October 2010 ~ Asian Drama Queen

Friday, October 29, 2010

장난스런 키스 / Jangnanseureon Kiss

Mischievous Kiss

Sixteen episode, September through October of 2010 Korean drama that stars Kim Hyun joong and Jung So min as opposing figures who play cat & mouse until the bitter end, when love seemingly conquers all.

This is what HanCinema had to say:

Drama based off (on, actually) the comic series "Itazurana Kiss" is Filled with episodes that reflect Korea's sentiment, and has a stable storyline.

and here are a few, other titles linked to this drama:

Also known as "Playful Kiss", "Naughty Kiss", "It Started With A kiss"

Now, I have no idea what the hell they mean by 'reflect Korea's sentiment', and I really don't care, to be honest ... except that sentimentality from any country is rather lame imho.

The original from Japan came out back in 1996 (Itazura na Kiss / イタズラなKiss / Teasing Kiss) and the Taiwanese version (It Started With A Kiss / 惡作劇之吻 / E Zuo Ju Zhi Wen) was released in 2005, starring Joe Cheng and Ariel Lin (hate her).

Consensus at aznv.tv concludes that the Taiwanese version (so far) is better than the Japanese version (because the latter is 'too old'), but that the Korean version is now picking up steam - which means it'll likely surpass the Taiwanese version with time.

I haven't seen either the Japanese or the Taiwanese versions, and it isn't likely I ever WILL watch the Taiwanese version because of her - but after having watched the Korean version, I honestly don't see or feel the need to VIEW another version of this story.

There were a few references to college, and they ring true with me, so here they are:

Ha ni had some really cool friends,

and they usually hung out inside the classroom

which looked, to me, like an art room and not a home room - but it turns out that Ha ni is an idiot with no thought to a career, the heavy chick is a natural-born stylist, and the girl in glasses is the artist - so go figure.

The girl who turns into an illustrator reminded me a bit of Ma jun from Baker King - like she could pass for his little sister in a kinda/sorta way ...

I'm trying to figure out how this story 'started' with 'a kiss' since it didn't.

It actually began with a cute girl who is poor having this mad crush on a cute guy who is rich, and she daydreams about him before writing him a love letter that he returns to her marked D- after his having corrected her grammar in red ink.

It is a long time before these two lip-lock, but I suppose that is beside the point (again), eh?

Oh Ha ni is overly obsessed with Baek Seung jo, and since he is the most popular guy in school and the smartest as well, the audience soon realizes how unlikely the chances are of Ha ni getting her way.

Perhaps the 'Korean sentiment' comes in the form of Ha ni's perseverance in the face of obvious adversity at every turn, and for nearly sixteen episodes?

The way Ha ni stalked Seung jo creeped me out as much as it annoyed me, yet at the end, the writer made it seem as if this stalking method equates to perseverance - thus making her a hero in the eyes of every, young girl obsessed with a guy, and I don't buy it.

There were at least five times in the course of the sixteen episodes when I said, "Enough already!" and then begged Ha ni to walk away - just freakin' move ON, get a life, and stop obsessing already.

one of many stalking scenes

Ha ni didn't listen.

but then there would be no story if she just walked away at this point

I don't care for boys who disrespect their mother, either - even if she did dress him up like a girl when he was little and now proudly displays those cherished memories in her online blog for the whole world to see.

omanee posted this outside the college campus

Turns out, though, that Seung jo's omanee is a silly twit with similar mannerisms to Ha ni, which might imply the 'boy looks for maternal traits in potential mate' theory - who knows - but, Seung jo treated his omanee with about as much interest and respect as he treated our doggedly determined Ha ni.

There was another boy obsessed with Ha ni, (Lee Tae Sung as Bong Joon gu), and a sunbae (age 21 - though often referred to as an 'old man' - Song Yong Shik as Song Ji Oh??) who obsessed over a girl a year younger than him who chased after Seung jo, followed by a foreign girl obsessing over Bong Joon gu.

