Category Archives: TV Shows

5 Kim Soo Hyun Dramas to Watch While Waiting for ‘It’s Okay to Not Be Okay’ new episodes

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You have probably heard of the actor extraordinaire Kim Soo Hyun. If not, then you have seen him in one of his high-rating and award winning dramas such as Dream High, Moon Embracing The Sun, My Love from The Star and The Producers. Because of his high caliber and acting skills, he remains to be the highest paid Korean drama actor in 2020.

He finished his military service in 2019 and appeared as a cameo in IU’s big hit drama Hotel del Luna as the manager of Hotel Blue Moon. He also appeared briefly in the 2020 drama Crash Landing on You as an undercover agent acting as a chicken delivery man.  His latest work is the psychological romantic-comedy series It’s Okay Not To Be Okay which airs on Netflix.

So far, his latest drama has been creating a lot of buzz specially because it tackles a lot of issues that are still considered taboo to this age. Also, his partnership with the glamorous Seo Ye Ji stirs a lot of talk among fans and viewers due to their undeniable chemistry together. Although the drama is still airing, we can’t wait for the rest of the episodes to air! While our anticipation builds, let’s look back at the top Kim Soo Hyun dramas that we could watch while waiting for the upcoming It’s Okay Not To Be Okay episodes.

1.  Moon Embracing The Sun (2012)

Set in the Joseon dynasty, Kim Soo Hyun plays the role of Crown Prince or King Lee Hwon who fell in love with Yeon-woo who was played by Han Ga In. Although they were destined to be married, Yeon-woo suddenly died due to manipulation of the queen mother. She comes back after eight years, not as Yeon-woo but as a shaman named Shaman Wol. This drama reached the highest rating of 42% viewership. His acting skills won him the Best Actor award in the 48th Baeksang Awards in 2012.

Moon Embracing the Sun
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Top 5 Lee Min Ho Dramas to Watch While on Quarantine

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The reigning king of Korean dramas is back! Lee Min Ho finished his mandatory military service last year as a public service worker (since he was unfit for combat duties) and now returns with a new drama called The King: Eternal Monarch.

Now that our Oppa is back, and because we can’t seriously start binge-watching The King yet (I have no self-control and I honestly could not wait for episodes to be uploaded), here are some of the top series Min Ho starred in. These series are the reasons why we began to love him. You can see from his work the versatility in his roles, the depth of his acting and his never ending charms.

BOYS OVER FLOWERS

We all can say that Boys Over Flowers is the break out role of Lee Min Ho. He plays the character of Gu Jun Pyo – a cocky, spoiled chaebol who reigns the school together with his group of chaebol friends. He bullies Geum Jan Di – a bright, hardworking girl from a poor family. In the twists and turns of events, he began to fall in love with Jan Di and they as a couple had to go through hardships because of their different social status.

Lee Min ho with curly hair is such a refreshing picture. Of course this drama was aired in 2009 and he was still in his early 20s. But you can see that he already has the talent to become the lead actor in such a huge drama.

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Top 5 Hyun Bin Series to Watch While on Quarantine

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How do you describe fine wine in two words? Hyun Bin. Or you could say Hyun Bin is a fine wine. I wouldn’t mind. As one of South Korea’s top actor, Hyun Bin manages to reinvent himself every other project. Seems like the more work he has done, the better he gets. Not only that, his works show how versatile of an actor he is. From playing a chaebol, to an engineering genius, to a sweet and cute lover, Hyun Bin displays his skills perfectly.

Hyun Bin in Crash Landing on You, My Lovely Sam Soon and Memories of the Alhambra

Just recently, Hyun Bin captured the interest of televiewers due to the release of ‘Crash Landing On You’. Now, fans from the past relive their love for him and he continues to capture the hearts of new KDrama lovers especially now that we’re all in isolation.

If you are as addicted to him like I am, here are the top 5 series I would recommend that is definitely worth the watch!

1. My Lovely Sam Soon (2005)

My Lovely Sam Soon

Even before the older lady younger kid type of drama became popular (Romance is a Bonus Book, Something in the Rain, to name a few), My Lovely Sam Soon has already started the rather nontraditional, out of template plot that is honestly refreshing. Not only the lady protagonist, Sam Soon, is “overweight”, and not your typical oh-so-pretty-helpless leading lady, she is sort of the anti-thesis to the traditional female lead that you would expect to see.

