All the regular readers of Hallyudorama must have known by now that I am a big TVXQ/DBSK/Tohoshinki fan, which therefore, is the main reason why I started watching the sageuk fusion drama, Sungkyunkwan Scandal.  Park Yoochun, who is now member of the trio JYJ, played the male lead role, scholar Lee Seon Joon who is probably the most good-looking nerd ever.  However, as the drama progressed, I was surprised at how good it was in terms of plot and character development.  I initially thought that it will be an F4 meets You’re Beautiful or Hana Kimi kind of drama because they said that it will be story of a girl who pretended to be a boy to be able enter a university during the time when women were not allowed to study.  However, this drama turned out to be much more complicated and exciting.  I fell for it, hook, line and sinker and I want other drama watchers to give this drama a chance.  It may not be the highest rater in its timeslot because it went against the other historical drama Dong Yi but definitely Sungkyunkwan Scandal is a gem of its own.  Here are the reasons why you should watch Sungkyunkwan Scandal.

1. They have good looking actors.

Okay, no need to deny, I want eye candies when I watch my dramas.  I already said that I love Park Yoochun but Yoo Ah In who played the rebel Moon Jae Shin and Song Joong Ki, the flamboyant Gu Yong Ha, definitely caught my attention as well.  I didn’t even realize that Yoo Ah In was the young boxer in the movie Antique Bakery (starring Joo Ji Hoon) until a friend pointed it out.  The scenes where he showed how much he cares for Kim Yoon Shik even though he’s hiding behind a tough façade were so adorable.  Yeah, some women like bad guys and I think he’s a perfect example.  On the other hand, Song Joong Ki was so funny being the scheming Gu Yong Ha.  I initially thought of him as being one of the troublemakers because he wanted to dig and reveal Kim Yoon Shik’s secret but as the story moved forward, his intelligence and loyalty proved to be one of a kind and it save them from a lot of trouble.

Park Min Young as Kim Yoon Shik/Kim Yoon Hee was not really convincing as a guy because she was so small.  However, she was dubbed as the pretty boy so I guess that made up for her less than satisfactory pretense to be of the opposite gender.  But if she looked very masculine, do you think Lee Seon Joon will fall for her? Hmmm…I don’t think so.

2. It depicted the Joseon society as it was.

This drama had no fear in showing the negative aspects of the Korean society. Usually, Korean dramas tend to show the glossy and oh-so-beautiful side of Korea as part of their strategy to market their country and attract tourists.  It was obviously effective seeing the sheer number of tourists, which visit their country every year just to tour the drama filming sites.  However, Sungkyunkwan Scandal was an exception because it tackled the issues that still persist in the modern Korean society such as the unequal status of men and women, corruption and poverty.  In short, it is a social commentary infused in a drama full of cute guys (and a pretty girl).

3. It gave free Confucian lessons.

We all know how confusing Confucian teachings could be especially if you did not grow learning about him and just heard about him in high school.  However, this drama was able to explain the teachings in a manner that would make you easily understand what he was talking about through the different scenarios presented in each episode.  I especially loved the way Kim Yoon Shik and Lee Seon Joon quoted different Confucian phrases and used it to explain their point during arguments.  Sometimes I just have to press “pause” to digest every sentence but in the end, it was mentally satisfying.

4.  It shows that fathers only want the best for their children.

If I have to choose what are my favorite scenes from the drama aside from the Lee Seon Joon and Kim Yoon Shik interaction, I would have to say that I love it when Lee Seon Joon talks to his father, the Left Prime Minister.  Their relationship was so precious and you can clearly see that Seon Joon holds his father with high regard.  He would not grow up as a man of principle if it were not for him.  Their relationship was not perfect, there were misunderstandings and there was one point when Seon Joon turned against his father.  Everything worked out in the end though and I was happy that things are not always what they seem to be.

Another scene that really tugged my heartstrings was when Kim Yoon Shik learned that her father was reading and teaching her all along while she was on the other side of the door.  Women were not allowed to study during their time but her father recognized her intelligence.  He pretended that he was teaching her brother by reciting the Confucian analects out loud and listening to her repeat them after him.

