9 Years of Being Gods of the East

For the past 9 years, five boys have been continuing to inspire me through their passion and music. They're the five boys who introduced me to KPOP, and they're pretty much the main reason why I stayed. They may be in two groups now, but I'll always consider the three as inactive members of TVXQ. Hee. This is such a tricky situation since I know that ChangMin and YunHo are the only ones performing as TVXQ, but I cannot not consider JaeJoong, YooChun and JunSu as TVXQ, too. I knew them as 5 and the magic that the five of them created is impossible to forget!

Being in this fandom is not easy, really not easy. People will always ask you who are you talking about when you say TVXQ. Homin or DB5K? I am often left speechless because I do not know myself. I have never seen so much war go on in a fandom. Just look at any comment section on their Youtube videos and you'd be disheartened at how the fans talk to other fans. The boys never wanted us to fight. Divided Cassiopeia is a sad sight to see especially if you know how amazing and powerful this fandom can be if united.

But these five individuals have proven time and time again why it's all worth it. Why all this hoping and waiting and believing is worth it. All the support and time and love we give them, they repay by being one of the humblest and most talented idols in the business. They will always be the gods of KPOP for me. And since the 23rd of December on 2003, they have been making their fans proud of them. I know I'll always be proud of them. Always.

It's their singing that got into this whole emotional business called fangirling. I have no regrets, though. I can never put into words why I love them so I'll just let the following videos speak for themselves. I think these are the videos that fully show their talent and color as a group.

Stand By U

The Secret Code, 2009

Love in the Ice

~T~ Tour 2008

Why Did I Fall in Love With You

A-Nation 2008

Tonight

Mirotic Concert in Seoul, 2009

Purple Line

A-Nation 2008

Hug (Acapella)

Five in the Black, 2007

Mirotic

KBS, I do not know the year, prolly 2009 

I have no idea when I'll see the five of them perform on the same stage again. Heck, just even seeing them on the same broadcast seems to be too far-fetched. But I will not lose hope. They may not come back as TVXQ and the five of them may not perform as Dong Bang Shin Ki, a fellow fan once said that they could still perform as as JYJHM and I'll take that! :)

And now, for the two people who decided to continue the name of Dong Bang Shin Ki, who proves all detractors that they can survive as two, here's a message for you:

I respect your decision and people may always give you not enough credits for what you do, but us, Cassies will support you despite it all. We believe in your passion and your talent, and some people may think otherwise, but you are strong individuals who give your 100% in everything you do, and I love you. I love you as much as my fangirl heart can possibly allow me to.

To leader-sshi and the snarky maknae, I will always, always be your fan. I might have been inactive during the hiatus but I'm back now. And I don't think I'm going anywhere else. Just be your perfect selves and I'm pretty it will be pretty easy to stay as a fan. I have easily done it all these years, and I see no reason to stop. You have grown over the past two years and I know the battles you faced (and are still facing) only toughen you and make you such strong individuals. I am pretty sure that you can take on anything and I'm also pretty sure that we, fans, will always be behind everything you do.

And to the three who I'm pretty sure still want to be TVXQ, we are waiting. The lawsuit is now over and we are waiting for you. I could only wish the very best for you. And I don't care whatever group name you perform in because you, JaeJoong, YooChun, and JunSu, will always be one of the five Koryans that will be closest to my heart. I believe in your music and I'm pretty sure that someday, you'll  one day once again stand on stage and face broadcast.

Happy 9th anniversary, TVXQ.

And when I say I am keeping my faith, I only mean I believe that you will one day perform as five, and it doesn't even matter if you call yourselves as TVXQ or just be a nameless band. It doesn't matter. I believe in your music, and most of all, I believe in your friendship.❤

Rurouni Kenshin (2012)

★

I saw Rurouni Kenshin last Friday and my excitement hasn't worn off. After months and months of waiting, months and months of dying to know whether it'd be shown in the Philippines, I finally saw the most awaited live action movie of the year. I think no other Japanese film had been anticipated this year as much as the anticipation for this movie.

And it didn't disappoint. If the tons of applause during the closing credits is any indication, the movie gives justice to the much loved anime and the fans appreciate it. I remember watching Samurai X right after I got home from school almost a decade ago. And what I felt then when I watched it on TV was magnified a hundred folds whenever Sato Takeru appears on the screen and perfectly brings to life Himura Kenshin's character.

I remember very little from the anime and I haven't read the manga, so I cannot give a fair comment whether the movie stayed faithful to the original material. But I can tell you that they chose a perfect actor to embody Battousai. It's a delight to watch Sato Takeru because you don't see an actor playing Kenshin, but you see Kenshin himself. He is so so so perfect as Kenshin and I seriously have no idea how to say that without being too biased.

I cannot cite a specific flaw in the movie because I am way overwhelmed with what makes it amazing. There are too many reason so let's just enumerate them:

★

The perfect Kenshin. As I've mentioned and emphasized and raved about, Sato Takeru is the perfect Kenshin. I wondered why they decide only decided this year to make a movie out of the manga, and I realized that maybe they're waiting for Sato Takeru to appear. There's a lot of pressure on him since he's playing one of the most celebrated anime characters of all time. Heck, even people who don't really watch anime know him! And there he is, proving in every scene why he's the right choice. He can pull off the silly Kenshin with his hunger issues and child-like approach to things, and he can also pull off the fierce Battousai who can wipe out an entire personal army. And when he did that Hiten Mitsurugi  stance, oh my god. SATO TAKERU I LOVE YOU. I can't stress that enough. This movie cemented him on top of the list of my favorite Japanese actors. I just love everything he's in.

