Answer Me 1997 aka Reply 1997 Overview ~응답하라 1997

Hi Everyone!
    Grace here and I'm back to give you a K-Drama update. Recently I just finished one of my new favorite dramas, Answer Me 1997. This idol studded show has Eunji from APink, Hoya from Infinite,  Seo In Guk, and Eun Ji Won from the 90s boy band Sechs Kies.
    This show follows the life of Sung Shi Won (Eunji) and Yoon Yoon Jae (Seo In Guk) as they discover who they are, their passions, and about love. But who are these characters that you grow to love sooooooooo much?

Sung Shi Won- (Eunji)

    Shi Won is quite clueless throughout the show, but is firm in her beliefs. She is a H.O.T fan girl in the truest sense of the word. Although she is last in her class, her ultimate life goal is to marry "Tony Oppa" She learns throughout the show the difference between love and infatuation.

Yoon Yoon Jae- (Seo In Guk)

    Yoon Jae is the "cool guy" tortured, brooding artist type. He is top in his class and has know Shi Won his entire life, there parents being best friends before his died in an accident. As Yoon Jae grows up he falls in love with the ever clueless Shi Won.

Mo Yoo Jung- (Shin So Yul)

   Yoo Jung is the hopeless flirt of the group and also Shi Won's best friend. She easily goes from guy to guy, but she is a dedicated and loyal friend to Shi Won throughout the entire show. Not even the fan feud of H.O.T and Sechs Kies can break them up.

Kang Joon Hee- (Hoya)

    Joon Hee is Yoon Jae;s sensitive best friend who unconditionally sticks with him through thick and thin. Although he has a secret that he grows to accept more and more throughout the show that really tugs on the heartstrings.

Do Hak Chan- ( Eun Ji Won)

     Hak Chan is a transfer student from Seoul, and is in theory an "expert" when it comes to girls, but put him in real life and he becomes a toddler again not sure how to act or respond to any girl. In the show we see how he matures from boy to man.

Bang Sung Jae- (Lee Si Yeon)

    This guy know whats happening and is the talker of the group. He gets the low down on new student Hak Chan and adds him into their group. 

Synapse:

    This story starts by showing us 15 years as the group meets for a reunion. Everyone is their and the gist of the show is trying to figure out who has fallen in love, and who is married. It is a guessing game that is only answered in the last episode (HALLELUJAH). You see how everyone grows up into their own person and through flash backs, we see how they have progressed. Everyone forms such good friendships that last through their high school days to the present. It gives a good perspective of how when we are younger the things that are important to us then, aren't anymore. It leaves everyone with one last question. How did you spend your 90s or childhood? It calls us to remember the yesteryear's of being a kid again.

Thoughts:

    This show is a legit ADDICTION. Don't be fooled. Originally going into it, I wasn't expecting to marathon it as much as I did, but 4 days later and a Busan accent in every phrase of Korean I say, I realized just how wrong I was. Once you hit ep. 10, you seriously have to have the worlds best self control to not marathon for 7 hours to find out how it all turns out. For me, I decided at 3:30 am that is was probably best to sleep before a full day of school. It is such an amazing show that it went straight to the top of my Holy Grail K-Drama list after 3 episodes.

    It's safe to say that I love this show. While it did come out 3 years ago, it is a must watch. If it isn't on your drama list yet, get yourself a pen and some paper. It's only 16 episodes, so the initial commitment isn't as serious. (Don't even get me started on those really long K-Dramas). I love you all so much and I hope that you enjoyed this brief overview of Reply 1997. I first found out about this show from one of my unni's, so Seulah thank you!! I hope you all check it out too,

Gracie

K-Drama Review~ Surplus Princess aka The Mermaid Rant *SPOILERS*

Sup,
     Okay so right now I'm currently trying to cope with something.....
WHY THE HECK WRITERS? HUH? WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO TO ME? WHAT? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME, TO SONG JAE RIM? HOW COULD JUST BETRAY US LIKE THAT?
    Now that I'm done with my little rant to the writers, I'm just going to rant for this entire post and pinpoint my problems with this show.

