Twenty Again episode 8: Tides Turning All Over the Place

Things really start to turn around in many different facets of our little story here in this episode. Our leading lady is proving to us and those that know her that she is still made of the same tough material that shaped her as a young lady and no stupid cheating husband or grumpy professor former friend is going to hold her back. No sir! Not our Ha No Ra!

Oh My Ghostess eps 7 and 8: OH MY!

That kiss!!! THAT KISS!! OH MY GGGGGHOST! THAT KISS!!!!!! Toe-curling, foot-popping, butterfly-inducing kiss! And this time it was real and not just a dream!!!!!!!!

I Remember You ep 8: Remember Me Already, Dang It!

We turn up the creepy quotient considerably and confirm some long-held suspicions (finally!) in this episode. We also continue to have special moments with our leading man. You know, because he's so gorgeous and distracting and inspiring of naughty thoughts. So you'll have to forgive me a little fangirling in the midst of all the creepy and big reveals.

It's like I've died and gone to heaven

Pinocchio ep 8: THE CURSE IS BROKEN!

That's right folks, as the title of this post indicates, I am declaring the Park Shin Hye Kissing Curse to be BROKEN!!!!  He did it!!!  Lee Jong Suk, out of all the amazing and talented leading men she has been paired up with in the past, was finally "the man" for her. Success!!!!  I knew she had it in her! This is such an epic day that brings me all sorts of happy. Let's observe a moment of silence in gratitude for and acknowledgement of the enormity that is the passing of the curse.

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The Joseon Gunman Episode 7 & 8 - I Love A Good Nemesis

We spent this week mentally traveling in circles as everyone tried to figure out if Hanjo really is Yoon Kang, with varying degrees of success.  And while I thoroughly enjoyed this layer of the drama I am really starting to anticipate Yoon Kang working his way up the levels of liars to the powerful men that really framed his father.

Is it upsetting anyone else how stupid all of the people in Yoon Kang's life seem to be.  They don't think anything of screeching his name willy nilly  even though he is wanted for treason.  WTH little sis?  Have some common sense and realize that he is ignoring you for a reason and maybe you should not go crying that he is your brother for every psycho ahjussi to hear.  Your brother is not giving you negative head shakes and slapping you just for the fun of it.

Have a bit of 2nd lead regret.  Hye-Won is such a great character and I sometimes find myself wishing she was the lead.  It is not that I don't like Soo In, but some times I find her lack of common sense and life skills annoying.  I just wish that Yoon Kang was in love with someone who would be an actual asset in his quest for the truth, rather than a cute but bumbling girl who hurts his situation more often than helps it.  I truly hope to see Jeon Hye Bin have larger roles in future projects since she is doing such a great job.

The same can't really be said about the 2nd male lead.  Kim Ho-Kyung  is just so plain vanilla in a drama full of colorful and dynamic characters.  I can see how the writers initially set up his character to be interesting and dynamic but somewhere he has been whitewashed in the execution.  He is the illegitimate son of the 2nd in command of the traditionalist party.  He is pretty much giving his father the bird as he becomes one of the leaders of the progressive movements.  Ho Kyung should be that perfect mix of defiant son/bad boy that we viewers love to love.  But instead Soo In's maid leaves more of an impression on my mind (wow she is annoying) than Ho Kyung does.  I am crossing my fingers that we get more character development for him in the 2nd half of the drama since I know that the actor is better than this.  He was one of the few things I enjoyed about King's Family, but is just falling to the wayside in this drama.

I find the Choi's family and their political dynamic fascinating.  Yes, Choi Won Shin is on the side of the conflict that we consider the "bad guys".  He is a killer for hire and trains men as highly efficient mercenaries yet we see that he does have a heart when it comes to his daughter Hye-Won.  A daughter who was a slave and saved by Won Shin and elevated to her current position.  It is obvious that she is his weak spot and might be his downfall in the future.  It is very enjoyable that Won Shin is a perfect nemesis for Yoon Kang.  Both men are surviving the best that they can and deathly capable in combat as well as fighting with their wits.  They are so evenly matched that you never know who is ahead in the game they are playing and that keeps the story interesting and moving forward.

We end episode 8 with a smoke filled bang as Yoon Kang successfully saves his sister just as Yeon Ha is about to be touched by the pervy minister of justice. Yoon Kang utilizes Soo In's ability to create a smoke bomb and uses it as a distraction to sneak in and save his sister.  Unfortunately he is forced to murder the scuzzy minister in the process since he was about to slice Yeon Ha with a sword for attacking him as he was attacking her.  Yoon Kang then takes that moment, a moment which would be better spent running away before the smoke clears, to have a touching reunion scene with his sister.  Which again would be so much more touching if it was not right as one of the gunman get his scope set on the siblings.  Luckily the bad guy misses and we get to see Lee Joon Ki do that awesome gun cocking spinney move he does.  I am taking a wild guess that Yoon Kang escapes to fight another day.

-Random Thoughts-

Was surprised at the flashback where Yoon Kang was having a rough time in Japan.  For some reason I had just assumed that he was taken in and raised up from the moment he was fished from the sea. 

I am really enjoying the king and the political aspects of this drama.  My only complaint is that we get too little politics (sorry I am a total junky for historical/political maneuverings) and too much creepy old ahjussi ringing his hands and plotting in his sinister whiny voice.