Kickass action sequences. My jaw dropped a couple of times during the movie, and it's mostly because of the fight scenes. How they make it seem so realistic, I'll never know. Sato Takeru can't be that fast in real life! But really. It's all well-executed! And who could forget that comic but intense fist fight between Sanosuke and Inui Banjin? Definitely one of the most enjoyable parst of the movie. My second favorite is definitely the one between Kenshin and Sanosuke because that's all laughs and stunts, too, though Kenshin doesn't exactly do anything. Heh.

★

Awesome set of cast. I still feel like Aoki Munetaka is too small to be Sanosuke but he has that charm that I think my other choices for the role can't pull off. Aoi Yuu is perfect as Megumi, of course. I actually didn't expect her to be a fantastic Megumi since I only saw her in subdued roles, very feminine ones, too. But her flirty, sassy, and smart Megumi pawns Takei Emi's Kaoru. Though many people don't really like her portrayal of Kaoru, I don't have much complaints, mostly because I had never been a fan of the character, anyway. But overall, I think they did a pretty good job! Even the villains are amazing! Kagawa Teruyuki's crazy Kanryu is enjoyable to watch. He's the kind of villain you won't exactly hate because he's doing such a fine job creating an exciting conflict for our hero. Also, Tanaka Taketo's Yahiko is too adorable! I can't even. To think that I didn't really like anime Yahiko. Anyway.

Compelling narrative. For a two-hour long movie, it manages to fit quite a lot of events in the story. There's no filler scenes, only essential ones to create an exciting narrative. Though you'd feel it's too short because you want more, it's safe to say that the movie feels complete. Even people who have no Samurai X background won't get confused since the movie has a cohesive flow. It doesn't assume anything by ommitting scenes, thinking that it's unnecessary since the audience know it already. Many adaptations tend to do that, and I'm just glad Rurouni Kenshin didn't take that path.

I may be biased in this little commentary, but this movie only strengthens my love for the wanderer. Adaptations are often categorized under good or bad, and this one definitely falls under the former. With a pretty tight writing, strong ensemble cast, and amazing direction, this is probably best anime adaptation I have watched. Though many people have made this live action movie possible, I cannot thank Sato Takeru enough for exceeding the expectations of fans and only leaving us craving for more. I cannot wait for the promised sequels.

Blind (2011)

Blind (2011)

Kim HaNeul plays SooAh, a blind woman who's a witness to a crime. She's joined by the noona-killer Yoo SeungHo who plays KiSub. Wait, that sounds wrong. He's not the killer in the movie, he's simply the killer in terms of killing one noona after another because he's a ridiculously good actor who happens to be too young to be fancied by noonas like me. Wow. This is becoming less and less like a coherent review. Anyway.

The concept is good since it's ironic how a blind woman is the only solid link to solve a crime. She's a witness but it's quite hard to say that she really witnessed what happened. Good thing her other senses are heightened and she still manages to help solve the crime because she's so sensitive to movement, smell, and sound. Their representaion of SooAh's way of viewing things is so creative. Instead of just always seeing her fumbling through the scene, we see it through her perspective where she only sees shadows and blurred objects against a black backdrop.

But Blind is not as tensed as I hoped. The killer is not as scary as I expected. I'm just not at ease at how he seems to be more impulsive than other serial murderers. He does things without caution and leaves prints everywhere. And how he kills people so easily, even those he doesn't intend to be his victim, seems too unrealistic. Or maybe he's just really psychotic and cold-blooded that he no longer cares about being found out.

I like Yoo SeungHo's role in the movie and how his relationship with SooAh ensues. I guess it's a relief that there's no romance angle in the movie since that often ruins thriller films for me. But here, all we have is noona love and that's more than I can hope for. It also doesn't hurt that he's so cute that ugh. I have no words.

Kim HaNeul won Best Actress for her role in Blind and I actually think it's well-deserved.

Poster source: Hancinema.net

TVXQ's Humanoids Performance (Music Bank) 12.07.12

AAAAAAH. I'm going crazy over this performances because of multiple reasons. I'm so proud of the boys for continually pulling strong performances week after week. But let me tell you why I love THIS:

• Because they performed it live! I know,  know. They always perform live but heck, I'm still blown away how they can sing and dance at the same time, and really, that's some demanding choreography! DBSK, blowing me away since 2003. <3   
• THEY'RE WEARING NORMAL CLOTHES OMG. I know, they don't stand out as much, but I seriously prefer these kind of performance costume over their loud colorful ones. Who's with me when I say that they look so damn hot in jeans? YES? YES? :)
• Who the heck can dance that well in skinny jeans? WHOOOO! I can't even run properly when I'm wearing skinny. But they dance wildly in it! And they make it look soooooo good.
• ChangMin's hair! OMG!!!! A really, really good one after a long long long long time. I mean, he's always cute, but his bowl cut is just ridic IDK. This one, though. *swoons* Please keep this hairstyle, oppa! :)
• But really, the outfits! If the coordi noonas could come up with sane and normal and just as lovely outfits, why are they always going for the wacky ones? Argh. So handsome. Good-looking namjas are good-looking!

HUHUHUHU. I LAB MY BOYS :)

I realized I haven't properly blog about their Humanoids MV but I'll get to it one of these days. December is a crazy month, okay. You must forgive me for not updating as much, and November was as crazy.

