Korean drama review: Haeundae lovers

I just finished watching Haeundae Lovers.......... and i got to say it's a cute and fluffy romantic comedy for those who enjoy cotton candy and teddy bears, which i do, and so i love the drama!

I enjoyed Kim Kang Woo's play in "Slingshot" and was looking forward to a new drama with him in it. Haeundae lovers fits the bill perfectly: a rom com with Chae Do Woo (Kim Kang Woo's character in Slingshot).


Starring:
Kim Kang Woo as NamHae, Lee/Yang Tae Sung

Yes yes that's right, he has three identities in the drama. Nam Hae, Lee Tae Sung and Yang Tae Sung.

I really loved him in "Slingshot" and majority of his dramas/movies so far has had him playing cold, aloof, steel-like characters with not much of a smile but a great body and intensely good looking.

In this drama, he made a 360 degree turn with a wacky and downright goofy character. At first, a cool and aloof prosecutor who is hated by people, he then loses his memory and turns into the cutest little NamHae who follows Jo Yeo Jung around like a little lamb.
Cute, real cute!

And in the drama, he throws away all that steel and ice image that he has been portraying over the years into this little adorable goofy. Check out some cuteness:

The "demon" hair while stranded in an island

Trying to wink seductively at Jo Yeo Jung

Playing little lamb with Jo Yeo Jung

Getting face acupuncture with cross eyes

Making faces and Jo Yeo Jung

Turning into ice in an ice room

Making kissy lips at Jo Yeo Jung

Trying to peek while Jo Yeo Jung baths

He is just the cutest little thing in the drama. Yep, and a big change from Chae Do Woo's psycopath character in Slingshot.
Gosh, I think the name Nam Hae is too cute.


Lead actress: Jo Yeo Jung as Go So Ra

Only watched her in "I need romance". I think she's really good here too. Makes a good pairing with Kim Kang Woo. Cute acting and pretty face.
Go So Ra is the daughter of a former gangster and lives to protect her 3 uncles and father with a mental ability of a 6-year-old. Her family hates prosecutors and tend to stay far away from them.
Lee Tae Sung tries to infiltrate into the family pretending to be a body-builder.
The scenes are hilarious and gets me laughing too much.


Other people in the drama:
Jung Suk Won as Choi Jun Hyuk

He gets to be the love rival of Kim Kang Woo.



Kang Min kyung as Hwang Joo Hee

A small bitchy role she has. And her skirts are so figure hugging you could tell her body measurements just by looking.
Also, her complexion is very so fair, like a white sheet of powder. Too white.



Nam Gyu Ri as Yoon Se Na

Gyu Ri plays Kim Kang Woo's wife who holds on to a marriage through a belief that making your spouse feel sorry toward you will be answer to it all. Quite a pitiful character who deludes herself too much.
Her choice of clothing looks highly uncomfortable. 4 inch heels and the shortest mini skirts.



The main theme motto for the drama is "This is the first time I've felt this way" 내가감정처음. The sentence is sprinkled throughout the drama and Kim Kang Woo has sole usage of it. The funniest moments comes when he uses it and man, do i laugh my head off!

 Here he uses the sentence to infiltrate into a drug association, mistaking Jo Yeo Jung as the middleman. He whispers it time and again to Jo Yeo Jung who has absolutely no idea why and thinks he is a pervert.

They get into an awkward embarrassing position as if filming for an erotic movie:

And ends up with a flexible physical kick from Jo Yeo Jung:

Haha, Kim Kang Woo does not give up and runs after her yelling "This is the first time i've ever felt this way"

This scene plus the comical background music is the best! I keep replaying it and get great laughs out of this. It is a little wacky and goofy, but hey, I enjoyed the wackiness.


The drama also ends with the same sentence, this time with Jo Yeo Jung acknowledging and kisses Kim Kang Woo:

Ah, and with Kim Kang woo, no doubt there'll be some body baring:

His physique is sooo good. And he goes into a messed up fight with the three uncles baring his top body all the time. Nice shot.



I can't help but notice, why does Kim Kang Woo look so skinny and thin in this drama? his cheeks are all sunken and his jaw bones are jutting out. There's not an ounce of meat left on that gaunt face.
Take a look at his "meatier" face in "slingshot":

Isn't it much more plumped. At least he had some cheeks in there. I wonder what happened to him in 2012, did he lose so much weight? was it necessary to lose those pounds?




I love this romcom and it's the best romcom for 2012. I've seen many comments saying that is all fluff and too goofy for their liking.
Take heart, only watch it is you are in for some real wacko moments.


Rating: 9/10.
This one is a keeper for me and will be replayed for all the silliness and laughs! Oh  and yea, nice OST too. Kang Min Kyung's "farewell" was good.

