Point2Entertainment : Reviews.Comments.Opinions

Bu Bu Jing Xin [O][2011][TV/China]

2012-02-14T01:14:00.000+08:00

WHY WHY TELL ME WHY
Bridget, like most is resisting the BBJX lure because after all, it is a Mainland China production and it ain't for the masses. Well not BBJX. Bridget asked me in Comments if she should watch BBJX and I wrote a long reply and after re-reading realised it is a rather good answer. So to everyone not yet on the BBJX bandwagon, either because you have no access or you can't understand Chinese (a minimum understand is of course required), here is my long reply why you must watch BBJX, short of a review which I have yet to complete;

-Insert your name here-..

*grabs shoulder*

-Insert your name here-...

*shakes back and forth*

-Insert your name hereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-

*shakes left and right*

Have I ever, ever, ever been wrong? Ok maybe I have but was I right about Galileo? Was I? If you must watch a Mainland China production, please stop picking up that Romance of 3 Kingdoms, banish Water Margin, put JTTW away for later and just go straight for the beautiful men version of the Qing Dynasty saga. Bu Bu Jing Xin I GUARANTEE will at least impress you in any one of these 3 factors;

1. costume/set
2. the story
3. 13th prince/4th prince combo or 8th prince/14th prince combo

Either way, Nicky Wu's first appearance will leave you wanting more. Maybe you will even like the girl also, I don't know. But I am damn sure you will love no. 1. But I feel at the end you will be very involved with no. 2 and will be arguing about no. 3.

All I ask is

a. watch in HD TV, PLEASE!
b. know mandarin at least those lovey dovey scenes. Anything else you can ask me I will explain in detail if I must!
c. be very patient from episodes 25 to 32. Do not skip, just go through it!
d. prepare lots and lots of tissue. You will cry or at least pretend not to cry at some point.

I hardly need to say it is one of the most frustrating, effective, affecting, romantic, sensual love story ever written. The time travelling is minimum factor. There are faults, it is slow, compared to TVB, it is snail slow but not as single minded sort of story like korean series or as flippant and casual as a japanese series or the acting as terrible as taiwanese idol drama series and it is not Qiong Yau series at all. It is in the end a very moving tragic love story. And you might like Kevin more in here or fall for Nicky but my heart is set on Yuan Hong's 13th prince, never cared for 14th much.

But before, you must read a little about kangxi-yongzheng reign to know a bit of background. Get the conspiracies right. And then discard them all away because this is not a historical drama. It is a idol drama. Period. But I tell you, after you watch this, you will realise TVB has cheapen themselves. Not even any budget spent on that Cursed series can ever compare to the attention to detail in the costume, cinematography (except those freaky blue screen scenes which almost always involve Nicky Wu) and the art of storytelling. After this, you may want to see more Mainland China series and that's when I shall recommend, if you haven't seen, my idea of a perfect series (got faults but min) that is Yong Zheng Wang Chao where you see same characters but different perspectives and someone has been busy copying from another!! But before you move to YZWC, I want you to fall in love with

1. qing dynasty
2. mainland china production
3. yongzheng

because if you don't love all 3, you will never get past episode 1 of YCWZ and you will never move to Kang Xi Di Guo and according to my sis, Qian Lung Wang Chao was as excellent.

In other words -Insert your name here-, treat yourself to the meaning of scrumptous production; BBJX is the first step. And in terms of looks, after BBKX, everything else pales in comparison but acting of course, there are others much better of course.

So what are you waiting for?!

GENERAL NOTICES
To everyone;

1. BBJX TV Schedule for everyone out of China/Taiwan, look for the awful title Scarlet Heart. Yes BBJX now has an English title, instead of the awesome Startling Surprises At Every Step, it is Scarlet Heart and it sounds like a woman with a very promiscuous heart. Needless to say, I hate this title.;

- MALAYSIA : ASTRO Zhi Zun Ch 310 on Sundays (9.30pm - 2 eps), repeats at Wed/Thurs (10.30pm - 1 ep) starting 11.12.2011. Sorry to say, no English/Malay subtitles and you can't even switch off the Chinese subtitles.

- SINGAPORE : Ch 8 Mediacorp from 16.01.2012. Time to be confirmed. I am very sure there will be English subtitles for this. Unless this is the pop in the DVD method again but very sure since Mediacorp always sub the shows. Always.

2. Buy BBJX with English subtitles (9 DVDs - not sure if DVD9 or DVD5 but however compressed will still be HD like quality) at Speedy Videos or similar at RM79-90. Should be region 3. Other versions are 12 DVDs (Gold collector's box, all DVD9 with various free goodies including OST), 14 DVDs (normal) and 7 DVDs (H-DVD ver). Caution! Not sure about the English subtitles whether University standard or Form 1 standard. The cover is one side 4th Prince and Ruoxi, the other side 8th prince and Ruoxi. There is another version with the poster as the cover; THAT ONE does not come with English subtitles and sold at RM59-90.

