Nodame Cantabile SP-MOVIE

Nodame Cantabile SP (Movie)

GYABO!

The 2008 movie special released soon after the drama ended picks up where the drama left off, with Chiaki-kun and Nodame leaving for Paris together.

This is Chiaki's chance to prove himself as a conductor, and before he can meet with his life-long coach, he needs to enter and win a competition.

The pretentiousness aside, this SP turned out to be as good, if not better than, the drama from which it sprang. Fast-paced, ricochet dialogue meant to help cram a ton of stuff into less than two hours worth of film.

Takenaka Naoto as Franz Strezemann (Milch Holstein) appears at the end to drop another portent onto our unsuspecting couple, too. "Prometheus of the Desert" as he refers to this latest order.

The original cast have returned as well, though their on-screen time is very limited - relegated to Mine's father's tiny restaurant, where they meet for drinks, reminisce, and shout the ganbatte stuff again and again, esp. for their hero, Chiaki-kun.

Chiaki-kun goes up against two of the greats in conductor-dom, and he remains confident, precise, and overbearing as he behaved in the drama. He's at the top of the heap one minute, sinks to the depths of despair the next, and then with Nodame's flighty help, rises back to the top bigger and better than before.

In this movie, she's more flirtatious, evoking more of her feminine side, which is a good thing except that Chiaki-kun and his one-track mind aren't interested in anything other than winning the conductor's competition so that he can face his old Senpai with dignity, and with his head held high.

Yah! Whatever, dude. No one ever listens to me when I try to tell them that GETTING LAID helps in stressful situations. No one in Asian Dramaland cares to listen, though.

Didn't quite know what to make of Wentz Eiji as Lantoine Franz, but he wasn't on screen that often to make a fair judgement anyhow.

More important than the cute guys, this time around I felt that Ishii Masanori as Katahira Hajime nearly stole the show. He played one of the contenders for the conductor crown, and he did a great job.

Ah! And, a mystery from the drama is solved!

"...a chicken shit" but whatever. I knew something wasn't quite right with the original interpretation, so there.

Speaking of subs, they were great, then mediocre, then good, then dumb, then great again (depending on who subbed which parts, I think).

They continued to use the word Concerto, too, instead of just Concert.

Not sure how or what to say about the scenery here, either. Being fooled into thinking I'm actually there when in reality I'm not has made me a little gun shy about reporting such things in this blog. Perhaps the stills were real, and glimpses of the inside of buildings as well. Even when they visited the monuments of Paris, I got the sneaking suspicion they were filmed, but that the actual scenes were done in a Japanese studio and not on-sight.

Okay, so now on to the second part of this SP ...

Part 2 of the SP Movie ...

It's Nodame's turn to shine. Chiaki has earned his wings, isn't too afraid of airplanes now, and has signed on with Franz Strezemann as an assistant. They tour Europe and Asia, and while Strezemann does a majority of the conducting, Chiaki-kun is left to assist him.

Meanwhile, Noda is left to her own devices in Paris and finds out the hard way that kawaii doesn't always cut it in the real world. She's got a terrific ear and pitch for music and can play well when she wants to, but she hadn't applied herself too well to the technical side of the music world and now suffers in these advance classes.

However ... music wasn't her initial goal in life. She wanted to teach kindergarten, and then she met Chiaki-kun and wanted to become his wife.

It was toward the end of the drama that Chiaki-kun realized that Noda completed him, and I think this SP Movie was meant to highlight that aspect of their relationship.

One might consider this sexist, and in Japan, there is no such thing, really. In Korea it's macho, and in Japan it's about power. In both cases, men possess each while women are expected to go along for the ride.

At least Noda made her debut in one of the greatest of all European Castles (if we can believe that) - at least we got to get an outside glimpse of the place. She did great, made Chiaki-kun shed tears, and he even finally kissed her afterward.

this appeared twice, and I think the subber got it backwards. 

In this scene, she's become a little fish in a big pond.

always enjoyed and adored the goofy graphics peppered throughout the drama and the movie

case in point ...

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Faith

 신의 (信義) / Shinui / The Great Doctor (神醫)

2012 24-episode Korean Period Drama that starred Lee Min ho as Choi Young, Kim Hee sun as Yoo Eun soo, Yoo Oh sung as Gi Chul, Lee Philip as Jang Bin, Kim Soo yun as Deo Gi, Sung Hoon as Chun Eum ja, Shin Eun jung as Hwa Soo in, Jo In pyo as Goo Yang gak (Yang Sa), Choi Suk jin as Ki Won, Kim Mi kyung as Court lady Choi, and Hwang Woo yun as Ja Woon - to name a few.

Let me start by saying this is the 3rd time I've watched this drama since its release a few years ago - thus the 5 sparkling rosebud vases.

