher.'

though his not the main actor there, i still watched it coz he's there...

and yeah, he's now such a handsome young man...

the photos above were from his korean music video "goodbye sadness"

i'm still waitin that he will someday be in a korean drama where he's the main lead...

HANA YORI DANGO (Korean Version)

2008-11-08T10:17:00.006+08:00

Goo Hye Sun plays Yeon Woo (Makino) who is a swimmer in a school that does not even have a swimming team. Her family operates a dry-cleaning shop which is situated just besides the legendary “Shin Hwa College”, opened only for nobles. During a trip to the college to deliver some laundry, Yeon Woo meets the four male leads and their story begins from there.

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Kim Hyun Joong As Yoon Ji Hoo (hanazawa Rui/hua Tze Lei)

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oh my gosh i'll be looking forward for this korean drama.... especially coz kim hyun joong (from the korean boyband ss501) will be here... though i don't know who's character he'll be playing coz i didn't watch any of hana yori dango's dramas coz the taiwanese & japanese versions didn't interest me either...

if this will be shown, i think kim hyun joong will be the youngest & d most handsome actor who will play the "hanazawa Rui/hua Tze Lei" character in this drama (just compare the boys of the korean version to the japanese and taiwanese', for me i like the casting of boys in this korean version)....

DoReMiFaSoLaTiDo Korean Movie

2008-09-16T20:56:00.004+08:00

DoReMiFaSoLaTiDo Korean Movie is a must watch!!!

ofcourse this is a love story...

for the past 3 years, since 2005, i haven't watch a nice korean love story movie, and atlast this year something worth watching was released...

i'm not sure if this was released in 2007 or in 2008 coz in some forums they say it was released in korea in 2007, and some says it's 2008....

anyway, all i know is that jang geun-suk (the main lead actor, on d left side in d pic) was only 18 years old when they filmed this movie and he's the youngest among the other stars... and he's so freakin handsome in this movie... luv him... and he will make u cry... he's such a good actor....

also, if i'm not mistaken this is the 3rd time that guiyeoni's fanfic was turned into a movie. the fanfic can be found in soompi.com forum...

BoA's Latest Candid Photos Prepairing for U.S. Debut

2008-09-09T22:21:00.005+08:00

isn't BoA looks so pretty & cute at the same time...

she looks so cool here...

i always like her hip-hop style...

creditz:

boanjel @ boajjjang.com

Brian Oppa!!!

2008-08-25T13:54:00.005+08:00

wah, brian oppa is so hot & handsome here...

it's so sad that they (flytothesky) only had few performances/ promotion from their remake album...

anyways, i hope boa & brian oppa will have some special stage this year coz it's been so long since i've seen them together (boa & brian) performing in one show....

BoA Back in Korea!!!

2008-08-23T12:13:00.007+08:00

wah!!! atlast boa is back in korea again....

boa was never active in korea for almost 3 years now coz she's busy in japan performing and releasing albums & singles there...

to be honest, i like her korean performances better than her japanese'...

well i don't know why... it's like her korean performances are livelier & more powerful... it's hard to describe in words though...

anyway, she performed in sm town's special "concert" which ofcourse composed of the sm town's artists itself...

from the poster, BoA's name was not included coz she's like the special performer or the "high light" of the show.... maybe it was intended to surprise her korean fans coz they're not sure if she will appear on the concert... sm didn't even confirmed if boa will perform or not,

and the korean fans were surprised when she appeared and performed ofcourse... well coz she's never been active in korea for the last 3 years...

and yup the fans were screaming so loud during her performance coz it's like a dream come true to see boa again in the "korean stage"....

in this pic, boa looks the same age as jessica from the group "girls' generation" & stephanie from the female group "the grace"... jessica is the one in white and stephanie is the one wearing black shirt...

