K-Drama Review: Dream High 2, Episodes 7-8

Read episode reviews for:
Dream High 2--Episodes 1-2
Dream High 2--Episodes 3-4
Dream High 2--Episodes 5-6

Contains Spoilers for Episodes 7-8

Poor little Hyesung has received one rejection too many. Kirin School of the Arts is not the most forgiving place for people who haven't proven their singing or dancing talent, and Hyesung has been the victim of a thousand different misunderstandings which led to her being a social outcast. It's lucky that her celebrity crush JB is around to pick her up and encourage her. The sad thing is, Hyesung's guy friend Yujin would like to do the same thing for her, but JB basically beat him to it without realizing.

But when JB is kind to Hyesung, his pop star friend Rian complains and insults JB by saying that he's weak for pitying someone as worthless as Hyesung. These episodes actually give us a lot of surprising character development from JB. Yujin also gets to step up and act like a boss because he turns down an offer to be mentored by a great composer since he doesn't want to be owned by a company or told what to write. You go, Yujin!

At Kirin, school owner Kangchul is thinking about making a supergroup of six students who perform the best in peer evaluations. Yujin gets picked as the first Super Idol for the special group, and I like this new plot point because it means that we're finally getting back to what I assume was the original heart of the show--kids fighting to realize their dreams.

The romantic subplot is advancing nicely, and in an unanticipated direction. JB openly admits to Hyesung that he likes her, yay! I can't believe that I actually care, but I do. And what I like to call the "karmic revenge" subplot is kicking in at last, and Rian finally gets a little of the humiliation she has coming to her. I hope that after being humbled, she can rebuild herself into a decent person capable of empathy.

Things I Loved:

1. JB's Sweetness. I swore I would never like this guy, but the writers have really turned his character around. He started out by being blandly self-centered, stiff, and passive. He wouldn't so much as lift a perfectly toned finger to help anyone who wasn't also a celebrity singer. But now? When everyone at school hurts Hyesung by returning her gifts of apples, he picks an apple up from the floor, wipes it off and eats it to show her that not everyone has rejected her. Awww.

Who Knew That Apples Could Be So Poignant?

2. Hyesung's Strength. After 6 episodes of cringing, cowering, and apologizing, Hyesung's showing some backbone. It's so moving to see her in the empty Kirin High theater, addressing an absent audience by herself at night, saying a few last words before she leaves, presumably forever.

The Sound You Hear Is My Heart Breaking.

3. Hyesung's Dad. He's really a great guy. He's a little out of the loop and has a tough time understanding his daughter's wild dreams, but at his core, Mr. Shin is a good man who wants to take care of his girl. He takes her away from Kirin because the people there have been so cruel to her, but he may let her go back if that's what she wants.

It's Also Adorable That He's Shorter Than His Baby Girl.

4. Family. Show, why are you getting so touching all of the sudden? When JB goes to visit Hyesung's family, it ends up being the best thing ever because he learns about her background--Hyesung's been bravely soldiering onward since her mother died two years ago. Then Hyesung's dad warms to JB, and JB reveals that his own parents have passed away. Then he shares a home-cooked meal with Hyesung, her dad, and her baby sister....man, it's just so heartwarming. These family connections make me believe that these two just might work.

I Have Changed My Mind--They May Be the Cutest Couple Ever.

Complaints:

1. The Rian-Pout. Do we ever see her when she's not smirking, snarling, or grimacing?

Well, To Be Fair, She Sometimes Also Looks Worried.

2. Yujin's Backstory. Yujin was plenty cool without having some weird tragic past as a child star whose fame broke up his parents' marriage. Why make him into this poetic, sad genius figure? He was great as a talented yet flawed guy on his way to better things.

Themes:

Confidence is Catching: JB remembers being encouraged by Yujin in the past, and this memory, coupled with JB's understanding of how brave Hyesung has been at times, inspires JB to actually begin writing music, which is his real dream.

Note: JB Has Good Handwriting, & is Left-Handed.

