İyi Seyirler Dileriz.
Episode 3 of a Heartless City
The 1-2-3 A drama introduction
recap part 3 of 3 | the first 3 episodes of a drama in words and pictures
Episode 3 :
Where past and present collide...
the future begins.
The second most powerful man in the police force…is a dirty cop. Of course.
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Episode 2 of a Heartless City
The 1-2-3 A drama introduction
recap part 2 of 3 | the first 3 episodes of a drama in words and pictures
Episode 2 :
Only 3 kilos...to hell.
It’s always a nice night for hanging out in Seoul…even if it is off the side of a building —such pretty city lights and all.
A brief step back in time: before Soo and Doc drop in at Scale’s hotel room, they visit their favorite spot to take in the Seoul city lights. The two are standing at the edge of a roof, the Doctor his usual formal self, a stiff figure in dark. Soo’s a little flashier, donning a snazzy blue suit this pleasant evening, and much more at ease. He’s got one foot propped on the ledge and is peering over the drop.
A voice calls up from somewhere below, Soo-ya, I don’t know anything! You know I’m a bad liar. Hey! I might really fall here! HyunSoo, save me! Below, Meth Kim is being dangled off the side of the building by two measly ropes, and he’s freaking out. The Doctor orders curtly, “Cut it.” Soo promptly saws one rope off, and now that Kim’s entire life is at the mercy of one thin strand, he starts begging sloppily and more earnestly for mercy from the Doctor.
“Stop crying. There are no presents for children who cry,” the Doctor says coldly. “Santa gramps knows everything, that tears are only lies, because the good kids have no reason to cry.” Soo moves to cut the second and final rope. Kim starts pleading hysterically. Pull me up, I’ll tell you! “I CAN’T HEAR YOU,” the Doctor snaps angrily. Meth Kim caves as Soo starts cutting through his last lifeline and gives up the hotel name. I’m telling you the truth! Pull me up!
Soo looks to the Doctor for direction, and it isn’t what he wants to hear. Rolling his eyes, he pulls Kim up, but his expression clearly reads: Seriously? Can’t we just drop him?
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Episode 1 of a Heartless City
The 1-2-3 A drama introduction
recap part 1 of 3 | the first 3 episodes
of a drama in words and pictures
of a drama in words and pictures
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| Click on images to enlarge. |
Episode 1 :A game of thrones, Seoul-style.
Dropping from the top of a skyrise is a long way to fall, especially if tossed.
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A Special Recap Pt 2 of 2: The Guksoo Loveline: Episodes 6-10 I Live in Cheongdam-dong
The Guksoo Loveline
from I Live in Cheongdam-dongJTBC
Without a doubt, recapping is insanely time consuming so I admire and appreciate all those who selflessly dedicate hours upon hours of precious personal time to do it for other drama fans. Don’t worry, this is not some preening self-congratulatory intro ^^ , the opposite in fact. I’m a total fail in managing my time so this is my second/last recap post for Cheongdam-dong. Sechubie and I probably should never have dared to reach for the stars! But you know how it goes, you and a friend are totally loving a drama, and after a few drinks, totally think you can do anything. Yeah, it was a drunken delusion. Anyhow, I will go ahead and post the episode 6-10 recaps because it had already been completed awhile ago. Now I’ve finally edited it, and will throw it out there.
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A Special Recap Pt 1 of 2: The Guksoo Loveline: Episodes 1-5 I Live in Cheongdam-dong
I Live in Cheongdam-dong, JTBC
Although life tends to get busier during summers, and I’m embarrassed to admit that I failed to finish my last recapping effort, I’ve recruited a guest blogger—Sechubie, also a huge fan of I Live in Cheongdam-dong—to help me with a recapping pet project. Since this is an experimental collaboration, and neither of us are sure how our schedules will look in the weeks to come, we wanted to keep the project within our means. So instead of recapping the entire 100+ drama, since neither of us felt confident enough to take on such a commitment, we decided to focus on our favorite thread within the show: the loveline between goofy heroine JiEun and her two adorable suitors, SangYeob and HyunWoo. However, despite the selective recapping, we will do our best to keep the show’s context so that their arc makes sense. Sitcoms are generally episodic, this one especially, slowly building up characters through situational humor, so JiEun’s storylines don’t intersect too much with the other cast members anyway. Hopefully between the two of us, we will be able to see this to the end...
