Jerry Yan and Tong Li Ya Embark on a Deliciously Tortured Love for C-drama Loving, Never Forgetting

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There is a genre of Chinese dramas called nie lian (孽恋) which basically translates as tortured love or tormented love. It’s probably a genre that closest aligns with the makjang K-melodrama. Tortured love C-dramas are all about the dysfunctional love of the OTP that involves lots of screaming, pulling, pushing, accusing, yelling, angry kissing, basically everything bad you shouldn’t do to … Continue reading →

Lee Min Ho Relaxed and Happy Turning 28 Years Old in Sports Seoul and K Wave Spreads

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Lordly how time flies. It feels like yesterday that Lee Min Ho was young enough to play a high schooler in Boys Before Flowers, and even earlier than that in Mackerel Run. Oh wait, he was just playing a high schooler six months ago in Heirs, wasn’t he? I guess being 27-going-on-28 wasn’t going to stop him, but perhaps with his … Continue reading →

Nichkhun Makes Major Acting Debut as Lead in C-drama One and a Half Summer with Jiang Jing Fu and Xu Lu

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There’s a new college idol C-drama coming and this one might pique the K-fans interest because there are two K-pop idols in the main cast. The upcoming C-drama One and a Half Summer (一又二分之一的夏天) premieres June 23rd with a cast that includes Nichkhun of 2PM, rising C-actress Xu Lu, Tangren‘s boy wonder Jiang Jing Fu, singer-actress Kelly Yu (Yu Wen … Continue reading →

Lovers of Music Holds Press Conference and Unveils Slapstick 5-minute Long Preview

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The first big music-themed K-drama is right around the corner as Big Man wrapped up this week and Lovers of Music (Trot Lovers) readies itself for an upcoming Monday night premiere. KBS has been doing a decent job of toggling around genres when lining up its dramas and a fun rom-com will be a nice treat from the mostly serious … Continue reading →

Kim Bum Makes First Public Appearance at Press Conference for V Love After Break Up with Moon Geun Young

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Over six-months from the public limelight is a very long time away for any entertainer, aside from male K-celebs who go off to military service, especially for someone with a career as fast-rising as Kim Bum. Last year alone he did That Winter, the Wind Blows and Goddess of Fire Jeongi along with the period supernatural C-movie Detective Dee: Rise … Continue reading →

Retrospective: Dr. Stranger Ladies Kang Sora and Jin Se Yeon Are Pretty Lookalikes in Last Year Pictorials

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I remain so utterly perplexed by the ship wars in Dr. Stranger. Unlike last year’s flaming death match in Answer Me 1994 between Trash and Chilbong, I really don’t see any narrative support for the existence of a ship war in DS. The character in the middle between the two ships has to have feelings for both sides to actually … Continue reading →

Park Shin Hye with Bags for Harper Bazaar and Lee Bo Young with More Bags for Elle Korea

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The similar style and theme pictorials of Park Shin Hye for Harper’s Bazaar and Lee Bo Young for Elle Korea are both just a little bit off. Nothing ruinous or detracting, but both can do so much better. It’s odd to see them shilling for structured leather bags heading into Summer since it’s a much more Fall fashion trend to … Continue reading →

Famous K-drama OTPs: Reunited in 2014 and It Feels So Good!

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I’m one of those early K-drama fans who watched My Girl years ago and loved it. The story was entertaining (back then) and the OTP was adorable like kittens and puppies with a very young Lee Dong Wook and Lee Da Hae. Flash-forward nine years later and they have reunited in the weekend makjang fest Hotel King and effectively kicked … Continue reading →

Jang Hyuk and Jang Nara on a Cheesy Picnic Date in the First Teaser for Fated to Love You

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The first concept teaser is out for the K-remake of the TW-drama Fated to Love You, and I say concept teaser because I don’t see this scene happening in the drama itself unless as a dream sequence. The leads are Jang Hyuk as a 33 year old chaebol president under great pressure to marry and produce an heir ASAP since the family male … Continue reading →

The Imperial Doctress with Wallace Huo and Liu Shi Shi Releases Dazzling Drama Stills

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If C-production company Tangren wants to wash the stink off the milk-the-fans-for-money Bu Bu Jing Xin sequel Bu Bu Jing Qing, there’s a good chance it might succeed with the currently filming Ming dynasty medical period drama The Imperial Doctress. The full Chinese title 女医·明妃传 is translated as Legend of the Female Doctor Ming Consort so leading lady Liu Shi … Continue reading →

Top SM Idol Groups SNSD and EXO Produce Hot New Couple in Taeyeon and Baekhyun

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I was wondering when the next big K-entertainment dating news would drop and looks like today is a good day for some good old-fashioned tabloid news Dispatch exclusive. Never one to rest on its laurels for following celebrities late into the night on secret dating trips, which really are too many to even list at this point, Dispatch decided to … Continue reading →

You’re All Surrounded Episode 11 Recap

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Who woulda thunk it but I really really liked episode 11 of You’re All Surrounded. Still mostly incompetent cops with a sliver of case-cracking ability, what makes this drama finally click is that people are talking to each other and talking about the past. It’s the episode where all the secrets come out without being overwhelming in angst and serves … Continue reading →