1. Random Twist
    Okay, the random guy switch was not only painful, but it was brutal and unnecessary. I'm sorry, but as much as I think On Joo-Wan is adorable, Song Jae Rim will always win in my heart. The writers ship you towards Bo-Ah and Jae-Rim THE ENTIRE TIME, until like the last episode! Like what the heck? I don't think I've been this upset about a guy switch since Dream High.

2. Unfinished Story Line
    Even though I shipped Bo-Ah and Jae-Rim, I think I would've been able to cope with the switch better if Joo-Wan and Bo-Ah had more "moments" together. We get a TON of cute moments from her and Jae-Rim, but hardly any with Joo-Wan. Plus you only get about 5 minutes of seeing them together as a couple. They shouldv'e given them more time.

3. Couple Match Ups
     The thing that I think made me most upset, was who Jae-Rim ends up with. Seriously after wanting to go at Park Ji-Soo the entire time for screwing with everyone, oh hey guess what, she's gonna get the guy she's hurt everyone for and their going to New York with each other. It made me sooo mad that he ended up with her. She was way to desperate in this show, and the fact that her actions paid off in the end makes me want to burn the script.
    One of the only reasons that I actually finished this show, was because of Kim Seul-Gi and Nam Ju- Hyuck. Their relationship was worth all the pain that his show caused me. I'd basically watch this show just for them. I think they should have been the main characters. I'm happy that at least they get a happy ending.

4. The My Love From the Star puns
     These made me laugh. I'm not gonna lie, as much as I love My Love From the Star, the puns that you can use from that show, are fantastically funny, and you'll only get them if you have watched the show. Also they did the whole electricity thing when she appears which is totally a My Love From the Star thing. I wish that they hadn't used the same method, just because it seemed like copying, but hey it worked for the story line. Speaking of which....

5. The Ending
    Not only did this show not get to have all the episodes that it needed, but it left us without resolving Bo-Ah's relationships with the male leads. She just appears, and the show ends. This is not my kinda ending. When a show ends, I need some closer. I need an ending that I can accept because if that's how the writers decided to end it, then I learn to live with the outcome. We don't even get that with this show. 0 resolution.

     This isn't my typical review, and that's because when you spend 10 hours and several weeks shipping something that doesn't happen, you get mad or upset, or sad. Really any emotion is okay to express with this show. I know some people are happy with the ending to this show, but I am not one of those people. I shipped Jae-Rim and Bo-Ah, but we can't always get the OTP we want. I hope that my rant doesn't turn you off from the show, because in essence, it is pretty good and Seul-Gi and Ju-Hyuck are my favs. Check it out for yourself though, but just be aware, the writers are gonna kill you.
    I hope you all enjoyed this little rant review! I've just started It's Okay, That's Love, so I should be back with a review of that show in a month probably. I'll see you all next time!
Grace
 

IKON & Winner: YG's Newest Boy Bands

What's up everybody!!
      It's Anna! I am super excited to start blogging alongside my sister, and I thought that there would be no better to kick it off than talking about IKON and having a brief overview of how they got to where they are and sharing my opinions and thoughts about the group after having watched "Who Is Next" and "Mix and Match" :)

    IKON is Yg's newest boy group, it started back in 2012 when YG created a survival program called "Who Is Next:WIN", and placed all of it's trainees into two separate teams: Team A and Team B.

Team A: Seunghoon,Taehyun, Jinwoo, Seungyoon  and Mino

Team B: Yunhyeong, B.I. Junhoe,Bobby,Jinhwan and Donghyuk

    In "Who Is Next:Win", YG had Team A and Team B competing against one another for the chance to debut, with the promise that the group that did not win the survival show would be disbanded or a there would be a change in members. There were 10 episodes and in the end, Team A won and debut as Winner on August 15,2013. Team B went back to their regular training, still hoping for the opportunity to debut as six members. Being a hardcore Team B fan, I was extremely disappointed that they did not win and lost that opportunity to debut. However, I have very impressed with Winner and the music that they have created with their own unique style and flair.                                                                       

