INFG Goodies:// Song Joong Ki Wallpaper

After the last post reminded me of how much I miss Song Joong Ki, I found out that he was the Khottie of the Week over at my buddy Stephanie's blog, back in August. The first picture I saw made me want to use it as a wallpaper for my desktop. Instead of snagging the picture as it was, I decided to tweek it. I give you to, my new Joongki Wallpaper. Don't ever say I never gave you anything, Batzy can share...Sometimes.

You're welcome. ;) Share and enjoy.

Beautiful Bromance: Kim Jong Kook and Lee Kwang Soo

I just had to share this because it's so sweet. For those of you who don't watch Running Man yet, this should be more than enough to get you to start:

POW:// Kim Soo Hyun

This handsome and funny man takes the spot for this week's POW and INFG's 100th blog post!

Name: Kim Soo Hyun
DOB: February 16, 1988
Occupation: Actor, Model, Singer
Blood Type: B
Favorite Color: Black
Top Favorite Albums: Courtesy of http://flysoohyun.blogspot.com/

I am currently in LOVE with You Who Came From The Stars/My Love From Another Star. Kim Soo Hyun is sexy, stunning and just plan amazing. Jeon Ji Hyun and Kim Soo Hyun have a great chemistry together. They also worked together in the movie The Thieves. It's said that he actually convinced her to play the part of Song Ye, claiming that no one could play the character like she could. He seems pretty down to earth for an Alien.

I went to a shop in K-Town and saw a poster of him in it. I freaked and now frequently go there. To eat stuff and chat with my friends, not to stare at his poster from the endorsement below.

He thinks is eyes are his best facial feature. I like to think his face is his best feature, like ALL OF IT.

I think he likes flowers

And candy...

And puppies!

He was in Will it Snow At Christmas? Which I watched for Song Joong Ki and SPOILER ALERT...
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SJK dies in it so there isn't much of him to watch. My attention was actually not drawn to Kim Soo Hyun but to Go Soo.

In 2012, Soo Hyun took the physical to get into the military but failed to gain active service priviledges due to a previous condition. He has a heart condition and has had surgeries. His heart beats irregular and faster than normal. (Yea, well I see him, so does mine.) In 2013, he took the test again and is going to be in active military when he goes in. (Which is a big possibility it could be this year but I won't get fangirls riled up again until there's more info.)

Here's Nervous Kim Soo Hyun meeting his ideal woman.



Too cute.

The Latest Leads of Boys Before Friends.

I've learned my lesson. When referring to the American adaptation of Boys Over Flowers, never say "final" when it comes to casting because you just never know how long these people are going to be around. I don't know if I should even update our comprehensive adaptations poster - again. We'll see what happens.

 

 

Meet Kevin Markovic and Rose Guess, the new Liam and latest Zoey. There is just a chance that they will stay for the duration since neither has the level of resume that Joseph Almani and Dawn Morrow sport, so it stands to reason that they probably aren't represented by management companies that will look after them either.

 

Kevin Markovic is credited with being in an eight minute short from 2011 entitled The Missed Call where he plays a wild college student. Other than that, there is no portfolio, professional biography or demo reel available for him. 

 

Rose Guess is a 24 year old Portland native who moved to Los Angeles and has done some modeling. Her one film credit is for a 60 minute 2012 film called Hollywood a GoGo - The Ultimate Dance Party. The clip on IMDb made me cringe, but just at the production quality, I couldn't tell which body was Rose's.

 

Inexperience and desperation definitely have a place in Hollywood, because without them, countless productions would not have been born; Boys Before Friends, obviously one of them. Hopefully things go smoothly for the series now. If anything, the next change they should make is replacing their writer/director. That would go a long way in improving the quality of the show.

First Impressions:// Emergency Couple

When Batzy-chan first gave me the heads up about Emergency Couple, I wondered who she was watching it for, the sexy charismatic Choi Jin Hyuk, or Running Man's fabulous female, Song Ji Hyo. (Batzy-chan is a Running Man fanatic!) Whichever the case may be, we were both quite excited for this show to get underway.

The plot seems straightforward; two medical school students marry, divorce, and find their lives intertwined once again. In some ways, the first episode was just what I was expecting, and in other ways, not what I was expecting at all.

We start off with some beautiful romantic imagery as our couple runs through the streets to get married. Their pursuers were, of course, sent by the rich disapproving family to stop them, but love prevailed! Even though Song Ji Hyo's wig looks terrible, I don't care; she's cute, her groom is cute, and they're just so cute together!  But then...

