Movin’ on Up….and on to WordPress!

I know you youngsters (and my foreign friends) have no idea of the reference in the photo. Back in the 70s, there was a really popular show called “The Jeffersons” and that was the theme song. Alas I don’t know how to inject songs into posts yet as I’m still learning.

However, during this learning phase, I’m getting more and more familiar with posting blogs and I now see the benefits (and disadvantages) of using WordPress and discontinuing using Blogger. So starting today, I’m taking that leap (of faith) and moving over to WordPress. All new blog posts will originate from here, https://newkdramaaddict.wordpress.com. Hopefully as time goes on and with the assistance of my blogger daughter, Tamika, my transition will be painless. We will see!! Stay tuned! Got some new posts coming up this weekend…hopefully! Say a prayer..

Sun-ye of Wonder Girls to go on Mission in Haiti

Wonder Girls’ Sun-ye to go to Haiti for 5 years

 

Source: Koreajoongangdaily and Hancinema

Min Sun-ye of K-pop girl group Wonder Girls announced yesterday that she plans to head to Haiti to serve as a missionary in July. She said that she plans to spend the next five years in the Caribbean country with her husband and her young daughter. “Throughout my seven-year journey as a pop star, I was able to experience a lot of things that helped shape who I am today”, Min noted in her goodbye message on her fan site.

Getty Makes Millions of Images For Use Free for Blogs

Getty Images Makes 35 Million Photos Free to Use Online

             Embed from Getty Images

Getty Images began in 1997 and has made it a business of licensing stock photography to web sites. But in recent years, the company has been losing more and revenue from similar companies providing the same service.

In the hopes of attracting millions, Getty Images is now making available over 35 million photos from their collection. The instructions on embedding these free images is available via this link to their websites. In addition, the website to search through the images available is here. Each image will credit the photographer as seen in the image above as well as the ability to share the image links via twitter and tumblr.

It is a start and a great idea. Unfortunately, you will have to sift through the images to determine which are free and those that are not. But it will definitely be a great source for images in the future; legally obtained.

Source: Openculture.com

Great Move by CJ E&M to bring Korean Entertainment Globally

Leading the Charge of Korean Entertainment Contents beyond Asia, CJ E&M Successfully Sells TV Program Formats to Europe and Latin America

Source: Hancinema

Formats of ‘Super Diva’, ‘Crazy Market’, “Yellow Boots”, and “Crazy Love” have been sold to countries in Europe and Latin America

"My Daughter Seo-yeong". the highest rated drama this year?

“My Daughter Seo-yeong” 

was the highest rated drama this year

Source: News.Donga and Hancinema

KBS 2TV drama “My Daughter Seo-yeong” is the drama with the highest rating percentage this year.

According to Nielsen Korea, “My Daughter Seo-yeong” rated 40.7% on average from the 15th of September 2012 to 3rd of March 2013. Second in place came KBS 2TV drama “The Wang Family” and “Cheer Up Mr. Kim” rated 28.5%. This is according to an annual audience aggregation from 15 September 2012 until March 3.

One day, I will actually get to these on my PTW list!! It is FULL of these long, daily dramas!! The days are just too short.

I Saw The Devil Remake? From My Daughter’s Mouth~~~WHY?!!

Repeating my Daughter’s Words~~WHY??

Source: http://geektyrant.com/news/i-saw-the-devil-getting-english-language-remake

My Thoughts: I cannot add any more than the writer of the article stated. I Saw The Devil was a near perfect thriller. Hollywood is truly running out of ideas. And it is not just the remake of Asian movies but just about every movie from the 80’s and 90’s is being re-done. Unfortunately, my personal opinion, the only remake/continuation that I saw that was successful was the Star Trek series. All of the others have failed miserably or I’ve refused to watch them. As the write stated, with the failure of OldBoy, I am also surprised that this project will even get off the ground. We will see.

MGY and KB in Europe?

