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

JUNSU!!! {Monday Morning Therapy with Dongsaeng}

***UPDATED***  Tuesday:  In case you missed it, or because it's worth seeing over and over and over again, here is the replay of Junsu's comeback showcase.  How fantastic was it?!?!  I actually managed to wake up at 3 to watch it and it was so worth the lost sleep.  Soooo worth it.  He was INCREDIBLE!!!  My favorite was the giant smile on his face.  He was just beaming.  This was such a huge victory in a hard-fought, long war and worth celebrating to the fullest.  The significance is not lost on us Xia sweetie.  We are so proud of you and how far you've come!!!  And we wish you the absolute best as time goes on.  Next step - let's get you on TV music programs shall we?  Come on Korea - it's time to welcome him back with open arms.  He's paid his dues and then some.  Don't waste such an amazing talent with petty bickering and dirty backroom music politics.  Not that I have an opinion on the matter ;)  Anyway, crusade talk aside, here's Xia's triumphant return with Incredible...



***Original Post***
I'm choosing to post this a little early because there's a major event happening in less than 6 hours.  At 7PM (Monday) KST, there will be a live streamed COMEBACK SPECIAL for the one and only Junsu/Xia!!!!  His new album has just been released a little over an hour ago, and going along with this release is this very exciting (shall I even say HISTORIC) broadcast.  A broadcast that almost wasn't, but thankfully all got worked out in the end.  And no, I don't want to talk about it.  It still stings a little.  Music world politics messing with our fragile JYJ fangirl hearts.  Big meanies.  I'm just glad that after everything that went on behind the scenes, it's actually happening.  This is HUGE you guys!  HUGE!!!

So yeah, wherever you are at 7PM KST, stop what you're doing and watch this showcase!  Even if it's at 3am like it is for me.  uhhhh...yeah...Junsu love, I will most certainly try my best to be there baby.  I've got it all queued up on the phone ready to go so I'm not blurry-eyed searching for a link at 3am.  Hoping for the best!  Also hoping for a recording later in case I miss the live show.  But I sure hope I don't miss the live show.

Want a little taste of what is to come?  Have you seen the new video that just came out?????  I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love him in this video.  Junsu's dancing is just so...so...so...yeah.  So very very yeah.  I love it.  I can't get enough of it.  There's just something about the way this boy moves.  It's no secret who my bias is, but even I have to admit the great appeal that Jae's fellow group member possesses.  And after watching something like this video, I really appreciate the vast talent held within JYJ (and the former DBSK - AKTF/Cassie4lyfe!).

Okay, enough of my chatter.  Who wants to listen to me drone on when there's fresh JUNSU offerings to partake of???  It's all good guys - I totally get it.  HAWT NEW JUNSU coming up!!!  I promise, it's Incredible!  ;)



Have a wonderful Monday and an XIA-cellent week!  (yeah, I know it doesn't work perfectly, but just roll with it - I'm trying here).

Unnie's Wednesday Write Up: {{Fan Girling All Over the Place!}}

I don't have a lot of time AddiKts.  My parents are in town, 4th of July was yesterday, my youngest's 7th birthday is today, & I'm trying to help my teen get packed for 2.5 weeks of sleep away camp in Northern WI, which he leaves for tomorrow morning, at the crack of dawn.  It's been just a tad bit busy in this house this week.  Okay it usually is pretty busy but this week is on steroids!  So Just 2 things of great importance that I am squeeing about & have to freak out & let my fan girl go Krazy for & no other place, I can think of, I can go, & have a little KPop happy dance, is better than this here K everything blog.  ;)

Now unless you were in a cave somewhere, incapacitated by a coma, or off planet, then you know that Junsu's latest single, off his latest album, finally dropped in iTunes around the world.  Along w the most amazing MV!!  If not then let me tell you all about it & listen to me while I go totally fan girl insane!  No really.  Ask my kids.  You guys know I heart The Junsu.  Like seriously, I heart him as one of my favoritest of the favorites!  He has the most divine voice & he is so cute, funny, talented, incredibly sexy.  There is KHJ, Bae Young Joon, Junsu, Kang Ji Hwan & then GD.  My TOP 5 crushes.