5.  The Lee Seon Joon-Kim Yoon Shik pairing is the perfect OTP.

When it was still showing, there was a debate going on as to whom Kim Yoon Shik should end up with.    Some fans rooted for Moon Jae Shin with his oh-so-rogue attitude but with a kind heart.  Who wouldn’t swoon over the times he protected Yoon Shik? However this time, I rooted for the nerdy Seon Joon who is perfect for the intelligent Yoon Shik.  Their intellectual exchange of words never ceases to amaze me. Plus, only Yoon Shik would be able to appreciate Seon Joon’s love letters that were inserted in their books at the library (how nerdy could you get? that scene really drove me crazy…) Besides, I believe that the Jae Shin and Yong Ha bromance is better. Hahaha!

So there, I enumerated some of the reasons why you shouldn’t miss out this drama.  There’s a lot more that I can say but I’m afraid I will spill out more details and will ruin the story for you. Some people had issues with the ending and even I felt that it was a little bit too rushed.  However, watching this drama is an adventure in itself and a not-so-satisfying ending (according to some people) should not stop you from discovering the real potential of this drama.

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Also, please attend the 2nd Philippine Kpop Convention which is happening on Saturday, 11 December 2010 at the PICC, The Forum. Entrance fee is pegged at P150.00

See you there!

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From the group that spearheaded the First Kpop Convention in the world, Cassiopeia Philippines, comes another first in fan-organized events of epic proportions: 7G Always Keep The Faith, TSC ~Final in Tokyo Dome~ Screening!

On May 1, 2010, from 10am to 7pm at the UP Film Center, be one with the Jpop and Kpop community as it celebrates the music, the passion and the lives of five of the biggest artists in Asia–Yunho, Jaejoong, Junsu, Yuchun and Changmin, collectively known as TVXQ. 

The event will have Activity Booths including Universal Record’s Best Selection 2010 Exclusive Album Launch, Merchandise Booths, Photo Studio, TVXQ Henna, Quiz Booth, Fanclub Membership Sign-ups and much more! There will also be a 1-hour program with performances, cosplay, games, raffles and contests but the highlight of Cass PH’s 7th gathering is the 3-hour cinema screening of TVXQ’s latest and biggest concert, “4th Live Tour 2009: The Secret Code ~FINAL in Tokyo Dome~”!

Get freebies from Cass PH, win tons of prizes, participate in games and enjoy the program… But most importantly, you can show your love and support to the five icons who have revolutionized Korean pop music and have captured the hearts of millions of fans.

In celebration and for the love of the Rising Gods of the East, Always Keep the Faith!

The event is co-presented by Pinoy Parazzi, in cooperation with Universal Records.

—

Seriously, this is the first of its kind here in the Philippines so Kpop fans should definitely come. For the love of TVXQ, come and join us. I’ll be there as well and show my love and support to them.

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Warning: This post will be incoherent most of the time (and very looooong) because of all the spazzing the writer did during the concert. This is totally not Asian drama related…well maybe a little since Jaejoong will be starring in Heaven’s Postman with Han Hyo Joo (Spring Waltz, Brilliant Legacy) soon.

Sorry this is really a week too late and right now the boys are rocking Tokyo Dome with their Secret Code 4th Live Tour. Woooh! Can’t wait to see the DVD or the fancams or fanaccounts at least.

South Korea’s premiere boy group Dong Bang Shin Ki (TVXQ) held their Mirotic Concert in Bangkok, Thailand last June 27-28 and I was there to witness it first hand.

It was my second time to watch their concert, first being the “O” Concert Tour in Bangkok and I must say that my boys really got better since the last time I’ve seen them live.  Even Jaejoong who is not really a good dancer did better this time (I’m sorry I’m so Jaejoong biased). 

My friends and I arrived at Impact Arena at 4:00pm since we are in the seating area and need not fight for our place in the mosh pit. The first time we watched, we were in the AR standing area which was very, very crowded and the fans kept on pushing towards the stage to get a better view. Although we enjoyed the concert then, our feet ached so much and our necks felt stiff. This time around, we were able to see the whole concert and each one of them close-up because they all passed by our areas.

Before the concert started, the logo of Mirotic was already flashed on screen and the SMP (SM Performance) songs were playing on the background like Triangle, Rising Sun, and O. I was thinking maybe their opening song will be Hey! Don’t Bring Me Down since it is their SMP song in the Mirotic Album.  When the lights darkened, the fans, including me, started screaming and waving our red lightsticks. The whole arena was flooded with red (red ocean anyone) and then the boys appeared in the different stages.  Changmin and Yunho were on the right side while Junsu and Yoochun were on the left side. Jaejoong was alone at the middle.  The beat of Hey! was heavy and march-like and I love it.  Before the chorus, all the four of them flew over the audience to join Jaejoong and people on the mosh pit were screaming like crazy. I mean, who wouldn’t if the boys were flying two-three feet above you?