Update: TT So very very very sorry, will not be able to continue the recap (which I guess is already pretty obvious), but please enjoy the introduction to this adorable drama.
A word about the drama by me:
I Live in Cheongdam-dong is a daily sitcom that airs Monday through Friday on JTBC. It is about a family of misfits who move to a trendy and affluent neighborhood with hopes that by just being near money they will improve their lives. What attracts me most about this drama isn’t just that it is well-written (although it is both clever and perceptive in the ways it develops both characters and their feelings), or that it is humorous (it is), or even that it has an easygoing and enjoyable story (check)…all of the above are factors, but I am most charmed by the pure tenacity of the characters, their self-respect, and the straightforward nature of their goodness. They are embarrassing and imperfect personalities, sometimes uncomfortable and selfish, but they feel real, just with a sitcom spin. These folks feel like next door neighbors, not television cutouts. Through new friends, new loves, and the odd situations they get themselves into, the characters of this show begin to change their prejudices, pursue new dreams, and most of all, they realize that life, whether in wealth or poverty, is a special thing because we endure it with the people we love. I encourage everyone to visit the whole show.
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Update: TT So very very very sorry, will not be able to continue the recap (which I guess is already pretty obvious), but please enjoy the introduction to this adorable drama.
A word about the drama by me:
I Live in Cheongdam-dong is a daily sitcom that airs Monday through Friday on JTBC. It is about a family of misfits who move to a trendy and affluent neighborhood with hopes that by just being near money they will improve their lives. What attracts me most about this drama isn’t just that it is well-written (although it is both clever and perceptive in the ways it develops both characters and their feelings), or that it is humorous (it is), or even that it has an easygoing and enjoyable story (check)…all of the above are factors, but I am most charmed by the pure tenacity of the characters, their self-respect, and the straightforward nature of their goodness. They are embarrassing and imperfect personalities, sometimes uncomfortable and selfish, but they feel real, just with a sitcom spin. These folks feel like next door neighbors, not television cutouts. Through new friends, new loves, and the odd situations they get themselves into, the characters of this show begin to change their prejudices, pursue new dreams, and most of all, they realize that life, whether in wealth or poverty, is a special thing because we endure it with the people we love. I encourage everyone to visit the whole show.
REWATCH: Personal Taste - Episode 3
A meal is more than sharing food
InHee and GaeIn are in Sangojae’s courtyard continuing to argue about whether or not JinHo is a man who would be susceptible to InHee’s female wiles when GaeIn announces that JinHo won’t ever go to her because he’s gay! InHee is shocked. “Gay!?” she squeals in disbelief. GaeIn snits, “Actually, you’re so good at seduction, go ahead and give it a try with him too. You never know, maybe you’ll even change his sexual orientation with your charms.” InHee can’t quite believe it. InHee wants to know if GaeIn is trying to replace her with a gay man. Frankly, GaeIn thinks being with a gay man is preferable than a hetero female friend who’ll stab a person in the back first chance she gets. InHee’s not one to take insults quietly. “Instead of blaming me for stealing your boyfriend,” she advises, “why don’t you ask yourself what you might have done to chase him away?” She points out GaeIn’s lack of attention to her appearance, her inclination for sweats and manly clothing the main point of insult. “What man in this world would possibly see you as a woman?”
GaeIn’s had enough and demands that she leave. InHee has balls of steel and she screeches at GaeIn that she has no where else to go! GaeIn stands her ground and doesn’t care, insisting InHee leave. This surprises InHee who is used to GaeIn eventually/always giving in. InHee nods thoughtfully, “Okay, you’re right, maybe we still need more time to think about what happened.” Even GaeIn is shocked by the other woman’s flippancy. Was this the InHee that had been her friend all these years? InHee does, however, finally leave.
