Cinderella, Prosecutor, Taste: First episode impressions
by javabeans
Finally! The new Wednesday-Thursday battle is off, and the results are pretty consistent with my expectations, both content- and ratings-wise.
First, the numbers: Cinderella’s Sister took the lead with a 16.7%, while Personal Taste was in second with a 12.7%. Prosecutor Princess trailed with a 7.3%. (Those are TNS Media numbers; AGB Nielsen gave the numbers as 15.8%, 12.8%, and 8.0%.)
I think it’s likely this trend will hold. After seeing all first episodes, I think it’s also an accurate reflection (for once!) on the relative quality of the shows. Each series had strengths and weaknesses, but this time I have a clear picture of which ones I prefer and why.
On to the reviews! (To the spoiler-phobes: I have avoided giving away any big plot points that aren’t already known.)
CINDERELLA’S SISTER (KBS)
In my latest Oh My Lady recap, I mentioned the issue of a drama making an emotional connection with the viewer, and how Oh My Lady has been slow to build that rapport. In contrast, Cinderella’s Sister is very good about establishing that connection right away, and I felt myself drawn from the start.
Tonally, the first episode wasn’t angsty or tragic, and was surprisingly light. Not light in a fluffy way, but in a way that is humorous and heartfelt. (I suspect that the drama will grow heavier later, but am thankful it starts briskly.) I feel confident saying that of the three Wednesday premieres, this was the strongest first episode and while none of them sucked, it was a pretty obvious first-place. The pacing is assured, the scenery beautiful. The acting is outstanding, not just from the leads but everyone. (That would be Moon Geun-young, Seo Woo, Chun Jung-myung, Lee Mi-sook, and Kim Gab-soo. Taecyeon is not in this episode.)
Without giving away too many plot points, the gist of the story is this: Eun-jo (Moon Geun-young), somewhere in her mid-teens, is the daughter to a woman who keeps shacking up with horrible men — drinkers, beaters, lowlifes. Mom Kang-sook (Lee Mi-sook) goes from one man to another, and Eun-jo bears this stoically although she’s sick of living like this. Hyo-sun (Seo Woo) is a bright, lovable girl whose father owns a makgulli (rice wine) company. Meeting Kang-sook stirs her longing for a mother figure, and Hyo-sun does her best to push Kang-sook toward her father. Ki-hoon (Chun Jung-myung) is a good-natured employee of the makgulli company and a caring, mature older brother figure to Hyo-sun, who adores him. Though his interaction with Eun-jo is brief, he’s the only person who’s able to get through Eun-jo’s tough outer shell.
Moon Geun-young as Eun-jo is the main draw by far, and she does her cynical, hurt, defensive role well. She makes Eun-jo relatable and unique, and acts with convincing intensity. I love Chun Jung-myung so I’m thrilled merely to see him back onscreen again, but I’ll admit he doesn’t have much to do in this episode. However, his gentle, smiling presence in itself gives his character a warm aura. I am keen to see how their relationship unfolds, and by keen I mean VERY. I’m invested already.
That said, I think Seo Woo is almost as strong as Moon Geun-young. Yes, she most certainly overacts as the young schoolgirl. I suspect some viewers will find it annoying. As in Tamra the Island, I find Seo Woo’s girlish exaggerations cute rather than contrived, because they seem genuine to the actress herself, and not put-upon to force cutesiness. I am also being a little lenient because she’s playing a young teen, and will revise my opinion if she doesn’t grow out of it later. All that said, it’s the crying scene where she really stands out, and she makes Hyo-sun’s tears not only sympathetic but entirely believable. I was impressed.
Kim Gab-soo is excellent as the quiet, withdrawn father. You won’t find a trace of his creepy villain (Hon, Partner, Tazza) in this character, who is alternately gruff and vulnerable. Lee Mi-sook is the perfect stepmother to Cinderella, and she plays Kang-sook with layers of complexity. In fact, everyone plays their characters with layers, which is why I have a good feeling about this drama. It’s not simply reversing the Cinderella fairy tale, it’s subverting all the relationships and creating something new with them. I find that really compelling.
PROSECUTOR PRINCESS (SBS)
The basic plot features Ma Hye-ri (Kim So-yeon) as a fashion-loving prosecutor who is the latest addition in the public prosecutor’s office. With her love of stylish clothing and extravagant shoes (and jewelry, and handbags), she stands out in the low-key, no-nonsense office, and not in a good way. It’s no surprise, then, that Episode 1’s plot largely centers around a pair of fabulous shoes.
