The Top Actors/Singers of 2013

So this is officially my last blog post of 2013..... And since this is not getting up till today when I add all the awesome photos, it is also my first blog post of 2014.  WOOHOO for blogging.  I enjoy it even more then I thought I was.  So I just want to thank Shannen and Jess for giving me this opportunity.  It totally rocks.

When I was thinking of who I wanted to put in my top men of 2013 i decided I wanted to branch out a bit.  As you know I liked certain shows and a lot of my favorite actors and actresses were in so said shows.   So instead of doing all actors (and repeating the same info over and over) I will be adding some singers/groups mixed in here or there and maybe some movie actors as well.  We are just going to play it by ear and of course have a whole lot of photographic evidence of their awesomeness.

The Workaholic

 

So this groups title is pretty self explanatory.  These are the men who don't sleep ever.  And I seriously think they might have cloned themselves since I don't see any other explanation for how they got so much accomplished in one year. 

Joo Won

What can you say about Joo Won other then he is amazing.  An actor among actors he takes everything he does very very seriously.  When he gets into a role it is 100% and he said in an interview that he always has troubles falling for his costars since he becomes so close to the character he is playing onscreen.  This has been a huge year for the actor.  He recently won an award for best actor in his portrayal as a  genius doctor suffering from autism.  He also was in Level Seven Civil Servant (the best thing about the drama was his character), the movie Catch Me, Broadway Musical Ghost, sang a song in every dramas OST, and is even going back to school because after he retires someday he wants to teach.  Also add in his variety show (retired recently from it) One Night Two Days where he stole our hearts with his adorable serious side.  He truly is the king of workaholics, but that is OK since I love everything he does.  Be sure to look forward to his next movie Fashion King in 2014.

Kim Woo Bin

Considering he did not even have a leading character (a co-lead in 2013) he sure took 2013 by storm.  Starring in the hit dramas School 2013, Heirs, the hit Movie Friend 2, and Modeling, modeling and more modeling, he still found time to come out to the public about his two year romance with fellow model Yoo Ji Ahn.  Many, including the members of this blog, felt that he outshines the other actors (and that is a hard thing to do when you are up against a smorgasbord of khotties) including Lee Min Ho in Heirs.  And we are all waiting for him to make that jump to leading man so we can see him finally "get the girl".

Lee Jong Suk

Another huge workaholic is Lee Jong Suk of I Hear Your Voice fame.  He started the year off with his first large role in School 2013 where he played a troubled youth attempting to make it through school and maybe find redemption from his ex BFF.  He then jumped straight into I Hear Your Voice a noona comedy mystery fantasy romance where he played a young student who could read peoples minds.  Add in two movies Hot Blooded Youth and No Breathing and lets not forget that he is probably the most photographed Korean of the year (I swear you had new CV and magazine photos of him daily for a while) and you have one bonafide Korean superstar.  And this all happened in one year.  Cant wait to see what he brings us in 2014. 

Building up My Resume

So I have noticed that there are actors out there that go for the role's that give them experience regardless on whether it is the B Lead or not.  These are actors that have a tendency to avoid typecasting and are in it for the craft.  You have to give them props for their efforts even though I wish sometimes they would stick with being the A lead because I swear if Kim Bum does not get the girl in one more drama I might scream.  

Jung Kyung Ho
Just off his Military Service Kyung Ho jumped back into dramas by accepting the part of Doc's Son in Heartless City.  I personally had known him from his work in Smile You where he played a sweet guy next door type character.  So I was very happy to see him take this darker character and run with it.  He even finished the last weeks of his drama with a herniated disk but still kept up the action and intensity to the end.

Kim Bum
Kim Bum has had a year of really well acted B lead roles.  He was the scrappy BFF in Winter Wind Blows and then went straight into the tragic fighter who pines for the unattainable girl in Goddess of Fire.  He also was the tragic Gothic mind reader in the movie Psychometry. I appreciate that he is looking to expand his skills by taking character roles rather then just the handsome A list romantic drama roles but I really really want to see him get the girl soon.  He has been B lead (I am pretty sure on purpose not because he does not have the chance at A lead roles since he was the lead in Women Who Still Want to Marry) in his last three dramas and I personally really really really really want to see him as the romantic lead.  I don't care if it is a Sageuk, Comedy, or Melodrama.... Just please come back to be the star we all know you are.