Next song was Are You A Good Girl? I like this song but this is not one of my favorite but I appreciated it that night when they danced it. haha! The moves were just so sexy.

Last for SMP song was the Rising Sun. I loooove this song because I am always amazed at Changmin’s screaming here. I mean, how could he sustain screaming for like 10 seconds without being cut off at the middle. I also look forward at the beginning where they jump simultaneously at the part “Rising!!!”. I’m amazed at how they can always be so aligned and sychronized. I almost threw something at the monitor when I was watching the Seoul Concert because they showed the fireworks at this part. I was like, wth!!! They wasted a good shot there.  This was also the most fiery performance just because there were fireworks almost all the time.  Asthmatic people should not be near those areas during those time because there’s so much smoke.

My ears finally got a little rest when they sang Paradise and Rainbow. Weee! finally their first live songs. hahaha! Don’t get me wrong. I really appreciate their SMP songs because they give their all while dancing and the choreography is really good but I can’t help but compare it to their Japan concert where everything is live. I know they could do both but I dunno… maybe the Korean audience like them lip syching? Please help me on this.

So Paradise and Rainbow were slow songs and it showed their vocals very well. It was also full of flats and sharp and half notes and all that jazz and I became a little bit anxious when one of them seemed to not blend very well. I think they have a problem with their monitors and they can’t hear each other very well. But they recovered and all in all, I was fully satisfied with the songs.

Here comes the Ment part where they introduced themselves (as if we don’t know them already?hahaha!). We were the unlucky ones because we don’t understand Korean and Thai =(  Thai fans were lucky because what they were saying were translated at the bottom so you get it… haha! It’s scripted. Good thing our Korean friend translated whatever they were saying. Basically, they were happy that we came to the concert. Yes, we are happy too more than they’ll ever know.*fantasizing*

Their next song was Hug which is my favorite. Okay, really, this is my favorite because this is their first single and I always go back to the times when they were so cute and Changmin was a cat-kissing kid when I listen to this song. But this time, it was the rock version. I was able to watch this in youtube and I love it just because it showed how versatile their vocals could be. It is quite obvious that Jaejoong enjoyed this song because he loved singing rock. I think Changmin was less molested here than the Seoul Concert because they groped him for a shorter time. hehe!

Now the solo parts. whohoo!!!

Micky came first dressed in white? (can’t really remember) and red chucks. He made some dance moves which coincided with some sound effects. It was really cool. hahaha! He spoke some Chungrish which I understood but as usual, forgot *gets boinked in the head* A flower vase appeared at the middle of the stage which i thought will be part of his whole act but it disappeared after he plucked one flower and gave it to one lucky fan at the AR side. I screamed with envy. hahaha! Then he came to the other side and then asked, “Do you want a?” and plucked a lollipop out of his pocket. waaah! so cute. An organ was already set up at the moving stage by this time and then he tried out some songs but he ended up playing Love Bye Love. It was originally a fast song but he sang it in a mellow dramatic tone which made me fall in love with him. hahaha! Micky is such a playboy and he definitely knows how to make everyone swoon over him. It doesn’t matter though because he’s Micky and he’s one talented guy.

Next was Jaejoong’s solo. Gah! I don’t know the title of the song because it was not included in their albums. I’ll edit if I knew someone who knew. hahaha! He just stood there, at the middle of the stage, with just a spotlight but his solo never failed to make me say “wow!” He just closed his eyes and let the song consume him.  He’s really good. He’s not Jaejoong, the lead vocal for nothing.

Changmin sang Upon this Rock for his solo. I did not recognize the song at first because umm, they really have problems with the english language. But when he came to the chorus, I was like “He’s singing an English song! I know that song.” hahaha! I was quite surprised at his choice though because Upon this Rock is a Christian song and I know Changmin is Buddhist and I dunno. It just surprised me. This song is really hard to sing. I’ve sung it before with a choir and the notes just exceed the scale. I was holding my breath towards the end because I don’t know what Changmin would do, will he belt it out or do something creative. In the end, he belted it out. haha! btw, he sounded like Junsu during the first part because it was so controlled and we all know how Junsu could control his voice. Kudos to Changmin for his effort.

