In the last little while, something rather interesting happened.
Basically, in all the various ways that you guys could get in touch with me, y’all were reaching out, and asking for the Exact Same Thing.
Over Facebook, Instagram, and even over email, I received a number of hopeful, enthusiastic, rather ardent requests for Song Joong Ki to get some lovin’ on this site. Talk about being adorably united, you guys. 😉
Being the compassionate and helpful fangirl that I am (heh), I promptly dived into some appropriately.. intent (and rather glorious) research. My own growing fascination with Song Joong Ki didn’t hurt, of course.
And now, by popular request, I hereby present to you the loving Pure Pretty spotlight on Song Joong Ki. I hope you guys find it worth the wait. 🙂
If you read my recent review of She Was Pretty, and particularly if you’ve known me for a while, you’d probably have guessed that this Pure Pretty spotlight on Si Won was soon in the coming.
I mean, not only did he deliver the role with an impressive amount of nuance that felt raw and heartfelt, he made it all look so effortless.
From the hammy & funny, to the glimpses of sorrow & poignance, he made it all feel natural, like it was a genuine extension of himself. He was the character, all the way through. And I was, quite literally, blown away.
On top of all of that acting awesome, he looked fantastic. Just, how could I not give him a piece of my heart? <3
Like everyone else before me, I first set eyes on Ji Soo when watching Angry Mom. And, like everyone else too, as I observed him on my screen, I soon sat up, opened my eyes wide, and started paying serious attention.
Many times, high school dramas trot out rookies and other relative unknowns to fill their young ensemble casts, and more often than not, the acting talent falls somewhere in the realm of raw, stiff and earnest.
Sure, the rookies tend to be fresh-faced and cute, but they mostly need a lot more experience and practice in the acting department before they’d actually be able to bring a character to life.
Not so Ji Soo. So far from it. Coz not only can Ji Soo act, he’s already shaping up to be the full-package Real Deal.
I am officially on the Ji Chang Wook train, you guys. Finally.
How could I have possibly missed the train before, you ask? Well, I just happened to not feel very interested in checking out any – seriously, any – of his earlier works.
Most of his projects have fallen into either the very melo category, or the very long category, and I’m generally a very picky viewer when it comes to both of those categories. I’m careful where I invest my time – and my tears, heh.
So how I did finally find my way to the train? Why, Healer, of course (Healer-ya~!). I’m 8 episodes in as I type this, and liking it a whole lot.
[EDIT: I finished the show, loved it, watched it again, and now, the review is done! You can find it here.]
As I’ve watched the show, my eyes have also gradually and very firmly achieved the Ji Chang Wook Appreciating Upgrade, and I finally understand what the fuss is about. Swoon.
All I can say is, I’m sorry I’m late to the (spazz) party!
Now, what better way to make up for lost time and celebrate my new-found appreciation of the Ji Chang Wook awesome, than a robust shot of Pure Pretty, right? 😉
Blame my previous indifference to Eric on the facts that:
(a) I’m technically still a complete kpop noob and know next to nothing about Shinhwa, the legendary group of which Eric is leader and rapper; and
(b) I’d never seen him in anything of significance, since I’d bailed early on Myung Wol The Spy (2011), and hadn’t been terribly impressed by his outing as second lead in Phoenix (2004). Fine.
That last bit was also coz I’d been so completely distracted by Lee Seo Jin at the time, who was basically the only reason I even decided to watch that show, heh.
Now, blame my current state of spazz-puddle on Eric’s wonderful performance in Discovery of Love (2014). I mean, just, where had this manly man, oh-so-sexy version of Eric been hiding, all this while??
So recently, I’ve been watching Haeundae Lovers (2012). While the drama itself is a mixed bag with some gaping flaws, I have to give credit where it’s due. This show has reminded me all over again, just how pretty Kim Kang Woo is.
Before, I’d seen Kim Kang Woo in 2009’s Story of a Man (aka The Slingshot), a show which I didn’t end up loving, unlike everyone else. Back then, I’d noted the Kim Kang Woo pretty, but didn’t think to seek him out afterwards and he quietly slipped off my radar.