Yoon Shi Yoon
Beginning 2013 with his role as, Enrique a multi national computer gaming genius, Yoon Shi Yoon spread his acting wings to play the layered character to the fullest (to bad he had the romantic downer Park Shi Hyun as his leading lady......... she really ruined a lot of dramas for me this year).  He also put his all into the newest and short lived (thank goodness because there are only so many episodes you can watch on diving and cooking before you go crazy) variety show barefoot friends.  And finished out the year as accepting the 2nd lead in Prime Minister and I (which is AWESOME if you are looking for a good romantic comedy).   He truly is a Renaissance man............not only is he an amazing actor but he also speaks, Japanese, Spanish, some Mandarin, and Korean..........and it shows in his acting.

Taemin
This next star is the maknae of the musical group Shinee.  Taemin has often been considered the young sweet cute member of shinee.  But I am happy to announce that he has finally matured and is branching out.  He guest starred in drama Dating Agency: Cyrano as well as helped several friends by being in their MV's.  Add to that all that he accomplished with Shinee and it equals into one great year for the young singer.  Enjoy the MV's below and notice his amazing presence and dance style.

Henry-Trapped featuring Taemin MV

Boa & Taemin MV & live performance (the live performance was pre2013 but still good)

I'm a Bonafide Movie Star

Kim Soo Hyun 
After having the break out hit of 2012 with Moon Embracing the Sun, everyone was interested to see what Kim Soo Hyun would do next.  He decided to try his hand at the big screen and scored two of the largest movies of the year.  In Secretly Greatly he played an undercover Korean spy who had to fake being simple minded as a cover.  Although the movie on a whole had some issues, he was amazing and I could not have been happier.  He also was a member of the ensemble cast The Thieves and I personally think that his character stole ever scene he was in and resulted in one of my all time favorite kisses.  He ended out the year by taking on the lead role in the drama My Love from Another Star where he plays an Alien who has lived in Seoul for 400 years and falls for a top actress.  All in all it has been a huge year for this amazing actor.

Lee Byung Hun
Lee Byung Hun actually did most of his work here in the US.  Starring in the two Hollywood blockbusters Red 2 and GI Joe Retaliation he became the new Asian face in US action movies.  He also found time in his busy schedule to marry Lee Min Jung.  Look forward to more Lee Byung Hun in 2014 in the movie Memories of The Sword.

Singers Make Women Swoon

CNBlue
 The CNBlue boys have been very busy this year. Between all of them doing various dramas (Heirs, Marry Him if you Dare, Sword and Flower, My Daughter Seo Young) as well as world tours and putting out new songs they have been working non stop.  But all of this work seems to have payed off as they are more popular then ever.  It also helps that they seem to have matured from their guy next door look to something much more sharp and dashing.

I'm Sorry Live

G Dragon

GD is not really a bias of mine.  However no one can disagree that he has had a huge impact on the music scene this year.  As a solo artist and entertainer he has continued to put out quality MV's and do entertaining variety show guest spots all year long.  My personally favorite was his work on the variety show Infinity Challenge.

GD and Hyung Dong - Going to Try (infinity challenge)

 Crooked MV

Who You MV

Coup D'Etat MV

 
Junsu

Junsu is one talented singer.  He spent the year performing in the musical Elizabeth and also found time to put out a solo album and do his job as one of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games Ambassador

2014 Incheon Asian Games Ambassador

2014 Incheon Asian Games Ambassador

along with the other two members of JYJ.  I also count him as one of my favorite Korean idol dancers because he has some insane energy going on.  I am adding a behind the scenes dance rehearsal so you can focus on how amazing he is without being distracted by the MV.  Enjoy

Incredible MV

BTS Dance Rehearsal

Junsu - Musical Elizabeth

Ballad 11a.m. MV

Seo In Guk

So those of you who know me know that Seo In Guk is my #1 Bias.  It was so hard to pick where to put him in the line up.  He is a workaholic, also played a 2nd lead character in the hit Master's Sun, starred in the movie No Breathing, and had multiple hit songs as well as a hit Japanese Album not to mention a ton of photo shoots for various magazines.  But I decided to stick him with the singers this year since he had so many amazing songs released as well as a current (or at least a week ago current) #1 duet with Zia.  So enjoy some of his MV's from this last year.

With Laughter or With Tears MV

No Matter What - Masters Sun OST

Loved You (featuring Zia) - There is no official MV yet but the song is still amazing.

We Can Dance Tonight MV (japanese CD)

I'm Lee Min Ho, I defy the list system

I think that as women we are just predisposed to fall for Lee Min Ho.  I don't know why but it is just a part of life, like the rising of the sun.  Every year we wait for whatever drama Lee Min Ho decides to put out.  Sometimes the are great, sometimes they are so so, but it does not matter since it is Lee Min Ho.  This years drama The Heirs was a mix of great moments and shallow writing (feel free to read the Crazy Ahjumma's reviews of the drama) that left me happy if not necessarily fulfilled.   But it again proves that it does not matter how many ugly sweaters you put him in, we will still watch.