The Wonder Years (Girl, Thirteen)

2008-07-13T09:02:00.016+08:00

The Wonder Years (Girl, Thirteen)/ Thirteen Years Old Sua

note from me:

i just luv this movie... though it's not like other korean movie (w/c makes u laugh and cry)...this is more like an indifilm which is worth watching...

for the lead actress lee se-young (su-a/su-ah in the movie), i give her two thumbs up!!! wah she really acted so well on this movie. it's like i'm watching a different person coz i've seen her past movies "when i turned 9" (2003) and "lovely rivals" (2004) and i can say she really improved a lot for the last 4/5 years.

also, i like d movie bcoz i see myself in su-a's character when i'm in dat age (13 years old). it's like d attitude of su-a is somehow similar (but not entirely) to mine...

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The Wonder Years (2007) - 열세살, 수아 - Trailer

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others movie review:

The Wonder Years
aka Girl, Thirteen

Story: Soo-ah (Lee Se-yeong) is a withdrawn 13-year old girl, who thinks that she is being neglected by her mother (Chu Sang-mi). Soo-ah has problems finding new friends and finds shelter in her own little world. Most of the time her mother is occupied by leading her restaurant, or to spend her little free time with her new boyfriend (Choi Myeong-su), the owner of a junk yard. Soo-ah can't stand the new friend of her mother, even though he seems to be a good-hearted and kind guy.
It seems that Soo-ah is plagued by a deep-rooted loneliness since the day her father passed away. When one day she reads her father's diary, she finds out that her real mother is Yoon Sur-young (Kim Yoon-ah), a famous korean popstar. From that day on she wishes nothing more than to finally meet her.
Life becomes more difficult for Soo-ah when her mother has to give up her restaurant, because she has fallen victim to a con that cost her all of her money. They have to move into the home of Soo-haa's mother's friend, and even worse Soo-ah also has to visit middle-school now. She finds some new friends, yet skips school, because she is getting bullied by some of her schoolmates.
Soo-ah wants to flee her inner emptiness and gets on a train heading for Seoul, in order to go on one of her mother's concerts and finally meet her in person...

Review: There are a few dramas, that at first look like your typical genre treat, but as things progress prove to be surprsingly profound and touching. "The Wonder Years" is such a film, as the melancholic picture drawn of Soo-ah's life looks like typical art-house cinema work. However, only a few minutes into the movie we realize the drama's true strength - an indefinable warmth, that is woven into the pictures in a careful and subtle way, taking the viewer on a trip into the life of a teenager, who tries to find herself and her place in this world. Often enough we are presented with dramas that walk similar paths, but "The Wonder Years" actually succeeds in staying in our memory, because of its sincereness, and because the movie isn't nearly as much in love with itself as many films of the genre tend to be.

The plot is revolving around Soo-ah, a girl that is stuck in the midst of puberty and has to struggle with some serious problems. Since her mother has to take care of her restaurant, Soo-ah feels neglected by her to such a degree that she actually questions if she is her real mother. Moreover, she misses her father, to whom she apparently had a very good relationship. Therefore, it doesn't come as a big surprise that she faces her mother's new boyfriend with a lot of antipathy, even though he seems to be a nice guy. As Soo-ah's mother doesn't even have the time to accompany her daughter to a school fest, the girl has no other choice, but to flee into her own dream world. She idolizes popstar Yoon Sur-young, played by real popstar Kim Yoon-ah, and in her even sees her true mother. Over and over again she watches recordings of her concerts and builds up an ideal world to find shelter at. The things Soo-ah reads in her father's diary, concerning that the pop singer is in fact her real mother, aren't really a incontrovertible fact for the viewer, as the girl might mix up reality and fiction in her fantasy world. Thus, we don't have to take everything at face value of what we see from her perspective.

