“You can like a lot of people but you can love only one” - A Hi My Sweetheart Review

Originalname:	海派甜心 | Hai Pai Tian Xin
Also known as:	Shanghai Sweetheart, Shanghai School Sweetheart, Shanghai Honey
Release Date:	1. November 2009 - 31. January 2010
Director:	Lin Helong
Writer:	Yang Bifeng, Jiang Hua, Chen Hongjie, Luo Xini
Cast:	Show Lo, Rainie Yang, Lee Wei, Maggie Wu, Fang Fang, Xiang Yu Jie

Plot

Xue Hai is the only son of a rich family in Taiwan. He was raised very secure by his older sisters (his parents passed away). When he turned 20 he wants to go to college away from his family.

He has his difficulties to fit in because he never attended an open school and to hide his identity he signed in as Lin Da Lang. He gets the target of bulling for Chen Bao Zhu (wow, a girl is a delinquent?). But he wants to be friends with her because he finds out that she is from Taiwan too and also likes Pink Panther.

So Da Lang tries to become friends with her but he gets soon to know why everyone on campus thinks she is a bad person. Bao Zhu should be a thief and an evil heartbreaker but Da Lang thinks this is a misunderstanding and tries against his classmates’ warning to be friends with her.

When they have to handle the paper out which they’ve been working on, Bao Zhu gets blamed for copying the work of another group. Da Lang is the only one who believes that Bao Zhu is innocent and finds out that his roommates steal his work and gave it to the other group. (giant puppy beats them up ö,ö ) Da Lang could manage that the other group say the truth and the teacher apologizes to Bao Zhu. But she is still mad at Da Lang and he tells her that he still cares about her and what he likes about her. She is touched and kisses him. Finally he feels the fireworks, the electro shock. (I guess they are now together?)

Bao Zhu competes in a sweetheart contest where she has to be gentle, sweet and show dance skills. Da Lang, who should play the piano for Mo Li’s dance and incredibly failed, was very surprised and thinks she did it for him because he wished she would be more gentle. She wins the competition and He Yan Feng (the second love interest – ladies and gentleman) sees that Bao Zhu is happy with Da Lang and goes back to Taiwan.

After two years relationship Da Lang gives his Pink Panther as gift to Bao Zhu.

But it comes out that Bao Zhu’s mother wants her daughter to marry a rich boy so she should break up with Da Lang. Da Lang decides to reveal his true identity and to propose to her but when they should meet Bao Zhu gets involved into a car accident and so her mother tells Da Lang that she left the country to marry somebody. Da Lang swears never to fall in love again.

After three years Bao Zhu becomes a radio DJ and searches for Da Lang in the hope he listens her radio show. And what happened to Da Lang? He became as Xue Hai (Remember? That’s his real name) a multi millionaire and a jerk.

What to do to get the girl you want? Let’s buy her work place and be the new boss. That’s what does Xue Hai. He buys the radio station and becomes the new boss of Bao Zhu. When they first meet she thinks it’s Da Lang but he doesn’t want her to know that yet because he wants revenge (yeah... of course... and elephants can fly). He wants to win her heart as Xue Hai and then dump her. So, he tries to seduce her but everything he tries as a rich Casanova fails. She gets even more annoyed and slowly she is turning to Yan Feng who always supported her.

But because she gets again involved in a car accident he recognizes that he still loves her. But if he wants to get her, she has to forget Da Lang. So he appears again as Da Lang, tells her how hurt he was then and that he is now married. Bao Zhu tries to forget Da Lang. But because Mo Li comes to Taiwan and Yan Feng finds out who he really is, everything comes out.

Bao Zhu is really angry and quits. She wants to leave the country but the night before her departure the radio station is set on fire in which she recorded some shows for future. Xue Hai saves her but he gets knocked out. After he wakes up from his unconsciousness he doesn’t remember at all.

Bao Zhu tries everything so that he remembers but he doesn’t want to. After he got kidnapped with Bao Zhu, he gets his memories back (he gets hit with a stone on his head... you know, for kids!)

He gets knocked out again, was brought to the hospital and everything seems fine... Everything? No, he still “doesn’t remember” Bao Zhu. Of course he does. He lies (again) that she can be happy with Ponytail (Yan Feng). But Xe Hai gets drunk, writes a mail to Bao Zhu, wakes in the morning up, sneeks in into her house, deletes the mail and pretends nothing happened. The thing is... she already read the mail and so after spending the whole day together she tells him that she knows he hasn’t forgotten her and she proposes. So they end up together.

