Korean Drama - Personal Taste

This MBC drama was shown in Korea from 31 March 2010 to 20 May 2010 and premieres today in Singapore on Channel U. "Personal Taste" will be shown every Saturdays, 9.30pm and i'm looking forward to watching it as i love the main leads, Lee Min Ho and Son Ye Jin. You can also watch it online at (http://www.dramacrazy.net/korean-drama/personal-taste/).  

In the drama Jeon Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho) is a straight guy who pretends to be gay in order to become a roommate to his female friend, Park Kae In (Son Ye Jin). His hobbies include organization and ironing, and he’s known for his stoic poker face. He’s a stickler for cleanliness, but he also has a talent for figuring out women’s feelings. Kae In is very trusting even though she has a habit of being betrayed. However that doesn’t stop her from giving people the benefit of doubt and Jin Ho is no different. How will Kae In react when she finds out that her gay roommate is not actually gay at all and that he has fallen for her? 

Cast Character

Park Kae In
Furniture Designer (Founder and CEO of the furniture brand “Moon” | Door )

One who has no steps and is constantly making mistakes and apologizing as well as getting hurt due to love. However a character that is always bright, determined through her actions and has an innocent spirit. park Gae In dreams of having a gay friend who has the same past (relationship problems) as her due to these painful relationship.

Jeon Jin Ho

Architectural Design

Due to one lie, his perfect life goes wrong making him Kae In’s roommate. Hobbies of tidying places and ironing, having a poker face for a specialty. A character who can notice/tell a woman’s feelings combined with having a polished image but rough personality

Han Chang Ryul

Architectural Design Office Chief

Kae In’s ex-boyfriend. One who doesn’t fall short in the aspect of appearance, education (school), family background and wealth, having nothing missing and a perfect holder of qualities. Work and love conflicts with Jin Ho but also talking about the truth. A character you cannot hate even if they are broken down.

Kim In Hee

Art Museum Curator

Having been Kae In ’s friend for 10 years but a character that betrays her friend for love and pushes herself to get married to Chang Ryul as if she is the center of attention, with a snobbish (materialistic) personality. Later she will become rivals with Kae In for Jeon Jin Ho.

Kim Tae Hoon

Jin Ho’s college colleague and likes Jin Ho’s fiance Hye Mi.

A person that creates a misunderstanding to have Kae In think that Jin Ho is a gay as he knows that Hye Mi likes Jin Ho, in which Tae Hoon feels jealous and competitive.

Na Hye Mi

A miss who does not know how scary the worlds is or knows what love is, a typical “jeans” kind of girl. Through am incident with Jin Ho she is formally made as his fiance. Through Tae Hoon’s acts of love Hye Mi gain to see what real love is and forms a strange war relationship with In Hee

ae In think that Jin Ho is a gay as he knows that Hye Mi likes Jin Ho, in which Tae Hoon feels jealous and competitive.

(Source: http://allkoreandrama.com/personal-preference)
(Source: http://www.koreandrama.org/?p=1685)
(Source: http://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Personal_Preference.php)
(Source: http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/zh/tv/channel-u/programmes/personaltaste.aspx?cp-documentid=4292642)
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsWSCSI5GgA)
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3WHVHjRReo&feature=related)
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=646JQ0pyi7c&feature=related)
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EzL4DUDMAM&feature=related)

Niu Er Kose Beauty Talkshow

I stopped by the Kose counter while at Metro with my friend yesterday as we were attracted to the brochure featuring popular Taiwanese beauty guru Niu Er. He was invited by Kose recently to give a 2 days talkshow for his Singaporean fans and i managed to find videos of some parts of his talkshow from Razor TV to share with those who did not manage to get tickets to the talkshow. If only i can find videos for the whole talkshow. Hopefully Kose will organize another talkshow, I would definitely go for it as i find it really useful and informative :>

Back to the brochure, it features the products recommended by Niu Er during the talkshow and i bought the Seikisho Perfect Cleansing Oil to try out and my friend bought the Seikisho Clear Lotion that was highly recommended by the beauty consultant. I was also tempted to try it but decided to wait till i have finish my existing Shiseido White Lucent Softener. After watching the video, i'm planning to get the Seikisho Mask White during my next trip to Metro as it was highlighted in the brochure that the mask is the world's No 1 whitening and purifying peel-off black mask and good at removing blackheads and whiteheads clogging your pore. I'm quite satisfied with the Shiseido Purifying Mask that i'm currently using but tempted to try the Kose mask to test if it is even better ;> Like Niu Er kept repeating in the talkshow, there is no ugly women but lazy women.....