In this drama, Hyun Bin became a household name for his first male lead role in a drama. Although he was so young in this drama (it aired in 2005), you can already see the potential he has in terms of his acting ability and his presence in the screen.

2. Secret Garden (2010-2011)

Secret Garden starring Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won

Perhaps Secret Garden is what cemented Hyun Bin’s name as one of the most versatile actors in South Korea. For this drama, he won the Grand Prize award at the 47th Paeksang Arts Awards. In this romance-fantasy drama, two people exchanged souls every time rain comes – the male protagonist, as played by Hyun Bin, founds himself trapped in a woman’s body – played by Ha Ji Won.


What enticed me to watch this drama and actually love it is that there is a really good chemistry between the two lead actors, and there is a huge character development from the two. Over all, I say, you should definitely watch this.

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Top 12 Lip Sync Battle Philippines Season 1 Performances

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LIP SYNC BATTLE PHILIPPINES is currently on their second season. As a fan of the show, I witnessed some underwhelming performances. On the other hand, there are devoted participants who took an effort in rehearsing and memorizing their songs.

Lovi Poe and Solenn Heussaff in Lip Sync Battle Philippines

Lovi Poe and Solenn Heussaff in Lip Sync Battle Philippines

I am now sharing my Top 12 Lip Sync Battle Philippines Performances from Season 1. I based my choice on lip sync skills, shock value and dedication to make the viewers happy. Do you agree with my list? Read on!

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Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 5: Alaska, Roxxxy or Jinkx?

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The Big Reveal! Alaska, Roxxxy Andrews and Jinkx Monsoon are the three queens competing for the title ‘America’s Next Drag Superstar’ in Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 5.

Who will be America's Next Drag Superstar? Alaska, Roxxxy or Jinkx?

Who will be America’s Next Drag Superstar? Alaska, Roxxxy or Jinkx?

When the show started, I was rooting for Detox and Ivy Winters. I liked Detox because of her previous collaborations with Willam Belli. I’ve seen some of her performances via YouTube and it is obvious that she is quite a well-rounded performer. Maybe that is the reason why I expected much from her. I got curious about Ivy Winters because Manila Luzon kept on promoting her – she even revealed that Ivy is responsible for her outfits in the Best XXXcessory video. Dress me up, please?

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The Big Reunion: Atomic Kitten, B*Witched and Honeyz

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The Spice Girls were a big influence to me. The ‘Girl Power’ tagline truly helped me in my most difficult times growing up. I would listen to their records whenever I am down. Because of my fandom, I even learned how to use the computer, surf the internet, make html websites and many, many more! In short, the Spice Girls were the ones to thank (or blame) on why you’re reading this blog now.

B*Witched, Atomic Kitten and Honeyz

B*Witched, Atomic Kitten and Honeyz

Dubbed as ‘the biggest girl band in the world’, the Spice Girls also influenced a lot of popstar wannabes to form a band and try their luck in the music industry. Britain produced a lot of pop bands. Some of my favorites include Atomic Kitten, B*Witched and Honeyz. The Spice Girls didn’t really last that long as a group (unless you include their ‘Touch’ days). It must be really tough to be in a girl band. Instant success might also result to instant downfall when not handled properly.

ITV2, a British network recently produced a documentary on six former popbands namely 5ive, Liberty X, 911, Atomic Kitten, B*Witched and Honeyz. As of writing, the show aired three episodes already and I would like to reminisce my love for these pop royalties. Let’s focus on the girls first!

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Random Thoughts on Rupaul’s All Stars Drag Race

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GAME OVER! The first winner of RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race was revealed yesterday. Chad Michaels, the first runner-up in Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 4 won the crown giving Raven, Shannel and Jujubee ‘The Chop‘.

The Queens of Rupaul’s All Stars Drag Race

 

I can say that I am a ‘new fan’ of Rupaul’s Drag Race. My interest on the show started when Manila Luzon released ‘Hot Couture’. The show gave her the exposure she deserves and although she ended up as runner-up to fellow Heather and Gaysian Raja, you cannot deny the fact that her fanbase is huge and she got what it takes to last long in the biz.