We are introduced to Soo-ah's dream world on several occassions, and we never run the risk to miss when this happens as these events are brought onto screen in a very apparent and grandiose way. The cold cinematography lightens up and warm colors along with a rare smile of the girl signalize that we have dropped out of reality for now. This is especially obvious in one scene playing at a train with a clown, or a certain singing scene of Kim Yoon-ah, which may kick in a little bit too sudden, yet somehow manages to avoid feeling out of place in this drama.
What's also standing out is that many shots are very tranquil and peaceful in its core. The pacing is always slow in a very welcome way, and it still never gets boring. However, despite all the tranquility and melancholy, the film doesn't restrain from using important dialogues or language as a tool of communication, which is completely different from what Mister Kim Ki-duk would have prefered. Therefore, "The Wonder Years" always manages to keep up a lively bond to the protagonists and thus never feels as cold or distant as it has to be criticized with so many other dramas.

The movie's center is Soo-ah's search for who she really is and her relationship with her mother, of course. Nonetheless, female director Kim Hee-jung always finds the time to shed some light on the problems of girls at Soo-ah's age on a relatively wide scope. Sometimes she just outlines them, at others she goes into more details. The girl finds two friends who couldn't be any more different from one another. One being a rich girl who soon gets into a fight with Soo-ah over a boy she likes, and the second one being a poor girl, who has a questionable job at a korean Karaoke Bar. Still, both girls, respectively both worlds, don't appeal to Soo-ah. Her short friendships just can't provide her with what she was hoping to find. Nonetheless, there is enough space to show Soo-ah's blossoming sexuality with a small kiss to her female friend, or just time to give some food for thought with some nicely implemented motives.
Only retrospectively you will understand many of the small details of the story and you'll eventually get aware that the director actually attached much importance on the story's small details. Together with some nice camera work and long shots, which are full of sincere acting, these facts show how much of their heart the filmmakers put into this drama.

The performances of the actors are all to be located at a high level, which is most apparent in the many long shots that come without any cut. Especially main actress Lee Se-yeong delivers an impressive performance. She plays the introverted girl without ever running the risk to lose herself in chlichés. She manages to create a complex character and doesn't only succeed in crying on cue, but also conveys a lot of emotions in an absolutely engaging and truthful way. Without any doubt her scenes with her mother, played by Chu Sang-mi, are the best of the movie, but even the supporting actors know how to make a very convincing impression on the viewer. This is mainly because of the fact that all the characters are drawn very honest and genuine.
Of course, there are also some flaws to be found, too. When Soo-ah visits the pop singer at a concert, this all leads to some emotionally overloaded scenes. Well, sometimes less is more. Moreover, it's a little bit sad, that the end is a little bit too stretched.

However, "The Wonder Years" is a special movie, because of its sincereness and its profoundness without having this strange feel of an Art-House flick to it. Furthermore, you really have to give the film credit for not trying to be one of those many tearjerker dramas. Especially the ending demonstrates this fact impressively. "The Wonder Years" radiates the kind of warmth and heartiness, you seldomly get from a drama. The comforting feeling the film bestows on us when the credits hit the screen are enough reason to clearly recommend this drama to any fan of the genre.

The Wonder Years (Girl, Thirteen)
Posted by luna6

Movie : The Wonder Years aka Girl, Thirteen / Yeol-se-sal Soo-ah
Year : 2007
Country : South Korea
Director : Hee-jung Kim
Starring : Se-yeong Lee (Soo-Ah), Sang-Mi Chu (Mom), Yoon-ah Kim (Pop Singer)
Run Time : 94 Minutes
Website : http://www.girl13.co.kr/
Editor Rating : 7.0
Users Rating: 9 (10 votes)

Plot Synopsis : Soo-ah is a withdrawn 13 year old girl that walks through life, counting each step to herself. Her widowed mother spends most of her energy running a small restaurant. Soo-ah holds contempt against her mother and doesn’t approve of her mother’s love interest, a good natured guy that owns a scrapyard. Soo-ah also believes that her real mother is the famous Korean pop singer, Yoon Sur-Young.