Conclusion

This.... was.... long... I finally did it! I finished “Hi My Sweetheart”. Don’t understand me wrong. The drama wasn’t that bad. It was just way too long.

So, I’ll start with what I liked. The story was nice. It shows how two totally different persons come together. They don’t like each other at the beginning, but somehow they end up together. It shows the good times and the hardships they have to handle. Okay, Fortuna was really mean to this both. Maybe one of them messed it really up in his other life. I mean she gets involved in a car accident, not once but twice (!!!); he loses his memory and they nearly died in a burning house. I don’t want to talk about the stone... But you know... For kids! Destiny is really a b**** sometimes.

But here is the problem. Did all this really have to happen? Ok, the first accident was important. Otherwise the following wouldn’t make sense. But the kidnapping and losing memory? Or the stalker? It looks like the writers throw everything that could happen in one’s life time (or twenty lifetimes)... For me it wasn’t necessary.

The main cast was really good. I loved Show Lo who played Da Lang and Xue Hai. Da Lang was just dorky but adorable. He was really cute. And Xue Hai? I think he would fit well into the F4 ;)
Funny thing was, you could really see how Show Lo switched between the rolls. When he played Da Lang he ran dorky (you know, the legs spread wide) and he sometimes looked really funny because he made a underbite. And as Xua Hai he could walk normal, was self confident and he hasn’t  got an underbite.

Rainie Yang played Bao Zhu and I liked her work too. She was cool when she played the mean and misunderstood Bao Zhu at school and then afterwards the sweet, matured Sweetheart.

Then there were Lee Wei who played Yan Feng and Maggie Wu who played Mo Li. Well, they had actually the same character. They were incredibly nice and supporting... As time goes by it gets annoying. But well, a drama needs a second love interest and here we got two of them.

And there were of course annoying characters. For me the most annoying characters were the three from the ice cream parlour, especially the girl... Always: Yan Feng here, Yan Feng there... Yeah, we got it. You love Yan Feng... And I have to say, the acting of the three wasn’t that really good, too.

And now let’s talk about the music. I loved the Pink Panther Theme. It reminded me of my childhood. And the idea about Pink Panther could be the connection between them, I liked it.
They had also a few good songs which matched with the scenes but the Drama overused it. Sometimes you really wished they would play a total new song.

Yeah, like a said, it wasn’t bad. Show Lo and Rainie Yang did a really good job. It’s worth watching it because of them. But the story was just too long.

"Bingo" - A Bridal Mask Review PART 1

[This plot will be devided into 4 parts. The reason is, this drama has 28 episodes and we are afraid it will be to long (even longer than Heartstrings) The Conclusion will be found at part 4.]

Originalname:	각시탈 | Gaksital
Also known as:	-
Release Date:	30. May - 6. September 2012
Director:	Yun Seong Sik
Writer:	Huh Young Man (comic), Yoo Hyun Mi
Cast:	Joo Won, Jin Se Yeon, Park Gi-Woong, Shin Hyun-Joon

Plot

This drama play during the period of Japanese occupancy in South Korea; A young but ambitioned detective, Kang To, swore himself to catch a revolutionary called “Bridal Mask” because of the mask he’s wearing.

For that he needs Mok Dan, circus artist and the daughter of another revolutionary, whom Bridal Mask has already saved two times before.

He finds out where she lives at the moment (Thank you, traitor!) and beats the shit out of her in the Japanese police department’s torture chamber. Afterwards he drags her down a public street and even wanting to shoot her. (Why am I describing this plot point? Don’t worry, you’ll know  soon enough...)

But our snow white Zorro saves the day as he rides on his horse to the rescue of the damsel in distress and drops her off in the woods still bleeding (Our hero everybody!)

But that’s okay since he rides to a tree to reveal that he’s... Kang To’s mentally disabled brother, Kang Sang?! (th- that is the BEST. SUPERHERO. DISGUISE. EVERRRR!!!!!!! Ha! Take that, Batman, Superman!)

Because Kang To gets rescued one time by the Bridal Mask (there is this one “colleague” which wants Kang To dead and spins an intrigue), he gets accused for working with the Bridal Mask together. To show his loyalty towards the emperor and Japan he has to catch Bridal Mask and Mok Dan’s father.