List of OST winners and losers (Korean dramas) 2010-2012

Winner: Midas  2011

starring Jang Hyuk, Lee Min Jung, No Min Woo.
OST very very well done and thumbs up to all the background music adding the perfect height to each and every scene.
I really enjoyed the drama as well. A very good corporate finance drama. A must for those with CF background.




1st runner up: Secret Garden 2010

"That woman" sung by Baek Ji Yong - won over so many hearts.
Wonderful song and lovely background music.



2nd runner up: Haeundae lovers 2012

Hello boy by Bebop is just great and Led Apple's smile again, both are very catchy and up beat songs.
Kang Min Kyung's farewell is very good too.
And the cute and funny background music whenever comical scenes come up is the best ever! I can't get over the tune in my head.
Great acting by Kim Kang Woo and Jo Yeo Jong. I enjoyed the drama a lot. So far the best romantic comedy drama for 2012. Definitely a keeper for 2012.




3rd runner up: Heartstrings 2011

I love the main song sung by Yong Hwa, the best in the entire series! Other than that, the rest were alright only, especially the ones sung by Park Shin Hye, did not really enjoy those.

Loser no.1 : My Princess 2011

The OST for this drama was downright disappointing. With such great stars/cast, they could've boost the drama with a fantastic OST.
Worst of the lot and worst of all dramas that i've ever watched.
Dr. Jin, which also stars Song Seung Hun, had some very poor background music as well, but there were some other song sung by Jae Joong that were good.

Korean drama: Ghost SBS 2012

Ghost SBS, 2012

This belongs to the crime and investigation genre, which i usually skim right pass. Hmm, however, not sure why, but i decided to give this a go and clearly it was well worth it.
The plot is so tightly and enthusiastically written, and each episode keeps you clinging to the edge of your seat, with extra strength magnets drawing you to watch the next episode and the next and the next........

This is really really good stuff! and i highly enjoyed the roller coaster cringing ride with lee yeon hee and So ji Sub.


Starring:
so ji sub as Kim Hyun Woo/ Park Ki Young

It's the first time i watched So Ji Sub though, i wouldn't say i'm highly impressed, but i am not deeply moved either. His acting was rather mediocre here but still, it managed to pull through. I don't know why, but i prefer Daniel Choi so much better. Daniel Choi was very much livelier and will have you bound to the screen.



Daniel Choi as Park Ki Young (legendary hacker)

Very good acting and great performance. Sometimes i wished it starred Daniel Choi instead of So Ji Sub as i find Daniel Choi's acting in this drama so much  better. Great hacker performance!



Lee Yeon Hee as pretty detective Yoo Kang Mi

Oh, she's a beauty! and i think she did well in this drama. Though there were no romantic relationships/lines in the drama, she played the role very well as a trusted and well able-d partner to Park Ki Young/ Kim Hyun Woo. Her role does not seem to be easily disposable and i applaud the script writer in weaving her character as a stand out without those pesky romance.



Kwak Do Won as the "mad cow"

Haha, this plump Ahjussi is hilarious to watch. He adds in the fun and furious factor and as his nickname is, a mad cow. Impulsive explosive bomb-like temper. An invaluable character in the drama!



Im Ji Kyu as Byun Sang Woo

Haha, this little guy, although playing a small-ish role in the drama as a colleague in the crime investigation team with rest, is the happiest to watch. I remember him in "the greatest love" as Cha Seung Won's cute and small manager and he did a pretty good job there too. It's hard not to notice him.



Lee Won Geun, one of the baddie hackers, a flower boy

Apparently , this little flower boy stirred interest due to his looks. And yup, he did look surprisingly "flower-boyish" in the drama. He also starred in the "moon that embraces the sun" as the younger Woon. He looked a whole lot better in this drama, very young and sweet. Hah, but looks sure can fool. He kills mercilessly in the drama and his evil smirks are a must see.



The biggest villain, Eom Ki Joon as Jo Hyun Min

Eeeeks, this guy does not have the "villain" look as far as i remember. In the past dramas like "dream high", scent of a woman, can't live with losing, miss ripley........ he had the good guy images. So this drama is a highly refreshing change from goodie to baddie. And yes, he did very very well. Fantastic performance. He played the character so well, deluded into his own revengeful world, he tries to protect his interests and destroys those in his way. The way he plays it, doesn't make you feel hatred toward him, nor would you want to slap him. You just kind of want to see more of him and those evil, wicked tricks of his. Good performance. Very well played.




Rating: 8.5/10 , a must watch!
(lowered rating as i must say, i won't rewatch it nor keep it)

Essential oils

Picture courtesy of (http://tajrii.com/beauty-wisdom/aromatherapy/)


I love everything natural.
So i have been looking into essential oils which are 100% all natural steam distilled/extracted from plants and flower parts.

Looking up the internet gives a wealth of resources on aromatherapy and essential oil uses.