Faith (2012)

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ out of 5
Cast: Lee MinHo, Kim HeeSun, Ryu DeokHwan, Park SeYoung

Faith was posed to be the most epic Korean drama to date, and it sadly failed in all levels. The team behind the series used big words to entice the audience, with a promise that makes the audience set high expectations. Honestly, I don't think any of those expectations are met at all. It could have been a great drama, but it failed to deliver so many times. It's a shame since it truly has the makings of a drama that will leave you breathless, only if it's given a better treatment and a better pace.

So, did I like it? Yes and no. Yes, because there's still a lot to be loved. And no, because it really leaves you hanging time and time again.

WHY I LOVED IT?

Because of the characters

With a set of characters as amazing as the one in Faith, it really makes you ask what went wrong. I love so many characters in the series and I can't even pick which one is my favorite! But overall, the characters I enjoyed the most are:

• Woodalchi - You adorable dorks who are supposed to be the best warriors in the land but fail everytime, I so love you. Woodalchi aren't exactly as good as everyone expected them to be, but that doesn't stop them from being the cute sidekicks to our Woodalchi general. DaeMan, DeokMan and the gang surely liven up the scene whenever they appear. This drama could have been a drab if these dorks weren't being dorks. Heehee.

• Lady Choi - She's like the head of the household, but in this case, the palace. She keeps things in order and even the general of Woodalchi cowers under her stare! It's just enjoyable how she's an elderly who knows how to handle soldiers and how to pacify hot-headed men. You rock, Lady Choi!

• Noguk - The queen is a badass and everyone should bow down to her. She doesn't take crap from anyone, not even from the king. She doesn't just sit around waiting to be ordered around and letting everyone do the works for her. She thinks of solutions herself and devises ways to help the king. She carries herself pretty well, but she's always a good supporter to the king.

• Gongnim - The king is one of the best written characters for the drama. This drama is a good character study for the king in a way that we see him start from a weak king into one of the strongest in Korean history. In no way is he perfect but that makes his character even more amazing. He gets confused at times and craves for his people to trust him. But he holds his head high no matter what and when he trusts and uses the right people, he emerges victorious.

• Choi Young - He's the anti-thesis of a hero. He just likes to sleep a lot and doesn't really care whether he lives or dies. He's just intent to finish one task after another until he can finally leave the life of a warrior. But when he finds something worth fighting (living!) for and a king worth to be supported and hailed, he rises gracefully and become worthy to be the Woodalchi general. The fact that he's not just good in combat but also quite brainy when it comes to politics and warfare strategies make me love him even more. Daejang, I love you.

• EunSoo - The heavenly doctor is the life of this drama. I do not know what would have happened if another actress played EunSoo, but Kim HeeSun adorably portrays the doctor. In the present, she's a dermatologist who's only intent on finding a rich guy that can help her build her own clinic. But transport her to the past and she's the breath of fresh air. She brings humor to not-so-humorous situations and she uses her head at all times. I think it'll be different to hate her when she's basically being the most humane character in this series. She's not a noble idiot, that's for sure. She fights to live and she fights  to be with the man she loves. When I grow up, I want to be EunSoo.

Quick (2011)

Quick, 2011

Quick is an action-comedy about a courier named Han GiSoo. He also happens to be a legendary biker. Without knowing the contents of the packages he delivers, he end up delivering a bomb. This starts his race against a ticking bomb.

For a movie that's less than two hours, they managed to pack up a lot of action into it. It certainly feels a lot longer than an hour and fourty-five minutes due to all the exciting scenes one after another. (This can also be a low point since it feels long when it's really not. Thus, it's a bit of a drab in some parts?) With a pair of silly protagonists, Han GiSoo (Lee MinKi) and his ex-girlfriend, ChunShim (Kang HywWon), we get a serving of a blood-pumping story. There's not a dull moment in this movie because even the opening is already full of stunts and explosions. We get a lively set of characters so they manage to balance out the action sequences with the interesting conversations between the characters.

I love Lee MinKi's portrayal of Han GiSoo as a smooth driver but ends up being spazzy and panicky when the situation gets crucial. His acting is strong when he's being all lulzy but he still manages to insert some warmth into his character. I adore Han GiSoo's gentle moments with ChunShim, but I think I prefer the ones when they go into a rapidfire charades with the police, trying to explain about the bomb.

Frankly, the film's lowest point is when they finally reveals why Han GiSoo's chosen to be the one to deliver the bombs. They build up way too much mystery on Han's involvement in the bombing but we get an overly emotional reveal, followed on quite an immediate toning down of the secret. They give us a grave reason on why Han GiSoo has to pay for being such an irresponsible biker then they brush it off as if it's nothing. If they're going to do it that way, then they should have presented a simpler reason.

I'm glad that they give credit to the movie's stuntmen. This movie wouldn't even exist if not for the stuntmen willing to jump and roll and slam themselves on pavement floor, with fires and all. By showing their braveness in the closing sequence, they already give tribute to the stuntmen who risk their lives just so this movie can happen. I think action movies should do this more often.

Overall, Quick's an enjoyable movie to pass the time. Nothing award-winning about it but it's still something worth watching. With an equal amount of action and silliness, it's a nice movie to watch during Saturday nights with friends. (But I watched it alone. On a friday night. Cue in some sad music please.)

Hana and Alice (2004)

The entire time I was watching Hana and Alice, I kept on thinking that I love this movie. I love this movie. I love this movie. But when I asked myself why, I had to pause for a long time and still couldn't come up with a reason why. I think I now understand what some people mean when they feel fluffy. This movie makes me feel fluffy, but I can't exactly tell you why.

There's a melancholic approach to the story of two quirky girls that make you want to enter the screen and bask in the glorious sunset, too. The story is partnered with some nice soundtrack that only gives more poignant touch to the already nostalgic film. It's a story of two best friends who start to drift apart when they enter high school. It's not clear, though, how they start to go their separate ways. I think it all starts when Hana falls in love and pushes Alice away. But we still see how they treat each others as friends though they tell people that they're not friends.