Welcoming in 2014 and the khotties I want to see more of!

Choi Jin hyuk - Emergency couple airs this Saturday and I am excited to see our very own Papa Gumiho as the lead.

Kim Woo Bin - Come on already he deserves to get the girl and not just steal our hearts away from the OTP.

Hyun Bin- I know that he has a movie (The Kings Wrath) coming out this year but is it to much to ask that he come back to dramas.  It has been three years and a military service ago since Secret Garden.

Kim Nam Gil - I loved him in Shark (mostly because he is Kim Nam Gil regardless of how lazy the writers got) and I cant wait to see him in Pirate.  He is always at his best scruffy and kind of crazy. 

 And that officially completes my review of the great year that was 2013.  Lets cross our fingers that this next year will be equally as entertaining for us Kdrama junkies.

Wishing you all a wonderful 2014
Sincerely,
Kmuse

A Kdrama Christmas : A guide to the closing dramas of 2013.

 So every year it hits Christmas time and I have to always tighten the belt, money wise, because providing Christmas for three awesome children always takes up the extra that we have.  So rather then give each other gifts my husband and I just decide that enjoying the holiday season as a family is present enough.  And for the last three years I have mentally given myself my own special kind of Korean present.  I settle in and gorge myself on all of the end of year dramas that start up.  In past years I have found that some of the best (or at least most addicting) dramas are the ones that start at the end of November and through December.  Secret Garden, Moon that Embraces the Sun, School 2013 and many more have always made the holidays extra entertaining for a poor mom who has to stay home.  So I decided to devote this blog post to all the (hopefully amazingly awesome............  please please please let them be awesome kdrama gods) dramas that are starting in the next several weeks.

I am one of those people that will give anything a try no matter how crazy the plot or casting of actors are so I am planning on starting the list from least interested (for me anyway) to the ones that I can barely wait for........  Seriously have been frothing at the mouth to see You From Another Star (previously man from another star and many other variations of this title) for 5 months.

Miss Korea

So the drama I really have the least interest as well as basic info about is Miss Korea.  Starring Lee Yeon-hee ( Ghost, Paradise Ranch) is a girl who peaked in high school and now has grown up to become an .........  elevator girl.   Hmmmm that is definitely something that you don't really aspire to be when you are a teenager.  Not only is she an elevator girl but the head elevator girl at a prestigious department store.  Her former schoolmates lead by Lee Seon-kyun (Pasta) decide to try and save their failing cosmetic company by turning her into Miss Korea.

Seo Sook Hyang is the writer for this drama and has done some dramas that have had descent success.  Both Pasta and Romance Town were all right dramas for me but neither really made me anxious for a re watch.  I just have a feeling that this drama is going to be a similar experience for me.  Ok but nothing to sub stalk. 

The Prime Minister and I

The Prime Minister and I is one of those dramas that came out of nowhere.  Around a month ago rumors started flying around that there was going to be a Korean remake of sound of music and the people being considered for the leads were Lee Bum Soo (History of a Salaryman, Giant, Iris 2) and Yoonah ( Love Rain).  Now I personally am a HUGE fan of Lee Bum Soo.  He is one of those actors that can do anything.  Comedy, melodrama, Sageuk, Action...........  He is a amazing character actor who I truly love.   And there is Yoonah while cute enough, she is not really much of an actress.  From the rumors running around, her agency is very invested in forcing her square idol peg into a circular acting hole regardless of what anyone thinks of her skills, so she got the part.  But never fear with super cutie actors Yoon Shi Yoon (Me to Flower, Flower Boy Next Door) and Lee Min Ho (Sword and Flower, Moon Embracing the Sun) we have a great male cast that can hopefully fill any gaps our leading lady might leave.

The plot was also something that there was a lot of speculation about.  Originally rumors were going around that it was going to be a modern day remake of Sound of Music with Yoonah being his kids music tutor.  But luckily it seems that premise has been dropped and instead our heroine is a spunky reporter who is going after a big story and ends up faking her identity and in a contract marriage with our leading man.  All while taking care of his rambunctious brood.  I do agree that I don't really see them as a couple right now and that the 20 year age gap is very apparent.  However, I have high hopes that with a good plot and some descent to good acting I can be sucked into the story.   So far the first teasers and stills are just so so and are not providing us with much info.  But it is Lee Bum Soo and I will stick with this drama to the end regardless of quality.

