shamrockmom
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Posts posted by shamrockmom
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I'm irked.
Ok. I can buy that TP & YR's marriage was never celebrated or registered. I can buy that the birth of Min Ho /Dong Ho was never registered officially. What I am having a hard time swallowing is the premise that TP/MH still buys into the idea that he is the boy's biological father. He's this crack prosecutor with a memory like a steel trap, but he uhh...doesn't know how babies are made? Seriously? That part of him is still 7 years old and believes that babies are found in a cabbage patch/delivered by storks/insert your own myth here. Now he thinks his son is deceased. Geez! Where is Director Choi, the real baby daddy? I know he gave up on his child because he couldn't stand to watch his child live in poverty, but what's he been doing for 5 years while YR went overseas? Will YJ feel betrayed that she is raising her nephew who is not fathered by the guy she loves? What will TP/MH do when he gets a "for real" DNA test and finds out this boy he loves is not technically his?
I wonder if the writer wants to show that love trumps biology--depending on what other birth secrets are still in the works, this could get really complicated.
And yes, YJ rejecting TP/MH only to turn around, find and raise the little boy is maddening. YJ needs a spinal transplant to stand up to her mom, that jerk ahjumma who hassled the boy at school, and for general principles. I'm not enamored of wimpy female lead characters.
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OK, sitting thru the first 20 episodes was tough, but the extra long setup by the writer was pretty darn good, and the (short term) payoff in Episode 21 was worth everything!
BG music: on point. Hits the right feeling between properly melodramatic and campy for me.
All the name changes: a little dizzying, but I think I have them straight.
TP/MH: Oh, heck yeah, he totally remembers everything from his past, he's got a memory the rest of us wish we had, and he's patiently gonna plan this revenge out over the next 100 episodes. I am totally on board with this revenge rollercoaster! I'm thrilled to see that the writer didn't go with the typical amnesia trope, but put a massive twist on it instead.
YR's mom: still a complete jerk. I can't decide who I hate more, YR or her Mom. Both are awful. Agree with @maribella, dumpster works for me too. Fully anticipating the enjoyment of watching YR squirm now that she's met TP/MH. Always good when Karma is dished out before the final 10 episodes.
Seo Jun: OMG, love the 'new' black hair! I so want him to reject YR, and thoroughly. He's still hung up on YJ though...."Hungry for Kimbap" **Snort-laugh** he was in NYC for Gosh Sakes! Not like there's no place there to get authentic kimbap, lol! I really like LSK in this role.
Just figured out where I've seen Handsome A/C Ahjussi--he was the saxophone playing nurse in "Lady Cha Dal Rae's Lover", less maybe 20 lb.
Questions: Where's Choi, the real baby daddy? I want him to throw a wrench into this mess like nothing else. I would also like to see exactly how YJ got MH/DH out of the orphanage.
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On 9/26/2020 at 12:53 AM, Secretz said:
I'd love an interesting plot with well written characters and stellar acting performances, but....I'm not getting that from this drama. It's boring. But at least LSK's abs making surprise appearances does keep me minimally interested. I'll take what I can get right now and hope this drama revs it up after Tae Poong gets his mojo back.
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23 hours ago, confusedheart326 said:
I am increasingly noticing a trend of stereotyping characters. You have two groups. Good v/s Evil. Dressed in White to suggest purity and innocence and the other group dressed in Black, suggesting evil and all things wicked.
I would really enjoy a drama with some shades of gray (not the kinky book, mind you). I want to see characters struggling because that's what life is. It is never as easy or clear as black and white.
This trend was seen in My Prettiest Moments too. This kind of stereotyping makes me wary of the show. I think I'll wait few more episodes, read few more posts before taking a decision. The premise was promising but the character descriptions and the poster kind of puts me off.
If we look at the shows getting the highest number of audience, they all have us on tenterhooks because we are not sure what the characters would end up doing due to circumstances. They might be inherently good but they can do things quite out of their character and that keeps us, the audience hooked.
I hope more PDs take this into consideration. Break this dichotomy. I mean if it's romcom, I am all for fun and laughter, but the serious melodramas need to rethink their strategy.