And, if anyone wants to argue with me about my dislike of Heirs, let them join in a face/off between that drama and this one first.

This is how and when Lee Min ho shines; as bright as the brightest star in all of Korea and beyond - even to Hollywood - which isn't saying much, but I'm sure a lot of you out there think that Hollywood is the greatest to ever come along and again, I'd have to disagree. It USED to be that way, but not anymore, and when people freak out over guys like Justin Bieber and Ryan Gossling ... well ... all I can say is I don't even want to waste my breath or time arguing.

Lee Min ho as Choi young

Everyone and their uncle already know what this one was all about, so I'll spare the details and sum it all up by saying it's about a young, gorgeous warrior with two things on his mind: sleep and being a warrior.

He's assigned to protect the king, of course, and the king's new bride from Yuan (China), when something goes wrong and in order to save this woman, warrior Choi luckily discovers a way to travel through time. He ends up in modern-day Seoul and tracks down a flighty plastic surgeon, dragging her back to his time and demanding she save the queen.

Before that, though, he gets into a tussle with the police and ends up stealing one of their bullet-proof shields, which doesn't disappear or disintegrate as he travels back in time, but whatever.

Polymers may have actually existed back then ... you never know.

It added some humor to the show, okay?

The second thing about this drama was the cast, which included Lee Philip and Kim Mi kyung!

Lee Philip as Jang bin

Kim Mi Kyung as Court lady Choi

Now, he might be showing his age a little, but in my book Lee Philip is still one fine looking dude and it'll be awhile before I get tired of seeing his fine face, hearing his sexy voice, and ogling his exceptional frame.

As for Madam Kim, well, she's always going to be up there with the list of greats and will likely never grow weary of entertaining the masses, right?

Philip's character played the court physician, and he spent a lot of time getting to know Yoo Eun soo, the modern-day plastic surgeon thrust into an ancient world and made to do a lot of unsavory bidding as much as she was able to walk alongside our stalwart warrior and try her best to win his stalwart heart.

Kim Hee sun as Yoo Eun soo

Despite what others had to say about her in blogs and at aznv.tv, surprise, surprise! I disagree wholeheartedly with their opinions. This woman blew me away with her acting and made me like her regardless of whatever else it is she's done or said to upset the masses.

She's beautiful and talented, and she reminded me in a way of Grace Adler (Debra Messing) from Will & Grace.

Anyway, next come the baddies; the menacing types who always arrive right on time in any period drama and attempt rather successfully at first to undo, unwind, and unload all the good being done and get away with it for a majority of the show.

Jo In Pyo as Goo Yang Gak (Yang Sa)

Shin Eun Jung as Hwa Soo In

Sung Hoon as Chun Eum Ja

My, my, my.

I even thought the old guy was nice to look at! He's the master-mind of the bad gang and possesses super-powers and an angry heart. 

His sister is very beautiful and did a great job portraying an evil woman with an evil heart who possesses the power of fire to lure and destroy men. 

Then there is our amazingly handsome baby boy with a great head of hair and an obedient heart. He possesses the power of music, or a one-note, which he extracts from his weapon of choice: the flute. The one-note has the ability to destroy the internal workings of the human body.

All three did great acting jobs, were entirely convincing in their roles, and added the right amount of flavor to the show. Their costumes, aside from the king and queen, were the best, too.

Did I mention the fact that our hero, Choi Yong, also has special powers? His arm is electrified, which runs straight to his sword, given to him by a great king. This comes in handy in battle against others with special powers - so the playing field evens out instead of being unfair.

Reason three why this was so great: the costumes, the scenery, and even the set decoration. It was simply marvelous and helped to ease the soul instead of making us sit through a lot of strife, grayness, and dismal that usually occurs when a writer and then producer send us back in time.

Treachery, deceit, and nefarious schemes always abound in a period drama - especially those from Korea - and it still amazes me how the writers take fact and twist it enough times to make fantasy seem factual, but whatever. It seems to work, so that's fine.

Reason four why Faith is a fiver for me is Lee Min ho.

Yep, that's right! I said Lee Min ho. Thinking about it some more, I've come to realize that this show has a lot to do with my unfavorable opinion of his work in The Heirs. After seeing him in Faith, and in Boys Over Flowers, it came as quite a disappointment to see the way he acted in The Heirs.

It was his chance to shine; to really step up to the plate and make a name for himself and he didn't.

In Boys, I thought he was funny, commanding, and intriguing enough to want to see more. In Faith, I started to fall in love and came to realize just what it was that had everyone else so mesmerized. Then I watched Heirs, what the rest of the world watched, and with as much dizzying anticipation, too.

What a let-down.

I know he's done more than just these three shows, and I already watched some, will watch others.