Bong Jung gu as an Elvis wannabe

is rejected by Ha ni so he delves into the world of cooking

but he can't get Ha ni off his mind ...

eventually, he's transformed into Prince Charming, but Ha ni still, don't care

This is a story about obsession, stalking, and ... perseverance, I guess.

The ratings for this ended up at a paltry 4.9% nationwide, and I'm wondering why - even if I didn't much care for it - that never equates to what the rest of the world is thinking and/or feeling.

Honestly, I don't want to talk about this drama or the storyline so much as I'd like to reflect on my opinion of Kim Hyun joong - which is the only reason I chose to watch this drama - even though aznv.tv hasn't uploaded it yet.

I put up with constant misery in the form of ten-minute-tops videos that always started with a stupid, twenty-second commercial, and that came to us via ViiKii (and y'all know how I feel about that website, so I'll just move on ...) just to be able to feast my green orbs on oppa Hyun joong.

If you read my blog about Boys Before Flowers, you will know that my opinion of this guy wasn't all, that favorable, but that I held out hope of his impressing me somewhere down the line.

Somewhere was not while watching Jangnanseureon Kiss, but the unlikely viewing of We Got Married - Season 2 - (Ep 9-38) where he and Hwangbo became the 'lettuce' couple.

Hwangbo is six years older than Hyun joong, but she's so beautiful, it didn't matter (to me, at least) - and although it brings a tinge of pink to my cheeks just thinking about it, I couldn't help but cry when they finally said good-bye atop Mt. Halla.

It was while I watched this far-fetched rendition of married life unfold that I began to aquire a newfound interest in, a surprising amount of respect for, and eventually, a keen affinity toward our handsome oppa Hyun joong.

He's freakin' romantic, considerate, smooth, and charismatic as much as he is appealing to the eyes and heart.

Above all, though, is that the man has got a terrific sense of humor - which is a definite turn-on for me.

While I watched Mischievous Kiss, he started giving off a Yamapi vibe until I felt as if they are cousins from opposites ends of the pond.

Hwayobi and Hwanhee were actually my 'favorite' couple on the show, but at a neck & neck pace with the Lettuce couple.

I can't recall what they were referred to as, but she called him 'honey' and he called her 'poopy' (at least that was how it translated on the vid at aznv.tv) - I'm also confused about the season numbers, too, but at dramawiki, it says 2.

Anyway, Hwan hee tried his best to give off the impression of being a boor and a jerk, but then he kept doing things that were entirely chivalrous & romantic, nearly bringing our flustered Hwa yobi to tears - and, amazingly, it worked for me as well.

Macho in a modern sense, maybe - like not being a push-over or doormat yet never displaying unsavory characteristics in the presence of a lady.

He and Hyun joong stood aloof while also emitting enough charm to keep their 'wives' interested, and that formula always spells success in any relationship.

As soon as the lettuce couple bid a fond adeu to one another, aznv.tv stopped uploading episodes, so I have no idea what happened to Hwan hee and Hwa yobi, which makes me very sad.

Marco and Dan bi were also couples during this same time period, and Marco turned out to be a jerk, but in an 'aw, garsh' sort of way so that I never knew whether or not to hate his guts or make 'that face' while whining, "give him another chance! he's so sexy!" (and clueless).

Poor Marco - he's like a fish out of water.

Anyway, I'll be super-happy when (and if) aznv.tv uploads the rest of this series, because I'm truly hooked and overly curious about the eventual demise of the rest of the 'married' stars.

So, that is my review of Jangnanseureon Kiss.

Now, I've got tons more images to share with y'all.

Enjoy!

don't matter who - white makes you look F.A.T.

dumb hairstyle 1

elephant trunk hair 2

dumb hairstyle 3

God forbid, eh?? How dare you think for yourself!

Bye Bye Sea

they kept popping up in class to serenade the bickering quadrangle

now for the subtitle issues ...

This is what it looks like at the ViiKii website, and I have an account, so I should be permitted to work subtitles - and when I tried to make a correction, this is what happened ...