I re-read what I've just written and realized that I haven't really explained it well. Because frankly, I got a little lost in the movie, too. The story-telling is coherent, but sometimes, there's so many things going on, so many themes being explored all at the same time. Sometimes, you forget what the story is all about. But no, it's impossible to forget that this movie is about Hana and Alice and their friendship.

Bokura Ga Ita (2012)

Bokura Ga Ita was one of the 2012 movies I looked forward to. Thought I haven't watched the anime, I read a fourth of the manga. I know, I know. I practically read nothing but hey, that one-fourth was enough to make me like it. Though I'm not always the best judge of live-action adaptation of mangas, just let me go ahead and say that I enjoyed this movie. But before commenting on its adaptation, let me rave about the film itself.

It's the first year of high for Nanami (Yoshitaka Yuriko). While everyone's busy obsessing over Motoharu (Ikuta Toma), the popular boy in class, Nanami is busy crying over her bad exam results. But just like every other girl in class, she gets drawn towards Motoharu. But it's not just his looks or personality that draw her to him. She sees sadness in Motohari's nonchalant approach to life.

There's an underlying melancholia on the the cheery personas of our two main leads. It may be because the conflict has always been present, even before love blossoms between the two. But it's this conflict that serves as a challenge for Nana and Moto. It takes them quite some time before they can get over the past and focus on what they have at the present.

What I like about Bokura Ga Ita is how the characters seem to defy stereotypes. Nanami is the seemingly manic-pixie character in every romantic comedy, but she has a side to her that proves that she's not one-dimensional. She has a way of understanding people. And unlike most heroines, she's not a noble idiot. Yes, she takes the plunge and fall for Motoharu despite knowing that he still hasn't moved on. But she knows her limits and when she sees that she's being taken for granted. She knows how to let go. Over and over in the movie, they say that Nana is strong, and I agree. She's definitely a heroine I can root for.

Motoharu is not like any other protagonist in a RomCom in a way that he's straight-forward, something that you rarely see in male leads. Honesty may be an issue in their relationship, but Motoharu has always been clear on how she feels for Nana. I guess one of the reasons why I adore Bokura Ga Ita so much is that it has a gradual take on the relationship. It no was does it feel rushed or forced.

DBSK on Running Man

So who got excited when the news leaked out that DBSK would be a guest on Running Man? Me. Who got extremely disappointed after watching the episode? Me. Who cannot get over her disappointment? Me. Who wants DBSK to go back to Running Man and have a better nametag-ripping game? Me.

From this alone, you can see how sad I am over the episode. Haha! But for very shallow reasons, though. I love Running Man and it's the only variety show I watch regularly. (I haven't watched all episodes but I'm planning to watch all in the near future!) So when I learned that DBSK would be guesting for the second time this month, I was beyond ecstatic. I devoured every piece of information and fan-taken photos I could find weeks before it aired. Then I watched the episode and somehow, I realized that it's not up to par with other episodes. I don't blame it on the boys, though. A part of me actually feels like there's some sort of minor injustice. HAHA! Don't think I ended up hating Running Man after the DBSK episode because you're wrong! I still love the show.

There are parts I loved and parts that are meh. So let's start with the little things that made me smile and laugh.

[Disclaimer: There are tons of spoilers below the cut. Also, I'm a Cassie and a big ChangMin bias so you know what to expect.]

Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles (2012)

∞

First things first, I just want to say that GMA Films is a production that I often avoid. It's simply not my cup of tea and their stars often leave a bad impression on  me. After watching Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles, I can now say that I finally have a movie from GMA Films that I genuinely like.

To put it simply, this film restored my faith in Philippine cinema. Tiktik proves that you don't really have to compromise quality while still maintaining mass appeal.

Yes, this film isn't perfect. The special effects needs a bit more refining but I'm willing to overlook all of that. I am too pleased and happy with this movie that I'll gladly glaze over the weaknesses.

I'll go ahead and say it: this movie exceeds expectation. I think anyone who saw the trailer and ended up liking it still had doubts whether the movie could be as good as the trailer. It seemed too pretty and too badass to really be a Filipino movie. And I'm just so glad that I am proven wrong.

The entire story takes places in less than a day. It's quite short if you think about it, but it's all for the better because it leaves no room for petty side stories, irrelevant dialogue, fillers, and everything else that makes a movie longer than necessary. The story moves fast and keeps you at the edge of your seat from the very first appearance of our dreaded aswangs. The conflict is established early on and more than half of the movie is devoted to the protagonists trying to win against the supernatural. It's pretty intense if you ask me.

Despite it's one-day setting, the characters are pretty fleshed out. I'm not sure if it's because they gave use familiar characters such as the talkative nagger as the mother, the timid husband, the breadwinner turned pregnant daughter, and the asshole of a boyfriend. We see different sides of the characters as they try to fight off the aswangs. Well, being faced with aswangs can really bring out the best and worst in a person. It's just that they're placed in a situation that will push them to do things that their normal selves won't do. But overall, I think they acted in a way their real-life counterparts would have acted.

Joey Marquez, Dingdong Dantes, Ramon Bautista,
Janice de Belen, Lovi Poe and Direk Erik Matti. ∞

Summer Time Machine Blues (2005)

It's summertime and the Sci-Fi Club is making the most out of it. They play baseball and completely believe they're good at it. They go to the public bath house to cool off. It's turning to be such an exciting summer until they ended up ruining the remote control for the A/C of  Sci-Fi Club's room. Suddenly, they're irritable and all they can think of is finding some ways to fight off the hot weather. But things start to change when they discovered a time machine in the club room, and all they want to do is turn back time and nick the functional remote control from a day ago.