So I watched his MV first thing Tuesday morning, still laying in bed dazed & trying to wake up fully while I  watched the MV.  Which of course, since I was still waking up meant that I HAD to watch it only about  5000 times in a row {{& somewhere in there purchase the single off  iTunes}}.  It's still being played repeatedly over my iPod.  Oh Junsu your voice is ah-mazing!  The MV starts off the 1st half in total a Capella.  Just the purity of Junsu's beautiful voice.  Then the piano comes in very softly & at the same time the filters on the MV change very subtly.  It was mesmerizing.  Perfectly suited to the song & the feelings they were going for.  Now Dongsaeng postulated that it would be awesome if the person playing the piano were none other than, JYJ group member Jaejoong, her idol.  I thought that would be perfect too.  So fingers crossed it is JJ.

Now the most amazing part of this video is two fold; one Junsu is singing completely LIVE w just nature sounds in the back ground & two the MV was done in ONE single shot/take.  No fancy editing.  just Junsu. Raw, emotional, moving & brilliantly talented.  I have to admit that lately MOST of the MVs that have been coming out have felt, to me, very cookie cutter, very random & chaotic with too much crap shoved it of everything that is supposed to be cool in an over the board attempt to be cool.  but when you try that hard to be cool well it isn't cool.  So I honestly haven't that big a fan of a lot of the MVs recently.  But this one blew my mind.  It was spectacularly simple.  Brilliantly simple.  I LOVED it.  As for the song itself...I think, again this my opinion, it's the perfect sad, break up , unrequited love song.  Perfect for gloomy days, sad days, days when I need a good cry.  It has an OST feel to it.  I could totally picture this song being used in one of those horribly sad breakup, lost love scenes in a K Drama.

But enough fan girling here is the MV.

Junsu 11 am MV


{{BTW, if you want the translation of the lyrics into English, click on the 'CC' button at the bottom of the MV}}...  Enjoy!

Junsu, even my 14 year old son, who prefers Dub step & Big Bang LOVED the MV, he was blown away.

And this brings me to my 2nd Fan Girl Krazed moment of today.  I got home from shopping with my kids to pick up the last of my teen's needs for camp & helping my 7 year old pick out his birthday present & found that a big announcement came through for my very first crush.


KIM HYUN JOONG is COMING BACK TO K Dramas!!!  


According to Han Cinema he is anyway....  It doesn't say when BUT he IS coming back...provided that KDramaland doesn't disappoint us again.  {{AKA The City Conquest Debacle}}  The title of his next drama, date unknown, is "Generation of Youth".   Shanghai 1930s Film Noir.  I look forward to more details & will give them on the FB page or my Unnie FB/Twitter pages when I know more.

I CANNOT WAIT!!!  Is the understatement of the year!!


I have loved being able to see him every single week on Barefoot Friends.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching him lose his swim trunks this week racing (& losing) against little pro in training divers.  I have no idea what the BFF concept is for the show as it keeps changing its format & concept each week.  But I LOVE the cast, yes especially KHJ, & I believe they are finally getting comfortable with one another & the newbies are getting comfortable with a camera in their faces too.  So if you haven't BFF check it out when you get the chance.  The first few eps are slow & long but it has picked up its pace quite nicely, even though they still haven't figured out the purpose of the show.

And one last KHJ squee worthy video...


Finally he sings/performs Gwiyomi for his fans.  So cute!!!

Okay now I really need to get back to my family.  Have a great week & my parental units leave next Tuesday morning, I will work on getting those GFB reviews out to you as fast as I can starting Tuesday.  Thank you for your patience!

Saranghamnida,

Happy Birthday to The Kim Brothers

It's birthday tribute time on TCA AddiKts.  We took our weekend to be with our families & say our prayers for the victims, & their families, of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, in Newtown CT.  We send our heartfelt condolences to the entire community of Newtown, CT.  But it is time... time to get back into the process of living again.   In that vein, we announce, it is time for another TCA Birthday Tribute...

준수-씨, 준호씨 - 생일축하해 

Junsu-ssi, Junho-ssi - Saengil Chukhahae

Happy Birthday Junsu & Junho

Warning:

This birthday tribute is aimed at both Kim Junsu & his brother Kim Junho as I like both men, but I am a little Junsu biased, so this birthday tribute, while for both, will be more about Junsu than his brother. 

