Ramblings About A Delightfully Broken Resolution!
Well....
I broke one of my resolutions (See my New Year's resolutions by clicking here) last week when I ordered Coffee Prince from YesAsia.com but I'm not taking responsible as I was tempted by two evil readers to watch this! It's their fault not mine! Hehe!
I couldn't wait to get it as it released the 15th, so I ended up going to Book Off (It's a Japanese Media Store that sells used books, DVD's, general Manga, etc....) and purchasing the set from them and canceling my online order. It was lucky they even had it as they don't always get in the latest K-Dramas plus it was an early release (I ended up watching some of this while on the plane to California)!
I'd like to thank those two readers, Humming and HT, for the great recommendation as Coffee Prince is wonderful so far! I watched the first 5 episodes and I have to say it's quite darling within the first few hours so I can imagine how great it'll be as the story progresses! This is working it's way onto my favorite list pretty fast and I can't wait to sit down and watch the rest of it (the entire series is 17 episodes so I'll be busy for a while!).
The subtitles are high quality on this so if you're purchasing the English version have no fear in that direction! One minor complaint is the subtitles are running by really quickly so I find myself rewinding a bit. I'm sure as I watch more I'll adjust to the quickness and I really can't rant too much at all since the quality of the subtitling is excellent with the English DVD version (Although I did catch a few times where they referred to "her" instead of "he" and I'm wondering if that was intentional!??!)! Aside from that the box set was really beautiful and well worth the price (as all Asian box sets are)! I believe they had a special press of the DVD box set but I went with the regular one. It was quite a bargain at $79.99 USD as YesAsia was selling it for $99.99 USD!
Yoon Eun Hye is absolutely adorable in this and I was shocked to see her hair cut so short! She can totally pass for a young boy! After seeing her in Palace and watching her in this it's difficult to wrap my brain around the character she's playing in Coffee Prince! She presents herself in such a way it's easy enough to mistake her sex, I find the illusion of her gender especially easy enough to believe as I do not speak or understand Korean so the expression and tones are lost on me. If she is using a feminine tone I wouldn't notice at all as I'm not familiar with the language enough to catch it so I can easily sit back and see her as a male character without a problem. The tomboy role has been done before with actress/singer Jang Nara in My Love Patzzi but Yoon Eun Hye takes the role of a tomboy and totally turns it on its ear! Gong Yoo looks as gorgeous as ever in this and he counteracts on Yoon Eun Hye's character so well! The two of them make the ideal, beautiful gay couple (If only Yoon Eun was actually male that is)! Truly they compliment each other wonderfully, one built and tall, while the other is petite and short!
It's also really nice to sit down to a K-Drama that doesn't have anyone dying (at least I don't think anyone will) or having some terminal disease! It's also refreshing to do away with the jealous character as well. (someone had mentioned the same in a comment on my New Year's resolution post! I must say I don't mind the jealous character but it's rather nice to get away from it for a while and just enjoy a funny love story!) K-Dramas can be a little too typical sometimes! This seems to be a really nice romantic comedy! My head can do without the depressing bits and my heart can really enjoy the laughter and love! I burst out laughing quite a few times already(APOLOGIZE! APOLOGIZE!) especially with the "blind date" who had hairy under arms! I was also smirking during the shopping spree and the dressing up of Yoon Eun's character in a suit! Very cute scene!
Kim Jae Wook happens to be in this as well which is no great chore on my eyes by any means. His girlish good looks make me swoon (and of course his character probably plays off of his looks, we shall see!)! He's only part of the supporting cast but really just seeing him in passing will be wonderful to behold as he's fantastic eye candy! I think maybe the appeal and beauty of bishōnen is lost on most sadly (but definately not on me!!!!!)! He's too yummie for mere words! He is by all means Muse Approved. Can I haz him on a plate pleaze?
Anyway.....quite off the topic of cosmetics today aren't I?
I just wanted to say thanks to my two readers for recommending this! I love it so far!
Anyone watch it?
Want to see it?
It's definately not makeup but Coffee Prince is most definitely Muse Approved for purchase! You'll want your own copy so you can watch it again and again (I haven't even seen it all yet but I can obviously see it's going to be a favorite!)!
This one was well worth breaking my resolution for!
Labels: Babblings, K-Dramas, Pieces of Life
posted by the Muse @ 8:51 AM
27 Comments:
I love K-Drama! They are the funniest. But I haven't watched much since my DVD player doesn't play the ghetto bootleg DVDs I get from China. I should go buy a ghetto bootleg DVD player from China (like $5?) and bring it here. My Sony dvd player's like "you are kidding right? you want me to play this Sh*t? hells to the no." lol...
anyways, just dropping by to say hi! Haven't talked to you since foorever!
