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Post by florel on Jan 15, 2006 17:15:08 GMT -5
I viewed first three episodes of "Seoul 1945". I don't want to spread a spoiler. So I'll just tell some infos and first impressions of mine. In fact, I expected nothing about this drama, but it was much better than I thought. Seoul 1945 (KBS, 2006)- chief producers : Lee Sung-Ju (IYSS), Chung Young-Chul (IYSS) - producers : Yoon Chang-Bum (AOW), Yu Hyun-Ki - screenwriters : Lee Han-Ho, Chung Sung-Hee Official SiteVODTrailerThe producers of IYSS and AOW return with a modern period drama. Despite of its historical setting, "Seoul 1945" is not a historical drama in strict sense. Main characters are not historical persons, but they are inspired from real historical personages. The model of heroine is Kim Su-Im who has been called as "Korean Matahari". We can also see historical figures among minor roles such as Kim Il-Sung, Lee Seung-Man, Ugaki (Japanese colony governor during 1931-1936) and others. It's a period drama regarding a woman who was accused as a spy of North Koreans and received death sentence. It tells about love stories, Korean collaborators of Japan during colonial period, a nation divided by two ideologies, fratricide war and the common people. Familiar subjects for Koreans. I wish that it wouldn't be a duplicata of "Pupil of the Dawn". The timeline of the drama is circa 1933 and 1953. It starts with the beginning of Korean War in 1950 and flashes back to the main characters' youth in 1933, in Ham-heung, actual North Korea. Sceneries in the first episode are beautiful and artistic. It's like a movie. Battle scenes and bombardements are terrifying and heartbreaking - except flying men. lol But I wasn't really hooked on the drama at the first episode. It's from the second episode that I was interested in it. At the third episode, I was teary. What I don't like in this drama is adult leading actors and actresses. I like none of them (at least in the first phase). I even missed Mijin in IYSS. On the other hand, I was glad to see several familiar faces from IYSS as supporting and minor roles. Dol-soe (soldier boy), YSS's father, Admiral Bae Seol, Constable Yi Kyung-Rok (of Nok dune Island) and Sp Eun-Wu (potter man)... CCH's wife is mother of the male leading actor and the famous actress Ko Du-Shim is mom of the heroine. All supporting actors are good. And children are very cute !
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Post by florel on Jan 15, 2006 17:15:36 GMT -5
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Post by BAE on Jan 21, 2006 11:23:58 GMT -5
what are the air times, florel, and how many episodes have you watched?
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Post by Alexa on Jan 21, 2006 19:13:50 GMT -5
I really hope they air this in Chicago. It looks pretty interesting.
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Post by florel on Jan 22, 2006 11:02:23 GMT -5
what are the air times, florel, and how many episodes have you watched? It's airing in the same timeslot of IYSS on weekend nights (sat and sun). It's the production following IYSS after an intermediary of "Genghis Khan", Mongolian-Chinese drama. "Seoul 1945" has 60 episodes and the first episode was aired on 7th January. So it will be continued until August 2006. Episodes 5-6 were aired in South Korea this weekend. I just viewed until Episode 5. It's sad and serious. A drama for those who don't like frivolous one. Woman1 says, "If he dies, I will also die." Woman2 says, "If he dies, YOU will die !" I prefer Woman2. ;D
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Post by seven stars on Jan 26, 2006 18:03:55 GMT -5
Looks great, and I recognize some of those faces. Thanks Florel. We'll probably have to wait for this one on Yesasia here in the states. But you never know what may happen.
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Post by Lovely on Jan 26, 2006 20:28:46 GMT -5
I noticed that the actor that played as Sang-min from Yellow Handkerchief and the actress that played as Ok-ja from My Sweetheart/My Darling are in this drama! Thanks for the drama pics! This looks like it's going to be a good drama.
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Post by Daemado on Feb 15, 2006 21:53:50 GMT -5
It's rumored on the California C/J/K boards that "Seoul 1945" is coming to the U.S. ... I hope this is more than just a rumor. Life has seemed somehow ... without purpose ... since IYSS went off the air ... the DJG DVD set helps, but at the rate I'm going I'll be finished by mid-March.
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Post by cyuser on Feb 17, 2006 12:46:12 GMT -5
Not the best casting but seems to be a good drama ..
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Post by ginnycat5 on Feb 17, 2006 16:05:25 GMT -5
Whew, I lost control of my computer with that link to Seoul 1945. Not fun! It just wouldn't let me out, the cursor didn't work. I thought Lee Duk Hwo (?) was in it(-Yi Ui Min from Age of Warriors).
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Post by Ducky on Feb 17, 2006 16:50:57 GMT -5
Whew, I lost control of my computer with that link to Seoul 1945. Not fun! It just wouldn't let me out, the cursor didn't work. I thought Lee Duk Hwo (?) was in it(-Yi Ui Min from Age of Warriors). My computer gave me a warning that it was trying to hijack my browser and let me out befor I got in.