As the daughter of a prosecutor, she has made it through school at his prodding, and thinks she’s finally free of all that hard work. Of course, we know her hard work is just about to start. Her first encounter with a case shows us that what she’s lacking isn’t a brain — she’s plenty smart, and she knows the law — but a compassion and connection to her cases. The law is cut-and-dried to her, and developing an attachment to her cases on a basic human level will probably figure largely in her growth.
The big lure here is certainly Kim So-yeon, whose take on frivolous Ma Hye-ri is bubbly and entertaining. I am not by any means comparing her acting to Mi-shil in Queen Seon-deok, but both roles gave me a similar sense of watching a skilled actress diving into a character with gusto and enjoying playing around. Kim has altered her intonation and speech patterns and completely changed her image, and it’s particular fun to watch her because it was only a few months ago that she was so tough and fierce in IRIS.
This is essentially Legally Blonde set in a public prosecutor’s office, and I think the similarities are pretty deliberate, down to Hye-ri’s offbeat candidness, overaccessorization, and near-garish fashion sense. For some reason it doesn’t feel like a total copycat to me, though, and I wonder if maybe the cultural differences are enough to set it apart.
Where Prosecutor Princess falters is in that everything feels just a little too familiar. I’m always looking for a drama to show that one flash of inventiveness, a twist on a trope, or a jolt of new energy — it doesn’t have to be completely new, but there’s got to be something that feels different. I don’t get that feeling from Prosecutor Princess.
The characters and plot setup are straightforward thus far. They’re aiming to give Park Shi-hoo‘s character a tinge of mystery, and to their credit they achieve that, since I’m curious to know what his deal is. But that’s a purely intellectual curiosity, not an emotional one. Neither he nor Han Jung-soo‘s serious prosecutor character have been explained much, but I don’t find that I’m very interested. They haven’t really broken through to give their characters life, and I thought Han Jung-soo was stiff.
There’s a yet-unexplained subplot regarding a case Han Jung-soo has been following for three years, but like with many dramas with a legal (or business) angle, the pace drags when we linger on the case. Partner lost me with its dry legal storylines despite the chemistry between the leads; I fear the same may happen with Prosecutor Princess. (At least this drama is working in an additional angle with Hye-ri’s professional and personal growth, which may save it.)
Based on the first episode, my prediction is that Prosecutor Princess will have a small but loyal following. It’s not bad, it’s just in a tough timeslot — I think those who want something more substantial will gravitate toward Cinderella’s Sister, while those who want a light romantic comedy may be more drawn to the zippier Personal Taste. I’ve been wrong before, but that’s my gut feeling.
PERSONAL TASTE (MBC)
I said that Cinderella’s Sister had the best first episode, in that it’s the best-produced and most cohesive package. But Personal Taste is my pick for the most fun and laughs — it’s cute, well-cast, and has a freshness to its humor. The jokes aren’t wildly original, but they’re presented well and feel new for a kdrama. (I mean, a gay-blowjob joke on Korean television? Ha!) Also, every deviation that the drama has made from the novel has been for the better (so far).
If you’ve been following the novel posts, you’ll get the gist. If you haven’t, here’s the deal: Kae-in (Sohn Ye-jin) is an upbeat and good-hearted furniture designer, if naive and rather dense. She is badly hurt by her boyfriend, whom she believes is going to propose to her when he is in fact marrying her friend the next day.
In a series of chance encounters, she gets off on the wrong foot with Jin-ho (Lee Min-ho), an architect who works at a rival firm to her ex. She thinks he’s a pervert at first, but then gets the impression that he’s gay. Jin-ho, who considers her a clueless blunderer, doesn’t bother correcting her. In the next episode (we aren’t there yet), Kae-in agrees to let Jin-ho move in, fed up with straight guys and liking the idea of having a gay roommate. Little does she know that Jin-ho has an ulterior motive: he badly needs to win a building project, and needs to study her house in order to do so, as she is the daughter to the famed architect who built it.
Spot-on casting, for sure. Sohn Ye-jin is perfect as Kae-in, showing the character’s positive personality even as she bumbles through various encounters. She also lets a naivete and vulnerability shine through, making it easy to root for her. Everyone, from the main cast to the supporting members, has that extra spark that draws you to them and their roles. I have a feeling the sidekicks are going to be a hoot. I even like Kim Ji-suk‘s take on his character, who is nowhere near as awful as the book character; you can see he’s conflicted and remorseful. He’s just also a wuss.