He's handsome, I agree. He's talented, too. He's got the goods, to include height, the face, the body, and the smile.

His eyes captivate the soul, and with a little work, he'd make one hell of a true lover in a modern-day or period drama if he learns how to use those eyes of his to draw out what any hetero- female wants in a man like him.

Not even the guy on the left could scene-steal or hold a candle to our Warrior Choi in Faith, though.

Who stole everyone's heart in The Heirs? Eh? It wasn't Min ho-sshi but his angry counterpart, that's who.

Like I said, he blew it for whatever reason, and I'll chalk it up to his having been either burned out or uninterested in the script and let it go at that.

Reason Five why I loved Faith so much: chemistry.

Lee Min ho's Warrior Choi and Kim Hee sun's Yoo Eun soo had great chemistry even if she does and did look a few years older than him. So what. I don't care about things like that unless it's an old, gray-haired fart trying to get with a high school girl, and then GAG.

Even the budding love story that grew between King and Queen and their onscreen performances together were like-able and believable. It was cute, too, the way she behaved both behind his back trying to help, and in his presence, standing up for her heart while making him figure it all out on his own.

There'll always be the constant reluctance to go with ones own heart in these shows, both period and modern, which annoys the heck out of me but there's nothing I can do to change that fact or make it go away, so ...

Warrior Choi spent too much time avoiding the inevitable, and even if there was a reason for it, it is still irritating to have to sit through night after night.

Okay, so that's my review of Faith. (Actually, my review of why I didn't like The Heirs - lol)

Here are a few extra images of the hot guy with the cool weapon.

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Ando Lloyd: A.I. Knows LOVE?

 安堂ロイド〜A.I. Knows LOVE?

2013 10-episode TBS J-Do starring Kimura Takuya and Shibasaki Kou as Ando Asahi, the woman he loves, wants to marry, and then needs to protect - even if it takes 100 years.

Matsushima Reiji is a genius who works at Tokyo Imperial University as a scientist (who studies worm hole theory), as does his younger sister, also a genius (perhaps more of a genius, even, than her aniki).

Ando Asahi is an upper-level employee of a software security firm, and one day she receives a request from an online player to accept his challenge at a game of Asian chess.

She accepts and loses, but because of the place where she works, she's able to track down her combatant using the tablet she's playing the game on, thus creating the first meeting between the two eventual lovers.

I'm no good at theories, math, or complex anything, and even after having watched this sci/fi thriller, I can't be of much help other than to say Reiji realized even before he met Ando that his life was in danger, and that he would need to figure out yet another complex way in which to keep her safe.

There's a death list circulating online with his name on it - and Ando's - even if she doesn't complete the circle because she isn't a rocket scientist like him. Without her or us realizing it, Reiji has been working steadily on a fool-proof way to keep Ando safe in the not-too-distant future.

Reiji-kun is what you want and expect Takuya-sama to be like on screen. Quirky, erratic, and with that unsuspecting smirk every now and then - the real reason why I adore the guy so much.

PLUS ... his hair.

Not long into this story, Reiji gets murdered (NOT a spoiler, so chill) and not too long afterward, an android with Reiji's features appears to save the heartbroken Ando from her fate: the fate Reiji knew all along was going to occur.

This robot doesn't have a street name other than 2113 II something or other, I don't remember. Anyhow, he's got no emotions because he's a robot or Android with skin and hair and blood cells but no soul or emotions.

I never get that part in these sci/fi things. I mean, in four, separate scenes, Ando Lloyd eats something. Do Android's evacuate, too? He never changed his clothes or took a shower, either. If they aren't human, then what is the point of their having blood and cells?

Ando got upset with Lloyd and kicked him, getting hurt in the process because he's 'tin man' material, and bullets either penetrated or didn't while knives were capable of penetration and producing not only blood but injury.

Whatever.

This was a great story that flowed well and had cool CGI that wasn't implausible or looked ridiculous. I liked the way they discarded defeated androids, too.

The aside characters did great jobs, but the Last Princess android was a pain in the ass.

So were the subs.

Ridiculous, stupid, lazy subs ... AGAIN.

There was even an American guy who is Japanese who worked at the lab with Reiji's younger sister. He was cute and all, but he should know better when cussing in English that sometimes it just doesn't work or isn't suitable for the context in which its being presented.

I'm not even sure if the word was uttered in Japanese but that the subber threw it in for 'effect' thinking it would be cool or something. He/She is wrong, of course, and they need to get schooled.

A majority of them do, but whatever.

The entire 10 episodes were devoted to saving Ando from a bunch of 100 years into the future robots all sent to destroy her - for a reason that was never quite made clear - and with each passing episode came each passing occurrence until our poor Lloyd has run out of juice and stamina to keep going.

