The World They Live In (KBS2, 2008) starring HB and SHG!!!

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anhnie
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The World They Live In (KBS2, 2008) starring HB and SHG!!!

Post by anhnie » May 6th, '08, 09:44

omg I just read over in popseoul that after 2 years, Hyun Bin and after 4 yrs., Song Hye Gyo will return to the drama screen with this new drama!!! I really hope that this is really true because if it is, then I'm friggin' ESTASTIC! I adore both of them so much, they're both my favs. and I can't believe they're gonna co-star together! I always wondered if they'd ever be a pair in a drama but now it's actually coming true. I've missed both of them so much since they've been MIA for so long, esp. SHG, I really hope this isn't just a rumor.

Does anyone know any more info about this drama, like what genre it is? I really hope it's a romantic comedy, I'm in need of a good one after this yr. of not so great romantic comedies. If true, this drama's expectations will def. be sky high considering their high profiles.

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Re: "The World They Live In" Starring HB and SHG!!

Post by WroW » May 6th, '08, 09:55

Here you have some info:
Original Korean Article: OSEN 2008.05.06 07:50
English Translation Credit: Dahee Fanel

Song Hye Kyo and Hyun Bin, Returning To TV Through A Pyo Min Soo Drama

[OSEN=Reporter Son Nam Won] Top stars Song Hye Kyo and Hyun Bin (both 26) will star in the PD Pyo Min Soo-writer Noh Hee Kyung drama "The World They Live In". Song Hye Kyo, who has been concentrating on movies, such as "My Girl and I" (2005) and "Hwang Jini" (2007), will be returning to TV dramas for the first time in 4 years.

PD Pyo worked with Song Hye Kyo in "Full House", which was based on a girl's manhwa, and it was through that drama that Bi, Song Hye Kyo's co-star, became an acting star. He has also worked with writer Noh in "Which Star Are You From?". (Note: This is wrong. Noh Hee Kyung did NOT write "Which Star Are You From?".)

The rumours of Song Hye Kyo being cast in "The World They Live In" had already been circulating in the entertainment world since the beginning of the year. It has been revealed that PD Pyo sent the script for "The World They Live In" to Song Hye Kyo first, in hopes of her being cast as the female protagonist.

Hyun Bin, who gained popularity through "My Name Is Kim Sam Soon" (2005), will be returning to acting 2 years after "Snow Queen" (2006). This will be his first time working with Song Hye Kyo.

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Post by didiellza » May 6th, '08, 15:56

Yeah I read that post from dramabeans too. i really hope it is not just a rumor!

First I red that Hyun Bin, Han Hye Jin and Eric would act in the drama "Ring on Hell" but now Eric is acting another drama and after that he will go into army, well so I just think that him acting in "Ring on Hell" will not be possible.
Now Hyun Bin is acting in another too. Now I am really fed up because that means "Ring on Hell" will have other actors and damn it I was so hoping to see all three of them back especially Hyun Bin and Han Hye Jin and now that hope vanished into thin air :cry:

Soo I am really hoping that these Tow (Hyun Bin and Song Hye Gyo) will act TOGETHER in this drama and will not turn out to be another "crul" rumor!!!

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Post by teemu8 » May 6th, '08, 18:28

wow i can't wait this drama ,great couple :thumleft:

Jaja
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Post by Jaja » May 7th, '08, 03:12

I hope they will release more information regarding the drama, I am soooooooooooooo looooooooooooooooooooooking forward for this team collaboration.

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Post by BozoBear » Sep 2nd, '08, 11:26

The crews of the much anticipated television drama “The World They Live In” have set off for Singapore filming on the 1st of September. Actually they have just reached like 4hrs ago. In anticipation of the hot weather in Singapore, Song Hye Kyo bought sunblocks for the crews who will be going (coming) to Singapore. What a sweet and considerate lady!

A representative from Song Hye Kyo’s agency expressed, “Song Hye Kyo has bought sunblocks using her money for the production crews who have been filming under the scorching sun, especially when the crews only used hat and mask to protect themselves against the intense sunlight”.

The crews will be in Singapore for filming from the 1st to the 12th of September. Hehe anyone knows which hotel they are staying at? Their schedule for the next few days or the places they will be filming? I have neither of these details by the way. So fans please share if you have them! Not that I will be stalking them or something… but probably only “visit” them if possible.
Image

http://www.hanfever.com/2008/09/02/song ... singapore/

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Post by yobuseyo » Sep 2nd, '08, 19:04

omg i'm so excited!!!
they would make an excellent couple
and reaaaallly nice acting!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Post by belleza » Oct 27th, '08, 17:07

This is a continuation from the Tazza thread. Time to move the traffic . . .
I just noticed that the WW special only rated 4.8% -
That's about right. East of Eden's special was around there, and Kingdom of the Winds's special was only a little higher than that.
Whatever happened to the days when even romantic comedies would average 40% and peak at 50? (Full House, Kim Sam Soon)
TV viewing habits have changed overall, as it has in most countries. People tend to watch less TV now than they did 10 years ago. Ajummas traditionally control the remote, and the younger audience may watch TV from a computer (HELLO KBS Stream!!!), watch the rerun airing, or record it, none of which get reflected in the published TV ratings.

The debut ratings for WW are not as crucial as they usually are in these shows. I think the debut will score around a 12-15 or so. The more important thing is the post-episode buzz (which from early reports seems pretty positive so far in Korea.)

Also, this is a Noh Hee Kyung drama, and so this should be something special. And, as a point of speculation, I wonder if NHK will have SHG essentially be her mouthpiece for what she thinks of the industry.

The vidcaps from the first episode look wonderful. The on-location scenes is just beautiful to look at.

jmieluv3
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Post by jmieluv3 » Oct 27th, '08, 19:32

wow.. can't wait to watch it!
EXCELLENT couple! :D

:thumleft:

belleza
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Post by belleza » Oct 27th, '08, 22:21

Well, it looks like both East of Eden and Tazza held their ratings grounds. Unfortunately, that also means World That They Live in didn't debut so hot.

7.1%?!? Mania drama here we go!!! :D :( :cry: :alcoholic:

Uhhh. Well, I guess I could see this coming; I didn't think Tazza would hold as well as it did. I don't know what's going on with KBS these days. Kingdom of the Winds, which is pretty much everything you'd hope for in a blockbuster sageuk for the masses, should be in the 20-range, but it's fallen behind both Painter and Beethoven Virus.

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Post by fizzlex3mh » Oct 27th, '08, 23:58

belleza wrote: 7.1%?!? Mania drama here we go!!!
Huh. Yeah 7.1% is a little.....low. Bah, who cares about first episode ratings anyway? Just saw screencaps from today on soompi and they have made me very very excited. I also spy shades of Full House...
Image

Image

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Post by vivilp182 » Oct 28th, '08, 00:15

I can't wait to watch it! Hope there're subs soon!

It's great to have a show with these two! Though I don't like Song Hye Kyo’s hairstyle right now....

belleza
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Post by belleza » Oct 28th, '08, 04:52

Huh. Yeah 7.1% is a little.....low. Bah, who cares about first episode ratings anyway?
Ah, you're right. I went through this with "Alone in Love", and I still doesn't understand why that particular show didn't click with a mainstream audience. Dramabeans is right though; at worst, this is going to be a true mania drama/cult show, and its success overseas is already guaranteed.

