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October 30, 2005
1 to 10 in a sentence Malaysian style
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This has got to be one of the funniest post I have ever read! Just the best!
"You have to read this with an Asian accent, all right? :) This is hilarious......even an Englishman could not concoct sentences using numeric, which is exclusive only to Malaysians, Singaporean and Chinese.
Lim Ah Lek was asked to make a sentence using 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10.
Not only did he do it 1 to 10, he did it again from 10 back to 1.
This is what he came up with......
1 day I go 2 climb up a 3 outside a house to peep.
But couple saw me, so I panic and 4 down.
The man rushed out and wanted to 5 with me.
I run until I fall 6 and throw up.
So I go into 7 eleven and grab some 8 to throw at him.
Then I took a 9 and try to stab him.
10 God he ran away.
So, I put the 9 back and pay for the 8 and left 7 eleven.
Next day, I call my boss and say I am 6.
He said 5, tomorrow also no need to come back 4 work.
He also asks me to climb a 3 and jump down.
I don't understand. I so nice 2 him but I don't know what he 1"."
Source : JDG Everland
All About Eve, Coming Soon & Chicken Little
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Ha! Ha! My sis finished this series in 3 days (and this is amazing feat since she is still reading LORT ever since the 1st movie came out!) and she so hate Ying Mei! And she fell in love with JDG. So happy to finally find someone I can actually comment abt the series with face to face!
Anyway how she got introduced to this series is simple.
My sis asked me what Korean series to watch as she saw me watching Winter Sonata. I said any fan of BYJ started with Winter Sonata, a must copy to have in any Korean series loving household. She asked what about JDG? I said Medical Brothers is great and I explained the plot and she was thinking maybe I should watch that and I said BUT you'll hate him there so why not start with All About Eve since you're not really that familiar with him. And she asked why and I said better to watch a series you'll fall madly in love with his first and then everything else he did or will do you will find it easier to accept and forgive, such as his character in Medical Brothers. Moreover he looked amazing in All About Eve. And so she said OK but she never asked me for the DVDs. And then suddenly 2 days later she blurted out that "That woman is horrible!" and I asked "who?" and she said "That long haired one, that Ying Mei" and I was like "You took my DVDs without asking me?!" and she was like "Ohhhh like the series" and I was like "Oh ok!" and that was that actually. My other sis refuse to watch Korean series, she even poked fun at us both and I just said "Well your loss".
Anyway an update on my JDG library. Thus far I have most of his TV series (even the early ones very difficult to watch because quality no good price very expensive but he was ok, you can see the vast major improvement over the years) and most of his movies except the ones I really wanted to have like Nowhere To Hide which that friend who answered answer no. 5 said she got but never watched and now she couldn't find it and I asked her please find it and she said oh ok. I can't seem to find this movie either and like I calculated some time ago in one of my posts abt online purchases, selling much too expensive.
Right now I am watching Final Jump / The Last Match. So very old!
New reviews coming soon. By the way THIS IS JUST TOO CUTE...
Introducing Chicken Little
Feedback please!
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Click THIS LINK and tell me, can you see the navigation menu in there? Try to click it and tell me does the menu expand when clicked once and then retract when clicking the same link again? For your info, all the links in there does not work as this is only for test.
For XP users, you may need to allow blocked content before you can see the menu.
Either tag your feedback to the Shout Box or use Post A Comment for this post. Your feedback is most appreciated.
FLIPBOOK!
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Amazing fun flash based drawing board where I recommend you download the whole thing and do it off line. Fun stuff!
Click HERE to see what I mean!
Funn Lim's 7 Day Holiday Plan
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The following is my plan for next week as my boss is closing office for 1 week for the Deepavali and Raya holidays. YIPPEE!
Mon
Planned to watch April Snow BUT nobody wants to watch with me. Reasons given?
1. movie is Random Hearts and I hated Random Hearts
2. Don't quite like Bae Yong Jun
3. Who wants to watch a Korean movie?
4. Who is Bae Yong Jun?
5. All the action scenes all censored. Might as well get the VCD
6. RM10-00 for a foreign languaged movie and have to read subtitles also? No thanks!
7. Why wanna watch this movie? Got better movie mah!
So no one to watch with me. Was asked why watch this one? I answered "to give business to Bae Yong Jun so that his movie makes money" was my reason. Anyway... probably will be getting the VCD. Yeah, RM10-00 is a bit too much.
So staying home to renovate my website and write for War & Beauty. Also read State of Fear.
Tues
No movies as Deepavali Holidays! So staying home to renovate my website and write for War & Beauty. Also read State of Fear.
Wed
Watching Corpse Bride with my friends. One of them, a huge BYJ fan was the one who answered answer no. 5 when I asked her if she wants to watch April Snow thinking she might actually camp outside the cinema and all since she is such a huge Winter Sonata fan. Apparently not that big a fan because she said she liked Jang Dong Gun more and I never knew. Poor BYJ. Stuck forever in Winter Sonata.
Thurs
Watching Chicken Little with my sister. The friend who answered no. 5 didn't want to watch this one because she said "nothing ever happen in this movie what!" and my other sister won't be joining my sis and I because "don't want to watch lar! Don't know the story!". Which is exactly why we are all going to cinema to watch my dear sister because we want to find out about the story! Sighhhhh...
Fri
No more movies I wanna watch and wishing Harry Potter 4, Narnia, The Promise or Typhoon would have premiered during this week! So staying home to renovate my website and write for War & Beauty. Also read State of Fear.
Sat
Praying Sunday never comes.
Sun
Cursing that Monday is coming and so will have to go back to work and write affidavits after affidavits and taking calls after calls about the same old question which I have answered gazillions of times.
Yeah I know, I am soooooooo boring eh? Yeahhhh what to do...not like some people who has social life all charted out for the next 2 years, mine 7 days also like nothing to do except watch movies, surf the net, write kepo type of posts and pestering you dear net friends with posts like these. I am sure I am not THE most boring person on Earth with NOTHING to do. The most exciting thing I did was last Friday night where I ..
1. went to Megamall to buy a chair, and walking around the packed mall with a chair is not so cool because one feels hot carrying heavy stuff and worse still with the looks people giving me...
2. went to JJ Maluri to buy pillows as I can't carry chair and pillows around Megamall
3. met with a friend for dinner when suddenly summoned by my family to Megamall to buy dress for brother's wedding (sponsored by my sis, so really what choice do I have? Go lar!) so again off I went to Megamall !
And that was it!
Second most interesting was Saturday evening where I went to Maybank to get my money via ATM and one Chinese lady was so rude because she loudly said in Malay (and I know Malay) that "Already 3 people have finished using and see! She is still pressing the numbers! Aiiiiiii so slooooooooow". I gave her the really cold stare and she gave me back. How do I explain to this ignorant person that the ATM is designed in such a way that...
a. I must first change my withdrawal limit because we all know if you don't someone might get access to your ATM card and there goes your money..
b. I then need to check how much money I have exactly before I withdraw
c. then withdraw also cannot exceed a certain amount each time so that means any amount above the limit must insert back the ATM card and do all over again! So second time I did that and...
d. must reset the withdrawal limit again mah! If not next month's salary all kaput who will pay me back? That woman???
I wanted to so much to shoot back at her by saying "Of course I have to be slow. Blame it on Maybank! Blame it on the fact that I earn soooooo much and need sooooooo much money to buy soooooo many things and pay sooooooo many bills so in the end I have to withdraw a few times because of the limit set by the bank! Of course you Madam, one time will do right?"
But I didn't because I am a classy elegant sophisticated educated gorgeous professional who will not engage in such despicable sparring with someone so ignorant and I'd rather do it online in my website.
Seriously, I never complain when someone spends a long time in front of the ATM because I understand the who process and moreover people may want to double check everything is ok before leaving the machine. There are people who left their ATM cards there mind you! You can't trust such machines either.
Anyway what's your plan for next week?
October 29, 2005
Japanese lunch boxes : Eat your favourite stars
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Morbid maybe, sexually explicit also maybe because come on, eating them? Isn't that obvious! But really would you eat these? Let's say Malaysianise it..sambal and sotong and rendang and whatever. I find it not just wierd but really very morbid. I wouldn't want to "telan" JDG ...by the way the one on the right is JDG. Doesn't look like him, looks more like any member of F4. Take a big guess who's on the left?
 
(Taken from JDG Forum)
Is this call over-obsession?
This post is also posted in Funn Stuff.
October 28, 2005
I am an ah-soh too?
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Interesting article. Do have a read. Won't tell you what it is.
By the way JDG will be on the cover of Time Magazine in November. The so called Asian copy, is it the one I can find in Malaysia? So excited! Finally a full interview in English!
October 25, 2005
Never again!
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I was so stupid today. Thinking I got enough petrol to reach that BP station near that Stadium Merdeka, I didn't pump more petrol and like more than half way through that bloody jam in the bloody rain with so many bloody cars, my blood drained from my face when I saw that arrow reaching slowly to the red zone and slowly towards E for empty! I was so stressed, that I called my sister and screamed help! Help! Her advice was to keep driving on the left just in case and so I did, off the air cond, radio, even my window because it is power window you see and I was sweating, heart beating so fast and so very scared. But thank God for my Kelisa, it reached the BP petrol just in the nick of time.
