Korean Drama - Worlds Within / The World That They Live In

This is another Korean drama that i have been looking forward to watching other than "Kingdoms of the Winds" which have started showing in Korea for awhile and i have not had the time to watch yet. Most of my available tv time recently has been spent watching Hong Kong and Japanese dramas like "Code Blue", "Moonlight Resonance" and "The Four". With those dramas ending, i'm only focusing on watching "The Gem of Life" now and would have time to start watching "Worlds Within" :> I'm looking forward to this drama as it was also filmed in Singapore :> I'm not watching "Kingdoms of the Winds" yet as my hubby is also looking forward to watching this follow up drama to "Jumong" and we are waiting for the DVD set to be available before watching it together. Its gonna be a long wait as the video stores are just selling "On Air" now and I'm actually quite tempted to watch it online first hehe...

Back to "Worlds Within", it is a 16 episodes KBS drama that stars Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo, 2 of my favourite Korean actors! Song Hye-kyo will work with PD Pyo Min-soo again, their last collaboration was “Full House” from 4 years ago. In this drama, she will play Joo Joon-young, who is direct and confident; she will show viewers the matured attractiveness/charm of a career woman.

Hyun Bin will also return from a 2-year hiatus; his last TV appearance was TV drama “Snow Queen”. He will play drama PD Jung Ji-oh, he will show viewers a tender yet strong charisma. Using television as its backdrop, this drama will depict the process of television drama production. The plot is quite similiar to "On Air" and there will definitely be alot of comparison to the drama and also ratings. However "Worlds Within" will be different from “On Air” which focused more on the lives of directors, cast, etc, as it concentrates more on how a drama is being made from start till the end. Expectations are running high for this brand new drama series starring two of the most popular actors of their generation. However i'm sure the pairing of Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo has already made the drama a success in drama lovers and their fans' heart. "Worlds Within" will bring out the stories of drama production staffs; the warm, touching stories of their love and life. The drama will also show viewers the conflicts that goes into producing dramas and the tireless work that production staff has to go through.

(Source: http://www.korean-drama-guide.com/worlds-within-korean-drama.html)
(Source: http://www.koreanmovie.com/The_World_That_They_Live_In_kd285/)

(Source: http://co2r.wordpress.com/2008/10/)

(Source: http://www.koreandrama.org/?p=689)

(Source: http://www.hanfever.com/)

(Source: http://www.kbs.co.kr/drama/worlds/index.html)

(Source: http://coolsmurf.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/hyun-bin-and-song-hae-hyo-teams-up-in-on-air-copycat/?referer=sphere_related_content/)

(Source: http://english.kbs.co.kr/entertainment/news/1553278_11858.html)

Interesting & Useful Website- Monkeysee.com

I chanced upon this interesting website with lot of useful how-to videos, features experts who can teach you for example how to treat your dog to a massage, teach him new tricks or bake him some tasty biscuits. It has a dedicated pet section: http://www.monkeysee.com/main/category/11-pets which has hundreds of videos shot in widescreen high definition which is real useful for me to learn how to teach my brother's dog Snowy more new tricks.

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/2472-dog-treats-how-to-make-doggy-trail-mix

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/1347-how-to-care-for-dogs

There is also a dedicated food and drink section which has lot of videos teaching you how to cook yummy dishes like how to make pancakes, pasta sauce and meatballs, egg white and shitake mushroom omelet and lot of other dishes. Do give the website a try and i'm sure you would be hooked to it like me ;>

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/2983-how-to-make-pasta-sauce-and-meatballs

Thoughts on TVB Drama The Gem Of Life / 珠光寶氣

I was initially undecided if i should watch this drama was it has so many episodes and might turn out to be quite draggy. But after watching 3 episodes last night online at http://www.veoh.com/channels/The-Gem-Of-Life i was hooked. The plot started off quite interesting and focuses on Pak Siu Yau's (Louise Lee) 3 daughters. The drama started with Yau's 3 married daughters facing difficulties in their marriages.