There are several versions more. Generally yesasia is exceedingly expensive, unless you absolutely have to, you can source other sources. Here is a general guideline and the look of the DVDs;

a. 7 DVDs - H-DVD version - Should be DVD 9 (Example)
b. 8 DVDs - Taiwan version - description said DVD 5 so frankly avoid this one (Example)
c. 9 DVDs - Should be DVD 9 also - so far the only English subtitled version (see 08.02.2012 post) (Buy here)
c. 12 DVDs - Collector's Box version - DVD 9, sound and picture HD version - comes with gifts (Example)
e. 14 DVDs - Normal version - DVD 9 - The version I got had several discs with muted sound so depends on your luck (Example)

3. Download MP4 versions (TV and DVD) here (links are dead thanks to megaupload being banned)

4. Download the OST here or the Gold collector's box OST can be found in this post (look for 11.12.2011 post)

5. See the official photobook (not for sale) here (find also various BBJX postings)

6. Read English translated version of the novel by Tong Hua here

7. Read various fan comments and plenty of pictures at SPCNET forum

8. I am not sure whether this is the published book version or internet novel version but here it is, the BBJX audio version. Kinda a lot of chapters in it. Still unsure until I hear some files. All in mp3s.

MY MUSINGS ON ALL THINGS BBJX
[12.02.2012] Probably 2 more episodes before the broadcast over at Ch 310 at ASTRO is over. I watched that episode where Ruoxi died and my heart breaks for poor 4th prince. Nearly cried again! Especially that scene about her handwriting, her drinking tea imagining him by his side, tears almost rolled down. Must compose myself!! Even after so long this series managed to break my heart.

[08.02.2012] Finally I found a post in SPCNET thread that talks about the quality of the English subs for that 9DVD release and it is not good, not good at all. Apparently first 4 episodes is good quality but it is ripped from fansub and that is not cool! The rest it seems is littered with bad grammar, bad spelling... but if you're desperate... that is the only copy with English subtitles. Believe me, I have seen the worst, that is All About Eve and thanks to that series, I can basically tune my brain to rearrange sentences so that it makes sense. As long as it is Malaysian Uni level, I can manage, I can manage very well. Alternatively, beg your Singaporean friends to record from the MediaCorp broadcast and reupload. Why? First, hardcoded subtitles. Second, guaranteed good quality English subtitles even if it is in simple mode. Unfortunately, no sign of such friends. Sigh... and here I am hoping book publishers might just translate BBJX novel and sell them in hardcopies. I will buy but it seems no one is even bothered.

There are more posts for this subject! Click "Click here to read more" to.. read more!!

[26.12.2011] I heard there's gonna be BBJX 2 filming starting 2nd half of 2012. My take is same cast, different story, modern setting. My hope if

1. stop dubbing Nicky's voice!
2. let Kevin be HK-er so no need to dub
3. Can for once Nicky have a happy ending with the leading lady as in not either of them dead?

That's about it. I can imagine all the scarfs and coats since wintery.

[15.12.2011] Great news! BBJX is coming to Mediacop Singapore from 16.01.2012 onwards and I guarantee this will have English subtitles and will be of NUS standard as well. Maybe someone will rip and upload? Anyone?

[12.12.2011] I was at another Speedy outlet and saw one China version BBJX release, this one with the poster as the cover at RM59-90. If you want subtitles, be careful because that one doesn't come with English subtitles. I suggest you pay RM20-00 more for the other one which I mentioned, and I checked; region free. Yeah!

[12.12.2011] However much I love BBJX, it does not even compare to Yong Zheng Wang Chao by a million miles. Luckily I did not write episodic thoughts for YZWC because I will die of exhaustion. I don't think I can even manage a review. Every scene is of significance, every dialogue is of importance, so action packed without really being action packed and the performances none I can fault, none! And the more I watch BBJX the more I want to go back to YZWC because every aspect in BBJX reminds me of YZWC which is true. A servant girl serving tea? Got! Falls for the emperor reluctantly? GOT! And more, so much more. And a plus point for YZWC is I recognise the places they filmed. Although of course the guys in BBJX is 1000 times hotter than YZWC, but the more I watch, the more I do think the key players in YZWC weren't that ugly. The best looking guy is 8th prince. I really miss the Kangxi in YZWC and am happy to have found someone uploaded all 44 episodes to youtube which I will post the links later. I know the dialogue is hard to understand, 10 words I can manage 5 words (as opposed to BBJX, 10 words, I can understand 8 since the majority is about love) but suffer you must if you wish for a series that fulfill ALL my requirements. I have a few grouses about YZWC but they're superficial. If you're intrigued by the 4th prince character and wish to know him more, YZWC is a must watch. However do get ready for the shock of your life; that actor ain't Nicky Wu in looks or sex appeal but hey, he's a better actor.

[12.12.2011] Terrible news. That Ch 310 version is 4:3 which made everyone's face look so big (though I can't remember if the DVD ver is 16.9 version so frankly maybe I was being way too sensitive), no English or Malay subtitles and can't even switch off the Chinese subtitles. Good news is the font so big blind also can read. Even more bad news is the soundtrack is like so loud, it was so noticeable, it was annoying. I checked back the MP4 I have with me and same music but a bit more background. I am still not sure if this is DVD or TV version but it stops where the DVD stops so it must be 35 episodes version. Yes, got CM breaks. Annoying! Great news is it is HD and oh my god, the details, everything, awesome. Terrible news is the more I watch Liu Shi Shi the more I feel she was inadequate. But excellent news is Nicky Wu is still handsomely cool as 4th and Kevin Cheng is still gentlemanly gallant as 8th although a bit creepy since you know, he is the brother in law. Other than that I predict the DVD now out for sale with English subtitles will see good business to those who can't understand Chinese. I tell you this much; you can give this series any English title, without any English subtitles, what's the use of giving it an English title?