As Soo-ah begins junior-high she also has to deal with school bullies and making new friends. She becomes more withdrawn, as she keeps daydreaming about her “real” mother, Yoon Sur-Young. Soo-ah finally decides to buy a ticket to Seoul to meet her real mom.

Movie Review : While vacationing in Korea this past spring, I sadly missed watching “The Wonder Years” on the bigscreen. As it is the case for most Korean films the movie poster gave off a false generic comedy feel to the movie, so I didn’t watch it on first opportunity. I regretted that decision because after only a few more days the movie was already finished playing in the theaters (less than a week!). The cinemas by this time were overtaken by multiple showings of Ocean 13 and Shrek 3. Luckily the DVD was released a short 6 weeks after its theatrical run.

When I did finally watch the movie, I knew from the opening scenes that I would enjoy “The Wonder Years”. The filmed opened up with grainy, over-saturated digital film shots of a young girl roller blading for the first time, accompanied by minimal circus like electronic music (always think of it as Sympathy For Lady Vengeance music). The film then cut to a scene of the same girl walking down a shabby neighborhood road, counting each of her step to herself.

From there the movie drew me in more by the aloof mannerisms of Soo-Ah and the people in her life. There’s the local street vendor lady that’s awfully nice to her (you’ll figure out why later), her mother that didn’t come to her middle school graduation because of her restaurant and the man still sitting in the restaurant with her mother. The movie then opened up Soo-Ah’s life and revealed the turbulent times that she would have to go through, all flavored from the vantage point of small town life in South Korea.

The scenes of Soo-Ah making friends with two different girls, one from the richer part of town and one from the poorer area, was done just right. Those scenes will likely strike a chord with most viewers, bringing back memories of the awkward stage when friendships first occur. The movie then brought up the dilemma of who actually was Soo-Ah’s mother. At first I dismissed the notion that Soo-Ah’s mother could have been Yoon Sur-Young, a famous K-Pop singer (played by actual pop singer Kim Yoon Ah of Juarim fame). Soo-Ah often made up stories and the notion of her real mother being a pop star must have been one of those stories..right? Well not exactly. Soo-ah then read her father’s old diary, which recounted the days when her father carried Soo-ah on his back while waiting for her mother…Yoon Sur-Young. All of a sudden you realize that Soo-ah may not have been as kooky as you once thought and there well could be truth to her unusual assertion. Things all come to a crescendo when Soo-ah makes a trip out to Seoul to meet Yoon Sur-Young.

While Se-yeong Lee isn’t a newcomer to acting, having previously performed in comedies “My Lovely Rivals” and “When I Turned Nine,” she did appear to have turned a new leaf in her young acting career. Her performance as Soo-ah was nuanced and absolutely compelling. Often just a shy smile or a quizzical looked expressed the depth of emotions that would pass through her mind.

“The Wonder Years” also marks the directorial debut by talented newcomer Hee-Jung Kim. It seems she has already built an impressive resume, having graduated from the Polish National Film School in Lodz and becoming the first Korean to win support from Cannes Residence Program. What Hee-Jung Kim did so well in “The Wonder Years” is embellish in the small details of life that people can take for granted.

A few small complaints with “The Wonder Years” would have been a handful of musical dream sequences that didn’t work well and an ending that could have been shortened by five minutes. Also, some of the more dramatic scenes in the film didn’t reverberate in the same manner as the quieter scenes. The film did deftly portray the ordeals of adolescence told through the perspective of an insecure and withdrawn young girl. “The Wonder Years” will likely bring back childhood memories for older viewers and easily identifiable dilemmas that younger viewers face on a daily basis. If you’re disenchanted by this summer’s batch of CGI enhanced blockbusters without much heart, than give “The Wonder Years” a try. This one oozes out heart.

