I get really sad when I don’t see friends or family for an extended period of time. The same thing goes for actors I love to watch onscreen. While some of my faves have done projects in 2011, if the end results sucked or it just wasn’t my cup of tea, I ended up not watching it. But there are a few actors I miss dearly because they haven’t done any onscreen project all year long. Two of them are conscripted and the other two are in school. I feel it’s rather uncivil for me to curse patriotic army duty or rail at the desire to seek higher education. But as a fan, I just want them on my screen. Preferably RIGHT NOW. I would be thrilled if these four worked together in 2012 on something in any pairing combination. I know who I miss, what about you?
Lee Jun Ki. He’s thisclose to coming back to me, but 2011 was a loooooong year without him. Word on the street is that he’s eyeing a drama as his first post army project. I will destroy some casting agent if an idol pop girl gets cast opposite him.
Moon Geun Young. She was off studying in Seoul and then studying some more in New York City. I was left pining away for her talented grace onscreen. I really want her to do another sageuk next, as Painter of the Wind was a brilliant performance opportunity for her but her co-star and the subsequent story fail didn’t do her justice.
Jung So Min. She also spent this year in school after doing two back-to-back projects last year. I’m excited to see how she’s matured her craft in the time off with whatever project she picks next. I hope it’s something with more meat than Playful Kiss, but less pretentious noir fare like Bad Guy.
Jung Kyung Ho. Unlike his TBDAW bromance partner Jun Ki, he’s got awhile longer to go on his army service. I miss his easygoing charm and wonderfully sincere acting. He has range and doesn’t get pigeonholed into any single character. Smile, You proved his romantic leading man status, but I love to see him keep challenging himself on different types of genres.
Special Remembrance:
Park Yong Ha. He’s never coming back. Of course I know that. And perhaps if I do a post like this every year, he’ll always be on it. It still feels surreal, like he’s not really gone. I miss his calm depth onscreen, an unwavering sureness in his acting that always goes for understated rather than overwrought. I suppose it’s time to get up the courage to finally tackle Story of a Man, but I always end up rewatching On Air because he was utterly wonderful in it.
Totally with you for missing those four so much . Anyway I have a special love for Lee Jun Ki .
Happy new year , full of k-dramas ! Thanks for your blog .
Oooh I really like your special remembrance of Park Yong Ha.
Story of a Man is definitely worth it. It will be rewarding. It’s a lovely legacy for Park Yong Ha.
You need to watch ‘Story of a Man’. Its such a good drama, I would even say in my eyes one of the best. Of course it might be a bit weird watching it now; I tried to rewatch it after he died, but it made me constantly sad. 🙁
Goodness didn’t even know Park Yong Ha personally and got teary just reading your post. I really did like him as an actor and singer. He had a beautiful voice. So sad.
Koala, your Park Yong-Ha sentiment – my exact feeling. Thanks for this post <3
same here….miss him so much RE: park yong ha. thanks for the post
happy new year, Koala
see you all next year!!!!
Happy New Year! Have been reading your writeups and everyone’s comments like an indispensible entertainment daily. Very enjoyable and thank you all very much!
I miss Jun Ki too, Ms. Koala 🙁
P.S: I love that you are recapping Skip Beat. Your recaps are almost funnier then the episodes.
I miss Jung So Min very much too, because I loved her in Playful Kiss.. she made the character so much less annoying than Xiang Qin’s character in ISWAK (although I love ariel very much too :P)… I wish she’ll be the Moon with Kim Soo Hyun… D: 2012, bring Jung So Min backkkk!
And happy new year Ms. Koala. 🙂 For the awesome recaps and updates, I thank you! They are my best buddies at the time when I have my exams and assignments due and no time to watch dramas, thank you very much! See you next year 😀
Fan from Thailand <3
Jun Ki : Certified Withdrawal Syndrome diagnosed for me. I miss my sexy clown. Comes back in february, right ?
And i agree, i want a ridiculously good actress in front of him ( Ha Ji Won someone ? ). And a good buddy to feed the bromance ( Park min Woo aka Bawool for eg ).
Looking back at my taglist made me realise how much I do miss Park Yong Ha. I’ve been posting on/off about him, random clips of his performance here and there. I don’t think anyone on my friendlist knows/bothers about him….but…I just don’t want to let him fade into a distant past.
I endured the shrilling and yelling and catfights on On Air, because I loved his performance in there. I loved the OTP there (FFed through the other pair though). It will forever be one of my fav shows, and one with many memorable scenes and dialogues. Story of a Man was good, but it doesn’t pull my heartstrings the way On Air does.