MV BREAKDOWN:// Boggie: Parfüm by Boggie

Internet has been buzzing, especially in the art and design world with this video. Boggie's Parfüm is a very appealing video to me and its part music lover and part graphic designer that loves it.

The MV shows video adjustments being made in order to make everything look 'perfect' as the finished product. And though many are claiming it's "real time adjustments", it's just a concept people. As a designer, I will say I have never seen this ever, because it doesn't exist. Video editing like that doesn't take 3 minutes. (Sings Bubble bubble pop pop.) Good imaginations guys.

The song screasm in a melodic voice with edge. I like it. Though I can't seem to find a translation that I am happy enough to believe is true. I don't know Hungarian and I am sure the majority of our readers don't either, sooo feel free to search it up yourselves and see if you come up with anything. I am going to stick with it being about an image driven society, the struggle to maintain yourself in it and stuff in that type of realm of thinking. Sounds good right?

I really like the video and the song, whatever it translates to. Hopefully more people will notice that some perception of beauty in the media is enhanced with editing programs. There's so many girls (and boys) that strive to look like what they see on tv and videos and don't know that these standards are not reachable because they are made up and don't really exist. Love yourself. No one is perfect.

Batzy will be back to her regularly scheduled boy crazy gibberish tomorrow. I feel like this post is a PSA. Stay in school, don't do drugs, wear your seat belts, don't drink and drive, sharing is caring. ;)

Watch the video.

Fangirling:// Noona Killer Kim Soo Hyun

Boys Before Friends Cast Overhaul

Another one bites the dust...

Anyone who is watching the American Remake of Boys Over Flowers, whether it's for sh*ts and giggles or they seriously enjoy it (really?) knows whats been going on later. After an episode and a half, their leading lady was switched out for Dawn Morrow. It was a pretty hilarious transition as Zoey, who was previously tattooed and had the side of her head shaved, was kidnapped by the F4's goons and given a "makeover". Zoey is now without tattoos and has a full head of hair, to which Liam responds "Wow, you look like a totally different person" upon reveal.

After the delay of episode 2, episode 3 was unveiled and things seem to go a little smoother for the production. Camera angles and transitions seemed better than the first episode. Things seemed to look up for them. Sort of. There were still loop holes and mishaps, including the script, that drove the production to subpar standards.

Now the lead actors that play Liam and Zoey are no longer in BBF. (WHAT?!) I know, I know, it's terrible. But while the team decides to keep the reasons undisclosed in order to maintain "professionalism", Dawn Morrow and Joseph Almani, took to social media outlet Twitter, to voice their reasons. The argument is this: They left vs They were fired. The crappy attempt to cover up the truth was later debunked by Almani stating that due to lack of professionalism on set, his management voiced some opinions and the BBF team didn't like it very much so he was left go. WTG, Almani, I have some respect for this guy being straightforward.

This comes to no surprise as Panda Unnie has had her share of dealing with admins and staff for the BBF team while voicing her opinion on the series even before it began.

Though writer, Kel Williams, says they will be moving forward with the 16 episodes as promised, I don't see how this is going to hold up. With statements that this production is made and will be maintained for the fans, I think it's a load of bull. Fans of the other adaptations have voiced opinions about this drama only to be ignored as racism and invalid opinions. Anything for the people should at least listen to the people. Negative or positive, the criticism could have been used for the better of the series.

They are now asking the public for suggestions on who should take Morrow and Almani's place. My suggestion is bring back the old Zoey, Riley Baker, during another makeover while Liam is killed off in a yachting accident. I am sure you guys can pull it off just as smoothly as before. And its not like you need the actor to be there with the crap camera angles you guys use anyway. Oh, and get your company website and stuff looking more professional, hell just get everything looking more professional if you want to be taken seriously. That's an obvious step. Get your sh*t together. And don't fire Jason S. Mordeno, that's the only eye candy I have left.It's hard to root for something when there a lack of...everything. I hope to see some fans make a BBF youtube version that doesn't look like a parody.

Source: DramaFever, Twitter

Royal Pirates

Ah, my newest addiction. A band by the name of Royal Pirates. I came about the video for 'Draw the Line' (Band Version MV) but didn't have much interest in it, at least until I saw a pretty face frozen on the frame with the play button screaming at me to press it and watch. So, I did.



The band, Fading From Dawn, was formed in 2004. It consisted of brothers Kim Moon Chan (Richard) and Moon Chul (Andrew), along with drummer Soo Yoon. In an untimely and tragic car accident, Richard along with two friends died in April 2008. Without Richard, Moon Chul and Soo Yoon rarely played events. It wasn't until 2009 that James, their current bassist, joined the band. They would continue to perform as Royal Pirates. It could no longer be Fading From Dawn without Richard, so they changed their name.