The video for Wrong Number came next. I already saw this in YT and in an MBK store while I was buying the T Concert DVD earlier that day. I was looking forward to seeing it in the big screen because the guys look so hot acting like action stars. haha! But still, I don’t really get why the concept of Wrong Number is a gun fight when the MV is about avoiding a stalker-caller. I was anticipating the part of the song where they will pull out their guys to see who fail and Changmin did! hahaha! I did not notice though whether one of them smiled or laughed because I was busy laughing at Changmin for his fail. *gets bricked by eonni* I finally got to hear Jae rap live. *spazzes*

Next was Purple Line. Wooh! And it’s live with all the matching sexy dance moves and the cool background effect while Yunho was rapping. Everyone was shouting hey! hey! at the beginning. This is what I’m trying to say at the beginning, they can do fast songs live with the complete choreography, no need for lip syching. I shouted with Micky when he said “I really wanna touch myself” just because it seemed that this line was included by the writer without knowing its meaning.  hahaha! Junsu’s solo dance was really good in this one.

So afterwards, cute Junsu appeared on the screen where he was in his old school and was reminiscing about the old times. I recognize the school as the same one in Spring Waltz. I thought it was going to be his solo next but it wasn’t. hehe! Sorry I was just excited. The video turned cartoonish at some point and then different scenes from their childhood were played. Snapshots will be taken which will turn into real pictures. It was so cute. It was as if the boys were really sharing a part of themselves to the audience.  Turns out, the next song was Balloons, bossa nova style. The cute dancing and the cars during the “O” concert was gone but the heartfelt way they sang the song really brought back childhood memories which was the song’s message. Btw, Yunho tripped when he was otw to his place. He really is accident-prone.

They continued with the childhood memories theme when Changmin sang Natdal (Lullaby Song). His voice was really soft in this one and I was busy listening to him when suddenly, each one of the boys started appearing, rather flying, onstage. hahaha! Jaejoong was riding a bike and Yunho was like singing in the rain with his umbrella. I ROFL over Micky because he looked like a bat swimming onstage. He swam instead of flapping his wings. hahaha! and Junsu is the cutest wizard ever. Can Harry Potter twirl his broom without falling? Junsu can. In the end, after all the older boys passed the stage, the platform that Changmin was standing on elevated and his background was a tree so it looks like Changmin is a tree. hahaha!

Love in the Ice was next. Oh how I love this song most especially when I heard Micky first belt it out in the was it A-nation concert? I got goosebumps all over. I longed to hear it live before and I finally did. I was really, really teary eyed while hearing this song and Micky gave me goosebumps when he whistled it out at the end. Don’t Say Goodbye was heart-wrenching as well but when they sang Insa, that did it. I cried. haha! I loved that song immensely(is it because of the fanfic that I’ve read? hmmm) It was also the time when the platform that the boys were standing on lifted and rotated in the air. I’ve always loved that part because they really look like angels there.  There’s just too much emotion on that song and everyone sang their hearts out that I can’t help but cry.

Dance battle time. It’s Yunho vs Junsu (who else will do it?)

Junsu danced Xiahtic and no doubt, he could make it as a solo artist in the future. He can sing, he can dance, he’s good looking, a very good combination. I was thinking who will be his guest, they said it was Key from Shinee but whoa! it was Micky!!! It’s Yoosu time. Xiahtic I think was longer that Yunho’s Checkmate.

I finally go to see Yunho ‘kiss’ that girl live in Checkmate. Does she have a death wish? hahaha! I was not really hurt. I know it’s fake. It better be fake!!! I am continually awed by Yunho’s dance moves. He really proves that he is the best dancer in SM Town whenever I see him gyrate his hips and do his arm twisting moves.