I am sorry if this is not the right place to post a rant, but it is becoming extremely frustrating to see people divided into two clear camps.
OK, let me try and tackle this one today. Most Korean daily dramas (this one included) do have a more simplistic group of characters. There are the good people and the bad people. Pretty simple. But we all know that life isn't really like that, right?
What is going on here is really about escapism. It takes a lot of mental work to process out who is kinda-sorta good, and who is kinda-sorta bad and all the "gray" areas in between. Some of us who are overwhelmed by life just want simple entertainment, where the good people triumph and the bad people get punished (Karma). It has been my experience that the Karma in Korean dramas is not usually enough for my taste, or it doesn't happen quickly enough, or there has been so much damage done to the good people by the baddies that it doesn't matter in the end. But I have been pleasantly surprised--watch the daily drama "Waves, Waves" for a fantastic ending of Karma appropriately dished out without going overboard or holding back.
I could absolutely watch a more mentally challenging drama. Believe me, I used to do just that. There's plenty of K-dramas to choose from that do not have stereotypically good and bad characters. You mentioned that you want to see characters struggling, because that's what life is.....well, I'm personally sick of seeing struggle in my own life and those close to me. I'm worn down by life and want 30 minutes of entertainment! The nice part about K-drama is....you can have it your way! Ding-dong makjang storylines or mentally challenging storylines, you get to choose your option. And if the storyline starts out strong but takes a left turn into a swamp of utter ridiculousness, there's that off button on the remote which I've used many times even after investing up to 60-70 episodes.
Some of the best daily dramas start out a bit on the hair-pulling side but eventually come around--"Move over Fate" is a good example. Some start well, and end up in the swamp. Some become so laughable that it's still a fun watch--"Love is Drop by Drop" comes to mind.
As for "A Man in a Veil" (Sorry I still think of it as "Secret Man" because that is the literal title), I'm on board for now. As@seungshinpointed out, some of the actresses/actors have appeared before in better quality productions, so that gives me some hope. I already like that Lee Si Kang's character has had a zippy one liner here and there, and that he is already changing from a spoiled scumbag to a guy who can do the right thing.
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One thing that keeps me watching this hot mess is that unlike other dailies, the baddie is getting setbacks right from the start. Usually it's one big steamroll of the bad guys/gals winning until like episode 110. This looks like YuRa is gonna have to stay on her toes every minute to keep up the ruse.
Wonder if the new chauffeur is a buddy of Choi Jun Sook. That would be interesting.
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Does anyone know the name of the actor who is playing young Tae Poong? I swear he looks like the young man who played the teenage son in Lady Cha Dal Rae's Lover. I checked Asianwiki.com, no info....but they aren't always the most accurate website.
Waiting this week for the appearance of Lee Si Kang, who I think is gonna be Choi Joon Sook's rich buddy, the one that let him live at a swanky house/apt. I wonder how/when/if CJS is gonna remember that he is gonna be a daddy, and will his buddy help him or hinder him?
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6 hours ago, Lmangla said:
it is weird to see a male lead go through what usually happens with a female lead in daily - this is the first daily I have seen where the male lead is the focus. interesting!
There was a drama a couple of years ago called, "Move over Fate" where the main focus character was also male. Not a bad drama IIRC.
2 hours ago, maribella said:Drugged or even if he willingly beds her, there is a crime committed when he is not capable of comprehending his action.
The mother is a CEO, probably a very capable one owns a company. But it is quite a common thread in Kdrama to have people with good brains to be fooled again and again. Just like HW Fatal Promise, to name one. I don't understand the obsession with 'blood ties' like grandchildren.
So TP's mum is going to forgive the rapist because she is having his baby?
@Secretz in First Love again, the FL had amnesia, struck by the truck of doom. She forgot about telling him ML she had an abortion, so it is the main character who had amnesia.
Another obsession with a grandson. I think it's because Korean birthrate is very low.Absolutely! I can only wonder what kind of hue and cry there would be if the female was taken advantage of like TP Is here. He is (at this point) incapable of making a decision and what she does by setting him up is reprehensible. However, a simple DNA test when the baby is born would clear this up, but...this is a Korean Daily Drama, so no go on that idea! It is definitely ugly that the show is going to have this woman take advantage of a disabled person (aka rape) but then again, there was a drama a few years back called "Whisper" where the female lead got the male lead stinkin' drunk and took advantage of him too. I called that out as wrong back then, and no one even blinked.....thank goodness this group seems to agree with me.
