Review: Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre (Yi Tian Tu Long Ji), the 2009 Version’s Rant

Amongst the Condor Trilogy by Jin Yong his last the Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre is my favourite. No matter how many Wu Xia series I watch I think I would still love Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre the most. I love almost everything about it. Almost.

The one and only thing that I don’t like about this great series is its male lead. Zhang Wu Ji. He has everything a hero should have: the looks, the lineage, the superior fighting skills, the big heart and the die-hard followers. His one and only weakness is women.

Despite being a great hero and all as a man I don’t consider him as an admirable one. I mean if he could be considerate yet decisive in his dealing with other people – should be read as men – all those admirable traits should also be applied when he is dealing with women. Unless he considers women less important than men hence not worthy of the same courtesies.

As I already mentioned above, Zhang Wu Ji’s interpersonal skills with other men are excellent but I hate the way he behaves around and deals with the five, okay, not five but four women in his life. And it is only four because Yang Bu Hui whom he’s saved and taken care of along their journey to find her father decides early in the game that she wants to marry his sixth uncle instead of him. Otherwise I could just imagine the kind of fights that we’ll see. The fights of five women over one wussy man.

I’m not blaming him for the fact that they all love him, at least not 100%, what turns me off is that knowing they all love him he chooses to do nothing about it. I mean if you know someone loves you –in his case it’s four women – and they declare their intentions to spend the rest of their lives with you, if you’re not freaking out or thanking God for his blessings what would you do?

Well, whatever it is, I’m sure you’ll have at least something to say.

But our hero Zhang Wu Ji doesn’t feel the slightest alarm or inclination to clarify things when he hears declaration of love and devotion from his servant Xiao Zhao. When she says she wants to spend the rest of her life serving him and asks him to take her along with him wherever he goes, he is happily accepting that ‘forever’ request.

Is he stupid or what? Does he think it’s fine to have this incredibly beautiful girl with him for the rest of her life and his for that matter without her ever marrying anybody else and just be his faithful servant? And if he marries won’t he consider how his wife would feel about this girl who is obviously in love with her husband? Let’s not forget that he’s already declaring himself as Yin Li/Zhu Er’s husband. With her temperament does he think she’ll let this out of this world beauty to stick to her husband and her ugly self?

Even Guo Jing the stupidest hero in Jin Yong’s trilogy from The Legend of Condor Heroes knows how to make the hard decision when it comes to the women in his life!

*Taking a deep breath to calm self*

I would like Zhang Wu Ji much better if he could be honest and straight forward with those girls and himself to prevent the heartaches and him looking like either a player or a man without honor.

No matter what time you’re in – Zhang Wu Ji was centuries behind this permissive age – or what culture you’re from –he’s from old China that was very strict in its rule of conducts between men and women – it’s wrong for a man to treat women as nicely and familiarly as he treats the women around him, and not expecting them to fall head over heels in love with him.

I know his character is written that way – so perhaps I should blame Jin Yong instead and agree with those who accuse him of being sexist – but I still long to hear him saying things like the simple ’I love you too ’or ‘Thank you for loving me but there are three other women who love me too. So how about the five of us live together happily ever after.’ Or ‘What? Sorry honey. I like you a lot. Don’t mind hugging and kissing you. But I already got myself a wife.’ Or ‘Er..…I need a little bit more time. If the other girls die, leave, or turn evil, I’ll marry you!’

A friend asks me why do I watch all the remakes of Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre and whatever version that will come later when I already know its story by heart. Good question. With the way the male lead’s character irritates the hell out of me I shouldn’t bother.

为什么? Why? I guess the answer is because I’m desperately looking for a version where I could at least hate Zhang Wu Ji less. Too bad that instead of finding Zhang Wu Ji’s redeeming quality I keep seeing new scenes which drive me even madder.

The 2009 Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre remake is extremely successful in intensifying all my hate for Zhang Wu Ji. In this version Deng Chao’s Zhang Wu Ji becomes extremely free and open with his affections. He touches, hugs, and kisses. No, I’m not exaggerating. This Zhang Wu Ji kisses girls!

Apparently coming from the 21st century the script writers of the 2009 Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre has completely forgotten that Zhang Wu Ji lives in the 14th century where the briefest look and merest touch are more than enough to convey one’s hidden feelings.

I’m perfectly fine if they want to change one or two things from the original story and make cute memorable lines and gestures all they like, in fact please do, but I’m terribly upset when they take liberal liberty in changing the main story and thus turning the already not that sterling male lead into a despicable man!