I'm actually not sure whether I want to start on this now without subs or wait until the words come in. Just strictly from "read between the lines" dialogue and characterization, Noh Hee Kyung is one hell of a technician, and her scripts are closest to what J-drama fans would consider "golden era" style. What does that mean? Quiet, serious, sometimes funny but always smart. Her characters, even when careless, are sincere creations.

And speaking of, glowing review by Dramabeans.
It’s a drama to watch for the acting, the relationships, the interplay, and the writing. And it’s a drama that lives in its quiet moments as much as it does in the quick dialogue.
http://www.dramabeans.com/2008/10/the-w ... episode-1/

Of course, the only review that matters should come from Mr. Kobe. ;)

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Post by WroW » Oct 28th, '08, 10:03

The only thing annoying about this drama is the music (i mean the lalalala :D also used in the beginning)...you get the feeling you are watching Full House again :unsure:

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Post by Jaja » Oct 28th, '08, 12:37

My cable TV used to have KBS2. Too bad I cannot watch it. :-( :-( :-( :cry:

kobe23
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Post by kobe23 » Oct 28th, '08, 14:27

7.1% is ridiculously low. Even with good reviews that might bump up to what....10%? You would think both SHK and HB have a lot of pulling power and people will watch it regardless. Well I know I will watch it regardless of ratings but I can't help but feel a bit disappointed considering 3 of the main dramas SHK has been in have all pulled ~40%. Oh well, there's always Full House 2 :)
TV viewing habits have changed overall, as it has in most countries. People tend to watch less TV now than they did 10 years ago
I have no idea how ratings work but I thought since it's percentage based, shouldn't the ratings remain constant no matter how many viewers? Like if 10 years ago 5 million people watched a drama out of a possible 10 million, and today its 5 out of 10 people, the ratings should both be 50%?

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Post by WroW » Oct 28th, '08, 15:59

Low ratings for a drama like this aren't that bad since everyone expects it. If a drama like EoE had low ratings they would have a problem keeping that budget for 50episodes. But anyway the ratings system is flawed anyway.
People who own those ratings boxes (nielsen box in the us) seem to never watch the same shows as me so there is either something wrong with their distribution or with my taste :roll
The only good news is that certain stars don't pull in certain ratings anymore :roll ... the bad one is that ajummas have all the power :whistling:

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Post by belleza » Oct 28th, '08, 18:32

Episode 2 drew in 7.38% EofE's ratings have taken a hit (though to be fair, the storyline has slowed down a lot.) Tazza seems to be humming along.
The only good news is that certain stars don't pull in certain ratings anymore Roll Eyes ... the bad one is that ajummas have all the power
I don't think it's a bad thing that TV wasn't always dominated by the 10-20 female audience (and in virtually every country, it's the female audience that's the base.) It's either the ajuhmma audience or the teen audience, the latter which dominates Taiwanese and Japanese TV.
7.1% is ridiculously low. Even with good reviews that might bump up to what....10%? You would think both SHK and HB have a lot of pulling power and people will watch it regardless.
7.1 is about right, if Tazza and EofE held their audiences. The previous show in the slot Love and Marriage did about that through its run. It might just build, though. I was also disappointed with Painter in the Wind's ratings, given the cast and critical acclaim, but it's steadily built an audience. And it has a devoted cult audience. A lot of people brought up that Noh Hee Kyung's dramas aren't especially commercial . . . but it's a circular argument since most Noh Hee Kyung dramas are not cast with that in mind or promoted as such. This was. There was as much promotion for World as there was for Kingdom of the Wind.
You would think both SHK and HB have a lot of pulling power
Yeah, that's the thing. Binnie is extremely popular (he kinda caused a riot at the Pusan Festival :D ) as a heartthrob, but his pulling power (not like Lee Jung Ki, for example) is not that high. Kim Sam Soon was a phenomenon, but Millionaire did so-so business and Snow Queen's ratings were pretty bad. As for Song Hye Kyo . . . Maybe people weren't ready for SHK's mushroom unibrow look?

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Post by emmapeel » Oct 28th, '08, 20:32

belleza wrote: . . . Maybe people weren't ready for SHK's mushroom unibrow look?
Seriously! I didn't watch every moment yet but since my Korean is basically limited to understanding the word "sorry," and there was a lot of apologizing from SHK, my imagination had her apologizing for that awful do! It looked especially bad compared to HB, because damn, his hair looks great.

Oh I'm so very shallow! Maybe watching it with subtitles will help me get over that.

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Post by kobe23 » Oct 29th, '08, 14:10

You're not the only one that's for sure. I choose which dramas to watch based primarily on the actresses hairdo's, so it goes without saying that I'm a bit disappointed with World's Within (We waited 4 years for THIS?) :P

Episode 2 drew in 7.38%
Going by the Nationwide ratings it's actually 5.8% which is pretty dismal even for an indie or mania drama. You see, in 2005 Resurrection went up against the mammoth Kim Sam Soon and still pulled in ~10% in the early stages. It was not a drama for ahjummas nor teens but at least there were some people watching it. With World's Within we are now talking I Came in Search of a Flower territory (dramabeans loved that one too). In fact, the first 2 episodes of that drama pulled in the exact same ratings as the first 2 for WW.
Low ratings for a drama like this aren't that bad since everyone expects it
Yeah but are they really expecting it to be THIS bad? I dunno, I don't think the bigwigs at KBS will be too excited about the ratings that's for sure. Here in Australia if a show doesn't rate well, it gets AXED. Even after only one episode.

Anyway, I'm downloading the 720p version right now and will break my policy of never watching a drama without subtitles just to see why Koreans are not interested in this drama. Oh I know why now....they casted the wrong Binne! The role of Ji Oh was supposed to go to Won Bin for the Eun Suh and Tae Suhk Oppa reunion! :)

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Post by fizzlex3mh » Oct 29th, '08, 15:59

looks like this really is gonna be a mania drama. i didn't believe it until i saw the 5.8%. i guess fans of Full House and Sam Soon were turned off by the fact that WW isn't anything like either of the two...which I was when the teasers came out. But after skimming through the recaps and reading people's comments, this show reminds me a lot of Alone in Love, which happens to be my favorite drama.

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Post by WroW » Oct 29th, '08, 16:47

Good thing Korean stations are patient or have to be and don't really cancel dramas. EIA was one of the best dramas of last year and ratings were even lower. So this might just be the new EIA...great but no one watches it :roll

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Post by emmapeel » Oct 30th, '08, 00:21

kobe23 wrote:You're not the only one that's for sure. I choose which dramas to watch based primarily on the actresses hairdo's, so it goes without saying that I'm a bit disappointed with World's Within (We waited 4 years for THIS?) :P
Haha! Ok well then I feel like this is a safe place to admit that I stopped watching Time of Dog and Wolf when Lee Junki got amnesia, crucially forgetting what hairstyle looked right on him, and did that slicked back thing instead. Did not like.
fizzlex3mh wrote:looks like this really is gonna be a mania drama. i didn't believe it until i saw the 5.8%. i guess fans of Full House and Sam Soon were turned off by the fact that WW isn't anything like either of the two...which I was when the teasers came out. But after skimming through the recaps and reading people's comments, this show reminds me a lot of Alone in Love, which happens to be my favorite drama.
I'm in the middle of AIL right now. I think I'm on ep 10. As much as I liked FH and KSS, I really love the characters/dialog in AIL, and I'll be happy if WW is like that.