About TP's mom forgiving her son's rapist...Let's look at her choices here. Mom doesn't forgive her and is permanently estranged from what might be her only grandchild. Or Mom forgives her and at least has a chance at a relationship with the grandchild. She will probably believe her son is the father at some level, and since we know she is dying of cancer, she wants to not add to the grief in her life.
A couple of other observations:
1. Kang Eun Tak is nailing the portrayal of a mentally challenged young man stuck at the mental age of 7. I know someone who suffers from a disorder that has pretty much limited his mental capacity to about age 10. He is helpful and friendly, but is still very much a child. Kudos to the actor for doing his homework.
2. From the previews, Lee Si Kang's character has about the worst haircut I've seen in awhile; IRL he spends a great deal of time messing around with his hair if his IG is any indication, lol. He played such a nice guy in "Happy Sisters" I am curious to see what he does in a more dastardly role.
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Whoa! Kang Eun Tak and Lee Si Kang in the same drama?!? I'm in! So overdue for an awesome daily drama, the ones on the air now aren't able to hold my interest.
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@lisafransisca: Do you happen to know which episode(s) the Instragram sound clip were from? I should know this, but without the visual clues, I am lost...
@Melody_06: The classical 2-CD set is a free legal download (link). K2OST calls it 3 CD's; it's a lot of music, and takes a bit of time to download but worth it. The order of the songs is pretty much the order they are in the drama. The OST with all the background music in the show is available to purchase. IMHO, both are needed to really appreciate the show. The "6 Little Variations on the Theme of Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman" that Seon Jae plays in episode 14 were composed by the RL Professor Jo aka Park Jong Hoon and are available to download (for a small fee) on Google Play music (link).
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@gretac Yay for not-too-much scrolling time!
I'm planning to buy myself a Christmas gift, that is SLA DVD via yesasia and get sucked right back into all the feelings, this time with sharper HD images and colors!@shamrockmom I don't know how to write it long, but I met him at a fanmeeting, shook hand and took a photo with him, and got his poster. So it's not that personal
He looks just exactly the same as he is on the screen and when people screamed his name out loud he was totally shocked. lol. Wow you're lucky to have watched his movie. I'll check your review for sure. Thanks for sharing!Wow, I'm so jealous! You got to shake hands and get a pic too?!? Whoaah! I think that is pretty cool. I am not sure I would be brave enough to do that, lol. Lucky you! The only fanmeetings like that here are at K-CON. I haven't been to the one here in LA because it used to be outside in the summer heat
, but now they've moved it to an air conditioned indoor venue. Plus this year it seemed like there was more emphasis on dramas and not K-pop music only. I gotta save up for tickets next year and go--it would probably be a fun write-up for the blog. -
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@galpianist and @lisafransisca: You do plan to share your stories of meeting KHA and YAI, right!?! Can't wait to read your stories.
I was able to watch YAI's new movie "Veteran". Review on my blog here if you are interested.
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lisafransisca said: PS: Just wanna say thank you openly to @shamrockmom for the nice fanfics
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Just watched Episode 1 of "I heard it through the Grapevine". Waited for the Viki subs. Total SLA vibe, right from the first scene. Seon Jae must live 2 streets over from Bom's family. The lighting, the camera shots, its all there. So are some of the actors.... That Snake Lawyer Kim is Bom's Dad, lol. It has some slow parts, but I know all that stuff will be background for other things later on. To me it screams: Take Notes! Pay attention! You need this information for future episodes. And my favorite part.... it has the rich people looking like idiots--complete with fortune teller! Bwaaaahaaahaa! I pinky promise everyone not to throw my tablet in a river at the end of this drama, and not to watch under the influence of Vietnamese coffee, and to only watch it with subs.