Cue the ganbatte stuff!

It appeared toward the end of episode 10, and I was a little shocked and upset when it occurred, too. I thought for sure that this time it would be different and that they'd let up on it for once, but no.

The ending was a good one, though, and it hinted at a sequel, but anymore I don't hold my breath when things like that happen. I've seen it so many times now only to have nothing ever come of it, so ...

Takuya still has it going on, he's still worth watching on the big screen, and he's still my hero in the J-Do department, so that's why I tuned in. Still, the story ended up sucking me in as well, so it was a two-fer worth the time and effort to watch.

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Three Brothers

aka: 수상한 삼형제 / Susanghan Samhyungje / Suspicious Three Brothers

2009 K-Do about ... you guessed it ... 3 brothers.

The dad is a cop, the mom is from hell with fire-breathing capabilities, red eyes that glow in the dark, and talons for fingernails.

The eldest son is her pet. He's shiftless, aimless, and useless hiding his transgressions from them because even going on age 40, he's terrified of his parents (esp. his serpent-like mother). He's been divorced for a few years yet no one knows, so he hides and pretends everything is great when it isn't.

The second son is desperate for attention, affection, and acceptance. He's been money-hungry most of his life and never really applied himself to being a child, or exploring himself or the world around him, and is only concerned with making money in order to please the bitch known as his mother. He owns a spa, a gas station, and a wedding hall and does whatever his mother tells or asks of him while treating his wife like shit and ignoring her at every turn.

The youngest son is handsome and became a cop because his hero was and still is his father. The drama opens with him receiving a citation for great conduct. The undercurrent of bad blood between mother and father is evident but not in-your-face terrifying just yet.

For the next 69 episodes we watch this family grow in size due to marriages and births, then fall apart in a rather absurd yet formulaic style before things are set back to right again.

2009 ... 70 episodes ... which means day-time drama ... which means a lot of strife, agony, shouting, vindictive, evil behavior week after week until the metaphoric cannon is eventually lit and shot over our heads. In the aftermath, and when the smoke clears, we're expected to watch these characters dust themselves off and start all over again, but on the proverbial right track to 'success'.

In one part of this show, someone at the police station said that Koreans are an angry bunch (which explained all of the drunken, disorderly situations during a New Year's festival). Later, I think it was Umi who claimed it made perfect sense that the divorce rate in their country tended to go up after such holidays.

This thing didn't start out as a message-driven, preachy type of day-time drama meant to entertain every ajumma who has the time to plunk her ass down in front of a television set at the local sauna, crack a few eggs against her forehead, and 'learn something about life' by watching.

It became that way in the middle, though, before turning right around and getting back into step with the way it ran at the beginning.

Something huge happened in the middle of this one - like they swapped writers, or the actors were told they wouldn't be getting paid on time so they decided to just give up - I can't be too sure, but I do know that it threw me for a loop and confused as well as annoyed me from episodes 50-68.

It didn't hurt any to skip around while watching, either. After about 7 episodes, I was able to watch only the even numbers and didn't miss a thing because of the re-hash and flash-back's peppered inside each episode I watched. I didn't miss anything and you won't, either.

Umi was supposed to be the 'star' of this one despite it being about 3 brothers and their life lessons. She got pregnant by the middle son when they were still young, and he ran when he found out about her condition, so she sought him out and that's how they ended up together.

Ten years later is when this drama unfolds, and Umi is the family slave: cooking, cleaning, shopping, care-taking, and putting up with the caustic bullshit thrown at her by the bitch-in-law and her unaffectionate, money-hungry husband whose only concern in life is work.

The dad knows how to talk to his sons, but in a half-hearted kind of way that wasn't as helpful or insightful as it could have been. The mom is as selfish, arrogant, and hateful as they come. Stereotypical, I hope, and yet I'm never quite sure to believe it's stereotypical after seeing her in every day-time drama that's ever been released from Korea.

Whoa is me, no one loves me, you never take my side, why do you love your wife more than me, my husband is useless, he never loved me, he never listened, no one cares, let me die, why did I give birth to you ... sigh.

Every time this woman shouted "Do you want to see me die?" I was like, "Yes! Please! Die already and let everyone else around you live for a change!"

Then I felt bad for thinking that way, which ended up making me resentful of having been made to feel that way at all.

It was frightening, to be honest. The woman terrified me. She favored one son over the others, told another son she loved him more than the others, and then told another that he was actually her favorite. Absolutely mind-blowing from an American perspective. Even if you feel that way, which isn't a sin in and of itself because we're all human, but to utter the words to a child, even a close friend, is absurd.

To say her mother-in-law was a lot worse is like admitting to being beyond stupid, too.