Lee Min-ho may be young (he’s even younger than Im Seulong despite playing his hyung), but he wears Jin-ho’s airs perfectly. I’ll be the first to sing Lee’s praises, but I was worried that he wouldn’t be able to emerge from the Boys Before Flowers shadow — which is considerable — or live up to expectations, particularly since he’s taken over a year to choose his next project. I think he does quite nicely.
You might say that of course I like Personal Taste because I expected to like it — but I think liking the idea actually makes it harder to live up to the hype. Episode 1 is a little unstable at times and the pacing is uneven in the first half, but in the second half it starts to gel and really work. At the end of the hour, this is the drama whose second episode I wanted to see the most.
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Tags: Chun Jung-myung, Cinderella's Sister, Han Jung-soo, Kim Gab-soo, Kim Ji-suk, Kim So-yeon, Lee Mi-sook, Lee Min-ho, Moon Geun-young, Park Shi-hoo, Personal Taste, Prosecutor Princess, Seo Woo, Sohn Ye-jin
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101 Free
April 1, 2010 at 5:28 AM
@hmi4:
that's a good strategy !
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102 poo
April 1, 2010 at 5:45 AM
@javabeans: Is this the recap for all the 3 series? Does this means that therez gonna be no detailed recap? (wid loads of picz and selective dialogues T_T )
Anyway I really loved personal taste of all the series...coz i ve a feeling wher Cinderella's sister is goin to go...itz gonna get too serious and painful like 'will it snow for Christmas' (which was really bad ~ in a good way)
I think personal taste is gonna be lighter, romantic and bit funnier....and on top of that lee min ho...yay ^^
javabeans if poss do write a detailed recap of all 3 series...i really love to read ur recaps...dey r better than the series ^_^
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103 bluefire
April 1, 2010 at 5:47 AM
Thanks for this JB!
I'm really looking forward to watching these! *waits for subs* ;)
2010 is looking brighter and brighter!
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104 yen_nguyen
April 1, 2010 at 5:55 AM
I have not watch CS and PT but I checked PP out! I have to say that Kim So Eun's character is really ugly (shoes are beautiful but everything else is awful - her hair, her clothes, her dresses...)
I also couldn't see the emotion connection. The only thing keep me going though ep1 is Park shi hoo, he is charming and nice!
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105 gggggggggg
April 1, 2010 at 6:14 AM
cinderella's sister is the best for me.. wkwkw..=>
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106 flowerbaby
April 1, 2010 at 6:22 AM
cinderella's sister! go go go.. personal taste is okay too, but still cinderella's sister is better..
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107 rottenpot
April 1, 2010 at 6:28 AM
whoa ! perfect line ups for my summer vacation watching experience .
this is not gonna be a boring break !
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108 deannadsc
April 1, 2010 at 6:31 AM
I've watched CS by now & I agree that it has more substance & CJM is so much "cuter" after getting out of the army!!! It has a solid cast of actors & the characters are fleshed out in just 1 episode alone!!! SW does tend to overact, but i guess that goes w/ her role...maybe she can tone them down a bit in the next episodes. MGY is an outstanding actress & I'm already in love w/ her characterization!!!
...now on to PP!!!
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109 Biscuit
April 1, 2010 at 6:43 AM
@Poo: There's probably going to be a detailed recap for the second episode of the selected series. A single person recapping 3 series at once, considering all 3 series are aired on the same day and JB is also recapping Oh! My Lady., may be a bit difficult.
I'm guessing there will be a chance of having a guest recapper for one of the series?
---
Anyways, I'm really excited to watch all three episodes asap! I've got plans later today and I have to do some Uni work (grr) but I NEED to catch these episodes no matter what! Even if it means staying up til 3 am...
I'm more towards Cinderella's Sister (I love my angsty melodramas), but I'm willing to take a risk with Personal Taste. I've been half-and-half with this before... and kinda worried about the "sexual jokes".
Maybe it scares me. I loved K-Dramas because they were humorous without having to do sexual jokes, overly full with foul language, disrespectful comments seen as jokes, etc. These dramas were ones you could watch with your entire family. This was like the grand sign that's saying how things are going to change. *shivers*
Maybe it's because of that reason I'm more interested in Prosecutor Princess in comparison to Personal Taste. But again, I don't mind taking the risk of ignoring such sexual jokes in Personal Taste and just watch anyways.