The Wonder Years

Film Director: KIM Hee-jung
Year: 2007
Running time: 95'
Country: Korea

The Wonder Years is a debut feature from director Kim Hee-jung, an alumna of the Lodz Film School and winner of the Wide Angle Prize at PIFF for the short Once, Someday (2001). Thirteen-year-old Soo-ah (the original Korean title), played by Lee Se-young (the childhood Geum-young from TV drama Jewel In The Palace), is a shy, borderline-autistic girl living in a small Cholla Province town. Deeply unhappy, she believes that a popular singer Yoon Seor-yeong (Kim Yoon-ah, a real-life vocal artist) is her real mother, to the bafflement of her working mom Young-joo (Choo Sang-mi, A Smile, Turning Gate). When her junior high school life turns out to be more of the same, i.e. peer abuse and indifference, Soo-ah resolves to travel to Seoul and confront her real mother.

One thing Korean cinema has done rather well in the last fifteen years is its continued support for, and introduction of, female directors with strong personal visions, beginning with Yim Soon-rye (whose Forever The Moment is 2008’s first big Korean hit), Jeong Jae-eun (The Aggressives) and Byun Young-joo (Flying Boys). Kim Hee-jung is the latest in this roster of talented Korean female directors. Her Wonder Years is a gentle, composed character study that will probably bore viewers expecting either a well-heeled, cliché-bound melodrama with copious amounts of tears, or an adolescent phantasmagoria with surrealistic flights of fancy. The movie truly excels when writer-director Kim observes the seemingly mundane details of Soo-ah’s life with a compassionate gaze, letting the girl’s slouched, awkward walk or her disappointed expression at a broken VCR player - rather than spurious narration or distracting mise en scene - to speak for the character’s feelings.

It would surprise no one that Lee and Choo are two principal reasons to check out The Wonder Years. Lee Se-young’s portrayal of Soo-ah is remarkable in its subtlety and restraint. It is to her (and director Kim’s) credit that the latter’s terse (but often amusing) responses to adults' efforts to “make conversation” never once strike us as “precocious”. Choo Sang-mi, one of the most skilled and naturally talented actresses working in Korea today, is brilliant as usual, conveying, for instance, Young-joo’s lifetime of remorse and pain - but also the spiritual courage mustered by her to overcome them - in the brief moment of hesitation regarding where to hang a mirror. Truth be told, both actresses are so ridiculously beautiful that we at times have trouble seeing Soo-ah and Young-joo with the contemptuous eyes of the other characters in the movie. Lee’s face positively glows whenever the camera focuses on it: she is like a Winona Ryder going on 18 trying to play Ugly Betty. When one character grumbles, “Boy, not only is she ugly but…,” my only possible reaction is “You need an eye exam, kid”.

The Wonder Years is not without weaknesses. The story arc is rather predictable and ends in a disappointingly conventional resolution regarding Soo-ah's parentage. More seriously, director Kim’s interpretations of Soo-ah’s imaginary universe are surprisingly lackadaisical. In particular, the musical interludes, featuring Kim Yoon-ah belting out torch songs amid confetti and amber floodlights, look rather cheap and poorly choreographed. (I wish director Kim had employed some other tactic, like, say, Persepolis-like minimalist animation) While not an exciting and powerful debut feature comparable to, say, This Charming Girl Or Take Care Of My Cat, The Wonder Years is a solid character study with its own sense of integrity, as well as an excellent vehicle for the young actress Lee Se-young to showcase her considerable talent.

-- Kyu Hyun Kim

LEE Jin Wook

2008-06-21T20:58:00.011+08:00

LEE Jin Wook, What a Cutee!!!

catch him on his latest kbs drama, "Powerful Enemy/Opponents" or "Rivals"

Profile

* Name: 이진욱 / Lee Jin-wook

* Date of birth: 1981 September 16

* Height: 183cm

* Weight: 68kg

* Blood type: A

* Education: Chongju University (Environment Department)

TV Series

* Powerful Enemy (2008)
* Someday (OCN, 2006)

* Smile Again (SBS, 2006)

* Alone in Love (SBS, 2006)

* Resurrection (KBS, 2005)

Movies

* Once Upon A Time In Highschool (2003)

Awards

* 2006 SBS Acting Award: Newcomer Award for Smile Again, Alone in Love

external link

* www.cyworld.com/josun1m

[FAN FIC] Sense Of Perfection

2008-03-21T00:22:00.004+08:00

Sense of Perfection

Mentality34

note:

so far, this is the best fan fic i have read out of all d other fanfics....