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Post by belleza » Oct 31st, '08, 00:42

Pretty negative take on SHK's performance here. Career killing?

http://www.seoulbeats.com/2008/10/song- ... er-korean/

I actually agree with the short-tongued remark. Hye Kyo has a habit of shooting off lines like a typewriter and without the best enunciation. That said, her lisp isn't really as noticeable as other actresses. Soo Ae, Kim Ji Soo, Goo Hye Sun, Choi Ji Woo, Yoon Eun Hye, KWON SANG WOO. :D To Sung Yu Ri's credit, she's worked bloody, bloody hard to dial it down, even though at times it sounds like she's e-nun-ci-ating just to avoid it.

In any case, admist all the positive response to the show, there you go -- a contrarian take.
Yeah but are they really expecting it to be THIS bad?
They weren't. Some people brought up that the storyline sells the drama, but I don't subscribe to that. Workplace dramas do pretty well, and On Air showed that people really enjoyed watching a "behind the scenes" style show. It may just be possible that a lot of people simply doesn't like the show.
when Lee Junki got amnesia, crucially forgetting what hairstyle looked right on him, and did that slicked back thing instead
If you make it through the end of the show, LJK adapts a full-on emo boy look. Hawt!!! :D
As much as I liked FH and KSS, I really love the characters/dialog in AIL, and I'll be happy if WW is like that.
I think for me, AIL, FH, and KSS are all different fruit on the tree. Spoiler'd for brevity . . .
I'm biased toward AIL, as it's my favorite trendy of all time. Most musos gravitate toward the sophistication, wit, and acting of the drama (and it's the perfect fusion of J-drama and K-drama tropes) , but what elevates the drama for me is that what you see ("externality" of plot) and what is said are in conflict with each other ("internality" of the script), and that conflict never gets resolved. What you see is a romantic comedy with bits of tragedy here and there. What you read is a quiet lament about how fleeting happiness, solace and genuine connection are even in marraige.

It's not obvious, but the lead heroine Eun Ho is going through clinical depression through the entire show, and even in the end, she recognizes her temporary happiness is too temporary. THAT is the "black dog" growling in her private space, not the tragic reasons behind their divorce. She and her partner reflect the monotony of life; he finds comfort in it; she seems vaguely defeated by it. She seems vaguely defeated by her memories too, and beneath her snarky veneer is this nagging sadness that her Aprils are born so ephemeral, so ghostly (see her recollections of her newlywed marraige seem like an attempt to pretend happiness.) AIL are two dramas in one. One inspires laughter with the occasional sucker punch; the other is a long, long sigh.

KSS works beautifully as both a very, very funny parody of the melodrama genre, and a wonderful piss-take about the love-life 20-somethings from somebody well out of it. Big difference between KSS and DalJa/9End is that KSS accurately positions the heroine into the role of outsider, since that is essentially what it would feel like. Your romantic options become significantly limited and those "kids" and their self-absorbed concept of relationships and romance seems trivial, patently ridiculous . . . and painfully, painfully elusive. You mock it mockery of melodrama); you miss it badly (Sam Soon's own emotional moments are much, much smaller . . and therefore more accurate.) KSS is wish fulfillment fantasy, but underneath the laughter is an angry writer. :)

FH mostly works because it's a straightforward rom-com with almost no plot, and it delightfully riffs off a "Pure Noona" romance with a mix of sweet and cranky. Originally, the casting was going to be SHK and Lee Jung Jae, which would have fundamentally changed the dynamic and appeal of the show. And it has the Three Bears dance. One is absolutely powerless against the 3 Bears Dance. :D
Last edited by belleza on Oct 31st, '08, 01:01, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by wail » Oct 31st, '08, 00:54

fizzlex3mh wrote:looks like this really is gonna be a mania drama. i didn't believe it until i saw the 5.8%. i guess fans of Full House and Sam Soon were turned off by the fact that WW isn't anything like either of the two...which I was when the teasers came out. But after skimming through the recaps and reading people's comments, this show reminds me a lot of Alone in Love, which happens to be my favorite drama.
I dun think fans of both FH AND KSS can appreciate this to be honest... ok maybe KSS fans can (coz I'm one) but FH is just tedious fluff even if I sounded like a condescending moron. nth more, and I'm immune to the 3bearsdance belleza, once is cute, but every other second?>!@#!@

This is terrific show just for the lines and the script. If SHK's diction is bothering, then watch it with subs, coz I think she did fine acting-wise for the very first time. *Yeah imo she cant act*

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Post by belleza » Oct 31st, '08, 01:17

and I'm immune to the 3bearsdance belleza, once is cute, but every other second?
Yup, every other second!! They should do an episode where SHK is asked to do the 3 Bears Dance and she just throws cold, cold stares. Underneath her mushroom cap hair, of course.
If SHK's diction is bothering, then watch it with subs,
I think her diction is fine, and a short tongue doesn't usually bother me (except in sagueks.) Okay, it does for me a little with Soo Ae, because it shortchanges the gravity she is capable of delivering. She's cleaned it up though. And sometimes it helps; KSW's lisp is adorable, and it softens the arrogance of his drama characters. Ji Soo still has a YEH-size lisp, but again there it softens her sometimes frosty presence.

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Post by wail » Oct 31st, '08, 02:53

^ Belleza, I'll be the first to volunteer to make you a gorgeous gif of SHK doing that dance for u to stare on ....just please...I'm very scared of the thot of an ep... VERY...

what's with those annoyingly picky fussy K audiences these days... tune in and watch their EoE for all I care! LOL

I mean I dun think SHK is mind blowing in this, but it seriously doesnt bother me at all in my enjoyment of this drama. Easily the best of 08 if not since goodbye solo for me.

(o well I'm writer Noh's stalker)

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Post by belleza » Oct 31st, '08, 03:26

I'll be the first to volunteer to make you a gorgeous gif of SHK doing that dance for u to stare on ....
Actually, my favorite bit is when Rain does it. SO ADORABLE!! :D :D :D And uhhh I think I spent one lost night trying to get the steps down. Ohmygawdimadork. :(

Ratings aside, I can't wait for the subs to come out. I really want to soak up the writing while I'm watching this!

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Post by Zealousy » Oct 31st, '08, 03:34

Meh, low ratings don't matter to me.
I loved Love Marriage and look at its ratings. As long as it maintains a good story, I'm fine.
I should be seeing the first ep in a few days too.. I'll see how I like it.

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Post by kobe23 » Oct 31st, '08, 14:34

So anyone seen the first episode yet? I kinda skimmed through it and watched the parts with SHK in it more closely, but it's hard to decide without subs since the strength of the show is in its writing. From what I've seen though, it does seem like a decent drama to me and it can only get better with the addition of subtitles.

But you know - and I'll be honest here - even if it turns out to be a very good drama I'll still be disappointed. Why? Because I really had my hopes for something commercially successful from SHK. I guess she's trying to prove herself as an actress which I thought she already did with Hwang Jin Yi? (Don't look at me, ask John Woo!). Meh...whatever, I'm sure she knows what she's doing (that's why she wanted creative control I guess), and I will always support her but I just hope she does not forget what catapulted her to stardom in the first place and give something back to the fans. Yes, I'm talking about Full House 2 :)

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Post by wail » Oct 31st, '08, 21:16

^ kobe, I've seen ep 1, 2. It's soo terrific that I'm going to lock up alone and rewatch it this wkend.