    In May of this year, YG decided that rather than disbanding Team B that he would put them into another survival program titled "Mix&Match", that would include three new trainees. He told them that he was going to debut a group with seven members and that their name was going to be IKON. The three new trainees were: Chanwoo, Jinhyeong and Hongseok

~Chanwoo~

~Jinhyeong~

~Hongseok~

     With these three new trainee,s the "Mix&Match" began. I loved watching the show, and as much as it broke my heart to watch them go through all so much stress, changes, and difficulties, I believe that they have all become stronger individuals from it. Their teamwork (which was already incredible), has become an even stronger force to be reckoned with. With 9 members and only 7 positions, two people were going to be eliminated. For most fans, myself included, we all wanted the original 6 to 6 with one new member. Everyone differed on who they thought would be best for the group, especially in the area of vocals. Team B and now IKON, have two incredible rappers in B.I. and Bobby but their vocals were always what tripped them up. However, I believe that they have all improved SO much and that vocal ability is no longer the main question. I wanted someone whom I felt fit into the group, not just with the teamwork or even in how well the members got along. Because after 6 months of filming "Mix&Match", living together, and practicing together, I belive that all of the boys were close.

 What was most important to me was whom among Chanwoo, Jinhyeong, or Honseok had the best presence onstage, and who fit with the original 6 members who has the majority of what's necessary to debut down. For me, that member has consistently been Chanwoo. Chanwoo is definitely a good looking kid, but I never thought that he should get into IKON based only on his looks. Over and over again he proved to me that he had that ease, that presence on stage that let me enjoy his performance rather than constantly making me critique what he was doing. His voice was steady and controled, he is not the best singer but he can carry his own without making mistakes. He has alot of room for improvement, but I think that he will rise to our expectations :)

     Jinhyeong surprised me, when he first came. I didn't think to much about his voice, except that he had a nice tone that was buried beneath an unstable pitch and that he lacked presence. But throughout the competition he grew vocally and improved in every performance.

    Hongseok, was different in that I enjoyed his voice. It still would have pitch problems but his tone was very apparent however I did not enjoy his performances, he would stick out to me as not blending in as well as Chanwoo and Jinhyeong. I felt that he was more suited to a ballad group rather than a IKON, because IKON is aiming for hip-hop. However in the final match especially in Sinojishak, he really showed me that he could enjoy the stage.

      Overall I think Chanwoo, Jinhyeong and Hongseok still all have a lot to learn and improve on, but as for who is ready to debut I do believe that it is Chanwoo. I am SO excited for IKON to finally debut after the original members having to go through 2 survival programs. Knowing as a fan that Team B has made it to the debut point, is so satisfying and I know that they will only go up from here on out. I am really excited that Chanwoo will be with them.  I can't wait to see Jinhyeong and  Hongseok in the future, because I know that they have one in K-POP and that they have great talent. I wish them the very best and I will be rooting for them when they finally debut!

I am super excited for IKON!!! YG PLEASE, PLEASE ACTUALLY DEBUT THEM IN JANUARY DON'T MAKE US WAIT AS LONG AS IT TOOK WINNER TO DEBUT! PLEASE!!!!

Proud of our boys! They have finally made it to the debut point and I can't be more happy for them! IKON *FIGHTING*!

Anna

PS. Tell me who your biases are in IKON and how you feel about the members chosen and the two that were not. :) Peace out!

K-Drama Review~ Shut Up! Boy Flower Band

**WARNING, THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Hi All!
     I've never done a K-Drama review before, but I thought that since I watch so many of them, I mine as tell you my thoughts while I'm watching. I think I'll upload these every week, sharing my thoughts about what has happened in the drama, as well as my thoughts. So without any more delay, let's jump into what shaped out to be one of my favorite dramas, Shut Up: Boy Flower Band.