[11.12.2011] You can find a longer OST version here but the one below is the OST that came with the gold collector's box version with 20 tracks, 3 of which are songs, the rest instrumentals that are quite the same with the other OST and yet somewhat different. I like both, but this OST I like because everything under the same roof. Great OST by the way. Some pictures taken with my Nokia N8;

I was kinda shocked that it came with English titles! But alas, the English is more Engrish than proper English and some terms are plain wrong in every way. But A++ for effort, if only the DVD came with English subtitles as well even if it could be subpar quality. The tracklist as below, the ones in italics are my comments;

Tracklist;
01 One persistent thought (themesong)
02 Seasons of change (That heart wrenching Liu Shi Shi song - need to confirm the title)
03 Three inches of heaven (end song)
04 Each step escape (Should be danger at every step or startling surprises at every step)
05 Weird dream
06 Don't be fighten (Sigh! FrightenED)
07 The castle (The palace perhaps?)
08 Evil
09 Strange
10 Depress (DepressED?)
11 King's arrival (Should be Emperor's arrival)
12 Kung fu
13 Love
14 Delighten cheer (Enlightened cheer or delighted cheer? - Anyway favourite instrumental)
15 Magical
16 Naughty girl (Favourite instrumental song!)
17 Evil sisters
18 Don't leave
19 Sadness
20 Chase the peak

My gift to all BBJX lovers or would be lovers. Collect all the OST versions, supplement one another! So here it is, all 20 tracks zipped, MP3s in 83.76MB. (TIPS : Register free acct at Multiupload.com and log in, click on link below and download from the Multiupload direct link for faster download);

<< DOWNLOAD OST HERE >>

[11.12.2011] Great news! To all BBJX lovers in Malaysia, you can now buy the English subtitled 35 episodes DVD (in 9 DVDs - China versions is either 12 DVDs (gold collection), 14 DVDs (normal) and 7 DVDS (h-DVD version) so frankly I can't be sure if 9DVDs as in DVD5 or DVD9) at Speedy Videos at RM79-90 which is cheaper than in Yesasia but 100% more expensive than if you buy in China BUT with ENGLISH SUBTITLES. I am not sure about the quality of the video (DVD9? Doubt it but should still be HD even if compressed into DVD5) or the quality of the subtitles (these days should be rather ok so I think it is worth a chance since you don't exactly have other choices) but the box is hardcover, one side has Ruoxi with 8th prince, at the other Ruoxi with 4th prince and the grammatically correct intro at the top side and the DVD detaols at the bottom side. Not sure if Region 3 only since I didn't check but I think it should be since this is released for region 3 DVDs. Best part is it is only RM79-90 and frankly I think it is worth it. I shall resist since I already have the gold collector's box but I am very curious about the subtitle and what is in the box. If you bought this version please do share what it is like using Post A Comment. If the Ch310 version is English subtitles, I think we can all basically assume the quality is the same. I am resisting! RESISTING! Since I sorta know the dialogue already. But if the English subtitles is top notch, I think I shall resist no more. The gold collection is DVD 9 in 12DVDs. I wonder what about this 9 DVDs?

[11.12.2011] A reminder. Malaysian viewers can watch this series over at ASTRO Ch 310 (Zhi Zun HD) starting tonight. I believe Sundays are 2 episodes, starting at 9.30pm whilst the weekdays will be Wed, Thurs & Fri at 10.30pm, one episode each. Just look for the title SCARLET HEART (URGHHHHHH) as in minus the URGHHHHHH because seriously, for once, some things are better not given English title. This will forever be BU BU JING XIN! Anyway Speedy Video I am told is selling the DVD for RM80 or thereabouts, not sure HD, not sure DVD9, not sure got subtitles. I don't need the subtitles since my mind is auto tuned to the dialogue from the recaps I read from the net. I tell you, the collector's box is worth it for a huge fan but let me check out the Speedy Video version first. Subtitles may be sketchy. Why can't Chinese fans be like those Japanese fans who hard sub the whole thing, like Galileo?

[08.12.2011] A reminder. This series will be broadcast over at Ch 310 in HD on ASTRO starting this Sunday, time should be 10.30pm. Expect the kissing scenes to be censored!

Meanwhile, some favourite moments; starting with THAT kiss.

Another favourite but THIS wasn't in the series by the way. Can you imagine 4th prince like that??

And of course the real Yong Zheng's handwriting (wow wow wow - wonder what he wrote?)

[05.12.2011] Saw a longer preview on ASTRO and BBJX now has an English title. Nope, not Startling Surprises At Every Step which in retrospect is the better title to this new one; SCARLET HEART. Which made me think of Ruoxi being promiscous. Seriously, Scarlet Heart? Seriously?! Anyway wrong info; Broadcast in 310 channel on 11th December!!

[02.12.2011] Thank you BBJX fans for changing my perspective. Even if it is wrong (incestous you see!), it is also quite right.

[02.12.2011] Anyone interested in buying the official boxset of BBJX, you might want to see the collector's boxset. If you're in China or if you know Chinese, you can buy online here I think. But if you don't know how or don't know Chinese, or any credit card for that matter, you can get assistance from an agent/deputy such as this one and buy from this person in taobao. The price including the postage (if you use EMS and do use EMS) will be about 100% more than the retail price but for any huge fans of BBJX, this boxset is beautiful, but I can't verify for the DVD quality as I haven't watched yet. The danger is the DVD itself may be spoiled. But from what I can see on the surface, looks ok. The box is 1.2kg in all, so you can start calculating the postage. But the links I point to you are credible seller and credible deputy.