Anyway. He gets in pressure because he lost his bait and arrests all the man from his village (except his brother) and Bridal Mask takes hostages. He would let them free if Kang To lets the arrested free. In the chase Bridal Mask saves Kang To again from an assassin’s attack. But before he can find out who Bridal Mask is he gets knocked out. (But for a short time he believes Bridal Mask is his brother because the only one who loves him and would protect him would be his brother)

When he finds out that Mok Dan is the girl who he loved as a little boy he goes to his best friend Shuiji at the club and asks him what he should do. Kang To doesn’t know his best friend is in love with Esther/ Mok Dan (seriously this girl has more names as my pet cat at the time I was an Otaku). When Kang To talks about killing Mok Dan anyway Shuiji hits him and tells him he should go home. At home he lays next to his brother, who pretends he is sleeping, and tells him what happened. He cries and says that he would like to become like his mother wants him to be. (Seems like the lost son found his way home...)

Meanwhile the circus discuss how they can kill Kang To. So, the other day they try to kill him and accidently he shoots Mok Dan down. (Mmmm whatcha say, Mmm that you only meant well? Well of course you did...)

But Kang To saves her and keeps her captive in the hospital. While we have some love triangle scenes in the hospital with Shunji, Mok Dan and Kang To, Shunji’s brother has enlightenment. He goes to Kang To’s house and tells Kang Sang that he should quit the games. He ends up accidently shooting the mother and Kang Sang wants REVENGE. So he dresses up as Bridal Mask and follows Shunji’s brother. But Kang To is there to save the day and shoots Bridal Mask. Kang Sang reveals himself to his brother and dies. Kang To finds his mother dead and, well, we all knew what comes here, the typical scream of our main character is deeply hurt. It is meant to give the viewer at least a shiver... here...it kind of backfired. Really, I laughed my ass off. I mean... that face! *Bwahahahaha*

Awesome, right? xD

Well, of course, after everything was explained to him by Alfred (Not his Name...but let’s be honest, that’s what character he is playing...) he wants REVENGE...wait, when did this become Batman?

He dresses up like Bridal Mask and kills Shunji’s brother. Shunji sees this and swears REVENGE on Bridal Mask and manages to toss him off a cliff.

So, everybody thinks that Bridal mask is dead, but Kang To is safe and sound in a hospital bed.

He decides to become Bridal Mask and wants to gain the Police Offices trust to have it easier, so he changes his name into Sato Hiroshi.

Shunji on the other hand, to follow his fathers will and becomes a superintendent after Mok Dan dumped him (You know, from an elementary school teacher to a superintendent!)

So the new chess peaces are set for round two...

“Country Chick” - My Tutor Friend Review

Originalname:	동갑내기 과외하기 | Donggabnaegi Gwawoehagi
Also known as:	-
Release Date:	7. February 2003
Director:	Kim Kyeong Hyeong
Writer:	Choi Soo Wan, Park Yeon Sun
Producer:	Jang Yeong Kwon

Cast:

Kim Ha Neul, Kwon Sang Woo

Plot

Su Wan’s broke so she has to tutor a high school student called Ji Hoon, who ‘s 21 years old. (Is that even possible? Can you fail that many times?)

He’s a difficult student and he’d rather have fights than study. (I know how you feel, buddy…)

Su Wan ignores that and just sits down to fill the hours (that’s the business spirit, go for it!) All that changes when Ji Hoon suddenly appears in his room bleeding from a fight he had before. She fixes him up but the police arrive anyway and his rich father has to get him out. His dad wants him to study abroad but he doesn’t want to and says that he’ll raise his mark above 50 in the next midterm test.

Which he does. And Su Wan has to dance on her school festival, since that was her promise if he gets above 50 points. But Ji Hoon isn’t pleased at all. (Since he was jealous of all the male attention she got)

He asks her for a date on Sunday, but she’s already going to an orphanage with her study group and her boyfriend.

Ji Hoon cockblocks them, but doesn’t succeed full through. But Soo Wan gets dumped anyway, so it doesn’t matter. So she calls Ji Hoon to talk about her broken heart and he gets her home. And there’s this kind of beautiful scene… O my god, Korea you’re disgusting!!

Well the last day of the tutor lessons arrives and they go parasailing, Ji Hoon tells her he likes her and she crash-lands because of that. She pretends she didn’t hear it. On the evening they both go to an amusement park and meets up with her friend and highschoolzones Ji Hoon (That’s enough, no more tumblr for you Demochild!)