Aside from the mother scaring me half to death a majority of the time, and then watching each of the characters fall apart, and then seeing how they slowly but surely rose back up from the ashes of self-destruction, there were the odd bits and pieces to make me even more confused.

Every time they became penniless, I worried. But, apparently this isn't something to really worry about over there in Korea land. Even without a job, they were able to shop, eat at restaurants, and buy food at the open market. The kids remained in school, and even the guy who got out of prison lived in a decent apartment, had a hand phone, took his son to an amusement park, and could eat 고기 gogi.

In the United States, if you lose your job you rely on your savings to get you through until better times, and when the savings run out, you start to do without - like driving your car because you can't fill up the gas tank, and skipping meals because there is no food in the cupboards, and then finally the utilities are shut off and the repo man arrives to take your car and/or house. You end up in a shelter or at a friend/family members place.

You starve to death and die.

What we don't do is continue to buy food, cook, pop into the neighborhood coffee shop, and get drunk enough at a karaoke bar to weep over our misfortunes - because the money isn't there to do such things.

Another thing that amazes me about these stories is the availability of jobs even when they tell us the economy is bad or it's hard for people to find work. These characters always manage to do it. They find work even under the most dire of circumstances, and to me this is beyond far-fetched; unrealistic, and a bad message if sending out messages is their aim.

At least this time, with this particular story, they didn't cram down my throat the fact that 'family' is the be-all/end-all of life. They tried, but not half as hard as some of the others I've watched. And, excuse me, but if that is any indication of family life then I want no part of it, gamsahabnida.

In my country, respect is something you earn and not a birth right based on age or sex. After the Asiana incident in California that killed so many passengers because of pilot error, and then discovering that KAL has the worst safety record as a result of that way of thinking - not being able to question or argue with anyone older than them - it stands to reason the entire country should step back and rethink the mentality.

This drama did that in a manner of speaking by having the parents of these boys fall apart, lose 'everything' (yet still manage to keep their house, the utilities were never cut, and to buy food to eat) they were also reborn, so to speak.

They ended up discovering their own personality flaws and learned how to readjust in order to live a proper, respectable life instead of the one they lived prior to having had all hell break loose.

I'm not saying being disrespectful is the answer, either. It's just as wrong and just as disgusting a behavior as lording over those beneath or younger than you are. Either way, you lose and no one really respects anyone.

Discovering the power of honey versus vinegar is the answer, and it's a lot easier to implement than the world would have us believe, too.

I'm not sorry I wasted 4 days plowing through this 70-episode melodrama filled with predictable, agonizing scenes and cringe-worthy preaching that felt embarrassingly awkward to hear and see from time to time. I'm still terrified of the mother-in-law and will likely continue to have nightmares about her, but whatever. If you like this stuff, watch and enjoy. As for me, it'll be another few years before I decide to take a stab at another round of this type of crap and agony.

I'm emotionally drained now and need to revive my spirits in order to be able to smile again.

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Rip Off

someone stole my line. I should have OWNED it - LOL

at least I know Ken is a proper noun and needs to be capitalized :-)

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How I Spent My Valentine's Day

Wishes can and sometimes do come true - if you're like me and possess a vivid imagination along with a steady dose of will-power. It takes a lot of thought and work to devise a scheme this rich, and I'll admit without shame to its needing a few YEARS to finally culminate here in this blog.

To those of you who enjoy our Asian celebrities ~ Pop / Thespian ~ and continue to cling to a part of the mystique that is Asian Drama, I present to you that wish on a day dedicated to love and romance.
WAKE-UP CALL

Choi Jin hyuk phones to let me know the day is dawned and I need to wake up and start to get ready for one hell of an Asian Sensation experience - fantasy Valentine style.

Since this is my day and my imagination, I'm allowed to insist that he stay on the line and continue to talk - to say anything - anything that comes into his head so that I can listen to his sexy voice while I shower and get dressed for said fabulous experience - a once in a lifetime day created by me.

BREAKFAST

Leaving the bedroom, I find Lee Chun hee in the kitchen. He's just prepared breakfast for two. Linen tablecloth, fine china, and a small tealight candle floating in the centerpiece surrounded by flower buds. What he's prepared isn't as important as his having prepared it - for us. His being there first thing in the morning is all that matters. It matters that he is gazing at me with those intense, slightly mischievous eyes of his. It doesn't matter if it's what I want to eat or not because as soon as he smiles, I'm not mentally there anymore. I'm eating, but I'm not tasting anything. Not that I would dare tell him as much since he went to all that trouble on my account. It wouldn't matter, really, if the meal were slightly over or under-done, either. I wouldn't know that until later, when the stomach cramps arrive. But, that isn't romantic. What is romantic is finding Lee Chun hee in my kitchen, and that's all that really matters on a day like this. He would never think to do anything half-assed, so no need to worry about being poisoned by the Master.