Mirotic, the title of the concert was next. whohoo!!! everyone started shouting (or rather the screaming became louder) and everybody became (more) hyper. Everybody was shouting in “I got yoooouuuu, under my SKIN!” Thank goodness it was not under my Sky. hahaha! I always loved the Jaesu part here.  They also performed The Way U Are but for some reason I can’t remember it. *fan memory fail here* Maybe I was still too hyper about Mirotic that I forgot about the way you are. =(

All this time, I’ve been wondering when they will sing Somebody to Love which is a Japanese song. This will be the first for them to sing Japanese in a concert outside Korea and I shouted when they sang it. The boys were all hyper singing “jump! jump! jump!” and everybody began jumping. My feet hurt afterwards but it was fun. Somebody to Love is really a fun, fun song and I think I heard Micky shouted “Bangkok”. I was waiting to hear them sing the “love, love, love” part because their pronounciation here sounded like “lob,lob,lob” but good thing, this time it was better and acceptable. hahaha!

Crazy Love. I’ve loved this song in the album and I thought it sounded so 80s (in a good way). It was funny because during the part when the boys sang “Baby my heart beats for you”, some of the audience made heart shapes with their hands. It didn’t end there though because at the end during the line ”it’s my crazy love for you” everybody pointed to their favorite members (of course I pointed to Jaejoong!) hahaha! really, everyone is crazy in love with DBSK.

It’s encore time!!! The screen showed a Nintendo DS Lite with the Replay and Quit buttons and its screen playing parts of the concert. The hand was taking its time choosing between Replay and Quit and everyone was shouting Replay! replay! Of  course its obvious that it will press replay and everyone cheered when it did.

The boys appeared in their Mirotic shirts and colorful pants and started singing the Hahaha song. Everyone were so enjoying the song running around the stage, jumping, playing, you-name-it they did it. There was also an epic Hosu moment where they did a cute synchronized dance and the audience started screaming.

So next was Sky and Song For You. I could not describe how they sang these songs because I was busy concentrated tracking each one of them around the arena.  Yunho and Changmin were in our areas most of the time while Micky, Junsu and Jaejoong were on the other side but they still cross over to our area. This is the time when I get extremely envious of the other fans in the row A of the S area (i was in row H which is the topmost part =( ) because they got to touch the hands of the boys. waaaah! Jaejoong was running and touching their ourstretched hands and even got hold of one Yamaha noisemaker which he gave to another fan. *extremely jealous* And boy! isn’t he afraid of the H1n1 virus because after touching their hands, he touches his face with it. And then one lucky fun got hold of his towel when he threw it. *faints*

On the other side, Micky got hold of a hat which he wore while singing and the fans went berserk. haha! he returned it eventually. Meanwhile Min was clutching his stomach and even sat on the stage. I thought it was part of the script but I saw in some fan accounts that it seem that he was in pain. Poor maknae! Yunho was also very hyper and I got nervous when he tried doing a handstand because I was afraid he might fall. haha!

The lights turned off afterwards and I heard some fans screaming. It turned out that Junsu was in the SJ area, like two feet away from the front-row fans. woo lucky! I didn’t know that Tonight was their last song until Junsu began singing the intro and the platform he was standing on starting elevating. He was so near that when I used a binoculars to see him more, it seemed like he was an arms length away from me. waaah! He was just smiling shyly at the audience who whipped out their cameras and cellphones to take videos of him. hahaha! Can I just say that Tonight was the perfect song to end to their concert?  Though it was from their second album, I was able to extremely appreciate it when they belted it out during the Hollywood Bowl last year.  Even non-fans will be awed by the powerful versatility of their vocals because all of them have parts that needs to be belted out.  They never failed us most especially when Jaejoong he whistled his part before last “stolen my soul, stolen my heart.” I was waiting for that part and I clapped like crazy.

Afterwards, it was goodbye time.  The boys bowed to the audience and thanked everyone for coming.  They roamed all of the stages waving and smiling. When they came to the main stage, all the dancers joined them and they bowed again. Then they exited.

At this part, I am still deaf from all the screaming that happened around me. I thought I was shortchanged though because they didn’t sing Afterglow and Sarang Ooljima. My friend and I thought that there would be more because the last time, the audience shouted Dong Bang Shin Ki and they ran across the stage. haha! But it didn’t happen and until the end, we waited…and waited… and waited. The guards were already ushering out the audience and we were like, there must be more. hahaha! The following night, our friends verified that the last song was really Tonight so yes, we were contented then.

What can I say… I love the boys more after hearing them again. I never thought my love for them could be greater but it really was possible.  I do hope that I would be able to watch them in Japan…next year may be. (someone please sponsor me.)

credits: admin@hallyudorama.com when taking out.

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