Edit. Forgot to add that Ji Soo, Professor Jo's wife is Bom's mother in this drama too. -
Copycat alert: Episode 1 of My Heart Twinkle Twinkle... about 44 minutes in, listen for a solo rendition of the Rachmaninov variations..from a pianist who didn't have Hye Won as a teacher. Consider yourselves warned... it's brutal.
. Do not waste 44 minutes of your life watching the rest of the episode like I did
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A slightly belated Birthday Tribute--
) There is a full length movie built around him playing the piano called, " ". (warning: video/audio quality is sketchy, but it's almost 80 years old too)
From Episode 14, The Dinner-For-Two-From-Hell-With-Dom-Perignone scene:
So, if you were like me, at this point in the drama, you were probably screaming at your screen, "Kang, just shut your mouth already...no one cares about you, or this guy you are yammering on about..You're a pompous Richard Simmons, and you mispronounced his name--it's Pad-uh-rev-ski, sheesh...Go away and give Hye Won a divorce already so we can get on with a happy ending for her and Seon Jae!" Even when watching a second time, that was pretty much my thought process...
However, as I started doing some research for this uhhh..'side project' (heh) I have going on, I kept hearing this name, and his music...and so I decided I needed to find out more about Ignacy Jan Paderewski. I was going to write up this whole scholarly paper on his life and achievements, but the good folks at Seohan West I mean the University of Southern California (USC) beat me to it. I have no need to reinvent the wheel, so I will put the link here and defer to their superior research and writing skills. (click for link)
I will add one personal note here. The church of the Black Madonna mentioned at the end of the USC article is better known as The National Shrine of Our Lady Of Czestochowa (pronounced chen-sto-ho-va). I know because I lived in Doylestown as a child, and I've been to this church (I'd call it a Cathedral in terms of scope and size) many times. It sits high up on a hill, and I could see the tall building and spire from my backyard. The site was selected because the original church in Poland was up on a hill, facing the same way (toward the west). When the sun sets, it reflects off of the building, and it's simply stunning to see, it looks like it glows as if it were made from gold but that doesn't even do it justice. It took over 20 years to get the church built, it was a work in progress--but mostly done--when I was there. The monument to Paderewski had not been built yet either.
Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles this weekend which coincides with his birthday (it's about 3 1/2 hours north of where I live) but it sounds like a great 4 day weekend for anyone who likes Polish dancing, great classical music, lectures, film screenings, wine tastings, and a Piano Competition too! I'm going to mark it on my calendar for next year. (click for link)
Closer to home, here in the LA area, there is a Piano Competition in his name, but unfortunately the next one is not until 2016. (click for link)
Oh, yeah, the music...there are some great audio versions of Paderewski playing both his own works, and others as well. I always like to hear the composer play his own works; there's no need for interpretation questions. My personal favorite is a radio recital, recorded live in 1939. He was 79 years old at the time. (click for link) and of course the piece he is most famous for, the Minuet in G, recorded in 1937 (
Many thanks again to writer-nim, for adding in this detail in the storyline. It's another example of the many layers that make SLA what it is.
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A My Spring Day--Secret Love Affair--City Hunter Mash-up story (with major credit to @ahpheng for her excellent captioned stories on the My Spring Day forum, which gave me the idea for this) Mod, please forgive me in advance if it's sorta off topic.
Dear Assistant Prosecutor-nim,
I feel the need to write you again today because I fear there is more corruption going on in your office than you may have known.
You see, it looks to me like Madame Han
has escaped any meaningful amount of jail time, because I see her as Bom Yi's Mom here.
You need to check with your sunbae who handled her case to see why she got less jail time than Hye Won.
What's worse, she has persuaded your Boss, Young Ju
To come over here and moonlight as a Doctor (who has some questionable ethics regarding disclosure of donor identity in a transplant case)
I think there's foul play involved here, Assistant Prosecutor-nim. I'm pretty ticked off because Hye Won is still in jail,
and I am ready for Secret Love Affair 2--The World Piano Tour Edition (50 episodes of cutesy, cheesy, angst free fluff, extensions pending)I want episode after episode of pure bliss, watching Hye Won and Seon Jae living in a rodent-free apartment with a modern bathroom, visiting exciting European destinations while Seon Jae wins awards for his piano competitions, and of course, seeing the two of them, in Seon Jae's words, "fooling around all day"
Oh, and not that I would ever stoop to blackmail myself, heh heh, but I promise if you investigate this, I won't tell anyone about the 3-day pass you gave Hye Won to do that photo shoot for Bazaar.
