With 5 new kdramas premiering this week, I really didn't know which to watch. Not to mention that I had a bunch of 2009 dramas that I need to catch up with. So I decided to watch all the first (and maybe second) eps. I've just finished 공부의 신//God of Study. It's the k-remake of the jdorama Dragon Zakura.
Yeah, another k-remake. One after another, and seems like more to come. Mawang aka Maou (adapted from the novel, not remade), Boys Over Flower, The Man Who Can't Get Married, God Of Study, Itazura Na Kiss (upcoming?), Zettai Kareshi (upcoming?)...
Ever since BOF, I've been really unsure about k-remakes. They tend to add details to the original, usually because they are allocated at least 50% more drama time than the jdorama. Sometimes such details fill up gaps (in the sense that they add plot developments in areas the audience desires, eg more romance, not in the sense that they make up for loopholes in the original, which are very rare) but sometimes, they vandalise the simplicity of the original with unwelcomed plot twists.
So, it was with some hesitation that I started watching God of Study. As expected, the plot was similar to Dragon Zakura, with slight changes to the backgrounds and motivations of each character. It has been a long while since I finished Dragon Zakura, so I can't really remember its details. But based on what remained, I think the remake is at least 70% similar. For example:
- Sakuragi: 5 (to enter Todai) this year, 10 next year, and in 5 years' time, 100.
- Ino-sensei: What's attractive about the school?
Sakuragi: 100 students accepted into Todai.
Ino-sensei: Other than figures?
Sakuragi: Figures are evidence of competitiveness. Education is also a business. - *Sakuragi goes on stage and eyes the rowdy crowd of Year Threes.*
*Suk Ho goes on stage and eyes the rowdy crowd of Year Threes.*
Sakuragi: Everyone looks like an idiot. You'll continue to lose throughout your entire life.
Suk Ho: You're really a bunch of idiots. People who will be stepped over throughout their entire life.
Students: Get down here. We'll kill you! *uproar*
Students: What? What did you say? Get down here. You won't?! You're asking for a beating. Get down here! *uproar*
Sakuragi: Teachers are teachers, students are students. Listen to what others are saying till the end!
Suk Ho: Shut your mouths and listen to me, you bunch of kids!
Sakuragi: When I say lose, it means to be cheated. If you continue staying like this, you'll continue to be cheated for your entire life.
Suk Ho: Having lived till now, do you know what it means to be stepped over, to fail? That means to be played by others. That's you all. All of you are destined to be played by other till you die.
Student: Cheated? Why? By who?
Sakuragi: Our society has rules. You have to live following these rules. But these rules are written by smart people. In other words, what does that mean? These rules are all written by smart people who make use of them. Since dumb people won't understand them, they can be used to hide things. These rules will be used to serve those smart people who will make good use of them. For example, rules about taxes, salaries, insurances, allocations...
Suk Ho: This society has rules. You can only live according to these rules. Who made these rules? It's the smart people. The law, education policies, land policies, tax, finance, capital allocation. It's all according to the wishes of the smart people who made these rules so that they can live comfortably.
Sakuragi: The smart people will continue to make them incomprehensible. Dumb people will only have to try to understand them. You just think that it's bothersome trying to use your brains. So you'll continue to be cheated and pay a hefty price your entire life!
Suk Ho: But for those that are to their disadvantage, they make them difficult and complex to confuse those dumb people so that they won't get a chance to understand. The smart people make use of these rules to live a well-off life. in contrast, you idiots who find using your brains a bother can only be played by smart people your entire life. And so in conclusion you'll be a failure.
Students: It might be so, but it can't be helped!
Student: Then what do you want us to do!?
Sakuragi: The smart people will make use of the situation and cheat while the dumb people will continue to be cheated and lose. This is how the society works! So, if you don't want to be cheated, if you don't want to lose, study! I'll teach you a simple method. Go to Todai.
Suk Ho: If you guys don't want to be pushed off by rules created by those smart people, if you don't want to be played by them or to become a failure, there is only one method! Study. Only study. Study! Grit your teeth and study. Go to Chun Ha University! This is the only thing you can do now.
Sakuragi: The special class will aim for the univeristy entrance exam. It'll unconditionally take in anyone who wants to study. But the only goal is Tokyo University. This year, 5 students will succeed. This is the turning point of your life. Insufficient people have no chance.