Each ep in itself can be enjoyed like a well made open-ended movie. First ep is SHK's JY's show. The whole ep, the pace, the plot, the pov, everything is on her. It needs repeat viewing to soak everything in. and if we pay attention, we wouldve gotten her character precisely already fr ep1
Ep2 in contrast, the theme is on HB's JO. Again, u can tell fr the pace, the style, the pov, everything is set out for us to get what his character about. It's just genius to set out the 2 eps like this, each can be watched alone, but yet side by side it's so poignant.

and yes, it absolutely needs subs, u dun even get 10% of how mindblowing it is just skimming thro raw, esp if u r just fanboying over SHK.

I do think SHK will take it as an offense if after WW u still prefer her to do sth like FH2. I'm dead serious.

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Post by belleza » Oct 31st, '08, 22:29

So anyone seen the first episode yet? I kinda skimmed through it and watched the parts with SHK in it more closely, but it's hard to decide without subs since the strength of the show is in its writing.
I've really backed off watching the show until the subtitles come out, as I have for Painter in the Wind. For me, I watch certain shows more slowly if there's a completeness from episode to episode that invites rewatching and where you can really enjoy the texture and nuances of the acting/characterization, and the overall writerly elements of the content. Those shows default to "must watch with subtitles." Alone in Love was like that; every episode was a standalone gem. I think, had Jumong not dropped that same year, it would have won the Baeksang.
I will always support her but I just hope she does not forget what catapulted her to stardom in the first place and give something back to the fans. Yes, I'm talking about Full House 2
But it's worth reiterating that she had done only one true rom-com her entire career, and that she herself had said she would no longer do projects to protect her fanbase (i.e. My Girl and I.)
I guess she's trying to prove herself as an actress which I thought she already did with Hwang Jin Yi
I actually didn't think her Hwang Jin Yi performance was that bad. Most people compared her performance to Ha Ji Won's, but the two HJYs were two completely different treatments of the story.

Song Hye Kyo isn't a bad actress per se, but her acting is unusually cold (and therefore she's fundamentally a miscast as a Cinderella.) I'll go more into that when we actually talk about this show properly, but -- from the synopsis as well as her mushroom cap look (Smurf jokes aside, it's the perfect haircut for SHK in that it best reflects how *I* actually see her as an actress) -- this might be the role she was born to play.

And this show is about Binnie too, though not until his upcoming remake of Friend we'll see whether he can crawl out of the (faboo, pretty, arrogant, sweetheart) shadow of Sam Shik.
Because I really had my hopes for something commercially successful from SHK.
I actually think her A-list time may be past.

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Post by kobe23 » Nov 1st, '08, 15:37

Thanks for your thoughts on WW so far because it definitely makes me want to watch it more than I previously did.
wail wrote:I do think SHK will take it as an offense if after WW u still prefer her to do sth like FH2. I'm dead serious.
Hmm...I see where you're coming from, and it would probably be even more offensive to John Woo if she does FH2 right after '1949'. Both you and belleza are quite right, in that she most likely won't do anything like FH ever again. My SHK fanboi days are all but over :-(

‘The World They Live In’ Gets Exported for Record Price
KBS’s “The World They Live In” casting Song Hye Kyo and Hyun Bin is exported to Japan for a record 3 billion Korean won, the highest amount of any Korean drama in history.
[...]
Apart from Japan, over 10 entertainment companies from China, Thailand, Singapore, etc are also currently on discussions with YEG on the distribution rights in their respective countries.


-- Hanfever

So much for this drama not being a commercial success eh? That's amazing considering there's hardly anyone watching it in Korea! Nice to finally hear some good news regarding this project :)

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Post by belleza » Nov 1st, '08, 20:36

So much for this drama not being a commercial success eh?
I think that goes without saying, though. As soon as they cast SHK and Binnie, it was a foregone conclusion that the show would be an extremely hot Hallyu property. (Same is true with Painter in the Wind and, well, almost every show that's airing out right now) Binnie may be more popular in China than Korea; he rivals Rain as most popular young Korean idol actor in China. Heck, even Ireland is kinda popular. :D

Hallyu is great. Even if a show flops domestically, just by casting certain people, you automatically have a safety net to recuperate your costs. Lemme tell ya, if LBH and SYJ (both true pan-Asian stars) had done Iris together, the bidding wars would have been mass hysteria.
y SHK fanboi days are all but over
Oh, is THAT why you're cheating on SHK with Park Min Young? Excuses excuses . . . ;)

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Post by wail » Nov 1st, '08, 21:00

Yeah, and also Japanese loves their hallyu ikemen. It's shocking still to me that binnie, with just a few dramas under his belt is this popular in Japan. (that Ent Relay at Pusan, numerous J fans were there..) For his recent bday bash, more than half the venue...j fans.
and just a mundane mall signing for BON the other day,,,,again tonnes of his j fans show up...JUST for that. I guess binnie has Yonsama and CJW sshi to thank, their Winter Sonata triggles down to his SQ.
And if u do google blog search on this boy, many more Jap bloggers r blogging on him daily than his fellow countrywomen

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111799 ... id=18&cs=1
Avex REALLY paid a record amount for this?! This is still quite indie fare...beating YONSAMA's TWSSG?!1@# That is quite unbelievable. (I'm so not complaining though :whistling: )

lol Belleza, I think 'hardcore' Chinese binnie fans wont look u in the eye if your fav binnie thing is not Ireland. (and st out despise u if it's mnikss)

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Post by belleza » Nov 1st, '08, 23:32

lol Belleza, I think 'hardcore' Chinese binnie fans wont look u in the eye if your fav binnie thing is not Ireland. (and st out despise u if it's mnikss)
Yeah, it works out for me, because my 2nd favorite Binnie role was from Ireland. Of course, I actually LIKED Ireland too . . .
(that Ent Relay at Pusan, numerous J fans were there..)
Yup, saw that too on Entertainment Relay. That Guerilla Interview turned into an INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT! :D

Kim Sam Soon made him popular (Nonstop 4 brought him visibility in China), but it's really Snow Queen (which was a big, big international hit in 2007 . . . always well stocked at our store) that made China and Japan fall REALLY REALLY hard for Binnie. And uhhh, me too . . .hee :D :(
This is still quite indie fare...beating YONSAMA's TWSSG?!1@#
Honestly, I expected it to break the record. Annual polls aside, people kind of underestimate just how popular Song Hye Kyo is in Asia. I may even put her just behind Lee Young Ae as the most popular Korean actress in Asia.

I don't believe East of Eden has been sold yet, though. That will be an atom bomb when it hits the international market. And had Iris successfully cast SYJ in the female role, I would guaranteed that to set the new bar in Japan.

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Post by Zealousy » Nov 2nd, '08, 10:31

First episode, pretty good.
I like the opening, glad the ental version carried it.
I wasn't expecting too much for this drama but it definitely passed it.
I really like SHG's character and I think it goes well with HB.
Next ep looks real good.

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Post by wail » Nov 3rd, '08, 08:03

belleza wrote:Annual polls aside, people kind of underestimate just how popular Song Hye Kyo is in Asia. I may even put her just behind Lee Young Ae as the most popular Korean actress in Asia.
O, I actually think SHK is THE biggest female idol in Asia, I just dun think it necessarily translates to dollars and everything nowadays, apparently it still does.. She does have the 'total' package.

I agree she's not that awful an actress, she can get by but I will never ever say she can act... as in terrific.