Hating is not fun. It’s hard to hate the male lead in your favourite series. It’s hard to hate the main guy when you love the main girl to pieces. It’s hard to watch your favourite couple together and make you all bubbly with happiness when in the next instant that very same guy is romancing other girls. Three other girls with the same intensity and smooth romantic lines!

For those who are not familiar with the story I apologize for not giving the necessary background of the characters and the plot in the first place. Yi Tian Tu Long Ji is about the rebellion of the Han Chinese against their rulers who are from Yuan Dynasty (Mongolians).

However, for decades their rebellions are not coordinated, sporadic and done individually until the Ming sect under Zhang Wu Ji’s leadership unites all the sects in the martial world and launches their attacks in the form of military offences.

When they finally succeeds in defeating the Yuan Dynasty Zhang Wu Ji is asked to be the new King but he refuses to be the first King of the Han people’s Dynasty and chooses to leave all the fame and glory behind just to be with the woman he loves.

The 2009 Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre tries to create a new angle in its efforts to foster Zhang Wu Ji – Zhou Zhi Ruo’s pairing but since this particular angle is not consistent with the original storyline it only makes Zhang Wu Ji looks worst than he already does. As for other characters they look like they are being possessed by alien and we could no longer find their original personalities.

The somber Zhou Zhi Ruo turns into Zhao Min wannabe. While Zhao Min turns into a quiet and meek girl. The vengeful Zhu Er who hates Zhou Zhi Ruo's guts after her resurrection suddenly becomes full of mercy and goes batty again when she’s supposed to be cured.

The ending of the 2009 version pisses me off real bad!

Let’s bring on board some of its predecessors to see how they are doing:

1) The original, the 1986 Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre:
It doesn’t have the great special effects or beautiful clothes that the latter versions have but it is perhaps the closest to its original story (the novel). Tony Leung who plays Zhang Wu Ji has tons of screen charms so his Zhang Wu Ji mostly comes off as an adorable naïve fool – not a player – who falls for every pretty face he sees. While Kitty Lai’s Zhao Min is probably my favourite Zhao Min.

2) TVB production, the 2000 Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre:
It features Lawrence Ng as Zhang Wu Ji and Gigi Lai as Zhao Min and if my hazy memory serves me right it doesn’t turn me into a complete hater of Zhang Wu Ji’s character.

3) The 2003 remake:
This Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre gives us a very beautiful couple. Alec Su as Zhang Wu Ji and Allissa Chia as Zhao Min. It has a few scenes that bring forth my dislike for Zhang Wu Ji’s character’s flaws but on the other side it also has many cute and memorable scenes to redeem itself. And I love their Zhang Wu Ji and Zhao Min’s moments so much. Have I mentioned how beautiful Alissa Chia is?

Ady An’s Zhao Min is probably the most beautiful Zhao Min ever however her Zhao Min is the weakest Zhao Min of all. The 2009 version’s Zhao Min has lost her edges. She loses her cunning, wickedness and even pride.

They turn her into a mere puppet of Chen Kun. Someone who just unknowingly falls into his plans while in the previous Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre remakes the down fall of the martial world is brilliantly orchestrated by Zhao Min while Chen Kun just jumps into her band wagon when he sees that it would fit perfectly with his plan to destroy Ming sect.

Princess Min Temur (Zhao Min) is called the Evil Woman and hated by all the leaders of the biggest sects in the land with a good reason. But the 2009 version changes this brilliant, shrewd and prideful Princess into a stalker and submissive girl.

One of my most hated scenes is when Zhao Min follows Zhang Wu Ji and Zhou Zhi Ruo while they have their romantic outing. Argh, how I hate that scene! It’s so not Zhao Min! I won’t forgive the writers for destroying my favourite female character like this. There’s so much more to rant but I’ll stop here.

I desperately need a new version of Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre ASAP to erase all the bad after tastes that refuse to go away after seeing the 2009 version of Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre.

Missing Deadline

I hate it when I miss deadline. Particularly if that said deadline is set and screwed by none other than myself. The most recent case is my plan to write Kang Ah’s story and post it here by October. Yet up to this very moment I haven’t written anything, well, I’ve written a few pages for episode 1 but that’s all about it.

I don’t even know whether I would be able to finish the whole thing by the end of this year. Not to make excuses, I’m in the middle of training and won’t be able to return home until November (the weekends’ leaves don’t count for we still have tons of chores to do). And before the training there’s fasting month which took a lot of one’s free time.