The first time I saw Junsu was when I saw JYJ for the first time, in their MV for "Get Out".  Omo!!  Such a wonderful MV, I was primarily watching for Jaejoong, as I was watching Protect the Boss at the time but discovered the other 2 very schmexy men & amazing singers in Junsu & Yoochun.  I didn't see Junsu again until I watched Scent of a Woman, where he gave a cameo performance, as himself, singing at a fan meeting.  And when Kim Sun Ah's character was the luckier than lucky winner of the private meet & greet/dinner with Junsu, he totally & completely forever won my heart, when he asked her what she liked about him?  His cute face or his cute butt?  Omo!!  My answer?  BOTH!!  (^_-)  So stinking cute!  And then he sang so beautifully into her phone for her to keep & that was it, right there!  He owned me.  Happy Sigh.  So romantic & sweet & yep he owned me.

So I looked up more about him online & watched more JYJ MVs & then when I learned about TVXQ (DBSK) I watched those MVs too.  I couldn't get enough Junsu, then I started following EYK & saw their Junsu centric posts, so daebak!  I can't think of him now without thinking of him as The Junsu (& thinking of bananas as well) giggle.  Throughout all of this I also discovered Junsu is a twin.  He has an older twin brother named Junho.

Both men are incredibly good looking & both men are incredibly talented.  It's been a joy to learn about them & watch them perform & wow us time & time again.  And I am looking forward to more, more, more of both in the future.

But this would not be a Birthday tribute without some yummy pictures of the ever so schemexy guys.

We, here at TCA, send many happy wishes for another wonderful year for both of the Kim Brothers.  We hope this finds them happy, safe, healthy & surrounded by the ones whom they love & trust the most.  And that they know how much happiness they have brought to us all with their talent, sweetness, adorable ways,  & smart personalities.

Junsu-ssi, Junho-ssi....  Aja!! Aja!!  Fighting!!

&

Happy Birthday !!!

Saranghae, 

The Crazy Ahjummas

(Unnie & Dongsaeng)
"Nuna" (누나) to you fellas...

P.S.
None of these pictures belong to TCA... we do not mean to steal or claim they are ours.  They were found in various sources on the web..including Google Images & Pinterest.  Please do not copy & use them as your own.  Thx, TCA

Unnie's WWU: Unnie Speaks!!

Since this is a Wednesday Write Up, not a review, I can talk about anything I want to.  First up, I apologize for not keeping up w/ my WWUs for the last couple of weeks.  After my trip to So Cal I went through a little post trip depression.  I missed my friends & the excitement & I just wanted to go back for more Big Bang.  Like a magic spell or hypnotism.  I LOVE my family but for the first time, in a REALLY long time, I did something just for me & as a result, I had a hard time accepting that my vacation was over.  A little post vacation blues if you will.  I decided that it was time for me to "reboot" myself.  I took a little break from all things K related to help me get past the blues.  Not completely cutting myself off.  After all I still had Full House 2 to watch.  I am so addiKted to that lovely piece of not serious fluff.  It has been the perfectly ordered medicine for my blues.  Minus the long weekend wait for the next episode.  That I don't like.  But the flip side of that is that I actually do, to a certain degree, look forward to Monday mornings.

So many wonderful things have been happening in the world of all things K.  Music videos, scandals, law suits ended, concerts, new shows, musical award show wins, MTV European Awards, & the world Star Craft competition.  So many things to talk about.  I don't even know where to begin.  Too many topics for my poor ahjumma brain.  So instead of talking about one thing I have decided to talk about all sorts of things that I've noticed but haven't really commented on just recently.  

*rubbing hands together* where to start? where to start???  

How about with this week's release of Lee Seung Gi's (aka Dimple)  latest Mini Album, "Forest".  It is a beautiful album.  And the first, hopefully not the last, song off the album to be get it's own MV & honestly the MV is really lovely.  That is the actual adjective I used when the video came to an end.  "Lovely" How often do I use that word?  Almost never.   And Lee Seung Gi's voice is amazing.  I loved the MV & the song.  But don't let me be the only one enjoying it.  See for yourself.  

Official Lee Seung Gi MV for Return (Looking Back):

See?  Lovely.  Perfectly lovely MV.  

Next up to talk about...(these btw are in no particular order)

Did I ever mention the fact that I am a PC gaming widow?  Yes, yes I am.  My husband loves online video games.  His current poison is DiabloIII.  He & our 14 yr old monstrosity play against each other a lot.  It would be more but I have strict usage rules for the kids.  Anyway a couple of weeks ago CA came to me excitedly to report on something K related to me.  The huge Star Craft World Competition.  On Nov 17th & 18th Professional Star Craft players around the globe competed against one another in this global competition.  it took place in Shanghai this year.  it also included World of Warcraft players as well...