Moon Geun-yeong and Kim Beom seen in Europe

 

Moon Geun-yeong and Kim Beom were seen at an attraction site in Europe. Various pictures of the new couple were posted online recently and they are shown dressed casually, enjoying a backpacking trip on their own. They look like ordinary university students. Moon Geun-yeong wore comfortable clothes with her hair up and no make-up. Kim Beom is also wearing a casual jumper with black pants that matched those of hers. Netizens have seen this say, “They look so normal”, “She’s so natural”, “I want to go to Europe now” and more.

Lee Joon Ki-How He DIDN’T Want To Do "Two Weeks" and What’s Next!!

Lee Joon-ki and Playing a Father But What’s Next?

At first, Lee Joon Ki’s thoughts were “I said I wouldn’t take it. I’m not even married and how could I play a father?”

Lee Joon-ki, 31, an actor, declined the offer at first when he was asked to join MBC’s “Two Weeks”, a drama that ended at the end of last month. The role was similar to Son Hyeon-joo’s hugely popular SBS’s “THE CHASER. He changed his mind, however, after writer, So Hyeon-kyeong persuaded him.

Lee went to meet the writer to say, “I wont take the role but I talked with her over beer for four to five hours. My mind changed when So said, Ill make a differentiated character. You can grow into a good actor”

Shootings wasn’t easy. As he was a fugitive for most of the drama, a majority of the filming had to be made outside. He crisscrossed the country for three months ranging from Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to Busan, Moongyeong, Danyang, and Boeun. His energy wore out while shooting runaway and action scenes. Emotional expression was even more challenging.

Thoughts from LJK: When filming a phone call scene, I had to show different emotions sentence by sentence but my emotions were cut off. I hit the telephone booth with my fist several times. It was so challenging and I was mad at me.

Lee said he was so worried about his acting before the series was aired. He regained confidence after the first episode. He said, on the first air date, he was at the top of a mountain for outdoor filming and would sometimes checked news. What also helped was reading a review of Lee Joon-ki’s fatherhood acting as being perfect. He said “I was so happy and my heart was about to burst”.

Even though Two Weeks was considered to be an good piece thanks to good actors, writers, and director, the viewer rating was only around 10 percent because of its competitor SBS’s “Master’s Sun”. Lee Joon-ki said, “I’m sorry about the rating but I gained a lot as an actor. This drama helped me walk the path towards a true actor.”

He developed a close relationship with Lee Chae-mi, 7, who played as his daughter Soo-jin, as he this was the first time he has played a father. He said she was the biggest contributor in the drama. When he mumbled because couldn’t remember his lines, Chae-mi would hit his foot and gave him a look like “Don’t cut your emotions and keep going!”  She is a true actress.

For his next drama, Lee Joon Ki says he wants to play a sweet and light character in a romantic comedy. He plans to have a large fan meeting for his Korean, Chinese, and Japanese fans at the end of the year.

Lee Joon-ki says, “I try to not take such a long break but it’s a minimum of a year for me. I want to start something early next year but it’s rare for me to have done more than one project a year. I have gone around meeting producers here and there and asking for scenarios. It’s my goal to come up with something within the year”.

“My fans want me to star in a movie. However, it takes time for me to come out with the movie so I can’t make up my mind since I’m impatient now. Dramas are not the best option for an actor but I think it suits well with me as the environment requires me to think about my role, from the moment that I open my eyes, until I close them”.

He was asked about marriage and he replied, “I need a relationship first…even my fans want me to. The reason why I hesitate when it comes to romantic comedies is because I think I lack experience in that area. I don’t think I’ll seem natural. Actually, it is not because of the drama (or movie) but because I’m not dating. Right, I need to date somebody, ha-ha.

I’m quite sure there is a line of women who are willing and able to give him that “dating” experience. If only I wasn’t so old…..

Source: English Donga, News Nate, Hancinema Article 1 and Hancinema Article 2

First we had "Grandpa Over Flowers", now we have "Actresses"

New Show Styled like Grandpa Over Flowers called “Actresses”

After directing four veteran actors on two trips for “Grandpas over Flowers“, he has now invited four veteran actors including Yoon Yeo-jeong, Kim Ja-ok, Lee Mi-yeon, and Kim Hee-ae.