Why the name Royal Pirates? Well the boys were tossing around random words for a new band names. It's a mix of high class royalty and bad ass pirate freedom, the best of both worlds.

The band received a lot of love on YouTube for doing various covers from Muse, Britney Spears, SNSD, and Wondergirls, to name a few. My favorite cover is their rendition of Super Junior's 'Sorry Sorry'. I've been listening to it on repeat since I discovered it yesterday. LOVE IT. Besides, I have a thing for bands, NELL, CN Blue, FT Island, LEDApple...the list continues.


After looking up some more stuff by Royal Pirates, I realized that I knew about it when they released their digital album 'Shout Out' in 2013, and thought they were pretty cool then. I like their older stuff though, like 'Disappear'. Their newer stuff has an easy going feel to it. Of the new album, Drawing the Lines, my favorite song is 'See what I See'. There's just something about Moon Chul's voice that gives me chills... The good kind... Like down my neck. *cough* Anyways, I'm following the boys on twitter and can hopefully keep up with what's going on with the rest of the boys. Maybe they will be in NY sometime soon. If you are reading this, let me interview you guys, eh? *bats eyelashes*





You can find out more info on the band at their official website: www.royal-pirates.com and on the fan-site www.theroyalvoyage.com

Recap:// Attention Please 2008 Special

The last installment of the Attention Please series once again shows that Misaki has regressed, but hopefully her enlightenment will take this time. Meanwhile, it's nice to see everyone back together again as we enjoy the beautiful landmarks of Australia.

This time a love connection will be made, but which couple shall it be? It's about time, as the original series came out in 2006, so we've been waiting years for romance to blossom!

MV Breakdown:// LM.C: My Favorite Monster

Minna-san! Gomen ne! Have you ever started a project and had it get out of hand until you realize that you've taken over 100 screenies of a 3 minute and 17 second music video, then had to squeeze it all down, but still end up with 47 images that you then subject everyone else to?

On the plus side, the English translation is provided, so it's more like a music video recap.

LM.C's new mini album will be released on February 12, 2014 and will include eight songs:

1.  Neo Fantasia
2.  DOUBLE DRAGON (Nov 28, 2012)
3.  Chameleon Dance
4.  Kinjirareta Uchuu
5.  My Favorite Monster (Dec 11, 2013)
6.  Mono-logue
7.  DREAMscape
8.  DIVE TO FANTASY

My Favorite Monster starts off with a 50's horror flick feel as the title flashes on the screen. While their brand of electro-rock/pop is usually quite energetic with a hectic feel, their new single is somewhat smoother and leans more towards a dance sound.

Our boys are introduced with Maya uncharacteristically sporting all white. The lyrics make mention of angels and devils, so whether it was planned with that intention in mind or not, it's fitting.

Review:// Pretty Man (Bel Ami)

Pretty Man, also known as Bel Ami, after the 1885 novel by Guy  de Maupassant about a journalist who uses women to climb his way to the top, is an adaptation of the 17 volume manhwa, Yebbeun Namja by Chon Kye Young.

The drama averaged 4.3% (AGB Nielsen) nationwide, which isn't great. Many people have blamed Jang Geun Suk for the low ratings, saying that he needs to tackle different types of roles. Sure, he has played the emotionally unavailable jerk who eventually charms us with his cat smiles, and ends up intensely invested in love, many times. He's good at it, and we knew that going into Pretty Man.

The problem was that the writing completely failed to deliver a plot that had enormous potential. If the script had allowed for more than minimal character development, had dug deeper into the nature of relationships, and had made connections within the story instead of abbreviating everything and then glossing it all over, viewership would have been higher, and everyone would be saying that Sukkie was awesome.

 It's because of the skill and charisma of the cast that the drama was fun and entertaining despite the shallow storyline. There was more than enough charm to keep me coming back until the end.

Bel Ami Slash

This scene lent itself... no it screamed, SLASH!  Delicious and unedited.

First Impressions:// Prime Minister & I

With all the dramas and projects I'm juggling, I might have missed out on this gem if not for the enthusiastic recommendation of Nelly who loves it so much. Thanks, Nelly!

The exceptional Lee Bum Soo plays Kwon Yul, Korea's youngest prime minister. He's a righteous and honest widower who is great at his career, but drops the ball when it comes to parenting.  Im Yoon Ah plays the young bumbling reporter Nam Da Jung, who is impulsive and a bit of a ditz.  When they're involved in a misunderstanding that turns into a scandal, they have to fake a loving relationship to save both their reputations.

