Too Much Disposable Income: Brookstone is Now a Sex Shop?

Brookstone Outlet Store, Kittery Maine

Brookstone Outlet Store, Kittery Maine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you been to your local Brookstone lately? For those of you who are unaware, Brookstone sells electronic gadgets similar to the now defunct Sharper Image. I consider Brookstone another one of those places you go when you have too much diposable income and/or are looking for latest greatest technology to buy that you are convinced will make your life easier.

During Sharper Image’s going out of  business sale I had a field day, thus I haven’t felt a need to enter any gadget store in a while. I still don’t know how to fully utilize the stuff I have now, which includes a satellite clock radio with some very complicate weather predictions. However, after riding the plane and feeling bored I picked up SkyMall, the notorious catalogue of stuff for people who have too much disposable income. I must say that the assortment of gargoyles are looking much better these days. Although, I still do not feel the need for any Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings jewelry. Nonetheless, there were some gadgets that caught my eye. This was the start of me subconsciously thinking that I need some more gadgets.

So on my latest trip to the mall, in which I was accompanied by mother, I was drawn to Brookstone. I was already excited by the new outdoor speaker for the ipod/iphone that included several cool lighting features, when I saw the neck massagers. Side Note: apparently, experts are now using a life vest design for neck massagers, but what they don’t realize is that it is really an upper back massager. The new massagers were on the right in the front of the store along with foot massagers and personal massagers.

In the personal massagers section, they had the massagers that  look like microphones, which are used to pinpoint areas of stress. As I looked down, I couldn’t figure out why the microphones were getting smaller. Then, I saw a massager that was a ring. I was like “Wow, I guess you can massage one finger at a time.” Then, I put all the context clues together and looked at my mom, waiting for confirmation. My mom said, “That looks like a dildo.” Then we started cracking up, when a salesman approached us and said “It is what you think it is.” He then followed it up with, you should contact Brookstone about this, because I am having a hard time with it being on my sales floor.

Open Letter to Brookstone:

Dear Brookstone,

I think it is great that you have provided a place where people can easily access products for pleasure and believe that you could become a market leader. Note to Self: Find out more about Brookstone’s financials.  However, please be aware that trying to slip products for pleasure in the personal massage section is very uncouth. Second, if it a product for pleasure, say it and write a proper description of what the product does. Third, I am sure that you could sell more product, if you put these products in the back of the strore. People need to time to peruse without the glare of unapproving bystanders.

Sincerely,

Peevish Magnifying Glass

Click Here for Brookstone’s Personal Massagers, which once again commingles products for stress and pleasure. Lelo is the key terminology that differentiates the products.

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I Want One: Native Unions’s Retro Pop Phone

Lenny Kravitz using phone via Flickr by farm8

A while ago, I got into an argument with a lady who works at Wendy’s. She stated that it was dangerous to have your cell phone so close to your ears. I was using my headphones at the time. I was wondering how far away is my phone supposed to be.

I joked with a friend about an idea called “cell mate.” (Patent is very close to pending.) A “cell mate” is a long cord with a receiver  attached to cell phone that  sits in a radio flyer wagon. Envision placing your cell phone in a radio flyer wagon and dragging it. At the same time, you would use your other hand to to hold the receiver.

I was hoping that this would address the concern that the lady from Wendy’s had about radio frequencies. I was predicting that 5 ft would be enough to put her apprehension of using a cell phone with headphones to rest. Although, since I was unable to find the time to do market research, I put the idea on hold. Apparently, someone else was able to complete the study about the proper distance accepted by apprehensive cell phone consumers.

Native Union found that the retro “Pop Phone” with an approximately 3 feet cord reduces radiation absorbed by the head by 95%. In addition to reducing radiation, these phones also give you that cool 1980s feel. I discovered the design while watching Taiwanese Drama Skip Beat and ever since, I believe that the possibilities for this phones are boundless. As phones get thinner and thinner, this huge phone attachment seems like a necessary anomaly.

