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Synopsis: Han Min-Gook(Lee Sung Jae), a multi-billionaire, and Lee Ae-Ri(Han Eun Jung), a famous actress, have just attained a headline-making divorce. Now, Ae-Ri wants to sue her ex-husband for billions of dollars in alimony. Enter Woo Yi-Kyung(Lee Soo Kyung of Soulmate), a rookie lawyer who has just started her own practice, having switched to law and passed the bar after having been abandoned six years before by her lawyer boyfriend when he leaves for the U.S. As one of Ae-Ri’s closest friends in the past, when Yi-Kyung hears of the divorce she expects Ae-Ri to call her. Instead, Ae-Ri demands the best lawyer in the business from a major legal company to help her win her suit against her husband, and the company rushes Byun Hyuk, a rising star specializing in divorce cases, back from New York – Byun Hyuk who is none other than Yi-Kyung’s ex-boyfriend. Billionaire Min-Gook, meanwhile, not about to let his ex-wife have it all her way, hatches a plot to hire his wife’s best friend to be his lawyer, and turns up one morning on Yi-Kyung’s doorstep, demanding that she represent him. Soon, the ex-husband-and-wife and ex-lovers find themselves on opposing sides in the country’s most famous court case.

Review:If all dramas were like Lawyers of Korea, I would spend my lifetime staring at a computer screen with a silly smile on my face. It took me a little while to fall completely for it – 2 episodes, but when I did, I fell fast and hard, with a crash that could be heard for a hundred miles. It’s the small moments, the exquisitely-handled romantic scenes that pepper almost every episode, that lift this drama above average, but it’s not just that; Lawyers showcases one of the most stellar writing jobs I’ve ever seen, with each scene, particularly in the latter half of the drama, unfolding with such perfection and character-and-OTP consistency, that it left me in awe, and a plot that, while refreshingly non-angsty, managed to constantly surprise me. There are a beautifully few number of tears and over-the-top twists in Lawyers, but that doesn’t mean the characters and their lives aren’t compelling – on the contrary, the fact that it was all about character development kept me riveted through 16 episodes. Lee Soo Kyung, best known for her performance in experimental drama Soulmate, is spot on as quirky, feisty lawyer Woo, and Lee Sung Jae, who is a popular film star, gives a powerhouse performance as offbeat, neurotic millionaire Min-Gook. Fast, witty dialogue, understated (for a Korean drama) romance, and funny, pitch-perfect writing made this an absolute delight from beginning to end.

To watch : If you live in the US, watch online in high quality on Dramafever, otherwise download the RAWS(videos) here and subs here

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Catherine Feeny-Leave You on the Pavement (right-click to download)

Website

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Far East Movement is a rising Asian hip-hop group with whom I’ve been gradually falling in love(and yes, their logo does look rather like a Communist banner – it’s not intentional, deal with it)

From their “About” section- “The Far*East Movement (also known as FM), hailing from the clubs and streets of Los Angeles, are one of the freshest crews representing the next generation of artists and “fly music.” Members Kev Nish, Prohgress, J-Splif, and DJ Virman have created a huge industry buzz with major companies, radio stations, and club djs worldwide through their international appeal, energetic live shows, and collaborations with top street wear companies.  Finding their inspiration from the diverse city blocks and night club scene of Southern California, FM has built a strong internet fan base and a new lifestyle brand for the next generation of youth around the world.”

They have also  “embarked on 2 World Tours (including the USA, South America, Canada, Europe and Asia), signed distribution deals in Japan and Korea (Avex Network and JF Productions respectively), garnered multiple features on MTV World, and also featured music on worldwide media such as ABC Family’s Lincoln Heights,  CBS Primetime shows “CSI: Miami” and “CSI: NY”, multiple placements on HBO’s “Entourage”, “Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift” and “Finishing the Game” (a featured film at Sundance 2007). FM was also the first Asian act to perform at the Sundance Film Festival’s prestigious Music Café Gala hosted by ASCAP, and was also recently a featured act at the Cannes Film Festival in France…”

Download mp3 (right- click, not uploaded by me)

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Re-posting this review from an older blog.