Hi Muse,
same as u....i simply love the coffee prince series. it's a refreshing departure from the typical korean drama storyline that make u weepy or sad after watching.
actually, if u dun mind watching k drama online, u can go to the crunchyroll website. it has a good collection of drama series. i think the dramas are dubbed in english
onezero
Hey Steph!
How are you!? Me too! I try to avoid the bootlegs and just get the originals. They are costly but I find I want to watch them over and over so I might as well get a good copy! They sell bootleg ones on Canal Street but I find they never work or the english subtitling is terrible!
LOL! I have a sony player too, region free, but it still gets pissed off with cheap dvds ;)
I miss you!
Hugs!
hi onezero!
Happy sigh! It's delightful so far! I hope the ending is just as good! And many cute guys hehe ;)
Someone actually told me about crunchyroll and I've been using it when I have a sec at work! It's a great site ;) I don't mind sitting watching during work but when I'm home I like to kick back and watch from my bed or sofa ;)
But it's a great site for watching 1 eppy and deciding if I should buy or not :)
Thanks for the comment!
Ummm... Yoon Eun Hye can pass for a young Korean boy because most Korean boys can pass for girls! Well, as far as actors are concerned, anyway.
Actually, gender-bending is not that difficult as you think; I'm a rather pretty gal, but lop off my hair and put on some glasses and you've basically got Harry Potter. Yeah, basically, I'm a man.
Eh, I don't much care for the gender-bending girly men myself, I much prefer Ken Watanabe or Shin Koyamada, tbh.
Sheesh lady! You're so difficult to please!
I totally disagree! Perhaps Korean guys have some fem aspects but I find that Japanese men display more fem looks then Koreans!
Hell if you cut my hair off I'd still look like a chubby New Yorker chick lol!
I adore 'em! I really can't help myself. Way too many cute girlish boys to choose from! Gackt being my number 1 ;)
Ken Watanabe????????? You always go for the old dudes! What's your damage!? lol!
Although he does have a certain sex appeal I agree! It's that old world samurai look! You wanna be his geisha dontcha? go on admit it!
You're a crazy asian chick that digs the old dudes! Perv!
Wait maybe I'm a perv too for bigging on the girly boys...ok I take it back you're not a perv (don't want you turning tooth and telling me I'm a perv!).
Shin Koyamada I had to google because I was clueless and no wonder he's not in any movies! Boo! Keep 'em back!
I do love the dude from Tokyo Drift that played Han...no idea why but he had a certain appeal!
Kim Rae Won is another one on my hit list. He's so likable and boy next doorish!
Oh Hyde...he's hot...bit girly, bit boyish...combo..not a good a combo as Gackt but he definately has something going on!
I can go on and on...
ps have you seen Coffee Prince yet?
Lots of shirtless Yoon Eun Hye! WAHOO!
Ok I'm a perv...back to cosmetics!
ps if you weren't such a primitive cavegirl we could be discussing this on messenger!
What's wrong with being a perv, LOL?
Ken Watanabe is the hotness. IDK what it is about older men, but I really dig the ones in their 40s (hell, I even thought Dirk Benedict was hot in CBB. What?!? He WAS!).
Wait, what? Quiet, you! Shin Koyamada looks alright! He might not have the standard blepharoplasty/lesbian haircut as many of his contemporaries back home, but that's a good thing; lesbian hair-cuts only look hot on hot lesbians.
I'm surprised you haven't mentioned Ahn Jae Wook, yet.
No, I haven't seen Coffee Prince. I like Korean movies but not so much the dramas. I'm more of an anime type anyhow, and the last one that was any good was Death Note (Yeah, I'm a Death-Note/Paranoia Agent kinda gal). My last ani-movie was Paprika.
Hi Muse, I've been reading your blog for quite some time. Love the intro and reviews you do on Japanese cosmetics. I'm a fan of Japanese csometics myself, but we don't get much of those drugstore brands in S'pore like MJ. Such a pity.
Anyway, for Korean dramas, you can also watch them at mysoju.com. They have quite a comprehensive collection of K Dramas. Hope that helps :)
Hi Muse
I was busy writing essay these days and I had no time to read your blogs~~
Its finally finished and I am so chuffed to see your article about Coffee Prince ^-^
Wasn't quite sure whether you would like them~~
When it first started I wasn't too keen on watching it cos I wasn't a big fan of Yoon Eun Hae but
after it got a bit twisted between Gong Yoo I couldn't stop watching them!!
Gong Yoo became my fav actor and he came to my dream and asked to be my boyfriend!!