(Source: http://forums.cozycot.com/url/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5yYXpvci50di9zaXRlL3NlcnZsZXQvc2VnbWVudC9tYWluLzk0LzUyNzIyLmh0bWw=)

(Source: http://www.kose.com.sg)

Debbie Macomber Reflects On Her Ten Book Strong Cedar Cove Series

(LadyJan: Found this interview of my favorite writer Debbie Macomber online at http://www.rtbookreviews.com/rt-daily-blog/debbie-macomber-reflects-her-ten-book-strong-cedar-cove-series where she shares the story behind the story of 1022 Evergreen Place and the Cedar Cove series. I just bought the ebook of her latest Cedar Cove series from Kobo and can't wait to start reading on my Ipad. I love the beautiful book cover, especially the swing!)

Mega-star author Debbie Macomber reflects on her tenth Cedar Cove novel, 1022 Evergreen Place. Learn which true-life love story inspired the mystery that characters Mack and Mary Jo stumble upon. And find out more about the town that inspired the series, including a map of Cedar Cove aka Port Orchard, Washington at the end of this post!

 

It doesn't seem possible that my first Cedar Cove book (16 Lighthouse Road) was published ten years ago. Even more incredible is that 1022 Evergreen Place is the tenth book in this ongoing series. How long will the series last? Until all the stories are told! 

This series came about as a result of reader feedback. During my 25-years-plus career, I've written several short, connected series. The first was the Midnight Sons, six Alaska-based books. These proved so popular that I wrote a series set in Promise, Texas. My last four-book series was based in Buffalo Valley, North Dakota. 

Nearly every day I receive mail asking me what will happen next to the characters in those books. Finally I realized these characters had become friends to my readers, and they wanted more. So in this new series, I gave it to them! 

In choosing a locale for what became the Cedar Cove series, I decided to set it in a town closely modeled after my very own Port Orchard, Washington. There’s no place on earth more beautiful than the Pacific Northwest when the sun shines, and it made sense to set this new series in an area with which I'm most familiar. 

The Cedar Cove series gave me my first #1 position on the New York Times list and launched a festival that brought 12,000 people from 42 states and seven countries to my hometown in 2009. 

With each book in the Cedar Cove series I've included a romance and a mystery. The mystery in 1022 Evergreen Place revolves around letters written during World War II that Mack McAfee and Mary Jo Wyse discover in her side of the duplex they share. 

 

In writing this book, I drew on the diary my mother kept during those war years. My mother died five years ago, and working on this book brought me close to her in ways I never expected. While reading her diary, I saw my parents’ beautiful love story evolve. Several entries brought tears to my eyes. My father was captured and imprisoned in Germany until the end of the war. Each night my mother poured out her heart, worried about my father, fearing the worst. She lived in dread of receiving a telegram. 

Eventually she learned that my father was alive, but the waiting was excruciating. In one entry I learned that my father, probably through his sister, sent my mother roses on their wedding anniversary. Mom wrote: "Roses from my Teddy. Oh, my heart."

The romance in 1022 Evergreen Place is in the growing attraction between Mary Jo and Mack, the firefighter who helped deliver her baby in A Cedar Cove Christmas. But this new story also updates my readers on other characters, particularly Rachel and Bruce, Lydia, Grace, Charlotte and Ben.

Check out www.CedarCoveSeries.com, a site I launched in celebration of the Cedar Cove Series’ 10th Anniversary. You’ll also find fun excerpts and frequent updates on my iPhone and Android app.

Join me in Cedar Cove. It’s truly a town you’d love to call home.

Korean Drama - Playful Kiss / Naughty Kiss

This 20 episodes MBC drama starts showing in Korea on 1 September 2010, every Wednesdays and Thursdays. Based on the popular manga, Oh Ha Ni (Jung So Min) is a clumsy student who falls for the perfectionist, Baek Seung Jo (Kim Hyun Joong). However, Seung Jo is indifferent towards her and rejects her love. When Ha Ni’s house collapses, she and her father moves into his long-time friend’s house. It turns out that Seung Jo is the friend’s son and Ha Ni is given the opportunity to be near the guy she loves. Will she be able to move Seung Jo’s heart? I have already watched the Taiwanese adaptation starring Ariel Lin and Joe Cheng previously and it was quite nice and am curious if the Korean adaptation of this popular manga will be as interesting and funny. Will be watching it online at (http://www.dramacrazy.net/korean-drama/playful-kiss/) once it is available.