It has such a silly premise. A group of teens encounters a time machine and the only thing they can think of is fixing the remote control. But once they start to realize the implications of changing the past, their actions seem to weigh heavier than they think.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie. Though time travel is a concept that often baffles me and makes me ask way too many questions, Summer Time Machine Blues manages to simplify quite a technical idea. And if you know me, I'm all into things that try to popularize hard sciences. If a movie or novel or whatever manages to make a complicated matter seem simple, then I'm all for it. And this is enough reason for me to like this movie. Time travel can cause headaches and I had a little of that in this movie but it's tolerable enough. It takes time travel lightly at first but it manages to make it quite simple, without having to belittle its consequences.

The only thing I didn't like is the peculiarity of the actions of some characters. I sometimes wonder if it's a cultural thing but Komoto, Eita's character, isn't weird at all. It's just that some of the members of SF Club act in a very unrealistic manner. I know that they have to act like that for narrative purposes. Most of their peculiarity causes the story to move forward but their peculiarity is enough to irritate me. The way they react to some situations is something I don't see normal people doing. Or maybe I'm expecting too much realism from a movie that's dealing with science fiction! (This is highly probable.)

I know that they need to do the things they have to do in order for things to move forward and for the narrative of the movie, of course. But I wish they thought of some other things to make it better. I don't know.

I'm also irked off how they treat one of the characters, Soga. They bully him into being the first one to try the time machine. Even when they see that the first try is enough to terrify him, they still pressured him into doing it again. And again and again. Friends don't do that to friends. To tease a friend is okay, but to pick on him and pressure him into doing something he's terrified to do is just wrong. I know it all turns out well in the end but I just felt a tad too sorry for him. Obviously, this kind of reasoning is way too personal. I just don't think friends should subject friends to that type of peer pressure and bullying. We're talking about time travel here, and that's not a light matter!

Aside from  this, I have nothing else to complain about. Japanese humor is something I'm still getting used to, but someday I swear I'll understand it. When I watch Japanese movies, I sometimes wonder if the scene is supposed to be funny or maybe it's not really supposed to be funny. I also don't know what I'm really trying to say.

The storyline is taut, and you just know that it's a movie that took its time to be planned out from beginning to end. For it to be coherent, it can't be written or directed on a whim. A lot of the time travel details rely on the story, so the writing must be pretty solid. But I must admit, it took me about 20 minutes into the story to fully get into the movie. It's all good from then on, though.

Anyway, another thing I like about this movie is the cinematography! It's just amazing. And though it's a sci-fi film, it tones down the special effects. I love the slow motion to signify the importance of some scenes. I love the hazy illusion to show how hot it is. I love the fisheye effect to focus on the characters. I just love how the film is executed. I also only noticed the green tones of the movie when I was making the screencap. I swear it wasn't intentional for the caps to be green-ish. I actually quite like it.

Also, I realized how I always easily fall for the lanky, awkward, torpe type of characters. Example:

Not his best photo. Haha.

TVXQ's Catch Me

My thoughts on TVXQ's comeback single, Catch Me, can be summarized as follows:

ASDFGHJKLAHAJFNWOIEHFOINVSEQOCSA

Yes, I'm not very coherent when it comes to TVXQ. And before I even go and rant about it, I think I should put this out there. I'm a very, very, very biased fangirl. A very, very, very emotional one, too. I don't cry over movies and dramas but I cry over DBSK (I prefer DBSK than TVXQ, thus I'll call them DBSK from here one). So yeah. I just want to avoid anyone telling me I'm too biased because I know that already. Haha.

I've been meaning to post my thoughts on Catch Me but I waited for their comeback performance first. You have no idea how agonizing it to let the world wide web know how much ecstatic I am over all this. Well, I've ranted over it on Twitter and Tumblr but it's not complete unless I've raved about it here. I may end up parroting what everybody else have already said but I don't care.

Oh, another disclaimer. I am no music expert. I am a horrible singer, and basically, music is not my forte. Anyway.

So let's start with their single.

CATCH ME,  The Single

What is eargasm.

I played it over and over again, because it's so addicting. I know that people think it doesn't sound like TVXQ at all, and they mean it in a bad way. But I still feel as if it's very TVXQ. Sure, it's a bit more techno, and there's too much dubstep and whatever for some. But it stills feels like a song TVXQ would sing. And they sang it well, of course.

I am incredibly proud of ChangMin and YunHo because I know that they're not the best singers out of the original five members. But look at them belt out high notes and make such a stunning song. It's catchy but it's not just pop-py. if you know what I mean. I'm pretty sure that some parts of auto-tuned, but not too much that you would no longer hear their real voice. Based on this song alone, I can see how much they've improved as singers. I don't have good listening skills, but YunHo I LOVE YOU. And ChangMin, I'm so proud because your voice is no longer too shrill for my liking.

Argh. I've been listening this consistently for the past two weeks, listening to it repeatedly all throughout the entire. And I don't get tired at all.

CATCH ME, The Album

I want to cry over the gorgeousness of this album. They tried out different genres and proved to me why they remain to be my favorite KPOP group. And that probably won't change. Ever.

