Summary

Time flies~ do you have a better understanding on Korea? This week, I would like to summarize the previous nine posts...

Speaking of Korea, what will you think immediately? Kimchi? Samsung? Plastical surgery(idols with the "same" appearances)? Cliche Soap Operas?...
Well, I don't know what you would think about Korea. Anyway, in my blog, you may find what I focused on was Korean entertainment industry, which I enjoyed the most. ^v^

Through my third post, costume dramas, you could know more about delicious Korean cuisines(1st post) and their traditional "Hanbok"(2nd post). After that, I introduced many Korean soap operas. If you are free, why not try one of them?XD You will find that they are not all cliche but creative! What's more, I highly recommend you to watch RUNNING MAN when you feel down. I bet you will laugh out loud after seeing those funny hosts. Last, I talked about something serious, Behind the K-POP, which you may have some reflections on. Ahhh, I miss the most important post!! You can forget everything I said before, but you should remember my favorite idol, Song Joong-Ki!! Don't miss his next soap opera, Descendant of the Sun!!

Korea is an interesting country. Not only what I mentioned above, but also their technology, cultures, and Koreans' special behaviors and rules are intriguing to me! Through my weekly posts, I felt I realized Korea more. I really enjoyed writing my blog every week~

p.s. I found a series of videos, which teaches us Korean and Korean cultures, on Youtube! I really want to learn Korean!

Behind the K-POP...?!

Actually, I am not familiar with the Korean music bands or dancing teams. It doesn't mean they aren't noteworthy. In fact, there are countless Korean bands performing on the world stage and attracting lots of fans, such as CNBLUE, INFINITE, 2PM, Girl's Generation, Sister, SHINee, and so on.(sometimes, I can't distinguish them...they look alike...) Don't you have the question now?... Why did I seldom listen to the K-POP but still know these groups? One reason simple to understand is that they are tooooo well-known. The other reason is that those singers showed up in the Korean soap operas or entertainment TV shows, which I am interested in. Why they have to be actors or actresses? Well, back to my title...this is what I want to follow this week. 



Before being a singer or a member of groups, those celebrities had to be trained harshly by the company. Most of them were only 15-20 years old. The company controlled the trainees' diets, weights, appearances, schedules... It happened frequently that the trainees practiced dancing and singing overtime but they couldn't ask for help because of some unreasonable contracts or the severe competition. The company was like an army to supervise them and picked up the potential trainees. No one could make a promise that you would have a debut after the 5-year training. If trainees are lucky and have a chance to show up on the stage, it won't mean they will be famous forever. They have to expose themselves on the screen as much as possible. Thus, we can know them through the dramas.

There are tons of Korean groups nowadays. We should give them a big hand. They must have made every efforts in the training life, so we can appreciate their outstanding performances.       
p.s. Sorry~I am not the expert in K-POP. If you like some of singers or bands, you can recommend me to listen to their songs.^^

Running Man

This week, I would like to introduce a Korean entertainment TV show, Running Man!!! It's quite fun and hilarious!!! If you watched one episode, I bet you would never stop and keep watching every episode.

Running Man was founded in 2010. At first, this TV show wasn't well-known in the Korea. However, nowadays, Running Man has gone viral around the world!! There are 7 hosts in the program: Yoo Jae-Suk(劉在錫), Ji Suk-Jin(池石鎮), Kim Jong-Kook(金鐘國), Gary, HaHa, Song Ji-Hyo(宋智孝), and Lee Kwang-Soo(李光修)...(p.s. Song Joong-Ki was originally one of the hosts, but he left in episode 41...QAQ). 

In the program, the production staffs(製作組) would design a topic and lots of creative missions at first. Besides, they would make lots of  props(道具) and rent the whole museums, stadiums, amusement parks, or even fly to other countries to film the programs. Then, they will invite some celebrities or sport stars with the hosts to finish the tasks. The winners will gain some rewards(sometimes, it would be gold!!). What I want to express is that Running Man is willing to spend countless money to make the program wonderful and amuse all the audiences. 