SHOPPING

I need something special to wear. Something sexy, flirty, and enticing for the big night ahead. Sure, the whole day is meant to be exciting, but it always has to culminate in a grand finale - like fireworks displays - saving the very best for last. I need something that will make him stand up and take notice, so when I open the door to leave on this shopping excursion, it delights and thrills me to find Park Ki woong waiting in the driveway, standing alongside his expensive, red sports car waiting to take me on the fashion excursion of a lifetime.

The problem (if you can look at it that way) is that I'd rather hang out with Ki woong-sshi and not force him to have to put together something smashing so that I can get intimately romantic with another man. Not that Ki woong would care - he's too sweet, too considerate to worry about his own feelings and would want to do anything I suggested, because that's just who he is and how he rolls.

So between shops we spend time at a cute bistro chatting over cheesecake and tea, and sitting near a water fountain snacking on hot pretzels while we people watch. I learn as much about him as I can while he manages to get in enough comedic relief and witticism as he possesses to make us laugh. A lot.

EXERCISE

Time has flown by and I sadly bid a fond adieu to cutie-pie because if I want this hot date to come off without a hitch, then I need to get my body in tune. So, now it's off to the gym. Trainer(s) are important to guard against injury, and on a day like this, injury isn't an option. Of course, with little time and plenty of free imagination on my hands, I'm able to hire not just one Choi Si won to aid my endeavor but as many delectable bodies as one woman of my gymnastic abilities can handle. It'll take awhile to get the hang of a stair stepper, the incline walker, and I'll definitely need spotters if I hope to lift anything without falling over. Then again, it might be nice to lose my balance on occasion in a place like this, filled to the rafters with perfectly proportioned and neatly sculpted artwork covered in flesh.

I'd be overjoyed to get a little assist from the likes of Seo In guk and Lee Byung hun. They're all three welcome to hover, reach out, and touch whenever the need arises.

oh, and Him, too

THE SPA

Now that I've spent an hour sweating, it's time to relax those muscles. Another hour of soothing massage, plenty of aroma therapy, and soothing background music. 

This - lucky me - is a threesome experience. The head, the body, and the feet - in that order.

Oh Ji ho is up front, massaging the head/shoulders. I want him to talk to me about himself while he's working his magic fingers. I especially expect the man to smile.

I need him to help clear my mind and relieve the tension from my shoulders so that when this date night finally does arrive, I won't be so nervous or look that way while seated across the dinner table from Mr. Perfect.

Ji ho-sshi must remember to smile, or all bets are off.


The General - General Choi, that is - is in charge of the body. Kneading, rubbing, and smoothing his hands along my arms, chest, abdomen, back, and hips. Why? Because I want just as much of a reason to steal the occasional glimpse at Han Jung su's fine ass as I'd need to see handsome Ji ho smile. To unwind of course.

Finally, there are the hips, the thighs, the calves, and the feet. 

This happens to be the most sensitive area of my body. Aside from not liking to have my armpits touched (makes me angry, actually, it's that knee-jerk reaction sensitive) there are three areas of the lower region that cause just as intense a reaction when touched by anyone other than myself.

I'll keep it clean and just admit that the bottoms of my feet are totally off limits to anyone who doesn't know what they're doing. Because of the sensitivity issue and a need to unwind, I leave that delicate job in the capable yet experienced hands of our #3 man at the spa, sexy Song Seung heon.

Do a great job, gentlemen - I'm leaving my body (and soul) in your likely-to-be capable hands for the next gloriously sensual hour.

It's probably safe to say that a decision at this point in my day to switch gears and concentrate on things more mental than physical would be moot.

THE BOOKSTORE CAFE

They aren't just for intellectuals, you know, and even if it wasn't Valentine's Day, it wouldn't be so bad to walk into said make-believe store on any day in my make-believe world and know that the owner was just as smart as he is attractive. That a majority of the male customers who enter the place are just as delightful to the eye as they are to the ear and soul. This is the type of place where I want a majority of my senses stimulated in more ways than just one. I want to hear profound things, listen to passages in a deep, resonant voice, and taste some exotic, frothy creation with a totally amazing picture on top - something cool enough to make me want to take a picture and post it online - that kind of a drink in that kind of a place; surrounded by those types of men. A cozy lounging area surrounded by not just books but all of the glimmering, brightly colored, attic find nick-knacks Korean set designers use to make those special places all the more special and inviting.

Kim Min jong owns this place - literally and figuratively - which is why I frequent his imaginary store; as much to see him as I do to unwind, browse through magazines and books, sip something delicious, and surround myself with great company.

The place is crowded today, too.