What you will find in the box is the 12 DVD9 HD, mousepad, poster, bookmarks of major characters, stickers, playing cards (yes! playing cards! but not very good quality) and the official OST (which I will upload later). Frankly all items are just ok quality but the box itself is beautiful and hardbox. In fact most China DVDs are in hard boxes but since this item is probably about the same price with the other emptier version from yesasia, might as well get this jam packed version. I bought the same version you can find in yesasia from China, at half the price but the first few DVDs' sound were much muted down, I hated it! So I ended up buying a new version, the sound I tested is so far so good. If you want to save money, you can always download the HD version and burn it yourself, which I would have if I could but somehow my software just refuses to convert and burn so I got frustrated and decided to buy.

[29.11.2011] Great news!! ASTRO Ch 310 will be showing BBJX in its full HD glory in December, I believe after that aweful new HZGG series. I am now conflicted. I know it will look gorgeous on screen but I have seen BBJX a total of 2 times. I have my Gold collector's box that I have yet to watch (which will mean 3rd time) and if I were to record and watch on ASTRO, that will be 4th time and will it be overkill? Or should I just stop at ep 25? Anyway not sure ASTRO is 35 episodes or not, there will be ads so it may be the TV version. But how can I resist all the pores and shiny bald heads and gorgeousness riding on horses and the beautiful costumes on HD? But my DVDs are HD though. How? HOW?! I can't bear the free flowing tears onscreen or offscreen. I can't bear to fall in love and have my heart broken with 4th and 13th prince and feel tremendous pity for 8th prince and his d'fujin. I can't! I can't! But HD wor... imagine episode 1, 4th prince galloping on that horse towards me (I mean Ruoxi)... let me think first.

[18.11.2011] I wonder what happens to all the costumes now that the filming is way over and way done with? Exhibition? A BBJX tour park museum something? Recycled? One set given to the actors' as remembrance like what Peter Jackson and LOTR team did?

[15.11.2011] I found the following in SPCNET thread on this series and to tell you the truth, I was struck by the beauty of the way these photos were photographed. No doubt they were photoshopped, extensively but you can't fake the arrangement. I love how the modern (west) meets the past (east) with a simple gesture like a brush, a book, a fan... stunningly beautiful, even Liu Shi Shi managed to look beautiful when normally I find her plain. Where are the rest? I want to see the rest! Beautiful. And yes, I do think Nicky wrote the words. Beautiful calligraphy. And I just realise Nicky adds about 3 inches to his height thanks to his hair! Anyway beautiful photographed pictures. And yes, I am still into BBJX. Had to. Rewatched the DVD, and didn't like the quality of first 17 episodes. I think I will just sell the DVD I have for 30% of the price with the proviso ep 1 to 17's sound is a tad muted and I ripped the inside to accommodate my own CD storage. Not that terrible but I expected perfection for that stupid price. Now I am looking at the collector's box which jokingly is cheaper and also thinking of printing my own BBJX photobooklet. Anyway just thinking. Will you buy the DVD off my hands if I sell it for RM40 (not inclusive of postage-within Malaysia should be RM10) when original price is RM120? Still thinking.

[08.11.2011] I just realised I got the leading actress' surname wrong. It is LIU Shi Shi and not LI Shi Shi. Anyway I just came back from Beijing and the first thing I did when I was there, the 2nd day I was at Wangfujing and I walked into the Wangfujing Bookstore and looked for the books (my sis wanted them) and the DVD (for myself). Price is expensive, box looks ok, DVD quality is HD and so I am happy but happiest is I bought the DVD thinking it was region 6 so I may have to rip it but ended up region free. Yeah! And now the grim prospect; I will have to rewatch the entire series AGAIN to check the DVD. I am not prepared to do that, yet.

My sis bought Yongzheng Wang Chao and the DVD box is beautiful; like a book and the price is expensive but for that box alone, worth the money. I am at episode 4 and all I can say is the actors do get better looking as I adjust from fantasy to reality, whilst the costume ain't BBJX, the location is the real Gu Gong (Forbidden Palace-I recognised it) and the story is superb and the acting is superb (I mean did Yuan Hong watched this series? His interpretation of 13th Prince is similar to the actor in Yongzheng Wang Chao except his 13th prince is actually more refrained!). I think I just became quite a Yongzheng fan. I have always thought him misunderstood, no doubt he was determined and very very harsh but he had to do what he had to do. And in 13 years he did a lot. I appreciate the fact that the last DVD of Yongzheng Wang Chao had a special guest (some history expert) explaining his rule and I find it fascinating. Maybe I should rip it if I can't find in Youtube. An essential watch, especially how the series actually wrongly spelt the word Yong which was very very careless.

My sis watched the ending of BBJX and she herself agreed with my analysis except she said it differently; that her chance meeting with modern guy was to tell her her life with 4th prince was truly over and when she removed her glasses, as Ruoxi she could see clearly but as herself, it was all blur and it means she is no longer Ruoxi. The modern guy did not recognise her and he walked away and all she could do was to see what may or may not be the reincarnation of 4th Prince walking away out of her life; her life with 4th prince was over.