Suk Ho: Byungmoon High School will set up a Chun Ha University special class from today onwards. It doesn't matter if your results are like chicken feathers or dog poop. All of you can do it. The Chun Ha University special class aims to have at least 5 students getting into Chun ha University this year. I don't need other universities. I just want Chun Ha University.
*Yajima throws a basketball at Sakuragi, who dodges. The ball hits the wall & bounces back to Yajima.*
*Baek Hyun throws a basketball at Sok Ho, who dodges. The ball hits the wall & bounces back to Baek Hyun.*
Yajima: What's with Todai? You've been talking about Todai. You're noisy!
*Sakuragi gets off the stage and picks up ball.*
Sakuragi: Do you hate Todai?
Yajima: Yeah, everyone here thinks so.
Sakuragi: Me too.
Yajima: Ah?
Sakuragi: Those people who admire just the name Todai makes me puke. Those people who think that their life will be successful just because they entered Todai and those people who feel small once they learn that the person before them is from Todai are meaningless.
Yajima: Then why are you asking us to go to Todai?
Sakuragi: You won't understand that yet.
Yajima: Ah?
Sakuragi: Kids like you don't know a single thing about society. You don't know because your parents hide it from you. That you have such boundless possibilities.
Baek Hyun: Chun Ha University? What kind of joke is that? Then what about you? Were you from Chun Ha University? Is Chun Ha University feeding you? Is Chun Ha University that good?
Suk Ho: I wasn't from Chun Ha University. I don't like Chun Ha University. Those people who feel superior just because they were from Chun Ha University are garbage.
*Suk Ho goes off the stage.*
Suk Ho: Not worthy enough for us to talk about them. But your situation is different. If you want to use your dog head to achieve something in this society, you can only go to Chun Ha University.
Baek Hyun: Dog head?
Suk Ho: You all saw that banner hanging in front of the school. Why did you think of when you saw it? The banner that advocates cleaning up you garbage is evidence that you are all pests. All of you who can't even study or say a single word, and can only hide at one side, if you're not idiots, when what are you?! Why are you wasting your own talent instead of working hard? Why are you not doing anything and letting your brain stay empty?!
*Sakuragi throws the basketball, aiming at the hoop across the hall.*
*Sakuragi succeeds and the whole hall goes into an uproar*
Sakuragi: If you don't want to know of such a society, be the person who make rules. If you want to live your life without being cheated, study! Idiots and ugly people, go to Todai!
Suk Ho: Become the person who make rules! The turning point of your life is before your eyes.
*Suk Ho picks up the basketball.*
Suk Ho: Work hard and study! Go to Chun Ha University!
*Suk Ho throws the basketball, aiming at the hoop across the hall.*
*Suk Ho succeeds and the whole hall goes into an uproar.* - Ep 3 seems to be very similar to Dragon Zakura too. There's the white-haired teacher whom the lawyer introduces to the special class, and the focus on basic calculations. Even the part about answering Math questions being something like a sports!
- And some more that I can't really remember...lol
As for character parallels, all 5 students from Dragon Zakura were preserved, except for the one that left the special class midway (Kobayashi). Plot aside, I think the acting in God Of Study is quite decent, and there're quite a lot of eye candy.
I tried watching Pasta, but despite the widespread love for the drama, I haven't found anything attractive. In fact, I feel like just rewatching MNIKSS! The other one, Wish Upon A Star, is barely passable based on the first 10 minutes, because of the lead female, though I think she'll improve once her parents' death forces her to become more responsible. As for Chuno.....ancient drama....so....maybe not.
Hi!!!
hmm so new year resolutions, right??
do you do any??
I don't
cuz I never really accomplish any XD;;
now wishes, that's different
you know, here we have the tradition of the 12 grapes, the thing is on dec 31st at 12 o'clock when the bell strokes start you're supposed to eat a grape with each struck and make a wish at the same time, problem is that it's too fast; hence pretty much everyone end ups with the mouth full of grapes and looking funny XDD
and to be honest I don't have too much time to make up wishes, except to wish not to die by grape choking
and hey it works!!! proof it that I'm still here, right?? XDD
I know... I should think of my wishes beforehand, but that'd be cheating... and even if I did at that moment survival seems to be the best thing to wish for :D
although there's only one thing I really wish for, and no it's not to be able to go to a con *even when that would be awesome*
I just wish to be healthy again, that's it, I'm not asking for much am I?