Eldest daughter Hong Nga Yin (Maggie Shui) places work as her first priority and her marriage with her pilot husband Yip Fu Tim (Patrick Dunn) ended due to some misunderstandings and wrongful interference by Yau. Second daughter Hong Nga Tung (Gigi Lai), is a hopeless romantic and indecisive woman and had eloped with her husband Derek (Eddie Kwan) to Canada 3 years ago when Yau objected to their marriage. She came back to Hong Kong when Derek abandoned her and Yau made her realised that Derek has always been cheating on her. Third daugher Hong Nga Sz (Ada Choi) appears to be Yau's favourite daughter and is married to a rich businessman Yeung Chi Kao (Chiang Chi Kwong) who always fools around outside. The couple are facing financial difficulties afer Kao's company runs into problems. The first 3 episodes shows Sz falling out with Yin and Tung over her husband's love affairs. Sz does not get along with her 2 other sisters especially Tung as she feels that her husband still carries a torch for her.

Ho Tai Wor (Wong Hei) is their childhood friend and their father Hong Ching Yeung (David Chiang) is a mentor to him in the jewellery company they worked in. Wor tries to help the 3 sisters whenever they faces difficulties. Moses Chan's character Ho Chit Nam only appears in the 3rd episode and he appears to be a heartless and mysterious rich playboy who does not show much emotion. Bowie's character Ko Cheung Sing also appeared in the 3rd episode and appears bent on competing with Moses. I'm gonna continue watching this drama so that i can find out more about Moses and Bowies' characters and what would happen next to the 3 sisters.

Great Buys at Takashimaya for Sanrio fans

I bought this real cute and useful "My Melody" Eco Bag for only $12.95 at the Sanrio fair in Takashimaya. For those who likes Sanrio products like me, you should definitely go to Takashimaya for its Sanrio Festival located at Level B1 (till 5 November 2008) for fun and attractive deals. I went recently and it was super crowded with lot of women fighting to get the best deals. I saw alot of my favourite "My Melody" products like note books, pouches, bags, stationeries, household items and also products of other Sanrio characters like "Hello Kitty" and "Little Twin Star".

8 Hours to Healthier Cells

(Source: http://www.realage.com/ct/tips/7144)



Want healthier cells in just 8 hours? Then get some solid shut-eye tonight.

Your body does important things while you sleep -- like healing your cells. But just one night of tossing and turning could trigger cell-damaging inflammation. So turn off the tube, slip on that sleep mask, and get your 40 winks.

Inflamed in the Membrane
In a recent study, sleep-deprived people -- especially women -- showed a marked increase in their levels of a protein called NF-kB. That’s bad news, because NF-kB plays an essential role in the body’s inflammation response. The study may help explain why poor sleep is associated with several inflammation-related disorders, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Gauge your sleep with the RealAge Sleep Quiz.

Mini Mind-Body Makeovers
Need help adjusting to the end of daylight saving time? Or getting over jet lag? Or just sleeping through an average night? Doze your way to good health with these tips:

• Refresh yourself on the basics. Find out when to sleep, what temperature is best, and which foods to eat.
• You move, you snooze. You might associate stretching with waking up, but it can help you nod off, too. Stretch yourself to sleep.
• Develop good sleep habits. Fall asleep and stay asleep with this deep-sleep plan.

Are sinus symptoms robbing you of ZZZs? Get tips on taming them in the RealAge Clear Your Sinuses Center.

Why Popeye Has Good Blood Sugar

(Source: http://www.realage.com/ct/eat-smart/food-and-nutrition/tip/7134)

Popeye’s power vegetable can do good things for your body, too -- like fortify it against blood sugar problems.

That’s right. Eating spinach -- and other leafy greens -- was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in a recent study.

Lean, Green, Multitasking Machine
Spinach may reinforce the body on multiple fronts. First, it’s got a low glycemic load, so it doesn’t dramatically affect blood sugar levels when you eat it. Second, it’s a good source of magnesium, a mighty mineral associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk. Third, spinach is packed with alpha-lipoic acid, a disease-shielding antioxidant. And fourth, it’s low in calories and rich in fiber . . . we’ve got the makings of a nutritional superhero on our hands!

Christmas Letters - Debbie Macomber

I have just finished reading this interesting book written by my favourite author Debbie Macomber which is set during the Chirstmas season. "Christmas Letters" is a light, funny and warm read and the main character of the book is Katherine O'Connor, who often spends her days at a cozy café on Blossom Street in Seattle—where she writes Christmas letters for other people. She's good at making their everyday lives sound more interesting. More humorous. More dramatic.