And neither will Seon Jae.
Thanks again,
Shamrockmom
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Another trope that wasn't used in SLA--the male 2nd lead vying for the main female lead's affections. I am glad that I didn't have to watch any extended scenes of jealous behavior between say, Min Woo and SJ. SJ was touchy about knowing MW had also been his Teacher's student, and also he seemed quite curious of any friend-relationship HW may have had when she was younger with Professor Jo.Or what if the writer had made HW's husband a 2nd lead sympathetic character--instead of merely pathetic? Another disaster, avoided.
@africandramalover, your post referencing the "stumbling kiss" made me think of how many other K-dramas have the main female character as clumsy or always falling...but in SLA, at first it was SJ who seemed to be stumbling and running into things, then of course, their kiss in the backstage curtains at Seohan...where it seemed they both were having trouble staying on their feet...an interesting twist on that trope for sure -
dualnon said: Even though I think the Buddhist perspective is the best possible ending because HW is free of the "Demon", I'm not enlightened so my head and my heart are not one.
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Thoughts on Episode 15 & 16
I'm still fuzzy on that "my cost, your cost" conversation at the end of the Hongdae date
Kang, throwing a fit, knocking over her cosmetics...I know it's so wrong of me, but I really wanted him to OD at that point.
My life is more complete after seeing Kang get ousted in the "musical chairs" with SJ at the police station (a most satisfying part of Episode 15), or having another tantrum when he finds out SJ has left the school, or finding out the money is gone, and no more $30K to spend on clothes. Jobless, prize student-less, wife-less, out of money, begging to stay with YW. Pathetic, but he deserves it. (Funny too, after the first couple episodes on Viki, there were so many comments, like--oh I feel sorry for the husband--or--Oh, it's so wrong...but by the time episode 14-15 come around those folks are long gone and the comments are--can't he just go away already--and then they escalate to--this guy needs to die a painful death. Full circle commenting...)
HW and Snake Lawyer Kim, and the handshake between them that SJ sees, OMG the look on his face, he's crushed.
Yes, I checked...there is no classicinside.com website (where SJ and Makgui Hyung chatted...)...the first thing I have found in this series to be fictional..
The scene at the end where HW "unnies" cut her hair is still the most abusive and harrowing scene for me to watch even after all this time. I know that scene pushed me over the edge into tablet throwing mode...
A fun picture now....check this out..our boy SJ and his buddy Jang Ho, two high class dudes! Note the TP roll as dinner napkin dispenser, center bottom of screencap LOL
A couple more general comments--I know we discussed the ending as having a Buddhist feel to it vs. a nod to Christianity...I fully admit my own Western culture-locked perspective, so I decided I needed to know more about Buddhism. I've borrowed some books from my kids friends who've taken comparative religion classes at college, and bought a couple others on their recommendations. From what I have figured out so far, this Buddhist perspective theory makes a lot of sense. I wish I had this kind of knowledge before I started watching SLA, it would have probably been "tablet-sparing"...well, maybe..:\">It's making the other drama I'm watching right now (the one with the bracelet trinket) a crystal clear viewing experience. I want to do some more reading, then I may post a helpful book list. I still think the "3-16" over the jail cell is a backhand slap on Christianity, along with all of Kang's hypocrisy.
Also, remember when we discussed the military exemption for winning competitions? I stand corrected...there is a music competition in Korea called Isang Yun which grants exemptions if the first or second place winner is otherwise eligible for military service. It started in 2013, link to Wikipedia article here, it's 1/3 way down the page -
OK, time for something fun. I haven't written a Fan letter to a Korean celebrity in a while.
To: Assistant Prosecutor-nim
1724 Seocho-dong
Seocho-gu, Seoul
South Korea
October 4, 2014
Dear Assistant Prosecutor-nim,
I know in your line of work, you don't get too many compliments...working in a dental office myself, I can relate. However, today I want to make sure you get a “Top Compliment” from me for your amazing 90 second performance in the 16th episode of Secret Love Affair.
