A Little Milestone – Let’s Share the Happy

I realized today that I’ve been blogging on AKP for exactly for six months. I started on June 8, and I took a look at the view count and realized that (holy mother of Zeus!) I am edging close to crossing the one million mark. While this is beyond any expectation of mine, since I had NONE to begin with, I nevertheless wanted to thank everyone who hangs out at the Playground with me.

A few folks have asked me if I am *that* ockoala? And the answer is yes – I am indeed *that* ockoala who delurked because of City Hall, which is why the screencap of Mi Rae and Jo Gook and the Moon River proposal rightfully tops this post. It’s such a treat to see City Hallers visiting AKP. In honor of this rather insignificant little anniversary, I hereby present you a picspam of the best kisses in K-dramas, as decided by moi! Kisses are the bestest present ever, and always good for a squee or three.

City Hall

IRIS

Coffee Prince

Que Sera Sera

Prosecutor Princess

My Name is Kim Sam Soon

Goong

Personal Taste

Mary Stayed Out All Night

My criteria was: (1) chemistry between the leads, (2) setting, and (3) degree of intimacy. All of the above are awesome kisses, some more awesome than others, but all worked brilliantly in that drama to grip you and sweep you away into the moment of the kiss as much as the two leads consummately performed it. At the end of the day, a kiss is but one tiny element in a drama, but if done right, makes that drama just that little bit more memorable.

Just a clarification – the dramas I selected above are by no means dramas I liked or even dramas I have watched. I am simply selecting the best kisses, even if said kiss happened in a drama I hate so much I feel the urge to stomp on the DVD set I own. I won’t name names, but ugh, I hate that drama.


Comments

A Little Milestone – Let’s Share the Happy — 93 Comments

  1. Hi Koala. I do remember you very very well. And City Hall actually is the drama that got me hooked into kdramas. This was the first drama that I followed after I chanced upon an episode in my LA Korean Station. I quickly bought the dvd and the rest is history. Of the dramas listed above, I saw 7 of them. I guess I have to watch the remaining one but City Hall and Goong are my top favorites which I rewatch up to now.

    Thanks for your wonderful recaps. I always say, “if A Koala say it is good, then it must be good”! You are my yardstick actually! I hope to read more of your recaps.
    Keep ’em coming!

    • I hope to share my thoughts, not sure if I’m qualified to be anyone’s yardstick, but thanks for coming to play with me!

    • I know! Those two might just be my favorite K-drama kisses ever! Just thinking about them has me squealing with uncontrollable glee like a crazy fangirl.

  2. I dropped by to see whether you had the M3 9 recap up and saw this…Congratulations! Love hearing your thoughts on dramas (and other things!) And I’m glad you delurked (the OT has never been the same 😛 May your blog flourish for many years to come!

  3. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog and updates. I’m a recent (as of 2009) addict to K-dramas. Who knew they would be so addicting?

    Congratulations on reaching this milestone! :O)

  4. Unni, gong xi ni!

    It’s hard to believe that this blog has only existed for six months. I know I’m definitely still having tons of fun on this playground. An interesting fact: this is one of the first drama blogs that brought me out of delurk mode. Therefore your blog holds a super duper special place in my heart because since playing on AKP, I went from an online lurking dodo to a more active one. It seems silly that just six months ago, I was utterly scared to have my opinions written online and read by anybody who wanted to read it, to be a small voice among the sea of experienced bloggers. It frightened me so. Although those inner fears of inadequacy of my writing resurface once in a blue moon, I’ve slowly stopped caring about it after being warmly welcomed to play on AKP. So thank you for sharing your thoughts and for writing so beautifully. I love your writing and it inspires me all the time. Reallys!

    • Xie Xie little mei mei.

      I’m so happy you delurked and now have the confidence to share your thoughts, which are always thoughtful and add to any drama discussion.