Every now and then, people want to use an older method of performing an action, because it makes it seem more real. Apparently, holding a big block to your head and talking is one of these actions. Some other examples include: taking the steps instead of the escalator or elevator, going inside of a gas station to pay, doing math calculations using paper, walking to another person’s desk to talk, maintaining friendships by meeting with people offline, and watching t.v. in real time.

Plus, cool people look cooler when they use it! (See Lenny Kravitz above.) Nerdy people look cute. See manager in Skip Beat.

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Taiwanese Drama Review: Skip Beat/ Extravagant Challenge

Skip Beat is available on Viki.

Skip Beat via Wikipedia

Note: I will refer to this drama as Skip Beat, because in my eyes it is a better name than Extravagant Challenge.

SYNOPSIS:

Gong Xi (Ivy Chen) was abandoned by her mom at an early age. Her childhood best friend’s family took her in. Gong Xi’s best friend was a guy named Bu Po Shang (Donghae). Shang lived and breathed music, but his parents had other plans for him. Shang’s parents wanted him to takeover their hotel. Shang’s parents also had plans for Gong Xi; they bred her to become the wife of a hotel president i.e. Shang’s wife. Shang was not into the excessive control his parents exercised and he ran away. Of course, Shang asked his best friend, Gong Xi, to make the journey to Taipei with him.

Gong Xi lived for Shang, even though she had troubles of her own, including being abandoned by her mother. Gong Xi would never let Shang see her hurt, because she did not want to trouble Shang. Thus, Shang became oblivious to Gong Xi’s needs and became selfish. Gong Xi only got comfort from “Corn,” a guy she met by her neighborhood creek. Corn was able to obliviate her sorrow by providing her with a purple rock keepsake. Thus, after Gong Xi’s encounters with “Corn” she formulates in her mind that he is a mythical man that can do anything. Gong Xi believes Corn no longer needs the rock because he has enough power to overcome all his obstacles on his own. One of those obstacles is surpassing the success of  his father. Nevertheless, Gong Xi’s time with “Corn” was cut short when he moved away.

At first, it was Shang and Gong Xi against the world. Gong Xi gives up an acceptance to college in order to join Shang in Taipei. When they first arrive, everything is going great in their relationship, even though Gong Xi has to work several jobs to support Shang while he pursues his music dreams. Nevertheless, as Shang’s music starts to become popular, their relationship changes. Shang no longer values Gong Xi and sees her more as a doormat. This is partially due to the fact that Gong Xi lets Shang treat her that way and Gong Xi gives Shang everything.

Gong Xi ignores all the signs that their relationship has changed until she catches Shang flirting with his manager after a performances. Shang tells Gong Xi that he doesn’t want to be with her or go along with his parents’ plans for their relationship. Shang also says that Gong Xi is nothing without him and can’t become famous on her own. In that moment, Gong Xi becomes possessed by demons and accepts Shang’s challenge. Gong Xi vows that she will become famous and have her revenge on Shang.

Gong Xi, who has no experience in acting or other entertainment skills, tries out for Taiwan‘s top agency, L.M.E. Through a series of ordeals and pleading, Gong Xi’s passion succeeds in helping her to get her foot through the L.M.E. door. Although, Gong Xi is at the bottom of the totem poll. Gong Xi is placed in a new department called the “Love Me” department. It features artists who have potential, but have a long way to go before they can debut. “Love Me” department members have to do tasks, sometime menial, for other people at L.M.E.. If they succeed they are rewarded or punished with stamps that add or take away from a “Love Me” team members score. If a trainee gets enough points they can graduate from the “love me” team and be a certified artist. In the beginning, Gong Xi is the only member and she is required to wear a bright pink jumpsuit.

One person who is not amused by Gong Xi is Dun He Lian (Siwon). Lian is extremely irked by Gong Xi’s presence within the company. Lian immediately recognizes that Gong Xi does not want to become an actor for the art alone. Lian knows that Gong Xi has other motivations. When Gong Xi admits to Lian that she is solely there to get revenge on Shang, Lian becomes even more appalled. Lian then pushes Gong Xi to become a better person and a better actor. Lian hopes that eventually Gong Xi will give up her need for revenge and wants her to avoid Shang in the meantime.

