Mia Taeng/ Wedded Wife - Info and First Impressions

c. asianfusewiki.net

Name: Mia Taeng/ Wedded Wife
Year: 2011
Genre: Romance, Slap-Kiss, Drama
Studio: Channel 3
Episodes: 14 Episodes, 1hour and 40 mins each
Starring:
Araya Hagate (Chompoo) as Arunprapai
Patchata Nampan (Rome) as Kongkai
Pornchita Na Songkhla (Benz) as Proongchat

Show Premise: Arunprapai has just left her long time boyfriend because he is about to become the father of another woman's child, so in order to make sure she puts an exclamation point on the end of their relationship, and to pay back the kindness of a family friend, she agrees to marry Kongkai. He is the only child and heir to his family's company, a womanizer and too lazy to help the business. Kongkai is dating Proongchat when his mother gives him an ultimatum :Marry Arunprapai or get nothing. He agrees to marry but he does not break up with his girlfriend. With the three of them in such a twisted relationship, will any of them find happiness?

Why I Chose This Show: I watched Rome in Kularb Rai Narm/ Rose Without Thorns (2010 with Yaya) and he was so perfect and nice in that show that I wanted to see how he would be in a show where he is not obviously the choice for a spouse. Previously, he was sweet and gentlemanly,  now he is sly, mean and a womanizer, so yeah VERY different. Also, I thought Chompoo was Matt Peernanee Kongthai, because, in my opinion, they look really similar. After having to drop Kuan Kammathep/ Cupid Gang, I was going to give her another chance as well, only to, obviously, learn that this is a different actress...oops.


Right now I've completed 3 episodes, ( around 5 hours of viewing), and so far:
1. I'm impressed with Arunprapai's patience and strength. There is no way I would have been able to stand the insults. The fact that the marriage was arranged, makes it understandable that she isn't throwing fits over his  girlfriend, because although it is very disrespectful behavior, her heart isn't engaged.
2. Annoyed with Kongkai and Proongchat for behaving with such a lack of class, respect and decorum.
3. Interested in the glimpses of secrets that Proongchat's family seems to be hiding, and how Kongkai will mature as a person.

I will continue to watch this show, but it's going to take a while, I think, because the episodes are so long I need breaks in between. I just really hope there's no force scene between Kongkai and Arunprapai ( I just can't understand falling in love with your rapist, or expecting an audience to root for their love), and that the show doesn't get stale with all their verbal standoffs. I mean how long can they drag on about him and the other woman, when he's already married to Arunprapai?
Hopefully they don't beat this one like a dead horse. I'd love to see someone or something else added to the mix to make the drama enjoyable over the next 10 remaining episodes.

King of Dramas- Mini Review

Name: King of Dramas
Year: 2013
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Studio: SBS
Episodes: 18 at 1 hour each
Starring:
Kim Myung Min as Anthony Kim
Jung Ryeo Won as Lee Go Eun
Choi Si Won as Kang Hyun Min
Oh Ji Eun as Sung Min Ah

Minimal Spoilers Ahead

They have been written in white, so in order to view, highlight the blank space between {}.

The acting was decent from all, Kim Myung Min was very convincing as the seemingly heartless man, only out to get greater ratings, but Si Won was really funny, and in a lot of ways he stole the show. I don't have a Si Won bias or anything but I think he was really good playing this strange character.
As I'm at the end I can think of two things that I did not like:
1. The first half of the show, basically the same plot. In each episode a new roadblock prevented them from making/airing the show. It became a bit ridiculous after the fourth week. Fortunately that ended and they got down to business of actually filming the show in episode 10. 
2. I was totally engrossed, until episode 16 when Anthony Kim got the{ eye disease news}. I felt like it was really unnecessary to give him another stumbling block and make us feel the angst. It felt as though it was only included because the show was extended from 16 to 18 episodes. I wish they would stop waiting so late into the production to tell the staff, because the change in direction is always so noticeable. Episode 17 and 18 really were like filler from an anime, unnecessary and tedious. But all's well that ends well, I suppose.

The Things I Did Like:
1. The romance between Anthony Kim and the Go Eun was believable, and they had good chemistry, but not really very touching, since it sort of took a back seat in the show to the actual story. Although I love romance, it's nice that this show was really about making their show come to life through false-steps, hard work, and struggle.
*In those filler episodes they did delve deeper into the feelings they had for each other, but as I said, I wasn't really into those episodes.*
2. The fashion really fit each character. Anthony was almost always in a fur lined coat/suit jacket because even though he was down, he had a standard that he like to live up to.

Go Eun was always a bit disheveled and wearing bulky clothes, being a writer takes up too much time for fashion or layering on make-up.