But for Dr. Wynn Jeffries, who also frequents the café, Christmas means lies and deception. In fact, the renowned child psychologist recommends that parents "bury Santa under the sleigh." Katherine, however, feels that his parenting philosophy is one big mistake—at least, based on her five-year-old twin nieces, who are being raised according to his "Free Child" methods.

She argues with Wynn about his theories, while he argues that her letters are nothing but lies. They disagree about practically everything—and yet, somehow, they don't really want to stop arguing. As the days—and nights—move closer to Christmas, Katherine and Wynn both discover that love means accepting your differences. And Christmas is about the things you share….

I really enjoyed reading "Christmas Letter" as the writer also included in the book some of my favourite characters (Lydia Hoffman, Alix Townsend and Susannah Nelson)  from the Blossom Street series which is about the special bonds formed by a group of diverse women who meet in knitting classes and faces the challenges in their lives. I'm sure all fellow fans of the series would have enjoyed reading this book for the chance to revisit Blossom Street. I have read all the books in the series except for the latest book "Twenty Wishes" which i would be borrowing soon from the library after i finished reading my existing books. 

Writing a romantic comedy for Christmas has become a tradition for Debbie Macomber and i'm also looking forward to reading her latest book for this coming Christmas season "A Cedar Cove Christmas" which is based on the Cedar Cove Series and would revisit some characters from the series. I have been hoping to read the series and would do so after i finished reading the Blossom Street series.

My favourite and most funny scene from "Christmas Letters" was when Katherine tried to play match-maker for her neighbour LaVonne and Wynn's father Max by inviting them to her place for drinks which ended up in a funny and disastrious scene when LaVonne bought along her cat and he attacked Max. The inclusion of Katherine's sister into the end of the scene also make things more chaotic and comical. I ended up bursting into laughter while reading it in the middle of the night hehe... This book is easy to read and I liked it even though the storyline is quite predictable as it really sets me in the Christmas mood which is my favourite holiday season. So if you are looking for a nice and funny romance story, this is the book for you :>

Hong Kong TVB Drama - Steps / 舞动全城

I have been watching Bernice Liu's drama "Steps" which started showing on Starhub Channel 55 recently every Monday to Friday, 8pm. After watching another of her drama, "The Brink of Law" which she also starred with Steven Ma, i feel that they are really compatible on screen and i have been looking forward to them acting as a couple again in "Steps" where they shared alot of dancing scenes. "Step" was shown in Hong Kong late last year and the ratings were quite good. I'm also attracted to the drama as the main theme of the drama is about dancing and it was fun seeing all the other characters in the drama taking up Latin dancing to keep fit. I also like the theme song "So In Love With You" which was sung by Bernice Liu and she has a really nice voice.

In "Step", Bernice plays Lee Sum Ying, a gifted dancer who failed in her audition for a place in the Hong Kong Dance Company due to an arm injury which was accidentally caused by her brother's colleague Ching Ka Tsun (Steven Ma). At the invitation of Tsun’s mother, Ying goes to teach Latin dance at her dance school, in the hope that she can save up enough money for further studies abroad. Ying has a very warm personality and is well-liked by many of her students, which makes another dance tutor, Tsun's younger sister, Ching Ka Man (Fala Chen), incredibly jealous. Man dislikes Ying so much that she means to make things difficult for her in every possible way.

Kate Tsui plays Yeung Sze Man, Ying's best friend and the daughter of her brother, Lee Lik Keung (Wayne Lai) and Tsun’s boss. She is appointed to take charge of the health drink company and announced a series of reforms in order to improve staff morale and their health. She forces her staff to learn dancing so that they can get more physical exercise.

Ying is hired as the dance teacher of Tsun and his colleagues. Tsun, who has some knowledge in dancing soon resumed his interest and love of it. Ying and Tsun gradually developed a close bond with each other and even decided to take part in an international dance competition as partners, but the pair’s relationship is put to the test when Tsun and Keung later fall out over business matters. The discord between the two men has put Ying in dilemma...

(Source: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Steps)
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF_BsgTSDOY&feature=related)

(Source: http://tvcity.tvb.com/drama/steps/frontpage/index.html)
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernice_Liu)
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steps_(TVB_series))

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22GUJE1hJ9Q&feature=related)