     

                   

With all of the gentlemen I've longed to have a conversation with about themselves, their careers, their favorite and least favorite moments in life, their likes and dislikes, their darkest secrets, and what they find most appealing about women in general.

Some are worth it just to be able to watch, study, and observe without really needing to catch their attention or want to disrupt their reason for being there. All of them captivate me in one way or another, though, and it wouldn't be bad to have the chance to interview these guys in a casual setting.

I simply want to know more ...

Right, so I awakened to the sexy sound of Choi Jin hyuk, ate a delicious breakfast with mysterious Lee Chun hee, went on a fun shopping excursion with Park Kee woong, worked out with Choi Si won, Lee Byung hun, Seo In guk, and Rain. Then it was down-time at the spa with Oh Ji ho, Han Jung soo, and Song Seung sun before heading over to Kim Min jong's cafe, where today I got to sit and philosophy with the interesting likes of guys as fine as Hyun Bin, Toru Nakamura, Jang Hyuk, Sakai Masato, Fujiki Naohito, and Kusanagi Tsuyoshi.

So, I'm not running late but need to head across town for appointments with the manicurist, hair stylist, and make-up artist.

GLAM TIME

The one-stop salon is crowded on a romantic day like this, but I've made my appointments well in advance, so no worries.

When it comes to getting nails done, it isn't simply about what you'd like them to look like at a particular moment in time. There is the element of touch involved that makes the experience irritating, nondescript, or a pleasure depending on who it is holding your hands for such a long time.

I want to hold hands - for a really long time - with Ikuta Toma.

Being able to sit across a tiny table from this guy is my idea of a great time. Stimulating, provocative, and no-doubt a blast to chat with for any length of time.

He'll say a lot of silly things to make me laugh or even blush, but even better, I'll let him decide about the nail design and color scheme.

100% confidence in this man's capable hands, and I just know he'll do me right.

I expect more than just a thank-you hug from this guy. We have to kiss when he's through, too. The European cheek/cheek thing and then the American lip-smack.

The way you style your hair - or not - could make or break a budding relationship, sad to say. It all depends on your self-confidence and his true intentions. Is he after you because you're pretty and he'd like to see more of what you've got to offer, or is he a potential keeper and more interested in what's going on underneath all that pretty?

Either way, on a day like today, my notion is to go all-out in the look my very best category.

From the initial consultation to the shampoo/rinse and eventual styling, I can't think of anyone better for this particular job than Mr. Perfect himself, Kimura Takuya.

The thought of having someone as mystifying, handsome, and happy in a perpetual sort of way as Kimu-Taku wash my hair gives me goose bumps. Massaging my scalp with his fingers, looking at him and his upper body so close to my face while I'm in a prone position leaning back over the sink, and then having such amazing dazzle stare at me in a mirror while he proceeds to sculpt a masterpiece AND carry on a great and upbeat conversation is my idea of heaven.

I'd get my hair done at least once a week if this were actually true, too.

Again, I'll let him decide what's best when it comes to styling my hair because like Toma-san, I have a feeling that Takuya-kun will make me beautiful.

We definitely have to kiss when it's through, too. European, American, and a bit of a linger as well. He'll wink at me, too, before leading me to my final destination - the face.

I've been around long enough to know what works for me and what doesn't; what looks natural and what doesn't. Still, when it comes to two applications on my face, I really suck. Eye liner and lipstick. Don't ask why, though, I just never get it right.

Which is why I leave this part of my romantic journey in the no-doubt-about-it capable hands of Kamenashi Kazuya.

I'll hug him in greeting and linger awhile in his beauty before asking his advice. Then I'll sit and stare at him some more while he goes on about his craft, what he sees in me, and what he believes will bring out whatever that is he says he sees. I might think to interrupt him and suggest that he try and make it look as unforced and effortless as he can, but then I doubt that'll be necessary. He's cornered the Pretty market, so I'm not too worried.

When I'm through reveling in this guy's touch, which would likely leave an indelible mark on at least my chin, I'll hug him again in gratitude before the customary European and American kissing - being careful not to mess up his work, though.

As I'm leaving the salon, I bump into a few guys who are interested in having some fun.

I've got plenty of time so it isn't a big deal that I choose to run around town with them.

We take in an action movie first - RoboCop - before browsing all of the vendors wares on one of those quaint, Seoul side streets that sometimes appear in movies or dramas to make you wish you were there and had a ton of cash at hand.

I let the guys buy me whatever catches their eye and that they think best suits me or my taste.

Then we head on over to the equivalent of 7/11 and stand at the window eating ramen. 

We laugh, joke around, kid one another, and try to get someone to admit their secret crush.

After, we head on over to that artsy area of the city and get our selfies on standing in front of the angel's wings painted on the wall. 

Group pictures are a given, of course.