And she is sufficiently pretty, dont think any girl/boy can honestly say she's fugly.

Then I have never ever seen an actress guarding her innocent image so successful and believably. I genuinely think she is virginal in every sense of the word :alcoholic: I think she is the only actress that can do it for this long.

AND her enormous fan-base, some of which actually prefer her to stay in her stereotype of porcelain doll that can cry or dance the 3bearsong (jkjk ) ...proud of her to NOT improve her acting chops one bit. :roll

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Post by kobe23 » Nov 3rd, '08, 13:26

Surely SHK is more popular than LYA in Asia. Yeah, DJG was huge and Lady Vengeance had critical acclaim, but one only needs to visit one of many Asian entertainment forums to realize how incredibly popular SHK is. I actually found out about SHK from looking up Chinese dramas!
And had Iris successfully cast SYJ in the female role, I would guaranteed that to set the new bar in Japan.
I think it's much the same and more with KTH. Well ok, maybe not Japan, but I'm sure the rest of Asia would lap it up.
Oh, is THAT why you're cheating on SHK with Park Min Young? Excuses excuses . . . ;)
And Park Min Young better be on her best behavior because I've already got someone lined up to replace her ;)

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Post by WroW » Nov 3rd, '08, 13:54

kobe23 wrote:
And Park Min Young better be on her best behavior because I've already got someone lined up to replace her ;)
Someone new..now you made me curious..who might that be :D :unsure:

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Post by neojack » Nov 3rd, '08, 18:39

when 3rd episode will come out?

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Post by belleza » Nov 4th, '08, 01:10

when 3rd episode will come out?
WW episodes come out Mon and Tuesday. Going by Pacific time, they usually come out in the afternoon.
And Park Min Young better be on her best behavior because I've already got someone lined up to replace he
Sigh. MEN. Well just as long as she's not from Colorado, Kobe . . .
Someone new..now you made me curious..who might that be
My hunch is Kobe's new harem princess will be Park Min Ji or . But I'm terrified he's going to say Sohee . . .

And more off topic convo . . .
Surely SHK is more popular than LYA in Asia.
On Teh Interwebs, yes. But if you account for moms from all of Asia, Lee Young Ae is still the true queen. From the Chinese perspective, it currently looks like this:

Favorite Daughter -- Lee Young Ae.
Favorite Girlfriend -- Song Hye Kyo
Favorite BFF -- Yoon Eun Hye
I think it's much the same and more with KTH. Well ok, maybe not Japan, but I'm sure the rest of Asia would lap it up.
It's hard for me to guage because Kim Tae Hee's body of work isn't extensive. I can verify Binnie's popularity because Sam Soon, Snow Queen, Ireland, and Millionaire's First Love were and are all popular at our local store. SHK's minor work (albeit without English subs) is represented well in addition to her main four. KTH's flagship product is Love Story in Harvard, which was very popular for a very long time.

With that said, Kim Tae Hee's eyes are almost the ideal of the Chinese concept of facial beauty. She has "smiling eyes", which is valued like dark jade among Chinese actresses. Her eyes are not only large, but they're almond shaped and turn down at the ends (many Korean actresses with very large eyes turn up at the end.)

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Post by kobe23 » Nov 4th, '08, 14:40

belleza wrote: With that said, Kim Tae Hee's eyes are almost the ideal of the Chinese concept of facial beauty. She has "smiling eyes", which is valued like dark jade among Chinese actresses. Her eyes are not only large, but they're almond shaped and turn down at the ends (many Korean actresses with very large eyes turn up at the end.)
I just realized the other day why I like Korean girls so much, and it's exactly the reason as you described above. It's all in their eyes. There are a lot of them with those "smiling eyes" you mentioned, with some notable ones being Son Yeh Jin and Hyori Lee. But it runs deeper than just eyes that smile. I find that many Korean actresses have very expressive eyes, like they're communicating with them. You can see the message that's being conveyed just from their eyes.
Someone new..now you made me curious..who might that be
My hunch is Kobe's new harem princess will be Park Min Ji or . But I'm terrified he's going to say Sohee . . .
Wrong, wrong....and well, any further guesses would be wrong too :) Let's just think about it for a second here - Who could possibly be up for the unenviable task of replacing both SHK and PMY? It's not anyone new. This person would have to be the hottest Hallyu star to have ever graced our screens, and with the ability to make even grown men weak in the knees. WEAK I tell ya! That person is none other then ....*drum rollls*

Image

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Post by morserachel » Nov 5th, '08, 04:30

Wow! Wow! Wow! You have great taste. Since the person makes men weak in the knees, what do you think the women's reactions will be? Envy??

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Post by fizzlex3mh » Nov 12th, '08, 04:54

Loved the first episode. Can't explain much why. Hyun Bin is so yummy in this. I think both his and SHK's acting have improved. It reminds me a lot of Alone in Love. I wonder how realistic the drama production scenes are, but it's great that that's not the main focus. HB and SHK really make a gorgeous couple. I think I can even get used to her hair! It barely takes away from her beauty.

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Post by mrsmilevskyi2001 » Nov 13th, '08, 06:37

kobe23 wrote: ‘The World They Live In’ Gets Exported for Record Price
KBS’s “The World They Live In” casting Song Hye Kyo and Hyun Bin is exported to Japan for a record 3 billion Korean won, the highest amount of any Korean drama in history.
[...]
Apart from Japan, over 10 entertainment companies from China, Thailand, Singapore, etc are also currently on discussions with YEG on the distribution rights in their respective countries.


-- Hanfever

So much for this drama not being a commercial success eh? That's amazing considering there's hardly anyone watching it in Korea! Nice to finally hear some good news regarding this project :)
thanks for the news. i should have not been skeptical to watch this despite the below par rating WW gets. i'm a certified SHK's fan :D

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Post by Ginto-gin » Nov 18th, '08, 01:29

Low ratings? BAH! By Episode 2, I was smitten with this drama. Hyun Bin and SHK have great chemistry!! I'm also enjoying the side plots. Gonna watch 'til the end...

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Post by SSpiegel » Nov 21st, '08, 00:36

I watched the first two epis just now. All I can say, the way that Korean dramas portray the workplace is certainly interesting and very detailed, and this drama just takes it to new heights.
There's just one thing I find absolutely annoying: the female lead (the character, not the actress).

So, I'm thinking, since I rarely like any female character in any Asian drama, is it because:
1) There's something seriously wrong with the portrayal of Asian women.
2) Even in reality, women are just such wretched beings, there's no way to portray them in a nice way.
3) I'm so used to living in a man's world, I'll adore them (male characters) no matter how faulty they are and just notice the faults in women (since a woman is a wolf to another woman anyway).

I just find her emotionally cold, difficult and attention seeking. I'll still watch this tho, I find this 'drama about making drama' really interesting.

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Post by belleza » Nov 21st, '08, 01:25

1) There's something seriously wrong with the portrayal of Asian women.
2) Even in reality, women are just such wretched beings, there's no way to portray them in a nice way.
3) I'm so used to living in a man's world, I'll adore them (male characters) no matter how faulty they are and just notice the faults in women (since a woman is a wolf to another woman anyway).
I usually turn off my Western/femninist goggles whenever I watch Asian dramas. It's a double standard, but a lot of the Cinderella fantasies (especially melodramas) in K-drama are inherently sexist to, say, modern American sensibilities.
I just find her emotionally cold, difficult and attention seeking.
Yeah, people are starting to tune out this show . . .
http://www.dramabeans.com/2008/11/it-ma ... r-with-it/

FWIW, I've always argued that Song Hye Kyo doesn't lack presence; it is that her presence is bullish and a little cold. In that way, she's like a man.