2. Ownership/Plagiarism. There's a complicated debate between JB and Yujin about plagiarism. Yujin performed a song of Hyesung's without crediting her, but he planned to perform the song with her--things just got a little mixed up. Then Yujin points that JB has recorded plagiarized songs in the past. Tempers flare, insults are hurled, and poses are struck.

Fiiiiiight!

Cultural Observances:

Apples as Gifts. In Korean, the word for "apple" and the word for "apology" are pronounced about the same, and in K-Dramas I've often seen people give someone else an apple as a metaphorical way of saying that they are apologizing. Also, fresh fruit seems to be more expensive in Korea than America, so buying fruit is a slightly bigger deal. Hyesung gives apples to everyone in her class, but they all return them, sort of as an ultimate way of rejecting her attempts to mend their hurt feelings. Yeesh.

New words: "Wangdda" (??) is what Seul calls Hyesung. The subbing site I watch translates this as "bully," but it actually means the opposite--more like "one who is bullied" or "social outcast". "Chingu" is "friend/s" and Rian makes it clear to Hyesung that just because they're roomates, they are most certainly never going to be chingu.

Episode Evaluations: Dream High 2 is getting good. For the first time, I actually care what happens to the characters. I think it's because they're starting to legitimately work toward their dreams instead of expecting things to be handed to them.

K-Drama Review: Dream High 2, Episodes 7-8 Link Free Download

K-Drama Review: Dream High 2, Episodes 5-6

Read episode reviews for:

Dream High 2--Episodes 1-2
Dream High 2--Episodes 3-4
Dream High 2--Episodes 7-8

Contains Spoilers for Episodes 5-6

It's time for midterms at Kirin High School of the Arts, which means that everyone sings duets and Principal Joo decides whether they pass or fail based on their performance. Which is kind of sad, really, considering the Principal's general lack of care about anything that matters to the kids. The duets go badly for most of the cast. Ailee's partner is disqualified for not singing at all, Hyesung is disqualified for having no batteries in her microphone while Rian is disqualified for not sharing her mic with Hyesung, and Yujin is disqualified for...I really don't know. He just is.

Hyesung is so assured of her failure during the duets that she sabotages her own self, though everyone blames mean girl Rian for the blunder. In the aftermath of the mic incident, Yujin steps up to defend Hyesung while JB defends Rian, and we now have the makings of a love square (or rather, a love arrow, which looks like: Yujin--->Hyesung--->JB---->Rian). Anyhow, the disqualified kids are sent to a boot camp where they're forced to run laps, do endless exercises, stand outside in the snow, etc. The trip is supposed to be a punishment but also a team-building exercise, but Rian sets herself up as Hyesung's enemy and makes certain that Hyesung suffers for accidentally framing her for the microphone crime.

We do get a new addition to the cast in episode 6. Kangchul's daughter Seul is a tough gal who's getting bullied at her current school, so her dad transfers her to Kirin, but doesn't let anyone know she's his kid. This adds depth to our villain Kangchul, just when we were needing it. Seul's been caught up in a bullying cycle where she beats up others because they hit her first, and I think she's going to be great for the classroom dynamic at Kirin because she has experienced both privilege and mistreatment.

The personal drama is progressing a bit. JB's taking care of Rian a lot lately, not that she needs it (or appreciates it, for that matter), while Yujin is kind of mean to Hyesung in order to get her to improve and stand up for herself. Hyesung resents Yujin's harsh speeches, but finally, after 6 episodes of failure and humiliation, Hyesung improves and sings her heart out while practicing by herself! But interestingly, while I really thought this show was going to give us Yujin-Hyesung and JB-Rian pairings, episode 6 intentionally mixes things up and gives us decent reasons to suspect different pairings. Like this scene...

JB, Putting a Smile on Hyesung's Face, Literally.

Things I Loved:

1. Yujin. Who knew that the artsy indie rocker would become the school's voice of reason? Yujin's my favorite character and while I did not previously know that Yujin's actor, Jinwoon, was a member of the band 2AM, I think I'll be checking out their music now. I love Yujin's singing voice in this show, but since his acting was the best in the cast aside from Kang Sora, I thought he was an actor who could sing instead of a singer who can act. Yujin may be getting the most consistent character development in this series, and although he's flawed, he's becoming more of a leader.