In every episode, the topics are all different, such as spy, romantic weddings, detective plots, horror movies, sport games, and so on. Additionally, the games are pretty funny and exciting. The most classic games is "tearing name tags"(撕名牌), which is also the reason why this show was called "running" man since if you don't run, your name tag will be torn easily and you will lose. What's more, the psychological warfare(心理戰) is quite interesting as well. I enjoy watching that the hosts promised to cooperate with each other in the beginning, but they betrayed their teammates in the end.

Last but not the least, Running Man always shows the realest side to the audiences. Every host's personality and humor is his or her own true characteristic. They haven't discuss how to pretend to make effects before filming the programs. Besides, many elegant or handsome celebrities would give up maintaining their personal images in order to win the games. Quite Crazy!! Furthermore, if you pay more attention, you will find how considerate those hosts are!! 


Are you in a bad mood? Go watching RM and laugh out loud!! If you are their big fan, don't miss the news that the hosts may come to Taiwan in 2016~        

Episode 147-trailer
Chinese subtitles

English subtitles

p.s.You can watch every episode on http://2013.vslovetv.com/2014/02/running-man-list.html

I LOVE YOU, Song Joong Ki~

    This week, I would like to introduce my "husband", Song Joong-Ki(宋仲基), to you!!! ((keep screaming~Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh..... He is adorable and naughty XD~~~<3
Maybe you have never heard of him before, but actually, he showed up many times in my previous posts...^v^

    Song Joong-Ki was born on 1985.9.19. Although he is 31 years old now, he still remains handsome!!! Graduated from Sungkyunkwan University(成均館大學), which is a prestigious college in Korea, he went into the performing arts career in 2008. Before 2012, Song Joong-Ki starred in many Korean soap operas, such as Sungkyunkwan Scandal(in my 3rd post), Obstetrics and Gynecology Doctors(婦產科醫生), Deep Rooted Tree(樹大深根)... Even if he wasn't the main character, his outstanding performance was gradually noticed by everyone!! Until 2012, he became the leading role,winning the Best Actor Award because of the Innocent Man(in my 4th post)!! Not only in the industry of Korean soap operas did Song Joong-Ki do a great job, but he was also talented in the movie industry and TV host. In 2012, the movie, The Werewolf Boy(狼少年), made a sensation and touched many audience. Additionally, next week, I will introduce the funniest and most famous Korean TV show, Running Man, which Song Joong-Ki had been one of the hosts in. Song Joong-Ki is really versatile!! 

 Werewolf Boy(狼少年)--Endless love

    Do you think things above are all?? Come on!! HE IS MY HUSBAND!!<3 He always has abundant advantages to talk about!! XD

    Song Joong-Ki was very famous, so he endorsed many products, of course, such as drinks, sports equipment, fashion clothes...
What's more, he wrote a book(!!), Beautiful Skin Project For Men(美膚男大作戰), because his skin is extremely fair and smooth!! He taught readers how to protect their skin and clean their face in order to make themselves look better.((mouthwatering...XD

    Song Joong-Ki did his mandatory military service in 2013, and in this May, he came back, looking stronger and more mature!!! Although he disappeared in 2 years, his popularity didn't drop. Now, I can't wait for his another Korean soap opera, Descendant of the Sun(太陽的後裔), in 2016!!                 
                                                                    
                                                                               Descendant of the Sun
         p.s. The female character is Song Hye-Kyo(宋慧喬)!!

My husband(XD), Song Joong-Ki, is very charming~ Due to his smartness and humor, he is popular with everyone. Besides, he is always humble when it comes to his success. Song Joong-Ki's efforts and the spirits make me crazy <3!! I will always be his Ki-Aile~

Korean Soap Opera -- Part 3 -- Kill Me Heal Me

This week, I want to share an innovative and creative soap opera, Kill Me Heal Me, with you~

The main character, Cha Do-Hyun, suffered from dissociative identity disorder(DID)(多重人格) for a long time. However, he couldn't let others know this illness because he was a manager in the company. Therefore, his secretary, the female main character, who was a psychiatrist(精神科醫師), helped him fight against the seven personalities. This drama really challenged the actor's skills! The main character had to act different personalities respectively without telling audiences but let everyone clearly understand which personalities he was.  Here, I introduced his seven personalities:

Cha Do-Hyun
The original personality.
Very gentle but a little weak man.
He has to learn how to be strong and not to escape in order to fight for other personalities.