For the first time, I listen to their album and loved all the tracks. Sometimes, I wonder how this album would sound if JYJ is still part of TVXQ. Probably glorious. But even with just HoMin, Catch Me album is an amazing album. I bet it'll be one of my all-time favorite album of theirs. Seriously. KYHD is their first album as a duo, but Catch Me is the album that they finally make their own identity. The songs are crafted well for their voice, and I love how they were part of the production of the album. I listen to the songs and cannot help but be proud of my boys.

Besides Catch Me, my favorite tracks are Good Night and Like a Soap. According to ChangMin, Good Night is a song that will motivate you when you're tired and stressed and stuff. But I think the song is for lovers. Haha! It's a really, really good song and my second favorite track from the album. Like a Soap has a weird title but it's surprisingly really good!

ChangMin composed I Swear for Cassiopeia. I know right, the whole fandom is quite shocked that the snarky maknae is suddenly expressing his love to the fans he so dearly enjoys bullying. I shed a tear.

CATCH ME, The Music Video

The Mistress (2012)

They say that you'll either hate or love The Mistress. Fortunately, I'm on the love side, and I'm still trying to figure out how some people ended up not liking it. I don't think it's perfect, and I can cite a couple of flaws, but overall, I think it's a pretty good movie.

Sari (Bea Alonzo) is a mistress, a female master cutter. But she's also a mistress in another sense, the other woman of Rico Torres (Ronaldo Valdez). Despite knowing all this, JD (John Lloyd Cruz) still chases after Sari, wanting her even though he knows that she's already somebody else's. It's a common other woman story, with a few twists here and there. But though the story may be pretty common, they manages to make it interesting.

I think most of it is because of the pretty tight writing. The conflict is established quickly. Secrets are out not even halfway into the film and the audience pretty much already know what's going to happen next. But the engaging exchange of dialogue and the performance of the cast keep you watching. You just want to see how it will unfold, how they'll get out the mess. Or if they'd even ever get out.

I've been told that there's something wrong with the execution of the story. But having no background in film, I can't really see what's wrong with it. Sure, there are some problem with continuity such as how the blocking of actors would seem to change, but it's something I can let pass. Two hours passed by pretty quickly and I feel as if every scene either helps explore the complexity of a character or pushes the story forward. There are no unnecessary characters that take too much screen time, and no side stories that doesn't relate to the main conflict. Each primary character is explored, given enough screen time.

Suicide Club (2002)

I don't watch that many morbid flicks, so it's safe to say that Suicide Club is the most disturbing one I've seen so far.

The film opens in a subway platform where 54 female high school students committed suicide. As the train approaches the platform, the students line up beyond the yellow line, hold hands, count to two and jump to the tracks as the train approaches. For the next hour and a half, tons of people will commit suicide in the same manner.

And for the next hour and a half, you'd wonder what pushes these people to take their own lives, excited and carefree. One minute they're happily chatting with friends, the next they're jumping off a building. Along with the audience, the police wonders if it's murder or just a suicide fad. Over the course of history, there had been suicide cults so it wouldn't be the first time that a group of people decides to commit suicide at the same time. But as a sports bag appears multiple of times in the suicide scene, the police grows suspicious. What's even more intriguing is how inside the sports bag, there are slabs of skin are sewed together.

The movie manages to sustain interest all throughout the movie. At first it's a group suicide, then smaller groups follow. There are instances that an individual would do it. There's no obvious pattern on the suicide victims, no common place, no reason at all why these individuals commit suicide. Then we start to get to know the police officers who are involved in the case. We see how they are affected by the case, how it starts from being just a case to something more personal.

I like how they tell the story, how one scene weaves into another. How questions pile up and you have no choice but to tune in, no matter how gut-wrenching the scenes are becoming. A couple of times, I wanted to stop watching because I didn't think I could handle more bloodbath. But I continued watching because there are enough elements to hold my attention, to make me continue watching.

Barefoot Dream (2010)

Kim WonGwang (Park HeeSoon) is an ex-soccer player, trying to make a living outside his own country. After his business ventures in Indonesia failed repeatedly, he sees a potential in the newly established independent nation, East Timor. But from the moment he stepped in the country, he's slapped with the harsh reality that he's once again fooled to believe that a business can thrive in the place. When he's on his way back to the airport, he sees a group of barefoot kids playing soccer. He sees an opportunity in this and opens a soccer shop instead of leaving the country.

I watched Barefoot Dream with no expectations, only knowing that it's about soccer. But I came away with one of the best movie experiences of my life. I'm not even exaggerating. This movie is part of Korean Film Festival showing in the Philippines right now, and it's just plain luck that this is the movie that I was fortunate enough to see in the theaters. I now understand why they chose this movie to be part of the film festival. Probably the same reason why it's South Korea's Oscar submission in 2010.

Based on a true story, Barefoot Dream tells the adventure of a Korean soccer coach and his team of kids from East Timor who see joy in soccer amid war and conflict. It's an inspiring story that will make you teary-eyed every thirty minutes. But it will definitely make you laugh whole-heartedly, too. It manages to mix the cruelties of war with children's light approach to everyday trivialities. But it's not just about playing soccer, it's about being allowed to have a dream despite all the malnutrition and poverty. Mr. Kim just want to sell soccer shoes, but he soon finds himself training these kids to be incredible soccer players, fit to compete in an international level.

Mr. Kim repeatedly says in the movie that because someone is poor doesn't mean that they can't play sports or that they're not allowed to have a dream. And this is pretty much the entire summary of the movie. When other people think it's foolish to let these kids have dream, Mr. Kim continues to train them and believe in their talents.