Shang has always disliked Lian and his ultimate goal is to become a bigger star than Lian, a scheme which Gong Xi knew about. Shang feels betrayed by Gong Xi when he finds out that Gong Xi is now working with Lian. Shang starts to have second thoughts about letting Gong Xi go, because Gong Xi is becoming a different person under Lian’s tutelage.

Moreover, Lian and all the other people around him, recognize that Gong Xi is changing Lian too. Lian becomes an even greater actor. Is it due to that fact that Gong Xi is Lian’s purple rock?

REVIEW:

1/2

Hmmm, if you just read the synopsis above you probably are a little excited. The premise for Skip Beat is excellent and it originated from that manga. The final product was a problem of directing and the script. There was a real lack of direction in the execution of the script and there were moments of utter boredom. This may be due to fact that the script was turning into an acting 101 class. Delving deeper, I would say that there were too many internal dialogues and telepathic conversations, bad dubbing of Lian and Shang’s voices, anachronistic haircuts for Gong Xi, a lackluster ending, and too extreme of a focus on the art of acting. However, if you are an actor, then you may find this drama more interesting. On top of all of these problems, I still finished it, but that was mostly because it was only 14 45-minute episodes.

How did I get here? I watched the Korean Drama Oh My Lady which also starred Siwon and that was pretty good. Note: Siwon is apart of K-Pop group Super Junior. There were still several positive points about this drama and most of them were Continue reading →

Yes, Wild Turkeys Can Fly! (They don’t just trot.)

Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving Turkey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Am I the only one that did not know this? Maybe it is because when I made them in arts in crafts I never was told to show them with their full wingspan. It could also be due to the fact that there are not enough flying turkey pictures. I thought that they were similar to chickens, where they could lift off the ground and glide for about 5 feet. However, after three encounters with wild turkeys on roads, I have made an about face.

Unfortunately, turkey number one was a hit and run. I was a passenger in the car that ran a turkey over on a highway with barriers on the sides. For the life of me, I could not figure out how it got on the highway and suddenly appeared in front of car. It was messy…. However, this messy event peeked my suspicion.

The second turkey I saw was also in the middle of the street, but this one flew about 10 feet from the street and perched itself on a the top of a hill by the side of the road. That was when I thought turkey’s were like chickens, gliding hear and there. I figured that this second turkey must have been a case of turkey exceptionalism, because I hadn’t seen anything like it.

Turkey number three took the cake. I was riding through the countryside and was enjoying the scenic view. While driving between a hill that had been blasted through, meaning that rock/earth aligned the road, a turkey flew over the car from one side on of the hill to the other. In my eyes,  when a bird starts flying twenty-five feet and it actually makes an arc, it’s flying.

Turkey number three was probably 20lbs based on my previous Thanksgiving shopping experiences. Seeing a bird with that big of a body fly in this day and age is a true feet of nature.  So, I just wanted to take some time to appreciate turkeys for something other than being delicious sleep aid.

The commentary for this flying turkey video is kind of hilarious, but it can also be found to be annoying. Understated Tip: You can always mute the sound.

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Happy Very Belated St. Patrick’s Day: Hopefully You Did Not Celebrate It in a Paddy Wagon

Paddywagon, 1909

Paddywagon, 1909 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Note: Its been a while. This post, along with several others, was supposed to get done earlier. But, I live by the mantra “Procrastinators Unite… Tomorrow.” There are t-shirts available here.

Anyways, a question hit me while I was in Boston for St. Patricks Day; what is the etymology of the term Paddy Wagon. Did it have anything to do with “Paddy”? The answer to that question is most likely yes. Thus, next time you see a police van: 1) be happy that you are not in it and 2) be happy that you are not an Irishman living in America in the early 1930s.