I swear..NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why why why so jam? No serious car breakdown, no flood, no nothing just jam jam jam and yet so jam!
Sighhhhh...oh yeah users of Streamyx, may I ask do I wait for the monthly bill to arrive before I pay anything or do I automatically go pay?
A post about nothing
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And it is exactly just that.
Very nervous tonight, I mean last night.
Anyway, breath....ok, I'm ok I think.
October 24, 2005
The Promise Trailer by HK CEN TV
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This is a must download not because it is a spectacular trailer. In fact I find the whole thing so very messy. But for the fact that after so long I finally got to hear JDG speak Mandarin, even if one line and I was like OH MY GOD. His pronunciation is spot on! The Japanese actor also very good. In fact I do think the highlight of this movie for me is not seeing JDG crawling on the floor like a slave (he is playing a slave) or Cecilia Cheung doing the "action" scene (by the way is she pregnant? Her tummy looks big for someone so thin) or even Nic Tse looking very cool. It is hearing JDG speak Mandarin and I will have to say, I am definitely watching this movie. So proud of him!
Download the file here!
URL : http://loshui.mygallery.biz/albums/20051023/20051023_CEN.wmv
Feedback please!
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Below is a gif image. I hope you can help me by using Post A Comment and tell me...
1. how long does it take to load the following gif image (and when fully loaded you will see some changing colours and the no. 2 moving back and forth)?
2. what is your internet speed?
3. if no animation, looks weird and doesn't load properly, please tell me what is you browser type.
Thank you.
October 23, 2005
ANNOUNCEMENT : EMAIL CHANGE
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Ok, finally my streamyx email is working.
From now on please email all submissions and all enquiries to funnlim AT streamyx.com (replace AT with @ and no space) and not point2e AT myjaring.net. You can still email to point2e AT myjaring.net but got some problem at my side so I can only reply via funnlim AT streamyx.com
At the same time please CC all such mails but NOT to funnlim AT gmail.com but to point2e AT gmail.com
funnlim AT gmail.com will now exclusively be used for my personal mails so friends who want to email me things on personal basis or to chat or anything that is not submission based or enquiries abt stuff in my website, do email me at funnlim AT gmail.com OR funnlim AT streamyx.com
Ok, summary...
Submissions of anything
funnlim AT streamyx.com and CC to point2e AT gmail.com
Enquiries abt stuff in this website, feedback, general praises and adulation and the occasional hate mails
funnlim AT streamyx.com OR point2e AT gmail.com (no need to CC)
Personal mails, sending of stuff out of friendly goodwill (like scans, translated news, scans), chit chat, talk talk
funnlim AT gmail.com OR funnlim AT streamyx.com
If in doubt, just email to point2e AT gmail.com will do.
If you're afraid that I may not know you sent me stuff, just tag it to the Shout Box that you sent me stuff in which email and I'll check it pronto!
And by the way, still see that error : DB! when posting Shout Box? Me too. I am sure myshoutbox.com is fixing it.
And why is my whole paragraph not "justify" eh? What is wrong?
END OF ANNOUNCEMENT.
October 22, 2005
Updates
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Ok, started the War & Beauty Episodic Thoughts already. If got mistake in names pls forgive me since didn't quite catch some names. Check out here at http://wab.point2e.com. Next week onwards just check that page once in a while to read the thoughts. I usually post it after midnight. By the way that TMO was nothing to shout about.
Also added a Welcome To Korea Tourism Promo 2004 video in Downloads > Media > Others > Jang Dong Gun, the one I saw countles of time during Jewel In The Palace time slot over at ASTRO. But this one is longer actually.
New reviews anyone?
October 21, 2005
SCANS : Rain & Bae Yong Joon
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I will use Bae Yong Joon from now on as Mr Bae himself spelt it as Joon instead of Jun or June. Anyway two interesting scans taken from Galaxie 15.10.2005-31.10.2005 issue where the cover is Lost (the series I meant). I am sure any fans would have known these stuff but I didn't. For example, I didn't know Rain was so very poor when he was younger. I didn't know BYJ is a cleanliness freak and prefers books to women. Deep....Feel free to post it in your websites if you want.
Click on the thumbnails and once the page finish loading CLICK AGAIN on the scans or click FULL PAGE MODE to see the original big version, big and clear enough to read though I must add, the girl in that BYJ scan wasn't winking, it was because I had to scan the same page separately as too big.
 
The post and the scan could also be found in The Every Box.
By the way, JDG has an IQ of 140. Is that considered very smart? Check out this article.
Very scary pictures
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I mean great body but somehow when I look at his body I got very very scared, like intimidated and very put off-ish. I wonder why?
I am sure you've seen THESE PICTURES. I am amazed someone with his gentlemanly scholarly looks comes with this really scary looking body. I'll put up the Galaxie scans later today. Glad to know he showers more than twice a day and that he has quit smoking. I always showering twice a day is a norm instead of an exception? That makes me wonder, how many times does JDG showers in a day??
Updates
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I have added the page for War & Beauty Episodic Thoughts which will start later tonight. Your active participation by forwarding links, screencaps (better yet if you can make them for me!!), give feedback, discuss, fill in plot holes, recap an entire episode which I have missed, etc etc etc. I am sure we will have fun and I hope this series is either very good or very bad enough for me to keep writing each and every night. Expect the same drill like Triumph In The Skies.
The layout is a bit weird as I haven't updated yet. Newly Added Stuff is actually the last post I posted/updated for the night. Link has already been added into my TVB section. For those who are not bothered to click so many places, try this one at http://wab.point2e.com.
Some new reviews coming soon. Any submission anyone??
October 20, 2005
Very sad news ...
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Even the weather was gloomy today and for good reason. Our PM's wife died this morning. If there is one thing you must admire about our PM is how much he loves his wife. I thought she was well just a day or two before this so maybe this was a sudden unexpected death. Rumour has it Monday will be public holiday for the mourning I guess. Don't know yet.
On the good side, I bought Galaxie today and saw a very interesting article on Rain and one more on Bae Yong Jun. I will post them up tomorrow for those interested.
Why the world is so crazy about Harry Potter series
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Kidd posted an interesting question HERE that requires an entire post to answer. The relevant bits..
"You know, other than book 3 & 4, I don't enjoy her book that much. I don't understand why there is so much obsession over her books. I read in www.amazon.com review that 1 fan actually kiss her copy of HP6 a couple of times when she finally got her hands on it. Can u shed some light on why her books has such crazy following? U are also one of the people who got up very early to buy HP6 on the day of it's release, right? "
ActuallyI got Book 5 as an early Birthday Gift which was pre-booked also months before. Book 6 I bought it on the day it was released, never pre-booked it. I will admit; book 6 is the worst but the imaginative plots on several scenes are still there.
I am a fan but I won't go as far as kissing the books though I did write the date I purchased it, put my own personal stamp and read each one so many times I feel proud of letting people see the book. A clean looking book is an unused and unread book which means it is no good.
So why Harry asked Kidd...
Before Harry Potter, only a selected few and those really strange ones, be they adults or kids read openly. More so kids who preferred video games to books. When Book 1 was released, the response was positive but not overwhelming. But due to word of mouth, the craze caught on and children as young as 4 or 5 would ask their parents to read to them. Suddenly children love to read again and adults for once aren't ashamed of reading so called children's books. For a long while childrens books are rather stagnant until Harry Potter which gave books a celebrity status, like how it was before TV came along. Of course there are fans of Roald Dahl and Enid Blytons and all but Harry Potter was universal in its appeal that encouraged reading which was at one point a dying art amongst children. Parents would now happily indulge their children's request. How can you turn down a request to buy a book instead of some games or TV shows? Harry Potter single handedly brought back the passion to read amongst children and also were entertaining enough not to discourage adults from picking up the books.
So why Harry?
The plot for one. It may not be the most original but JK Rowling took all the popular elements and created a world so real in such simple sentences that anybody who has an imagination can follow. She created memorable characters, with such attitude and personality that adults don't feel they're insulted or children feeling patronized. It is adventure based so the story is constantly moving and yet it is also a story about friendship and family which makes the story deep and profound in many ways. Whilst her books are getting deeper, thicker and darker each time and I will dare say worse and worse, you can't deny credit where credit is due. Her power of description is almost perfection. I can imagine Hogwarts without watching the movies. She created and borrowed so many legends and myths, fans are eager to know the origin of the words, legends and myths and new questions are constantly being asked, as if her world is real. Of course it is not, but for some children stuck in daily mundane like or hardship or adults living for their jobs for much too long, her books are like an escape into a world of such magnificent grandeur and excitement. Her earlier plots, especially Book 1 and Book 3 are so good, I have read each of these 2 books at least 7 times and each time there is something different, something new. The other books may not live up to the hype but you must agree that there are elements in the other books that make the story unique and so very imaginative. Book 6 was horrible but the story on the I think Inferi (can't remember since book 6 I read only once) was scary and yet imaginative.
Just imagine her books like some TVB series and the characters like some stars in the series and then it may make sense to you. I love to read books but very few books are page turners and even fewer would encourage me to read it again once in a while. Nay sayers of Harry Potter may say the books are about witchcraft therefore evil, that her books are copycats of JRR Tolkien's LOTR series and that there is nothing great about her books compared to Roald Dahl.