Hell Yeah >_< kkkk
Soulmate is another one that is quite funny to watch with lots lots of good music at the background.
Anyway glad that you liked them~
Gong Yoo is just so cute!
ps. I live in London and my boyfriend is English too
^-^
LOL nothing at all with being a perv....I'll stand tall and say I'm proud. Deal?
Dirk Benedict?! Gag!
He has too much hair and it's shaggy at that. I like the more spiky slicked back of his fellow man plus he has none of the feminine features I associate with beautiful japanese men. he's out sorry!
He's too American...that's what it is! hehehehe!
Ahn Jae Wook is very pretty but I'm not so into him. He's just good not great.
I like anime too. I haven't really seen a good asian movie in a while to be honest. As of late a majority of being a bit boring!
Death Note is good. I enjoy the supernatural/horror ones! I also have a keen interest in the weird tentacle sexual ones such as La Blue Girl now that's some weird stuff right there! Made me blush!
I also love Hayao Miyazaki like the rest of the population I guess!
I'm trying, right now, to get through paradise kiss but the first 10 minutes was such a yawn that I haven't had the ambition to pop it back into my DVD player!
Witch Hunter Robin is another fav of mine as well!
I can mostly watch any anime or hentai so long as it's not heavy duty action or sci/fi. I hate the overkill ones. I love sci/fi but I find it deeply annoying in anime form when it's full on if that makes sense.
Anyway I can babble about anime and asian films all day! We'll all be bored and yawning!
;)
January 17, 2008 3:42 AM
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hi Beauty Addict!
Aw thanks for being a long time reader and I'm so glad you love my blog!
I know :( Singapore is difficult to get some Japanese brands :( That stinks! I have friends in Singapore that tell me how the latest stuff isn't imported sadly. Have you tried Sasa? It's not particularly cheap but they sometimes carry MJ! And you can also order from Adambeauty as I believe he ships to Singapore ;)
Thanks for being such a long time reader and leaving a lovely comment!
hugs!
Thanks for the link :) =)
Hi Humming!
YAY! I bow low to your greatness for introducing me to Coffee Prince! I'm currently whirling right through it! It's so lovely!!!!!!!!!! I'm utterly in love with the characters! They are so likable and realistic! The relationship between Yoo Eun Hae and Gong Yoo is absolutely breathtaking and so full of chemistry!
LOL nice dream of Gong Yoo! I wouldn't mind if he asked me the same ;) He hasn't been in nearly enough films! We need more Gong Yoo! I was reading on the Coffee Prince site that they were interested in doing a sequel but Gong Yoo had enlisted in the military! I was so saddened to hear it! Hopefully he makes a come back as he only has a few shows under his belt. I'd like to see him in more roles like Coffee Prince!
Soulmate got it. It's on my list now hehe :)
Wahoo! Another England reader :) and with an English BF ;)
Thanks again for the great rec!
I'll post an update soon when I finish up Coffee Prince!
I absolutely adore cosmetics and K-drama too!!! And one thing about the subs-titles, its not exactly their fault that it runs so fast... here in Singapore, we get the Chinese versions and they run equally fast as well (or maybe my Chinese is relatively weaker so I need more time to decipher the characters but I choose to believe its them being fast) and I picked up a little Korean before (just a little) so what I will say is that their way of speech is just too fast... its like the bullet train and the Koreans are not good at "dragging" their words. Thats why the translation run so fast too because if they dont run as fast, they may have to have more sentences being flashed at the same time and that may result in the whole screen being just filled with words... LOL
Opps... I hope i'm not boring u out.... Anyways I just really wanna tell u how fabulous ur blog is! =D
hi cosine!
Yay another kdrama fan :)
My eyes have slowly adjusted and I've not nearly as overwhelmed by the subtitles as before! Phew! But I must say they seem to run together really quickie on this particular drama!
I have Japanese friends, Korean, and chinese and although I know but a small words in each language I must say that I agree with about Koreans. They speak very quickly and differently!
LOL! Actually I sometimes left when they do a rather long dialogue and the subtitles are simply translated as "I love you"! That totally cracks me up!
You aren't boring me at all! I loved your comment :) I like hearing what Singaporeans think of other Asian cultures ;)
Thanks so much *blush* I'm glad you like my blog!
I hope you'll leave more comments so we can chat some more ;) about kdrama or otherwise ;)
Btw have you seen coffee prince? I'm racing through it as it's so great!
left=laugh oops!