From the actual Webpage:

"The field has now been narrowed to the 32 best StarCraft II players and 10 best World of Warcraft Arena teams—each of whom will face off for more than $500,000^* in prizes and the title of world champion."

Now granted I didn't tune in, neither did CA.  But he was giddy that he could tell me about something that had to do with my AddiKtion.  Usually it's the other way around.  Although he hardly ever gets excited when I try & tell him about this or that.  His typical reaction is to just nod his head benignly, smile & say, "Oh that's nice."   Still I loved his participation.  What a sweetie for trying to keep clued into the K world.  

Let's see what's next?  Ahhh yes, there was the HUGE scandal that wasn't really a scandal at all when IU accidentally Tweeted a pic of her & Eunhyuk's (of Super Junior fame) picture was released of her in her jammies.  And everybody either cheered them on or freaked out that they were "possibly" in bed together.  is it because they're Naughty Naughty?  Nah. According to IU's peeps it was taken on a day when IU was really sick & Eunhyuk came to visit her & try to make her feel better.  What is the real story?!?!  Oh the heck cares?!?  Really.  If they are dating, good for them!  If they are just friends, good for them!  What happens to them in their personal life, should stay their personal life.  IMHO I hope they find happiness, whether it's together or not I don't care.  There was also the cry of they did it on purpose as a publicity stunt.  People get better lives.  Step away from the magic box & stop jumping to conclusions & "judgments"   Whether it was legit or a set up who cares.  Not me.  It was a cute picture of them both.  And anytime Eunhyuk wants to come & take a pic with me, I'll be happy to participate.  Ahem...in my jammies or out of them.   >:)

And how stinking cute is GD's dad when he brags about what a good son GD is & how proud he is of him?!?!  Omo!!  Omo!!  So cute!  What a sweet dad.  Just the idea of getting a weekend stay at their new vacation house sounds wonderful.  I love that his mom decorated a room just for GD & that his dad was very specific in that the "Ji Yong Crayon" room would not be rented out, ever.  Fine by me, as long as GD is staying there the same weekend I am.  Let's just keep that info from CA when I ask him if I can go by myself for vacation to Seoul.  I have no intention of telling him I plan to stalk oppas in person.  

As for awards? Well, Psy took home the award for Music Video of the year from the MTV Euro Awards & I say good for you Psy oppa!  You rock.  Well done.  I'm also happy to report I still hear "Gangnam Style" on the radio here pretty regularly.  yesterday I saw an article that said he was up for "Man of the Year" from Time Magazine.  I was so happy for him.  Fingers crossed he wins, he gets my vote.   Then today I saw this article from "Gawker", talking about how Bill O'Reilly recently dedicated an entire segment to Psy & the "Gangnam Style" MV, & it's popularity.  Although all O'Reilly & his idiot sidekick "Dr" Albow manage to do, is prove their stupidity, racist tendencies, & the fact that they are in fact cut off from the real world, by simply opening their mouths.  2 biggest morons on the planet IMHO right now.  But I want you guys to remember that not all conservatives are like Bill O'Reilly.  He's a special kind of stupid all on his own.  I know lots & lots of conservatives that are great, loving, compassionate, people.  Me?  I don't talk politics.  I keep all my political feelings to myself.  Trust me I am informed & have strong opinions BUT they are my business & no one else's.  To quote my daughter whom I just overheard telling off her brothers, when they started arguing, "End of discussion!"  hehehehe...it was seriously so awesome listening to her telling them off.  

And another awesome award, more than well deserved, was when my favorite JYJ man, Xiah Junsu, won at the Musical awards, for his performance in the musical "Elisabeth".  If anyone can get me a legal copy of that musical on DVD I will gladly kiss you.  Or you know, less creepy, pay you.  I actually cried when I read about his win & his wonderfully humble speech.  I was so happy for him to finally be recognized.  Way way way overdo.  Junsu Fighting!

But that is not the only good news for JYJ...