But nonetheless, the inability to deliver a product/target on schedule is a sign of a bad management.

No wonder nobody likes to reflect. It sucks. Missing a deadline is bad. Knowing you are bad manager to boot is a kill joy.

In a Rush? Need to be Swift?

Speeding and cutting are the answer. And those are some of the reasons why I love driving.

However, if you live in Jakarta you’ll know that it’s impossible to speed here. My top speed is 60 km/hour. Or 80 - 100 on the toll/highway. Yeah, I’m such a racer.

And when I say cutting what I really mean is changing lane from the one which is not moving to the other one which is slightly better.

Now, without meaning to offend Toyoto or pleasing Suzuki I’d like to make some comparison betwen the two. My Toyoto Rush is an automatic one while my Suzuki Swift is a manual one.

Here is my thought:

1). If you love to speed and cutting other people like I do, Suzuki Swift is definitely the better choice. The exchange of gears is smooth and swift while the body is small enough to fit in any tight space betwen cars.

2) But if you live in Jakarta with its deadly traffic jams having an automatic car helps a lot. And if you’re not that into speeding and cutting other people and are one of those who stick to which ever lane you happen to be, having an automatic car will suit you well.

3) If you love to go to the shopping malls like I do having a city car like Swift is better than the big fat Rush.

4) But if you live/work in an area which is frequented by floods and plague with bad roads having a Toyoto Rush is without a doubt the best thing for you.

And last but not least this is not a promotion or defamation of either! I’m just writing what I thought about the two different cars that I have. So don’t sue me!

SS 501 Because I'm Stupid's Lyric

Talking about Boy Band SS 501 is my favourite.

Talking about Kdramas Boys Before Flower (Korean version of Hana Yori Dango) isn't really on my list of the best, but I love its ost Because I'm Stupid a lot.

I'm spreading the love for the group and the ost here.

Enjoy!


Because I'm Stupid (You're Beautiful Ost)

내 머리는 너무나 나빠서
Ne morinen nomuna nappaso / I’m really, very foolish
너 하나밖에 난 모르고
No hanapakke nan morego / I know of no one other than you
다른 사람을 보고있는 넌
Daren saramel pogoittnen non / You’re looking at someone else
이런 내마음도 모르겠지
Iron nema-emdo moregettji / Yet you have no idea of my feelings like this


너의 하루에 나란 없겠지
Noei harue naran obtkettji / I won’t be in your days
또 추억조차 없겠지만
Tto chu’okjocha obtkettjiman / I won’t be in the memories either, however
너만 바라만 보고있는 난
Noman baraman bogoittnen nan / Only you, I looked only at you
자꾸 눈물이 흐르고있어
jakku nunmuli heregoisso / And the tears keep coming

너의 뒷모습을 보는것도 난 행복이야
Noei dwetmosebel bonenkotdo nan hengbokiya / As I watch you walking past, I’m still happy
아직 나의 마음을 몰라도
Ajik naei ma-emel mollado / Even though you still don’t know my heart
끝내 스치듯이 가도
Kkeutne sech’idesi kado / I should stop this and go

니가 너무 보고싶은 날엔
Niga nomu bogosip’en nalen / I really want to see the day
너무 견디기 힘든 날에는
Nomu kyendigi himden nalenen / I’m withstanding the pain each day
너를 사랑한다 입가에 맴돌아
Norel saranghanda ibgae memdola / “I love you” is playing on my lips
혼자 다시 또 crying for you
Honja dasi tto CRYING FOR YOU / Alone once again, crying for you
혼자 다시 또 missing for you
Honja dasi tto MISSING FOR YOU / Alone once again, missing for you
Baby! I love you! I’m waiting for you!

너의 하루에 난 없겠지
Noei harue nan optgettji / I won’t be in your days
또 기억조차 없겠지만
Tto kieokjocha optgettjiman / I won’t be remembered either, however
너만 바라만 보고있는 나
Noman paraman bogoittnen nan / Only you, I looked only at you
혼자 추억을 만들고 있어
Honja chuokel mandelgo isseo / I’m making memories alone


내겐 사랑이란 아름다운 상처같아
Nagen sarangiran aremdaun sangchokat’a / Loving you is like having a beautiful wound
너의 예쁜 미소를 보아도
Noei yeppeun misorel boado / I look at your pretty smile also
함께 난 웃지도 못해
Hamkke nan utjido mothe / But I cannot laugh with you

니가 너무 생각나는 날엔
Niga nomu senggaknanen nalen / I’m thinking about you so much everyday
가슴 시리고 슬픈 날에는
Kasem sirigo selp’en nalenen / My heart is hurting in all these sad days
니가 보고싶다 입가에 맴돌아
Niga pogosip’ta ibgae memdola / “I want to see you” is playing on my lips
혼자 다시 또 crying for you
Honja dasi tto CRYING FOR YOU / Alone once again, crying for you
혼자 다시 또 missing for you
Honja dasi tto MISSING FOR YOU / Alone once again, missing for you
Baby! I love you! I’m waiting for you!