Btw, I just love how in these series, none of the roles are "ordinary". Each character has got their own different personality (meaning: not just an ordinary girl with issues, ordinary prosecutor, or just an average woman deciding to move in with a supposedly "gay" man), and while they could have been boring or just plain, the actors have really put a lot to make their roles their own. They don't just act the role, but literally make the role their absolute own and come to life!
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110 drina from jakarta
April 1, 2010 at 7:31 AM
My Dearest JavaBeans...
I beg beg beg beg beg beg beg beg you PLEEEEEAAAASSSSEEEE recapping PERSONAL TASTE!!!!!!!!!!!
your recaps were ALWAYS (I mean ALWAYS) light my days....
AJA JavaBeans!
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111 grace, the one from Jersey, USA
April 1, 2010 at 7:48 AM
I watched Episode #1 of "Personal Taste" (without English subs) on:
http://www.dramastyle.com/drama/Personal-Taste-Personal-Preference/
I thought that Sohn Ye-jin was delightful as the klutzy furniture designer.
Luckily, the high heel on her shoe breaks early on, so that requirement
of ALL kdramas is out of the way. Talk about making the correct fashion
statement........where can I buy that blue hoodie with the duck on it?
(Yes, that was my favorite scene in BoF.........the ducks in the pool.) :)
I had never seen SYJ in anything before this, but the way that everyone
raved about what a talented, SERIOUS actress she is, had me a little bit
worried. But even without the English subs, this actress knows her stuff.
I especially enjoyed the scene when she was describing her work at
that showcase-exhibition, and it turned out that the only audience that
she could get were those few children. And she did "devastated" really
well.....at the wedding. I guess that the comments (from here) were right! :)
Lee Min-ho was mostly a grouch. Annoyed at the taxi stand, on the bus,
at the presentation, and embarrassing in that unnecessary elevator scene.
At least he got to get angry, and grab somebody's shirt + jacket + tie.......
Although in PT, he looks like the much younger brother of Gu Jun-pyo,
we all know what this guy can do in front of a camera. For this role, all that
he needs to do is play the real-life LMH, as seen in interviews: laughing,
intelligent, funny and charming. This bird is definely gonna' fly. :)
*
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112 cecee
April 1, 2010 at 7:56 AM
I can't help but to think that this story is very similar to the book and broadway play "Wicked." It has the same concept of the "evil" misunderstood step sister. I hated Glenda tthe good witch and I am sure I will hate Cinderella in this also. It is only the first episode but it looks very very promising. Everyone in this drama is a great actor, well except for one who happens to be the 2nd lead. I will not expect much from him but who knows he might be a natural! lols.
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113 strawhatz
April 1, 2010 at 8:01 AM
wow now i'm gonna be busy every wed/thu cause i'm gonna watch all three dramas....i'm actually very surprised with cinderella's sister. i thought that i wouldn't like it much and expect myself to like it the least....i never watched any of MGY's drama, that's why i didn't expect much....but i have to say the 1st ep really changed my opinion...the casts are all fabulous
for prosecutor princess, i love kim so yeon and her fashionista character....finally she's getting the lead role...btw love park shi hoo though his role is pretty much the same with his previous' with a bit of mystery added
i was actually looking forward the most for personal taste out of all three...but sadly hasn't had the time to watch the 1st ep....but i'm pretty sure i'm gonna like it given the leads and rom-com storyline
btw which will you recap next? both cinderella's sister and personal taste? if it is, that will be great though i'm sure it's hard to recap on many series at the same time...and how about oh my lady? gonna be looking forward for your recaps
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114 chopper
April 1, 2010 at 8:03 AM
in personal taste's novel, is gae-in's house a traditional korean house? i always thought the house is a modern one
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115 littletoygun
April 1, 2010 at 8:07 AM
since the announcement of PT, I've been looking forward to watch it. till testerday I was so excited and everyday I was watching the previews or the news about it as I really liked the leading's chemistry. however, after watching, I didn't feel the same excitement. have I got a problem? don't know but I'll keep watching it as I really love SYJ.
already, I've never liked melodramas as they're so dark for me.
now, JB! I'm looking fıorward to see ur detailed rrecaps for PT. as a foreign watcher, I can only fill the blanks with ur amazing tellings.
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116 mie
April 1, 2010 at 8:13 AM
I haven't seen Princess Prosecutor, but regarding the other two, I agree on most parts. I'm one of the people who found Seo Woo just a tad bit annoying in Cinderella's Sister, but like you said, I let it slide because she's a schoolgirl (and emotionally deprived for a mother since she was 7). Love Moon Geunyoung and Chun Jungmyung!