  5. Congrats koala…for the almost getting the mark….I think you will get there in no time at all in the next few days…since like moi…I like to read your recaps over and over again.. not getting tired of it… hehehe….Happy Blogversary! yay! *throwing party hats n graffiti*

  6. I enjoy hopping in to check out your commentaries a few times a day. I’m obsessively into K-drama (mostly romance comedies, feel good/heart pinching ones). Thank you for your dedicated work here. 🙂

    • Man, I have mixed feelings about the Goong kiss – I think JJH used too much tongue TBH. I know, that sounds like I’m complaining my husband bought me a too expensive birthday present. Heh.

      • @ ockoala, i agree. it was a little too busy for me. 😉
        now, JJH and SMA’s kiss in naked kitchen..that’s another story. *fans self*

      • @JJ bwahahaha, hey at least she didn’t post a link. If the younguns really want to see, will have to go find.

        @odessa yeah, uh huh. *fans self too*

      • funny…cause im probably one of the youngin’s here… and I saw the movie with my sister who is 16 😛

      • JJH and SMA’s kiss was probably the best kissu scene I’ve ever seen from kmovielandia!! (never get tired of looking on it on YT once in a while and be amused with the comments like “how uber hot was it and JJH”)
        as JJH commented during TNK interviews “true feelings were there”, it helped a lot that he finds SMA too lovely and they were both professionals…

  7. congratulations!!! i for one am so grateful to have this little space to play around with fellow k-drama addicts. and yesss…what better way to celebrate than kisses?

    and yay for YEH and KSA!!! 2 out of 9, woooot! definitely agree that these two ladies can KISSsss and then some. 😉

  8. Woooo City Hall! *fans self* I actually watched this before Kim Samsoon and it was pretty funny because KS was my cousins favorite kdrama at the time and I was touting my love for CH. We found out a little later, after our impassioned speeches on why my/her drama was the better drama, that they both featured the same actress. It really did cement my love for all things Korean though.
    I’m still thankful for finding your blog and I just wanted to say thank you thank you thank you for beginning it. Congrats on almost hitting the 1 million mark and Happy Anniversary! 🙂

  9. congrats! i’ve said this already, but i love your blog.
    i found it about 3 weeks ago and have been checking it almost every day.
    i approve of the top kisses!!!!!
    now i want to watch city hall and que sera sera

  10. congrats Koala.. only stumbled upon your site becos of M3 and I’m really glad I did.. Yours and rebel souls are the only 2 blogs that have shown so much M3 love.. I don’t feel like i’m such an unsophisticated drama watcher that I cannot pick out what is wrong with the plot and all the so-called boring cliches.. and that somehow, there is something wrong with me for loving M3 so much…

    so do share with us.. which is your absolute fave kiss or OTP of all time?

  11. Congradulations!!

    But also, thank YOU so much! Didn’t know you’ve only been blogging for six months! Who would have thought indeed, what an accomplishment!

    Looking forward for your future projects, i’m sticking around in this playground ^^

  12. Congratulations for your 6 months and almost million!!!! and thank you a Million for sharing with us!!!!
    i love this blog, i checked it every day and lost track of how many times in a day
    best kisses m3 and coffe prince!!!!
    then que sera sera

  13. Congrats! and i love your way of celebrating ; )

    i’m so glad i found ur blog, n hopefully we can continue to play here for a long time to come!

    • Well, story-wise that was a Very Important Kiss, but in other considerations… well. I think it’s more the director’s fault than anything else, but as much as I adore PK, that kiss was definitely lacking a certain oomph. And any lip action.

  14. PKissers!!! 😀 Nice to know they’re still playing here ^^

    I liked PK Rain kiss, but it was just about so-so (mostly due to the monkey though).
    But what i actually liked/ loved about that kiss…. JAWLINE HOTNESS OVERLOAD!!