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...maybe I am
maybe I should stop being so selfish and think about the rest... you know, for a change
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I can try at least, can't promise anything but trying wouldn't hurt anyone, rigth??
hmm gotta think about that
oh, but don't be too happy cuz I'm still gonna continue with my whining therapy, sorry
*sigh*
let's change the subject, shall we??
AnS- was... ok, half boring half fun; as I said previously I hope they get interesting guests since most of the last ones were *meh*
and if no, why not more eps w/guests?? those are always win :D
I was thinking about them getting you know the famous ones and I vote for Hugh Jackman :D he seems to be quite amusing
now for HnA - remove the uh freezing water segment, as someone in my nh said it's not nice for them to be punished for having their own ideas in respect of dates and all that, if they were always going for the *most perfect romantic thing* it would be quite boring, wouldn't it?? because you'd already know what to expect D:
although implementing that in the government would be fun as hell
you get thrown in freezing water for saying a bunch of lame stuff?? politicians will be constanlty sick but really really clean XDD *in my country, that is*
there's that, now for mannequin 5
I like that segment but I don't like the uh *buyers* that much, so I propose that oh I don't know once every 2 months or so the guys get to be the judges :D it would be really entertaining to see what kind of snarky comments would Nino make, hmm maybe Squishy too... wouldn't you like to see something like that??
I know that's highly improbable, so why not uh treating them as real mannequins and let's say, have some girls picking their clothes according to the theme and another ones judging their choices??
for once we will know what they really like...
you know, just my 2 cents
as for VSA - that one is fine, I just want the guys to have more screen time, that's all
yeah
besides that, I don't have much to say
See ya!!!
*hope everyone has a great week!!!*
I'm trying ok??
Hi!!!
so how's been new year for you so far??
for me it's... ok, I guess
oh, on last day of past year I got an awesome gift by ginger_ame THANK YOU *hugs*
and on the first 2 days of this year I got another nice gift courtesy of *you won't believe this* Mr. Hand Pain, that's right Mr. decided to be decent and allowed me to enjoy the beginning w/o pain
see?? I'm adorable
yeah, I hope you just kept being so
...you ask for too much
I know :D
didn't want to say so I wouldn't spoil it , you know how's he when getting some attention
OI!!!
sorry... *but it's true*
as for Da neck... he decided to try higher places so my back doesn't hurt that much, but the neck and shoulders do *sigh* guess it's an improvement since the pain area is smaller this time :D
what else??
we got Kouhaku which was my first, I've seen some perfs before but this is the first one I've really watch *except the enka parts, not my thing*
and the Countdown... which was it shorter than other years or I'm completely wrong?? oO
later that day THE MOM asked me if that was this year's con and whined a little about how she wanted to watch... first she was nagging me about me not sleeping cuz I was gonna watch, then she says she wanted to do so... who gets her??!!! ><
oh I was thinking about watching the TOKIO show too but that would mean 3 days w/o sleeping in a row and although I wanted to do so, I decided that I should try to get a little healthier, don't know if that would make me worse so... :/
but I saw the nep league thing, I think is a nice show, even when I have just watched very little of it XD;;;
oh yeah new song!!! I think is nice...
so for first release of the year will it be 3 ver or something?? oO
talking about that... what's gonna be the real logo for Shosus' drama?? I think I saw 2 vers... and I need to start making the new banner D:
it looks fun so there won't be need for strips, right?? right??
...right ._.
hee XD;;
ok now for radio stuff, been listening to quite a bunch of shows so I don't know if you'd like me to put links in case you're interested to try some of those...
so far I've listened to a really niiice one about The Beatles, one bout the music Jane Austen would have had on her ipod *thought it was interesting*, a review of uh british music since th '60's... sorta *I'm in the middle of the '70s XDD* theres a mini series about female fairytales characters' future *Goldilocks was my fave*
another one about DW books *but I think that one isn't available anymore*
there's also gonna be some dramas from Terry Pratchett's books, which sadly aren't really known over here, I just have a few ones and as expected the translations are not bad, but there's quite a lot of jokes that get lost D:
talking about translations I was all ready to get dad into *oh so loved Ten* and I thought he may have some trouble with the accent, so I dled the subs too... but he told me he's not that fast at reading english D: so he'll wait till the spanish subs get out...