Different commentators on the Soompi forum have endlessly praised Seon Jae for his many nuanced facial expressions—as well they should, he's amazing. However, for the short time you graced the screen, your expression as you downloaded the files from Hye Won's pretty pink flash drive and saw those files showing all the payoffs from the SeoHan clan to That Snake Lawyer Kim and his fossilized Daddy..well, that is a moment I'll never forget. The subtle widening of your eyes, your lips part as the shock of what you are seeing sinks in, the way you lean your body toward the laptop screen to get a better look at the files...a sublime performance for sure. It's as if I could see the wheels turning in your brain...the glee at finally getting back at That Snake for all the indignities he has personally imposed upon you, from picking up his dry cleaning to taking his car in for a wash...you plan to make the payback as painful as possible. You seem to have a way to really get into your character, and it comes naturally to you.
I think Jomo said it best in her recap when she described your expression as, “Oh richard simmons! Jackpot!” Unfortunately, I was too emotionally distraught during the live stream at that moment to realize how accurate her description was; I now understand that seeing that look on your face probably kept me from throwing both myself and the tablet into the San Gabriel River, and only sacrificing the tablet.
I had faith in you, Assistant Prosecutor-nim, that you were going to take the information contained in the pretty pink flash drive straight to your Boss, Young Ju.
I know your Boss well from watching City Hunter; that guy is a total perfectionist, a dude who goes by the book in his endless pursuit of truth and justice. He's gonna love taking down that corrupt Snake Kim and all his cronies. However, I'm sure you're tired of seeing your Boss get all the plum jobs, running around chasing the City Hunter, and flirting with cute girls, while you're stuck in the office, sharpening pencils and making coffee. I can only imagine that when the PD-nim for SLA approached you with this gig, you thought, “This is it, my big chance to be a Drama-land star!” And then you only got a minute and a half of on-screen time, and no name or acknowledgment in the credits. How depressing. I want you to know that you did a lot with the little bit of screen time you were given. You gave us viewers hope that Hye Won did the right thing, took down all those Hannon-dong crooks, and justice would be served. I know I was especially happy that you would help bring That Snake Lawyer Kim to justice—he needs a big dose of jail time in the general population with a “Kick Me” sign on his back, if you ask me.
Thanks again, Assistant Prosecutor-nim for your commitment to excellence. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, both in the Seoul Prosecutor's Office and in Drama-land.
Sincerely,
Shamrockmom
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dualnonsaid: I just posted on the blog @shamrockmom's
commentand videos from a couple of weeks ago about ep11 and HW playing
Schumann's Toccata in C Major Op.7. So of course I went back and watched the scene. I still don't understand
this linefrom Prof Jo to SJ. I know it's been discussed and explained but it's something I've never been able to grasp.
If Oh Hye Won today were one of the 24 piano variations you played yesterday, that picture there could be the theme. -
Pfft!
That's helpful information. Let's see, for SLA they could tour a small dilapidated rooftop apartment, a FaithQuick delivery route - oh, a prison waiting room! ...
Even the Han Seo mansion-castle-prison-home, though it would be intriguing to see, is not exactly a feel-good spot for viewers of the drama.
It's hard to market from a character-driven show.
Other potential places of SLA tourist interest:
The sleazy love hotel
The bar where HW broke the beer bottle--tour guides are DVD fighters
The hanok
Backstage area at Seohan University...
And of course, tourists should be able to get a ride thru the streets of Seoul at night on the back of a scooter while the OST plays in the helmet speakers
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I'm planning to buy myself a Christmas gift, that is SLA DVD via yesasia and get sucked right back into all the feelings, this time with sharper HD images and colors!
He looks just exactly the same as he is on the screen and when people screamed his name out loud he was totally shocked. lol. Wow you're lucky to have watched his movie. I'll check your review for sure. Thanks for sharing!
[Drama 2022] Bravo my life, 으라차차 내 인생 - Mon to Fri 20:30 @ KST
in k-dramas & movies
Posted
Can someone DM me where to watch this? Have been on long hiatus, lost all my bookmarks..thanks!