SS501 Rebirth!

Thanks to a friend who sent me a blurb today, I found out that SS501 is coming out with a new mini-album. I know, I'm such a bad fan.  I didn't even know about this ahead of time.  Anyways, this is the first time that everybody will be back together recording, after Kim Hyun Joong's working on Boys Over Flowers and various other members were also having different projects.  Titled Rebirth, this new mini-album was highly anticipated and has been well received when it first hit the stores today.  The special edition of the album (with a poster, etc) is out in Korea today, October 20th, while the regular edition will be released October 22nd. The album follows as thus:

01. WASTELAND
02. Love Like This (네게로)
03. 하루만(Only One Day)
04. Obsess (중동...)
05. 완.두.콩.

DSP worked hard to make this a successful album, bringing in famous songwriters as well as the amazing producer Steven Lee, known for winning 15 Japan Golden Disc awards.  He has also produced many top artists in both Korea and Japan, including DBSK, Bi-Rain, and Super Junior.  Ken Lewis, who has worked with Usher and Kanye West was also brought in to mix the songs.  With so much talent brought on board, it's no wonder than the album has been a huge hit so far.

SS501 has had some good luck as well.  Their main song, Love Like This, was apparently a hot item wanted by many other artists.  Thankfully, SS501 was able to successfully bid for the song and use it to bring us another great album.  I don't know if this occurred to anybody else but the opening of Love Like This really reminds me of Justin Bieber's song One Time.  The fact that SS501 can change styles so dramatically, especially from the Triple-S heavy electronic beat filled UR Man, really shows SS501's skill across the board.

Although I have loved the the mini-albums SS501 have brought us, I am dying for another real full album.  How much longer must our fans wait?  I hope that all of the members and the team stayy healthy, especially in the midst of news of exhaustion.  I know that I am anticipating another great album.

While I know that the album has only been out for a few hours, I must say that I was rather disappointed that I could not find the complete album out online yet.  I want to listen to it now!  However, watch for an update as I will make sure to post it right here, on Asian Media Ramblings.




Cover Art for SS501's Mini-Album Rebirth

Love Like this


Album Previews (Out of Order)

Lee Seung Ki Spotting!

While browsing YouTube recently (and I bet that you do it too), I came across this cute video for some random song. This is what happens when you randomly click on interesting looking "Related Videos" suggested by YouTube. The endeavor paid off. The video was amazingly heart touching and the song wasn't bad. However, I could not place the main protagonist. He looked so familiar yet. At first, I thought that he just looked somewhat like some Lee Dong Gun but then I soon realized that it couldn't be Lee Dong Gun. Who was it? It was not until the end of the video that I realized: It is our good friend Lee Seung Ki from Shining Inheritance. I was amazed at the transformation from his hot, bad attitude, idol boy look in Shining Inheritance to this kind and dorky high school student. It just shows how versatile he can be and how talented he is. I must say that I rather like the feel of this character he portrays, though who could ever dislike the cute boy in Shining Inheritance? Does anybody know who sings the song and what it is titled?

Video with Lee Seung Ki

Where U At?

For anybody who did not know, I have a new-found obsession with the Korean group Big Bang. While I will do a complete entry on them in the (near hopefully) future, I just wanted to share some news I heard today. Imagine my delighted surprise when I heard that Tae Yang has come out with a new song and MV! This was such a great relief from the endless work that I have been piled under (hence the sporadic posing). However, I could not pass up on notifying all of you on this great news. I must admit that the ending is kinda of weird. Check it out and tell me what you think!

Where U At By Tae Yang Ft. Teddy

BoA Minute!

So, this is way overdue but for everybody who doesn't know, BoA Kwon, extremely talented Korean pop star has come out with an English album, now for sale at retailers such as ITunes and Amazon.  She is now focusing her efforts on dominating the American market.  By the looks of it, she is the most successful of all Korean artists who have attempted to dominate the American market.  The list of those who have *ahem* not done extremely well just goes on and on: Se7en, Bi-Rain (who is apparently the new desire of Megan Fox's heart), Wonder Girls, etc.  So why is BoA able to do it?  Extreme popularity back home, amazing dance moves, hard work, good image, smart decisions by her management company, and her pretty looks just may have something to do with it.  What has most surprised me is the fact that she has caught the attention of many, not just Asian Americans.  Teenagers and adults all over the world are dancing and bopping to her catchy lyrics.  Recently (depending on how you define that term), BoA was featured on Imeem's Single of the Second playlist, which just further shows how much attention she has garnered.  She has been able to snag a cover shot of NYLON magazine and performed at the San Francisco Gay Pride Festival.  Wondering if all of this will last?  Let's watch and see.

For all those wishing to listen to her American album, it can be found on Imeem.com.