I agree with her analysis. She also disliked 4th prince; calling him petty when it comes to 8th's wife ("why involve women in his fight?") and also on Yutan she felt he could have been gentler in his approach but like I said, he is on one hand Ruoxi's husband and had to please her but on the other he is the emperor and he has a bigger picture to see. He can't let his love for one woman undermine his power to rule because if he did, 8th and gang would be laughing heartily don't you think? Also a bit of hypocrisy if that did happened. I like the 4th in Yongzheng Wang Chao. He was very singleminded in debt collection; he was cornered in every way and knew he got a shitty job but he had to do what he had to do and if he did what he did the way he did it, I am pretty sure Kangxi must have been very impressed with his abilities.

I wanna say that when I was in Beijing I was on an accidental 4th Prince trail. I visited his former residence (when he was a "yeh"), I saw his calligraphy (beautiful!), saw his paintings (as in him in a painting-my sis told me very few emperors would show the family/leisure side of themselves but Yongzheng interestingly was one of the few who did) and my regret was I did not pay a visit to his tomb which was too far. When I saw his calligraphy, I saw a bold determined sophisticated man with a flair and flourish in the way he wrote and yet in a no nonsense way. My sis said what she saw was a man who must have practised every day and thus showed his single mindedness. If you're ever in Beijing, if you have the chance, do go and have a look at the Yonghegong aka Lama Temple. It was his residence, when he became emperor, he christened it Yonghegong (his palace) and when he died Qianlong converted it to a lama temple. But the structure and layout is there and it was impressive; simple, yet elegant and very well preserved. I could almost imagine 4th prince (in my mind Nicky Wu) galloping on a horse past the line of beautiful trees towards his residence. And I also realised I was cheated by BBJX; his house in BBJX was lesser. Of course you can't expect the real thing to be lesser than the fake thing. Also do visit Prince Gong residence to learn the history of the princes; the 12 ranks, etc.

As for BBJX itself, my love affair with it is still very much alive. My review will take forever. I am unsure how to approach my review. These past few days I have been watching the interviews, the cast indeed got on very very well and I have seen the other side of Kevin Cheng, whom I have always said is the best looking actor in TVB and sorry to say, one of the least charismatic, and I stand by that, even after BBJX which is considered his best work until I watch Ghetto Justice. The rest I will comment more in my review but I want to say something about the gentle playful Nicky Wu. It took me until this year to appreciate him but what made me respect me more which is a fact I have known for a very long time was his struggle to pay off his father's debt which must have been huge since it took him until 2000. And yet he held no grudges against his father. I believe what he did, he did it out of a sense of responsibility and a sense of love which can only mean he was well brought up. I do feel a tinge of unfairness why he alone had to bear the debt; what about his siblings? Maybe they did, which made me realise I knew so little of him except he worked very hard to pay off the debts, a common interest which I am sure why he and Ada Choi fell in love in the first place. A pity he married the wrong woman, but luckily he got out of that sort of marriage. I am still chuckling at the fact my sis said with wonder that he looked so much younger than even the leading lady in the last scene in BBJX and that the average age of the actors in Yongzheng Wang Chao must have been 45 in the series as they all looked so old and I had to remind her, Kevin and Nicky were both 40 or more when filming BBJX and the difference in age between the older and younger actors were at least 10 years in difference. All I can say is he takes very good care or rather is very blessed with good genes physically but since his fans kept saying he should sleep more, all I can say is he must have been careless with his own health sometimes. Saw the interview where his dad had a stroke? Again my tears fell. I find myself very easy in crying these days with everything that has to do with BBJX, luckily the only person who did not make anyone cry yet is the perpetual joker, Yuan Hong but everytime I thought of 13th prince, my tears just fell. I really hope to read the BBJX book but I can only read Chinese so I am hoping some publisher might consider translating that book for the wider market. From what I could read, snippets translated, it seems rather well written.

From the series itself, my sis and I both agree, we both dislike Ruoxi in the end. I understand why she left, but that doesn't make me dislike her less.I find myself in the end admiring 8th Difujin more. However that also doesn't mean I won't tear up everytime I remember how they were better apart than together. However I still like the TV's ending. He suffered and then died. Now it's her turn; there is some sadistic satisfaction in that, that is until tangren shall choose to defile that ending with a sequel where Zhangxiao ends up with modern 4th prince, and I am sure if that is true, then my love affair with BBJX will truly be over.

And by the way in Beijing I saw the last 10 episodes or so of Gong and whilst I like the succession story, the rest is just pure utter rubbish. That ending, the way the men cried more than the women, is so Qiong Yau in essence. I once wrote why I love BBJX is for its elegant subtlety and you can interprete it how you can or even call me rubbish for saying that, but that's the only way I can describe BBJX. Of course it became so morose towards the end, but in the end it is a love story, that doesn't let the love story element supersede the power struggle but compliments it. One customer in Yesasia.com reviewing the DVD asked why show a girl time travel back and yet she did nothing to change history? She did but not actively but the thing is not all time travel story should show the protaganist changing history and in BBJX it is more like she lived in it and bear witness to it and in her own way did influence the end but frankly without her, it would have been the same anyway.

And that is why I am still into BBJX right now; it's the damn story. It is just excellent. I am not ashamed to declare my love for BBJX, I mean I paid a lot of money for that DVD and I must at least express more how I feel. I realise if the rumoured Huang Xiaoming or Wallace Chung took on 4th prince, you would never see this post. So hats off to Nicky Wu for showing in the end the ideal 4th prince even if that man cried way too much in the series. And Yuan Hong.. I need not say more about my love for 13th Prince.

