Dark Elf Films Blog: May 2011

DEULAMA

by Xio

If a leader of a group commands a whole school to beat me up, I would loathe him and would not hesitate to “Bruce Lee-kick” him in the face! Would I fall in love with him though? Boys Over Flowers tells the story of Jan Di (Koo Hye Sun) who goes through an elite school, as fate manages to throw her into hell. She ends up meeting The F4, which is a group that consists of four of the richest boys in Korea; Jun Pyo (Lee Min Ho), Ji Hoo (Kim Hyun Joong), Yi Jeong (Kim Bum), and Song Woo (Kim Joon). Based on the Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango by Yoko Kamio, this working class girl challenges the bullies from picking on innocent victims in school, making the boys grow up and become men. As the change starts to turn their usual habits, so do their feelings for her. A beautiful triangle evolves between Jun Pyo, Jan Di, and Ji Hoo, only to bring chaos upon the love that is blocked from their family background as well as their friendship. The music in the soundtrack takes you on a journey… my favorite ones are the haunting melodies that play out during dark moments. My friend and I watched this in one sitting, three days. It made me laugh, cry, scream, and all of the above. I got fat over the three days because I did not want to get off my bum and miss what was going on. Boys Over Flowers introduced me to the world of Korean drama, and I fell in love. I couldn’t get enough and I wanted more. I have yet to see the Japanese version or the Chinese version, but so far, I love what I see.

Playful Kiss… Why would I go out with someone who thinks I am stupid? Why would I want to continue to pursue a guy who keeps turning me down non-stop and keeps degrading me in front of my friends and family? I do have a wild imagination. Everyone does… or every girl in love, including Oh Ha Ni (Jung So Min), who daydreams scenarios with her high school crush, Baek Seung-Jo (Kim Hyun Joong). This girl has a huge heart, and dreams big, based on the manga Itazura Na Kiss by Tada Kaoru. Her brain does not match her actions, so she does everything in her power to prove herself to the boy she loves. The sad thing is, this boy treats her low for not matching his IQ. Too bad he has to live with her… oh no, she has to live with him! If you are into comedy, this is probably a light upbeat turn of events. I love the kisses in the story (I am a HUGE romance girl). However, if you are someone that believes in girl power, you might be pulling your hair out and screaming. I love the acting in this drama, especially seeing Kim Hyun Joong in his leading role, compared to who he played as Ji Hoo in BOF. However, I don’t know if I would see it again, because seeing a guy treat a girl like crap and somewhat gets away with it really gets under my skin. Maybe because it reminds me of how I use to be in high school when I met my beau (You know I love you baby). The music is quirky, and the imaginative artistry is fun and wild! I would smack Baek Seung-Jo, and I would shake Oh Ha Ni to find a better guy. But what I say does not matter, I still love them, and it means they did their job ;)

Life is beautiful when you are answering your call to God in a convent, only to have a music talent manager asks you to join a popular boys’ band and disguise as your twin brother. Angels are found in You’re Beautiful, also known as Hangul. This story has one of the best ensembles. Go Mi Nyu (Park Shin Hye) plays a sister in training who moves into the world of the group “A.N. Jell”. Covering up for her brother, who happens to be in surgery, she becomes “Mi Nam”, and ends up meeting and colliding with the leader of the band, Tae Kyung (Jang Geun Suk), who hates “his” living guts. The other two members, Jeremy (Lee Hongki) and Shin Woo (Jung Yong Hwa) are unsure of how to react to the new band mate. Craziness unfolds, there is never a dull moment; it always kept you wanting to figure out what happens next. The characters and the script are so well written. Bravo to the actors who brought it to life. I am in love with Jang. He is an actor you should keep your eye out for. They actually considered him for the role of Jun Pyo in BOF, but due to scheduling conflicts, he had to turn it down. He is also a beautiful, talented singer. As we speak, he is topping the charts in

Japan

for his latest single, Let Me Cry. Park does a beautiful job playing Mi Nam and Mi Nyu. The chemistry is so rich. You must see this, even if you decide not to see the other two, you must see this one.

Korean dramas are taking worldwide audiences by force. If you don’t mind the language barrier, are into anime, and love a damn good story with well developed characters, this is for you. Episodes range from 16-25. Each episode is 45 min to an hour long, so it won’t take much of your time. Be prepared to not take a break though, it will suck you in if you let it! I am still checking out more dramas, and started Coffee Prince along with My Girlfriend is a Nine Tailed Fox. Yes, some scenarios are a little “soap-perish”, but the acting is really powerful, the stories are phenomenal, and the characters make you forget and cheer them on. So Korea, gamsahabnida for bringing these nollawo deulama to our world. J

series are available to view on www.hulu.com