Our heroine doesn’t have very long to wallow in her own misery because the next confrontation comes out of his room, arms crossed and stone-faced. “Who exactly are you calling gay?” he wants to know, trying to control is outrage. She apologizes, “I’m sorry, I know you want to keep it all a secret. I just lost my temper and it came bursting out.” But with an undeniable talent for saying the wrong things at the wrong time, she continues, “Just because you want keep it a secret doesn’t mean it’ll stay a secret, you know. People can tell.” He repeats incredulously, “Can tell!?” She lectures on, “I understand, your personal preference is none of my business and that’s fine, but being a two-timing cheater is not okay with me.” He repeats with even more incredulity, “Cheater!?” She further informs him that he needs to hurry up and decide between the man at the motel and the boyfriend that came today to sign papers with him. He really shouldn’t string both of them along. “Love can really leave long-lasting scars, people who’ve never been hurt like that have no idea,” she finishes. Really, JinHo has nothing to say, absolutely nothing to say to her tirade. From his being gay to cheating on SangJoon for TaeHoon, it leaves him completely speechless and he just stares at nothing, his lips twisting in dismay. He reviews their past encounters in his mind and guffaws, he really can’t believe that this woman actually thinks he’s gay!
Since it’s not in his nature to indulge people in their stupidity or the type that deems it necessary to go at length to explain or justify his actions, he settles for silent seething. Why should he bother to clarify anything when he is not at fault for the misunderstanding in the first place? It is all a product of her own imagination, after all. In his room, he starts throwing his recently unpacked clothes back into his suitcase and stomps into her work shed. He’s dressed to leave but she doesn’t see that because he’s loudly demanding her cell phone number. She gives it to him. He texts her his bank account number, “Wire my lease deposit here. I’ll be back for the rest of my belongings later.” She can’t believe he’s so upset about an accidental case of loose lips that he’s actually going to move out. Driving away, JinHo is still steamed at having his manhood questioned. He is not gay!
The next morning JinHo is sucking down espresso shots and sporting some dark bags under his eyes. SangJoon assumes GaeIn tried to jump JinHo’s hot bod their first night alone together thereby making sleep difficult for his young boss. JinHo is mute. When he attempts to share the story of being mistaken for a gay man…he can’t bring himself to say the words out loud. He just tells SangJoon that they’ll just have to forget about Sangojae and do what they always do, rely on their talents and just do their best for the Dan Art Gallery project. Whatever they do, one thing is for sure, he is not going to live with that crazy woman.
But SangJoon doesn’t like this new plan of action. He takes a trip down the pity party lane and contemplates a future where he’s bagging groceries after M Construction goes into the gutter. JinHo listens to the one man whine fest feeling guilty. And tired of his own life.
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REWATCH: Personal Taste - Episode 2
Park GaIn is facing the worst nightmare of her life, a situation so absurd that it’s hard to imagine any friend could be so cruel. GaeIn is standing at the alter, an intruder at a wedding that should have been her own, where her boyfriend and her best friend are getting married behind her back. “Gae…In,” ChangYul stutters, shocked that she’s had the nerve to actually show up. He’s even more shocked that his bumbling assistant didn’t do his job and bar her from entering the wedding hall. When GaeIn lifts the veil, InHee is cringing, looking more embarrassed than guilty about the situation. She manages a curt, insincere, “I’m sorry.” It is quite possibly the most insincere ‘I’m sorry’ ever spoken by a woman who has just stabbed a friend in the back with a wedding bouquet. GaeIn calls her on it, “That’s what you say to…a stranger on the bus when you…step on their toes…”
Poor GaIn is having a difficult time breathing, speaking, and seeing straight. GaeIn naturally wants to know when it all started but InHee snaps that it doesn’t matter, that she was the woman chosen, not GaeIn, and she simply must get married to ChangYul. It becomes clearer now that InHee’s motivations are less about loving ChangYul and more about sticking it to GaeIn. ChangYul, on the other hand, does feel guilty, to both women. Since his motives are slightly more pure, he promises GaeIn that he will accept whatever punishment she doles out later if she will just leave the wedding and let them marry in peace. On the sidelines, YoungSun has heard enough and jumps up to give the would-be bride a smack to her senses. The punch doesn’t connect and she’s forcibly restrained and hauled out with GaeIn.
In the audience, SangJoon is alight with happiness, “Isn’t that the same woman from before? What kind of crazy but awesome situation is this!?” He’s grinning from ear to ear in confused giddiness, like watching a string of police cars fly by with their sirens on. JinHo snorts, “Obviously it’s a cheating playboy ChangYul situation.” He’s no longer amused, just disgusted. He’s definitely not surprised by the disruption as he’d expected nothing less from a woman who had caused such a fuss over nothing when he’d met her on the bus. JinHo glances toward the exit where GaeIn has just left. There is room for a tiny bit of concern in his heart for the stranger.