Initially, i wanted to make my own facial serum so i researched high and low on different essential oils and their properties, as well as different formulations to create DIY face serums.


You could actually create a face serum using 5% essential oils of your choice and mixing them in a carrier oil of your choice.

I tried different carrier oils: jojoba, camellia, sweet almond, tamanu, argan, sunflower seed, apricot kernel, emu and olive oil

I also tried different essential oils: frankincense, lavender, helichrysum, lemon, sandalwood, rosewood, rose, geranium, rosemary, tea tree, carrot seed (can't remember what else)


Sad to say, my skin reacted to all carrier oils but the emu oil. I've been using emu oil ever since. It's said to be collagen producing and helps in anti aging.

And, i find that i can't use ANY essential oils on my face at all! None of them, no matter how diluted or differently mixed up, never sits nicely on my skin. I react to virtually ALL the essential oils. How frustrating. So there goes my quest for a DIY face serum.

But the funny thing is, MooGoo's scalp cream has three essential oils in it (rosemary, lavender and tea tree) and my skin did not react to the scalp cream. In fact, in my previous post on MooGoo review, i love the scalp cream on my face. How ironic. Perhaps i can't use essential oils mixed in carrier oils, perhaps i need to mix them in an emulsifier with water content. But that's too difficult for me to make.

Now i use my essential oils in a vaporizer when i sleep at night and it is so relaxing, especially lavender. The bulgarian variety has the best and most calming scent, in my opinion.

Wish i  could i find a way to incorporate essential oils into my facial regime.

Natural skin care: MooGoo Review

Review on MooGoo.

I'm on my "natural" journey at the moment, and am trying to keep as many things as i slap on my face, hair and body as natural as possible.
Trying to avoid as much as possible harmful and toxic chemicals and preservatives that seep into skin and get absorbed into the body.


MooGoo is an Australian company specialising in natural, safe products with effective active ingredients designed for people with skin and scalp problems. Their website: http://www.moogoo.com.au/

Their policy is to list ALL ingredients and never hide any including all the natural preservatives and emulsifiers they use. So you can basically research on each and every ingredient to make a decision on the product. MooGoo does not use gimmick ingredients and marketing, or cheap filling ingredients




Well, I've had bouts of sensitive skin that will break out in rashes and itches and whatever you name. So far no cream or ointment has been able to satiate, calm and soothe my skin. I gave up on all brands of skin care including the ones from Korea that i've been loving. I used to like sidmool, but suddenly, even sidmool's acclaimed natural skin care range could not help my skin.


Well, browsing at a pharmacy one day,  I stumbled across MooGoo and decided to give it a go. So i got these MooGoo products from the local pharmacy when they were on a discount.
I'm never looking back and MooGoo will be my one and only skin care brand that i will use on my face and body for now.




What I have in my stash:




MooGoo Scalp Cream

Description:
A natural moisturiser for Cradle Cap in Babies or Seborrhoeic Dermatitis in Adults. 


Many people, including babies, are troubled by skin that becomes red, dry and sometimes itchy around the scalp, hairline, neck, ears, eye areas, and along the side of the nose and mouth. These are oily areas of the skin and sometimes yeast on the skin can become more prevalent and cause irritation. This version of our moisturising cream helps return the skin to a healthy condition. Like all our creams, it is safe and non-irritating and can be used anywhere on the body. MooGoo Scalp Cream can also be used as a general moisturiser.

Oooo, i think i have a mild case of seborrhoeic dermatitis because i respond very well to this cream. I use this on my face! and it soothes, calms and provides a sense of rest to my easily agitated skin. The rashes seem to calm down within a short time of use and i have no problems at all with this stuff around my eyes, except if it goes into my eye, it stings.
This is one my top creams and a must-have for me!


Rating: 5/5





MooGoo Full Cream

Description:

This is a "creamier" version of the original Udder Cream moisturiser. It is designed to moisturise easily irritated skin using natural ingredients. The base oil of the cream is Sweet Almond Oil. This is high in the types of fatty acids needed for troubled skin. 
Also raw Coconut Oil which naturopaths often use as a skin soothing oil. Other ingredients include pasteurised honey (so safe for babies). The pH is balanced to the skin through the use of Apple Cider Vinegar. Naturally, the apple and honey give the cream a wonderful fragrance and there is no need for us to add any other fragrance.

Well, you are supposed to use this on the body, but i love this for my face. It is a lot heavier than the original Udder cream and also the heaviest of all creams. It can be a little greasy but still, this stuff moisturises my skin without any irritation whatsoever.




This cream contains milk protein and olive squalene which are great for skin elasticity and anti aging! Skin feels smooth and moisturised. Skin elasticity ensures lines and wrinkles are minimized after any movement of the skin.