~Plot~

(From Viki.com)

Although they share a passion for their music, rival bands Eye Candy and Strawberry Fields also share animosity toward one another after a fight between the bands results in the death of one of the members. Now, the Eye Candy members have transferred to a prestigious high school where the members of Strawberry Fields are already attending. Can the two bands find neutral territory in their shared love of music or will they clash yet again? “Shut Up Flower Boy Band,” also known as “Shut Up & Let’s Go,” is a 2012 South Korean comedy series directed by Lee Kwon. It is the second series produced by cable channel tvN’s “Oh! Boy” series, after “Flower Boy Ramen Shop.” The series is known for starring “flower boys,” a phrase used to describe young, good-looking leading men.

~Characters~

Position~ Leader, Vocals, Guitarist
Kwon Ji-Hyuk- played by Sung Joon, is the leader of Eye Candy after Byung-Hee dies. He is the most aware of what the other members strengths and weakness are, being sure to take care of them. His desire to protect them can get him in trouble sometimes though, as we see when he meets and falls in love with Su-Ah, Byung-Hee's muse. He feels very deeply and is protective over the rest of the members in Eye Candy. Can he protect Eye Candy and be in love as well?

Position~ Guitarist
Lee Hyun-Soo- played by L from Infinite, is the guitarist of the group. His loves his family and wants to take care of them, and tries to ensure that he is doing everything possible to provide for them. He places a lot of pressure onto his shoulders and his desire is to rise to stardom in the K-Pop world so he practices through the night, while the others mess around. Can he rise into stardom and be apart of Eye Candy at the same time?

Position~ Drummer
Jang Do-Il~ played by Lee Hyun-Jae, is the quieter one of the Eye Candy members, not feeling the need to talk unless spoken to. No one knows too much about him, although Eye Candy members use his mom's billiard as a rehearsal and hang out spot. Unlike the other members, he doesn't like getting into fights since his father is a gangster. The only one who know is Ji-Hyuk, and Woo Kyung (the girl Do-Il likes), likes Ji-Hyuk. Can he survive in the spotlight and also win over Woo Kyung at the same time?

Position~ Bassist
Kim Ha-Jin~ played by Yoo Min-Kyu is the groups player. In the beginning introductions, we learn that he joined the band to meet girls. Classic Casanova. It may seem like he'd be the big shot in his family, but he has six over zealous sisters, who also have loud personalities. Ha-Jin is very good with the girls, but when it comes to Ye-Rim ( a famous singer he is in love with), he completely loses his cool aura. Can Ha-Jin win over Ye-Rim?

Position~ Keyboard
Seo Kyung-Jong~ played by Kim Min Suk, is the maknae of the group. He is the cutie of the group and is generally very positive. He is from Busan and so escape from his families fish shop their ( and the nickname that come with it), he moves to Seoul and joins Eye Candy after going to Dongnae High School with them. Can he keep up with the rest of the members and keep his family from finding out about the rest of Eye Candy's sketchy past?

~Thoughts~

      So, first off lemme just say THESE BOYS ARE GORGEOUS!! *clears throat* I swear I spent the whole first episode freaking out and stopping every 5 seconds to comment to my sister Anna about their faces or hair or anything that made me realize why I love Flower Boy shows. One of my favorite shows is Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, and this show is made by the same company and is slowly climbing up the list of favorite shows. Also, one of the things I noticed was the color and tone of the show. They use a lot of cooler and darker shades, which I love. It gives the show a really nice Indie feel. The quality in which it was filmed also gives it a more independent feel. And if ya'll know me, you know I love my indie flicks
     I'm so excited about this show! I think it's going to be top notch. When I watched the first couple episodes, I didn't know what was going to happen in the storyline, so I had no way to brace myself. But you should probably have a box of tissues for the 2nd- 3rd episode.
    The acting is really good and I love how raw this drama is, it really hits home on the whole down and out tortured musician thing. I'm loving every character, and I'm excited to see what this drama brings to the table.
    I'm loving the eyeliner that Byung-Hee rocks when he is apart of the show! This boy gets my need for eyeliner. Sadly we only get a cameo from Lee Min Ki for the first 2 episodes, but the show is good anyways.
I like that the main theme is friendship. So many dramas just focus on the romance aspect that they forget about it, but this drama really focuses on the relationships between Ji-Hyuk and all the boys. Plus, you get a peek into everyone's stories rather than just one guy or girl.