I've watched Coffee Prince already and I assure you that the ending is not as stupid as the other weeping Korean dramas. You see I'm a total sucker for happily-ever-after kinda endings so I totally abhore it when the male/female character dies or something like that. Just like when I buy my cosmetics, I hope that I will be leaping in joy when I open the packaging and use it, I also hope that after racing through 20 odd hours of drama, I get a joyful ending.
I mind crying like crazy during the climax in the dramas but I dont wanna cry like crazy in between episodes and cry even more at the end of the series... I will feel like the whole drama is just a waste of my time in that case... LOL... If you've watched Korean dramas like Stairway to Heaven, you'll know what I mean. I don't really mind beautiful sad endings like the one in Titanic (yes I know... its sooooo OLD) though... it has a very elegant touch to it because one party kinda sacrifice for the other instead of just someone dying of leukemia/heart disease/inherited cancer... I mean OMG... just change the cliche ending already... that's plain stupid.
Since you like Coffee Prince, maybe you want to try Hana-Kimi. It's a Japanese drama that is based on a comic series and Coffee Prince was actually a borrowed idea from that Japanese Manga as well. That series is such a huge success that dramas are repeatedly being made using their storyline so its basically just the same thing but with different characters. Come to think of it, isn't it just Shakespeare's Twelfth Night with a modern approach?
Hi again Cosine!
Yay! I'm so glad :) I hate watching something that makes me cry! I'm a total sucker for happy endings too!
I concur that when I watch a drama that ends sadly I feel like I've wasted 17 hours of my life lol!
I cried a few times with Coffee Prince so far but I don't mind so much as I know now that nothing dramatic is going to make me bawl at the end :)
I see Stairway to Heaven! It broke my heart in two watching it :-(
I agree that endings like Titanic are at least fulfilling somehow but when, in KDramas, some character dies suddenly of a terminal illness it totally kills me! GRR! I dunno whether to cry like crazy or get angry I invested so much time!
I never seen Hana-Kimi! Thanks for the rec I'll be sure to check it out as I enjoy Japanese films and drama too! I'm trying to see if Sisterly Love is on DVD as I'm curious how that is! Have you heard of it? It seems like something that might be interesting!
I know of a few Mangas that were made into films and I rather like seeing them brought to life :) I didn't know Coffee Prince was one! Interesting! It is indeed LOL never thought of it like that but yes!
Viola's character is quite similar ;)!!! And the comedy is sure there with Coffee Prince!
Thanks for your great comment :)
If you have any other recs I'd love to hear about them!
Sisterly Love? Oh that one has very bad translation. First and foremost, its "Sister, My Lover" not Sisterly Love. The Japs are horrible at translating their Jap titles into English ones so we tend to get absurd translation. The drama is quite incest though... HAHA... but the story is quite cute.
You will notice how in Korean dramas, the female character will address the male by "oppa" - its a way of calling a guy who shares a very intimate relationship with oneself. For brotherhood, they'll call each other "hiong" so for romantic, its "oppa". And almost all the time, the kids would have met when they were young and establish close ties, then they part and reunite and yada yada. Sisterly Love is in a way similar but because they are REAL siblings, the brother faces a dilemma of whether they are possble together or not. I personally prefer SOS (Strawberry On Shortcake) where the sibings are not related by blood but because their biological parents lost their spouses very early and got together when their child are already in high school. However the thing about these 2 dramas is that there is very little humour unlike Coffee Prince and A LOT of emotional baggage... you'll get a lot of mental thoughts and stuff, very psychological and after a while, very boring. I ended up fastforwarding a lot of the "read my mind" parts and just watching the more interactive parts.
My friends only heard me describe the show to them but they were so enticed that they went to watch it and love it too! Plus I think the main characters in SOS are better looking than in Sisterly Love.
I hope my 2cents worth helped! =D
Anyways, have you bought the eyeshadow duo from Lancome? The LUCI collection one... I bought tonnes of stuff from that collection and ITS SO PRETTY!!!
Hi Cosine!
Sorry for my really late, delayed reply :)
Ooooo ewwwww! It's about incest? I thought maybe they had been "raised" together and fell in love but they are actually brother/sister?
I think "oppa" is such a lovely word :) As it's very deep and goes beyond the simplicity of the word "lover"!
Might I ask do they end up together in Sister, My Lover? Dead curious!
See that's what I hate. The insanity of the mental baggage! I'd rather have a little comic relief here and there!
is SoS on dvd? I just ordered Sassy Girl/Delightful Girl but I'm worried about the subtitles as there isn't an English release yet! I'm worried the subtitling will be poor. We shall see!
It did help indeed as I was about to dish out $30 for the DVD hehe!
I haven't purchased those yet but they look pretty sweet! I was curious about the aqua one :)
What did you end up getting? I'm still debating whether I want anything from it or not as I have quite a few other collections on top of my list ;)
Hugs!