No our Mickey has also received praise for his latest K drama performance in I Miss You.  I admit freely I have not started this one yet.  I want to.  I really really want to.  But it's a melodrama & I have a hard time with those.  I really prefer comedy & rom/com over melodrama.  I get far too emotionally involved & have been known on more than one occasion to do the big ugly cry over a melodrama.  You know the cry...the one where you gasp for air you're crying so hard & you have snot running form your nose & your choking.  Your face gets all red & blotchy & you find yourself wondering for your sanity.  It's a TV show!  Why am I crying so hard over a TV show?  What is wrong with me?  I'm already not a pretty crier so I try to avoid those shows.  I hear great things about I Miss You though & am just waiting for it to either get at least 1/2 way through it's live airing before I start or I might wait till Winter break & just marathon it one day.  It would help if we got a nice big snow storm during winter break & the kids & I were stuck in the house.
{^_-}

And then last night I heard the most amazing news!!  Best news I've heard all year long.  A few months ago you remember I went off & did a serious post about my frustration with the treatment that our beautiful JYJ received in their home country from certain entertainment affiliates.  To date still my most read post, in a 24 hour period, on TCA.   Well last night, a friend posted the news on FB & Twitter that the JYJ/SMEnt court battle has come to a close.  That is MY Christmas Miracle, my fellow AddiKts.  Have you heard?  Allkpop released the news first here.  And I was so excited.  I had a difficult time falling asleep last night.  And it kept me going this morning as I battle a sore throat & stuffy head.  And all I could think was that now maybe we'll get to see our boys on Korean Music shows finally.  Inkigayo Mnet etc...  Maybe Jaejoong's wish to be on an episode of Running Man will come true & I was giddy!!  Until that same friend posted this article quoting the responses of the major stations in SK to the news of the dropped suits.  Which in my opinion translates into KBS is fine with having the boys on their shows.  However, MBC & SBS are too cowardly to say they'll have them on their channels because they haven't yet been given the "all clear" from SMEnt or it's allegedly corrupt President.  But I am cautiously optimistic that it will all have a happy ending for JYJ.  If anyone deserves the "Happily Ever After" ending, it's JYJ.  Don't you think?  

Now you may be asking, "Unnie do you think it was your article that blew the whole thing over & caused SMEnt to finally give our guys a break?"  Well....*blushing* you said it, not me.  {{Giggle.  Just kidding.}}  Of course I don't.  I doubt, I or my little article, had absolutely anything to do with it at all.  I'm not that naive or that vain.

Let's see I'm also watching King of Dramas, up to episode 3.  Siwon rocks the comedic timing in this one.  Way better than his performance, so far, in Oh My Lady.  So between the epic awesomeness of the hair styles in FH2 & Siwon's performance in KOD, & Dimple's new MV/album release, I am a happy happy unnie.   I'm gearing up for more holiday fun & for Winter Break & for a new year.  A new year, new dramas, new music, new music videos & more TCA blogging & reviews.  And that Addikts wraps up my WWU.  I hope you have all had a great Nov.  And I hope you have a great Dec.  I will be back next week as well.  No worries.  I'll probably disappear again as I get closer to Christmas but I will do my best to not neglect my WWU's until then.  

Saranghamnida, 

P.S. I apologize if this post rambles or makes no sense.  Like I said I am battling the beginning part of a cold & this post took all day to write because the computer screen made my head hurt so much.  So I had to keep stopping myself & starting again later.  Which means this post is probably disjointed & makes no sense in places.  I'm also on cold meds.  Ooo I am high as a kite.  Not really.  It's just Dayquil.  But it still gives me blank spots in my head.  Does that make any sense?  Plus I just had a lot of different topics & things I had been setting aside to talk about with all of you.  As usual I hope you got a giggle or chuckle & that my post made you smile at least a little.  Lots o' love guys!!

JYJ Solidarity Day *End of special day Edit*

Hey guess what TCA is doing today 10-12-12 on FB?

We're going to join our friends in an impromptu celebration;

JYJ Solidarity Day.  

Picture source credit goes to Bonstanceus
Thanks B-Chan!

We want to celebrate the class & dignity & grace these guys have shown in the face of trials.  

Do you not know why we want to show our JYJ solidarity?  Go Here & read the story.

We just decided it yesterday but have been so busy we haven't been able to really advertise it.  So I'm doing that now.

How do you participate?

Easy peasy!

Just change your Facebook Cover/Profile, or BOTH, picture to any picture you want of JYJ.  That's it.

Oh & spread the word.  People need to know what went down this week.  We'd like to show our wonderful JYJ guys how much we love & support them. And more importantly that SM & SBS have no real power.  Won't you guys join us in little display of love?  Oh come on, you know you want to.