Character Description:

Baek Seung Jo
17 years old, a genius, reads 20,000 characters and memorizes 400 words in a minute.
He is member of  “A Class” because of his grades, ranked in the top 10 in the nation and number 1 in the school, a title that he has never lost up to this point . . . not just brainy, not just gifted, but a “genius”.
But academics aren’t the only thing that he excels in - he is the type who can learn anything after only seeing it once. He has the looks, the skills, even the wealth of his parents . . . an all-around perfect guy.
He lives the epitome of a perfect life, giving him no reason to be jealous of anyone. However, there is one thing that Seung Jo doesn’t have: a dream. To Seung Jo, everything is dull, mere child’s play.
But one day, a girl from the “F Class” confesses to him.
Her looks are nothing special, and she doesn’t hesitate with her strange and wacky actions. Seung Jo is extremely popular with the female students at school, so he doesn’t give a second glance to this girl who is so fervently confessing to him.
His father tells him that a situation has come up and a family friend will be staying with them for a while. When he sees the daughter, however, he does a double take. The girl is none other than the one who confessed to him, F Class’s Oh Ha Ni.
Living under one roof with that girl . . . surprisingly, he doesn’t dislike this change in his daily life as much as he thought he would . . .

Oh Ha Ni
17 years old, member of the “F Class”, comprised of the students with the worst grades in the entire school.
Although she is far from intelligent, to her, happiness isn’t all about grades or looks. Even if she falls hundreds of times, like a roly-poly, she gets back up every time. Embarrassing is not part of her vocabulary. Since her mother passed away a long time ago, her father, who owns a noodle restaurant, raised her from a very young age. Even though she grew up without a mother, she has always maintained a clear state of mind.

When she saw Baek Seung Jo, it was love at first sight.
Handsome face, long legs, a uniform worn so perfectly that even a model would be envious ~~
Although no one has been successful at capturing this perfect person’s heart, Ha Ni is determined to stick it out until the end.

The love letter that she presents to him after much struggle is coldly rejected, and at school, it becomes widely known as “Oh Ha Ni’s Humiliating Incident”.
To make matters worse, Ha Ni and her father soon find themselves with no place to stay due to some unfortunate happenings. HaNi’s father, who has agreed to stay with a friend for the time being, takes Ha Ni to their house. However that place . . . is none other than Seung Jo’s house!

Bong Joon Gu

17 years old, stupid, last place in the entire school, never embarrassed regardless of what the teacher says.
But he is talented in cooking and even earned the recognition of Ha Ni’s father
He feels as if he has a duty to protect Oh Ha Ni.
Depending on the situation, he can be forceful, but he is always devoted to Ha Ni.
For 10 years, he has remarkably looked only at Ha Ni and  never even thought about other women.

(Source: http://allkoreandrama.com/mischievous-kiss#more-4529)

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqmwS0ekB3w&feature=player_embedded)

(Source: http://www.koreandrama.org/?p=3611)

(Source: http://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Mischievous_Kiss.php)

Will 'Naughty Kiss' Create Magic?

A catchy storyline, plus likable characters, is a must for dramas. And this is probably why some are made into various versions in different countries, particularly in Asia. But to be successful they need a little more to create a stir among the smart and somewhat ruthless viewers today.

Following the comic-drama “Boys Over Flowers” (2009, KBS), which was remade in Japan, Taiwan and Korea, a new comic adaptation, “Naughty Kiss,” is awaiting its first airing next month, with hopes that it will attract viewers and also surpass its Japanese and Taiwanese versions.

“Naughty Kiss” first appeared as a comic series from 1990 to 1999 by Japanese cartoonist Kaoru Tada’s “Itazura na Kiss” and was made into a television drama in 1996 and also a cartoon in 2008. The popular series was later remade into a television soap in Taiwan in 2005. And now it awaits its Korean remake with a star-studded cast this September.