Bye, bye, never say goodbye
이렇게 잡지 못하지만
Irohke japji mothajiman / Even though I cannot hold you like this
I need you 아무 말도 못해 I want you
I need you amu maldo mothe I want you / I need you, I cannot say anything more, I want you
바래도 다시 바래도
Paredo dasi paredo / I keep on hoping too, I’ll keep hoping….


니가 너무 보고싶은 날엔
Niga nomu pogosip’en nalen / I really want to see the day
너무 견디기 힘든 날에는
Nomu kyendigi himdel naleneun / I’m withstanding the pain each day
너를 사랑한다 입가에 맴돌아
Norel saranghanda ipkae memdola / “I love you” is playing on my lips
혼자 다시 또 crying for you
Honja dasi tto CRYING FOR YOU / Alone once again, crying for you


니가 너무 생각나는 날엔
Niga nomu senggaknanen nalen / I’m thinking about you so much everyday
가슴 시리고 슬픈 날에는
Kasem sirigo selp’en naleneun / My heart is hurting in all these sad days
니가 보고싶다 입가에 맴돌아
Niga pogosip’da ipka memdola / “I want to see you” is playing on my lips
혼자 다시 또 crying for you
Honja dasi tto CRYING FOR YOU / Alone once again, crying for you
혼자 다시 또 missing for you
Honja dasi tto MISSING FOR YOU / Alone once again, missing for you
Baby! I love you! I’m waiting for you! /
credit to heygingersnap(at)bww2

Bore to Death!

I don’t think I’m ever this bored before. Everyone seems to have something great to do. My best friends are doing their business trips. Some go to other provinces together and the other go to Australia and won’t be back till the end of the month. And by the end of the month my boss will also go to Darwin and Perth. It makes me feel like I want to go somewhere too when I actually don’t.

By next week, we’re sending all of our staff to other provinces all over the country. I could go wherever I want if I want to travel too. But although I like the idea of being somewhere else I have no fond for things that relate to a trip.

Not to mention the fact that I’d probably end up chairing a meeting when the Provincial people invite all the Districts people to come over. Or having a formal talk with the head of our Provincial office. Nope. Not fun at all. Moreover, I hate flying and the time differences that necessitate me to wake in the very wee hour.

I know that my boredom has nothing to do with lack of things to do. Because although the 16 -17 working hours have ended and I’m finally back to my normal working hours which are about 11 hours a day there’s still pressing job to be done.
It’s almost impossible for my job to come to a complete full stop for thing has always come up on top of each other.

At this moment, I have to check one of our financial reports. It’s about 100 pages and full of incorrect figures and graphics. Is that why I’m feeling bored?

Nah….now everything about financial reports should only give me thrill and make me glow with happiness for our hard work has paid off incredibly well. We’ve finally got the coveted unqualified opinion for the first time ever!

*jumping up and down, singing and shouting: We’ve got the unqualified opinion!*

Yes, nothing to feel bored at all!

And here’s another reason why I should feel ecstatic instead of feeling this way: I’ve got a brand new car! A totally cool and expensive brand new car!

Indeed, I was ecstatic but only for a short time. I think my father is more excited about this brand new car than me. He postpones his trip to our village in order to see it.

My mother told me that he’s been boasting to his fiends about it even before it comes to our garage. And besides he has another reason to be happy: he’ll be in charge of my other cool car which is only three years old. The car that I never let him touch before now will be his.

*sigh*

Is that why I’m feeling this way? Does it mean it’s not boredom at all? Do I feel restless then? Or unhappy?


The problem is when I’m bored, restless or unhappy I have a tendency to splurge. Come to think of it I do have very bad habits when I’m feeling bad. I either eat a lot or spend a lot!