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Post by wail » Nov 21st, '08, 10:46

*sighsighsighsighsighsighsighsighsigh*

I cant believe I'm saying this, but I'm on the fence too with this drama halfway through...and what's bugging me most is the writing... (omg...)

I'm dont really LOVE PD Pyo, but he's solid. Not a fan of SHK either ( I concur Belleza, she has presence alright, but with her delicate looks, she cant possibly get any cold, bullish manly roles, dun even know if THAT exist in kdrama world...), but she's doing her job good enough. Hyun Binnie, I dont care if he sucks in this (not that it's possible) coz he's my hubby...but then again he is fine too acting wise. Story is solid, pace is good, it is sooo not boring, it has so much stuff going on with the ensemble cast it's an overload. It has its great moments, thought provoking ones too....That said, it lacks crucial continuity fr episode to episode to make u yearn for more. At first the thematic setup per ep is fine, it's called for, it's refreshing and there is still a very fluid flow to the drama....but in later eps, it feels truncated and comes across like a lack of higher insightful design per Noh, as if she just thinks of a bunch of tangents for all her colorful characters pertaining to the PD world and decides to throw them all in one ep.

And I'll be frank, it left the main character, my hyun binnie awfully underdeveloped to stand as a character. He is almost like a boytoy now to HK's character with nth much to do but as an extra: be the token huang listening to some chatters by the newbie PDs, be the softie younger bro to all those PMSing ajosshis, son to his deadbeat dad and gimp to Queen PD SHK. HK's character is also stifling in development too.

Sigh...I'm disappointed. It's still a very well written drama, easily the best written one out there, but very underwhelming and not that fun to watch.

And the worst, after watching an ep of WW, I have a craving for the buffoonish EoE. (It's a compliment, all EoE fans)

*sighsighsighsigh*

Sorry Miss Noh, I'm off your fanship.

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Post by belleza » Nov 21st, '08, 11:38

( I concur Belleza, she has presence alright, but with her delicate looks, she cant possibly get any cold, bullish manly roles, dun even know if THAT exist in kdrama world...)
If I had to cast Eun-Chan in Coffee Prince, Song Hye Kyo would have been my first choice. Song Hye Kyo strains really hard to play feminine, emotionally fragile characters, when her personality tends to be very direct (though not brusque/rude), tomboyish and unsentimental. Her commercials have her be sexy, innocent/sweet, super girly, seductive, etc. But the actual result is often awkward, because that roughness, insensibility to her own sensuality, her bullishness supersedes her work. There is always a disconnect in her image; you can pick up her physical effort to make the image. Some actresses let their hair down to play the part; she needed to cut the hair.

I think what interests me about this project is that, theoretically, this is the character best suited to her actual acting sensibilities.

Starting this show probably this w/end, I'll fill in my thoughts. Really curious about the negative response to what seems like a well-written show.

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Post by SSpiegel » Nov 22nd, '08, 00:55

belleza wrote:
I usually turn off my Western/femninist goggles whenever I watch Asian dramas. It's a double standard, but a lot of the Cinderella fantasies (especially melodramas) in K-drama are inherently sexist to, say, modern American sensibilities.


FWIW, I've always argued that Song Hye Kyo doesn't lack presence; it is that her presence is bullish and a little cold. In that way, she's like a man.
Ah! Can't. turn. off. feminism! :faint:

Still, I don't find her character manly. The fact that she doesn't have emotional intelligence doesn't make her manly, I know a lot of women who are like this. It seems she is unable to feel empathy, she's only driven by her own pride and ambition. She also seems to like poking into old relationships, using it as a tool to seek reassurance from her old lovers. When she doesn't get the answer she was fishing for, she gets angry.
The way she clings onto old relationships is a pretty feminine feature, too. When Jun Ki broke up with her, she just said (not word to word) "who is he to decide on his own when to break up". Which is pretty ridiculous, was he supposed to seek her approval? If you feel that a relationship doesn't work, you won't stay around just for common courtesy, do you? (ah, that woman is making me crazy!)
Enough ranting... makes me angry.... :cussing:

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Post by Jaja » Nov 23rd, '08, 03:42

It seems I been away too long from Korean dramas. My eye brows raise a little with the sex scene, It's the first time I saw that kind of scene to Korean dramas that are more conservative. Although they are not totally nude but for me it giggle me a little.

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Post by luna81 » Nov 24th, '08, 00:11

SSpiegel wrote: So, I'm thinking, since I rarely like any female character in any Asian drama, is it because:
1) There's something seriously wrong with the portrayal of Asian women.
2) Even in reality, women are just such wretched beings, there's no way to portray them in a nice way.
3) I'm so used to living in a man's world, I'll adore them (male characters) no matter how faulty they are and just notice the faults in women (since a woman is a wolf to another woman anyway).
Can you really called yourself feminist with these comments? I don't want to be mean or offensive, but me being a feminist myself don't like these comments. Yes, I do not like a lot of Asian dramas portrayal of women but there are some that I do like. I like everybody in Flowers for My Life, the main heroine, the second woman, the mom, etc. Yes, I do tend to like male characters too because they're written better but I can call them out for their faults. There are women who are wolves to other women, but then there are a lot of men who are jerks toward other men. Human nature is like that. I know that there's a lot of women who can be good friends with other women, people just need to go out and meet them.

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Post by SSpiegel » Nov 24th, '08, 02:40

luna81 wrote:
Can you really called yourself feminist with these comments? I don't want to be mean or offensive, but me being a feminist myself don't like these comments. Yes, I do not like a lot of Asian dramas portrayal of women but there are some that I do like. I like everybody in Flowers for My Life, the main heroine, the second woman, the mom, etc. Yes, I do tend to like male characters too because they're written better but I can call them out for their faults. There are women who are wolves to other women, but then there are a lot of men who are jerks toward other men. Human nature is like that. I know that there's a lot of women who can be good friends with other women, people just need to go out and meet them.
No offense taken.
I'm not totally sure why I can't say those things as a feminist, but as my defence, I wasn't actually stating anything, I was contemplating. I also do think there are good female characters, too, but unfortunately they are only a few (I did say I rarely like any female character, which means there are times that I do). Like you said, male characters are better written, even if they have their faults, they have layers and come off as some kind of antihero. That's why I was contemplating that there just might be something wrong with the portrayal of Asian women. Why don't the scriptwriters see a need for more complicted female characters? Why is it okay for the female to always be poor or ditzy or have their lives revolve around men?
Since Asian dramas aren't the only entertainment where I find annoying female characters (even in the west it's pretty hard to find likable female character), I've started to think the fault is in the way we see women in general. I think it's pretty easy to undestand the simplistic portrayals in most cases since most of the entertainment industry is ruled by men. It's more confusing when women write about women and the characters are still (at least) morally dubious. Is the way we are seen (by both men and other women) unfair? I think many of the female characters I see are a bit of a stab in the heart as I see in them the faults I have in myself, too (and which I wouldn't want to admit).
It doesn't matter how much of a feminist I am, the fact is that women haven't been in such a good position (as we are in now) for very long. We've had the right to vote for just a measly 100 years (in some countries women still can't vote). A lot of the rights we have now have been achieved in the last 50 years (or rather, we've had all kinds of rights even before, but in practice we've had a long way to come). Attitudes don't change in an instant. The way we see things are a product of a loooong, loong time. I'm totally aware of the fact that my attitude is a product of changing times. While I'm all for equality, deep down inside me there is still the thought of women's inferiority. For example, there's a guy who fools around with a lot of women and a woman who fools around with a lot of men. While I think the guy is a jerk, I think the woman is a slut. I condemn their actions, but I'm far more harsh on the woman than on the man. It's something I'm not proud of, but it's also something I can't help. I'm pretty sure people who are free of the chains of the past (and the attitudes of their mothers and fathers) are one in a million, but fortunately they are enough to bring change into the world.
Anyway, being a feminist isn't about defending women and their rights, it's about promoting equality. I'd like women to have the same salary as men, but at the same time I could be defending male nurses, for example, because people think it's a woman's job and thus frown upon them. Being a feminist, for me, is also about recognizing the faults and weaknesses in myself as a woman and in other women. I try my best to be equally critical whether it is about men or women, but there is only so much I can do.