...
...
which would be never, since I think the only boxset that got out with those is the 1st season *facepalm*
so I had to make a fast search and luckily I was able to found some decent ones :D
now the thing is I wanted to show him Jin too, but there's only english subs... -_- never thought there would be the day I wanted spanish subs
so I was thinking in maaaaaybe try to sub it myself *from the existant eng ones of course, cuz my japanese isn't that good yet* so I was wondering how hard is that, since I've never done such things... anyone??
and before you go on telling me that that isn't nice to the original subbers etc. the thing would be only so my dad can watch it too, I don't intend to ul anywhere...
or should I wait for subs to come up?? ._.
ok, now talking about DW...
don't wanna see him go but I wanna watch the SPs DX
;_;
therefore I'm in denial state while showing his seasons to dad, while my face is hurting... and why is hurting?? cuz I have a big grin when I watch him XDDD can't help it!!! love the guy!!! <3<3
oh which reminds me of the discovery of the week!!! *for me that is*
had no idea Capt Jack could sing... and this is the thing I'm listening between radio shows XDDD
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Shosus, long rant is long oO
will stop here
oh, I mostly listen to radio 7 XDDD is there anything you're listening right now that you think I'll like??
Agent K. I know, is funny how they are having dramas close to their b-day months XDD
VampyrRep I think there's a bunch of drawings in there too XDD;;;
See ya!!!
Here are some promotional posters of the 3 leads from The Slingshot/Story of a Man/남자이야기.
Below are the two main songs played in the drama. I translated one because the final line kept resounding in me as I watched the drama. How I wished that Yong Ha sang for the drama! =/
We all know Sho chan is smart, book smart.
From the previous Sho chan and Nino chan's participation, we get to know Nino is also super book smart (edit as well as super street smart of course, yes dunchama ;D).
This time, we found out Jun is surprisingly book smart too..! I'm seriously impressed <3
Aiba and Ohchan dame lah xDD
Ohchan's "福" was really regrettable since he forgot to press the button.. too my pace and blur ah.. but so cute though.
Their English is surprisingly good too!
Oh I love Nino's "wasshoi wasshoi", this mischievous man really thinks outside the box!!
Where as Sho chan's just plain dorky XD
Arashi really works well under pressure, super impressed with Sho and Jun's "十人十色" and "百発百中"..!
And what's more, we get to see the spontaneous JunNino hug <33333
And then of course the Arashi 5人 hug, that's the Arashi I love best!!
Bonus round.. really regrettable! I think they might have misunderstood the question, it was an easy one, even I knew the answer lol. oh well, they're still the best on Nep League this round <3
Okay catch up and reply later!
Visited relatives of mother-in-law side today with hubby.. was lucky to get home in time to watch Nep League ;D
Ate too much!
Arashiawase New Year!!
*plz bear with me and my non-sensical stuff next year too!!! XDD*
again XD
PHEW! I had totally forgotten about 紅白歌合戦 until 15mins ago, when I started to clear space for the impending JE Countdown download. So, frantically I switched on the tv and checked the 紅白 website to check up if I have missed Arashi already. Mika Nakashima was singing, so, I was just 6 songs from Arashi! PHEW! Choohh lucky.
Mika's fringe was odd...and her dress made her at least 5 years older. Oh well....I still prefer NANA Mika.
And then, YUZU! With my favourite song aitai, supposedly written for his father. I really liked the contrast during their performance. The stage looked really grand with bright lights and royal-looking decorations. But there they were, two man in front of standing mics, singing and playing the guitar. They looked so bare. I loved their harmony. XD
Now, waiting for Arashi! I'm kinda sad that I missed TOKIO though. =S Nvm...Kobukuro is after Arashi, so at least I have 2 groups to watch. My wish fulfilled! Them, on tv!
[EDIT]
HAHA! My gf saw me camping in front of the tv. "Are you watching this?" he asked, refering to the enka-looking singer on tv.
"No, mine is coming up in 10 mins. I'm gonna watch for 5 mins and you can switch channels after that."
"Arashi?"
haha!! I was totally beaming when they appeared!