Wait a minute! I also have tendency to give away a lot of money when I feel the urge to be a good daughter. Didn’t I just spend thousands of US dollars just a couple of months ago for my father? And didn’t I feel the urge to just give him the money last night when he mentioned how expensive he found the cost of the wheel that he bought?

Gosh! I always pay attention to finance. Even way before I become an accountant, okay since I was in the elementary school, I always take a careful note of how much money I have and how much money I spend in a day.

How come I suddenly loose interest in my own finance now? How come I no longer find that spending thousands and thousands of US dollars matter? How come I no longer have the interest to watch my debit and credit?

If this is what a boredom do to me I’m definitely in trouble!

Review: 49 Days

Is it possible to love something while you’re not happy with it? Is it possible to fall head over heel in love with someone while you’re already madly and irrevocably in love with somebody else?

If I have to answer this question myself I would say no. Not possible at all. When I love I love with my whole heart. There’s no room left for reservation. I wouldn’t be able to love someone/anything else just as much. But 49 Days proves me wrong.

It did what I hate the most in a movie/drama/story. When I say hate I really mean HATE. I hate sad ending with a passion. And I hate it even more when they dare to kill the lead. 49 Days does both without a qualm.

As such I should hate it with everything I’ve got. Yet, I’m unable to hate 49 Days any more than I’m able to hate Damo. I need to talk about Damo a little bit to show the different feelings that these two great dramas evoke from me.

Despite not hating Damo per se I don’t think I could ever forgive Damo’s writer/s for ending it so tragically. If someone told me how it would end I would never watch it. And although I love Commander Hwangbo I couldn’t bring myself to watch Damo for a second time.

I cried so much while watching it. More than an ocean I think. I HATE its ending. There’s no word to describe how much I hate it. So once is more than enough.

But it’s not like that with 49 Days. Yes, I also cried an ocean while watching it. And I might not want to start the painful journey of love that is 49 Days either if I know that it’s going to end up breaking my heart into a million pieces.

The problem was the moment I saw it I started to fall in love with Han Kang or Kang Ah as we all lovingly call him. I love him with the kind of love that I only feel for Lee Jin Soo (Coffee House).

Now, I’ll have to talk about Coffee House too!

Just for your information there are a bunch of crazy ladies out there who are fighting for the right to call Han Kang theirs. But Kang Ah is mine. All mine. Just like Jin Soo is mine Kang Ah is also mine for I’m also going to write him his very own story just like I did for Lee Jin Soo.

Why I love them so is a mystery to me. They have nothing in common. Lee Jin Soo is probably one of the most selfish and crazy male leads ever invented. He lies as easily as he breaths.

In his selfishness he has almost no sense of right or wrong. While Han Kang has a very strong sense of what’s right and what's wrong. And he understands the meaning of sacrificing for other people quite well.

Lee Jin Soo spends years trying to deny how much he loves Soe Eun Yung and tries his hardest to conceal his love from her not to mention leaving her for good. While Han Kang who has loved Shin Ji Hyun for years, makes it his mission to look for her and stays by her side only to be forced to hide his love from her.

However, come to think of it they do have one thing in common. They love intensely, wholeheartedly with every fibre of their beings. No time, norms, separation, marriages, physical appearances nor death could change it. It lasts forever.

Sigh. It’s pretty obvious now why I love them so.

Another thing about 49 Days that makes it different from Damo is the fact that it fills with heart tugging bitter sweet moments and cuteness that no matter how hard it makes me cry I’m helplessly drawn to it.

My love for Han Kang makes me wish so hard for his happiness. And as 49 Days has done an excellent job in letting us know how much he loves Shin Ji Hyun, with her I want him be. She's his happiness. She's the one who makes him happy.

I must confess that in the first few minutes of the first episode I was not taken with Shin Ji Hyun but as the story went I started to see glimpses of the girl she’s supposed to be.

She’s not my usual favourite lead girl. I love female lead who is strong, intelligent, and resourceful and I would love her even more if she has a healthy dose of wickedness that she could use when necessary.

But Shin Ji Hyun is none of that.

She’s far from bright. Far from strong and so used to having people do their best to help her that she is as helpless and as clueless as a baby, and as far as an angel is from the devil when it comes to wickedness. She has no mean streak in her body. Not even a tiny teeny bit. However, slowly but sure I start to love the girl that she is.

I love how 49 Days makes the almost no physical contact between Han Kang and Shin Ji Hyun turns into such touching, poignant, cute and heart breaking scenes. I love how when they are together they try not to say they love the other while exactly saying it.