Under both theories regarding the origin of the term Paddy Wagon, the realities are harsh. The first theory is based on the fact that early in the early 1900s Irishmen made up a sizable amount of many police forces. I am pretty sure this still rings true today. However, can you imagine how complex it would be to be a police officer during the Great Depression?  The second theory relies on conjecture; there was a lot of crime among Irish immigrants.

Hope you have an even better St. Patrick’s Day next year with a Guinness and a hotel within walking distance. Hopefully, my post celebrating it will be earlier.

Side Note: I also noticed that wordpress does not automatically capitalize “i”—> annoying.

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The Trouble with Bathrooms

English: photo of toilet seat

Image via Wikipedia

Lack of Toilet Seat Covers: We could save a lot of trees by putting toilet seat covers in bathrooms. I waste a lot of paper trying to form a do-it-yourself toilet seat cover. It seems that whenever I put the second sheet on, one piece or both falls down the drain. I am not sure if there is a mandate in California, but I greatly appreciate there being toilet seat covers everywhere. In O’Hare Airport they have these neat plastic rotating covers, but I don’t like the feel of the plastic as much.

No Paper Towels: Since the new thing is not to put paper towels in the bathroom to save on paper and to cut down on janitorial cost, then put in good hand dryers. Note: I don’t think that the lack of paper towels has anything to do with saving the earth. Thus, the Xlerator is the new standard, that dryer is strong. So good, I don’t mind initiating the cleaning process when I spill something on myself, because I know I will be dry when I walk out. The dyson is good too, but it seems that the touchless part is not really touchless, my hand always seem to hit the sides or the bottom. Also, it is harder to dry clothes.

No Trash Can or Insufficient Can: Just because you don’t offer paper towels, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t offer a trash can. I still have stuff to throw away.

Handles When Exiting the Bathroom: If you are going to place a handle on the door, please place it on the outside of the bathroom. I understand that people do not want to make contact with the door before using their toilet tissue, but it is really a waste of time washing one’s hands if you have to touch a handle on the way out. Also, the germaphobes can wash before and after, if needed.

Ladies Need a Space for Their Stuff: I hate sitting stuff on the floor, so if you choose to have a tank then get one with a flat top. I don’t like having to worry whether stuff will fall off. If there is no tank then make the feminine product box big enough to sit something on or put in a flip down shelf.

Department Store Bathrooms: Probably the number one reason I go into really nice department stores and get sucked into shopping is because I like to go to nice bathrooms. I prefer ones with waiting rooms, floor to ceiling stalls, tissue, and adequate counter space. Macy’s take note, because I feel like your bathrooms haven’t been update in at least  ten years.

Food: I often don’t go to places that don’t let customers use the bathrooms. I am just saying.

Handicap Stalls: There should be more handicap stalls.  Not just for handicapped people, but for people like me who think that people should be able to do their business at least one foot from their neighbor.

The First Stall: It is the cleanest. Use it, but don’t tell other people. Since I shared this with you, please remember it is now part of your duty to keep this one clean. For more information, here is an interesting article about dirty bathrooms and stall selection.

Places I Don’t Go:

  • Toilets in the wilderness without doors, because it’s where you are most vulnerable
  • Bathrooms located on the outside of gas station. Again, it just doesn’t seem safe and they are often overlooked for cleaning.
  • Taco Bell, Chipolte, or any place that serves a lot beans.
  • Bathrooms in places where they mostly serve kids.
  • Nightclubs and Bars after 1am.
  • The Pool.

I Want One: Nike FuelBand, More Than An Upgraded Pedometer

Mike Parker, CEO de @Nike, lanzando el Nike+ F...

Do you really need it? No. But, can you easily justify the purchase? Yes.

The Nike FuelBand is a bracelet that monitors your activity with a 3-axis accelerometer.  The accelerometer measures calories burned through your movements and steps taken. Also, Nike has set up a software that allows users of the bracelet to measure the amount of activity they do each day through NikeFuel points earned. The software is similar to Nike+, because it allows users to set daily goals, create challenges, show milestones, make records, share accomplishments through social networks, personalize results, and track progress.