I will agree there are similar elements with LOTR and that Roald Dahl himself is a far more accomplished writer since he wrote many characters and stories. JK Rowling has yet to stand the test of varied writing, since she wrote on Harry Potter series. But the spin offs like the books she wrote for the charity were fun reads and looking at the books itself, the fact that she is probably the first billionaire writer is in itself a testament to the success of her books.
Why her books rocks I can only say because I have never read anything so descriptive and so imaginative that could suck me into the world she created than that of Potter series.
Maybe her fans may be able to shed more light on this. Please, if you are the fans of her books, do post in this post why you love her books.
Shows to lookout for
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For Malaysians (& Singaporean) viewers only.
NTV7 is showing MediaCorp's Always On My Mind every weekday at 3pm and repeating at 12.30am the same day (technically the same day) starting yesterday. It stars Fann Wong about the SARS crisis BUT more importantly it stars you know who in I think a substantial role called Wei Xiong. Fans of Shaun Chen must look out for this series though again he is playing a jerk.
ASTRO Wah Lai Toi is showing War & Beauty starting this Friday (on weekdays) at 9.30pm and I think on this Friday 10.30pm also showing the TMO of this series.
Also check out House MD every Tuesday 10pm on Ch 17 ASTRO, a great show.
Those who hasn't seen Lost must watch this show via Ch18 ASTRO and I think Ch17 ASTRO is also repeating the 1st season of this series. A definite MUST WATCH. But I thik Ch18 or 8TV is slower so you can still catch up with the earlier parts.
That's it really.
October 18, 2005
Saddest Looking Dog In The World
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And perhaps the most pitiful one to have been highlighted by our local newspaper The Star (and the Malay Mail) in today's copy. The headline should have been "RM100-00 To Do What You Want With A Dog!". Whilst I am not an animal lover nor do I believe in animal rights being equal or higher than that of human rights, this report had me stunned, shocked and sick to the bones that someone could be so heartless to a defenseless animal. The excuse? She was old and sickly anyway. If I were the Magistrate I would have given him max sentence and add that with whipping but there's no whipping for animal abuse. The Malay Mail was more clear on why the dog suffered; the owner was systematically starving the poor dog to death. I was thinking if that was the best excuse he could give, then someone should give him the same treatment when he is old and sickly. I can't imagine if this was an old and sick person, will he do the same to that poor person?
When I looked at this dog (she has been put to sleep because there was nothing the vet can do for her anymore except to shorten her misery), I saw in her eyes pain and misery. I felt like crying because this dog had the saddest look I have ever seen in anyone, more so a dog. And this man was a chinese professional. I feel so ashamed for him but I doubt he feels the same. RM100-00 is not a just punishment.
A person with compassion will never do this, and this shows there isn't an ounce of compassion in the person who did this to this poor dog. And someone without compassion even for the defenseless should not deserve to live. I am not advocating death penalty for people who clearly abuse their pets but I am saying, in fact I am shouting RM100-00 fine in lieu of a few months jail is never the just punishment.
In The Malay Mail, it had highlighted several pets abuse cases but one of which was confusing. A person was said to neglect the animals if they let in the strays into their homes and feed them! What is this man?
Anyway those who loves their pets, please read with one caution in mind; you will never forget the dog's face once you have seen the whole article. Click on the thumbnail ... I know sometimes you may be too busy to take care of your pets, sometimes you're angry with them for dirtying the place but to do what this man did is not neglect; it is systematic clear cut abuse only those without a shred of humanity will do. if you meet someone who can't treat their pets right, question them if they will treat those who loves him right. A dog gives unconditional love and I think it is only fair we show them the same courtesy. If we can't do that, give them away or put them to sleep sooner than torturing them like this and only then put them to sleep. Hug your pets tonight dear friends. I am just too upset.
REMEMBER TO DOUBLE CLICK ON THE SCAN ONCE IT IS OPENED IN A NEW WINDOW TO VIEW THE ORIGINAL SIZE.
LOOKOUT! Fans stampede!!
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I kept remembering this one line from The Electric New Paper which was reporting on the film festival at was it Pusan? It said that Bae Yong Jun did not attend the festival citing security reason and the writer wrote "fans stampede" as the security reason. THAT was funny.
Anyway, I stumbled into THIS REVIEW of Untold Scandal and one particular line that got my full attention...
Leading man Bae Yong-jun, who made his name appearing in commercials, performs with a grating lack of expression, which reduces the film to a single emotional plane.
Is Winter Sonata a commercial? Maybe, for some snow resort or maybe snow mobile eh? Or maybe he did make his name in commercials like decades ago...I don't really know much about Mr Bae compared to Mr Jang.
Lucky for this reviewer he was not in Japan or any part in Asia when the review was published , if not I am very sure he will be crushed, pan like meat!
I for one thought the movie was ok BUT shocking. Never though Mr Bae is so eager for action scenes you know!
Another one on Taegukgi and I personally feel like sitting on this reviewer, like really really sit on him..
As they fight to prevent her execution, the brothers become fugitives from their own army. This somehow leads to the hyper-patriotic Jin-Tae defecting and becoming a symbol for North Korean propaganda, setting up a brother-against-brother climax that defies belief. Many movies lose their way coming out of the second act, but few plunge from stirring to stupid as quickly or as fully as "Tae Guk Gi."
Clearly my friend, you missed the point. Hyper patriotic was never the word to describe Jin Tae, take it from someone who have watched this movie 3 times in full!
This other review on Taegukgi is funny...
In the rare moments when a rifle, grenade, howitzer, bayonet, dagger, fist, land mine, or flamethrower isn't being deployed, the film pushes its melodramatic plotline with soap operatic shamelessness.
Well I agree...this movie is meant to make you cry and so is Titanic anyway! And in war one needs THAT much of weapons anyway. Did it mention rice balls as well?
And why they all kept saying JDG looks like Chow Yun Fatt? Ok sometimes but no, I find him more handsome than Chow Yun Fatt! Oh please..first some compares his talent with Brad Pitt, then about his career as fruitful and great as Tom Cruise and now looks like Chow Yun Fatt?
Urghhh....
Anyway, have you come across any professionally written review of some famous movies (that has both fans and haters) that are particularly nasty? Post them under this post of mine!
By the way what's the big deal about Desperate Housewives? To think that I have to miss ONE episode of War & Beauty every Tuesday so that my family can watch this shallow series is really beyond me. Yes, it's shallow. Even House MD has more wit and depth than this series when it is talking about bowel movements.
Oh my God! Fans stampede!! RUNNNNNNNNNNNN.................
Minutes To Fame International Competition : Lim Chear Yong
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Did anyone watched Minutes To Fame International Competition on ASTRO on last Sunday, 6pm? The one where Malaysia's very own 12 year old singing sensation, Lim Chear Yong won?
I watched that show and except for the Malaysians who put up really big effort to make quality performances, the rest were sadly worse than the worst talent show. I must admire their bravery to stand in front of such huge crowd and do what they did but this show is like the cheapest talent show, where not really talented people go on stage to do silly stuff. Those from the western countries will always do kung fu or some acrobatic moves and awful singing whilst the Asians will mostly sing and dance with taking off shirts as an option. It was embarassing to watch but the Malaysian participants did very well.
Aaron Kwok was the invited guest together with Joey Leung and Hacken Lee with some silly no talent people as guests as well. The guest performances was awful. Aaron Kwok was particularly mean on that day. He "ting" a lot of them. Frankly I too will "ting" most of them like 30 seconds into the show but he was very patronising in the way he said like "You took a flight for how many hours to HK?" and it really meant "You took the flight all the way here to give us this crap?". I thought he could be more thoughtful since he himself ain't so great a singer.
However this show makes no pretenses that it is really a cheap show and therein lies the fun I guess. Simon Cowell will vomit blood.
First up for our Malaysian participants was the Indian guy who can speak Cantonese and Mandarin and he can sing so well but he wasn't the favourite probably because they found him odd. I thought he danced so well but he wasn't popular. His costume was amazing though. Anyway I saw the behind the scene earlier in E-Buzz and apparently just like 30 seconds into his performance Aaron Kwok "ting" this poor guy! Hacken Lee scolded Aaron and said "He even prepared a nice dance routine, how can you "ting" him so early??" and Aaron of course apologised and told the poor guy to continue. But Aaron was really nasty when he kept saying "You should smile when performing..." and that poor guy was like on the verge of tears...I mean he was just "ting" a few minutes ago! But I guess he went on with his performance as the final show didn't show all these.
Second Malaysian participant was this young 12 year old Chinese boy who sang and danced Indian songs and moves. He was very very good and his singing was good too but again not many appreciated him since they found him odd. At times I thought Hacken Lee displayed an ignorance for culture. Aaron Kwok however appreciated this boy's effort and I think gave him Best Performance award? Not sure what award was given.
I tell you when kids peform well adults will always lose.
The next one was another Indian type of song and dance mixed with modern feel by an older Chinese guy. He was really good but again his interpretation was lost to the very Chinese crowd.
At this point I must mention the Singaporean sisters whom Aaron rightly said "The mood before you came out was high but once you came out it became sombre...". Mean but it's the truth. The girls looked really quite ok with the comment but I am sure it may be killing them.