In the end it all resolves in an utterly weird kidnapping/chasing-scene, which ends rather surpsingly…

Conclusion

It’s an average comedy romance. I mean, after the first few minutes you know the whole story. But it was really funny. I mean when she just thinks he bluffs and acts the stubborn rebellious kid and then she finds out that’s his real self and she acts all “please don’t kill me”-nice.

The main actors were good. They were funny to watch and they did a good job. Kwon Sang Woo was good but Demochild and I have to say he hadn’t to do much. I mean, he had only to look great into the camera and to act like a brat. And afterwards.. yeah, it’s like he grew up (finally agelike).

Kim Ha Neul was also good. She was the typical feisty lady and that’s what she acted like.But the supporting roles weren’t that good, but they did their jobs. Don’t understand me wrong, half of the funny jokes came from those guys!

Overall, it was a nice comedy romance, so if you have time why not check it out.

“Gay Power Vol. 4” - A The Love of Siam Review

Originalname:	Rak haeng Siam
Also known as:	Love in Siam
Release Date:	22. November 2007
Director:	Chukiat Sakveerakul
Writer:	Chukiat Sakveerakul
Producer:	Somsak Taecharatanaprasert, Sukanya Vongsthapat

Cast:

Witwisit Hirunwongkul, Mario Maurer, Laila Boonyasak, Sinjai Plengpanit, Songsit Rungnopakunsri, Kanya Rattanapetch,

Plot

So the real story starts after Tongs sister, Tang, disappears and his family decides to move away, leaving his best friend Mew behind. (I’m not reviewing a Pokémon movie…)

After some years they meet again; Mew is the lead singer and songwriter of “August”, a band with his fellow school friends, who just got taken by a label and Tong’s family is a mess with a drinking father and an overly protective mother.

So Mew and Tong start to see each other again and, over time, develop feelings for each other. This resolves with those two kissing after Tangs Welcome Back Party, in which a friend of Mew, June, who looks exactly like Tongs missing sister, pretends to be Tang for the drinking father. The mother sees this and isn’t pleased with it at all (She’s Christian, if you’re wondering)

So she tells Mew to leave Tong for the sake of his happiness and he does.

Tong is of course suffering, but finds a true friend in Ying, who loved Mew before she found out he was gay.

Mew on the other hand can’t find a reason to sing anymore and the group has to get him to give up the rights of his song. His best friend talks to him, and says, that Mew doesn’t have to think he’s alone in this.

After Tongs fathers liver collapses, June decides to leave the family and go somewhere far away.

And it all comes to an end at Christmas Eve: Mew returns to the band and they’re having their first stage performance. Tong has a date with Donut (his girlfriend; she isn’t that important), but dumps her and runs to the concert, where he listens to Augusts performance with Ying. He afterwards tells Mew, that he can’t be his boyfriend but it doesn’t mean he’s not loving him. (ARE. YOU. SERIOUS? Damn it, just because you’re half German, doesn’t mean you have to be an asshole!)

We end with Mew crying in his room afterwards, starring at his now completed toy which he received from Tong when they were children.

Conclusion

(Sorry for the sentence in the title I needed something funny.)

Sooo, where do we want to start? Generally, Demochild and I liked the movie. The different love forms are really good shown. But what we don’t like was the fact that they didn’t end up together. I mean the whole movie was about the two finding out they love each other and then? “I can’t be your boyfriend but it doesn’t mean I don’t love you.” I mean, hello? It’s courageous that you make a movie about gay love but you should go the whole way and not: “Well, we went far enough. Let’s stop it here and we talk about the side story.” Don’t understand me wrong. I don’t want to see how two guys make love to each other (if I want to see that I’ll go and see Brokeback Mountain for the 3^rd time) but it would be enough for them to end up together. It would be a nice reward for them after all they’ve been through. (Why does it feel like this is getting in the same direction as my Tumbling Review?)

But let’s save this for another study…

The cast was good. They played it well. Especially, Kanya Rattanapetch who played Ying. I liked her. She was cute. But I was still frightened by her.

What we also liked about the movie were the sets. It really looked authentically like someone was actually living there. The pictures looked like they were taken by normal non-professionals.

So, I think, that’s it. The story is really cute and if you’re not too homophobic, I would recommend it.