BoA Kwon's American Album

BoA

Drama Update: Meteor Shower (Chinese Hana Yori Dango)

Now what is this that I hear of another adaptation coming out?  Apparently, a new mainland Chinese version (not to be mistaken with the Taiwan version) will be coming out soon.  Filming has begun in Xiamen and the drama is due to air on Hunan TV (Hunan Tai) in August. It is said that the drama will be called Meteor Shower.  However, instead of the typical romantic idol drama format, statements have been made about changing the plot for the Chinese version and turning it into an "inspirational drama."  This was foreseeable since the Chinese government had banned Meteor Garden due to the "bad themes" promoting a love for money.  

Many fans are disappointed in the casting, complaining that the producers should have chosen more well-known actors to compete in this contest to be the best.  The only slightly well known figures to be casted for the main five characters, are Yu Hao Ming playing Duan Yulei (Hanazawa Rui) and Wei Chen playing Ye Shuo (Mimasaka Akira).  Joining these two will be Zhang Han, playing Yun Hai (Domyouji Tsukasa), Zhu Zixiao playing Ximen Ruiqian (Nishikado Sojirou), and Zheng Shuang playing Chu Yuxun (Makino Tsukushi).  Apparently Hangeng, the Chinese member of the Korean idol boy band Super Junior, was one of the top picks to be part of the F4 but turned down the offer to focus on promoting Super Junior's 3rd album. 

This Chinese production has brought along quite a bit of controversy.  Apparently, Group 8 Media, which produced the Korean Boys Over Flowers purchased rights the the Hana Yori Dango franchise.  With this contract in place, no new adaptations are supposed to begin production in the following two years.  However, Meteor Shower has not only already started filming, they have begun their slew of press releases.  Korean fans are, of course, furious.  In return the producers of the Chinese adaptation states that they are not basing the drama on the manga, but will instead be producing a "completely different story."  They have even changed the name of the boy idols, converting from "F4" to "H4."

Do we want to watch this?  The Chinese dramas that I have watched thus far have been rather good and well done, lacking the over-the-top factor I find appears often in Taiwan dramas.  However, I am slightly worried about the plot changes in store.  I guess I will watch it to see how it differs from the rest. The music trailer is officially out.  Hope you enjoy!


Pictures of the Chinese F4:

The new table of each different portrayal of the main five characters:

Music Trailer for Meteor Shower :





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To my surprise, there is a much older version of Hana Yori Dango pre-dating all of this craze.  The first live-action movie Hana Yori Dango (Japanese) was actually made in 1995, directed by Yasuyuki Kusuda, starring Uchida Yuki as Makino Tsukushi, Shosuke Tanihara as Domyouji Tsukasa, Naohito Fujiki as Hanazawa Rui, Koichi Hashizume as Mimasaka Akira, and Kensaku Saeki as Nishikado Sojirou.  Naohito Fujiki also made a cameo appearance in the Hana Yori Dango Final.  Does anybody know where I can watch this?

Drama Update: Boys Before Flowers

This is coming greatly belated but I couldn't help but spread the word (if anybody hasn't heard yet) about the (relatively) new Korean Drama 꽃보다 남자 / Kgotboda Namja, otherwise known as Boys Before Flowers.  The drama is the third adaptation of Yoko Kamio's popular Shojo manga 花より男子, (Hana Yori Dango).  F4 made Meteor Garden in Taiwan and the Japanese did their own rendition too, so of course, the Koreans had to create something to trump them all.  The Korean drama stars Koo Hye Sun as Geum Jan Di (Makino Tsukushi), Lee Min Ho as Goo Joon Pyo (Domyouji Tsukasa), Kim Hyun Joong as Yoon Ji Hoo (Hanazawa Rui), Kim Bum as So Yi Jung (Nishikado Sojirou), and Kim Joon as Song Woo Bin (Mimasaka Akira).

For all of those who have not yet watched it (gasp), the plot follows the manga, creating a tumultuous love triangle between Geum Jan Di, Goo Joon Pyo, and Yoon Ji Hoo.  Further complicated by family pressures and disparities in social class, this classic love story is reproduced in modern day Korea.  Geum Jan Di is a hardworking a filial daughter while Goo Joon Pyo is the typical spoiled aristocratic heir to the corporation.  Mixed into this is Yoon Ji Hoo, the knight in shining armor, who comes to love Jan Di.

The question of which rendition is the best is hotly debated.  Meteor Garden with the good looking Jerry Yan and Vic Chou?  Or Hana Yori Dango with the cute Matsumoto Jun and Oguri Shun.  Or Boys Before Flowers with the handsome Lee Min Ho and Kim Hyun Joong?  Personally, I am not a big fan of Meteor Garden.  This may have a lot to do with the relatively oldness of the drama but what really puts me off is the horrible styling and clothing choices.  Some of the sets look hastily put together and obviously fake.  The acting is mediocre and often too exaggerated. On the other hand, Hana Yori Dango presents a much more realistic tone, though some of the scenes are very dark.  The acting is superb and the cast looks good together, with  Matsumoto Jun and Oguri Shun having previously worked together in the Japanese drama Gokusen.  The outfits are well put together and present a very chic and stylish picture. Matsuda Shota, playing Nishikado Sojirou, and Abe Tsuyoshi, playing Mimasaka Akira, complement the others well.  Similarly, I really like Boys Before Flowers.  While the acting, casting, and clothing were all completed wonderfully, I felt that the drama really incorporated the Korean feel into the drama.  The inclusion of the porridge shop sets it apart from the dango store in the Japanese version.  Similarly, while Inoue Mao plays a rather pretty Makino, thus gaining our affections, Koo Hye Sun successfully portrays the poor, plain looking girl that the aloof heir eventually falls in love with without laying it on too thick.  She presents a very honest feel to the drama and comically contrasts Min Ho as she refuses to allow for his immaturity.