Bad Chinese were laughed at and mocked. I find it distasteful.
More bad participants like the cheetah lady from England (very aggressive and she kept saying "I am not finished") and silly guest performances. Some more awful performances by China participant and Australia and all. I think they too felt stupid BUT this show is the platform for you to do anything to stay in the show but what I saw was really silly looking people doing anything to stay for that one more minute. At times I was wondering why I wanna watch this show...
Then came the HK counterpart I think or maybe later. His was impersonation and it was scary because he was really so very good. But I think it was Hacken who asked him "You said you wanted to become a singer but I have yet to hear your real voice.." and Aaron jokingly said "He can release an album... a collection of hits by various singers all impersonated by one man!". Ok, it was funny but still man. Poor guy, he looked like he wanted to drop dead there and then. Anyway this is not like some serious singing competition, it is a talent show! Sometimes I think even the judges couldn't remember that fact.
Then came the reason that gave this show some credibility, if it has any at this point. Our own Lim Chear Yong, 12 year old boy wonder came out with the most amazing costume singing and dancing to Lee Hom's version of Descendants of the Dragon (something like that). He was very impressive but the judges dared to "ting" him before he finished his routine! He had saved the best for last where he danced to the music really so well! Even Aaron was impressed, which was why he and many others gave him more points, which pushed him to 2nd place. First was the HK guy. I thought ahhhh biased judging!!
Then came the final between the HK impersonator and our Lim Chear Yong. To give the HK guy credit, he was gracious in his compliments of our boy wonder and his impersonation of the 4 heavenly kings were amazing. Of course before he reached Aaron Kwok he was "ting"! Then he was requested to continue on and even Aaron looked like "Oh my God! So spooky! He sang EXACTLY like me!!".
At that point I was wondering why our Lim Chear Yong won (as I read in the papers just minutes before the final showdown). Then he came out, with his black leather do, coolest looking sunglasses and a fake black guitar and he sang to perfection Wu Bai's very famous song which I am not familiar with the title but the lyrics are "I don't want to think about you anymore..I don't want to love you anymore..all the pain and anguish I will throw it all away..all my thoughts, pining and dreaming will not be about you any more...". I then knew he had to win. I was very surprised why he never joined the ASTRO Kids talent show and then I realise his forte is singing famous adults' tunes and the Kids Talent Show doesn't fit into his forte. I also do honestly think the Minutes To Fame show was beneath his talent and showmanship! He was truly professional and yeah he took singing lessons but I am very sure if he was in Malaysian Idol I would vote for him. Then the judges asked if he could sing a love song and he sang Lee Hom's Only You (Wei Yi) with such feelings I had to clap really really hard.
 
[Source]
He won, overwhelming decision. So much style, such confidence, so much showmanship, so very young! I remember when he was singing the camera shot to an older guy who looked like he was about to cry and looking very proud. I think that's the father.
Amazing win. And today I read in Star newspaper about his super achievements in singing and how his parents actually invested time and money to cultivate his talent but he wisely said he wants to study first. Very grounded boy.
Congratulations to Lim Chear Yong for making this crappy talentless show into a showcase of talent and showmanship!
I SALUTE YOU!!
Winter Sonata
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I was really very reluctant to watch this series since everybody says it is sloooooow. But I bought the ultra expensive DVD anyway distributed by PMP Entertainment. May I say this first and foremost...the English subtitles are beyond my expectation which means it is really really good, except for a few boos-boos like words appearing much too fast even before dialogue was spoken and some spelling or grammar mistake but overall excellent stuff, after I have been exposed to really sub standard type. The BM is also as good. Very impressed. Picture quality also very good, sound also very clear. If you must spend some money and can't get the US version, try this version. Very expensive but worth the price even if you have never watched this series before.
Ok, story proper. It's not as slow as I thought but it is slow. I will write more in my review. What I want to say are three things;
1. the cinematography is like wow wow wow wow wow!!!! Is there a Winter Sonata tour? Wanna join man! Better than Jewel In The Palace tour!
2. no sexy clothings in here because realistically speaking, they will freeze to death.
3. Most important thing I wanna say, this series should be given an award; THE MOST USED WORD IN A TV SERIES ... SORRY. I heard so many variations of sorry in here so many times, like one episode at least 5 times. Is it and I shall spell it in accordance to what I heard..."bi-ah-ne"? Because the subtitle say sorry and I doubt the characters were saying get lost or I love you. SECOND MOST USED WORD IN A TV SERIES ... "chu-ai-eh" and I think it means I like you. Not love, but like.
Anyway reviews spoilt my viewing pleasure. Already knew that guy Min Hyung is Jun Sang already. But still interesting to see how he reacts to this piece of oh not so startling news...so far I am enjoying the slow and steady pace but would wish for it to be really faster and perhaps to introduce the use of tissue papers because right now everybody cries much too much.
One funny mistake. I saw the microphone in one of the scene! Ha! Ha! Ok...not so funny, it is a technical mistake.
Anyone been on any Winter Sonata tour?? Anyone been on the Jewel In The Palace tour? Is there an All About Eve tour? I do know there was a Typhoon tour and you must admire the Japanese fans for organising such tours and the ingenious manager of either Jang Dong Gun and the director. Imagine this; earning money from fans AND at the same time giving fans the ultimate chance to see their favourite star in action AND act in the movie as well. What more can you ask for??
October 17, 2005
Check out where I am posting from ...
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MY OFFICE!! Yeah, finally after years of suggesting emails in the office, my computer got internet connection!! But I am only going to abuse this privilege just this once since my house got Streamyx what! Best is I have my own room, no one will know this BUT anyway...just this once.
Famous sibling & what if...
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I remember my local newspaper printed some pics of stars and their younger or older siblings who are not in the entertainment world many years ago and I remember saying Nicole Kidman's sister looks pretty but not star like pretty and I think Tom Cruise' family also not as star like look as he is. The rest I can't remember.
I noticed THIS PHOTO some months ago and often I wonder...if you have a star as a brother, as someone universally applauded as not only talented but handsome as well...how do you feel? Maybe when growing up a bit uncomfortable but how about now? As this brother's wife, love is of course a strong feeling but really if you marry the brother but knows he has a star who is universally admired and loved, how would you feel? Do you sometimes wonder what if I met the OTHER brother first?
Just an observation. To tell you the truth, having a slightly more prettier and more popular and earn more money sibling is never comfortable and if I have a star as a sister, sometimes I would wonder, why her and not me? And as the bride of the brother, I will confess of course that I will look at the other way sometimes but of course my marriage will work out in the end because let's face it, it is an ugly truth but the truth is, no one who is not remotely above an average of 8.0 in looks and status would get anywhere near this man or any man of that calibre. Cynical maybe. My sister once told me our family will never marry into a rich family simply because we are not of that status and our family background isn't exactly perfect. I remember answering who cares?
Well, at my age now and in retrospect, I understand what she meant. It's an awful truth. Status is everything, good looks is a bonus and for women being slim above all else is the most important thing, looks may be average, intellect may be optional. Those who says "Personality is most important" surely must have met the woman at least twice. Remember "falling in love at first SIGHT"?
I therefore find it amusing that beautiful people say I'd rather not be beautiful, I want to be appreciated for my talents, I want a man to love me for ME...when in the first place, you wouldn't have gotten where you are without your looks and the man wouldn't have looked at you if not for your looks. Of course what happens thereafter is all your own hard work but always the first step, being the most difficult one is always based on first impressions and first impressions is always how you present yourself, how you look and how you look depends on your genetics. Of course when you open your mouth and you talk nonsense, likelihood is you may be tolerated for maybe the next few times, depending on the man's patience of course.
What I mean is don't curse your inability to gain credibility because of your good looks. I am sure your not so pretty sibling might wish she had your looks. But at the end of the day, the lesser sibling should understand being lesser in looks doesn't mean lesser in dignity. It is at the end of the day how you carry yourself. But of course that is just words meant to console and to learn to just live with it. Beauty and money and fame are not important, for those who already have it all. I for one wouldn't mind money and more beauty, I can live without fame but I don't mind some healthy positive recognition but I have yet to do anything worth recognising for.
Anyway more famous sibling without a stable relationship may hunger for ordinary moments and envy the other lesser sibling because got children, got wife...yeah..can I have the mansion please? I can't understand why famous people take so much pain to emphasise "I live a pretty ordinary life...". Even the most not so famous star but still credible enough in the entertainment world does not lead an ordinary life...what is ordinary anyway?
Just so you know I am sure the more popular sibling in THIS PICTURE is a good man and a good brother and everybody else is good. But I wonder, what if??
October 16, 2005
April Snow & Sympathy For Lady Vengeance
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Interested in this movie starring Bae Yong Jun? Very intense poster and apparently got some "action" scenes as well. Found this intro page with some nice caps and a trailer. Have a look. Haven't seen the trailer yet...
APRIL SNOW INFOPAGE
Interested in the other movie starring Lee Young Ae? Very interesting poster and the trailer looks mighty interesting. Have a look...
SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE INFOPAGE
Interested in other recent trailers and info page? The following website has it all...
HANCINEMA.NET
Remember to check out the actors' page as well. Got nice pictures, some info and best of all, ENGLISH news on your favourite Korean stars. Even Cecilia Cheung got a page there and hey! She ain't Korean!