In the audience, SangJoon is alight with happiness, “Isn’t that the same woman from before? What kind of crazy but awesome situation is this!?” He’s grinning from ear to ear in confused giddiness, like watching a string of police cars fly by with their sirens on. JinHo snorts, “Obviously it’s a cheating playboy ChangYul situation.” He’s no longer amused, just disgusted. He’s definitely not surprised by the disruption as he’d expected nothing less from a woman who had caused such a fuss over nothing when he’d met her on the bus. JinHo glances toward the exit where GaeIn has just left. There is room for a tiny bit of concern in his heart for the stranger.
Back at the front of the room, ChangYul quickly urges the MC to carry on. The “misunderstanding” is brushed aside and they continue with the wedding ceremony.
GaeIn is still rendered speechless and comatose by the whole thing but her friend is kicking and screaming. “Let go! Let go!” she’s yelling as both women are dragged into the audio-visual room. Secretary Kim is wondering aloud in confusion when GaeIn got her mole removed…when the piece of dirt falls off the picture. He realizes it’s his own mistake. Annoyed, he orders security to keep them in the room as he hurries back. Meanwhile, YoungSun’s little boy is ambling toward the sound system mixing board unnoticed. YoungSun tells GaeIn, “You should consider yourself lucky you didn’t actually marry that guy!” Not only is that true, it’s damn true. But a heartbroken woman doesn’t quite want to hear that sort of thing when she was dumped for another woman, and in such a spectacular fasion. GaeIn says dully, “That man…getting married…was dating me up until only yesterday.” Oops, the overhead speaker has been turned on and the volume cranked up high. Their conversation is now being broadcast to the whole building…interrupting every wedding ceremony in the building.
An innocent bride not involved with the GaeIn, ChangYul, and InHee love triangle looks up surprised by the female voice’s declaration that the man she is marrying had been dating someone else. All the guests of this completely separate wedding are also perplexed. GaeIn’s voice continues dejectedly, “The bride has been a friend for 10 years…to congratulate her…to make her a happy bride…I even built a bed for her.” To make it worse, YoungSun chimes in, “That nasty girl. Of all the many men she has had, why did she have to snatch her friend’s?!” YoungSun goes into more detail about the bride-to-be and her many ex-boyfriends…and is creating quite the havoc between the couple whose only mistake was picking the wrong hall on the wrong day. It’s the bride’s turn to proclaim her innocence, she hasn’t been sleeping around!
Now, at the wedding of the actual guilty party who are also listening to the same sob story, things are looking fairly grim as well. What’s on InHee’s face? Fury. SangJoon slides JinHo a cheeky smile, This is fun. He’s really glad they came! At the same time, the Director of the Daum Art Gallery, Choi DoBin, has had enough of the fireworks and walks out. JinHo and SangJoon follow with the intent to have a word about the gallery project when they realize reps from another architecture firm have been waiting outside with the same idea. They are coldly brushed aside as the director is in no mood to talk business. JinHo and SangJoon get the hint. An obvious approach would not be a good move. JinHo has another idea on getting Director Choi’s attention.
In pirate-broadcast land, the audio is still going. Now YoungSun is picking apart InHee’s lifted and tucked and adjusted plastic face. A mob of angry wedding guests lead by the bride and groom have formed outside the sound room to confront this woman ruining their special day. The bride and groom demand to know why GaeIn is making such wild accusations (looks like the president of A.N. Entertainment company is getting married – sorry, a You’re Beautiful reference). GaeIn and YoungSun try to meekly slide away from the angry mob.