 His secret identity is kind of a poorly kept secret.  Everyone knows (except for our two leading ladies) and is acting accordingly with that knowledge.  Evil merchant Choi is out to expose him while still keeping his trade agreement with the Japanese, bestie Jung Hoon is suddenly taking an interest in his job and helping Yoon Kang with all his schemes, and sister is just being dragged all about with a constant upset look on her face and no deeper thoughts.  (I am kind of remembering why I was not fan of that child actress.  Definitely has the one upset look down pat and does not deviate).  It will be interesting to see how he gets out of being tried for treason when his identity is so well know.   If I had a wish I would love to see him hook up politically with the king to make change happen.

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Kmuse

Gap Dong Episode 8 - Bonding and Nunchucks.

We were blessed with a bit more sensible episode tonight when compared to yesterdays crack induced writings.  But don't worry, there were still plenty of things that make you go "huh?"  to keep us entertained.  We get the fifth murder (kind of a snooze fest compared to the others) and plenty of bonding time with our resident psychopath.  I am still in mini mode so these are just a few of my thoughts that popped through my mind while watching.  Hopefully I will be back to normal next week.  So without further ado, lets delve into the surreal world of Gap Dong.

I think I would actually donate money to the cause of killing off the female characters in this drama.  They just don't want to live, so why should we the viewers deny them the chance to die?  Ji Wool especially seemed OK with the whole death by psycho thing as she is taken hostage (kinda/sorta) by Tae Oh in a plan to drive the Mad Monk even more mad.

"I am the fifth victim right? Ah, this is where my fate ends."  Ji-Wool flashbacks to seeing Moo-Yeom and Maria Oh in the most awkward embrace ever filmed.  "I feel like I'm OK dying at this point.  Let's go.  Where do you want me to die?"  Yes, this is the actually comments she utters when being faced with her untimely death.   I have a feeling even Tae Oh is beginning to wonder how he became the sane one in this twisted tale.  

They take a slow ride to his chosen killing spot.  During the various stops and conversations between the two we get to see her hug him close as they speed off into the night.   OH!!!  I get it.  Her wanting to die is all a ploy to be able to hold onto the hottie psycho intimately in a sexy motorcycle ride.  That truly can be the only reason to be such a willing and eager victim.  

So I am not sure if it is the bullet rattling around in his brain, or just the fact that he has never really been totally sane, but our crazy monk is on a mission to kill.  I personally could not stop laughing when Chul Gon comments about his lack of a gun, Moo Yeom just looks up smiles, and pats the nunchucks that are hanging on his hip.  HAHAHAHAHA  I don't need no stinking gun.  I have nunchucks.  My mind has officially been boggled.  

I am not sure if this was meant to be funny or if I was supposed to think it was super cool that we have a nunchuck toting vigilante cop running amok, but the director/writers really liked to make sure that we knew he had a pair with him since there was constant panning to the weapon throughout the episode.  Somehow he just does not seem as dangerous carrying them around, then he would if he had, say a knife.  But maybe that is just me.

So instead of taking Moo Yeom to some dark and secluded place to put us all out of our misery and kill the ditzy twit, Tae Oh takes her to see the sunrise at the beach.   Yes, the beach, where they bond over some girl talk about feelings and their crushes. Writers, why are demasculinizing the one character that is worth watching in this drama.  Where is the scary, where is the sinister, instead I feel like they are about to braid each others hair and talk boys.

I keep expecting the classic Gap Dong to be someone that is outside of the mental institution for some reason.  Or maybe there is a team that was Gap Dong in the past.  Or maybe it was serial killer aliens that come to earth to rampage every 20 years.  I just have a feeling that these writers are just waiting to send us on a million wild goose chases to discover the real Gap Dong.  I am at the point where I even randomly suspect the Monk and all the various police involved in the case.  With these writers there is no lack of possibilities on who they might make into the "big bad".  For that matter, maybe they don't even know who the bad guy is yet.  But for now things are looking awfully suspicious for the inmate with the funky facial hair.  

In a fit of pip Moo Yeom declares that he is going to do it and kill the fifth victim to save the ditzy girl (not that I think he is actually going to do it).  Luckily there is a plethora of high school girls roaming about just asking to be snatched and murdered.  However just when you start wondering if he has some kind of plot to trick the bad guy it time jumps to night (I am guessing he did not actually kill anyone, thank goodness for some sanity remaining in the script.)

Tae Oh is in a dark alleyway, a body at his feet.  He takes a picture of a distinctive painted fingernail and texts it to all the police.  But of course we are not lucky enough to really have Ji-Wool killed off.  She is safe and sound still crying about Moo Yeom hugging another women as another poor teenager is murdered in her place.

My Musings:
As I said earlier the actual murder in this episode was a little on the boring side.  I did enjoy Tae Oh reflecting inward and trying to understand why he is doing what he is.  However the idea that Dr Maria could save you from your killing tendencies is pretty ridiculous.  The girl is not the type to lean on in a difficult situation and I constantly expect her to start falling apart anytime something happens.  Our Mad Monk is kind of getting on my nerves.  He is always screaming that he is going to get the bad guy, yet he keeps getting outsmarted over and over.  It is a very one sided fight right now.  

I hope you enjoyed just a few of my thoughts about the episode.  Yet again, I don't really think this is a good show, but it sure is a great show to make fun of.  See you next week when we get to find out what new and crazy situations our cast can get into.  Until then I wish you a drama filled week.

Sincerely,
Kmuse

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