CHECK IT OUT!
Anyway saw some news in that website where big big there wrote "HOLLYWOOD TO REMAKE JSA". How does one remake JSA in the Hollywood context? The Mexico/America border? West and East Germany wall? I wonder...
And I just finished reading the article and indeed I was right!
"Hollywood Remake of ‘JSA’ in the Works (2005/05/13)
By Lee Yong-sung
Staff Reporter
David H. Franzoni, the producer and screenwriter of the Academy Award-winning epic blockbuster ``Gladiator,’’ will make his film directorial debut with a remake of the hit 2000 Korean movie ``JSA - Joint Security Area.’’
According to Thursday’s issue of the Hollywood Reporter, an American daily magazine specialized in the entertainment industry, Franzoni has purchased the rights to adapt the film, but will modify its political and geographic setting to appeal to a wider audience.
Thus, the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas, the setting for the original film, will be changed to the U.S.-Mexico border region, the daily reported.
The magazine also added that it is the first case of a copyright deal between an individual Hollywood film director and a Korean film production company. Previously, remake rights for Korean films were sold to U.S. studios through contacts between U.S. and Korean film companies.
So far the remake rights of over 10 Korean films have been purchased by U.S. film companies, including the comic action film ``My Wife Is a Gangster’’ and melodrama ``Il Mare (Siwolae).’’ The latter has been filming in Chicago since March, with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock cast in the main roles.
Originally made by acclaimed director Park Chan-wook, also well-known for his 2004 Cannes Grand Prix award-winning film, ``Old Boy,’’ ``JSA’’ depicts the growing friendship between South and North Korean border guards and drew over 5 million people on its domestic release.
The film was also a hit in Japan upon its release in 2003, earning $10.8 million on ticket sales of 825,000.
Source : www.koreatimes.co.kr... ( English Korean )"
Ermmm Mexico and US got tension meh? Why not ermm Cuba/Us border is there is one? Ermmm why not Pakistan/India border? I'm sorry but I can't see it with Mexico and US you know...Maybe Singapore and Malaysia border...ahhh cannot! We are peaceful cousins...and so is North and South Korea! I mean cousins, but not peaceful and I meant the 2 Koreas.
So how does one remake JSA??
October 15, 2005
TMO War & Beauty
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ASTRO Channel 30 will be showing The Making Of War & Beauty. I think it will be on Friday 10.30pm, since the current series will be ending on that day. This series is getting heavy promotion. Some quotes from the ads of this TMO had Sheren Teng saying "My character lives a very lonely existence" and Charmaine Sheh saying "I am not like the character I play in this series". Definitely will catch this TMO.
Bae Yong Jun Vs Jang Dong Gun
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Not that there's any rivalry between these two and the movies they make are poles apart. But I was reading through some comments in Rottentomatoes.com's forum and I assume most are westerners. They were commenting on Korean cinema and some comments caught my attention; like how BYJ is a better actor than JDG and how JDG is too melodramatic and too stylised in his acting which seems forced.
I always thought BYJ was too stylised instead of JDG! Truth be told, I agree, JDG is prone to melodramatic acting but one must see the context his character is in. Take Taegukgi for instance. How can he not be melodramatic?
Some comments about Won Bin also caught my attention; like how uncharismatic and boring he is. Some others named some stars (female stars included) which I thought were boring and unexciting but not to them.
Won Bin is cute. I assume they're basing their assessment on Taegukgi alone which is unfair. So I was thinking, is Won Bin that bad?
I disagree. What about Rain? If he makes a movie will he be dissed as uncharismatic and not handsome?
So surprisingly they find JDG ordinary in looks. He is not handsome as I have always said but rather beautiful. I noticed most are men who said he is ordinary looking. But again are they using Taegukgi as a measure of how he looks?
I really want to make it clear.
BYJ and JDG belong to two different branches of acting, and to be more specific, different genre. BYJ's trend is usually those artistic type, in fact he seems keen on making arty dramatic movies and he is willing to take risks, but different from those of JDG. BYJ is a fine actor, but is he that wide ranged? Not yet since he only made thus far 2 movies right? TV series do not count! In Untold Scandal, he was quite ok in my opinion. Didn't like make a deep impact in my mind, as the deepest impact was him naked. But I must admire his willingness to break away from the whole heart throb business, thanks to Winter Sonata. He has a new movie coming out, I think April Snow is it? I suspect it is going to be terribly slow but I am sure he will give a heartfelt performance, not unlike Winter Sonata. He prefers such movies I think and somewhat too restricted. BYJ was never prone to melodrama and he was never that over the top expressive actor facially but his eyes can speak volumes.
JDG chooses roles that are controversial not because of some naked whatever but because of the character itself. He favours characters that plays down on his beautiful face and seems very eager to avoid looking good. Most of his movies I will admit are bad, in terms of storyline but is he such a bad inadequate melodramatic pretentious actor that seems forced? In what sense did he seemed forced? You must understand Korean actors are from Korea. And each country has its own standards and in Korea, a bit melodrama and so called forced acting is ordinary. But I don't see the forced part. Too stylised? What is stylised anymore?
I totally disagree with these people's observations. I find all. JDG, BYJ and Won Bin and even Rain to be very charismatic. You can't have zero charisma and be so bloody famous even Time Magazine will want to name you hero of the year or cut through language barriers and have fans of all nationality, colour, gender and age screaming your name. Looking handsome only will not bring that effect. Charisma doesn't mean these people can act or sing well but to say this person is boring does not justify the euphoria created by this hallyu wave. I personally feel Rain is not very good looking, he can dance well, but really not very good singer. But he walks, talks and waves like a star. And Korean stars really know how to treat their fans with utmost respect, from those really famous ones I have seen travelling abroad. BYJ is as charming and charismatic as JDG is as beautiful and as talented as Won Bin is as cute and effective as an actor as Rain is as entertaining and star like.
So who is better? BYJ or JDG? You want my opinion? Ok, I don't mind stepping on some toes...
JDG is a better actor at this moment because his roles are more varied. Yes, he is melodramatic sometimes but script requires it as such. BYJ is a stylised actor is you ask me, but if you're a fan of his preferred genre, you will discover he is by himself a talented, capable actor who so happens to be a mega star with loads of charisma. JDG has the same quality, and whilst BYJ may look a bit arrogant sometimes or JDG a bit unapproachable, the truth is both are modest from what I can observe. Sometimes you can't pretend to be nice without people knowing you're a fake. I can name a few that are fakes.
I totally understand why Korean cinema is doing so well. For one Koreans really support their own cinemas (since they do have restriction on foreign films which is not something I would like happening in Malaysia), Korean stars as in those famous ones have such international appeal and when they step out, they do look like stars minus the attitude problems and best of all, 8 out of 10 can really act, the remaining 2 are lousy ones but every country has its bad sheeps, so to speak.
I am undoubtly a JDG fan. I do not simply go all out writing long essays about someone if I don't believe they have the goods nor do I go dismising those who doesn't in a rushed fashion, except maybe for Shirley Yeung and Sonija Kwok. I like BYJ, I like his style and his attitude and his performances mostly. Sometimes talented actors may be restricted by badly edited movies. Untold Scandal is a bit too arty for me, Taegukgi may be badly edited but at the end of the day, they're good cinema capable of holding its own on an international scale. You can't ignore Mexican fans holding up banners wanting to see these stars in their country, eventhough there are only a dozen of them there. The fact that there are fans so far away who knows these actors, isn't that a testament to their appeal other than just looking good?
By the way, Won Bin is cute and he has a beautiful smile and his performance in Taegukgi was excellent. I have never seen his TV series, maybe I will some day so I don't know how he was. Sometimes I wonder are we all watching the same movies? How can one can diss the same product that are applauded?
I guess this is called preference and taste. My taste is moving towards South Korean cinema which may not be perfect but they do produce some fine original movies, not all but some. Of course they have their remakes and horror movies too, but those are unavoidable. I like Korean TV dramas too for various reasons, the opposite of reasons why I am beginning to lose faith in TVB dramas. Maybe I was lucky; I watched the good K-dramas and missed out the bad ones so maybe, just maybe the fact that K-dramas and K-movies are good and their actors are good because I am seeing the exception. TVB dramas I have seen so much, their stars I have seen too often and it is sad, there aren't any that are exciting except for those few and the series, story and acting is getting from bad to unimaginative. There is a reason why I am looking away from HK and I find that such a waste because often I would watch again older series, and I find myself enjoying them so much even when 2 decades have passed by. And I finally realise, apart from the acting, the props and the costumes, the story must be good. Nowadays stories in most TVB series is like fast food; satisfy you for just that one moment of time but can never stand the test of time. Very few, very few.
Typhoon : LEE Jung-jae
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I was reading up on Typhoon the movie and I saw the actor who plays the navy guy who is trying to hunt down Jang Dong Gun's Pirate Ssin and I saw this picture...
and some interviews and I thought he looked so familiar. Where have I seen him before? Did some search and found out he was the comedien husband to Lee Young Ae's dying wife role in Last Present! I am very surprised. I mean look at him now! He was scrawny thin in Last Present. Did some more search and found out Last Present was made wayyyy back in 2000. But imagine this...just 5 years and look at him now! A pity I can't find Last Present's picture but I am surprised, but pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed his performance in Last Present, I thought his performance was moving and excellent. Now I am more keen on watching Typhoon.