My gosh, I loved their costumeS. The first one was red...at first I thought it was pink, a shade deeper than Kitto Daijyoubu's. Demo, I think it's red. I liked how during Happiness they started to go wild a la concerts. Jun even leaped (literally leaped) off the stage and go up close to the audience, shaking hands, smiling, bowing...KAWAII...like an over-excited kid at his birthday party. At that moment, it felt like an Arashi concert. Sasuga Arashi! Maybe it's just me, but compared to the other perf I saw (Mika Nakashima, Yuzu, Koda Kumi), the camera shoots seemed to become more wild and excited along with Arashi, with a lot of wide zooms and sudden close ups.
But the thing I loved most was right before they started singing Believe. As Happiness ended, they went to the upper stage, where they were engulfed by thick smoke. At first, I was going to throw the remote control because it seemed like they were going off stage just like that. But no. After the smoke dissipated, they emerged again! This time, in line with Believe, they had changed into silver suits! And as the camera panned from above, I couldn't spot their red costumes. O.o I didn't even see any holes in the ground. They changed really fast, like within..3~4 secs! haha.. Concert-trained! But it was strange that they only sang one song after the costume change. =S
So, all in all they sang A.RA.SHI, Wish, Happiness and Believe in a medley.
As Nino said after the perf, it'll be great if they returned next year!
Oh, during the short talk, a male fan actually shouted out to them, and Nakai-san was like, other than female fans, Arashi has a lot of male fans too. True ne! That's our Arashi for you. They have the substance besides the face. =)
Currently sitting on floor cushion under kotatsu watching Kouhaku.. oh, ate soba too.. ;D
everything is nice except I have this 37.4 degree C fever XDD aaah well weather's like super cold and then unusually warm and then super cold again so...!!
Hopefully I will recover by 1st of Jan of 2010 but maybe that's too much to ask for, so I will just wish all of us a Happy, Healthy, Fulfilling, Successful, and a Smooth 2010 <3
oooh great timing, Arashi (my ichiban JE group <3) introducing their sempai Tokio (my niban JE group XD)..
Catch up soon!
Hi!!!
sooo as I said now I'm hooked into BBC radio shows, right now I'm listening to a drama adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles :D
ok, now for something completely different and to add yet another *I was listening to a podcast* series
this time I was listening to one about how art has been linked to humanity since long ago between other stuff... and how much we value to possess original art *when possible obviously* rather than reproductions, and this is because we feel as if we can connect with the artist mind at some level
this made me think about another podcast about webcomics and there's a guy who sent a question to the show asking how they manage with reader mail and hate mail, if they have some sort of *answer ready to send* or something like that, since he spends so much time answering to his
so the guys were talking about how much they prefer short and sweet mails with something like *thanks for your hard work, I love your strip* rather than long messages and how they usually ignore the hate mail
but they also were talking about how... weird is when they get messages that are something like *I have been reading your strip for a long time and I'm not satisfied at how things have been going lately, so unless you change this I'm not gonna read it anymore* "not exactly the words but that's the idea"
and they were saying things along the lines of *who do you think you are to tell me what I can or can't do with my strip?!* but let's put that aside and something that really got me *I didn't know you even existed*
which brought back to my mind yet another podcast hosted by a couple, and I was thinking when they were telling his experience of meeting/interviewing some of the cast of MST3K *if you don't know what that is, google is your friend* and how weird it was at first for them cuz they didn't know how to conduct themselves, specially the woman cuz she said she was there expecting some sort of super friendly almost family welcoming and how she was thinking *c'mon guys, it's us!!* because she's been watching them for so long, that it felt as if those ppl were family
so I was thinking about all that *I know it's too much...* and the strips, because now and then I get some comments from you telling me that the strip of that day made your day better... or how you've been reading those for months and how much you like them
and this is nice and a little strange for me, cuz sometimes that's the only message I get from some of you like, ever
so it makes me feel good and perhaps a little guilty because it's like *wow this girl has been following my silly strips for so long and I didn't know she existed!! oO* and at some level I feel guilty for not knowing that, I know it's impossible to know who's reading, but still...
however, is nice to know that even when you don't say a word, you're still there; laughing with me...
*or at me, but I prefer to think is with me*
so I just want to say:
and now I believe what will be the very last strip of the year
is good to know it's just a *little* advice
*as usual locked in 2 days*
See ya!!!
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