Only Sane Man in the Cast.

2. Kang Sora. I love how dedicated this actress is to her character! I fully enjoy watching her throw herself into the part without worrying about being reserved or looking cool. However, I just can't like Hyesung, not yet. Her motivations don't make sense to me, and her actions are usually kind of wacky and futile. It's an odd moment for me, disliking the character but loving the actress.

Kang Sora, Fighting!

3. Hyesung/Yujin. They're not even close to being a couple, but they're still the most interesting pair on this show, in my view. And that part in episode 5 where they did the Cinderella thing by having Yujin help Hyesung put her shoe back on? Priceless.

The Most Romantic Moment in Dream High 2.

4. Seul. We so badly needed a tough girl who speaks plainly. What a gift she is! She immediately walks into the Kirin dorm and declares that Rian is a jerk and Hyesung is a wimp. She even throws Rian's stuff out of the wardrobe to make room for her own things! Oh, I foresee good things happening with Seul's conflict with Rian.

Lady Vengeance.

5. The Rubik's Cube scene. It's a sweet little moment when JB is watching Hyesung solve an old beat-up Rubik's cube he always carries with him. It shows a friendlier, innocent side to JB, and he's at his best when he's acting shy, inquisitive, or vulnerable. I haven't thought much of his character up until now, because he's not terribly interesting and he's always defending mean girl Rian, but his and Hyesung's interaction over the toy cube is pretty nice.

Confident on the Stage, but Perplexed by Rubik's Cubes.

Complaints:

1. Kirin's Grading Policy. Even in the context of a frothy fantasy world full of musical numbers and sudden school takeovers, I can't fathom how the school manages their academic evaluations. The kids are getting graded for shared projects (duets), and the songs aren't arranged to give each person equal vocal time, either. Thank goodness the parents make an attempt at pointing out how ludicrous this is, but they still can't stop their kids from getting sent to a random boot camp as a result of messing up a couple of minutes of a pop performance.

2. Way-Too-Long Musical Numbers. No matter how great the song is, usually just one verse or chorus is plenty to give television audiences a good impression of the tune. We didn't need to hear Rian sing a full ballad by herself while Hyesung looked on sadly. Even Hyorin's full song was a bit much, though I did love the full outdoor performance by Yujin and the other students.

3. The Editing. The close-ups and reaction shots in this show tend to last 5-10 seconds longer than necessary. Maybe Dream High 2 is just trying to fill its 65-minute time slot with the longer scenes? I keep comparing DH2 to my current favorite show, Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, which normally clocks in at 45 minutes per episode and always leaves you wanting to see more, rather than wishing certain scenes were trimmed or cut.

Themes:

The Truth Will Find You Out: Rian reveals a letter Hyesung wrote to her dad, confessing about the mic batteries and how she accidentally framed Rian. Everything finally comes to light, even though Hyesung couldn't bring herself to confess.

Our Main Foursome, In Yet Another 4-Way Standoff.

Authority is Unfeeling: Finally, the Kirin High parents confront Kangchul about his crazy methods of running the school and putting down the underdog kids. Kangchul proves himself an even bigger jerk by comparing the struggling students at his school to kids who have fallen into the ocean. He says he can only metaphorically save those who are closest to the shore (the celebrity kids), implying that the other kids will be left to drown if they can't kick hard enough to get into position to be "saved" by him. His ego knows no bounds, does it?

Cruelty vs. Cowardice: In the ongoing Rian-Hyesung tensions, both girls are at fault sometimes, but Hyesung is always trying to do the right thing by others while Rian's only looking out for herself. I dislike Hyesung's cowardly behavior, but I truly hate Rian's meanness because she's a strong personality who verbally rips apart weaker people like Hyesung. On a related note, I still can't believe these two girls managed to milk so much angst out of missing microphone batteries.