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Post by florel on Feb 19, 2006 13:03:40 GMT -5
www.kbs.co.kr/drama/seoul1945/main.htmlTry this one. If it doesn't work, it seems that you should install Flashplayer8 to view correctly the web page. KBS demands to install it. (So I guess they are checking if your computers have this software.) In fact, they are showing preview movies on the entrance page. I also finds that the direct link to VOD doesn't work. Seoul 1945's homepage is not well made at all. Too complicated. Concerning the drama, the main actors became much better when they came back. I come to like Ryu Soo-Young. But now the screenwriters upset me. After seeing Ep. 13 today, my reaction is... Ginny : I'm sorry to hear that your computer had a trouble. BTW, Archfiend doesn't play in this drama. Instead, we can see Gung Ye (the one-eyed monk in EWG.) He is a great scum ! And... a great actor.
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Post by ginnycat5 on Feb 21, 2006 15:52:23 GMT -5
I just looked it up on Korean Wiz. Lee Duk Hwa was in The Fifth Republic. He wears a modern officer's uniform and has a military haircut, so I expected to see him here. I just need to watch more K-drama.
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Post by mikey on May 1, 2006 23:53:16 GMT -5
Thought I’d resurrect this thread, since “Seoul 1945” has just replaced “Hello, God!” on TAN (and thus, if the pattern holds, Chicago should also begin seeing it very soon).
First impressions (having just watched Episode #1): Extremely promising! Somewhat surprised that it’s really working (so far) as a historical war drama. Fans of “Age of Warriors” or “Immortal Yi Soon-shin” will definitely want to tune in on this one.
However, brace yourselves: this is one horrifically violent drama. It’s easy to get into the battle scenes in something like “Age of Warriors,” where the fighting is almost a little cartoonish, but watching South Korean soldiers getting chopped to pieces by North Korean Maxim machineguns hits a little too close to modern reality to be really enjoyable. The bloody invasion of South Korea in "Seoul 1945" reminded me somewhat of the storming of Omaha Beach in the movie “Saving Private Ryan.” So, this drama’s battle scenes might be a bit too intense for some viewers.
Historical battle perfectionists might also gripe about some niggling details: things like the North Koreans piloting heavily-camouflaged tanks that suspiciously resemble Soviet T54/55’s (which didn’t exist in 1950) and noting how each of the tanks is flying a brightly-colored North Korean flag (which, one would think, kind of defeats the whole purpose of the camouflage). Of course, one can’t expect perfection, and I think KBS overall did a pretty decent job of properly equipping the opposing troops with period weaponry.
I also found the portrayal of North Korea’s Communist Party leader Kim Il-sung to be particularly interesting. While America’s media has usually portrayed Kim as a psychopath, KBS shows him to be more of a cold, ruthless, Stalin-esque kind of character. Odd: I wonder which version is closer to the truth.
I think this show has a lot of potential, and I’m looking forward to watching Episode #2 tomorrow.
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Post by moreshige2 on May 11, 2006 7:26:48 GMT -5
Thought I’d resurrect this thread, since “Seoul 1945” has just replaced “Hello, God!” on TAN (and thus, if the pattern holds, Chicago should also begin seeing it very soon). First impressions (having just watched Episode #1): Extremely promising! Somewhat surprised that it’s really working (so far) as a historical war drama. Fans of “Age of Warriors” or “Immortal Yi Soon-shin” will definitely want to tune in on this one. However, brace yourselves: this is one horrifically violent drama. It’s easy to get into the battle scenes in something like “Age of Warriors,” where the fighting is almost a little cartoonish, but watching South Korean soldiers getting chopped to pieces by North Korean Maxim machineguns hits a little too close to modern reality to be really enjoyable. The bloody invasion of South Korea in "Seoul 1945" reminded me somewhat of the storming of Omaha Beach in the movie “Saving Private Ryan.” So, this drama’s battle scenes might be a bit too intense for some viewers. Historical battle perfectionists might also gripe about some niggling details: things like the North Koreans piloting heavily-camouflaged tanks that suspiciously resemble Soviet T54/55’s (which didn’t exist in 1950) and noting how each of the tanks is flying a brightly-colored North Korean flag (which, one would think, kind of defeats the whole purpose of the camouflage). Of course, one can’t expect perfection, and I think KBS overall did a pretty decent job of properly equipping the opposing troops with period weaponry. I also found the portrayal of North Korea’s Communist Party leader Kim Il-sung to be particularly interesting. While America’s media has usually portrayed Kim as a psychopath, KBS shows him to be more of a cold, ruthless, Stalin-esque kind of character. Odd: I wonder which version is closer to the truth. I think this show has a lot of potential, and I’m looking forward to watching Episode #2 tomorrow. Funny you say that. stalin was both cold and a psychopath. And I hope you dont confuse Kim Il Sung with his heir and son, Kim Jong-il.
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