By the way, Typhoon is interesting in another aspect. Scrawny thin had to put on weight and life weights and looking gorgeous if you ask me. The usually more filled up one had to lose tons of weight, add some scars to look scary but still really can't hide his handsome features. Why not switch roles? Why can't I see Jang Dong Gun in a uniform, a nice Navy uniform? Lee Jung Jae of course looks very good in it.
Ahhh now my vocabulary of Korean actors is growing...
Ahhh found an old picture of this actor in Last Present. Can't fault me for not recognising him when I was looking at the Typhoon poster...
October 14, 2005
M'sian Idol 2 Winner : Daniel's song
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I think it is called Mimpi and it is getting very heavy airplay over at 95.8 (Fly) fm. And I am getting hooked on this song. He sang it beautifully although I can't quite get what he was singing about since his diction is really very poor. But his technique is very good, definitely reminded me of I think Jeff Chang (if I spelt his name right). He sang the song with so much feelings in such an echo-ish way, I truly felt like he's singing to me and for me alone. Very very expressive and sincere singer if you ask me. But he could improve on his diction or better yet, sing a Chinese version of Mimpi. A great tune. Anyone heard this song over at fly.fm?
By the way so happy Fly Guy is on air again but unfortunately he is accompanied by 2 female DJs who sounded nice but really aren't good at all. Especially this Melanie the news reader. There she was reading about death toll numbers and traffic jams and she sounded like she's so happy, sunshine voice and all. I find that very irritating because it was so inappropriate. Surely DJs should know how to act a bit with their voices? I wonder where is L'll Kev? Is he coming back?
October 12, 2005
The Promise & Typhoon : Interesting Trailers
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The Promise trailer first.
I thought Miramax bought the rights or something but the trailer showed Warner Bros. Anyway scared for The Promise since Miramax seems to be very unpopular with those foreign movies maker. Anyway....
You have got to download this trailer. For one, it is Japanese version it seems, and very long and I think the one Cannes saw and loved. Secondly, there is one very fast flashing scene of Cecilia Cheung very naked underneath an equally naked (albeit covered with the most transparent clothing), something normally in HK you see such actress doing so in Category III movies but if Chen Kaige asked you to strip, what can you do? For art of course. Scary to imagine seeing her naked because she is so thin. I double checked and confirmed, fortunately for some and unfortunately for others that guy on top is not Jang Dong Gun, should be that Japanese fellow. For me it is fortunate because though I like Cecilia Cheung as an actress, I think it is a waste of money to hire an actress who can't speak Mandarin, let her act and then dub her voice. Quite shame shame since apparently her Japanese and Korean co-stars spoke perfect Mandarin. So my question is is her voice really dubbed?? Her English also ok but like Pearl posted many times on the standard of modern English, hers is "He (Jang Dong Gun) is a nice guys". So Engrish anyone? By the way I think she is not quite right for this role. Maybe 5 years ago yes, because she was very pretty then but now... she doesn't look like that kind of woman a man would die for, let alone 3 men.
Other than that have yet to hear him utter a single line in Mandarin. I am dying of curiosity, the same way I am wondering how You Know Who sounds like when he speaks English and I have it on good authority that he spoke well (I mean You Know Who). I know Jang Dong Gun will do well, after all he is obsessed with his art.
Anyway enough of all the Cecilia talk and all, download the video and tell me what you think. Do you wanna watch this movie or not? I am still more looking forward to Typhoon, more so after I have seen gallons of water poured on thin skinny scarred but still as gorgeous looking JDG. So that you know what I mean, I give you the link also. Eh file size very very big. Download them to your computer.
October 11, 2005
Updates (Sort of...)
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Kinda like an update. Anyway transferred all Shaun Chen articles From Shaunsation ie Blogger style to this amazing news board style. Clean, nicely arranged. Check it out HERE.
You can comment on the articles by scrolling to the bottom of each article. You can even password protect it. Please no swear words.
A warning though. There is a banner on top of each article and although I have chose "Disallow adult banners", somehow I saw some banners that are quite explicit. I apologise if you're shocked.
I'll add the latest scans sent in by Pearl later and reopen Shaunsation once I have decided on the bloody layout. Meanwhile any reviews anybody??
October 10, 2005
Very funny spoof
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Got this in my email today. The song is about why resign from your lousy job and the music is from a famous Chinese song. Maybe you can identify for me. In cantonese by the way and very short but very funny.
DOWNLOAD SONG. IE users pls right click mouse and choose Save Target As and Firefox users pls left click mouse and save the song into your computer.
You'll also find this post in Funn Stuff.
October 09, 2005
In memorium?
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I was looking at some VODs at a Jang Dong Gun forum and I came across a few files marked as Jang Dong Gun : In Memorium and I downloaded it and it is some MTV plus some pictures. Gorgeous as ever but I was wondering, is it correct to say In Memorium?
For one when you say In Memorium and you start to show pictures of this person accompanied by some really slow song, it does mean that this person is dead and this is done in memory of him. I do know for a fact he is very much alive.
So I was thinking, IN MEMORIUM? Isn't that wrong to use in this context??
Tom is cruising towards fatherhood
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Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are expecting a baby.
I am shocked. I always thought after 2 failed marriages and 2 adopted kids Tom Cruise is like you know ...well babies may not be his destiny? Maybe Katie Holmes is his lucky one eh?
Or you know maybe you know ..ahhh never mind. Don't wanna be sued with my suggestions.
Medical Brothers
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I just finished 2 sob sob type of series today, and Medical Brothers made me cry. That ending was unexpected and so shocking but not entirely impossible. But I guess I was more surprised with the daring scenes (plenty in fact) between Lee Young Ae and Jang Dong Gun. Of course they looked like they'r kissing but in actual fact just camera angles but i don't think however your place your camera can you fake ripping off clothes, hiking up skirts and stuff. Very very daring stuff, even for TV. But kissing if had been real would have been better!
Aiyah so sad. The other one I watched was a movie, the free DVD I got from yesasia.com called Last Present. Almost cried.
Anyway just an update. You can still email me at point2e@myjaring.net but I won't be able to reply you from this account as I don't know why I can't email from this account nor can I email or receive emails from Streamyx account. I have given up hope on their customer service. But please do cc all submission to my funnlim@gmail.com account. I will be creating another gmail account so that next time whatever personal mail can go there as well.
I know I have been neurotic this past week, but can't help it. I am back and I have some reviews to post these few days. And yes I plan to do a episodic thought on War & Beauty unless it bores me to death by ep 3.
October 08, 2005
And now this...
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Free modem? Waiver of fee? 1m connection??
Well I must admit it is faster. Even if it is slower than expected, at least it is unlimited access so I can on it for 24 hours still same price. Of course subject to the modem exploding.
Yes ladies and gentleman, I finally got my streamyx working and nope no tech support there, just my own telephone technician adn RM185-00 to settle the line problem. Till now no reply from them and no email as well. I am just so appalled by their customer service.
Anyway faster than usual but not as fast as I expected. How could I check if I have 1m account? Is it through that tmbill.tm.net.my where it is also to change password? Can't access it!
Any advice please?
Thanks a lot!
By the way you can still send emails to my point2e@myjaring.net but any jaring and streamyx users here? Like 2 service at one go? I wanna ask, how come I can access my Jaring?
October 07, 2005
The worst news
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It is to my utter dismay why my modem doesn't work is because my line doesn't work and my line doesn't work because my upstairs line is no good. Downstairs all ok. I am very depressed right now. Utterly depressed. Utterly. Depressed. I just feel so frustrated. I feel like all energy drain out. The last time I felt like this was when my favourite pair of new sneakers, very nice one got stolen right under my nose. That dreaded feeling is back.
I need to watch All About Eve.
October 06, 2005
My (Mis)advanture with Streamyx
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A very frustrating day indeed.
After much thought I registered for Streamyx, even had to install that NIC thingy which of course didn't cost much and did everything right but that DSL light just refused to light on. Called almost 5 times to their so called customer service number, got put on hold for 30min, tried again and again and again and finally got a guy who asked me to check downstairs main plug see if got light on and nope and had to call and put on hold and got connected to another guy who can't speak decent english who told me to give details to him and said he had entered a report and to call back in 3 days. Problem with Streamyx is it will automatically activate in 7 days from registration (last day for me is Sunday) and then I will be billed whether I got the modem working or not. Of course that smart aleck over the phone said I will get rebates and I was like "Rebates? I am not even connected so what are rebates for?!" and then he said he will check and I asked is it line problem (I mean if yes then why approve my application in the 1st place?) and he said if it is customer's fault, then I still have to pay. By that time I was like "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" mode and I asked; "What is my fault then? Telephone line is not my problem, everything looks ok, my NIC is ok, the modem doesn't look ok.." and he said "Then you still have to pay because it is your modem problem" and I was like "Excuse me! I subscribed because I GOT FREE MODEM from you, so it means the modem is YOUR problem.." ...
Do you see where this conversation is heading?
