Hello all, how was your week? I’m experiencing a bout of writer’s block as you may have noticed by the silence this week. I’m not alone it seems, as a couple of us on Facebook were saying how we might as well set up a support group of sorts :D.
Moving on…
1. Kim Woo Bin, Rain and the Running Man crew land in Australia to tape an episode set to air in March. Thanks to the stalkerazzi on tumblr, I know what we can look forward to seeing and I’m jumping for joy *smirk*:
Incidentally, Lee Jong Seok was poised to reunite with his bro for this ep too but the poor thing is down with swine flu and is recuperating.
2. I’m sure by now that you are well aware of Korean skating icon Kim Yu Na’s shock defeat to Russia’s Adelina Sotnikova at Sochi. Her defeat is controversial to say the least. A global chorus of disgruntlement followed, with a petition at Change.org that crashed the servers numbering close to 2 million signatures at last count. I know nothing about skating. All I know is I thought she was flawless. Read this for a Korean response, and I thought this was a good overview of what went down on at the competition. This and Viktor Ahn’s win for his adopted country Russia makes this week a tough one to swallow for the Korean sporting nation.
3. Snowpiercer opens in Malaysia! I’d been casually following the drama surrounding the Bong Joon Ho sci-fi film’s US release and was wondering if it would ever make it here. So what a surprise to learn that opened this weekend! I hightailed it to the cinema to see this with the hubs, who can be a little fussy with his genre flicks, and I was surprised that we both liked this one alot. We disagree all the time with stuff like this. I arm-twisted him into writing a review so look out for that soon. Malaysians, go see this at TGV cinemas! It’s a thrilling film worth a watch on the big screen.
4. Censors in Korea flexed their muscles this week as KBS banned videos by likes of Park Ji Yoon, Ga In and many more, and the Korean Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) summoned major music shows to caution them against sexy performances by girl groups such as Stellar, Rainbow, Girls Day and more. The guys over at Asian Junkie cheekily point out though that there’s been a grand tradition of sexy dancing in K-pop, not to mention the numerous shirtless gyrations of male idols that get a pass. So what’s with the pearl-clutching? As for Ga In’s “Fxxk U” MV, I may well need time to digest this one for many reasons. And then yammering about it on tumblr.
5. Also at Asian Junkie, a reminder that there’s more to K-music that just K-pop, or at least what is generally understood to be K-pop in this handy list of popular bands that everyday Koreans listen too. Those more knowledgeable that me, I’d love to know of other artists you’d add to this list!
I leave you with this picture of fresh grads Jang Geun Suk and Jung Ill Woo to kickstart your week ;P
obsessive compulsive (k)drama-watching disorder 
OMG WHY AM I NOT HOME !!! I’ve been wanting to watch Snowpiercer, but the air dates have been weird, to say the least – no dates confirmed elsewhere than Korea, last I read. And now it’s in Malaysia… -_-
(but I am glad you liked it! Just watching the trailer I was gobsmacked, immediately taken haha)
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The perks of being home, haha. It is due in the US sometime, it just may not exactly be easy to find. And if not there’s always the DVD circuit? I did like it alot, it’s good, definitely the best sci-fi I’ve seen in a long time? I wish there was more though. It’s the kind of story that could have a prequel, or stretched to two films. I mean, if the bloody Hobbit could be stretched into 3 FILMS, a story like this that has more meat, would be so awesome. Anyway, hope you get the chance to see it soon!
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The boys looks absolutely ridiculous in those kangaroo suits! XD It’s like the RM peeps set out to obliterate any mistaken notion of dignity that the boys had..! I’m SOOOO looking forward to the ep, seriously! If only LJS could’ve joined in, that would’ve been epically epic!