Some photos of the five stars of Boys Before Flowers: Koo Hye Sun as Geum Jan Di (Makino Tsukushi), Lee Min Ho as Goo Joon Pyo (Domyouji Tsukasa), Kim Hyun Joong as Yoon Ji Hoo (Hanazawa Rui), Kim Bum as So Yi Jung (Nishikado Sojirou), and Kim Joon as Song Woo Bin (Mimasaka Akira)

Picture of Koo Hye Sun:

She is so pretty in this picture.  It's amazing how well she created the character of Geum Jan Di.


Pictures of the five stars from Hana Yori Dango: Inoue Mao (Makino Tsukushi), Matsumoto Jun (Domoyoji Tsukasa), Oguri Shun (Hanazawa Rui), Matsuda Shota (Nishikado Sojirou), and Abe Tsuyoshi (Mimasaka Akira)

Picture of the five stars in Meteor Garden: Barbie Hsu as Shan Cai (Makino Tsukushi), Jerry Yan as Dao Ming Si (Domyouji Tsukasa), Vic Chou as Hua Ze Lei (Hanazawa Rui), Vanness Wu as Mei Zuo Ling (Mimasaka Akira), and Ken Chu as Xi Men (Nishikado Sojirou)

 

 

Tables of each different portrayal of the F4:

Drama Update: Shining Inheritance

Nowadays, I am watching the Korean Drama, Shining Inheritance, starring Han Hyo Joo as Go Eun Sung, Lee Seung Ki as Hwan Sun Woo, Bae Soo Bin as Park Jun Se, and Moon Chae Won as Yoo Seung Mi.  The story revolves around Go Eun Sung and Sun Woo Hwan in this classic Cinderella story.  Go Eun Sung goes from riches to rags overnight as her father "dies," his company goes bankrupt, and her evil stepmother kicks her out due to the stepmother's supposed inability to support both the biological children of her deceased husband as well as her own daughter, Seung Mi.  Added to this, Eun Sung's autistic younger brother, Go Eun Woo, played by Yun Joon Suk, wanders off one night and goes missing .

While Eun Sung is struggling to support herself and find Eun Woo, she finds her old true friend Lee Hye Ri, played by Min Young Won, for help.  She also encounters the kind and handsome Park Jun Se who falls in love with her.  What really causes the story to turn around is when Eun Sung encounters the Jang Sook Ja, the grandmother fondly known as "hymunni," played by Ban Hyo Jung.  Through saving grandmother's life and caring for the grandmother, Eun Sung gains the admiration of the grandmother.  Jang Sook Ja turns out to be the CEO of a large food corporation, who is disappointed in her family, especially Sun Woo Hwan, her heir.  As a way to cure her family's bad character as well as bring some stability in her life, the grandmother brings Eun Sung into her household, declaring Eun Sung her new heir.

Unbeknownst to Eun Sung, her evil stepmother, Baek Sung Hee, played by Kim Mi Sook, is actually orchestrating everything in the background, having hidden money from Eun Sung's father and bought a luxurious apartment as well as deserting Eun Woo in the countryside.  However, everything comes back to bite her, for as Newton's third law of physics states, "every force has an equal and opposite force."  Eun Sung's father, having been mistakenly been declared dead, comes back to haunt Sung Hee after hiding in the shadows to enable his family to collect the life insurance in his name after the collapse of his company.  Hwan, the love of Seung Mi's life and Sung Hee's hope for a future of relaxation, loses the inheritance and begins to love Eun Sung.  The grandmother, in return for Eun Sung's help, sends out men to search Seoul and the surrounding countryside for Eun Woo, making his discovery imminent, threatening Sung Hee with his impeccable memory and innocence that prevents him from lying.  Eun Sung, the girl she previously viewed as a burden, is about to become the heir to one of the largest food corporations in Seoul and a huge inheritance, leaving Hwan penniless.

Shining Inheritance can be found on Mysoju.com and Dramacrazy.net for all who wish to watch it.  I highly advise this drama.  It adds a touch of humor to the classic love triangle, bringing the classic Cinderella tale to the modern day in Seoul.  The casting is superb and the acting is well done.  The outfits prepared are chic and aid the characterizations in the story, revealing each character's inner nature.  Overall, this is a great drama.  Hope you enjoy!

Photos of the four main actors/actresses: Han Hyo Joo (Go Eun Sung), Lee Seung Ki (Sun Woo Hwan), Bae Soo Bin (Park Jun Se), and Moon Chae Won (Yoo Seung Mi)