  15. Congratulations!! Happy blogsary! I stumbled upon your blog because of M3 and been visiting eversince..love your recaps! Will be staying in your playground for a long time :)) And yes, i do remember thinking when I stumbled upon your blog that your name ockoala really sounds familiar. I’ve come across your name in the comments over the the DB blog. Congratulations again and many many thanks for the M3 love!! And as an eel, I’m very happy of the JGS love here as well… 🙂

  16. ASLDKJLASFKAKSDJ CITY HALL SCREENCAPS MAKE MY DAY!!!! ♥♥♥♥♥ This post is awesome. I’m just sayin’! *g* Congrats, bb! I’m so glad you have your own playground which has a loyal base of followers. ^^

    All these kisses are great, but I must admit I’m more partial to the “Whether you’re a man or an alien” kiss in CP. That one you posted is great, but heh, I’m a sap. That’s one of the best love declarations in the history of ever imho. ^^

    Ha, I think I know which is the drama you speak of. 😉

  17. I concur with you choices. ^_^ Mmmmm, those are some yummy kisses, all very squee-worthy. I’ve seen all of those dramas except Que Sera Sera…maybe it’s time to watch that one.

    Someone mentioned PK up there… I was hoping the kissing in PK would be a little more like, well, real kissing, seeing as how the director also did Goong — which is the only drama aimed more at a younger demographic that I’ve seen where the kissing isn’t just pecking. But my hopes were dashed. But at least it wasn’t as bad as JGS’s last on-screen kiss. What, like nuns-in-training-turned-boy-band-idols don’t deserve a real kiss? Psht.

  18. i’ve only seen half of these kisses but i do agree on the ones i’ve seen 😀
    one particular kiss that was memorable for me was the My Girl kiss, only because of gongchan’s in-between-kisses-zomg-melt-in-my-ears “saranghae”.

    how about a list of the worst kisses? *cough*fullhouse*cough*

  19. Congratulations Ockoala! You’ve done a great job! Hardly (half a) day goes by without me checking in on your playground, and I’m sure that’s the case for many of us! Thanks for sharing your joys with us and for all the effort you put in to give us more of the squees!

  20. Congrats! I don’t always agree with you on dramas (obviously, we are not clones) but I always always love your writing.

    Have one more for the road. Yes, I know it’s not kdrama.

    [img]http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm216/dangermousie2/takki/JiangHuLegendoftheCondorHeroes08-13.jpg]/img]

    • Great, I can’t even close tags properly.

      [img]http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm216/dangermousie2/takki/JiangHuLegendoftheCondorHeroes08-13.jpg[/img]

      • Mousie,

        They made a baby right before that kiss, so uhm, yeah, that was one mother-hot kiss. 😀 Thankyouthankyouthankyou.

        I feel the same way about you – no consensus on dramas in general, but always love your writing and opinion. In that regard, let’s be clones then!

        Damn, I need to do a YH post, but he’s been laying low filming less publicized dramas and having management issues. My twinnie needs to gimme an update, but I think he left Tangren and is now with a different agency than his BFF Hu Ge and secret GF Lui Shi Shi.

    • Btw, I am pretty sure I know which drama is the “throw DVD away” one 🙂

      And thank you 🙂 *insert becoming blushes*

      • let me join the party!! at least we all love LoCH08 EXACTLY the same brainmesh way, that’s precious! 🙂

        Twinnie, I did get ur ESP on YH+HG+LSS! http://mookiehyun.livejournal.com/11897.html#cutid1

        His fangirls visited him on set on his virgin modern day drama ( playing a single dad (!)) he just had to make them flail more by opening doors for them, had brief deep witty convo w/ each, and post a heart-tugging thank you tweet asking them to just holler a safe hihi in reply when they got home in the cold wintry nite.

  21. Congratulations!

    It’s hard to believe that you’ve just started six months ago. You are extremely competent. Truly and sincerely a “genuine writer” who writes with all her heart & soul 🙂

    Koala, thank you for all your endeavor and for sharing to us your admirable and wonderful “playground” 🙂

    🙂 😉 🙂 😉

    • What, no more emoticons for me? I want your comment to have like 50 emoticons, because you are too cute, Sheng! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on dramas at the Playground.