You know my favorite picture, so why don't you show me yours!  Change your cover & then head on over to TCA FB or visit TCA on Twitter or me on Twitter & show me the picture too.

Fill up the Twitter & FB feed w/ pics of our beautiful JYJ?!?!?

Who doesn't want to see that?!?!?!

See you there AddiKts!

Saranghamnida,
Unnie & Dongsaeng!

*****************EDIT***************
Thank you so much to all of you who participated in the JYJ Solidarity Day on FB & Twitter!  We had so much fun!  We should do a JYJ Solidarity Day everyday!!  Oh heck yeah!  Any day my FB & Twitter feeds fill up w/ hawt pics of JYJ is an awesome day to me.  It was like opening dozens of boxes of Happy!

TCA received emails & Tweets & FB messages & even comments on this here blog.  The outpouring of love for JYJ from our readers & fellow AddiKts was overwhelming for this crazy ahjumma!  Thank you for your wonderful support for JYJ.  Over the last few years they have treated us w/ amazing music, beautiful voices, sexy hot dance moves & humor & love, & exemplary examples of dignity & grace.  We know that none of the JYJ boys or any of  our fav K Idols will ever read this here modest little ahjumma post/blog & that they are completely unaware that it's even here, which is totally fine...we don't do this for them.  We do it for you guys!  {{and for ourselves because we're AddiKts too!}}  However, I am so glad that we could help spread the word on such talented guys.

And AddiKts thank you again for the lovely things you said about Dongsaeng & myself.  It was a very emotional day today.  Knowing that we have helped even a few of you to not feel so alone in the lovely K World & that you love us as much as we love you, has made the many, many late nights writing, drafting, organizing these blog posts so worth it all.  {{I doubt CA will agree with me there...he misses his wife.  Giggle.}}  But to me, & I know to Dongsaeng, it means the world.

Komawo chingus.  Saranghae!
구마워 친구를.  사랑해!
Thanks friends.  (We) Love you!
Unnie

Unnie's Wednesday Write Up: The Flip Side of the KPop Sparkle

While perusing various ideas for this week's WWU I decided to once again poll friends & readers to see if any of them could help me unblock the writer's block.  Just some topic that would spark an interest in my brain & get it moving again.  Thank you peeps for the many creative ideas that now reside on my iPad for future use.  Then I saw an article that a friend posted on FB, that detailed the recent mistreatment of one of my favorite KPop stars, Kim Junsu (Xiah) of JYJ.  What he had to endure at the hands of one of the top entertainment companies in Seoul, is deplorable.  Now to be honest this is not the first time this company or one of its underlings has snubbed our lovely Junsu or the rest of the guys from JYJ.  Oh no.  It's just another example of the blacklisting & bullying our boys have had to endure in the last 3 years.

Pardon me AddiKts as I take a brief departure from our usually light hearted topics & delve a little deeper into a subject that I feel very strongly about.  I hope that you stick through this post & hear my plea at the end. I am one of those people that have never been able  to sit idly by & allow people to be bullied.  No I have always done by my best to stand up for those I see being treated unfairly, unjustly or with cruelty.  Will my little post make a difference I highly doubt it but at least I went down fighting the only way I could.

Let's get back to my topic this week....
Now most of you already know of the details as to why JYJ has been blacklisted (IE Banned) by the beasts of the South Korean Entertainment industry, aka SMEntertainment & SBS, but there are a few of you that are unaware of the details, so for you I will give a few background details...

In 2004 a new group called, DBSK entered into the world of K Pop.  The group included 5 incredibly talented young men.  Including the 3 men who would later go on to form JYJ.  What happened?  Well the boys, who were all signed by SMEnt, as TEENAGERS, entered into a grossly unfair contract.  A contract that would then give the bulk of their earnings back to the conglomerate SME, something that SMEnt is well known for doing. Taking advantage of the talent it signs at incredibly young ages.  Thereby leaving their talent, {{with all their hours & hours w/ very little sleep or down time because they are too busy; training, touring, promoting, singing, dancing, entertaining, as if they were slaves w/ very little to show for their hard work, sincere effort, sweat & tears}} out in the cold, contract wise.  Figuring out that this contract was grossly unfair, 3 of the 5 members of DBSK, 5 years later, decided that they would try to renegotiate their contract, all to no avail.  Here is where it gets tricky.  What happened to the other 2 men?  No one really knows.  No one knows for sure if it was all 5 men wanted out of the contract & the other two changed their minds, or if the other 2 were pressured to change their minds or if they were never a part of the break away to begin with.  Only those parties on the inside would know those details of the break up, and so far no one is talking.  The other 2 men, also incredibly talented stayed w/ SME & continued to be DBSK.  Meanwhile Kim Jaejoong, Park Yoochun & Kim Junsu decided to take their case to the courts.  And they won.  Their contract was declared invalid by the court.