Worries… Well there are a lot of privacy concerns, given that Nike will now have an undisclosed amount of health information about its customers. However, today most people have already given up on privacy, whether they know it or not. Furthermore, knowing all of this, I still want one.

Others do too. Nike FuelBands have been sold out everywhere for a while. Nike stores are tweeting when they get more in stock, which creates a mad rush to that particular store. I will wait for my local store to tweet.

Note: They are also out of stock online.

Note: I am not in no way related to Nike i.e. I am an unpaid fan helping Nike to increase their bottom line.

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Real Men Wear Wrangler Jeans?: The U versus the V

English: Wordmark of Wrangler Jeans. Trademark...

Image via Wikipedia

Are Wrangler 5 Star Premium Jeans going to be the new status symbol for manliness? This commercial with Brett Favre says so…

Transcript:

They say a guy should try to get out of his confort zone every now and then.

But at Wrangler, we just don’t see it that way.

That’s why Wrangler 5 star premium denim jeans are made with a U shape construction.

They don’t cut into you like jeans with a V pattern.

So, you are always right in the zone.

Room where you need it, comfort where it counts.

Wrangler, Real comfortable jeans.

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Korean Drama Review: The First Shop of Coffee Prince

The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince

Image via Wikipedia

Coffee Prince is available on HULU and Viki.

SYNOPSIS:

Go Eun Chan (Yoon Eun Hye) is the hardest working part-timer tomboy in Korea. Eun Chan splits her time between waitressing, sewing on doll eyes, cracking chestnuts, teaching taekwondo, waitressing, being a milkman, and delivering food. The 24-year-old Eun Chan works nonstop to support her sister who has informed her family that she plans to enter college and her mother who is a shopaholic. Eun Chan has no time for herself, instead of pursuing her own dreams, she seems to be caught up in the drudgery of day to day life.

One day she delivers food to the apartment of a handsome guy in a towel. This handsome guy in a towel is Choi Han Kyul (Gong Yoo), the heir to a food conglomerate that specializes in selling coffee beans. When Eun Chan walks in, she is shocked, whereas Han Kyul thinks nothing of it, because he mistakes Eun Chan for a guy. Eun Chan is often mistaken for a guy, due to her hair cut and wardrobe. After delivering food, Eun Chan rushes out of Han Kyul apartment extremely embarrassed.

However, that is not the last of Han Kyul. Han Kyul has just returned from abroad and is getting in touch with all of his old friends, including a woman he has had a crush on for nine years, Han Yoo Joo (Chae Jung Ahn). Unfortunately,  Yoo Joo dated his cousin Choi Han Seong (Lee Sun Gyun). Yoo Joo has also returned to Korea, because she has finally realized that Han Seong is the one after leaving him heartbroken. Despite knowing Yoo Joo’s true feelings, Han Kyul cannot give up on Yoo Joo. Han Kyul continues to hang out with Yoo Joo, even though he knows he has been friend-zoned.

One night while Han Kyul is out with Yoo Joo, a robber tries to snatch Yoo Joo’s purse. When the robber appears Han Kyul is not around. Fortunately, Eun Chan is on her motorbike, see the robbery, and chases the robber down. Eun Chan reclaims Yoo Joo’s purse, but ruins her bike in the process. While taking down the robber, Eun Chan realizes that the robber is Hwang Min Yeop, a guy that has a crush on her sister. Min Yeop explains to Eun Chan that he is trying to get money to pay for Eun Chan’s sister’s music classes. Min Yeop then conceives a plan to make it look like Min Yeop escaped her grip.

In the meantime, Han Kyul has reappeared and watches the act that Min Yeop and Eun Chan put on. Yoo Joo is thankful for Eun Chan’s help, but Han Kyul sees right through it. Han Kyul says that he will pay for the repairs to Eun Chan’s bike, if Eun Chan admits that the whole thing was a set up. Eun Chan rejects his offer and leaves disheartened. Since, Eun Chan no longer has a bike, so she is out of a job.