  22. Dear Koala!

    congrats on writing an amazing blog. I don’t remember since when I started visiting your blog but once started, there is no return.

    Once I attended an event and one speaker said “whenever you do something just do it genuinely”. and I think that’s what makes this blog so successful because of the way you write and express yourself. There is no pretense.

    I hope you continue to be this way because it is so special nowadays to find such feelings still exist.

    congrats!!! Hope you celebrate it with your koala bear and little kiddos 🙂

  23. Congratzzzzz Koala and hopefully many many more to come..cause rite now this is one HOT blog indeed…. 😀 😀 and I have become a Koala convert…

    Btw I think the best kiss has to Personal Taste..omgggg I replay that LMH kiss like gazzilliom times cause OMG he was like eating her up…. **dies again**…..

  24. ockoala, random question and probs not related to this post, but are you doing a commentary/write-up about SG and the OTP? i’m DYING to hear your take on the turn of events lately and yesss…actually just dying to read anything about SG and our favorite neurotic department store CEO. hee. if i wasn’t such a serial monogamist, i’d start watching M3 just so i can read your recaps and participate in the discussion but i think i lalalalove SG way too much at this rate that i can’t share that affection with another show. 😉

    also, on the subject of besos, CP alien kiss is my fave. but i also have a soft spot for Only You and the OTP’s first kiss in Venice. i know its not that special but i felt that magical pull between JHJ and HCY, it was a sweet kiss and made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

  25. Congrats.starting to lurking your blog for m3 and fall in love right away.you had that skill of using words to express the emotion in the drama.ah you didn’t add hyun bin and lovely song gye hyo kiss in the world they live in when HB carry SGY like coala while kissing her.oh they are having such emotion that make that kiss sweet and hot as well.

  26. Dear Koala,
    I became a big fan of your writing ever since you posted that beautiful Tamra review. 😀 Thank you for starting this blog. I don’t remember when I started to visit your blog, but it has become one of my favorite sites to visit daily. I can’t believe that it has only been 6 months since you started. You have accomplished so much in such a short period of time! I’ll look forward to reading more of your writings and try to delurk often.

    Congratulations!! 🙂

  27. Congrats!! And thankyou thankyou thankyou for creating this space. I was fumbling around on my own until I found AKP. My evil co worker introduced me to dramas and then left me alone to wander with no guidance. Crazy that it’s been 3 months since PK madness started and I found you. Can’t believe it’s been that long.

    I’m, however, not surprised by the number of hits. You’re an amazing writer! I read every entry even if I don’t comment.

    Happy semi-anniversary!

  28. congratulations ockoala!!!

    a toast to somebody who writes from the heart with much wit and humor!!! i never tire of reading your post!!! and as always, thanks for letting us roam free on this playground of yours. 🙂

  29. A milestone indeed! I found your site off google when I wanted more spoilers during my Playful Kiss craze, and now I’m an avid reader. You express yourself so well and it’s so fun to read your posts, as well as everyone’s comments. It makes being hooked on a drama even more entertaining! 🙂 Looking forward to more to come.

  30. Congratulations Ockoala! I’m not watching a new drama nowadays but I try to drop by your blog everyday. I missed the PK party. Sorry friends. It looks like everyone is having fun with/in Secret Garden or Mary. You spoil us with your generousity Ockoala. I am thinking of watching Athena as Sung Min Woo will be in it.

  31. My sister has tried to turned me into a K-drama addiction without any success until I happened to stay in the hospital and alas bumped into City Hall and the rest is a history. I had my ‘crush’ on Cha Seung Won and began to watch as many K-drama as possible. City Hall is my fave from all. Because of the thirst….. I began to lurked to Soompi, Dramabeans and well to your playground…, which I earnestly say….I love the ‘playground’ the most. It is like a must thing to do each day to visit the AKP and have fun there.

    By any chance…..I think you should start thinking to write you own Novel or sort of….it is always enjoyable to read your recap and witty comment.

    Thank you Ockoala to make days memorable in your playground.