Fast forward to 2014, when I decided on a whim to check out Haeundae Lovers. When Kim Kang Woo sauntered onto my screen, I hafta admit, one of my first thoughts was, “Oooh.. Prettyyy~”
And that just inspired me to, er, extend the appreciation with this post. 😉
It’s Gong Yoo’s birthday today, everyone!! And man, do I have the perfect present for him!
But first, some context.
Today’s post is actually inspired by resident sweetheart on the blog Evez. Yesterday, over in our Gong Yoo Squee Fest group on Facebook, Evez came up with the idea that we could each prepare a little something to post in the group today, in honor of Gong Yoo’s birthday.
I thought it was a great idea and did a quick bit of photo-editing to prepare my little something to share with the group (I’ll tell you about that later).
And then, just an hour or so later, in another Facebook conversation, Evez happened to mention that she felt my posts have come a long way since I first started the blog, meaning, they’re now more robust than the shorter posts I used to do.
(Aw. ❤ Didn’t I say Evez is a sweetheart?)
Well, that comment really got me thinking.
To be honest, I’d always felt a bit bad coz my k-love post for Gong Yoo is shorter and skimpier than my more recent k-love posts. And it’s not even coz I love him less, or think he’s any less awesome.
I just posted about him first, simply coz he was my favorite. What injustice is this, right, that one of my favorites would end up with the skimpiest post? It just didn’t feel right. And it’s been niggling at me for quite a while now.
So then my brain put two and two together (or in this case, one and one, heh), and I hit on the idea of doing a proper, full-on post for Gong Yoo, in honor of his birthday. Wheee~!
Are you ready for your present, Gong Yoo-sshi? Coz I’m ready to make it allll up to ya.
…And it’s time for another Pure Pretty post, you guys.
Looking back on my recent posts, I noticed a distinct pattern. It appears that every 3 reviews, I feel the need to fangirl for a bit, whether it’s a k-love post or a Pure Pretty post (or several Pure Pretty posts, heh). It’s entirely unplanned and unintentional, I promise.
I’m beginning to think, though, that this is just how my brain is wired.
I can focus on relatively more serious stuff like reviews for only so long before my fangirl side rears her determined head and demands (*pounds fist on table for emphasis*) some quality fangirling time.
And so I bring you Yoo Ah In, boy-man chameleon extraordinaire. Come gaze with me, y’all.
Wow, time flies, doesn’t it? I can hardly believe it’s already been a whole month since my last Pure Pretty post!
Not that this Pure Pretty poster boy was hard to research – not at all.
Thanks to quick and eager suggesters, seconders and voters over on the blog’s Facebook page after Daniel Henney made his Pure Pretty appearance, So Ji Sub was very quickly assured of his spot in the Pure Pretty line-up.
And when I dipped my toes into Google for some So Ji Sub research, I was extremely pleased with my findings too.
So the reason that this Pure Pretty post has been cookin’ for a whole month now, is only because I sternly told myself that I had to post something other than Pure Pretty on the blog.
Now, 3 reviews later, I figure it’s safe to fangirl for a little bit. And so, folks, I bring you So Ji Sub, by popular demand. 🙂
So I was determined that I would post something other than Pure Pretty, after unveiling 2 Pure Pretty posts one after the other. Y’know, so that the blog wouldn’t appear too frivolous and fangirly. *clings to denial*
But after a pretty exhausting work trip, followed by a long and hectic weekend, I just didn’t have the mental bandwidth to continue writing my review of You From Another Star. *contrite*
When my brain’s had enough time to recover its drama-appreciating faculties, I promise that the YFAS review will be the first thing I tackle. *pinky swears*
While resting my brain, I thought I’d do some research for Pure Pretty. And we know how that’s gone before, heh. A little research soon turned into a sizable haul of pretty, which I couldn’t wait to share with you guys.
And so I bring you Daniel Henney, who single-handedly commanded almost all the votes for future Pure Pretty that got floated after the first 2 posts.