And I love how Kang Min Ho who betrays Shin Ji Hyun and plots to destroy her family ends up falling in love with her instead without knowing that he has fallen for his very own fiancee who he thought he didn't love at all.

And I utterly love how Han Kang's heart recognises the love of his life despite the fact that Shin Ji Hyun has been declared as good as dead in the complete strange girl he's just met.

49 Days without a doubt is one of the best Kdramas that I’ve ever seen. If only the ending is different it will replace Coffee House as my most favourite drama ever. As it is I love it without really love it.

Even if I live Just One Day by Jo Hyun Jae

Jo Hyun-jae – “단 하루를 살아도” (Even If I Live Just One Day)has become my latest favourite.

I just love him! He makes me want to squeal eveytime I see him.
And the foolish grin keeps on creeping no matter how hard I try to keep my face straight.

I have no idea he could sing this well. Gosh! Jo Hyun Jae, SARANGHAE!

Kang Ahhhhh SARANGHAEEE!!


ps.
JB thanks a lot for the English translation and for digging up his boy band past!
Chichan thanks so much for the hangeul!


Artist :: Jo Hyun Jae (조현재)
Title Album :: OST 49 Days Part 7
Format :: Single, Studio
Title Track :: 단 하루를 살아도
Genre :: Drama OST
Release Date :: April 25, 2011
Label | Distribution :: Star Entry Ent. | 다날

Hangul and simple romanization

얼마나 기다려왔는데
olmana gidaryowanneunde (I’ve waited for so long)
얼마나 아팠는데
olmana apanneunde (I’ve hurt so much)
오랫동안 시간의 흔적만큼
oretdongan sigan-eui heunjongmankeum (As much as the traces left by that long time)
난 너를 그리워 했는데
nan noreul geuriwo henneunde (I’ve longed for you)

지친 발걸음은 어느새 니 곁에
jichin balgoreumeun oneuse ni gyote (Tired footsteps have brought me to your side)
날 데려왔어 아무것도 아무일도 못할걸 알면서
nal deryowasso amugotdo amuildo mot-halgol almyonso (though I know there’s nothing I can do)
Chorus:
널 사랑한다는 말
nol saranghandaneun mal (Saying I love you)
늘 가슴으로 외쳤던 말
neul gaseumeuro wechyotdon mal (are words my heart has always shouted)
널 사랑한다는 말
nol saranghandaneun mal (Saying I love you)
니 뒤에서만 되뇌였던 말
ni dwiesoman dwenweyotdon mal (are words I’ve repeated, behind you)
널 사랑한다는 말
nol saranghandaneun mal (Saying I love you)
달아날까 할 수 없는 말
daranalkka hal su omneun mal (are words I couldn’t say, afraid you’d run away)
사랑한다 겁이 날 만큼 널 사랑한다
saranghanda gobi nal mankeum nol saranghanda (I love you so much that I’m afraid I love you)


밤하늘 수 놓은 별처럼 항상 볼 순 있지만
bamhaneul su noheun byolchorom hangsang bol sun itjiman (Like the stars in the night sky)
다가갈수도 만질수도 없잖아 내 몫인가봐 널 지켜보는게
dagagalsudo manjilsudo objana ne mogsin-gabwa nol jikyoboneun-ge (always visible
but unable to be approached or touched)
매일 널 기다려 어느새 기대해 미련할만큼
meil nol gidaryo oneuse gidehe miryonhalmankeum (That must be my fate)
내 키보다 커져버린 널 향한 바램들
ne kiboda kojyoborin nol hyanghan baremdeul (to watch over you)

Chorus
널 사랑한다는 말
nol saranghandaneun mal
늘 가슴으로 외쳤던 말
neul gaseumeuro wechyotdon mal
널 사랑한다는 말
nol saranghandaneun mal
니 뒤에서만 되뇌였던 말
ni dwiesoman dwenweyotdon mal
널 사랑한다는 말
nol saranghandaneun mal
달아날까 할 수 없는 말
daranalkka hal su omneun mal
사랑한다 겁이 날 만큼 널
saranghanda gobi nal mankeum nol

[bridge]
고백한다 오늘 만큼만은 사랑해
gobekhanda oneul mankeummaneun saranghe (If I could only live one day, I’d want to be by your side)
단 하루를 살아도 니곁에 있고 싶다고
dan harureul sarado nigyote itgo sipdago (If I could only live one day, I’d want to be by your side)
고백할게 이제는 말할게 널 사랑해
gobekhalge ijeneun malhalge nol saranghe (I’ll confess I’ll say the words now I love you)

Credit
Hangul :: Daum Music
Romanization :: Chichan-Onew
PLEASE TAKE OUT WITH FULL CREDITS
Thank u so much :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cZFgPY2W4k

Love Them

Did I mention how busy I am at the moment? But no matter how busy I am I think I should spare some of my limited time for my favourites: Jo Hyun Jae and Song Seung Hun (Mr. Hand Towel).