Maybe it's in the fact that the audience knows that the movie is the story of real people. Or maybe it's because the movie is so well-crafted. It may also be because the characters are so fleshed out, from Mr. Kim to the kids--especially Ramos, Motavio, and Tua. Whatever the reason may be, it's a moving tale of underdogs who prove that they have the talent and perseverance to be taken seriously. This is why I, along with everyone in the theater, was so moved with the movie. It's the first time that I watched a movie where everyone was clapping and shouting and cheering on the players. Some even gave a standing ovation. And it's all for good reason. It was also the first time in a long, long time that a movie made me feel incredibly good.

I do not know how much truth was stretched to make this movie. But I'm pretty sure none of it was romanticized. The East Timor-Leste soccer team made six miraculous wins in the Liberino Cup in 2004, and that's something you just can't fabricate.

To further convince you, please see the trailer below:

(Photo sources: Hancinema + Koreanmovie)

Blue Gate Crossing (2002)

You know that movie that makes you smile even after the credits roll? Well, this movie's like that. Silly as it may sound, I'm still smiling as I'm writing this.

Blue Gate Crossing has a pretty simple storyline. A girl likes boys so she asks her friend to help her wooing him. The boy ends up liking the friend and not the girl. A common storyline if you ask me, but this one puts a spin to it.

Meng Kerou (Guey Lun-Mei) is a boyish high school students who help her friend, Lin Yuezhen (Liang Shui-Hui), woo Zhang Shihao (Chen Bolin). For Yuezhen, Kerou ends up delivering messages and letters to Zhang Shihao, but Yuezhen is too shy to really make an appearance in front of him. Zhang Shihao starts thinking there's really no Yuezhen and it's Kerou who likes him. That's not the whole story, of course. (That's only how it started. And when I narrate it like that, it seems to be pretty confusing!)

The movie starts with Yuezhen fantasizing a future with Zhang Shihao. And I think it's pretty amazing how the movie ends with Meng Kerou also fantasizing about Zhang Shihao but in a completely different manner. Blue Gate Crossing relies on good story-telling and solid characters to deliver a pretty good movie.

This movie moves pretty fast. The pace didn't dilly-dally but you'll never feel that it's rushed. Though it's only an hour-and-twenty-minute long, there's a coherence to the plot and a sense of completion to it. Some things aren't said outright and are left with the actions and implied dialogues of the characters. But it's not confusing, neither is it misleading.

I love how they treated Meng Kerou's dilemma, giving it a human touch. It's not just about wanting Yuezhen to like her back, but it's also understanding why she likes girls when according to her, girls should like boys. It's finding little pieces herself and understanding herself better. I also appreciate how Zhang Shihao approaches this confession from Kerou. It's not about pushing for her to be a girl since girls are supposed to like boys. It's about wishing that she likes boys so she could like him, too.

This movie seems to understand the little plights of teenagers. A teenager's problem can be pretty shallow sometimes, but other times, it can really tug at your heart. Shallow or not, it's never something to laugh about.

I greatly (let's put more emphasis on greatly!) enjoyed the silly but quite adorable series of back-and-forth bickering between Meng Kerou and Zhang Shihao. They have so much chemistry that I can't help but enjoy their every scene together. When Zhang Shihao first shows his dimples, I melt. When Meng Kerou asks him to kiss her, I squealed a little. (Then we learn the reason why she asks for that kiss, which is pretty heart-breaking.) Every little moment they have with each other is just so precious!

What I love best about this movie is the consistent writing. For some reason, I particularly love how the characters would repeat their questions in the same manner and same tone. I love how they keep on asking the same question unless they'd get an answer or be too infuriated to keep on asking. I appreciate how the characters grow with the story but they keep a pretty solid personality. Meng Kerou is strong-willed and will speak her mind in front of Zhang Shihao. Zhang Shihao is playful but knows when to be serious. I love that throughout the story, they grow up but didn't really change.

Some people probably won't like the ending, but I certainly did. They're young, they're in their teens. At that point in life, who in the world has the answer to everything?

This is actually my second time watching this movie, but this is the first time that I watched it with subtitles. I am pretty glad I took the time to watch it again. If I didn't, the entire meaning of the story would have been lost to me. Don't ask me if there's anything I didn't like about the movie, because right now, I cannot think of any. Maybe when I'm not running high with these stupid happy thoughts and emotions, I might end up coming up with some things I didn't like about it. But nothing really strikes me at the moment, so maybe there's really nothing to hate.

I ended up loving this movie a bit too much that I end up wanting to watch more Taiwanese movies, and that's a first. I should probably explore more of their film offerings.

Koizora (2007)

Koizora is one of those movies that everybody seems to love but I just simply can't appreciate. So it makes me wonder if there's something wrong with me or with my taste.

Last week, I found my rant about this movie hidden away in one of my drafts. I'm not sure why I never published it anywhere. Probably, I was scared that Koizora loyalists would attack me for the things I said. Hehe. After reading my review, I decided to give the movie another try. I mean, so many people love it! So there's a chance that I'd end up liking it too, right?

But after scanning the first half movie, I realized that there's no way I could watch it again, unless I want to raise my blood pressure. Heh.

Here's what I thought of the movie two years ago:

Koizora (Sky of Love) is the portrayal of unrealistic youthful love. What started as a sweet and innocent relationship between two Japanese high school students ends up in a chaos of conflicts only meant to happen in movies. Now, this negative perspective only occurs since the movie is claimed to be based on a true story. But the flow of events would make any viewer question the validity of this claim. 

The story is predictable for anyone who has watched enough Asian love stories. Though the movie is entertaining at first, it still ends as a disappointment for what is quite a well-known Japanese movie. 