The show brings two doll-faced characters back to the small screen: young stars Kim Hyun-joong and Jung So-min.
Kim will play the arrogant yet smart and athletic Baek Seung-jo, while Jung will appear as the heroine Oh Honey. Oh falls for Baek, who has better things to do than fooling around with an average classmate, but when he finds out that she is going to live with him and his family for a while, he feels a change in his emotions.

The Korean version faces fierce competition as the two previous versions were immensely popular among fans around Asia. Despite the pressure, producer Hwang In-roe was confident that the actors and his team will bring yet another successful comic-turned-drama, something he is already famous for.

“I tried hard to bring out the humorous parts of the original. But I still understood the need of a young couple heading toward a happy ending, so we’ll see what the two will bring throughout the drama,” he said at a press conference for the series last Thursday.
Dramas based on comics have been quite popular here, such as “Full House” (2004, KBS), “Princess Hours,” (2006, MBC) “Sikgaek” (2008, SBS) and “Boys Over Flowers,” and it seems “Naughty Kiss” has what it takes to relive those glory days. It has fresh-faced characters, a confident producer who already has a history of success in this genre such as “Princess Hours” and “Moon River,” and an attractive storyline that has been proven overseas.

The drama, despite its potential, still faces some hurdles before it first airs next month.

Kim may have proven his charms as the good-looking and warmhearted high school senior in his previous work “Boys Over Flowers” last year, but his supporting role doesn’t mean he will nail the main role, as well. While his character in the previous drama was mellow and required no dramatic scenes, he will have to turn it up a notch to pull off the arrogant and cocky Baek. The heroine Jung is no different in terms of experience. Her experience is quite limited: she appeared in this year’s hit drama “Bad Boy.”

Being aired during the primetime slot will also be a challenge for “Kiss.” MBC has not produced any impressive soaps in its Wednesday and Thursday time slot since 2009, including “Moon River,” “Cinderella Man,” “Triple,” “No Limit” and “Hero,” and now all eyes are on the star-studded series. Not to mention the burden of competition on the other networks. KBS’ “Bread, Love and Dreams” is currently leading viewers’ ratings with a whopping 40 percent, while “My girlfriend is Gumiho” (SBS) is following with 10 percent.

“Kiss” is heading down tough roads, for it will have to catch up with the two dramas without any support from its predecessor “Road No. 1,” which is struggling with only 5 percent of the ratings.

Everything seems to be in place: the determined and good-looking actors, a confident producer and staff and a delightful storyline. But will these be enough to create TV magic? Viewers will have to wait and see at 9:55 p.m.on Sept. 1 on MBC.

(Source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2010/08/201_72225.html)

(Source: http://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Mischievous_Kiss.php)

Thin or Active: Which Is More Important?

Is your health goal to get thin or to get active? Science suggests it may be best to think more about breaking a sweat than about stepping on the scale.

In a recent study, being inactive translated into a higher risk of heart disease, regardless of a person's body mass index (BMI).

Get Moving
BMI is a measure of overall body weight that takes into consideration a person's height. Medical experts have used it as an indicator of body fatness and thus a tool for determining disease risk. But in a recent study, inactive people were in a higher heart-risk category no matter what their BMIs were. Seems their couch-potato ways translated into a disproportionately big waist, irrespective of how much -- or how little -- they tipped the scales. And a too-big waist means big trouble for the heart. (Here's the YOU Docs' prescription for banishing belly flab: a daily walk and this gym-free exercise routine.)

Body Composition
Having a BMI within a normal range is great, but it's not the be-all and end-all of good health. You can have a normal BMI and still be unhealthy -- especially if you don't exercise. In the recent study, inactive men had a higher risk of future heart disease compared with active men. Again, this was regardless of BMIs and bathroom scales. Inactive women fared even worse than men when it came to heart disease risk, and it's all because activity affects body proportion. Exercise makes it less likely that your body fat will get stored in the most dangerous place you can store it: around your abdomen. (Having trouble sticking to a walking program? Check out this gallery of good reasons to walk that includes tips on making it easier and more fun.)

(Source: http://www.realage.com/tips/thin-or-active-which-is-more-important?eid=7213&memberid=6206815)

Jang Geun Suk's Photos - 2010 Calendar

(Source: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4946492&id=303519403445&ref=fbx_album#!/pages/Jang-Geun-Suk/303519403445)