Prime Minister and I Teaser

You can see this drama airing on December 9th after Marry Him if you Dare ends.


Pretty Guy




So I have a confession to make.  Jang Keun Suk is one of my kdrama guilty pleasures.  I don't know why but I just love his acting.  Personally as a singer and just a star personality outside of acting he does nothing for me.  But put him in a snarky narcissistic fancy boy role and I adore him...... massive amounts of guyliner, jewelry, and hair gel be darned, I just love him.  Not to mention he possesses one of the best talking voices of any kdrama leading man.   He could sit in a chair and read the phone book and I would totally just close my eyes and listen to his voice.  So I am personally very happy he is coming back to dramas.  I know there is a lot of haters out there that are complaining about his choices of characters and that he is wasting his acting talent.  But since I like him playing this type of character you are not going to convince me that this role is a bad thing.  Maybe does not make a whole lot of sense plot wise, but other then that I am 100% on board.

Keep in mind that this drama is an adaption from a Japanese Manga of the same name.  So yes, it does sound a little bit weird but considering a lot of stuff that is adapted from Mangas it is not that out there.

We have our Hero (#1 narcissist) Dokgo Ma Te played by Jang Keun Suk ( You're Beautiful, Love Rain) who is said to be one of the most gorgeous men in Korea and in an effort to make money using his pretty appearance he decides to become a gold digger.   HEHEHE  already his character sounds fun.  Hong Yoo Ra ( Han Chae Young - Ad Genius Lee Tae Baek) becomes his gold digging mentor and he has to seduce ten of the top 1% it girls in South Korea as his homework.  Following behind him is Kim Bo Tong ( IU - Dream High, Your the Best Lee Soon Shin) who is everything average .............  I know IU is not really average but still she has a cute concept thing going for her so I can pretend she is average if they want us to................  She falls in love with our leading man and becomes his very own poor hurdle towards succeeding in his quest for a rich sugar mommy.

Pretty Guy Teaser

So this show does not look like it is going to have a lot of depth going for it but it does have potential to be a very fun romantic comedy and sometimes that is just what I need to lesson all of my serious dramas.  So bring on the ego and drama queen antics so I can have some fun laughs. 
 

You from another Star

SO I CAN BARELY CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS DRAMA.  I am a huge Kim Soo Hyun fan.  I loved loved loved him in The Moon Embracing the Sun as well as his movies The Thieves and Secretly Greatly.  He has that mix of super hot leading man and cute charming sweet guy next door that is hard to achieve.  In his first drama back after two years he is playing Do Min Joon who is an alien who crashed on Earth and has spent 400 years living in South Korean.  He is more or less the Korean Superman (minus the flying) and has a perfect appearance and enhanced vision, hearing, and speed.  He never ages so he is currently a professor at the local college.  He is very cynical about humans and all their messy feelings until he falls in love with Cheon Song Yi ( Jun Ji Hyun - Happy Together, The Thieves) a top hallyu actress. 

I was sold the second they said Kim Soo Hyun was going to be the leading man, but when I heard Jun Ji Hyun was going to be his costar I could not have been happier.  It has been 14 years since her last drama, but she has been busy creating herself into a true Korean movie star.  She and Kim Soo Hyun were two of the actors in the amazing ensemble drama The Thieves and shared one of my favorite kdrama kisses.  While they did not officially hook up in the movie the burned the screen with their intense chemistry and I am sure that the drama's director is hoping that it continues on into this project.  You from another Star begins December 11th following Heirs.  

They do not have a teaser for this drama out yet so instead I tried to find "THE KISS" on youtube.  But after I found it (and watched it around 10 times) I could not post it onto my blog for some reason..........................  SO PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING.

STEP 1.  COPY THE FOLLOWING 

            www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDsRPWb67vE

STEP 2 .  PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER

STEP 3.  PUSH PLAY & WATCH THE MOST AWESOME KISS (NOT A SPOILER FOR THE PLOT JUST AN AMAZING KISS)

STEP 4.  REPEAT AS MANY TIMES AS NEEDED TO CONVINCE YOU TO WATCH THIS DRAMA.

             

So that concludes my Christmas gift to all you kdrama addikts out there.  Be sure to pick a great new drama, grab some hot cocoa, snacks and enjoy.  I of course will be keeping you all updated on my favorites, and who knows, maybe I will even be inspired to review one of them weekly.  Until then, have a great weekend full of kdramas.

Sincerely,
Kmuse.