Cultural Observances:

Giving/Receiving with Both Hands: In Korea, it's polite to give and receive objects while using both hands, or while supporting your right arm with your left hand. When Jinman (JYP) hands his credit card to a lady at a convenience store, she receives it with two hands.

K-Pop: The kids think that their drill instructor looks like Korean hip-hop singer PSY. But I'm not familiar enough with PSY to know if this is actually a guest appearance by him.

For All I Know, He Could Be the Actual PSY. (ETA: Wikipedia Says It IS Him)

New words: "Oneul" means "today". Rian says this when she asks JB what he's doing today. "Aniyo" means "no," but the students usually use "ani" with each other, which is less formal, kind of like saying "nope".

Episode Evaluations:

Dream High 2 is getting a little more meaningful, I think, despite serious issues with pacing and editing. Hyesung is getting braver, thank goodness! And I don't know if anyone is choosing sides in the romantic plots yet, but for the record I'm staunchly Team Yujin.

But Here's One Last JB Photo for the JB Fans, Anyways.

Watchable Bonus: Here's Yujin, Rian, and some others singing in a street performance. I quite like the song. Sounds kind of like...The Partridge Family.

 

K-Drama Review: Dream High 2, Episodes 5-6 Link Free Download

K-Drama Review: Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 11-12

Read episode reviews for:


Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 1-2
Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 3-4
Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 5-6
Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 7-8
Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 9-10

Contains Spoilers for Episodes 11-12

It's time for Eye Candy's professional TV debut with their lead single! They're a great band, so they're going to do an awesome job! Right? Right? *sigh* Actually, things turn out okay. Eye Candy flubs their live show, but with the help of Teacher Kim and some guitar-related theatrics from Hyunsoo, they go along like it's no thing. The mistakes endear them to their audience and further solidify that these guys are a raw, messy, real band and not a factory creation.

Now that the band has officially debuted, Hyunsoo's been promoting constantly. Hyunsoo's the face of the group and he appears on all sorts of variety shows, but Ji-hyuk thinks it's kind of fake that Hyunsoo can always paste on smile and act like a celebrity. The friction between these two hasn't really gone away, but they do patch things up later.

Next thing you know, it's keyboardist Kyung-jong's birthday, but everyone's so wrapped up in their own schedules, they forget it (How could you forget the precious baby's birthday? That's unforgiveable!). Ji-hyuk has to ditch Suah in order to throw Kyung-jong a last minute surprise party (why not bring Suah along? Kyung-jong's always been the friendliest member of the band toward her anyway). The party represents an ongoing theme of loyalty, and shows that these guys will always eventually rally together to support each other.

On the relationship front, Ji-hyuk still hasn't told the guys he's dating Suah, which is a big issue. Also, while Ji-hyuk's busy with press conferences and all-night rehearsals, he inadvertently ignores his girl. Ji-hyuk doesn't quite realize that while Suah's not clingy or needy, she also doesn't have a backup support system of friends like he does. He always has his boys, but she has no one to reply upon...except Seung-hoon. And now Eye Candy's record label drops the bomb on them that Seung-hoon is their new producer for the next album! Oh, this rivalry is so on.


Things I Loved:

1. The Songs. The soundtrack to the show is so good that I don't get tired of hearing them sing "Jaywalking" for the jillionth time. It's a fun, fun song, and yet I think the new track "Wake Up" might be even better. They must have gotten some good songwriter/composers for this show, because the music is super catchy. Even the actors seem to be getting into the music more.

Hyunsoo, Rocking Out More Than Usual.

2. Suah. Really, she's the perfect "rock girlfriend" because she likes Ji-hyuk regardless of his level of success or fame, yet she's not jealous of his accomplishments. I have to give kudos to her actress, Jo Boa, for always seeming so angelic even under pressure. Suah hasn't always had the best character development, but I can't help but like her completely. And I sympathize with her more than Ji-hyuk in these two episodes because she's being the best girlfriend she can be while Ji-hyuk is kind of failing in the boyfriend department.

Precious, Precious, Precious.

