I saw some very fun bits and pieces of the Korean drama Fantasy Couple months ago on the Imaginasian TV channel. A friend joins me on today’s show as we delve into a review of the whole of Fantasy Couple. Do those ‘very good bits’ set up for drama genius? or does it leave you cheated? Find out more in today’s ADP podcast episode.

If you would like to contact the ADP, please send any emails to steven@asiandramapodcast.com or you can leave any comments at the blog!

 

 Episode 29 - South Korea - Fantasy Couple: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Korean romance flick My Sassy Girl, starring Jun Ji-hyun, is probably one of the more famous movie exports to come out of South Korea with its completely ridiculous, alcohol-prone, trouble-making (hence, sassy) female protagonist. Now I have yet to do some kind of formal text review on this runaway success of a movie but for you guys who have seen My Sassy Girl, let me tell you, I just love that scene at the beginning of the movie where she throws up on old man’s toupee. Absolute brilliance!

That aside, the trailer for the American version of My Sassy Girl has recently been released. I admit I generally get a little skeptical with these “Americanized” releases of Asian films but I will cite The Departed as on par with its Hong Kong original, Infernal Affairs, as an example that Hollywood can pull off amazing renditions. So for now, I’ll give Hollywood the benefit of the doubt… for now.

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Oasis is a strange romance film–and I mean that with the utmost sincerity. But since “strange” is a relative term, I will be brief with this little prologue of sorts: if you are looking for a movie with celebrities like Daniel Henney or with tear-jerking drama, save yourself the trouble–you will not find that here in Oasis. Though if you find your interest piqued by a “strange”, unconventional, and perhaps unbearable romance flick, read on; you might find something to like in the 2002 Korean film, Oasis. 

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It’s a really strange feeling I admit to feel such an intense amount of nostalgia for a single drama. I’ve spoken time and time again about my drama obsession called Densha Otoko but there is something about our baseball hit H2 ~ Kimi to Itahibi that never fails to capture my mind every time I think about it.

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I remember perusing the TV channels one late night months back and coming across a pretty interesting Korean drama on Imaginasian TV called Fantasy Couple. I’ve never heard of Fantasy Couple before but I decided to sit down for a few minutes to scope it out a little. Let me tell you, it was a pretty fun couple minutes for something that I had only begun seeing for five minutes. There were just so many moments throughout that single episode where I found myself genuinely chuckling at the least. But for reasons I don’t know why I completely forgot to follow up with actually seeing the Fantasy Couple series all the way through.

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We begin the new season of the ADP with a review on the popular Nippon Television Japanese drama Nobuta wo Produce! Starring J-Pop stars Kazuya Kamenashi and Tomohisa Yamashita, and Hana Kimi star Maki Horikita, Nobuta tells the story of a perpetually depressed girl who struggles to find friends in high school. Does this drama leave wanting or satisfied? Find out more in today’s edition of the podcast.

If you would like to contact the ADP, please send any emails to steven@asiandramapodcast.com or you can leave any comments at the blog!

 

 Episode 28 - Japan - Nobuta wo Produce: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Although Hana Yori Dango may not be the finest J-drama out there, I must admit there are a lot of fervent fans who absolutely love the series. A friend of mine is one of them and she actually let me in on a bit of interesting news (admittedly questionably reliable) for you HYD/Matsumoto Jun fans.

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Of the Japanese artists I frequently listen to, I’d definitely rate Utada Hikaru, Tokyo Jihen, Depapepe, and Paris Match at the top of my list. Utada is one of the definitive voices of the Japanese pop industry, sporting a simply elegant voice, and ballads that almost always strike a chord with her listeners. Tokyo Jihen is an experimental band headed by the unconventional Shiina Ringo; it experiments with a lot of genres, oftentimes leading to some fantastic songs like their recent Killer Tune (キラーチューン).

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I finally figured out what was wrong with the podcast streams and fixed them. They should all be able to stream now. Thanks for your patience!

Ever since I’ve seen the thing for the first time, I’ve been heralding the popular Korean film Il Mare as a romantic great of sorts. When somebody asks, “suggest me a Korean drama flick”, the first thing that comes to mind is Il Mare. That’s it—Il Mare. But now, months after, it just doesn’t seem like the same great movie.

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