Rating: 4.5/5  (minus 0.5 due to it being a little greasy for the face)







The original: MooGoo's Udder Cream (Skin Milk)

Description:

Our original udder cream that started it all. The Skin Milk Udder Cream is the lightest of our creams. It easily penetrates the skin with healing ingredients and is non-greasy. Full of skin repair ingredients and Milk Protein for Skin Elasticity.

MooGoo’s Skin Milk Udder Cream is being recommended by a number of oncologists and hospitals due its efficacy in helping the recovery from the side effects of chemo and radiotherapy.

this one is a very light face cream. It goes on light and stays on light. This one also contains milk protein and other great ingredients to nourish the skin beautifully.

I'm also in love with this cream but i prefer the Full cream even if it were a little greasy. This one somehow feels kinda dry on my skin. So what i do is, i mix them up!

I mix this light cream with the heavy cream and ta-dah! i get my own mid way cream!

Rating: 4/5 (i prefer the full cream even on its own!)

MooGoo's Irritable Skin Balm

Say "NO" to steroids and chemical based ointments!

Description:

This revolutionary cream that took over  a year to formulate and license. It is for both sensitive & troubled skin.

Active Ingredients: Matricaria recutita (flower extract), Centella Asiatica (herb tincture), Sage Oil (dalmation), Aloe barbadensis (leaf juice).  

Excipient Ingredients: Purified Water, Sweet Almond Oil, Emuslifying Wax, Olive Oil, Olive Squalene, Allantoin, Vitamin E. 

This balm can be followed by our MSM Soothing Cream which is designed to keep easily irritated skin moist and supple. 

So next time your practitioner suggests steroid creams, mention that there is now another option available.

Well, i thought this one would be a star for my agitated, irritated, red skin. To my surprise, no. I actually don't fancy this balm/cream and find that it did not soothe my skin and did not moisturise at all.

This one is not for me .

Will not be rating this one.

MooGoo MSM Soothing Cream

Description:

This cream is made using the moisturizing base of our Full Cream with the addition 10% MSM (Organic Sulfur) and the removal of Milk Protein. This is the maximum amount of MSM we could add to the cream. Just mention MSM and watch the Naturopaths go nuts about its skin calming properties. The cream uses Sweet Almond Oil which is one of the best moisturising oils for irritated skin due to its essential fatty acid profile. The cream is also fully loaded with other natural skin healing ingredients. These include Allantoin (Comfrey Root Active), Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and Honey. Check our "We Got Mail" Page to see how it has worked for others.

This one is quite good. I like that it does soothe my skin somewhat, helps with some acne when i have them. MSM is supposed to be very beneficial for the skin either taken internally as a supplement or applied topically. 

Quick look at MSM:

(http://www.rawgaia.com/skin-care-info/skin-and-health-benefits-msm.html-0)

MSM, which stands for Methyl-sulphonyl-methane. MSM is a nutritional form of sulphur, which is an essential component in the formation of collagen, elastin, cartilage and keratin. It gives flexibility, tone and strength to muscles, bones, joints, internal membranes and especially the skin, hair and nails.

Adequate levels of sulphur in the body help to promote a radiant complexion, glowing skin and mineralised hair. Therefore sulphur is often referred to as “The beauty mineral”. However, research has found that most people are deficient in sulphur and that deficiency increases with age.

What i like about MooGoo's MSM cream: soothing, heals acne/pimples.

What i dislike: Not moisturising enough. I prefer the scalp cream.

Rating: 4/5 






MooGoo Milk Wash

Description:

MooGoo Milky Wash uses a glucose based cleanser called "Capric Glucoside". This was originally developed for baby wipes and face wipes and has the same skin irritation score as water.
We added genuine ingredients (not gimmicks) to prevent drying of the skin. Milk Protein (Casein) is similar to the skin's own protein and helps maintain elasticity.  The natural ester Glycerol Oleate prevents skin water loss and leaves the skin smoother.


Our body wash does not create big bubbles like a synthetic detergent. It washes gently and without drying of the skin. Because it is so gentle it is also a no tears formulation in children's eyes.

I'm on the fence for this one. 
Some reviews mentioned that this could be use as a face wash. This is not the case for me. It irritated and dried out my skin!
It's mediocre as a body wash and i do not find anything special about it. But of course, the natural ingredients are the big plus point.

Rating: 3/5, nothing special.

You can find all the ingredients listed fully on their website. They have other stuff like shampoo and conditioner, lip balms, nappy balms, bath soaps etc............. all made with natural ingredients.
They even have deodorant and their highly raved range of facial cleansers which are oil based.


MooGoo has come out with anti-ageing creams and eye serums.
They have a SPF 15 anti ageing sunblock with plenty of antioxidants.

Overall, i'm loving MooGoo very much. Please don't stop making the Scalp cream and the Full Cream.