Rating:4/5 stars

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Bollywood:

Chalte Chalte – even Shahrukh’s excellent acting couldn’t save this film from extreme mediocrity and lack of plot/romantic tension

Devdas – an overlong film choking on its own emo. I know it’s considered a classic, and it had a few brilliant scenes. But the connection between the two main leads which should have grounded both the film as a whole and the tragedy in particular was never fully developed, and where the romantic heart of a Bollywood film is off, the entire film is off

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge-the best example of Bollywood entertainment I’ve encountered. Sweeping, funny, gorgeous, and one of the most iconic love stories I’ve ever seen

Dhoom 2 – a highly enjoyable, delightful romp

Dostana- the three leads have plenty of chemistry but the ending renders the entire premise pointless, and the two men turn into bastards in the second half. I hated it.

Fanaa- brilliant but bipolar, thus embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of Bollywood cinema

Kal Ho Naa Ho- For the first half, Kal Ho Naa Ho is to some extent what I thought it would be- one of those delightful witty opposites-attracting romcoms – but it takes an abrupt genre turn in the second half, enough to make it very uneven and evil bipolar.  It approached brilliance but couldn’t quite reach it

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

Kismat Konnection – a mildly entertaining, mediocre romantic comedy

Kites

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai-Kajol is luminous as always but the pace/development of the romance was off, and I thought the ending fell rather flat.

Kuch Na Kaho- pretty adorable, especially in the father-son relationship

Parineeta – after an oddly racy opening scene, it becomes a beautifully shot film about two best friends in love with each other. Female lead Vidya Balan was warm and luminous in her first film role ever, but the hero of this film was a thoroughly self-obsessed bastard for much of it thus making the film less than emotionally satisfying. Stand-out scene was a tender but unusually graphic (for a Bolly film) sex scene. Great music.

Jodhaa Ahkbar – great promise, but overlong and boring

Veer-Zaara-a brilliant, visually stunning epic with amazing performances all around(particularly Rani Mukerjee as a passionately idealistic lawyer). Possibly the best Bollywood movie I’ve seen thus far, even including Dilwale

French films:

Amelie-delightfully quirky, brilliant, colorful film that encapsulates most of the best things about French cinema

A Very Long Engagement – It is, ironically, too long of a film and tries to incorporate too many themes in its 2 hours, but the cinematography is out of this world and it has one of the most brilliant ending scenes I’ve ever seen

I’ve Loved You So Long – brilliant. just brilliant

Asian:

200 Pounds Beauty -2.5/5

A Millionaire’s First Love-4.5/5

Daddy Long Legs – 3/5

Hana Yori Dango- 4/5

Linger-2/5

Mother

My Girlfriend is a Secret Agent-2/5

My Sassy Girl-3/5 Secret-5/5

The Art of Seduction -2.5/5

Virgin Snow-4/5 – stunning cinematography and lovely indie feel but the plot’s rather thin. The main actress oddly reminded me the whole time of Summer Glau – spitting image, I swear

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1. It’s a Wonderful Life – I admit with shame that I have yet to see this uber-famou classic starring the equally famous Jimmy Stewart(whom I am a fan of ever since The Philadelphia Story) but it is generally considered the iconic Christmas film, and is probably one of a handful of old films which most people have still seen or at least are aware of

2. Miracle on 34th Street- this classic, heartwarming Christmas story about a lawyer who defends a department-story Santa who’s claiming he’s the real thing won 4 Academy Awards and is still a perennial favorite on Christmas film lists everywhere.

3.Holiday Affair – this TV movie about a single mom who falls for the charming stranger(played by David James Elliott for any fans of JAG) she meets while Christmas shopping is a complete charmer and enjoyable for the whole family

4. Home Alone 1 & 2 – I’m not going to bother introducing these as they are ridiculously famous, but they’re endlessly re-watchable, consistently hilarious, and excellent choices to curl up on comfortable couches and watch after Christmas unwrapping or to have in the background while cooking Christmas dinner.

5. August Rush – this lovely, well-acted film about love and music and its ability to bring people together  is so resonant with hope and magic that I can’t help but consider it an excellent film both for Christmastime and the entire family(plenty of grit and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as a hot-tempered Irish guitarist for the guys)

6. The Holiday -funny, charming, and one of the few films I’ve seen that successfully combines the wit and heart of older romantic comedies with the sophistication of more modern affairs. This tale of two women who exchange homes and continents for Christmas and wind up falling in love and re-discovering life is not nearly as cliched as it sounds, and while it will never be great cinema, somehow it’s a very reassuring film. Note: not necessarily great for the whole family – some sexual content both verbal and visual.