3. Teacher Kim Shil Ba. This guy always does what's best for his band. In the beginning of the show, I wondered why he was featured so much, but now I know how much the show needed him. He was a onetime enemy that was converted into a friend and ally for Eye Candy, and it gives me hope that Seung-hoon might one day make a turnaround and support them, too. Teacher Kim is an example of a good (but imperfect) adult role model, which is rarely seen in TV shows.

Best Mentor/Manager Ever.

3. Hyunsoo. My favorite gets a character redemption in these episodes. Hyunsoo has gone from seeming like he was going to leave the band to outright refusing a solo venture. He has always been interested in making it big, but though he gets more attention than his bandmates, he's adamant that everything he does is in support of his friends. That's loyalty at work! He still retains a little of his trademark iciness, but it's mostly softened. That is, until we hit even MORE conflict with Ji-hyuk.

Is Still Somewhat the Problem Child of the Band.

Complaints:

1. The guys' painful success-to-failure ratio.  It's like even when they're succeeding, they're failing. They get their record deal, only to have inter-group tensions, then they have their official televised debut, only to suffer not one but two major instrument malfunctions. They work like crazy to write their own second single, and then get saddled with Seung-hoon, an unpleasable producer who hates them. They make it big, only to be hit by a scandal about Do-Il's gangster father. Ah, it's annoying, but it makes for good television, so I can't whine too much.

Looks Polished, but is Prone to Sudden, Dramatic Failures.

2. Ji-hyuk ignoring Suah. I think everyone in the viewing audience is upset with him right now. He thinks he can just not call or text or meet with Suah for a whole week and that everything will be just fine and dandy when he sees her again. To Suah's credit, she doesn't blow up over his callous behavior, but she finally tells him that he needs to change his ways. That's right, Suah, tell it like it is.

Themes:

Surprising Character Traits: Hajin reveals that he can actually care for someone--he's genuine in his adoration of Yerim, whereas he previously seemed like a silly flirt who wouldn't be able to stick with one person. Then there's Hyunsoo, who shows that he's more thoughtful than he once seemed, by being the only one to remember Kyung-jong's birthday. Do-Il, the quiet and pensive one, has a shocking change of character when stands up and gets angry when Wookyung is insulted. And of course there's Kyung-jong, who adorably cooks breakfast for his whole crew because he's actually an accomplished cook. This was the week for hidden personality traits and hidden talents.

Just Visible in the Shot: Yellow Apron Straps.

Turning Mistakes into Positives: Eye Candy makes mistakes, but no one cares because of how they view their own errors. Ji-hyuk says that even if a live performance gets messed up, it's still valuable because it's accurately representing that one moment in time. Do-Il says that a band who's afraid to play live (aka, afraid to risk messing up) shouldn't be playing at all. Even mistakes can have a certain beauty to them.

Rivalry: The Ji-hyuk/Seung-hoon rivalry is a little more complicated than it looks. It seems like a simple 2-guys-fighting-over-1-girl showdown, but that's not really it. Suah's not conflicted about who she likes, so there's no competition, there. And Sueng-hoon's no longer in a band, so he and Ji-hyuk aren't competing musically anymore, but they've each decided that the other guy is a person who must be beaten, regardless of the circumstances.

Destined to Loathe Each Other.

Cultural Observances:

New words: "Hwaiting/fighting!" roughly translated means "Let's do this!" It took me awhile to get used to hearing K-drama characters happily saying the English word "Fighting!" while smiling.

Noraebang: When Kyung-jong gets sad, he goes and sings beautiful karaoke ballads. By himself. *sniffle*

Seaweed soup: Kyung-jong lies to his mom and says his friends brought him seaweed soup for his birthday, because it's a traditional birthday food.

Celebrity Ads: Suah keeps walking past Minho from SHINee's advertisement for Etude House. This episode marks the third time I've seen her in frame with this particular advertisement, which is a lifesize cutout of Choi Minho holding a pink heart. This advertisement must be ubiquitous in Korea right now because I've seen it on EatYourKimchi and in other current dramas.

Minho is Watching You. Always.