It's best to hang with these guys during the day and preferably outside - unless it's raining, and then we could hang out in a mall or at the gaming center for awhile. 

I'd want it to be an enriching, rewarding experience so no nightclubs with too many people, in a confined space where it's too dark to really see anyone, and too loud to be able to hear what anyone has to say.

For at least an hour we'd do as many stupid, pointless, and hilarious things as we could think to do. 

Because it's spontaneous like them, and fun, like they are on screen.

Again, it would be pointless to experience a day such as this if I wasn't able to probe them for in-depth coverage of their daily lives, their interests, their bad habits, their secrets, and even love's lost or budding romances. 

I'd want to know it all and not be afraid to ask just like they'd want to share it all in between trying to win me a stuffed animal from the claw machine on the corner and forcing me to eat just about every food vendor's fare as we walked along having such a wonderful time together.

I'd want a piggy-back ride from Lee Min ki.

I'd expect Kim Woo bin to comply when I ask that he walk out into traffic and stop it so we can all cross the street.

And I'd like it very much if Kim Jae wook sang out loud without feeling self-conscious.

I'd expect them all to make me laugh, of course, but Lee Min ki has to hold my hand while he's doing it, Kim Jae wook has to hug me at least three times in the course of an hour, and I'd need just as many cheek pecks from Woo bin.

Okay, so enough fun and games.

It's time to get back home and prepare for the big night.

While soaking in a hot tub, he sends me a text message asking if we're still on for tonight. Naturally, I wait a full half-hour before sending a reply with the simple word - yes - though it does have a heart on each side. We don't want to be too aloof during as critical a time as this, do we?

My stomach suddenly has butterflies, making it difficult to keep down anything other than mint water.

I take a brief nap so that I'm revived and ready when 8:00 arrives and I have to leave for the expensive hotel restaurant where he's made reservations a year in advance.

THE BIG DATE

When I arrive at the restaurant, No Min woo is there to help me out of the taxi and escorts me to my table. We pause to get our picture taken together, and he lets me hug him.

An orchestra is playing (because that is just the way it needs to be), but suddenly along comes Kim Hyung joo playing a violin. He stands before my table and finishes the song before bowing. I gaze breathlessly at his handsome, smiling face ... and then recruit a waiter to take our picture. I get to kiss him on the cheek, and he hugs me tight in return.

That waiter is Lee Seung gi. He'll be catering to my table all night long, spiriting over every time my wine glass gets low or it looks like I might want his help. I can't help wanting to chat up my handsome waiter with the cheeky smile and cute face. I get a few, good pictures with him, too. The hugs and kisses won't occur until after the dinner date ends, though.

The time finally comes for me to reveal my dream date.

The guy I'd give anything to see in living color, for real, at this very moment, and dine with via candlelight, soft music, and in an intimate yet relaxing enough setting that we're not both intimidated or distracted by the ambiance, the high-class patrons, and their nearness to our conversation.

I would love to meet this man, feel his touch, hear his voice, experience his smile, disappear in his gaze, and memorize his scent.

I'd spend as much time as I possibly could getting to know the real him and all his secrets. I'd expect him to talk about himself a majority of the time yet show me how classy he is by anticipating my needs and making me feel worthwhile in his Princely presence.

I'd want to have this experience with every guy I included in this ridiculously silly Valentine's Day blog, too, just none more than him ... a guy I've had a long-distance crush on for more than ten years now and STILL find him to be one of the most attractive, manly, and interesting guys on the planet.

He's someone I base a lot of my main characters off of in my writing. Even when I try not to go there, I always end up including at least a part of this guy in my hero.

and that man is ...

Takeshi Kaneshiro

Not sure how many of you I managed to fool, but it doesn't end there.
When the dream date ends and I return home, guess who's waiting for me there?

He's strewn flower petals from the entrance to my bedroom, the lights are dimmed, and there are scented candles lit here and there.

I find a huge (basket) of chocolate on the coffee table in the livingroom, and there is romantic, soothing, sensual music playing not too loud.

Intrigued, I make my way slowly toward the bedroom - careful to follow the flower petal path that leads me to him.

Pushing open the door, I notice that the room is also lit up only by scented candlelight, enveloping the second surprise of the night in a misty silhouette atop my bed.

Ingeniously, he's somehow managed to highlight the huge flower bouquet in his hands, showing me a magnificent spray of colorful roses he's holding - at his bared chest - for me to delight in, but not for too long.

Once inside the room, I'm better able to see just who it is I'll be spending one hell of a romantic night with.

When I do, I waste no time AT ALL getting more comfortable and diving between the sheets with ...

and so ends my playful romp through fairy tale land with y'all.

Hope your Day for Lovers turns out as happy as the one I just created!

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