I feel guilty for wanting to let go of my old slow but dependable and more friendlier Jaring. I never had any such problem and I was very disappointed with the person(s) non-knowledge on technical aspects which by the way there is a technical aspect counter which asked me to call the account activation number (hence the above conversation with guys from account activation) when I kinda asked "Isn't my problem more on technical side?".
All these trouble because I wanted to download bigger files faster and because it is cheaper. Letting go of my Jaring was very hard to do and to tell you the truth I am beginning to regret even applying for Streamyx when it causes me nothing but heartache. I am very sure the tel line must be the problem so that means I have to give back everything and cancel my account which I haev no problem doing. If they charge me anything at all, believe you me, I will scream at them.
And by the way for me good customer service is giving people your name, saying YOU will call them back in 3 days AND if the problem is still unknown, then YOU will send a tech guy to my place to install it and if it is MY fault I didn't install properly I will gladly pay the RM88 installation fee but if the installation is because of modem problem, then YOUR tech guy should automatically bring along a new modem and frankly I will still gladly pay the RM88-00. If it is line problem then tell people properly how to cancel and assure potential future customer that no payment will be charged instead of saying stupid stuff like "You will get a rebate" for a service I have yet to get.
NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE. It is to assure people, to give confidence, to give comfort and reassurance of your products and service and not to say hello, goodbye, anything else I can be of assistance (I mean can't even assist me on this what more other things eh?) and generally annoy and cause panic.
But Jaring is slow. When are they coming out with broadband?
October 02, 2005
OPINION : Yesasia.com OR Coolwin-Video.com? The Guide To Online Shopping From The Msian Perspective
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I am sure many of you have never shopped online for videos and VCDs and stuff so I thought I might share with you some of my opinion of one very major online shopping centre which specialised in tapes, CDs, DVDs, etc of all genres and all languages that is yesasia.com which is based in HK and coolwin-video.com which specialises in Japanese, Korean series and movies based in Malaysia. There aren't much difference with shopping at yesasia.com and at coolwin-video as I found both to be efficient and professional but there are some minor differences which I am sure may mean something to a consumer at where to shop. The following is meant for Malaysian consumer living in Malaysia intending to buy drama box sets. Just so you know TVB box sets are always expensive. All items are original merchandise.
NOTICE
Although my website is affiliated with Yesasia.com (which means when you click my yesasia.com link in here and then you buy something there, I earn commission but thus far none! I wanna cry!), the statements I made below are not because of commission or anything like that. I don't even get commision from coolwin-video, so if you do make purchases there because of what I wrote here, I won't profit from it. So whatever I wrote below, they are sincerely by me.
Coolwin-video.com yesasia.com Sensasian.com
WHY BUY ONLINE?
Most obvious is you can't find the box sets and movies you want in the stores. But do check out Jusco (normally 20% off), Speedy video (lots of TVB series) and Tower Records (lots of Korean series). If you still can't find what you want, I recommend yesasia.com (click the link through my website would be most helpful as I can earn a bit of commission) and coolwin-video.com.
ITEMS AVAILABLE
For one, coolwin-video primarily sells Japanese and Korean drama series box set. But you will find some Chinese series as well as soundtracks and movies, animes but not English movies or series though. Maybe I missed it. There is a clear indicator which is available and which is not. Out of Stock obviously means no more. I was curious as to what In Transit meant so I emailed the webmaster and was informed that In Transit means they don't have the stock in office but they can get it from the supplier. It would be very helpful if this is explained in the website itself. The only lack of information I find is this and also the products itself. I would love to see summaries, clear indication of whether second DVD is translated or not, etc etc etc.
That would have made the shopping more enjoyable. My only complaint is they now adopted this explanation of the subtitles like for All About Eve, the subtitles they say is "Above Average". Seriously, it should be "Not high quality" would be more accurate! And all items in coolwin-video has been passed through the Malaysian censorship board so if you were to buy Untold Scandal from this website, I seriously doubt you will get to see Bae Yong Jun in "action". For Malaysians looking for English/Malay subtitles for their Korean or Japanese series or movies, this is the place to shop.
Yesasia.com has no restriction in censorship but be careful when you order; your country's custom officer open the stuff and check. Luckily mine wasn't. I seriously doubt they will check though as the items are listed as CDs and DVDs so no reason to check. But I am sure you can't find porno movies there but Untold Scandal should be uncensored. Yesasia.com has more stuff of course and more variations of the same box set. The English subtitles in all the products I bought were excellent so if you want good quality subs, try yesasia.com since their supplies are either from Korea itself or maybe from the States. Just check out the name of the distributor.
PRODUCT DIFFERENCES
For example, I could not find Taegukgi DVD anywhere in the shops. I know it is RM29-90 which is cheap for a DVD come packed with a Making Of VCD all translated into English. It is distributed by PMP Entertainment which is probably the very few who actually invests in making the box sets look nice and presentable. I am very impressed with their Winter Sonata box set although there were obvious spelling mistakes and some major flaws in storing the DVD discs. More on that later.
Anyway I found Taegukgi DVD in coolwin-video.com which is the PMP version, with Malay, Chinese and English subtitles. In fact if you want Malay subtitles, it is better you shop at coolwin-video because yesasia.com doesn't have Malay subtitles.
And that is the product differences, apart from the price. In yesasia.com, Taegukgi DVD is more expensive as probably comes in maybe a Tin box like Chingoo or something else. And no Malay subtitles but got English subtitles which is I am sure is of good quality.
Some VCD box sets may not have English or Malay subtitles. In fact very rare for VCD box set to have English subtitles. As for DVD box sets, if you live in America, it is better you spend a bit more to buy the Korean drama series from yesasia.com because those released by yesasia.com has reportedly excellent English subtitles.
Coolwin-video sometimes sells box sets not distributed by local distributor. I found that in Hotelier and I wonder is that the one translated by the fans?
PRICING
Yesasia.com is all on US dollars basis whilst if you're a local, coolwin-video will sell it at a converted to Ringgit basis which is really better for me because US dollars somehow looked more expensive to me. Now both websites have offer up to 20% for box sets so this is the best time to buy if you can't find your stuff at the local shops.
DELIVERY
Yesasia.com has both normal and courier delivery service and since it is based in HK, expect it to be very expensive if you buy a lot. Their system is on the shipping unit system which I can never understand. Right now if you buy about USD49-90, for normal delivery it is FREE so this is the best time to buy stuff from yesasia.com.
Imagine this.
I bought Friend, JSA, one more title PLUS free one DVD. The stuff is pretty bulky and heavy because Friend comes in a nice heavy Tin Box. The delivery was free. Imagine if it wasn't? I calculated and it should cost me around USD 12-00 to USD16 -00 for the delivery and times that into Ringgit and you will see the delivery is expensive. In fact the delivery may in the end cost the same as in one DVD if you buy a lot. Sensasian.com adopts the same method. So now is the best time to buy from yesasia.com but the offer only applies to series and movies only.
Delivery estimate : For example, my own experience. I bought the stuff one day, credit card company confirmed the next day, stuff shipped out the same day and I got my stuff about 2 days later. Very fast.
Coolwin-video became my favourite because of the delivery charge aspect. For one, for locals, if you choose normal post (3 days you will get your stuff but make sure somebody is at home to pick it up if not our postman may just chuck it by the gate) it is free no matter how much you buy. I think coolwin-video absorbs the cost I guess. But I always choose Pos Laju, our local courier service. Don't say it is bad and not like FedEx because I just found out Pos Laju is very fast and the collection centre opens 7 days a week whilst the postman do deliver on the day they're supposed to be off duty, or so I was told they're supposed to be off duty. For International purchase maybe they use FedEx, I don't know. Anyway the most attractive reason to buy from coolwin-video is no matter how many you buy, the Pos Laju fee they charge is always RM5-00. I seriously doubt my items are only RM5-00 kinda weight so I am sure they absord the extra cost. So you don't need to crack your head calculating the shipping units or worrying how much the conversion would cost or how expensive it is going to be because you bought 6 box sets because all fixed at RM5-00 which is great for me and help me to save a lot. I am sure if you buy in bulk the sum may be adjusted but I don't know. For consumers
like I, knowing that I buy so much it is only RM5-00 is like heaven sent to me and I find this to be the first and best reason to shop at coolwin-video.com. By the way they are based in Penang.
Delivery estimate : For example, this time I bought Winter Sonata DVD and some VCDs. Ordered online Thursday, paid via bank transfer on Friday, postman came on Saturday (wasn't home), collected my stuff from Pos Laju office on Sunday.
Coolwin-video delivery charges : International charges are basically the same as Sensasian.com and Yesasia.com with a bit of discount if you buy more. But for the local perspective, Sensasian.com and Yesasia.com do not care if you're from Malaysia which means they charge the same. Maybe Sensasian.com has some discount but I can't find it if it has one. For coolwin-video, these are the charges. For the whole of Malaysia (just checked the website) , registered post, free. Although during checkout it writes free for Pos Laju, it is not. You will see the sum during the last checkout stage. Pos Laju (National Courier) RM5-00 however much you buy I think. The most I bought is 3 thus far, one very heavy one still the same RM5-00. Probably if you buy 10 the sum could be lower. All About Eve was just 1 and still RM5-00.