Watch the English-subtitled Episode 11 at DramaFever

Episode Evaluations:

Shut Up, Flower Boy Band is so emotionally pitch-perfect. Just when I think the show is going to start recycling plot points, they move on to something better.  It'll have you smiling happily one minute, then clenching your fists the next, because you want a happy ending for every single person in the cast and negotiating 12 different sets of hopes and dreams isn't an easy task.

Audio Bonus: Here's that awesome song, "Wake Up'!

K-Drama Review: Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 11-12 Link Free Download

K-Drama Review: Dream High 2, Episodes 3-4

Read episode reviews for:
Dream High 2--Episodes 1-2
Dream High 2--Episodes 5-6
Dream High 2--Episodes 7-8

Contains Spoilers for Episodes 3-4

Back to the Kirin High Arts School! Yujin and JB are still mad at each for old grievances, Hyesung is still in love with JB for no particular reason, and Rian is still longing to act, though she's being forced to sing. None of these issues really get resolved or moved further along in these episodes, but if you're a fan of the cast, it won't matter too much.

Rian particularly wants to get into acting because she knows she can't sing as well as the other two girls in her band. She is wisely looking toward her future, but her company president, Kangchul, crushes her dreams. Rian is horribly hurt, and she starts acting out her frustrations by being mean to the other girls in her dorm room. Her nastiness is unjustified; however, it's rather satisfying to hear Rian calling out Hyesung for making their dorm room a shrine to JB, complete with JB pillows, JB posters, and JB coffee mugs. Someone had to point it out. Her devotion is even more sad now that JB actually attends her school! 

Hyesung finally notices that the celebrity kids have taken over all the best things at Kirin (which is surprising, because there's only 5 of them, and Shiwoo is AWOL half the time), and she decides to help defend her fellow Normals against the takeover by the Stars. Hyesung tries to appeal to JB's better nature in order to get him to help out the Normals, but he has no better nature. It hurts her to know that her celebrity crush won't help another person out even when he's given a direct appeal. Really, it looks like everyone will be happier when Hyesung gives up on JB and starts something with Yujin, her buddy/argument partner.


The newest challenge at Kirin High is that everyone has to pair up for vocal duets (which somehow morphs into singing-dancing duets) to make their big end-of-semester grade. The kids don't know it, but only one half of every pair will pass the exam, and the losers will be expelled. Wait...what?

Another week has passed, and I find it hard to root for any of these kids, whether they're established celebrities or underdogs. I don't dislike any of them, but I don't feel like any of them will really be made happier by achieving their goals of stardom or solo music or acting careers. Even though they're talking about something as important as their future careers, the emotional impact of Dream High 2 feels more like they're struggling for something very trivial. I'm not sure where the disconnect is coming from.

Things I Loved:

1. Rian's Strawberry Hair-Rollers.

I Want These.

2. Hyorin's voice: I had heard she was good, but I had no idea she was this good. I adore her voice, and I wish she had a solo project out so I could hear a whole album of just Hyorin.

Voice of an Angel? Understatement.

3. Meta-reality: It's confusing, but I like it. Example-- Rian recalls auditioning for a role in the show "Dream High," but she lost the role to another singer named Eunjung...which is like triple-meta-reality because: 1. Rian's actress Jiyeon is in the band T-ara with the real Eunjung. 2. Eunjung acted in season one of Dream High, but (in this universe) season one is reality. 3. Rian's audition footage is intercut with footage of...Eunjung, who is playing a fellow actress. My head is spinning. Someone please write some fanfiction to explain it?

4. Principal Joo: After laying about and doing nothing for three episodes, he's finally stepping up to be a leader. He bails Yujin out of jail (with the KRW equivalent of $10,000) and tells him he'd better get back to school and pass the midterms. That's what I like to see from authority figures.

5. JB and Hyesung's Dance. This super precious scene was perhaps the only time in 4 episodes that I've felt that JB was sweet, charismatic, or interesting. The way he dances around Hyesung (who can't dance at all herself) is just purely endearing. He has plenty of skills and he's not showing off so much as covering for her. He's even smiling, like he's having fun for once.