Shin Se-Ki
Very adventurous and childish.
He loves to wear make-up and catch many women's attraction.
Sometimes, he is dangerous and violent!!
He is  Cha Do-Hyun's strong side.

Ann Yo-Seob
A 17-year-old student.
He is a genius, and loves to read and write poems.
However, he often wants to commit suicide...

Ann Yo-Na
A 17-year-old girl, who is Ann Yo-Seob's twin.
Bad girl...(but really cute XD..)
She loves to chase after the handsome boy or superstars.
Sometimes, I think she is more dangerous than Shin Se-Ki.

Nana
a seven-year-old girl.
always hold a teddy bear when this personality appears.

Perry Park
a 40-year-old man.
He loves to drink beer.
His dream is to have a boat and become a fisher man.

Mr. X
no one know who he is!!
But I'm sure he is a nice guy~















Do you want to know why Cha Do-Hyun's  soul was separated??
Can you distinguish his seven personalities now?? You can watch the video to test yourself^^
This drama is really interesting. Sometimes, it is hilarious. Sometimes, it's moving.
You won't regret after watching it.

Korean Soap Opera -- Part 2 -- Rooftop Prince

    Last post, I said Korean soap operas are not all cliché, which you may doubt now. Therefore, this week, I introduce a special genre, Time-travel TV series(穿越劇). Time-travel TV series means some of the characters in the past or future appear in the modern society with some unknown reasons. These ancient people or future aliens have to find out why they show up here, what the connections between their time and space and ours are, what their missions are, and how to solve the problems. Therefore, time-travel TV series often include interesting detective plots. Besides, every trip will come to an end, and time-traveling is not exceptional. In the end, the male character has to leave their lover he met in the modern time because he has to go back to their original time and space. The ending being a comedy or tragedy depends on the director and editor.


Here, I would like to share Rooftop Prince(閣樓上的王子) with you...
The male character was a prince in the ancient dynasty. One day, a sensational thing happened: the queen was murdered. The prince was really sad and determined to find out the truth! However, some of the ministers in the court often dissuaded the prince from investigating the event. The prince felt strange and accidentally came to the modern times with his three guardians. There, he met the woman A, the female main character and woman B, who was like the queen. He started to find the connection, and in the end, he surprisingly realized the woman A might be woman B's younger sister and the real dead might not be the queen but the woman A's previous generation(前世)...

Funny video~~

Korea Soap Opera -- Part 1 -- Innocent Man

    The main reason why I choose “Korea” as my blog's topic is that I love watching Korea soap operas! You may not like watching them since you think the plots in different soap operas are alike and exaggerated. I have to admit you are right sometimes, but actually, there are many innovative ideas and imagination pouring into the dramas nowadays. These new elements make Korea soap operas fresh and popular. I will give some special examples for several weeks~ Anyway, I hope you can “tolerate” what I introduce this week, a complicated cliché drama(...狗血劇), Innocent Man(善良的男人). 

Innocent Man includes every cliché scene and plot ^__^:

1. Power Struggle and Marry with the old rich man… for the purpose of wealth, fame, power and the man, woman A and B battled and competed for the company.

2. Love triangle… The main male character originally loved the woman A, but the woman A didn't love him then. When the man loved another woman B, the woman A would come up with the terrible ideas about how to separate them.

3. Lost memory… In this drama, the female main character had a car accident and lost her memory. Of course, in the end, she would remember everything.

4. The main character is always lucky… The main character had an extremely severe illness, but he won't die in the end!!

With tons of cliché plots, fortunately, there are only 20 episodes in Innocent Man. Therefore, it's a good chance to enjoy this short soap opera to realize what is cliché XD.

Here, I just briefly talk about the beginning:

The main character is a talented intern originally. However, the woman A, whom he loved, killed a person accidentally. Therefore, he took the blame for the woman and went to jail. His future became thorny from then on… Now, go watch it!

P.S. The main character is my favorite idol, Song Joong-Ki <3 !! 

The ost is really nice~

For more information: http://www.koreandrama.org/innocent-man/