That loss in income is a real problem for Eun Chan and her family. Now, Eun Chan is forced to choose between money and her dignity. If Eun Chan takes the money from Han Kyul, she will be admitting that she is a schemer, but if she doesn’t her family will not be able to pay the rent. Eun Chan succumbs to Han Kyul’s wishes and admits that it was all a set up. When Eun Chan finally meets up with Han Kyul he gives her less than what she is expecting, but provides he with another offer. Han Kyul, who is still under the impression that Eun Chan is a guy, asks Eun Chan to act as his lover, so that his family will not set him up on anymore dates.

Han Kyul is almost 30 and has never had a real purpose, therefore, his family is fed up with his lack of direction and wants to get him settled and participating in family business as soon as possible. Han Kyul is trying to avoid the life planned by his parents at all cost. Han Kyul wants to use a gay lifestyle as an opportunity to prevent him from following his parent’s plans. When Han Kyul makes the offer to Eun Chan, who is now desperate for money, it is an offer she cannot refuse. Nonetheless, Eun Chan has no clue what she is in for.

While Eun Chan is acting like Han Kyul’s boyfriend, she starts falling for him. Eun Chan is torn and has no one to talk to except for Terry, the dog who stays at one of the houses on her milk route. Terry’s owner happens to be Han Seong, Han Kyul’s cousin and Yoo Joo’s ex-girlfriend. Eun Chan and Han Seong eventually meet and bond as they discuss the problems that they are having in their relationships, leading to a new love line.

Furthermore, Han Kyul’s family has not given on up on Han Kyul’s future outside of love; they still see him as the successor to the family business. Starting small, Han Kyul has now been tasked with the mission of running a coffee shop to sell his family’s coffee from. When Eun Chan learns of Han Kyul’s plan to open a coffee shop employing attractive males, she volunteers herself for the job. Seeing Eun Chan’s work ethic, Han Kyul hires her.  Min Yeop also finagles himself into the Coffee Shop, along with a cast of other intriguing characters.

Questions: Will Han Kyul parents finally be proud if the coffee shop be a success? Will Han Kyul fall for Eun Chan, despite the fact that he thinks he is a guy? Will Han Seong ever get back together with Yoo Joo, despite the way she left him? Will Eun Chan ever pursue her own dreams?

REVIEW:

To be truthful, I wasn’t quite sure how much I enjoyed Coffee Prince, the first time I watched it, although I realized it was top tier.  At the time, I truly did not value all of the factors that it had going for it. Most good dramas have a few ingredients that make it stand out, but not enough to watch it over and over and over. My doubts may have been a result me believing that there really was not much meat left to the story after Han Kyul discovers that Eun Chan is a woman, but oh there was so much more. Continue reading →

Korean Drama Review: Flower Boy Ramyun Shop

Flower Boy Ramyun Shop is available on DramaFever.

Credit as labeled via Soompi

SYNOPSIS:

Yang Eun Bi (Lee Chung Ah) is a 25 year old college student studying for her civil service exam to become a teacher. Eun Bi is in complete study mode from her clothes to her disdain of people who publicly exhibit affection in her study area. Nevertheless, Eun Bi is still on the look out for a potential boyfriend with the economic stability of a 30 year old and who drives a cool car to work while wearing a suit. Instead of a 30 year old, she is stuck with 19 year old Cha Chi Soo (Jung Il Woo).

Eun Bi first meets Chi Soo under peculiar circumstances; he follows her into a bathroom stall and unbeknownst to him seduces her. Eun Bi mistakes him for a stalker that has been attacking girls on campus, but Chi Soo is just trying to hide. After the initial moment of flirtation is over, Eun Bi mistakes him for the man of her dreams, since he is wearing a suit, looks older, and drives a nice car. When Eun Bi follows him to her workplace, a his high school, and realizes that he is  actually wearing a uniform.