I want to write Jo Hyun Jae his own story (Kang's POV) like what I did for Kang Ji Hwan's Lee Jin Soo, but,well, perhaps later when I have more time.

And I've been planning to write Mr. Hand Towel's background story just to help those who wonder why did the beautifully divine looking Song Seung Hun becomes more known as Mr. Hand Towel.

And last but not least I want to post the rebuttal from Don't Call Me Mr. Hand Towel himself!!

But those have to wait.

In the mean time you could check these links out under 'My Favourite links'. Both of them could sing extremely well!

If only my Kang Ji Hwan could also sing that well. Sigh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85DWQvsUxik
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85DWQvsUxik

Hazy

It’s back again. Those dreadful 16 - 17 working hours!

I thought I’ve managed my workloads quite well to reduce the amount of overtimes significantly compare to last year. But when one is dealing with other people it becomes a challenge to stick to a schedule.

It’s not the long working hours I resent but losing 8 hours of my sleeping time. I could function well enough on 2 or 3 hours of sleep only for a few days. After that I start to have almost all of sleep deprivation symptoms.

I’m dealing with numbers.
I’m dealing with people.
I’m driving.
I can’t afford to have those symptoms!

Sleep! I need sleep! Badly!

Kang Ji Hwan and Coffee House

I think I’ve watched all of Kang Ji Hwan’s movies and series – except for Be Strong Geum Soon, the reason is because I don’t really like the long series of family drama.

However, despite having more than enough of Kang Ji Hwan’s exposures I didn’t have any special feelings for him. I watched all his movies and series just because I like the storylines. Things changed when I saw Coffee House which has become my favourite drama of all time.

I fall in love with Lee Jin Soo its male lead. It’s not just an ordinary love that one feels for a certain character in one’s favourite movies/series. I’m completely, madly and irrevocably in love with him.

I don’t know how but I think some of that love has been rubbed off to Kang Ji Hwan himself. Hence, it transforms him into one of my favourite actors.

Imagine my happiness when I found out that he has been voted as The Actor of the Year in Japan. It means he has become the most popular Hallyu star in 2010.

Based on the survey conducted by Innolife (S-Plus Entertainment) 55.4% Japanese voted for him. The second place won by Jang Geun Suk who got 30.4% of the votes.

This is big. The Japanese love Bae Yong Jun who they consider as God and refer to as Yon-sama. But I see no difficulty for Kang Ji Hwan to be equally loved in the near future.

Particularly since his drama Coffee House has also been voted as The Drama of the Year with 48.6% votes. Followed by Sungkyunkwan Scandal which won 40% of the votes.

Love it. Love it. Love it.

Concern or Harassment?

I’ve been debating for quite sometimes whether I should put this particular topic here or not – for despite the fact that I created this blog to rant and rave – one should never forget that one can’t never really be that free when it comes to stating one’s opinion on the internet. Discretion has to be observed. It should never be thrown to the winds.

However, that’s exactly what I’m doing now.

To lessen the folly of my reckless action, I’m going to give myself a go for it argument. Firstly, this blog is my personal blog. Sort of like a diary. My diary. Secondly, I don’t think other human being is remotely interested in reading it. Thirdly, it’s in English. How many Indonesians are interested in reading someone else’s blog which is written in English? Almost zip. Therefore, go for it.

I’m writing while praying that none of the parties mentioned here will ever read this. For although I’m writing this to elaborate on my point of view and feelings regarding marriage and the matchmaking effort conducted by people around me, I don’t want them to read this for fear of offending them which is not my intention at all.

I don’t think you could really tell people who asked you “When are you going to get married” when they met you on the street, elevator or wherever they happen to bump into you anything. All you can do is probably putting a big smile and saying something vague or trying to make a joke about it.

It would be weird if instead of just smiling you invite them to sit for tea and then start talking about why you are still single lengthily. Not that it’s their business in the first place. And I don’t think they really want to know. In my opinion that question is just a rhetorical one. One that’s supposed to be answered with a big guilty smile.