“See, this is how you do drag!” Manila Luzon as Cruella de Vil

Sahara Davenport, Manila Luzon’s boyfriend/girlfriend for six years passed away last October and I can imagine how tough that month is for her. Rupaul’s All Stars Drag Race was shot months ago, but the contestants are expected to promote the show around the US. Thanks to Manila’s strong family support, she was able to surpass the challenges coming her way.

I was intrigued upon watching the ‘Meet the Cast’ clips for the All Stars season. The returning beauties are all fierce and have different personalities. Some of them were loved (and hated) on the season they were in, and this serves as their ‘second chance’ to prove that they have what it takes to be America’s Next Drag Superstar.

Some of the fans of the show were surprised with the twist: The queens will compete in teams of two! America’s Next Drag Superstar needs to have Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent. This time, Synergy is added.

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Rupaul’s All Stars Drag Race: For the Love of RuJubee

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I am currently watching the 5th episode of Rupaul’s All Stars Drag Race. I know that my favorite queen Manila Luzon together with her teammate Latrice Royale got The Chop during the third episode, but I’ve also grown an admiration to the other queens specifically with Raven and Jujubee.

Jujubee and Raven at the 5th episode of Rupaul’s All Stars Drag Race

Also known as RuJubee, this tandem were runner-ups on the second season of the show. Raven is one fierce drag queen who known for being dark, outspoken and sensual. Jujubee is a good representation of Asians who treats everything lightly and utters the juiciest statements. I haven’t seen all the episodes of Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 2, but the two earned a lot of fans. Eventually, the two became professors at Rupaul’s Drag U (Season 1 to 3). I saw their episode with Manila Luzon, where they assigned to do a drag makeover to the special girls in their lives. I love how they throw lines against each other. They don’t sound annoying. The audience found it cute!

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THE CHOP – The Best Revenge from Latrice Royale and Manila Luzon!

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Givin’ everything you got
Tryna’ make it to the top
Never ever gonna stop
Even if you get The Chop!

– Latrice Royale and Manila Luzon, The Chop

Last Tuesday morning, I woke up early to track the live tweets of fellow Rupaul’s All Stars Drag Race viewers. There were some information leaked about the team eliminated on the third episode yet I was in denial. By lunch time here in the Philippines, my Twitter timeline is flooded by complaints about the sudden elimination of Team Latrila (Latrice Royale and Manila Luzon).

 

LATRILA serving spooky realness

 

Seriously, Rupaul?! To be honest, I am a fan of the RuJubee team (Raven and Jujubee) too and I was hoping to see Latrila and RuJubee at the Final Four of the show. I cannot believe that these teams are in the bottom two. I mean, at least not Latrila! Manila Luzon did a fantastic job in the challenges and I can say that among the contestants in the All Stars season, she is the most loved by the fans. I am not saying this because she is Filipina, ok? I am saying this because it is the truth.

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The Marimar Connection: Short but Sweet Conversation with Cambodian Vendors

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Hello from Siem Reap! I am on my 5th night here and to be honest, I don’t want to leave! I just love the laid-back feel of this place. It is not as chaotic as other tourist destinations and it is a big relief that most Cambodians can speak english.

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Talking to Pre Rup vendors (Photo by Andrew Mamangun)

It’s just the second day of our Angkor Wat Tour yet I’m already experiencing the so-called Temple Overload. I can’t help but feel amazed on how the ancient Cambodians created these temples and structures. Temple-hopping on a very hot day is not really that ideal because you the heat will suck your energy.

That morning, we first visited the famous Ta Prohm temple. If you’re a Tomb Raider fan, you will surely know why. I got too tired in exploring that specific temple that’s why I got a bit lazy on the second stop, which is the Pre Rup. I seated in one of the corners where some of the tired tourists were taking a break. I then saw a Cambodian man in his mid-twenties who unleashes his creative side by painting some of Siem Reap’s historical landmarks and sell it to tourists. On the side, there are young kids selling various products like bracelets, bamboo flute and postcards.

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