After bumping into Chi Soo several times, Chi soo starts to become attracted to Eun Bi. Chi Soo is a spoiled son of a food conglomerate, who hates girls who cry. Suprisingly, Chi Soo overlooks Eun Bi’s faults, including the fact that she cried over her ex-boyfriend in front of him, and starts hitting on Eun Bi when she becomes his teacher. Since Eun Bi realized that Chi Soo is not as old as she thought, Eun Bi no longer likes Chi Soo. However, Chi Soo’s persistence and comforting spirit change her mind.

Chi Soo and Eun Bi stay together after the death of Eun Bi’s father whose Ramyun Shop she has to help takeover, after they discover Eun Bi is promised to her father’s cute narcoleptic apprentice and ramyun shop successor Choi Kang Hyuk (Lee Ki Woo), and after Chi Soo’s family disapproves of his relationship with Eun Bi. Chi Soo is dedicated to winning Eun Bi and even accepts a job at the Ramyun shop under Kang Hyuk to remain in her presence. Although, no matter how great Chi Soo’s actions are, they cannot avoid the fact that Eun Bi is 24, 25, or 26 and Chi Soo is 19.

There is also another adorable love line in the form of Ba Wool (Park Min Woo) and So Yi. So Yi is Chi Soo’s ex-girlfriend who he is literally using as a place holder until Eun Bi will agree to be with him. So Yi uses Chi Soo to make Ba Wool jealous, so she doen’t mind the fact Chi Soo is not as interested in her. Ba Wool is one of the runaways that Eun Bi’s father took care of at the Ramyun Shop. Eun Bi’s father’s ramyun shop is located outside the high school that Eun Bi and Ba Wool attend, however most of its customers are underpriviledged kids who need free meals and guidance. Thus, Ba Wool is like a younger brother to Eun Bi and he agrees to help at the Ramyun shop after the death of Eun Bi’s father. Ba Wool is over protective of Eun Bi and is unhappy about Eun Bi and Chi Soo’s relationship. Ba Wool’s unhappiness is aggregated by the fact that So Yi is still dating Chi Soo, while he and So Yi are dating.

REVIEW:

This drama is like a beach book; it is light, airy, quick, happy, and satisfying. For instance, as good as Scent of Woman was, it was really draining. At the same time, this would mean that it is not groundbreaking and lacks depth. By lacks depth, Boys over Flowers had more depth.  3 stars for this unoriginally satisfying drama redux. Sidenote: Yes, I am very behind in my Korean Drama reviews, but I will try my best to dish them out over the next few days.

Easy Watching:  Perfect zone out weekend drama. If you just want to feel good, it makes you feel good. Moreover, the viewer is not really given any new interesting storylines. This drama is actually a combination of scenes from Boys Over Flowers, My Lovely Sam Soon, Love Actually, and Personal Taste, which makes me happy because I like all of those pieces. Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy. There are some sad parts, but hopefully you are like me and don’t feel them. The characters never could make me cry, and in some parts they even made me laugh when I knew I shouldn’t. The only thing that would have made me cry was her father’s death, but it happened too early for me to have an attachment.

Funny Moments: The writers know how to be funny. From the description of Eun Bi’s ideal man, they had me hooked. Bathroom stalker scene was one of the most hilarious meet-cute’s I’ve seen. They followed that up with Chi Soo’s car being put up on blocks. Then on top of that Eun Bi decided not to come home over a slap from her Dad over cigarettes. I am not sure if that was supposed to be funny or serious, but I found it funny.

Kang Hyuk: Kang Hyuk’s character kind of disappears at the end of this drama, but at the beginning of the drama his storyline is brilliant. He has a picture of Eun Bi that he dreams of his whole life à la City Hunter. Kang Hyuk hugs Eun Bi after her father dies and she thinks it is a dream. Then Kang Hyuk starts living with Eun Bi and she is unaware that he is there. Finally, when Eun Bi and Kang Hyuk start communicating, Kang Hyuk  automatically assumes the role of husband. I almost died when Kang Hyuk took the door off of Eun Bi’s room to ensure that Chi Soo would not try to steal his girl. In addition, there is his random sleeping habits.