If you haven't seen BBJX, please do give it a chance. Yes, it is slow, it is morose, it is dubbed, but I am sure the costume will be the first to attract your attention, then the location (surely that all can't be the movie studio? Or the movie studio really replicated Forbidden City and Summer Palace?!) and finally you will choose sides; 8th? 4th? 14th? Whatever my feelings about the limitations of Liu ShiShi, no doubt in the end her performance was competent but frankly not ground breaking. A pity, really. Because if this was a movie, her character if acted well, could have won the actress an Oscar. And when I said well, I meant memorably effectively well. She can cry; but towards the end, she failed in some aspects. Can't blame her; her character has 99% of the focus. It was just too big a role for her to cover every aspect well. I have said too much; I shall leave my comments for my review.

A final question though; is BBJX the greatest love story ever told? No. It is however the greatest anti love story ever told. After watching the series, I hope never to find such a love, ever. It is just too difficult. But then if you haven't loved that much, how would you know you have lived fully?

[24.10.2011] Why am I torturing myself? I am sitting through this tragic love story again because now my sister is watching and she knows Mandarin well and she can translate and joke is I know more than she does! I know Tangren released an official DVD, looking gorgeous in the pictures and when I am in Beijing I intend to buy although it is pretty expensive. My review is 50% along the way and suddenly I really have nothing much to say. Sigh...

And all these rumours of a modern sequel, a continuation of the love story, I hope not! Please do not bastardise the ending. I cried, it is tragic but so be it! And why 4th won and 8th lost? Because 8th doesn't know how to read people. He knows how to buy people, as in their friendship and garner group support but he failed to be like 4th; 4th only needs to garner support from that few people, like Nian Gengyou with military power, Long kodo with administrative power, Li Wei (I think) who I believe became a powerful judge, that one eunuch by the eunuch to the emperor's side. That few people was enough to get him the throne. 8th depended too much on all those support from those officials, and ministers who each has their own agenda. 4th collects his support from those whom he helped and whom they feel indebted to him. 4th's way is very very smart. Kinda like that idea. Still hate the succession scene which quite almost bastardise what was an intelligent and thought provoking historically fictional tragic love story. And I don't know why so many likes 14th. Everytime he appears, he is always scolding Ruoxi. Relax man! Relax!

And oohhhh, love these pictures...

Ohhh a clearer one thanks to SPCNET. Many awesome stuff there. And yes she wasn't wearing the magnolia hairpin in the real life picture and yes I do agree the pin was added into the portrait later, by Yongzheng probably believing that she is from the future and that this was his way of telling her he forgives her, he loves her, he misses her. Click the thumbnail please. In a way I am happy for the new ending for Zhangxiao. Why? I like her to suffer. I mean 4th suffered his entire life (even if for short 10 years after her death) so she must do the same.

[19.10.2011] And the grieving never stops! Damn it!! There's an epilogue by the author and you can read the summary here. And thank you for making me cry again and again and again. I like the fact No. 14 realised perhaps he wasn't always fair to No. 4 who had a rather sad childhood but No. 4 never seemed to mind much even if he had everything bottled up inside or that life after Ruoxi was one of solitude. Also sweet to read his treatment of his empress and than of No. 13's daughter and who she ended up with. And Qianlong wasn't the best emperor in Qing history, he had a relatively easier rule than his father and much easier rule than his grandfather. I would say Kangxi was the best even if his last few years were confusing. I feel so sad for No. 4 but this epilogue truly ties up everything nicely, and showed a more human face to No. 4, almost justifying all the things he did. I like that and I like that No. 14 realised that too. In restrospect No. 4 didn't treat his own brother badly at all. I almost teared up when I read how No. 4 worked himself to death so as to join Ruoxi. And the series' ending sorta prevented that didn't it? I am crying again. Luckily I don't know how to read Chinese if not I shall cry harder.

[16.10.2011] On the ending, I read the book stops at Ruoxi dying in Qing because she did die in the modern world. In the series, she didn't die in the modern world, she woke up after dying in Qing and wondered if the decades she spent in Qing was real. Ruoxi would have no records except she was Maertai family. She didn't marry the Emperor, she did marry no. 14 but the emperor did not record the marriage in the books, so she as persona non grata. But she found a painting and she was in it so she knew it was real. Now fans have said they liked the series ending for its closure so she can move on. My interpretation of the ending in the series is that ruoxi never had that closure. Before she did in Qing, she said she wants to forget everything, she doesn't want to remember anything, she did feeling the pang for the man who refused to forgive her, etc. She pined for no. 4 and he never came to see her. In modern times, she woke up remembering everything. Finding proof, she knew all she had felt is real, the pang is still there until she saw a man looking like no. 4. We can assume that man is a reincarnation of no. 4 but my interpretation is they look the same, maybe reincarnated but in the end he isn't no. 4. No. 4 was 300 years ago. Her feelings was sad but normal until she saw him again and she cried and stunned and cried. It does mean he did come to see her, 300 years later but the man she loved and pined for died 3 centuries ago. This to me is not a closure but a very very sad ending. How does one live on when she had lived a lifetime in what was a real dream? It is perhaps one of the saddest ending I have ever seen. If she died, it is the end. If she can't remember it is the end. But she remembered and it is a curse rather than a gift. I like in her last letter to no. 4 she said she loved the 4th Prince she knew, not the emperor he became. She forgave him for all he did, waited, hoping he will forgive her. Frankly I can't understand what is to forgive and I will write more in my review. What a sad ending. And everybody died with some degree of regret.

And I think with what no. 8 boasted, they have slept together.