But Personal Taste is what I'm definitely looking forward to most tonight.
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117 chasen8888
April 1, 2010 at 8:22 AM
I was able to watch Prosecutor Princess at viikii, thanks viikii. I like it may be because it suits me at this time which is a serious profession being looked at lightheartedly. Its Legally Blond - Korean style, love to see what the PDs do with it. Most of what I'm currently watching has some serious intonation in it, so a comedy injected is good. As for Personal Taste, not in a rush to watch it nor Cinderella Sister, stellar cast but darkish plot, more likely I'll wait for Bad guy in May which has more appeal to me.
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118 ohemgee
April 1, 2010 at 8:28 AM
AHHHHHHHHHH
SO.
MANY.
CHOICES!!!
thanks for the brief recaps JB! i'm not sure which i will end up following, but i definitely will start with cinderalla's sister and personal taste!
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119 Free
April 1, 2010 at 8:29 AM
hi Javabeans....you made my wish come true.......I was hoping that you would share with us your thoughts on all 3 dramas and you did! With such fast speed as well.
Million thanks, as always !
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120 mm
April 1, 2010 at 8:53 AM
Chun Jungmyung! OMG Chun Jungmyung!
he's so cute... yes, Cinderella unni!! won me over..
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121 VIPRIMADONNA
April 1, 2010 at 10:23 AM
you're a STAR!!! now i cant decide between Cinderella Unni and Personal Taste lol!! just like Jokwon..
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122 hyewon
April 1, 2010 at 12:46 PM
SBS should move Prosecutor Princess up one hour to improve its ratings. This worked on Mon-Tues nites.
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123 ivy_factiva
April 1, 2010 at 12:50 PM
as i expected, prosecutor princess seems fluffy. i got used to Kim So Yeon's strong characters, perhaps I may try this drama if I have time on my hands afterwards.
just finished watching the chinese subbed pilot eps of Cinderella's Sister and Personal Taste. Wow I must say the production quality of Cinderella's Sister is really good. It felt like I was watching a movie and not a regular drama. I'm drawn by Chun Jung Myung and Moon Geun Young already dammit. And because I watched the 10min trailer of CS I seriously wonder what trouble Eunjo got into. She seems always to be on the run - running away from gangstas or just simply escaping. Man that gal can sprint.
And haha, Personal Taste is fun as I expected... The sidekicks are pretty hilarious. I'm trying to work out Gosh, I'm also checking dramabeans super regularly, hoping that the last few chapters of the novel would be summarised... I don't mind being spoiled at all. I really want to know how it turns out in the book. I'm interested to see how the drama deviates from the novel's plotline. Already I'm curious to see how they've made In-hee the fiance of her Gae-In's player ex-boyfriend.. And In-Hee will yet again rival Gae-In for Minho's affection?!?
Anyways cheers to some good shows on the airwaves. Hope the standard of writing, directing, acting, editing production will remain throughout. I know lots of dramas start out great but go haywire midway. These dramas seem pretty promising so it'd be a shame if they screw it up later on.
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124 snoopyvkd
April 1, 2010 at 1:05 PM
I'll stick with Personal Taste for now, I always like light fluffy romance better. But some things are really bothering me. There're so much studio scenes... And I guess that will be worse as Gae In's place and Jin Ho's office are built. On daily dramas it's usual to have mostly studio built decor, but I feel like this is the first mini serie I see with this style. The story centers around architecture and the sets are just not up to it in my opinion. On top of that, lighting changes are so obvious even within a same scene after editing :S It's like my TV is blinking sometimes.
Anyway, for the love of both leads, and Gae In's girlfriend (don't know her real name, already loved her in "9 ends 2 outs"), I'll hang on and hope the production will get better.
Good drama watching, everyone!
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125 Anonymous
April 1, 2010 at 2:39 PM
I started watching Prosecutor Princess the other day and I've never seen Legally Blond, so I wouldn't know what the similarities are but I thought it was really fun. I love Hye-ri's spark and how she loves to have fun. I just think that Kim So Yeon does so well with this character and it's fun seeing her in such a bubbly role. Though it's probably going to be Kim So Yeon and Park Shi Hoo who end up together, I always thought that Han Jung Soo and Kim So Yeon would look good together.
