Hooray for Hallyu

With a long, boring summer of reality TV and game shows, I decided to turn back to Korean dramas for my summer's entertainment.

K-dramas are mostly PG-13, focusing on how the relationship evolves without couples constantly finding any excuse to jump each other's bones. There is more agape than eros in the lead couples' relationship and that's quite wholesome for modern TV.  The sageuks are action-packed, full of martial arts sword-fighting (the gore takes some getting used to) but that happened in society back then and many of them depict real historical characters and real political intrigue - and there was always political manoeuvering for one faction or other to gain power. So here are the OST (without English subtitles) of three of the historical dramas I found addictive.

My interest in the genre began with the world-wide hit, Jewel in the Palace, which showed nationally. The blood-letting at the start was a turn off and I don't recall viewing the full episode, but ever wanting to watch at least 1 episode of a show, I tuned in for the next episode - and was addicted after that. I was fascinated by her knowledge of the nutritional qualities of different foods. That encouraged me to focus more on the nutrients found in foods, especially fruits, instead of just looking at the food groups. It was a life-changer for me.

Source: CH Respect

Then came my other major fave, Dong Yi, which I dubbed a Josean version of CSI. The cast was great. Han Hyo-Joo was brilliant as the heroine. Ji Jin-Hee (also the male lead in Jewel in the Palace) was superb as King Sukjong. It was the story of the elevation of a servant girl (and all her hair-raising adventures to simply stay alive) from water carrier to concubine and mother of the future Josean King Yeongjo.

Source: petibatyo

The third one, The Princess' Man, is a bittersweet tale of star-crossed love, when two young people from feuding families fall in love. Park Si-Hoo totally owned the character of Kim Seung-Yoo - every moment from cocksure, irresponsible youth to adoring sweetheart willing to marry below his social class for love, before becoming an angry, vengeful vigilante seeking revenge on those who had his father and brother killed. Loved his martial arts skills too! It makes a very emotional connection.

Source: JBSRILANKA

Whether contemporary, fusion or historical, all were great viewing. Many of the actors rocked their roles - Lee Min-Ho as General Choi Young in Faith, was "swaggerific". Although Lee Joon-Gi was ear-marked for the part, but had to take a smaller part due to military obligations, it's inconceivable to think of anyone else in that role. Lee Min-Ho was so good that I can't bear the thought of viewing other critically-acclaimed series in which the elder General Choi is executed! It's my favourite OST too, so enjoy.

Source:1theK

Other memorable portrayals are Lee Jin-Wook as the cool and aloof swash-buckling Crown Prince Sohyeon in a korean version of The Three Musketeers and in Dr. Jin there is Lee Beom-Soo deftly portraying Yi Ha-eun, an apparent drunkard, but with quite an astute mind, who grew up poor outside of the palace in spite of his noble birth and later becomes Prince Regent Gung.

Kudos to the various production companies and studios for these dramas that have created a multi-national following around the world. They've been so entertaining.

Low Blow

Thanks to singer/songwriter Lee on The Bachelorette, I've ceased to watch this year's show. As a black woman, I'm highly offended by his behaviour and very disappointed in the production decisions. For the first time ever an African-American has been chosen as the Bachelorette. She's smart, good-looking and has a great job. So, although the cast is "diverse", most of the men her age or older are white. What does that mean? Her options are limited. She either chooses a white man or none at all. Apparently she chose one of them. It's bad enough that professional African-American women in the USA have a hard time finding a spouse within the race. This season was set up to illustrate the reality of that. As such I find it anti-climatic.

So, that's turn off #1. Then there is the folly of wasting space on a joker called Lucas. I'm sure he's a great guy and there's a lovely woman out there for him somewhere, but Rachel? Putting him into the cast was an insult to viewers' intelligence. But hey, apparently they call the viewers "losers".

If that wasn't bad enough, there was the Demario fiasco. His "girlfriend" let the producers know he ain't supposed to be looking, even before taping may've started and rather than brief Rachel and let her decide if to keep him on or not, they appear to have let him in among the "suitors" and let the girlfriend show up at an event to which an audience was invited to confront him - and potentially embarrass Rachel, who lost no time in giving him the boot. Really? Was that necessary? These are real people with real lives, not melodrama. Then again, art imitates life, doesn't it?

Source: The Bachelorette

So now on to the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Lee. Known to producers for comments that may be considered "racist" and having selected an African-American queen for this year's edition, he's given the option of agreeing to be one of the "suitors". He has no problem agreeing to be on - after all it's bound to be good exposure and he doesn't know how far he'll get with his southern "Yes Ma'am" manners. But then he starts to try riling up the black guys. Yeah, I call it race-baiting. Who does he pick on? A wrestler from Vegas.

Source: The Bachelorette

Wrestlers are known to be tough, not charming. Yet clearly, Kenny is a good man. Not who I'd pick for Rachel but a decent sort who dearly loves his 10-year-old daughter. Here is Lee trying to make the guy look like a jerk with the excuse that they're all there to "one-up" each other - yet he can tell some white cast members he has no problem with them? Exactly who does he have a problem with? Clearly the non-white guys.

So that was it for me. This "loser" has other things to do with her Monday nights than to watch The Bachelorette my dear #teamrachel. I bow out!

  Source: DIVAORIGINALE4

Thank goodness I've discovered Hallyu to keep me busy this summer - and Being Mary Jane is back on BET - although I have some issues with her character's foibles but that's fiction, so I watch it for what it is.