[15.10.2011] Just saw the last episode. And I wrote the following in an email with friends;

God damn it! Just saw ep 35 of BBJX and I cried from start till the end. Cried and cried and cried. Especially when no. 13 died. Still crying! And ending is very very sad but in a way she saw him for one last time 300 years later. Before that, when no. 8's wife died I cried. Then no. 8 died, I cried. Can't stop crying but ep 26 to ep 33 was very very draggy. The actors did the crying but end of ep 33 to ep 35 I did the crying.

I must say Kevin's best acting moment ever was when he saw his wife burning. I am sure he cried himself hoarse but since dubbed, can't hear for myself. But the anguish is there. And Nicky Wu can really really cry. His last scene with those tears, without realising my tears was running down my cheeks. Luckily I was alone. I would say last 8 episodes or so almost pulled the series down but the last 3 episodes and in a way a proper closure helped. And the last song was beautiful. I am a sucker for such a love story; that she loved 4th Prince, loathed the emperor, so sad.

But the book, did it just end with :"And I died" because it is 1st person narrative?

Don't watch this with another person if not very embarassing with the tears and all. My most fave character ever; no. 13. No doubt about it, loyal till death but not blindly loyal and to have no. 4 in the end said "You have all left; I am now all alone" was very poignant though no. 14 is still alive. I thought no. 10 was imprisoned and died in prison?

Oh god, still crying!!!

[15.10.2011] OMG. The last 10 episodes so much crying, I am having a headache. Every scene, cry, everybody cries except for no. 13. And I myself cried at episode 34. She really loved him, waited for him, never turned up until 300 years later. So much tears! Let me calm down a bit. First from all the tears in the series and all induced by the series. Frankly the last 10 episodes is between draggy, stupid and so darn emotional. I need NG scenes. I need happy scenes.

[14.10.2011] I skipped to the last episode, watching a few minutes without sound and I don't think I can bear to watch it in full. I feel like crying. So sad! SO SO SO SAD!! But from what I can see, it does have a proper ending, proper closure. But so sad! I have 10 more episodes to go and I am already invested so much emotionally. Anyway I wonder in the book, it was a first person narration, so how did Ruoxi narrated her own death?

[14.10.2011] I was wondering when the succession issue will be addressed and in episode 25, finally the emperor dies. And for the first time, this series has let me down, severely. I was thinking which approach the writer will take; no. 4 kills kangxi and forged the wills or no. 4 never killed kangxi and kangxi himself appointed no. 4 as his successor in his will. The truth is neither. The series says kangxi met with no. 4, his most trusted/high ranking official and concubine in 3 separate occasions, all of them individually with only Eunuch Li as his witness. Kangxi tells no. 4 he wants to appoint no. 14 who was away fighting a war. I already know kangxi favours no. 14 when he wanted to Ruoxi to marry him. Anyway when Kangxi died, his trusted official turns out to be no. 4's man, Nin Keng Yiu came back with his army and basically No. 4 lied about his father's final wishes with Eunuch Li, wanting probably to preserve his own life or maybe he was in the lie as well, as the witness. Before this, the series shows how No. 4 became a gardener and refused to take part in administration, but bidding his time and giving one kick to no. 8 to his graves when it comes to no. 8's career. One fantastic scene has No. 8 lamenting "What did I do wrong? Who did I trusted wrongly? What have I done to deserve this?" and he suspected no. 14, but we all know no. 4 successfully buy his way into even no. 8's most trusted inner circles of eunuchs to do what he did. I like how no. 4 had to be so patient and yet his hands clenched into a tight fist when he could do nothing for no. 13 and Ruoxi. I like how he took no. 13's daughter to raise as his own and 10 years passed since no. 13 was imprisoned to his eventual release and Ruoxi lamenting "He is fighting the fight of his life not only for himself, but for 13th Prince and for me". However when the succession scene was shown, it was like child's play. No way in hell Kangxi will meet individually and tell them their wishes or be so cryptic. I did like how he mildly chastised no. 4's mother for being too strict with no. 4 causing no. 4 to be a loner. He also knew his own faults as a father, didn't want bloodshed upon his death amongst his sons. Well, at this point, I really wanted this series to follow the story the historians agree with; Kangxi wrote 2 wills (one Manchurian, one Chinese), on his death bed he summoned all the princes and I believe some officials and read the will and gave the throne to no. 4. History dictates that no. 14 was much favoured, by him commandering an army which was what no. 2 did. However another history says perhaps Kangxi wanted to get no. 14 away from the palace so as to ensure a smooth transition to no. 4, since by that time no. 8 was totally out of favour. I would have love the story to be that everyone thinks no. 14 will be emperor but in the end the emperor chose no. 4 for perhaps no. 4's tough stand on corruption or his unbending ways in dealing in important issues. After all as the emperor you would want to leave your empire to capable strong hands. No. 14 is a good guy, popular but is he hard enough? Series suggests he is too noble. However the series took a dumb route to be frank; no wills, no meeting of the princes, no announcing of intentions; kangxi can't be that stupid. Severely disappointed. I suppose after this we shall see how no. 4 exacts his revenge on those who were against him, although I do like that fact; where the official who lied that causes no. 13 to be under house arrest for 10 long years was ordered to be killed by "5 horses separating the body" and he did it in front of no. 13 who squirmed a bit (yes, kinda a bit too much) and no. 8 who also squirmed. But this direction seems to suggest he is going down the road of a cruel king, which I don't like at all. Up until the succession, all was fantastic but the succession scene was so badly dealt with, I feel like it was an anti-climax. I wonder is the book the same?