REWATCH: Personal Taste - Episode 1
Jeon JinHo
Park GaeIn
Han ChangYul
Kim InHee
Lee YoungSun
Noh SangJoon
Kim TaeHoon
Na HyeMi
Director Choi
President Han
Secretary Kim
JinHo’s Mother
Ok, I’d never intended to do a sketch, reduction or a scene by scene rehash of a kdrama on my blog, and to be honest, I don’t really know if this will be a unique or habit forming event. You see, I was recently reading a blog revisiting Cowboy Bebop by Madeline Ashby on the Tor website and I thought to myself, wow, wow, there is something very enjoyable about reading a written interpretation of a visual program. Maybe it’s because I love the written word, maybe it’s just fun to relive the same thing through a different set of eyes, whatever it was, I couldn’t stop. I had previously read wonderful recaps on other blog sites for various things, including kdramas, and had always been impressed but have never attempted the task myself. I was curious, if I jotted down notes on a show I was watching, will it allow me more understanding? Would I notice things that I would miss as a casual viewer? At the very least, would it improve my Korean? So, I was intrigued enough to try…on Personal Taste, since it is a kdrama I am currently following and enjoying. So that is the reason why I am attempting this, purely for myself really. All I know is, I had a lot of fun writing this, more than I thought I would. Anyway, here I go, a written take on the first episode of Personal Taste. Start!
When it rains, it pours...
We begin with a close up of a doll house with miniature dogs as residents (instead of people), then off we go, the camera slowly takes in a kitchen stacked with dirty dishes, pans over wooden furniture legs hanging in a work shed, and then takes a quick glance at a wall filled with clamps, claws and other furniture-crafting tools. An alarm clock on wheels is trilling for attention and rolling around the work table. Park GaeIn smacks her forehead on the edge of the desk as she jolts awake. She’d fallen asleep on the floor of her workspace. The mere fact that her alarm clock is not in her bedroom but leasing space among wood shavings, nails, hammers ,and various other carving tools indicates that this is a regular habit of hers. She’s overslept (seemingly another common event) and she’s in a panic as she sends wood chips flying in her hurry to get going.
A male voice has left her a message on her machine and is chiding her while she dashes around trying to get dressed: “Hey, Park GaeIn! What are you still doing at home? It’s not like you don’t know how important today is!” This voice knows her well because it makes sure to add, “And dress nicely, don’t just drag yourself out in sneakers and a track suit.” Taking heed, she digs into a closet full of dresses that has long been taped shut. She picks an ill-fitting black dress but is satisfied enough with her reflection. It is at least a step up from her usual drab clothing. She gives herself a mental cheer promising herself that a new chapter in her life is starting today, a brand new future full of personal promise and brightness, like her name. She dashes out of her house, but the overall effect of her little black dress is ruined by the bulky jacket she throws over it and the unsightly band-aid on her forehead. As she leaves the front doors, it’s difficult not to notice the beautiful architectural merging of Hanok and contemporary design that is her home.
Elsewhere, in an environment completely different from the disheveled residence we have just left, we are shown perfectly organized Prismacolor pens, blueprints and sketches of buildings, color-coordinated slacks and jackets hung in the wardrobe, dress shirts meticulously ironed and folded in their place. Instead of a doll house, an impressive house made of Lego is on display and right beside it, an equally impressive model of a building. On the bed stand, a more demure alarm clock announces the time: 8:00.
A handsome young man wakes up and realizes he’s not alone in his bed. Instead of being upset, he’s mostly exasperated. He sighs and taps the huddled form under the blanket, a girl who has crawled in beside him with only a negligee to keep her decent. “Hey, Na HyeMi,” he taps, “get up.” The woman stirs but instead of waking, she cuddles deeper into his side. He scoffs, “It’s obvious you’re not sleeping.” She gets up but she’s put out because he’s not overtaken with lust by her bared flesh. He’s put out because she reeks of late night drinking. She can’t believe he’s not pouncing on her in a fit of desire, to which he counters, “Does taking clothes off make a person sexy?” She counters in a whining voice, “Is it possible you prefer men?” He agrees that he likes men, with a bit of smirk. This, of course, is so ridiculous that it’s her turn to scoff at him as he finishes getting dressed. A moment later, we learn his name is Jeon JinHo because his mother is outside his door calling his name. She wants to give him some morning vitamins. HyeMi is about to announce herself but JinHo obviously can’t have his mother finding a half-naked HyeMi in his bedroom. He rushes out to greet his mother, who asks after HyeMi’s current location. HyeMi apparently also lives in the house with them and most likely has her own bed somewhere else in the abode. JinHo smoothly distracts and guides mom away from his own room.
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