The only thing that didn't disappoint in the movie are the lead actors. Miura Haruma (Hiro) and Aragaki Yui (Mika) are eye-candies and can quite capture anyone's attention. They showed off good acting skils and portrayed their characters quite well. 

The first part of the movie is enjoyable and will leave any girl smiling from ear to ear. It is delightful to see how Hiro and Maki, the lead characters of the movie, get to know each other and eventually fall into mutual "love." But once their feelings for each other is established, the development of the plot goes downhill from there. 

What could have been considered as deep conflicts that demands resolutions are shrugged off and treated lightly. Such conflicts include rape, teenage pregnancy, and bullying. It is easy to say that the characters aren't fully developed for even if they experienced inhumanity, they themselves seem to show unrealistic reactions and emotions towards their circumstances. 

Though watching Koizora is not completely a waste of time for I also enjoyed some scenes, I can definitely say that there are better Japanese movies out there. This movie, however, is recommended for anyone who likes movies with teenagers who have uncontrollable hormones faced with a string of unrealistic events.

I was planning to write another review after watching the second time, but it turns out that there's nothing new to write about. They say that I should stop analyzing movies and just enjoy it for what it is. Well, it's a hair-pulling, eyebrow-raising movie so I can't really enjoy it as much as I want.

But Miura Haruma's blond hair makes up for it so I guess it's still worth a watch.

A Gentleman's Dignity (2012)

A GENTLEMAN'S DIGNITY ☆☆☆

If there's one positive thing I can say about A Gentleman's Dignity, it's that it's highly entertaining. If there's one negative thing I can say about it, it's too long. What could have been told in 16 episodes, they tried to stretch into some tedious 20 episodes.

A Gentleman's Dignity is about four men in their 40's who grow old but didn't really grow up. They've been friends since high school and they're still together after heratbreaks, bankruptcy, marriages, etc. It has such a nice premise because we always get a story about women who are past their prime, and now, we get a look into the world of men who are really still kids once they get together.

I'd be lying if I say that this drama isn't good, because there are those times when I'm completely in love with it. But admittedly, there are times when I just want to stop watching. I cannot make a proper review because I know my opinions would be clouded with too much biases. I love Jang DongGun way too much to say anything harsh about AGD.

So let's start with the things I love about A Gentleman's Dignity:

The friendship of the four leads. It's the heart and soul of this drama, and as long as they keep it in focus, they don't do anything wrong. The chemistry of our four leads, Kim DoJin (Jang DongGun), Choi Yoon (Kim MinJong), Im TaeSan (Kim SooRo) and Lee JungRok (Lee JongHyuk), is undeniable. They are veteran actors who can go from serious to funny in a snap. My favorite scenes are the ones where all of them are in it. I love them, okay.

The first five minutes of each episode. I don't know what they're called, but every episode starts with a little side story, something separate from what's happening with the plot. It's usually about the four gentlemen, from the time they were in college or in high school. Of all the starters, my favorite is definitely the one when they're talking about SNSD. It had me laughing just by thinking about it! Which leads me to my next point...

The amount of funny in each episode. This is definitely the drama that keeps me laughing on and on and on. Who can ever forget that one time DoJin panics and pours coffee on YiSoo's laptop, thinking it would cover the fact that he's looking at YiSoo's photo? Or that one time DoJin and Yoon are bullied by high school students? And every time TaeSan would curse and they'll censor it? Hee. The funny is enough for me to forget the things I don't like about AGD.

Kim WooBin and Lee JongHyun ☀

The two cute boys, of course. Colin (Lee JongHyun) and DongHyup (Kim WooBin) are probably my favorite pair in this drama! Okay, they're not exactly in a romantic pairing but their bromance is just too cute. Too bad they have to meet late in the series but their screen time together is just too precious! Favorite scene together? Of course, the one when they're applying for the same position at a fast food chain and they're listing their strengths such as being tall and good-looking. Too adorable for words.

The fact the Kim DoJin is not a prude. I'm tired of Kdrama leading men who act like 15-year-old boys all the time. I guess I don't really understand how the censorship in Korea goes, but it's annoying when leads in other Kdrama act too pure and innocent, and I simply don't buy it. Kim DoJin is different, though, and he can be very vocal about him being a man (and being naughty and stuff). And it's not just Kim DoJin, too, but the other leads as well. As Kim DoJin puts it, "We are still invariably and perpetually men, the male species."

The OST of AGD. A good drama gets even better with a wonderful OST, and this one certainly has a good one. The songs would get stuck in your head and you won't even mind. Of all the good songs included in the soundtrack, my favorites are Everyday and Lee JongHyun's Illa Illa. I do hope they release a full version of JongHyun's Illa Illa. I can't find one anywhere!

The sassy, powerful wife, Park MinSook. There are four leading ladies in this series, and JungRok's wife, MinSook (Kim JungNan) definitely takes the spot as the best one. It's lovely how the four men are scared of her, but it's sometimes annoying how they only care about her and her money. But she often doesn't take their crap. She knows when to keep her marriage and when to give it up, which I think seems to be realistic. I love how she knows how to use her power, and how she puts people in their righteous place. But I also love how she's not just powerful because she's rich, but also because she has a dynamic personality. I need more girls like her in Kdramaland!

The outfit in every scene of Seo YiSoo.  Seo YiSoo (Kim HaNeul) is probably the best dressed high school teacher in the entire country. Be it in school or outside or at home, I want whatever she's wearing! Every episode, I take note of her clothes. They're all just so sophisticated! When I grow up, I want to be Kim HaNeul's hair, I mean, body. NOOOOO. I mean, I want to be Kim HaNeul. She's already in her 30's but she's still incredibly fit.