ABSOLUTE DARLING

We are all quite familiar with Watase Yuu, creator of the popular shoujo series Fushigi Yuugi and Ayashi no Ceres. Some of us might also be familiar with her other works, particularly the 6-volume manga Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend), which spawned a live action J-drama in 2008. This tells the story of a naive girl named Izawa Riiko who has bad luck in finding a boyfriend, and the love triangle that ensues between her, her cyborg doll Tenjo Night, and her childhood friend Asamoto Soushi. 

I have also been hearing news about a Taiwanese drama adaptation, and initially there were reports that pop artists Wu Zun and Jolin Tsai might play the main roles. Then I found images of Wu Zun and Goo Hye Sun doing some initial shots for the series. But it was quite a surprise for me when I saw a teaser trailer just recently on TV, and found Jiro Wang in the lead role beside Goo Hye Sun!

Well, just a little background about the cast... Goo Hye Sun is a multi-talented korean artist (actress, director, singer, author) who rose to international fame when she played the infamous role of Geum Jan Di in the manga-turned-Korean drama Boys Before Flowers. On the other hand, Jiro Wang is a member of the Taiwanese boyband Fahrenheit, and has appeared in many manga-turned-Taiwanese drama adaptations like It Started with a Kiss, Hana Kimi and Momo Love. My initial reactions were mixed. Like, why cast a Korean actress for a Taiwanese drama? Well, she is good and well-loved by fans, and I guess a lot of Korean artists are now expanding their careers overseas. (For instance, the Taiwanese adaptation of Skip Beat stars Si Won and Dong Hae from Super Junior). But why Jiro Wang!? I mean, I like him in his previous performances for being goofy and for always being the supportive "friend". But I thought he wasn't cool enough for the role of Tenjo Night...

... until I saw this trailer!

WHEN DID HE GROW SO HOT AND DEVELOPED PECS AND ABS LIKE THAT!!!??  //nosebleeds~!!//

Definitely looking forward to this! (≧∇≦)/

Absolute Darling (絕對達令), starts airing this Sunday, April 8, in FTV/GTV. A South Korean adaptation will presumably follow later this year.

HOARD YOUR HORSES!

(irrelevant title x.x)

Joseon X-Files... Playful Kiss... Secret Garden... Sungkyungkwan Scandal... My Princess... 49 Days... City Hunter... 

I just noticed that I've been downloading a lot of Korean dramas lately. (Note that I said "downloading" and NOT "watching" >__<).

Now I have decided to catch up on my Taiwanese dramas, so I did some research, and here are some of my choices:

First stop are dramas which have finished airing early this year...

愛似百匯 / Ai Si Bai Hui (aka Love Buffet) is a 13-episode drama starring Yu Hong Yuan flanked by the two Fahrenheit boys, Aaron Yan and Calvin Chen. If I'm not mistaken, this series was based on the  well-known manga Parfait Tic, but I'm just not familiar with it...

Beside it is 國民英雄 / Guo Min Ying Xiong (aka Channel-X)  which is a mystery thriller starring Joe Cheng and Amber Kuo. I have yet to see Papa Joe in an semi-action role, so I think I'm gonna get this one too.

This next set are currently airing dramas...

The first two pictures are both dramas starring Mike He --  幸福最晴天 / Xing Fu Zui Qing Tian (aka Sunny Happiness) and
美樂加油 / Mei Le Jia You (aka Love Keeps Going, Mei Le Go!). Now I'm not much of a Mike He fan, but I thought of also putting these on the roster.

The next one -- 拜金女王 / Bai Jin Nu Wang (aka Material Queen) -- is a wannabe-rich girl x poor guy story starring Vanness Wu and Lynn Hung. Now, Vanness did a spectacular job in Autumn's Concerto (I haven't seen it yet, but I heard from friends) and so I'm looking forward to more of his projects.

醉後決定愛上你 / Zui Hou Jue Ding Ai Shang Ni (aka Love You / Drunken to Love You) stars Rainie Yang and Joseph Chang as total strangers who got drunk and then got married to each other. I first read about this in Song Yong In's blog and has listed this one at the back of my mind. Maybe it's high time to finally secure a copy.


This next one is an upcoming 2012 drama called 我可能不會愛你 / Wo Ke Neng Bu Hui Ai Ni (aka In time With You / I May Not Love You) starring Ariel Lin and Wilson Chen Bo Lin. The premise of the story seems interesting, and I find it appropriate for me cos I'm around that age too. Plus I just love Ariel Lin! So I hope to watch this when it comes out.

These last three series are Taiwanese Dramas adapted from Japanese mangas starring Korean actors. 

Huuuwhhhaaatttt!?! O____o 

I know right!? That's just SO WEIRD! ^o^ It's not a bad kind of weird though, but I just find it ... peculiar. 

Anyway, these are really great titles, so I'm quite excited about them!

旋風管家 / Xuan Feng Guan Jia 
(aka Hayate the Combat Butler)

This series totally caught me by surprise because I really didn't expect Hayate the Combat Butler to give rise to a TV drama.
I haven't read the manga but I have been meaning to watch the anime, and now I've started downloading the first three drama episodes, subbed by DoReMii.

Took a quick scan of the first episode, and it looks quite enjoyable. Park Shin Hye takes the role of the rich heiress, while George Hu makes a really cute butler! ^w^

華麗的挑戰 / Hua Li De Tiao Zhan 
(aka Skip Beat! / Extravagant Challenge)

Originally from the well-loved manga/anime of the same title, Skip Beat! was one of the dramas I was looking forward to last year, because the original cast was supposedly Jerry Yan and Ariel Lin. 

Well for some reasons, they've changed the female protagonist to Ivy Chen, and  the male leads to Super Junior's Choi Si Won and Lee Dong Hae. I'm no fan of the group so I don't know these guys, but this isn't their first time to act in a TV series, so let's just wait and see. 

絕對達令 / Jue Dui Darling 
(aka Absolute Boyfriend)

Based on Watase Yuu's famous manga, ZETTAI KARESHI, which also spawned a live action J-drama in 2008, this upcoming series stars Wu Chun from the boyband Fahrenheit, and Korean actress Goo Hye Sun, who rose to fame in Boys Over Flowers.

Well, that's it for now. Drop me a line and tell me what you think. And if I missed out on any good dramas, tell me too!! My hoard mode is on, and once I free some disk space, I'll hopefully get all of these rolling... ^o<