Thanks for your awesome comments!
me thinks coffee prince is only ok..
eun hye is cute fo sure.. dont really like gony yoo, tho he has musulcar arms..
love cui hansung's black spec look!
the most recent k-drama that i really enjoy is Witch Yoo Hee. catch it if you can! a must watch!
some oldies but goodies include stairway to heaven.. and
love in harvard, dislike kim tae hee, she cant act fo nuts, but u'll fall for kim rae won if you watch it.
hope that more good k-dramas will come up soon!
~ham sandwich
In Sisterly Love, they are not only blood related siblings - they are twins.
Anyways people in Japan are less cruel than Koreans when it comes to breaking audiences' hearts. Pssst... got the hint? Haha!
However I'd still take Strawberry Shortcake anytime and mine is the DVD version with Chinese and English translation so I think you can get it online too!
I love that they used Abba's song, SOS, as their theme song! I've always loved Abba but most people my age don't know or don't like Abba so they are thinking I'm kinda old.
I bought the aqua Lancome palette and although I haven't used mine, I loved what I tested at the counter! It's Ray Of Green Light! I decided on this colour because my regular MA was wearing it (and she was gorgeous!) and I have toooooooooo many blur shadows and lesser green ones so I chose it. but when I was paying, I saw one of her colleagues wearing the blue one. I couldn't forget it even after I reached home so I messaged her to reserve another blue one for me!
For the lippies, they only have the glosses here. The lipsticks are only in the second shipment so I still have to wait and my MA will call me when it comes. I realise that they name it differently too! You get Rainbow and Seashell in US but for me, my lipgloss is named like my palette, Ray Of Purple Light. Even the packaging differs a little. I checked with Taiwan and Japan and from what I know, theirs is the same too so I suppose the Asian countries get a different products. Thank god this only happens for Lancome.
If MAC makes the Asian countries get what China gets as well, I will cry. China is a producing country so they are rather strict on imports thus MAC often have to replace the LE colours with existing colours, just with the LE packaging because only the cases and brushes are Made In China, not the content. What's the point in that case? I love pretty packaging but I love LE colours too! I love cosmetics having different names for the colours (despite many of the shades to be about the same anyways) because I like getting confused over them. I know its weird but it makes me feel like I own a lot of things... like the MAC pigments. =D
It looks like a long post... but hopefully you'll feel better when you read it! Have been worried about you since the day I noticed your Displayed Mood to be "miserable". Didn't dare ask because I thought it might be something more private and less comfortable to share. Anyways, have a great day dear!
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Let's not forget the amazing OST! I love the songs on this show. I just finished it and am charmed! :0)
hi ham sandwich!
I love him :) he has something cute about him! He's a bit older then your standard K-Drama star but he's definately cute :)
I love cui hangsung's glasses too! Very geek chic!
His voice gives me chills! All deep and beautiful!
I haven't seen Witch Yoo Hee and I was curious about it but the reviews were somewhat not so great now that you said it's good I want to buy it ;)
Thanks for the rec!
I liked Love in Harvard but Kim Rae Won isn't my fav! Something about him rubs me wrong!
I really wanna see snow queen and a few of the other new ones popping up at the moment!
;)
Thanks for the comment!
Hi Cosine!!!!
Eep! That kinda sounds gross lol!
LOL ya I noticed that I cry less Japanese side :)
I just ordered SOS from dvdasian so I'm curious how I'll like it! Thanks for the rec!
I love ABBA myself and I find people don't know who they are either lol! They did get a bit more exposure with the release of Mama Mia on Broadway!
The aqua looks so so so pretty! But I don't think that we are getting it stateside. We have the gold palette release :( I'm not sure though I could be wrong!
LOL I know that feeling of buying one color and ending up wanting the other as well!
The same happens for Dior UK side and US side. They get colors we don't etc...! Stinks :(
I'd totally cry if they did that to us! Replacing LE colors?! My god I'd be so upset!
I'm the same! I like getting the LE colors even if they are the same ;)
Thanks so much for worrying about me. I've been miserable being sick :( You can always ask me anything! I'm happy to reply! Not too personal at all! *mwah*
I'm been doing a bit better but still not completely 100%!
Thanks for your bright, cheery comments :) They make me smile! Love discussing k-drama as well as cosmetics! A marriage most wonderful of the two hehehe!
Hi Mag!
I got the OST! It's so fab! I love how they included bits from the film as well!
I finished it too and I was in a happy mood ever after as it had such a warm mushy ending :)
I wish they'd do a follow up when Goon Yoo gets back from his military assignment!
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