Park Yong Ha…if only…………………..=(
Wow … so much On Air loving here. Also chiming in to say THANK YOU Ockoala, for remembering Park Yong-ha. It’s surreal coming across his pictures to realise this person is no longer here. Somehow he is, yet my rational self tells me he isn’t.
I still have his All-In theme in my OST favorite tracks. The easy lively flow remains a perennial favorite year after year that I never tire of – esp enjoyable when played with car windows down and shades on, in Summer.
Prior to On Air, sad to say – I really couldn’t enjoy him much bec of Winter Sonata. What turned me 360-around was deep appreciation for his solid, humorous and easy, “calm depth” as Lee Kyung-min on On Air (my top Kmale role).
“Endured those catfights” too just to see OTP all the way through. So invested in this new discovery of PYH, I went onto Loving You and been a ‘fan’ since (not enough to get me on Story of Man though).
Happy 2012 everyone!
p/s: missing Hyun-bin too.
Park Yong Ha… Truly tragic, he shall be deeply missed, always… sigh. I actually prefer On Air to Story of a Man…
Other than that, I missed Jo In Sung and Matsujun..
AAH! I’ve missed Kyung-ho so stinkin’ much! Can’t wait for him to return and pick up a project. Hope his career continues to grow.
When I saw Yong-ha oppa I was instantly misty eyed. I love him and miss him terribly. And you’re right, he was wonderful in On Air. But don’t pass up Story of A Man it was phenomenal and his performance the best in his career(imo).
Ahhh Park Yong Ha. I miss him too. He was my first kdrama crush. I still feel hurt/sad/angry/bitter that he ended everything but he did what he felt he had to do. RIP.
I too miss Park Yong Ha…and finally watched A Man’s Story a few months ago…Up until then I couldn’t do it. Have yet to watch On Air again…so sad
miss them all too…especially PYH…i love how you remember him… in a brighter note… here’s wishing a better project for all of them… am glad Jun Ki is considering a drama as his comeback-from-the-army project…wish to see a more buff Jun Ki…mouth waters…hehehe to you madam K and every reader of your blog, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! muwahhhhhhh 🙂 🙂
Well you reduced me to tears at the last ….
Me too, for as much as I can cry. Made my head hurt, trying to produce those tears. Made me think of my deceased family members too. It’s good to remember. Thanks OCKoala!
I recognized park yong ho so late but I really liked his acting and personality…what a pity…even looking at his photo makes me sad ,and it brings tears in my eyes…I missed him
I missed Moon Geun Young on the screen. Hope she does something in 2012. Also Jung Kyong Ho, enjoyed him in Smile You.
Ms Koala, Happy New Year.
ljk and mgy in a drama would be great. in a sageuk drama, would be even better!
I do miss LJK even though he’s not one of my favorite actors but I just love his screen presence and in the funny ones, he always makes me laugh. I also hope for a really good role and a good female actor to go along with it. (I am also hoping it’s not a pop idol female)
PYH — one of the first k actors I was exposed to – he is just so lovely… thanks for keeping his memory alive. I actually haven’t watched On Air yet – don’t know why I’m holding out – probably cause of the other characters – but I might just watch a little of it tonight.
Hmm… who else is coming back in the first half of 2012 from MS? 🙂
Sob, PYH, I’ll never be able to re-watch SofM. He was brilliant in it. Thank yu for mentioning him here.
Thank you for remembering him….. we miss you a lot Park young ha
I’ve been waiting for some post on moon geun young. I miss her terribly too. I am so looking forward for her appearance tonight at the KBS Awards….
I love Moon Geun Young. And like Ms Koala..i so miss her acting as well. Hopefully we’ll see her this 2012!
Is it just me, or Miss Jung So Min got a lot prettier? I can’t barely recognize her!
Park Yong Ha, my heart goes out to his family. We might have lost an amazing actor, but they lost a son and a brother, one that cared for his family till his last breath. Rest in peace.
*can
” i will destroy some casting agent if an idol pop girl gets cast opposite him” i am soooo with you with this one….
Happy New Year Ms K.
I miss Moonie and Jung So Min. Hope these two lovely ladies can grace my boob tube this 2012 with a daebak project..
Thanks koala for this! Every year I would occasionally miss some actors/ actresses. I especially missed Jung So Min, saw a lot of potential for her… Just hope the entertainment industry won’t miss her out. and of course Park Yong Ha, who my mum and I loved so much:) RIP.
hi ockoala!
awww!!! you missed Jung So Min too!!!
we all do!!!
can i re-post part of this post to my blog?
and in regards to Park Yong Ha, truly he will be missed! he’s such a talented actor!
Story of a man for me is one of the best K-drama for me!