I hope that you all will check out this phenomenal drama. It really hits home and will make you laugh and cry. It has a total 16 episodes, and is definitely one of my new favorites. It has a slight Indie feel to it, and is not your average teen high school drama. I'll see you guys next time!

~ Grace~



Song of This Post~

Not In Love- Shut Up Boy Flower Band OST
   

Introductions!!

Hi Everyone!
     I'm Grace and this is a collaboration with my wonderful and crazy sister Anna. We plan on doing K-Drama Reviews and share our thoughts on the shows we are currently watching. I wanted to do some introductions so you know what we are all about. So lemme tell ya about myself.
    Like I said earlier, I'm Grace, the younger of the two sisters. I'm pretty short and have brownish blonde hair. I have a beauty blog that is mainly dedicated to the Korean cosmetics industry and am obsessed with S. Korea. My interest started when Anna showed me a MBLAQ music video. Of course, at first, I thought it was super weird because all the guys had on a ton of eye makeup, but now I love seeing them all with their eyeliner (don't even get me started on Baekhyun from EXO). From their it has grown into an obsession with the shows, culture, food, music, and beauty of S. Korea. Anna and I are learning the language as well, so if any of you have tips on learning better, feel free to share!
    Currently I'm in my junior year of high school and am trooping through. Some of my favorite dramas include My Love From The Star, The Great Doctor aka Faith, Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, Shut Up: Boy Flower Band, City Hunter, and Queen In Hyun's Man to name a few. Some of my favorite groups/ bands are Vodka Rain, Shinee, DBSK, Girl's Generation, APink, Tiny-G, Busker Busker, BTS, VIXX, and CN Blue. If you have any questions or thoughts, go ahead and ask them! Maybe me and Anna will do a Q&A video on YouTube ;)
    I hope to make this a fun and enjoyable blog that brings a smile to your faces! I'm really excited to share my thoughts on drama's with you all and seeing how they line up, or all of our opinions. I think the way we are going to review shows, is by watching them, then posting on our thoughts. I'm probs going to be doing a play by play of each episode during that post, so look out for spoilers throughout. I can't wait to see what the future brings us!
Grace

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Hi everybody! What's up?!                                                                                                    

     I'm Anna! As my sister Grace wrote earlier we decided to do a blog collaboration together to discuss our love for K-Drama's by writing reviews of the shows we are watching and talking about some of our favorite dramas.                                                                                                                                                            I am the older sister, I have red hair and I am taller than Grace lol. I first entered the world of all things Korean by watching Ninja Assassin with Bi Rain and Lee Joon (from MBLAQ), I though Lee Joon was cute and wanted to find out if he was in any other movies, from there I learned about MBLAQ and quickly fell in love with K-Pop and K-Dramas. I then showed Grace a few MBLAQ MV's and at first it was weird but after the initial "what the heck is this?" we both became hard-core K-Pop fans. From there our love for the Korean culture, language and history has continued to grow and we both plan on living in Korea working and becoming fully immersed in the culture. I am a sophmore in college pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in International Studies and I hope to graduate and then teach English in Korea. A few of my absolute favorite K-Dramas include: The Princess' Man, My Love From the Star, I Hear Your Voice, Queen In-Hyun's  Man, The Innocent Man, Gu Family Book, and Rooftop Prince. A few of my favorite groups/bands are: DBSK, SHINee, FTisland, MBLAQ, VIXX, Bangtan Boys (BTS), EXO, Eric Nam, F(x), BigBang, Park Hyo-Shin, and Got7. Just as Grace stated earlier please comment and ask us questions and tell us what some of your favorite K-Drama's are as well as your favorite K-Pop groups!                                                    We have created this blog to share with everyone our love for Korea, so that people could tell us their experiences, learning techniques and share our fellow love for Korea and more!! :) We are both really excited to begin reviewing dramas and sharing our opinions and hearing your thoughts about the drama's/episodes. I am very excited to begin giving recaps of dramas and hearing your thoughts and    opinions!!                                                                                                                                                      Anna :)