Jung Il Woo looks suitably adorkable in his grad togs.. and I had to do a double-take on Jang Geun Suk coz he somehow looks like he’s got a cowboy hat on, LOL! XD
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Thank goodness for the ridiculous! Dignity is overrated. I cackle at the thought of Mr’ 30sexy’ Rain faffing about in there too. And there’s gotta be a ‘roo race with hopping and ‘roo babies in pouches. Do I sense another squee fest looming?…;)
And somehow I do get the feeling that Jang Geun Suk wanted to wear a cowboy hat but even he couldn’t hv gotten away with it 🙂
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I’ve been too busy watching new drama and marathoning old drama that I somehow forgot that I have a blog. This is bad. Really bad. And, I never agree with Jang Geun Suk hairstyle. His taste is a bit unique. He looks like an ahjumma in that photo.
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That’s good! At least you are watching dramas! I’m not even doing that. Then you have something to write about when you want to go back to your blog.
There’s a certain ahjumma style to Jang Geun Seuk’s hair now that you mention it. I’m just happy he cut it after all this while!!
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The Atlantic’s article on the skating controversy was excellent, I thought. I managed to miss these Olympics, but I recall the commentators grousing about the way the new rules were muscling out artistic merit during the last one. I have to say, I agree with them — yes, it’s more subjective, but there really is more to skating than jumping.
Maybe what they need to do is have a pure jumping section to replace the compulsory figures they did away with that ruined the sport per my dad and aunt. (I don’t skate myself, but I have inherited the opinions! 😉 )
Also — you read Asian Junkie?!? I totally lurk over there — the comment-sections are hilarious. And the articles surprisingly insightful despite (or maybe because of?) their irreverent, tongue-in-cheek tone.
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Yes I read AJ! I find them pretty funny and clever too sometimes, although the dude-bro thing can get tiresome.
As for the olympics, I didn’t watch nothin’! Except for the skates, and that was online after the fact! What struck me about that article was learning about the anonymity in the judging which is really, just not on.
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Seriously! How can they shame the Russian judge for obvious bias if it’s all anonymous! 😉 (Though, I think it was a French judge caught in some blatant cheating that brought about all the changes.)
There’s definitely an element of one-upmanship to AJ. Another reason I lurk. 😉
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I’d feel bad for the Russian skater though. Can’t imagine how she feels bout her win being questioned this way although she gets to keep the gold at the end of the day.
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Yeah — these kind of scandals are never fun for anyone.
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You know Rain is coming to KL rite? I so excited about it. One month more to go and I wonder if Kim Tae Hee will tag along. Since they were seen together in SG when Rain had a concert during the new year and in America recently.
Snowpiercer is airing… but I’m not a movie person. Even when they got Kpop concert aired in the cinemas I don’t feel to go. I rather go to real concert instead.
All the ladies mention in AJ articles are my fave sexy ladies. Kpop was so awesome back then when we got the solo singer strut their stuff. Reading that article almost bring me to tears then I watched almost an hour just for memories.
Well, I listened to Korean music generally. My first Korean song is not Kpop song but a ballad. I posted daily Korean MV on the blog twitter just for variety. You should check it out.
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Yes I know Rain will be here soon! And better still, it will be FREE. But that means there will be a mad crowd and I’m not sure I want to deal with that. But I’m sure you guys will cover it, right?
I’m not on twitter but I will follow you once I decide to get on it. It’s a matter of time!
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…i don’t know about the rulings of figure skating but it always amazes me each time i see one doing the act…before this sochi.ru thing, i am a fan of some famous figure skaters, like Michelle Kwan and Tara Lapinski,..they are so awesome doing acts on ice…and i admit Kim Yu Na did good… 😉
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I used to follow olympic sports much more closely when I was younger, so I know like Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi and Nancy Kerrigan. The only skater I knew of this round was of course, Kim Yu Na who is/was? amazing here. Shame, really. It would’ve been nice for her to retire with another gold but hey, she’s already a legend!
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…and so finally!..Jung Il Woo graduated from college!…..nice to see celebs who are having time and really determine to finish their schooling…. 🙂
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Right? I thought that was swell to see, that it doesn’t matter how long it takes really, that they finally manage to finish the course and prioritise their studies, what with all their hectic careers.
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