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126 reykatZ
April 1, 2010 at 3:37 PM
Just a correction...Im Seulong is only a month older than Lee Minho XD
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127 saintpolar
April 1, 2010 at 4:42 PM
I totally had the same opinion as you. I thought Cinderella's Sister was indeed the "best", but in the end, I just liked Personal Taste more. I love both of them, but like you said, at the end of the day, the second episode that I wanted to see most was Personal Taste.
I think they're two very different dramas in terms of tone, with differing qualities and charms, so I wouldn't really say that one is necessarily "better" than another.
As for prosecutor princess, I'm gonna hold off on watching it. Cuz if I start, I know I won't stop. And these days, I really shouldn't be spending 3 hours on wed and thurs watching kdramas. Two hours is more than enough lol.
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128 wowowee0210
April 1, 2010 at 5:51 PM
I saw the first episode of CS,PT and PP no English subs at Joonmedia . I would say CINDERELLA SISTER by a mile in acting and plot. You can feel the connection between MGY and CJM. Something lacking between SYJ and LMH.Same no connection feeling as Chae Rim and Choi Si Won .No more AJUMMAS for these young idols in the future. I don't think LMH could match his role in BBF in this drama. Cinderella Sister looks like the whole package with melodrama, some fun and that X factor between MGY and CJM.
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129 who is
April 1, 2010 at 7:02 PM
wow...
how hot is Chun Jung-myung????
I thought he was okay in What's Up Fox? but here... whoa! WHOA!!!! yea... he hottttt!
Is it just me or his eyes sparkling during his chase for eun jo? what the heck?! woooow... I cannot wait to see more! I am loving this!
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130 dramarrama
April 1, 2010 at 7:04 PM
I was waiting for a light hearted comedy after watching Chuno,
and right now Prosector Princess is it. I laughed so much
I cried maybe Cinderellas SIster has a better story or even
Personal Taste but right now I was just looking for something
simple and PP gave it hahaha maybe Ill change my mind later on
but Ill see what happens after watching the 2nd episode....
thanks for the recaps JB
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131 aiqcn
April 1, 2010 at 7:49 PM
Cinderella Sister:
I had no intention of watching Cinderella Sister because I never like melodrama. But I watched the first episode out of curiosity. I say it is pretty good. Acting is very solid for everyone so far. I love the mother-daughter duo. I believe Moon and Lee Min-sook will be carrying the show. I don't find Seo Woo's acting is as bad as some people say. I think she does well for her character even though I have never seen her before. So far, it is very interesting and solid acting and story line.
Personal Taste:
I always love Son Ye-Jin. She knows what she is doing in PT. The first episode is not that interesting to me until SYJ shows off her acting skill at her friend's and boyfriend's wedding. I can see how hurt, shocked, and naive she is in that scene. This is Lee Min Ho's come back. He is good as Jin-Ho. But I don't think I can say he is great so far. Jin-Ho character is supposed to be manly but I just don't see it in LMH for 100%. Maybe he will improve as his character develops. I hope so.
Right now, CS is kinda winning for me. I find it more interesting. But I hope PT could turn the table and make me more interested next week.
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132 heejung
April 1, 2010 at 8:16 PM
cinderella's sister has turned me into a chun jung myung convert. that man is HOT. i loved the chase scene there - moon was awesome.
I'm looking forward to both personal taste and CS now~ as well as oh my lady, which is really cute. ^^
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133 jandoe
April 1, 2010 at 8:36 PM
i'm obviously gonna watch personal taste and cinderella's sister and i was looking forward to both like maddd the past two weeks - more so on personal taste, i admit - but after getting a glimpse of both, i'm drawn more to cinderella. there's something about that drama that i'm so sure i'll love.
i hope you recap 'em if you can JB., as i'm sure you will :)
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134 abc
April 1, 2010 at 9:10 PM
omg! just figured out something... the fat kid in baseball uniform is young taecyeon... hahaha...
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135 mimi
April 1, 2010 at 10:26 PM
I wasn't really interested in Cinderella's Sister but after having watched the 1st episode, I'm going to continue! I feel so badly for Moon GeunYoung's character. She seems so lonely and unloved. I hope it ends happy for her....
I'll give Personal Taste a few more goes, but the 1st episode was boring (although I love Lee Min Ho).