Why Can't He Be This Adorable All the Time?

Complaints:

JB's Acting. It's not outright bad, but I get the sense that the character is supposed to be feeling a storm of really intense emotions and I barely see any of them portrayed. JB's lines of dialogue indicate that he's a very insecure, hurt, and worried person who occasionally lashes out in passive aggressive ways, but the actor doesn't seem to be conveying those emotions. The gap is especially apparent when he's in a scene with Yujin's actor, Jinwoon, who is getting his emotional points across through his acting.

Only 1/2 of the People in This Argument Seem Like They Mean It.

Themes:

Ownership: Who has the most right to Kirin High; the poor barely-talented kids who have been there all along, or the privileged K-pop stars whose agency now owns the school? JB insensitively kicks Yujin out of "his" dance studio, but not every other case of Stars vs. Normals is so clear cut. What is clear is that having OZ president Kangchul run the school is bad for everyone.


Cultural Observances:

Singing as a Transition to Acting: In the K-pop industry, it's very common for people to be in K-pop bands in their teens and early twenties, then make a gradual switch over to acting fulltime.

Eating Tofu After Leaving Prison: Yujin is given plain tofu to eat after his incredibly brief stint in prison, and I'm not sure why tofu is the traditional Korean food to eat when you leave jail, but I've seen it in several dramas. It's supposed to (symbolically) keep you from ever going back, I think.

To Avoid Future Jailtime, Eat This Nasty Stuff.

K-pop music: Kahi teaches dance class while "The DJ is Mine" by the Wonder Girls plays. It's funny because this is JYP's major girl group, and he's in the scene, pretending to not be able to dance.

Don't Be Fooled--JYP's Got the Moves.

New words: Yujin says "waeyo?" to Principal Joo, which is like the polite form of "what?" or "why?" The word "wae" itself means "why," but adding the suffix -yo makes it a more appropriate thing to say to a senior.


Watch Episode 3 of Dream High 2 HERE at DramaFever.

Episode Evaluations:

Eh, there are a lot of pretty people in this drama, but I'm afraid I don't quite connect with any of them. I may review a few more episodes, just to stay in the loop, but the show seems to be less riveting than it was at the very start.


Questions: Are you enjoying Dream High 2? How do you think it compares with Season 1?

K-Drama Review: Dream High 2, Episodes 3-4 Link Free Download

K-Drama Review: Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 9-10

Read Episode reviews for:

Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 1-2
Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 3-4
Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 5-6
Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 7-8
Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 11-12

Contains Spoilers for Episodes 9-10

So many important decisions have been made in the last couple of episodes, and we're seeing the results played out here. Eye Candy has gotten their big break with a record deal under HR Entertainment, so their professional dreams are advancing. Ji-hyuk finally confesses to Suah that he likes her and they sorta agree to sorta be a couple, so at least one member of the band is doing well in the romance department. The guys don't even have to attend their snobby prep school except for a few days a week, so they're subject to fewer school-related tensions. But for every action, there's an equal yet opposite reaction, and all of these positive steps are followed by serious downsides.

The boys all move out of their homes and into the dorms of their new agency/record label. I foresee PROBLEMS with all of them living in the same place, especially with Ji-hyuk and Hyunsoo in the same room. It's adorable when Kyung-jong declares their new residence to be "home, sweet home!" in English, but they start to treat it a little too much like home, complete with sleeping in and lazing about. Their new manager gives the guys a schedule and a curfew, but they promptly laugh it off.

Aside from the authority issues, the guys are having creative control issues, too. They go in for a nice, messy, scruffy recording session that's true to their form, but the producer wants to polish them up. A lot. Now they begin to argue over band identity--their record label now has to alter them and develop them as a marketable brand, and they can't concretely fight against this change because they don't really know who they are to begin with. They've just always had fun and played like they wanted to, but none of them had an artistic vision or a particular mood, image, or message they were trying to convey. It becomes clear that the guys will have to figure out for themselves who they want to be if they want to stay together and avoid being transformed into pristine, perfect cyborg rockers.