Once the court declared the contract invalid,  they thought they were free of the SME snare.  However, they have found themselves in quite the opposite of that original belief....this story is far from over.  Appeals were filed, of course.  Years of dragging this & the guys through the court systems.  Hearing after hearing all with no clear answer or ruling.  During all this court drama, allegedly SM began what amounts to nothing more than coercion, bribery, blatant blackmail, strong arming, & threatening.  Proving they are nothing more than playground bullies, who then "encouraged" the entire student body to blacklist the students, in this case JYJ.

Even though the men of JYJ won in court, SM once again, Allegedly - stepped in to interfere by ensuring that their contract w/ a Japanese based entertainment/production company, that was helping them to become JYJ,  would be stalled.  They have had numerous other troubles as well... everything from having a hard time getting passport clearances that would then enable them to promote their new album, to not being allowed to perform their songs on the stages of Inkigayo.  No wonderfully fun & zany appearances on variety shows, & certainly no interviews scheduled to help promote themselves.  Imagine being blacklisted & banned by your own countrymen?!?!   Now Allegedly - SME has managed to not just influence the South Korean entertainment companies to keep the men of JYJ off their stages but they have also somehow managed to allegedly attain control of the courts.  As once again the court's final decision has been delayed...this time...indefinitely.  When will this nightmare for our beautiful JYJ end?  Who knows.


Now what prompted my tirade against SM?  Well this week, Kim (Xiah) Junsu was invited to perform at the 32nd National PARA Games Opening Ceremony, hosted by none other than SBS.  A concert that was promoted w/ his name in full use for the event, drawing in thousands of fans.  He was scheduled to be the last performer of the evening.  However, just before the group ZE:A went on, Allegedly - SBS introduced them as the last performance of the evening.  And when ZE:A was done, the cameras were turned off & packed away.  At this point the MC for the night came back on stage & announced to the waiting & probably confused audience that Junsu was the actual last performance of the evening.  Remember by this point the cameras were packed, the show was no longer being filmed or airing on TV.  Did this blatant & disgusting show of blacklisting stop our Junsu?  No.  He went on stage w/ his beautiful smile showing the audience & the world that he was not going to be pushed under or aside by anyone.  By all accounts, he performed his songs full of energy & happiness, telling the audience he was "grateful to be invited to such a wonderful event" & then going on to say that this was his "first official gig as a solo artist and he was so happy to be there." 

Now there is a classy, graceful, intelligent, caring & inspiring man if ever there was one.  Our Junsu ever the dignified & gracious gentleman.  I was so proud of him!  What an example of grace under fire.  I applaud his humanity.  Thank you for your heart Junsu.  It's one of the reasons you are so loved by so many adoring fans.  

While my heart breaks for this amazing man, my insides seethe w/ anger at the injustice & cruelty of SBS & SME & the other cowardly companies who refuse to stand up to SM.  While the South Korean entertainment industry are patting themselves on the back for garnering attention around the world for the success of Psy's Gangnam Style, they are at the same time trying to push down one of the most talented & creative men/groups around, just because he & his fellow JYJ members had the audacity to stand up for themselves & ask for fair treatment & to be properly compensated for their grueling schedules.  THIS is the prime example of the "Flip Side of the KPop Sparkle".   Does this mean South Korea or all of the entertainment world found within are corrupt?  Of course not, what a ridiculous conclusion to jump to.  These few men that seem to hold the most power & influence seem to be the main reason things are bad for artists.  Remember what they say, "With absolute power, comes absolute corruption".  I think these conglomerates have way too much money & avarice & are as corrupt as they can be, which has gone to their heads & they have forgotten how to be decent human beings.  

The South Korean entertainment industry is known for its hard, tightly packed schedules for its talent.  Schedules that go all night long, filming schedules, concerts after concerts, promotional tours, endorsement deals, interviews.  Very little sleep, improperly balanced diets & it leaves our favorite K Idols exposed & vulnerable to car accidents, health issues, exhaustion, & I imagine is responsible for a big portion for the depression & suicide problems facing SK artists.  For a prime example of exhaustion leading to accidents, there was the huge car accident that nearly killed 3 members of the sensational group Super Junior, several years ago.  Which btw also happen to be a K Pop group under SMEnt.  There are no unions in South Korea & these companies work these men & women to the bone.  