Ahh, such a long rant (and so :offtopic: ) and probably half of it doesn't make any sense, but hopefully I managed to defend myself even a little.

P.S: I totally believe women can be the bestest of friends with each other, and I have good friends myself. It's always easier if you don't have the same taste in men (then you don't have to take out those wolf's claws) :P

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Post by kobe23 » Nov 24th, '08, 13:27

Ok, I've given this drama my best shot and there's just no way I can continue with it. I have tried really hard, up to the point I even pretended liking it, telling myself I'm enjoying this when clearly I am not. But I won't kid myself any longer because the first two episodes, which are supposedly the good ones, did nothing to capture my attention.

There is no suspense, no comedy, no character development, no drama (!). The story is almost non-existent and at times I felt like I was watching a reality TV show or some sort of documentary. I know I might sound overly negative, but I have personally waited almost three years for SHK's new drama and it's nothing but disappointment. It's a far cry from several months ago when this drama was first announced, I said I would watch it even if it featured SHK doing household chores for 16 episodes, but now I WISHED that was the case!

I know there are plenty of people out there who like this drama and I'm not trying to take your enjoyment away from you, but this type of drama isn't my cup of tea. It is not the type of drama that defined the Korean wave and it most certainly is not the type of drama that made these Hallyu stars as popular as they are today. I thought I would never say this, but: Give me a cheesy romcom, or tragic melodrama over something like this any day.

Anyway, that's my rant, I just hope SHK will choose something a little more .... "interesting" as her next project. :)

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Post by SSpiegel » Nov 25th, '08, 23:01

On a more positive note, looky looky! Cute pictures!
The cast of Worlds Within did a photoshoot for Elle called "Kiss me, love me". I usually don't go crazy over photos of anything else than hot guys, but these were too cute to not save (and share).

Enjoy! (and warning, major pic spam now!)

Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image

credits to utkim and Hyebaragi, cathy_saint0713 @ Soompi
Original thread in Soompi

If you want the pictures in their original form and don't have access to Soompi, give me a PM.

P.S: Do not hotlink! As these are uploaded into my university's server, I might get into trouble.

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Post by Jaja » Nov 26th, '08, 07:53

Ouch ouch ouch Kobe23...but I respect your point of view.

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Post by Jackal21 » Dec 5th, '08, 00:39

I saw the first 10ep. and I agre with kobe23, this drama isn´t a typical K-Drama. But I enjoy it.
SGK often changes her acting style(Autumm Tale, Guardian , Full House, WW). She played in almost her dramas different characters. :scratchchin:
Some kind I like see SGK likes a strong, cold and confident woman in this drama. And I think she knows herself, that this project can´t be blockbuster(just like "Fetish").
But she went on it and tried to find another her acting face, why not? For some actress it´s alomost impossible change their typical characters.
For some one acting is not only money and rating, but challenge with themself and their acting. :roll
For some reason this dramas has very realistic plot and characters are also realstic roles.
So it just not for everyone, especially for some one who finds romance, fairy story, cinderella tale as much as typical for K-Drama.
Not be intended for Teens :mrgreen:, but some mature watchers. 8)
For me sometime i want to see some kind drama like this.
Especially (warning - plot)
when the main chracters Joo Joon Young opens her heart in ep. 10. It´s so real shoot and very touched. I like this scene. :wub:

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Post by kobe23 » Dec 6th, '08, 11:27

Yeah sorry, I guess I'm just too immature to appreciate something like this. I should really stick to teeny-bopper type dramas :notworthy:

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Post by Peggy » Dec 24th, '08, 08:28

I am still watching and enjoying this drama. It started slowly for me and at first I was not sure whether I would keep going. I am not a fan of the leading lady but I really admire YB. He has improved his acting a great deal and he looks so charming. I appreciate all the older members of the cast who can do their roles standing on theri heads I think. they are so professional.
The drama gives such a good intro into what goes on behind the scenes making a drama. No wonder some of the dramas we see are so bad..!!! All the time schedules and the holdups. I guess the worst is not having the script in time or maybe weather problems.

Right now I have begun to regard this as almost a Persian carpet pattern. There are so many individuals who have their difficult face to face relations. These come at us with passions flaming and then they calm down again and there are some quiet moments like the background in the carpet. The brighter moments show the colours in the pattern. Even tho there are lots of people in the cast they all seem normal in their own particular way. The older actresses especially are funny with their sense of importance and desire to have younger ones respect them properly.
The two lead roles are being played in a rather lighthearted fashion and almost cynical at times. However, I feel that he has a deeper love for the girl and he won't easily walk away from her this time around. She also loves him but because she is also very involved in her career she is not exactly putting him top of her list in importance. I think because she is a rich girl she takes life for granted. Se should be careful doing this with this man.
I like the way the writer is creatng these two roles.

Peg

Jaja
Posts: 230
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Location: Philippines

Post by Jaja » Dec 25th, '08, 09:09

I like this drama it gave me insight to the life of the people in showbiz industry.

Looking forward on finishing it.

Thank you with s2 for subbing this drama.

Talisma
Posts: 2
Joined: Sep 7th, '07, 19:37

Post by Talisma » Dec 25th, '08, 20:20

kobe23 wrote:Ok, I've given this drama my best shot and there's just no way I can continue with it. I have tried really hard, up to the point I even pretended liking it, telling myself I'm enjoying this when clearly I am not. But I won't kid myself any longer because the first two episodes, which are supposedly the good ones, did nothing to capture my attention.

There is no suspense, no comedy, no character development, no drama (!). The story is almost non-existent and at times I felt like I was watching a reality TV show or some sort of documentary. I know I might sound overly negative, but I have personally waited almost three years for SHK's new drama and it's nothing but disappointment. It's a far cry from several months ago when this drama was first announced, I said I would watch it even if it featured SHK doing household chores for 16 episodes, but now I WISHED that was the case!

I know there are plenty of people out there who like this drama and I'm not trying to take your enjoyment away from you, but this type of drama isn't my cup of tea. It is not the type of drama that defined the Korean wave and it most certainly is not the type of drama that made these Hallyu stars as popular as they are today. I thought I would never say this, but: Give me a cheesy romcom, or tragic melodrama over something like this any day.

Anyway, that's my rant, I just hope SHK will choose something a little more .... "interesting" as her next project. :)
I yhink just like you. It's not that i don't like the show, but when i watch it, yhere's nothing special, i'm not touched, nor exited to see the next episode.
I'm a big fan of SHK and HB and i was waiting like a crazy to see them acting together, but maybe i've waited too much, expected too much.