YUNGI fanfics are also popular these days, YUN [from YUN-HO] + GI [from SEUL-GI].

Jung Yun-ho [also known as U-know] and Bae Seul-gi are one of the most popular fanfic celebrity couple in the internet. u can actually find lots of fan fics where they are mostly partnered in...

Summary

[Romance + Drama + Light Comedy]

"You must achieve perfection"
Bae Seul-Gi has lived up to that quote for the last decade. A certified genius at the age of 11, Seul-Gi returns home after getting a Ph.D in medicine from Hardvard. For her birthday, she requests freedom from her rich surgeon father. 10 years of isolation and loneliness at college has left Seul-Gi with a desire to be with her brother in South Korea before she returns to the cold life she grew accustomed of.

Given a year, Seul-Gi travels to South Korea, only to work as a coordinator for pop duo Inhibition that consists of the arrogant Jung Yunho and charming Choi Si Won. She is taught what it's like to be hurt, to be in love,and to experience joy. Secrets of the past slowly unravel, lessons of selfish love is taught, and maybe there is more to the quote than she thought. The lives of these three young adults intertwine as fate plays a dirty trick on all of them. These three seemingly different people have one thing in common: There is more to their first loves than meets the eye.

Through the duo, Seul-Gi learns something that cannot be found in books. Intelligence cannot control fate.

u may read it here>>>> http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=100821
or get the .doc file here>>> http://z11.invisionfree.com/shoebox/index.php?showtopic=7

creditz:

Mentality34 @ soompi.com

shoebox

[KR Ads] Hite Beer Official Desktop Wallpapers

2008-03-13T07:12:00.003+08:00

for the BoA fans out there, if u want d full resolution, grab it here: boajjang.com

Brian Oppa... Wah I Miss U!!!

2008-03-01T23:39:00.007+08:00

these are Brian Joo oppa's cute snapshots from flytothesky's mini concert in thailand...

this was during the press conference, feb. 22, 2008...
and he's still so freakin adorable!!!
JEONGMAL, NOMU NOMU SARANGHAMNIDA BRIAN OPPA!!!

creditz:
popcornradio + the-brian.net

gravity...

'Heading to the Ground' TWO THUMBS UP FOR ME

Sandara Park 'Kiss' Music Video (starring Lee Min-ho)

'Heading to the Ground' holds first script reading

Sung Yuri “I’m Jealous of Hyori” (Old News)

Sung Yuri Unni!!!

2NE1 Korean Girl Group

BoA NYLON Magazine - July 2009 Issue

Blood: The Last Vampire Live Action Movie

Finally i received my copy of BoA's U.S. Album

BoA: Universal CityWalk Free Live Performance, March 21, 2009

BoA at Radio Room 106, CrossFM/Northwave

These Things Made My Day!!!

The complete timeline of BoA*, The growth of BoA*

BoA 2009 Look!!!

Baek Sung Hyun

HANA YORI DANGO (Korean Version)

DoReMiFaSoLaTiDo Korean Movie

BoA's Latest Candid Photos Prepairing for U.S. Debut

Brian Oppa!!!

BoA Back in Korea!!!

The Wonder Years (Girl, Thirteen)

LEE Jin Wook

[FAN FIC] Sense Of Perfection

[KR Ads] Hite Beer Official Desktop Wallpapers

Brian Oppa... Wah I Miss U!!!

The complete timeline of BoA, The growth of BoA