  32. I’m so curious…!

    There’s a question that’s stuck in my mind after reading this post earlier. Which is the drama that made you irritated in the list above?

    Anyway, congratulations! I’m totally addicted to your blog now. It’s one of the sites *I must log onto* when I turn on my computer.

    😀

  33. GREAT KDRAMA KISSES indeed, Ockola!!!!
    Of course, I’m BIASED towards Coffee Prince…that being the drama that propelled my journey towards KDrama addiction!!!!
    Secondly, cuz Gong Yoo is my 1st LOVE!!!
    Thirdly, because after watching more than 120 dramas in the span of 4 years…it’s still, in my opinion..the HOTTEST KISS in KDramaland!!!
    I’ve watched all the dramas you’ve posted & I agree that City Hall is truly one outstanding & memorable series…it made CSW &KSA my top OTP of all-time!!!
    Prosecutor Princess also got me addicted to Ma HyeRi & Seo Byun’s chemistry!!!
    Your blog is on my top list these days, because you pretty much write wonderful articles & LOVED your PK RECAPS TO BITS!!!!!
    Thanks & Good Luck!!!!

  34. Congratulations Koala! ^^ I really admire your hardwork that’s why I keep on coming back on your site. 🙂 I hope you will be blessed since you never falter on putting smiles on all drama addicts out there like me. XD

    Yay! This pic made me squeal… ^^ I dunno which one’s my fave kiss. Maybe Goong? Cause it took me a long time before I finally saw those characters admit their feelings for each other. XD

  35. I agree that the kiss in PK should not be in this list.. LOL. Well, I love KHJ to South Korea and beyond, but he’ll need a stronger role to deliver a kiss as powerful as the ones you’ve compiled. I’ll wait for him to deliver.. for KHJ, I’m patient enough.. hehe

    There’s something about Gong Yoo’s expressions.. whether he’s kissing the girl or he’s being kissed by the girl.. that just hit the right emotional buttons with me. All his kisses in Coffee Prince are rewind-worthy. I’m not into the one in Personal Taste tho.. I thought it was too staged.. eh. Or maybe it’s coz watching Lee Min Ho working it just didn’t make me feel anything.. whyeee? I have no idea. The one in Goong is forgettable precisely because I had to wait so long for them to even admit they like each other.. and then suddenly KISS! Whaa… it just feels desperate. I was watching it while going.. “I’m not amused…” *ish jaded*

    Haven’t watched the other dramas tho (I’m mesmerized by the backdrop in the IRIS kiss).. too bad you did not include the k-movies. There’re some good ones.. but for added shock value, I’ll vote for the ones in Antique Bakery.. 😛

  36. Congrats!! I’ve been following your blog while looking up for PK recaps. After that, I’d declared myself an avid reader of your blog. Keep up the good work gal!

  37. Hi there, my favorite marsupial from Down Under! Congratulations on your milestone! 🙂
    *pops open the champagne bottle*

    even if said kiss happened in a drama I hate so much I feel the urge to stomp on the DVD set I own.
    Oh man, this got me so curious. You won’t say, but how about a hint?

    p.s.
    slides or monkey bars at the playground?

  38. You know, my sweet sweet twinnie, I visualize AKP many times as this dreamy cyber jimjilbang in tasteful Hello Kitty decor with our ILubUs in tiny towels as our masseurs, unlimited supply of bobas, chocopies…..a given. We drop by this haven for drama fangirls, where judging fangirls is the biggest nono and you always, always put a smile on us, at times I have that firework above my head moment in YAB reading ur bloggie.

    Congrats! *blowing kisses, throwing hot boys as bribes for moremoreMORE ur way!*

  39. That Que Sera Sera kiss was HAWT! Eric was such a sexy bastard in that one. I REALLY need to take the time to rewatch that show sometime very soon.

    And I didn’t really like City Hall (sorry) but the kiss-chemistry was STRONG between those two. I was a little turned on watching them, not gonna lie! 😉

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