To Philly, To Philly, to See Our Day6

I know it's been weeks and I'm only  just getting around to writing about our trip, but in my defense it was Thanksgiving right after we got back and things have only just settled down for me. I even got snowed in last weekend so I couldn't get home from my brother's house. But that's whatever, and I really just want to talk about the trip.

Philadelphia was a bucket list destination for me, so when we decided to go to that concert, I was super stoked. I was a huge American Revolution nerd in high school, so I was super excited to see "the birthplace of the nation" as we liked to say when anyone asked us why we were travelling across the country to see a Korean rock concert. But it really was also just to see a Korean rock concert. I like this destination K-Pop thing we've got going on. I'm seeing more cities than I ever would. It's a nice excuse to travel.

325. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes 하늘에서 내리는 1억 개의 별 (2018) Korean

Seo In Guk, Jung So Min, Park Sung Woong, Go Min Si, Yoo Jae Myung

Drama Rating: 7/10     Neck Score: A+

I kind of loved the level of psychological thriller this had. With a mysterious man who is a sociopath or whatever, manipulating and not understanding emotions. Completely jaded to the good in the world because he can see human hypocrisy all too well. Seo In Guk did a great job being the "monster" in this one. You hated him and loved him all at once. He made you shiver all while being attracted to him. But then the developing relationship between him and Jung So Min was also really great. I loved her as well. Her innate ability to see through him, but still empathize. To see both the good and the bad and to call him out on his crap. It made the relationship worth watching, even though you had the sick feeling that everything was going to go wrong when we finally found out about the past that the oppa kept not telling everyone about, even when we were all sure that telling would save some mistakes from being made. Oh well.

328. Stranger 비밀의 숲 (2017) Korean

Cho Seung Woo, Bae Doo Na, Yoo Jae Myung, Lee Joon Hyuk, Shin Hye Sun, Lee Kyu Hyung, Park Sung Geun

Drama Rating: 9.5/10     Neck Score: A

This is another drama that I was really tempted to give a 10 to, because it is really, really good. It had me guessing the whole time. It was less predicable while still having a solid story. We just had to figure out things along with our little emotionally stunted hero. Ohmygersh! I loved Hwang Shi Mok!!! He was so perfect! So subtle and good, none of that stoic robot garbage we usually get with similar type characters. I loved the slow and subtle relationship between him and Han Yeo Jin. She was so understanding and they got along so well! I'm shipping them still, big time. Everytime he had that little tiny smile (eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!). That is a well written relationship.

324. Ghost Detective 오늘의 탐정 (2018) Korean

Choi Daniel, Park Eun Bin, Lee Ji Ah, Kim Won Hae, Lee Jae Kyoon, Lee Joo Young

Drama Rating: 6/10     Neck Score: A+

This one started out so good. It was actually creepy, it was intriguing, and then something happened that made it take a gradual nose dive. It never got horrible, but it did get way less good. The creepiness left and it became a normal paranormal crime show, and it got super draggy. You could save it lost its direction or drive. Which was sad. But, it did stay fairly consistent with some things.

Choi Daniel stayed looking fine the whole time. His look in this show really worked for him. Also, to make us less bored during the draggy times the dressed him in a suit without a tie and the collar unbuttoned. Um, yes please.

On Loving Bad Guys and Bad Boys

I haven't written a regular post in a while, mostly because I've been moving and starting a new job, and big life changes and all that. Also I'm lazy and hate taking screenshots, so a full post is sometimes intimidating to me. But the other day on the social media, a friend of mine shared this meme, and it immediately made me think of me, because if anyone loves the villains, it is me.

I used to struggle with Labyrinth because I don't particularly love Sarah, or any of her companions, but I super love Jareth, the Goblin King, aka David Bowie. It was actually my love of David Bowie and Queen and glam rock that got me into K-pop, because is there much of a difference between this and this?

via Hollywood Reporter

I think not.

Korean Movie Night: The Princess and the Matchmaker 궁합 (2018) Korean

Shim Eun Kyung, Lee Seung Gi, Kim Sang Kyung, Yeon Woo Jin, Kang Min Hyuk, Choi Woo Shik, Jo Bok Rae

Movie rating: 8/10     Neck score: A+

Lizabreff loves Seung Gi. Well, so do I. I also love Shim Eun Kyung and Choi Woo Shik. Really, the entire cast. So we were waiting for this one to become available so we could watch it. Then we waited to long to get it for free and had to rent it anyway, but whatever. It was worth it. Thanks, Google Play.

Anyway, this was a lot different then the previews led us to believe, and that is not a bad thing. It was just different. Maybe it is because we're so used to mischievous butt headed Seung Gi that we all love (think Son Oh Gong from Hwayugi, or his roles in Gumiho or King 2 Hearts). We were all assuming that he would be a mischievous matchmaker con-artist who was using the princess's marriage to make money or advance. We weren't expecting a straight-arrowed good boy Seung Gi who had a blind little Poo Butt to protect at home. It was interesting and nice.

Korean Movie Night: The Bros 부라더 (2017) Korean

Ma Dong Seok, Lee Dong Hwi, Lee Ha Nui

Movie rating: 7/10     Neck score: B

When this movie was being released, and I saw that some of my favorites were in it, I had to watch it. So I was really excited when I saw it was available on Netflix. What could be better than Ma Dong Seok and Lee Dong Hwi being brothers? Both comedians, but like polar opposite in physical build. But both really good at the physical comedy. I knew it was about them going to their father's funeral, and not getting a long, but in the way that brothers do, but I actually hadn't paid much attention to the plot and watched it solely for the cast. So I guess I was surprised about what it was actually about. But that was a good thing. So should I just not spoil it?

It's definitely about the two brothers not liking each other, or their family. They come back under protest almost, for their father's funeral and then do everything they can to not be the first grandson, because this family and village is very traditional. To the point that we get to see Ma Dong Seok looking like a fluffy teddy bear in the unbleached linen robes, looking like he came out of a sageuk, only he's not, so it's extra fluffy and hilarious. Then you add in Lee Ha Nui as the mysterious manic amnesia Seoul girl they met on the way, and it is just so much going on, but it's also so much fun.

Even the side characters and actors are the best. The cousin who is a cop (and Curdy's favorite Turtle) and his wife who wants nothing more than for him to NOT be the first grandson (and subsequently have to cook food for all those memorials), the old relative who speaks like a Confucian classic, Ma Dong Seok's two teacher friends at the or the monk who shows up and acts suspicious AF. It's all just a lot of fun. Confusing at first, all over the place, but then as the pieces start to slowly fit together, it just keeps getting better. It was a lot of fun, and like all good Korean movies, it also puts you through all the feels. It's good.