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136 Jasmin
April 1, 2010 at 11:38 PM
For now I think I'll have to stick with Oh! My Lady for M-T and Personal Taste for W-Th. I'm sure MGY will be amazing for Cinderella's Sister but a melodrama just isn't my cup of tea at the moment. It may have to do with the season change and if it were winter I might have been inclined to watch CS's melodrama story but spring is in the air and I'm in the mood for light and funny dramas and OML & PS fits that mold at the moment. I was hoping that CS would have taken a little lighter tone but then again how many retellings of Cinderella can we get without it getting too redundant. It would have also been nice to see MGY be in a less serious role. We all know she call bring on the dramatics but she's in her early 20's and I would really love to see her in a light rom-com series.
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137 Appleberry
April 1, 2010 at 11:56 PM
It's rare that a steer away from my romance-comedy 'comfort zone' -if you will- as far as dramas go. But Cinderella's Sister tugged on my heart-strings right from the get-go. I... I've never been so attatched to characters from only one episode. My usual first impression of dramas depend on the plot and chemistry of the characters -but this, this is just so.. different and unusual to what I'm use to. I can't believe how sold I am, especially in a drama with this kind of tone.
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138 flyingtohfoo
April 2, 2010 at 1:04 AM
i can't wait personal taste yet, so i can't judge that one yet.
imo, PP>CS. I'm just not ready for any melodrama yet. WISFC really depressed me out while watching it, and i haven't seen a comedy drama since. I watched the 1st episode of CS, but eh, it was just alright to me. Everybody had great acting, but again, it is a melodrama, which i'm not really into at the moment.
PP brings me the humor :D it's hilarious. I didn't watch IRIS (the same reason, it's melodrama) but i've seen parts of where soyeon gets into a car or something. Anyways, Soyeon plays SUCH a different role from IRIS, she uses her IQ of 168 to get out of work cause, well, she likes shopping/fashion/SHOES>working.
i loveee ma hye ri! she's so funny! SHE'S A GREAT ACTRESS :D hehehe.
I love shi-hoo btw :D his smile can lighten up my day! LOL.
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139 lilly
April 2, 2010 at 2:50 AM
I watched some parts of CS and PT.
About the former I guess I have nothing to add expect I think SW acting does not bother me. She is convincing as the girl who have the care of everyone in her life.
As I expect Good acting by everyone and it is weird I am not as worried about Taec as I was before concerning his acting.
About the latter I was impressed by SYJ acting the most. this drama is a test for LMH as an actor and he does NOTHING to me. He has the same Jun Pyo (LMH ?) vibe with the SAME EXPRESSIONS ! The second male leads are OK.
The first episode is Ok/alright. Nothing great.
I have not yet watched PP.
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140 kimchiRadish
April 2, 2010 at 7:49 AM
So far, I absolutely fell in love jin-ho's coworker's character. He is dead-on hilarious! especially in the elevator scene. Haha! Hope this drama keeps it up. It would suck bad if it slumped like Lady Castle. It was a good idea to keep my expectations low no matter how hard it was. I was pleasantly surprised. thanks for the recaps!
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141 karen
April 2, 2010 at 10:56 AM
wow, who is lilly kidding? Lee Min Ho having the Goo Joon Pyo vibe?? everyone who have watched it (except you) was praising him for not having that Joon Pyo vibe and you are said he had? i wonder if you watched the right drama..
anyway, i prefer Personal Taste to Cinderella's Sister..
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142 lilly
April 2, 2010 at 11:10 AM
@Karen
chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillllllllllllllllllllllll you and me know that MOSTof people who praise PT are LMH and BOF fans. I think some PT's fans did not expect CU would have done better than PT - even though some fans, as it is showed in sites like seoulbeats, soompi forum, asianfanatics... speak about how much PT was sold overseas to sing LMH starvalue and to show how PT is better than CU. I say what I think. Sorry if you felt hurt but LMH did nothing to me. He has the same expressions he had in BOF and JP vibe and people forget he is supposed to be older than SYJ character -this is more striking looking at the pictures Javabean posted in her/his summary. Anyway SYJ was good not great. The drama is OK.
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143 jumanji
April 2, 2010 at 11:15 AM
go, go, go..CINDERELLA UNNI!!! Taecyeon...fighting!!!
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144 K-star
April 2, 2010 at 6:13 PM
are you going to do recaps for cinderella's sister??
aw~~ i really want to watch it but it would be even better if you had recaps then i would know whether it is worth watching or not :)
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145 calypso
April 2, 2010 at 11:06 PM
way disappointed.
maybe it's just me growing out of my kdrama craze, but all the shows have thus far been a disappointment, and largely it's about female portrayal. I don't know about viewer demographics--whether more women are watching these shows than men, how much Korea has changed in the past 5-10 years, what women these days want/are like etc...but, the female characters in these three dramas merge as the more emphatic players/key figures with regards to piecing the drama together (and by that I don't mean just plot or relationships, but in drawing the viewer in). and these women are just annoying, especially because they all refuse to consider another person's feelings/thoughts, they're all so self-centered that they fail to truly acknowledge the people around them.
