[Music] 5 Songs from the K-Drama Full House (2004)

Song Hye-kyo (female) and Rain (male)

1. Having ceased watching Asian TV dramas about a decade and a half ago, I resumed watching again when one of my brothers loaned me his copy of Full House (2004) a few years ago.

I was hooked by this Korean TV drama -- I have watched it three times from beginning to end and the occasional episodes many times.

This drama is about a very sweet love story with a happy ending.

Full House (2004) is 16 episodes long and stars Song Hye-kyo (female) as Han Ji-eun, Rain (male) as Lee Young-jae, Han Eun-jung (female) as Kang Hye-won, and Kim Sung-soo (male) as Yoo Min-hyuk.

Full House (2004) won many awards and it took the Asian viewing audiences by storm.

I am not surprise by the many remakes of this drama in Asian countries: Philippine (2009), Vietnam (2009), Thailand (2013), Cambodia (2014), Indonesia, and China (2015).

But I am surprised that it is remake even by Turkey (2015). ("Full House (South Korean TV series)", Wikipedia)


2. There are many reasons for liking this drama.

Firstly, there is certain honesty to the storyline; it is not just emotional manipulation.

Secondly, the titled house in which many of the scenes are shot is very beautiful.

("Full House (South Korean TV series)", Wikipedia):

"The location of the titled house, Full House, is a house built specially for the series. It is located in the Gwangyeok-si area of Incheon, near Incheon International Airport, and is a ten-minute boat ride from Sammok Harbor. The house, made mostly of wood, cost approximately the equivalent of US$1 million to build. The beach front property looks out onto open waters. Nearby sightseeing locations include Jogak (sculpture) Park on Modo Island; a bridge connects these two islands."

Thirdly, there are many memorable scenes in the drama of which I will just mention three:

(a) Although I do not find the way Han Ji-eun (the main female character) house got sold by her two friends while she was away on a trip to Shanghai believable, my heart went out to her when she fell ill after spending the night in the front lawn after being kick out of the house by Lee Young-jae (the main male character) in Episode 2.

Those of us who have lived away from family may know what it is like when you are alone and fell ill.

(b) Who does not like the awkward silliness of Han Ji-eun performing the Three Bears Song in Episode 5?

(c) I guess I am a sucker for damsel in distress.

My heart went out to Han Ji-eun again after quarreling with Lee Young-jae, she fell ill from spending the rain in a park at the end of Episode 9 and the beginning of Episode 10.

Fourthly, this drama has many great songs:

(a) Fate (Hangul: 운명; RR: Oon Myung) by Why;

(b) I Think I Love You by Byul;

(c) The First Time in the First Place (Hangul: 처음 그 자리에; RR: Geu Deh Ji Geum) by Lee Boram;

(d) Sha La La; and

(e) Forever by Why.


3. Fate (Hangul: 운명; RR: Oon Myung) by Why:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlsJqsQxb8Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYWoUJ_f4r4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ3BwODECTM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUQcHGjXx1o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heagCjJquEc

 
4. I Think I Love You by Byul:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFA_P783RjQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyde8BON2HQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1E6EUrnXZs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha6m6NYhy6s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9HRjHyYLYk


5. The First Time in the First Place (Hangul: 처음 그 자리에; RR: Geu Deh Ji Geum) by Lee Boram:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofUBMw6d_eQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwTTKHACvVo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3uNXNwdBdM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLppdNmlxFQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PBZ1YUYsQI


6. Sha La La:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WQrkQjm-KU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1yo32vqsfo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JICUgoYdJbQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjb9KhqC6nw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI4lgnr-CfU


7. Forever by Why:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qCeNN0wTYY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmPeqzPk6jU


References:

"Full House (South Korean TV series)", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_House_%28South_Korean_TV_series%29
(accessed 2015-08-04).

"Full House (2004– )", imdb.com,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464625/
(accessed 2015-08-04).

End.

[Music] Three Songs from Arang and the Magistrate's OST

 

Posters for Arang and the Magistrate (2012)

1. Chinese Quotation of the Day:


章學誠 (1738 - 1801)

 
(文史通義•内篇二•浙東學術)

學者不可無宗主，

而必不可有門戶。


2. I have watched about 10 Korean TV dramas during the last year.

(I like to thank one of my younger brothers again for supplying me with the many shows to watch.)

Two of these K-Dramas stand out for me but for different reasons:

(a) I really like the dialogues of the 16 episodes Worlds Within (or The World That They Live In) (2008) starring Song Hye-kyo (female) and Hyun Bin (male).

The dialogues of Worlds Within (2008) have an existential and situational feel that I resonate with.

Having the pretty Song Hye-kyo as its star does not hurt either.

(b) I enjoy the 20 episodes Arang and the Magistrate (2012) very much because I recognized many of the mythologies that serve as background to the story.

Watching this K-drama makes me realize how many mythologies the Korean and Chinese people share with each other.

("Arang and the Magistrate", Wikipedia): "Arang and the Magistrate (Hangul: 아랑사또전; Hanja: 阿娘使道傳; RR: Arangsatojeon; also known as The Tale of Arang) is a 2012 South Korean historical television drama, starring Lee Joon-gi [male], Shin Min-ah [female] and Yeon Woo-jin [male]. The period horror-romance is based on the folklore of Arang, who died unjustly and returns as a ghost in order to reveal the circumstances surrounding her death."


3. A 2 CD original soundtrack (OST) for Arang and the Magistrate (2012) was released in October, 2012.

Three of the songs in this OST that I find very appealing are:

(a) Fantasy ("환상") by Jang Jae-in;

(b) Love and Love ("사랑아 또 사랑아") by Baek Ji-Young; and

(c) Love Is You ("사랑은 그대다") by K.Will (Kim Hyung-Soo).


4. Fantasy by Jae-in Jang:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6j2uCeiz-A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RI1KOw9fnw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4__WNxtUsg0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRAU3w9cKNk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUWFtnelVU8

 
5. Love and Love by Baek Ji-Young:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giwJy_e7ri0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHBeNYBBNbQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7dPu6-wicg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvVtXzUVkhE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-7PQmrt6D8


6. Love Is You by K.Will (Kim Hyung-Soo):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9YWR44Eq2A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCbK-f2_oyw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l27Up2Hp-iA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB6gzzcvdS8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNZxkBJ753k


7. Names, Words and Phrases:

Baek Ji-Young (Traditional Chinese: 白智榮; Simplified: 白智荣).

[Alternate translation] (Traditional: 白智英; Simplified: 白智英).

Hyun Bin (Traditional: 玄彬; Simplified: 玄彬).

Jang Jae-in (Traditional: 姜宰英; Simplified: 姜宰英).

Kim Hyung-Soo (Traditional: 金亨洙; Simplified: 金亨洙).

Lee Joon-gi (Traditional: 李準基; Simplified: 李准基).

Shin Min-ah (Traditional: 新慜娥; Simplified: 新慜娥).

[Alternate translation] (Traditional: 申敏兒; Simplified: 申敏儿).

Song Hye-kyo (Traditional: 宋慧喬; Simplified: 宋慧乔).

Yeon Woo-jin (Traditional: 延宇振; Simplified: 延宇振). 


References:

"Arang and the Magistrate", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arang_and_the_Magistrate
(accessed 2013-05-05).

"The World That They Live In", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_That_They_Live_In
(accessed 2013-05-05).

"章學誠", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E7%AB%A0%E5%AD%B8%E8%AA%A0
(accessed 2013-05-05).

End.