I have not heard of this kind of malfeasance since McCarthyism took root in Southern California in the 50s & destroyed the careers & lives of anybody who stood up for themselves in the entertainment industry.  Today this would never fly in the US, where the talent gets final say in their contracts & their schedules.  Maybe you'd say US stars are spoiled & pampered too much, & I would wholeheartedly agree.  And I believe there are few to none of our US stars, that have 1/10 the same work ethic that our favorite K Idols have.  Do I still love K Pop & K Drama & South Korea?  Oh heck yeah!  But these things need to be changed.  These artists are human beings & they deserve to be treated fairly & paid fairly for the amount of work they put in.  They need to be protected from the greed & corruption they are forced to tolerate day in & day out. 

To that end I have a message for these corporations pushing out pop idols like automatons on a conveyor belt & pushing the talent to the breaking point.  Just so you know SME, & your dirty partners in crime, you know who you are btw, you can pat yourselves on the back for all the awesome attention that the KPop phenom is garnering.  But this means that the world is noticing you as well, which means the world is going to notice the dirty details soon enough.  You can only hide it for so long.  Then the whole thing will burst open & all your shady "under the table" dealings will be shown in the light of day.  

I will do my best to help expose you for the slime bags you really are, you might be saying who cares what a stay at home mom in the US thinks of all of this?  And you are probably right.  I am just a stay at home mom.  I live in the safety & comfort of my upper middle class white suburban neighborhood.  In the middle of nowhere Wisconsin.  I am little and yes I admit, to you, I am even insignificant.  But haven't you ever noticed how the little guy always wins in the end?  And eventually all of us little guys & girls will amount to one great big voice & we won't be silenced so easily.   Then like Daniel in the Lion's Den we'll prove that you, the evil in this story, cannot win.  Bullies never win.  Someday someone or something is going to stop you & justice will prevail.  Until that day I will continue to cheer on all of the JYJ members.  I will cheer for their hard earned success & I will cry at their conquests.  They say that it isn't surviving the trial that shows who you are, but surviving the trial w/ grace & dignity & a smile on your face.  So far I think JYJ is the winner.  All you are doing is proving you are too ignorant to see you are showing your true colors to the world by your treatment of these amazing men.    

The saddest part of the whole thing is that all of us who were not able to be there in the beginning of DBSK & witness them as the powerhouse they were.  Oh we have their YouTube MVs & fancams of their concerts etc... but if you have ever gone back & listened to their albums or seen their performances it is very obvious that this was THE group.  I am so sad that I will probably never get to see all 5 men together on stage or in a new MV.  I weep at the loss of friendship between the JYJ guys & Yunho & Changmin, the other 2 men of DBSK.  I can't imagine the heart break that JYJ has had to endure through their trials w/ their bullies.  How terrifying it must be to think your own countrymen have ill will & grudges against you.  The trials of dealing with all of this must be exhausting.  Emotionally, mentally & yes even physically.  To feel as though you are constantly having to fight so hard just to make small gains in your career.  Jaejoong, Yoochun, & Junsu we are on your side.  We pray for you.  We weep alongside you.  We support & encourage you to keep following your dreams & never let the bully win.  

Keep your friendship strong & continue to give us beautiful happy pictures of your sweet bromance...

My favorite JYJ picture.  They are so sweet & cuddly here.  

I leave you AddiKts with this plea to please, of ALL the posts you read on TCA, that THIS one you share.  Like it, Google + it, Pin & re-pin when you see the pin on Pinterest, help spread the word.  SME & SBS & their dirty dealings need to be exposed.  Do I really think TCA can make a difference?  No, not really.  We are small & insignificant.  But all of our voices combined can make a difference.  Even if its just to help the men of JYJ see that they are not alone, we are all rooting for them & love them.  Sometimes that is all that is needed.  They need to see our hearts.  Another way you can help is by signing this Twitition to try & get SBS to apologize to JYJ.  It may not actually happen but anyway we can get the word out helps.  

Until next week....

Saranghamnida, 


P.S. All of my sources for this Ahjumma Article can be found at the following links.
Twitlonger
American K Pop Fans
Asia Sentinel