1) Gae-In (Son Ye Jin for 'Personal Taste'): really? I mean really? I think SYJ's career as an actress has just stagnated. She's trying the whole bubbly, ditzy, dense, headstrong yet ignorant female (again?)...but I find her expressions and acting to be recycled from previous parts and characters, and far from being cute or touching I find it awkward and embarrassing to watch. Gae-In at this point seems idiotic and totally clueless. Sure I felt bad for her when she got dumped, but ... ok how often does ugly (but has a rich father) clueless (quick to jump to conclusions, really doesn't know how to take a hint), incompetent-bordering on dumb, messy slob get hot, neatfreak, smart guy in real life (on a sidenote:: SYJ looks washed out/tired/old...er and the over-acting gets annoying quick, too much naivete becomes idiocy )
2)Moon Geun Young - The Emo Female- I like when they voice her inner thoughts, but melodramatic jaded teen gets old how excusable is her rudeness and her distrust of others is overemphasized--it's almost a sickening self-pity.
btw is MGY anorexic? too skinny, ridiculous yet artistic running away scene, awkward extensions, & please please stop rolling your eyes (perfect drinking game--drink everytime she rolls her eyes)
3) SeoWoo - I think she's a great actress. But here I see alot of Beo-jin overlapping. and her acting young and cute doesn't play off so well. It's not convincing. at all. it's interesting at the same time. could cinderella really have been so egocentric/self-centered to attract all that hate? so maybe she was so well-loved/spoiled by her father and it might also be a personality issue that prevents her from noticing that people find her cheeriness and near-invasion of privacy and neediness annoying? at times (eg running around with middle finger in air) i wondered whether she was retarded/ is there a screw missing? but i feel it could develop into something more. she does seem older than MGY for some reason. the fact that kids are nice to her because her father is their parents' boss, and that eun-jo has to awaken her to the reality of the fact that some people just don't want to listen to her whole life story/find her annoying, and possible love triangle clashing of the future sounds interesting. but, the cuteness makes her seem older than younger and a simpleton at that.
4)Ma Hae-Ri - what I could not understand, was her continually complaining about how people refused to step in her shoes (er..stilettos?) and understand her point of view when she was unwilling to do step in theirs? spoiled brat? fine. but her impersonality just turns me off. I know they're all for personal change, but it's too exaggerated. it was all complain complain complain, nothing anyone said or did, even when everyone ostracized made her consider for even a second that maybe she herself was at fault. the least she could do was sympathize with her coworkers. she just ignored it all and thought everyone else was crazy. and her friend didn't really help...should've set her head straight. sure she does have the right to wear whatever she wants, but why be a prosecutor if you're unwilling to work with your clients?
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146 iceebart
April 3, 2010 at 12:55 AM
i love Prosecutor Princess.it was soo funny for me.i like romantic comedy shows than melodrama.i'm not saying i hate melodramas or dramas, but that is what i really like :) Prosecutor Princess is funny :) hehe :P
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147 lalala
April 3, 2010 at 6:43 AM
i like prosecutor princess at this moment..
ma hye ri character such as very bubly and strong...
kim so yeon make this character alive eventhough this drama is just a simple but attractive actually...
myb CS and PT is better than PP, but i prefer a simple and nice drama then...
and PP show that rather tah CS and PT.
i love PP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!KIM SO YEON TOO.......
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148 gee
April 3, 2010 at 9:28 PM
loved personal taste... can't wait for more episodes.
i missed that feeling of anticipation for new episodes!
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149 schatzky
April 3, 2010 at 10:13 PM
watch Personal Taste with English Sub at viikii.net :). I'd waited a long time to see this, I'm happy that the moment finally arrived wahahahaha cheeEeeRrrRSSsS
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150 paperdolls
April 4, 2010 at 12:47 AM
was able to watch all 3, and altho, all were appreciated, prosecutor princess was the best for me. It suited more my personal taste with its more appealing storyline and characters. Kim So Yeon carries out her role with so much charisma and energy, and so with all the cast. Much more appealing plot too. Love, love, love it so much!
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