Things I Loved:

1. Ji-hyuk/Suah. Suah fully supports and appreciates Ji-hyuk's musical endeavors. And when she sees his beat-up shoes, she buys him nicer shoes and decorates them with an artsy flair, though she doesn't have much money to spare for gifts. Too sweet. For Ji-Hyuk's part, he worries about her and makes ramyun for her, but then intentionally avoids any obviously cute or romantic moments by mumbling excuses or walking away. Still, he does enough nice things that Suah knows exactly where she stands with him, even if he rarely discusses his feelings. It's a good match up. I'm very glad that this show hasn't been playing their relationship for angst--they have a few missed connections and a few crossed wires, but they're a very good couple overall.

Ji-Hyuk, in a Rare Emotional Moment.

2. Seung-hoon: I'm glad Seung-hoon finally gave up on Suah completely, because if he continued to pursue her after she repeatedly turned him down, it would have gotten creepy. And yet, it hurts to see him giving her the cold shoulder when they used to be best friends. It is, however, surprisingly cool to see him hatching a very subtle revenge plot against Eye Candy, even though this means he's edging more into villain territory. And I like that as a songwriter, he's stepping up to direct people about how to perform his songs.

Demands Perfection.

3. Cuteness: In between the gritty gruffness, this show is consistently adorable. When the band is doing screen tests, there's a hilarious bit where Kyung-jong is having to teach Do-Il how to smile--and he fails rather miserably. It's also precious how Ji-hyuk tries to casually gesture for Suah to meet him outside of class, but he's so obvious about it, he has telegraphed the message to the entire room.

Complaints:

Hyunsoo. This is not really a complaint about the story-writing, because prominently featuring Hyunsoo in the band-falling-apart plot works wonderfully, but ack! It's hard to watch Hyunsoo consider and re-consider pulling away from the band to do his own thing. And he's getting so mean. He basically ignores a nice, famous female singer who really likes him. Then later, he's mean to poor clueless Wookyung, a girl who always seems to cause trouble because she loves Ji-hyuk and clings too closely. Stop getting so bitter and self-serving, Hyunsoo!

Why You Gotta Be So Cold, Mr. Guitarist?

Themes:

Humility/Humble Roots: Ji-hyuk refuses to buy new shoes even when he can afford them. Hajin's bragging about buying fashionable new footwear while Ji-hyuk insists that he'll stick to his old beat-up pair. It's a small but great moment that highlights how fame and potential riches haven't changed Ji-hyuk and at all. Him and his busted shoes are still going to rock out, regardless.

"All The Other Kids With the Pumped-Up Kicks, You Better Run, Better Run..."

Maturity: Eye Candy goes through managers like Kleenex tissues because they can't or won't discipline themselves enough to not need a "mommy" figure around to make them wake up on time. Our guys may be totally awesome, but they don't know much about the grown-up world.

Incorrigible Rascals, the Lot of Them.

Heart: Suah knows that Eye Candy is popular because they look like they're having fun, and they project sincerity. They fully enjoy themselves onstage instead of being mass-produced and slick. Interestingly, Eye Candy also needs mentors and managers who have genuine heart. That's why having Teacher Kim be their manager is such a good idea--he's tough enough to whip them into shape but nice enough to truly care for their well being.


Cultural Observances:

The whole record label/talent agency/production/management combo seems to be mainly an Eastern thing. I don't know of many Western or North American record companies that have dorms to house their would-be stars long before they debut.

Watch Episode 9 HERE on DramaFever

Episode Evaluations:  Shut Up, Flower Boy Band proves itself to be a great show as always. There's not too much going on plotwise, except that the guys are becoming increasingly aware of how hard they'll have to work to stay together and make their dreams come true. These episodes are more about laying groundwork for future conflicts, which are sure to be amazing.


Watchable bonus:  Here's a video clip from Ep 9 of the band recording their song "Jaywalking" and remembering their friend and former lead singer, Byunghee. I really like the song, because it's not so much rocking as rollicking--sort of an indie pop number.

K-Drama Review: Shut Up, Flower Boy Band, Episodes 9-10 Link Free Download