7. Die Hard 1 and 2 – it’s an oft-overlooked fact that these riveting, fantastic action films are both set at Christmas, when all’s fair in love and war and most decidedly unfair in New York cop John McClane’s life(his wife is perenially either about to leave him or being threatened by terrorists. Merry Christmas, John). With plenty of twists and bare-knuckle fights but not too much overt blood and gore, these are family/action classics.

8. A Christmas Story-another movie which I confess I haven’t seen, but by all accounts this movie about a boy who has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a BB gun is the perfect gift for him is an enduring classic

9. The Family Stone – another adult romantic comedy which is somehow very reassuring, The Family Stone is often overlooked because of its odd vibe. Halfway between a traditional romantic comedy and an offbeat indie flick, it somehow manages to pull off the mix without too much awkwardness, and is that rarest of things, a genuinely heartwarming movie. Flawed but lovely, it has an all-star cast including Sarah Jessica Parker, Claire Danes, Diane Keaton and Luke Wilson, and is about a tightly-wound, conservative businesswoman who visits her fiance’s home for Christmas and makes all kinds of sparks begin to fly in his eccentric, loud family. It’s a love story, it’s funny, and it’s got family – what more could you ask for for Christmas? (PS: ignore the offensive cover image)

I’m going to cheat a little and put an Asian drama in 10th place.

10. My Girl – take one down-on-her luck, resourceful poor girl who’s constantly on the run from her father’s gambling debts and in perennial need of money. Add one rich, handsome , reserved young man who needs someone to impersonate his long-lost cousin. What you get is a delightful, tragi-comic, heartwarming, and deeply addicting Cinderella story that should quickly hook the whole family. My Girl has no direct correlation to Christmas, but several climactic scenes happen around Christmastime and snow plays a very important part, so it’s associated for me and many other of its fans with Christmas.

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Nouvelle Vague is a French new wave musical collective, specializing in bossa nova. I first heard them on the soundtrack for Korean drama Soulmate, which is made up of an absolutely fantastic and completely random assortment of artists from all over the world.

Website

This is Not a Love Song (right-click to download)

Lyrics-

[Read more →]

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Things that have been obsessing me over winter break.

1.The Tatta Hitotsu no Koi soundtrack. I never listen to instrumental music – it depresses me – but I’ve been obsessed with the soundtrack to this Japanese drama for the past two days. So lovely, wistful and delicate and yet not sad. Ethereal maybe.

Download the entire OST from here(one file) or single mp3s from here. Not uploaded by me.

2. The Glass of Time, by Michael Cox.

Excellent if flawed Gothic mystery with tinges of romance. Riveting and deliciously atmospheric from almost its first page. It’s not perfectly written – the romance in particular fell a bit flat toward the end – but it’s so rare to find a good period thriller. Very Rebecca-like.

3. Dramafever.com

For obvious reasons if you know me.

4. This Kate and Sawyer video from Lost.

5. Evernote.com

So useful for inveterate web-surfer/saver/bookmarker me.

6. Little Dorrit

This 14(!) episode BBC adaptation of the Dickens novel promises to be lovely, romantic, and as broodingly dirty a picture of London as every Dickens novel ever written. Though based on the first episode there’s going to be a lot of exposition going on before we’re allowed to start figuring out what’s actually happenning. Dickens’ stories always function on some level as mysteries. Plus, Matthew MacFadyen!

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A friend posted this, and I fell in love.

Hot drink menu at Brucafe:

Brewed Coffee
Espresso
Cappuccino
Cafe Latte
Cafe Mocha, Cafe Vanilla, Cafe Caramel
Mocha Latte, Vanilla Latte, Caramel Latte
Chai Tea Latte, Tea Latte
Brewed Tea
Hot Chocolate, Hot Vanilla

Interpretation for the Coffee Novice:

Latte – (from the Italian caffellatte, meaning “coffee [and] milk”) is a type of coffee drink made with hot milk.
Espresso – concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee.
Cappuccino – an Italian coffee drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam.
Café mocha – a variant of a cafe latte. Like a latte, it is typically one third espresso and two thirds steamed milk, but a portion of chocolate is added, typically in the form of sweet cocoa powder, although many varieties use chocolate syrup.
Mocha Latte -coffee drink made from espresso, chocolate syrup, and steamed milk.

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So I finally found a kind of alcohol I actually like. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing…

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