Hyun Min, when he wasn't acting for the on-screen production, always had on sweats, tee-shirts and funny props because he spent his off time playing video games and lounging around his house.

Min Ah was perfectly coiffed and dressed in expensive clothes. In the later half of the show, she took over the plush fur look from Anthony.

3. The internal struggles that the characters faced. Each person had troubles that they had to face and hopefully come out better, and I think the writer did a good job making those struggles believable and interesting.
4. The fact that the secondary couple didn't come together to console each other after losing out on the main leads, and that their relationship was built up really well from the first time that they met. Also, they provided most of the comedic relief.

I enjoyed this show, and would recommend this to new Asian drama watchers, but especially viewers that have more shows under the belt, because this show was refreshing and for the most part a light and fun viewing experience.
I would give this drama 8 Hearts but I'm knocking it down to 7 for the last two episodes.


Some GIFs for the road:

c. audrezzzzzzzz.tumblr.com/

c. ohhmygoshh.tumblr.com

c. lary-asianlover.tumblr.com/

Watched Lakorn List

This list is in the  order that I watched them.

Roy Marn ( Don't Marry Me): 2011, Starring Margie Rasee and Pakorn Chatborirak (Boy), 15 Episodes

Jam Loey Rak (Defendent of Love): 2008, Starring Atichart Chumnanont (Aum) and Taksaorn Paksucharoen (Aff), 14 Episodes

Game Rak Game Rai (An Evil Game, A Love Game): 2011, Starring Nadech Kugimiya(Barry) and Urassaya Sperbund (Yaya), 21 Episodes

Kularb Rai Narm (Rose Without Thorns): 2010, Starring Patchata Nampan and Urassaya Sperbund (Yaya), 13 Episodes

Suay Rerd Cherd Sod (I'm Hot, Perfect and Single): 2010, Starring Rattapoom Tokongsap (Film), Janie Tienposuwan, 15 Episodes

Thara Himalaya: 2010, Starring Atichart Chumnanont (Aum) and Kimberly Anne Woltemas, 9 Episodes  Info and Mini Review

Kuan Kammathep (The Cupid Gang): 2009, Starring Nattapol Leeyawanich (Tye) and Peeranee Kongthai (Matt), 32 Episodes Info and Mini Review

Tae Jai Rak Nak Wang Pan (My Trickery Love): 2006,  Starring Power 3 Team {Trissadee Sahawong (Por), Napapa Tantrakool (Pat), Karin Satayu (Man), Patcharin Jadkrabuanpol (Namfon), Warit Tipkomut (Tah), Pimaksiporn Winkomin (Meji), Gosin Radchagrom (Go), Thansinee Promsut (Som), and Nattarat Maurice Legrand (Nat)}, 18 Episodes

Phoo Yai Lee Gab Nang Ma (Headman Lee and Miss Ma): 2009, Starring Trissadee Sahawong (Por), and Chermarn Boonyasak (Ploy), 14 Episodes

Kon Rak Luang Jai (The Trickery of Love Dupes the Heart): 2011, Starring Theeradeth Wonpuapan (Ken), and Janie Tienphosuwan, 16 Episodes Info

Saam Num Neua Thong (3 Golden Men): 2011, Starring Prin Suparat (Mark), Kimberly Anne Woltemas, Pakorn Chatborirak(Boy), Marie Broenner, Phupoom Phongpany (Ken), Jarinporn Joonkiat (Toey), 15 Episodes

Panya Chon Kon Krua

Rark Boon

Qi Pao

Raeng Ngao 2012

Asian Dramas: The Beginning

For the past three years I have been watching and actively seeking out new Asian dramas to watch. My first was actually a show from Taiwan starring Joe Chen and Ariel Lin called It Started With A Kiss (ITSWAK). I would have never found this drama if I hadn't been watching Anime. 
During the time that I was in a relationship, I thought it would be a good idea to get interested in the subjects that my boyfriend was interested in. Because of that, I began watching Shounen Anime, and although I loved it and still do, I eventually began to look for Anime that had more of a girly slant. The very first "girly" Anime that I watched (Itazura na Kiss) just so happened to be the very story written by Kaoru Tada, that ITSWAK was based on.
                                                                                             
                         
When I found out that there were live-action versions of Anime, I went on the hunt trying to find and watch them. ITSWAK just happened to be the first, and what a good introduction it was. It set me up for the addiction that I have now.
From there, I found other shows, actors, actresses and music spanning Japan, Korea, and Taiwan where it all started, live action wise, for me, and I have never looked back.
Now, after logging more hours than I can count watching dramas from the far east, I've decided to blog about it and hopefully help and inform others that are where I was three years ago : lost and looking for drama directions because after completing more than 70 shows, there are times that I still pick shows that are not right for me, and pass on shows that I later find are really fantastic.