The face they have to show the public is one of happy congeniality, and they do it well, especially when they become strained and stiff from being absolutely livid inside - ah, but you'll have to watch it to see those hilarious scenes.

Dramas commonly use the first episode to set things up so you unfortunately don't get right into the relationship dynamics or start feeling a connection to the characters. Sometimes it even takes four episodes to get into the swing of things.  Not so with Prime Minister & I!  It hooked me right from the start as those smiling faces melted into expressions of derision.

MV BREAKDOWN:// K-Much (Snakehead): Don't Know (Good To Go)

The male version of Crayon Pop rears its head in this one. K-Much, a 5 member group born between 90-93. (I swore the maknae was the oldest member. I might be losing my grasp on kpop reality.)

Now I am keeping this music video breakdown pretty short as I am also making a few comments on the songs I heard their mini.
Video: The first minute or so had me in 'wtf' mode. It was cute as they walked snapping pics and being high school boys and all. They took out the helmets, and I was like "oh no, please no"...They do a little 'Bar Bar Bar' to evoke the baby of Nessy and Godzilla out of the river. *shugs* I lost all hope, when one of the Crayon Pop members showed up to blast them with her craptastic lightning effects. And then it happened...The images of cute boys in SWAT outfits and some dirt on their faces. I was satisfied with that. Not a band round of boys.

Members:

I heard a preview of the mini album, Beyond the Ocean and here is a short first impression on the songs.

I'm Sorry: Reminiscent of 2PM's Again and Again, or Teen Top's Clap. I think it was the way the melody flowed. I liked it though, but that's a given since I like the songs it's similar to.
What Should I do: Repetitive and catchy.
Dont Know (Good To Go): 'Crayon Pop' Boys...z It's almost exactly the same.


And if you haven't seen the Crayon Pop video that drove me crazier than Psy's Gangnam Style. Where the hell have you been? Under a rock?! Well I will post that for you too, you under-rock dweller.

MV BREAKDOWN:// Gary: Zotto Mola

After about a week and 4 teasers for MVs, Gary' first song for his first solo album is released on LeeSang Company's Youtube page about an hour ago. This might be the fastest and most up-to-date upon MV Breakdown I have ever done.

When I heard the initial melody, I swore the bass was gonna drop and I was wrong. This video is pretty much one shot, head on and black and white. Gary is still for the most part, but his words are poetic movement. It flows very nicely and is powerful yet easy to listen to.It works well with the lyrics. A man who is in love with a woman. She will never understand how much he really cares. (You can read the translation here.)

Time passes and the lonely Gary continues to rap about this love. Water begins to fill the container.

The water (if you haven't figured out all ready, is representative of his emotions) make it hard for him to speak.

And he finally drowns in them.

Even without knowing what the song meant, you could get the jist of what was happening. Good music breaks language barriers. There was a balance between the song and the video and they go well together. Nicely done.



Oh course this video doesn't go without a few Monday Couple comments. Netizens are crying out for JiHyo to go save Gary. I ship it.

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A few minutes later, a second video was released. This one is for Shower Later. The video is full of girls and sexual innuendos. I wont post images. Watch at your own discretion. It's funny to me how the non-Asian girls are doing more of the sexual stuff than the Asian ones. Is that because our culture allows sexuality more openly in our music videos and medias in general? I don't like the video but I'd listen to the song.

POW:// Lee Ki Kwang

Let's just get right into it.

Name: Lee Ki Kwang
DOB: March 30, 1990
Position: Main Dancer of B2st (Beast)
(I also read main vocal, which I doubt since I think that's Yoseob's role. And read visual, no argument there.)
Blood Type: A
Favorite Color: Black

Little known facts:
He debuted as a solo artist by the name of AJ. AJ stood for Ace Junior. Supposedly he was asked to switch his name as it was the same as AJ from Paran, who is AJ from UKISS. Ki Kwang debuted with B2st in 2009 under his real name.

He is allergic to shellfish. (Me too...Let's avoid crustaceans together.)

After seeing him in the 4 episode mobile drama 20's (aka Twenty Year Old), it was all over for me. This drama reeled me in, as Ki Kwang plays himself, an idol, who still hasn't forgotten about his first love. When they accidentally meet up, things get a little out of hand as he tries to maintain a love life while he and his girlfriend struggle in the public eye.

In the drama special My Friend is Still Alive, Ki Kwang plays a high schooler that was given six months to live. I balled my eyes out and cried more than I have for a 21 episode drama in the 1+ hour I watched this. I heard he filmed for only 4 days. What a pro!

He can pull off sweet...

Or sexy, very well.

I would post some aegyo but instead I decided to play this route.


You're welcome.