Producer Na Young-suk, who directed “Grandpas over Flowers” on cable channel tvN, is now directing the four veteran actresses on a trip. The show is tentatively named “Actresses “, and it will start filming this month in Korea.

In early November, members of the show will take a trip together to an overseas destination. The production team has not confirmed the travel destination. The show will be aired toward the end of next month. 

Source: Koreajoongangdaily and Hancinema

Currently watching Grandpas over Flowers and it is hysterical! Poor Lee Seo Jin! I loved him before but I will have total respect for him after this!! But who is going to be the patsy/guide?!! Maybe Ha Ji Min? She was in Switzerland at the time. Who else speaks English well that you can think of?!!

Things That Make You Go Hmmm-What’s the Deal Folks?

A Case for Spanish Telenovelas on Drama Sites

DramaFever Corp.
DramaFever is the largest online video site for the distribution of international televised content. The company streams movies, documentaries, and TV shows on demand with professional subtitles. Wikipedia
Founded: 2009

Founders: Seung Bak, Suk Park

DramaFever’s current library includes Korean Dramas, Latin American Telenovelas, and a wide selection of Asian TV shows and movies for free. 

Source: Google Website

Viki

Viki is a video streaming website based in Singapore that offers on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, and music videos from around the world. The company currently has offices in Singapore, San Francisco, and Seoul, South Korea. Wikipedia

Founded: 2007

Viki was born as a joint class project between Harvard and Stanford graduate students who wanted to remove barriers to popular entertainment, regardless of language or country of origin.
Source: Viki About Page

I will be the first to say that I am an International person and have an International way of thinking. Since as long as I can remember, I have always had an deep interest in different cultures. Whether it was books that I’ve read or movies that I’ve watched, it has always been there.

I remember many Saturdays going with my older brother to Chinese movies, mostly martial art ones and enjoying them, not only because I got to spend the most time with my older brother but I genuinely loved watching them with him.

So where am I going with this blog? I am getting sick and tired of reading these asinine comments from Dramafever viewers complaining about non-Asian dramas that the website is now featuring. Every single time there is a new release, there is a barrage of asinine comments about how they shouldn’t be there; Dramafever this, Dramafever that. It is ridiculous and childish.

I wonder if people have any idea about the business model concept that Dramafever has been following? Starting when they went public over a year ago; continuing with the partnerships with giants such as Netflix and Hulu as well as Asian CineVision and financial backing from Bertelsmann, AMC Cable Televison & NALA (see Article). Somehow we (some) think licensing is free for these dramas. Far from it! They cost wons/dollars/yens/whatever! The film industry has to get paid; actors must get paid, everyone must get paid!

You’re wondering why I’m even mentioning Viki? Because, the one thing I always thought that Viki did better (besides being free, in a sense) was the variety; diversity of the dramas/movies that they provided. I’ll admit that sometimes I get tired of KDramas and that is when I find it really hard to find other types of dramas (Japanese being the hardest); however, Viki was always a place that I could find that ‘different’ type of drama. Thanks to Viki, I’ve watched Filipino, Venezulean, and Indonesian (okay, this is not a rant about how subbers should get a stipend, that’s for another date).

So, it was with welcome arms that I loved the new additions to Dramafever! My first non-Asian drama on Dramafever was MonteCristo, followed by Aquila Roja and Isabel. I look forward to some of the new additions, especially the sequels for both Aquila Roja and Isabel. Both of these dramas were a history buff’s dream! It was great to watch something that I was actually familiar with from all of that studying I did in the Humanities!

So, if you are one of those people that are complaining, here is what I have to say:

Dramafever is in the business of providing a service as well as make money. You CAN’T make money without providing a service. There is a market out there for not only Korean, Japanese but also other dramas like Spanish telnovelas! This is where Viki excels and I am happy to see Dramafever get into the game! Somehow people are under the delusion that licensing is free! It costs money! Dramafever needs to generate that money so that they can provide more and more dramas! People just need to get over the fact that there are Spanish telenovelas on the site. Love it or Leave it!

Well, rant over. If I’ve offended anyone. Sorry. I just had to get this off my chest once and for all!