The question itself doesn’t really bother me. It’s the judgement behind it which annoys me the most. By asking that question the questioner is stating their preference for marriage which they try to push upon the unfortunate single person they happen to meet.

I have no problem when other people are using marriage as a standard to measure one’s success/achievement/accomplishment/happiness in life but I do have a problem had they try to force me to adopt that view.

I have nothing against marriage per se. It’s just that I don’t see marriage as a goal which one must have and can’t live without. It’s not that I don’t want to get married at all when the time/occasion comes/calls for it. But the very idea of getting married just for the sake of getting married or just because that’s what everyone else is doing has no appeal to me.

But you couldn’t really say this to the people who are trying to marry you off now could you? Particularly not when those people mean nothing but well. In case you’re curious, these people who are trying their hands at matchmaking are not my family, they are my colleagues.

I don’t know how it started but they’ve somehow decided to set their collective cap for a guy I know – whom they also know – deciding that we’re perfect for each other. And no matter how hard I try to tell them that there’s absolutely nothing between us that we’re just friends, they just ignore it and persist in their far from subtle matchmaking endeavour.

I couldn’t even properly express my dismay when their well meaning effort at matchmaking caused me major cases of embarrassment and discomforts.

The only saving grace is the fact that I know the object of their matchmaking rather well and I don’t think he’ll think much of their far from subtle effort. I know that he could be a good sport.

The problem is other people who have nothing to do with us might not take it so lightly!

I was taken aback when a friend of mine who aren’t even in the same floor with us (me and the matchmaker wannabes) questioned me about that guy. When my shock lessened I eyed him suspiciously and questioned him back about his source. Directly naming all the likely culprits.

When he didn’t want to reveal his source I sharply told him not to believe anything he heard from whoever told him only God knows what.

I’m extremely bothered.

I basically take all their matchmaking effort in stride and decide to just humour them for I know they mean well. I don’t even make any comment to some of the things they say and advice which I think preposterous and degrading.

Just to illustrate:

1) They keep bugging me of the fact that there’s no progress at all despite all their concerted efforts. Well, how could there be any progress when I already told them that there’s really nothing between me and that guy?

2) One of them even told me to just grab him and drag him to the altar for if I wait for him to propose he probably never will. Just great. That guy doesn’t even like me and now not only I’m supposed to propose to him but I also have to force him to marry me. Why couldn’t they understand the very simple fact that if he’ll never make any move that’s because he isn’t interested.

Nevertheless, those bothersome things aren’t really the reasons why I loose it. It’s finding out that their matchmaking has some how turns into a rumour which is believed by others as the truth is disconcerting. Frustrating. And infuriating. And what worse is that I don’t even know what’s the truth that they believe in.

It reminds me of what happen to a very close friend of mine who experienced a rather similar thing in her organisation. When I heard what happened I told her: ‘If I were you I would definitely give that friend of yours a piece of my mind for doing what she did.’

Now, I can understand why she just grinded her teeth.

I wish that there’s some kind of code of conduct regarding how to deal with singles. Preferably one like how to treat female workers in a work place or females anywhere for that matter, in which if you do something that is perceived as unpleasant you could be charged with sexual harassment.

I think only when we have that people will then be forced to think hard before doing/saying something which are related to other people’s marital status no matter how good their intentions are.

The Gorgeous

I don’t have much time to write. So instead of writing things I long to write e.g. review of Romance in the Rain and Mr. Goodbye I just post pretty pictures of those who I consider as the most beautiful Chinese actress and the most gorgeous Korean actress.

There are many incredibly beautiful Chinese actresses for sure but to me Vicki Zhao is the most attractive one. While on the Korean side despite the fact that they have many cute, pretty and beautiful actresses I find Park Si Hyeon to be the most gorgeous.

Both Vicki Zhao and Park Si Hyeon have two things in common. They have the most beautiful eyes that I’ve ever seen on woman’s face and they are blessed with far from perfect teeth that help a lot to make them look more real. Especially for Park Si Hyeon who looks so Goddess like.

Please enjoy and compare who you think to be the most beautiful between them. Although I think Park Si Yeon looks her best in her High Cut and Cosmo's photos, as an actress I have more love for Vicki Zhao. Okay, I confess I absolutely love her. But I also LOVE Park Si Hyeon in Coffee House.

Anyway, aren't they just absolutely gorgeous?