Chi Soo’s father: Again these characters are really well written, Chi Soo father is all about work. Chi Soo and his father live in a penthouse on top of the corporation. I think this is too much, but there must be some real benefits since Diane Von Furstenberg does it too. See it here. Side Note: I love that this article is labeled apartment porn. That is a perfect segway to Chi Soo’s father’s obssession with the hot tub. I mean one out of every two scenes he is in the hot tub. If he is not in the hot tub, he is angry. If he is not angry, he is in the hot tub. However, there are a few moments where he is angry and in the hot tub —> ahhh! Anyways, drama fail when the person with their shirt off the most is someone’s older out of shape dad.

Eun Bi and Chi Soo: Regardless about how I felt about their acting, which didn’t lead me anywhere emotionally other than to laugh. I thought that they were a cute couple who had good chemistry. This is in spite of all the awkwardness I felt about the student-teacher relationship. I really never even thought about Eun Bi and Kang Hyuk together and I never thought Chi Soo would go back to So Yi. Viewers are rooting forthe main couple in light of the unimaginable plot, because of the strong dialogue. The characters and writers really expressed the feelings that the main characters had for each other well.

Highlights:

  • Knitting flower boy
  • Porsche to Infiniti downgrade ( I am sorry to the Infiniti drivers out there, it is just a fact.  Note: Vanquish to 911 Turbo is also a downgrade, even if the numbers are similar.)
  • Karaoke with toilet paper headbands
  • Fight scenes using high school desks
  • “I didn’t work here, because I missed her. I work here, because I had to see her.”
  • Good scenes only happen in bathrooms.
  • Gong Hyo-jin cameo
  • I just started playing Pandora in my car and the song that came on is expressing how I feel
  • Chi Soo is on a motorcycle and Ba Wool catches up with him on his bike
  • Chi Soo’s F5 versus Ba Wool’s Jets
  • The art of getting a leg cramps while watching a movie
  • The art of love. Lesson one: interrupt a kiss to tell the person you are kissing I am not done kissing yet. Lesson two: “Always stand beside me until I can get my sanity back.” Lesson three: lick the kimchi off your significant other’s fingers and then kiss her —> unsanitary in the Ramyun Shop. Lesson Four: saying “I’m your older brother and that woman is my wife, so she only sleeps with me” does not always work.
  • Naming cars Marie Antoinette, Paris Hilton, and Louis XVI
  • Ba Wool and So Yi’s confessions

Ugh:

  • I am always uncomfortable when there is a more than five year age gap and one of the people is still in college. See The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry. See also My Girlfriend is a Gumiho I am kind of tired of these Noona relationships. At least, let boys graduate from college, this was even worse, because he was in high school. I was throughly grossed out with the forehead kiss by Chi Soo in the high school gym. I know he is 18, but anything student-teacher is way awkward. When you thought one student teacher relationship was not enough, what was going on with Eun Bi’s high school volleyball coach and her best friend? Did their relationship also start when she was in high school, so much murkiness.
  • First kiss by father’s grave
  • “Can I stop acting like your guardian?” Yes, Kang Hyuk you can and you should have stopped earlier.
  • Insulting a woman’s bust size —> not cool. Guys its akin to judging you below the waist.
  • Was I supposed to get emotional while you are introducing each other’s ramyun dishes?
  • The “I didn’t write, because I would miss you too much” theory, hated it in My Lovely Sam Soon hated it here even more. You two live in the same country.

Again 3 stars, because of the deadpan humor. I am not sure, if this drama is supposed to be as funny as it is. There may be something lost in translation that makes this funnier to someone who identifies with western culture. If they weren’t trying to be a funny, then 2.5 stars.

Up Next: The illusive Secret Garden, Coffee Prince, or The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry.

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