SERVICE
Yesasia.com is I admit more professional in email correspondence. But don't mistake this as coolwin-video being unprofessional, quite the contrary. For one, if you email coolwin-video, you will get a reply as soon as in 1 minute and as late as in one day. I am not joking! 1 minute. Yesasia.com may take a day or more.
But yesasia.com's reply is more corteous. I am not saying coolwin is rude. But you won't have greetings or thank yous, like most Malaysian emailing style, we all go straight to the point. I never knew who replied my email. Yesasia.com comes complete with a logo, a name, a designation, dear and thank you and yours faithfully. More formal. But coolwin was never rude, but rather indifferent.
ORDERING THROUGH YESASIA.COM
First you create a shopping account. Malaysia does not have Paypal so you will have to pay by credit card if you want your stuff fast. You can pay by bankers cheque. I am sure the shopping is secured. Once you paid by credit card, you will receive a confirmation of order, and the another pending email because you credit card may need to verify your purchase (like Mastercard). Once you call Mastercard to release the sum (mine was RM30-00 and still I need to confirm, which is good because it is secure and safe transaction) the same day you will receive a confirmation on your order has been shipped out plus the invoice. You can track your stuff through the website which is really of no use actually. So at yesasia.com you will constantly be notified on the status of your purchase before shipping out, so you know what is going on. I find this method very reassuring and very professional. The emails are all very professionally written by the way.
ORDERING THROUGH COOLWIN-VIDEO.COM
Same way, creat an account. Malaysia does not have Paypal, but coolwin is more convenient in the sense that you can pay via bank transfer at Mayban. In fact I encourage you to pay like this to minimise your credit card exposure you know. Once you paid, FAX your payment receipt (write your order number on it) to the fax number as provided, write a note that you insist on them emailing you once they received your payment receipt. I do not know if they will do so automatically even if you never write that notice BUT I always write it and I always get a reply via email that my receipt is received and items shipped (if the items are in stock of course, never bought an item in transit so seriously I do not know if they'll email you). You can track your purchase at the website which is not very good actually because I remember buying All About Eve DVD, even after I received my stuff the note in that website was still PENDING or something like that. For my latest purchase though I found out it was shipped when I went to the website and it was written SHIPPED (on Thursday, the day I paid the money). So I guess it depends on how free is the webmaster! I think they must be free, not sure if good business or not. Although the emails are a bit curt and impersonal and indifferent, I find the confirmation
reassuring and that to me is professionalism.
Both Yesasia.com and Coolwin-video are both efficient and professional at the end of the day.
IMPORTANT POINTERS : Never ever give the wrong address man! Never! Make sure someone is at home to take your delivery if not like me you have to drive ALL the way to Pos Laju's office or maybe you delivery may be left by the gate, in the rain!
CONDITION OF PRODUCTS
Both mail their stuff in tightly packed brown envelopes. I haven't bought enough to merit a box. But I find coolwin-video more fanatic when it comes to packing their stuff; super tightly packed. Condition for coolwin is better because it is from Penang only, so the box is always still in great condition. Yesasia.com was a bit disappointing because my Chingoo box a bit dented (the paper box that is) and the JSA box is a bit dented also. You can return the items to get new ones but aiyah have to pay delivery cost and all, so never bothered to do so. Some said online shopping is not good because you can't change the discs if they're no good. There are return policies in both websites. BUT thus far the discs are of excellent quality, depending on which version you buy. No scratches thus far, also you must thank you postman who may have been very gentle with the packages. I have yet to have bad experience when it comes to the condition of the products
except for those I mentioned. I was a bit angry because these two DVDs aren't cheap you know.
WHERE TO BUY FROM?
If you're Malaysian, and if you live in West Malaysia, and you found the same items at Yesasia.com and in Coolwin-video.com, the version is the same and is what you want, in terms of speed, delivery cost and discount also, I would say coolwin- video.com, especially in terms of delivery cost. For whatever else you can't find, yesasia.com is the next stop. For example you will never find Chingoo in Malaysia. So yesasia.com is the only next stop. I can't comment on Sensasian.com's service since I have yet to buy anything there and so far my enquiries have all been answered up to a certain extent. My last email was not answered after I replied on the same subject for I think the 3rd time.
The rest of those online shopping for DVD are either very expensive or the delivery is expensive. Just for your info, sensasian.com adopts the same system as yesasia.com but I was informed you can collect your stuff from the KL office which may cost less, that I do not know. Why I chose coolwin-video.com over sensasian.com or yesasia.com if the product can be found there is primarily and honestly because of the delivery cost and because everything is in Msian Ringgit which is easier for me to understand. No shipping fee, no handling fee, no processing fee. For me as long as I get my products safe and secured, Pos Laju is good enough for me and more so at a fixed rate.
Example : You wanna buy Dae Jang Geum VCD Box sets which comes in 3 or 4, very heavy ones. Imagine the delivery cost! By the way there is a Dae Jang Geum DVD box set, RM200-00 or so but do the math calculation, it is worth the price since all 70 episodes in one box set!
Another example: I wanna buy Nowhere To Hide (VCD) with English subtitles. May be different distributor but at the end same movie. Did some research at 3 shopping sites I mentioned above and these are the figures... (correct me if I am wrong)
Sensasian.com
After discount : USD6-99 (RM26.56)
Reg Mail : USD4-00 (RM15.20)
Convert to Ringgit : RM41.76 or somewhere that region.
Yesasia.com
After discount : RM18.76
Standard Post : US$6.48 (RM23.98)
Convert to Ringgit : RM42-74 or somewhere that region.
Coolwin-video.com
After discount : RM16.90
Pos Laju : RM5-00
Total : RM21.90 (darn it! Out of stock!)
MORE THOUGHTS
I just bought the Winter Sonata DVD distributed by PMP Entertainment. Box is beautiful but the spelling mistakes are very embarasing. Bae Yong Jing? Winter's Sonate OR Winter Sonata? Why not just Winter Love Song? Or could it be Winter's Love Song?? But there is an NG segment and all. I am very impressed with PMP packaging. Much thought had been poured into the packaging that I just wish they were the one distributing All About Eve and Hotelier. I checked out the subtitles, slightly better than All About Eve but still got mistakes like "cann't". Maybe more care should be put into the subtitles, PMP!! The flaw with the storage is that it is not in some pouch but like those VCD movies. Since only 6 discs, I think they opted for this option. Each compartment got a nice picture of the stars. I find the box exquisite. But when I opened it, there is a danger of a disc dropping onto the floor because the disc was not properly and securedly fastened to the casing. That is the flaw. Why not a pouch? The best storage is actually Friend or JSA DVD. I remember describing it to you and I think 6 discs stacking on top of one another the way JSA or Friend was (although 2 discs only) would be the best method. The worst was All About Eve, 10 discs stacking on top of one another without a divider between each one was shocking to me. To me the distributor wasn't interested in making the product look good and secured, and I was most disappointed with the profit first, product second attitude. PMP is I am happy to say in the right direction but the casing can be improved.
Anyway Taegukgi DVD was better. Same concept as Winter Sonata DVD but since only 2 discs and securedly fastened to the casing. I like the pictures in it and the extra hard plastic cover to cover the DVD box which is smaller than I expected. Water also won't destroy the paper box I tell you! And for only RM29-90, a good buy. But the interface as in menu is unimaginative, unlike Friend or JSA or Lost Memories. I suspect the international release may have a different menu. Again only RM29-90, what to expect? The Making Of VCD is translated by the way, thank God for that. Still pissed that Friend and all never translated!
To tell you the truth, the most beautiful movie DVD box set I got was Friend, which is a limited edition and can only be bought at yesasia.com. So do get that one if you want to watch this movie.
Anyway I can now officially open a Jang Dong Gun Media Library. I just cleaned out TWO small cabinets for his movies and series! I bought Icing and Myth Of A Hero/Legend of a Hero (Taiwanese version only! Very disappointed) at half the price at JJ Maluri.
Korean war film tops list
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Source : NST (M'sia)
Korean film Tae Guk Gi will lead the nomination list at the 50th Asia Pacific Film Festival at the Putra World Trade Centre here.
The movie, which is about two brothers facing the horrors of war, has been nominated for Best Picture, Best Director (Kang Je-Gyu), Best Actor (Jang Dong Gun) and Best Supporting Actor (Won Bin). It received nine nominations.
In fact it won Best Director and Best Film! But the real question is..WHERE IS JANG DONG GUN? Not even the shadow of Won Bin in Malaysia. Why snub us? So many Korean mega stars just whoosh past Malaysia. Rumour had it that JDG was supposed to come here to promote Lost Memories! But did you know Bae Yong Jun was in Malaysia as in Petaling Street for his pictorial? Apparently nobody knew until some Korean tourists recognised him! Anyway JANG DONG GUN, WHERE ARE YOU?!?!??!?
Also competing in the Best Picture category is the RM20 million local epic, Puteri Gunung Ledang, which received six nominations, including for Best Actress (Tiara Jacquelina) and Best Supporting Actor (Alex Komang).
I watched this movie for like 15 min and I could not go on any further. It gives new meaning to the term SNAIL PACE. Slower than a snail by the way. But Tiara Jacquelina was very seductive. But not worthy even to be nominated. It is essentially an overly expensive bad storytelling. Why can't we make movies like Children of Heaven?
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