I don't think it's about beeing mature or something like that, it's just (for me) when i'm watching a drama i don't want to guess their feelings, i want to feel it while watching and it's not something that i found in WW.
I don't really know, but anyway i still love theme. :roll

Talisma
Posts: 2
Joined: Sep 7th, '07, 19:37

Post by Talisma » Dec 25th, '08, 20:41

kobe23 wrote:Ok, I've given this drama my best shot and there's just no way I can continue with it. I have tried really hard, up to the point I even pretended liking it, telling myself I'm enjoying this when clearly I am not. But I won't kid myself any longer because the first two episodes, which are supposedly the good ones, did nothing to capture my attention.

There is no suspense, no comedy, no character development, no drama (!). The story is almost non-existent and at times I felt like I was watching a reality TV show or some sort of documentary. I know I might sound overly negative, but I have personally waited almost three years for SHK's new drama and it's nothing but disappointment. It's a far cry from several months ago when this drama was first announced, I said I would watch it even if it featured SHK doing household chores for 16 episodes, but now I WISHED that was the case!

I know there are plenty of people out there who like this drama and I'm not trying to take your enjoyment away from you, but this type of drama isn't my cup of tea. It is not the type of drama that defined the Korean wave and it most certainly is not the type of drama that made these Hallyu stars as popular as they are today. I thought I would never say this, but: Give me a cheesy romcom, or tragic melodrama over something like this any day.

Anyway, that's my rant, I just hope SHK will choose something a little more .... "interesting" as her next project. :)
I yhink just like you. It's not that i don't like the show, but when i watch it, yhere's nothing special, i'm not touched, nor exited to see the next episode.
I'm a big fan of SHK and HB and i was waiting like a crazy to see them acting together, but maybe i've waited too much, expected too much.

I don't think it's about beeing mature or something like that, it's just (for me) when i'm watching a drama i don't want to guess their feelings, i want to feel it while watching and it's not something that i found in WW.
I don't really know, but anyway i still love theme. :roll

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Ginto-gin
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Post by Ginto-gin » Jan 4th, '09, 11:55

Okay, I said I was going to watch 'til the end and now I'm in the home-stretch. I've enjoyed most things about this show, but I think I've finally hit a wall :fight:

For those who are hanging in there and are still watching-- in Episode 11:
How could Jung Ji Oh suddenly break up with Joo Joon Young? It seemed like a switch went off and he reached his "limit". There was no obvious build-up leading to his breaking point. I mean, it's a bit weak to break-up based on the joke Joo Joon Young made about her ex-boyfriend wanting her back, right? Or, based on the fact that he might be too poor for her, etc. What happened here? Did I miss something?

morserachel
Posts: 102
Joined: Aug 28th, '08, 05:06

Post by morserachel » Feb 18th, '09, 14:07

After all the negative comments I was a bit wary whether I wanted to watch this drama. Anyway, out of the blue I started watching today and finished the first 2 episodes. I like it. Watching this reminds me of Goodbye Solo. A gathering of people who are somehow connected to each other but not really related to each other. Events and circumstances define the fate that they share and how their lives interconnect. It's like peeking through a keyhole and seeing their lives unfold before your eyes. Nothing special but somehow it's fascinating, makes one feel like a voyuer. I'll post my thoughts again after I complete the series.

Oh, one last word, starting to really like Hyun Bin here. Felt he was so-so in KSS and can't stand him in Snow Queen but have to confess he can act in this drama.

morserachel
Posts: 102
Joined: Aug 28th, '08, 05:06

Post by morserachel » Mar 5th, '09, 05:13

Finished the drama. Really enjoyed it.

My enjoyment is definitely not due to the love story between JO and JY because their love story is very cliche and very ordinary. It's like any standard kdrama that comes to mind but what really made this series enjoyable for me, though I can't really pinpoint the exact reason, are the rest of the other characters and the fact that reality and drama are interchangeable to the extent that you don't know where one begins and the other ends. Of course love Noh Hee Kyung's brilliant observation of human nature. She has this ability to read the souls of humankind and piece them together to tell a story. WW is definitely more main stream than Goodbye Solo and therefore more palatable and easier to digest. It's easier to like the characters unlike Goodbye Solo wherein I somehow cannot bring myself to 'like' the characters completely as they are too selfish. But therein lies the brilliance of Goodbye Solo in that the characters are so realistic they make me uneasy.

My 2 favourite characters from WW are Yoon Young, the actress and Gyu Ho the director. Despite the fact that they are painted black in the series but to me they are the most interesting characters simply because they are honest in the sense that they refuse to hide their real self behind a mask and pretend that they are good-goody 2 shoes. They know they are selfish, arrogant, they trample on people to get their ways and they will take without giving but yet they never lie to themselves or the world about it. At the end of the series I ended up disliking JO simply because I think he is weak, insecured with an inferiority complex and also a coward. What made it worse is that he refuse to face up to this true self.

At the end of it I enjoy sharing, albeit briefly, their lives, their thoughts and their emotions which is a marriage of drama and reality intertwined so seamlessly you can't tell where reality starts and drama ends.

To finished off, my 2 favourite scenes from WW, one involved the scene when YY heard her mother had died and her reaction to the news and to her subsequent bawling in the middle of the street was absolutely heartrending and unforgettable and the other one where GH was breaking up with HJ and mustering all his bravado telling HJ it's no big deal to him. His eyes belies his words. The pain reflected in them is awesome. The reason why these 2 scenes seem to have a great impact on me is maybe because it reminded me of my mother's death and the breaking up of my first serious relationship. I salute Noh Hee Kyung because her power of observation led her to notice that that's the reaction of an ordinary human being thrown in those 2 situations because that was exactly how I reacted.

arislan
Posts: 1
Joined: Apr 17th, '05, 05:19

Nice Drama

Post by arislan » Aug 6th, '10, 14:30

Just finished watching it. I don't know why there is all this negative or average and below feedback about this movie, because it aint even close. Not a big fan of either of the lead but this movie moved me a step closer, both of them definitely have chemistry. Perhaps its because they do irl.

Its not your typical k-drama for sure and its really refreshing to actually watch a drama where not everything is spelled out for you and not everything is so far removed from reality.

Some of the comments I see around the net has been that the storyline has no plot, but I beg to differ. A lot of the plot and reasoning has to be inferred by the viewer which makes this movie a very nice little gem.

Why some of the characters say they things they say and do the things they do and some of the narrations are very, at least to me, realistic depictions of common human relationship experiences.

I suppose a lot of ppl are used to typical k-drama plots of grandiose, albeit a little far fetched, plots with over dramatic scenes and polarized characters. If you are one of those, then this movie will definitely be boring.

The drama is mild in comparison to the run-of-the-mill k-drama fanfare, but it gives so much more in terms of a realistic portrayal of human relationships (love, friendship, rivalry, family, etc) where not everything is always black and white. The extra insight into the k-drama industry (whether it is true or not) as a basis is also very novel. Some of the character's observation into typical drama plots as well as their personal philosophy on life and relationships are also amusing to say the least.

All-in-all a very nice movie. No wonder the script is doing well as an export. This is definitely a nice little gem. Too bad the ratings do this drama injustice and the lead actor's/actress's fanboys/haters obfuscate its value.

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