I am also severely disappointed with the actress Liu Shi Shi who now seems to be frowning perpetually and her lack of enthusiasm at seeing her great friend no. 13 released. She seems to be frowning even when she is happy. In fact she is looking like Ruby Lin for the last few episodes. Everybody else did well, even Kevin in his own quiet way displayed his character's desperation and disappointment. Nicky Wu up until then was great but his character seems to be so busy being so quiet. I know he is plotting, would have wished to see a bit of the plotting since at the same time he was busy gardening.

Anyway episode 25, disappointing. I hope Ep 26 onwards will be back to its glorious self and not mock my intelligence with the inept succession scene. By the way Nicky Wu looks so tiny on that huge throne-chair!

[13.10.2011] I will be first to confess wondering why certain actors were cast in certain roles and since I knew only 2, so I wondered why Kevin as 8th and of all people, Nicky Wu as 4th. I mean I know Kevin as an actor, but I don't really know Nicky Wu as an actor, only seen him a few times and knowing his voice is rather ... weak. The dubbing was suitable but I wished for their real voices. They do sound good for real, I mean Kevin speaks good mandarin even if he whispers his lines. But after 20 episodes, as usual I am brainwashed. Now I feel like the casting is good. Kevin does look gentlemanly so he can play 8th, and yet he can look hurt and betrayed. Is this his best performance ever? I don't think so. I feel he can do better. Some scenes I find his 8th lack gravitas to be emperor and we all know he didn't become an emperor. I was a bit confused by some of his performance but overall, it is an eye opener, especially in the romance scenes which Kevin did very well. Nicky Wu shocked me. Apart from the fact he looks youthful during promotion but in HD he looked old, and I wondered is he that much taller, for the lack of opportunity to evaluate his voice, I was shocked that I really enjoyed his performance. Those sullen looks, those angry tears, those frustrated moments, I kinda felt sorry he had to look like he is about to explode most of the time. Seriously, not seeing much of his other works, I do think this is his best work. He gives his 4th a certain gravitas, a certain restrain that I find irresistable. The main actress, Liu Shi Shi however... she can act, but I find her bored most of the time. In person she has such a huge personality but on screen, she is looking more and more bored. And the show is supposed to be about her! And yes, I thought she was so pretty, now I think the more I look at her the more I don't think she is. Her best scenes are those lighthearted scenes, that's when I see her personality. So far I feel the second liners are better actors. The one who is crown prince is fantastic, the guy as 9th prince is awesome that I hate him, the actor as no. 13 is to me the best of the lot. I really like 13 because I really think the actor did such a fantastic job. Damien Lau is such a surprise. I never knew he looked so big. What more can I say about Damien Lau? We all know he is a fantastic actor, so no need to say more. But he really made Kangxi into this great emperor but biased. Flawed man, that's how I like the way he portrayed the character. Really gives the meaning "Boon kwan yu boon foo", I suppose you can translate that as "Being with the emperor is akin to being with the tiger". Of all, no. 14 is the worst actor, but he is cute and he has a lot of scenes. But really, my heart is with 13, perhaps the most unconditional character in this series. He asks for nothing, and yet he gives everything. Now I wanna cry!! And I really wanted Min Min with no. 13!!

I am however still very confused with the timeline. She said 8 years have passed since last drink with No. 13, before that 2 years passed before going to palace, etc. I thought she only need to serve in palace for 3 years? Isn't her contract long overdue?? And the novel says she starts at 13, looks different in the mirror, but in the series, modern time and her looks the same. I am confused.

Anyway will say more in my review. I am sure I will have plenty to say after I am done with this series. Great show! I will post more on the cast and costumes later. I just have to say; looking at the costumes just made me swoon. This series has inspired me to wanna write write write. However I am afraid of suffering from burn out come episode 35. Moreover this series is passe already isn't it?

[13.10.2011] I am at episode 20 and I cried when no. 13 came forward and took the blame for no. 4 and got arrested and into house arrest. Not a bad house but for someone who loves nature, who loves riding horses, music, singing and carefree life, that is torture! The emperor in his need to protect the crown prince just blinded himself to all his faults. And guess what? It was no. 8 who started the whole crown fight although No. 4 did confess he wanted the crown but whenever it was no. 8's men, he would allow no. 8 some room to fix his problem but this time it was no. 8 who created the problem and blamed it on no. 4. I cried! CRIED!! I love no. 13 and it was so sad. Surely the father knows no. 13 is noble! So Ruoxi knew no. 8 is mean spirited in his quest for the throne. And No. 4 has decided to be ruthless from thereon. Love the scene who she was kneeling in the rain, no. 8 came to her to advise her and she quietly picked the hem of his I suppose clothe and push out of the rain. It shows, she is the servant, he is the master, they no longer have this personal intimate friendship. Love how no. 4 stood in the rain with her. And earlier it was all so happy! How she fooled no. 4, how she chatted with no. 13... suddenly 2nd half so sad!! And I was wondering why she suddenly fell for no.4 and I think at first to align herself to the eventual winner and towards the end for all that he did for her and never asked of her, she was falling for him. Very romantic but poor poor no. 13. No. 8 is ruthless!! I also pity no. 8 but man! That was below the belt! Oh by the way 8 YEARS has passed since the start. Rather start plus 1 year I think, so about 9 years. Wow.

[11.10.2011] I am at episode 17 and I feel a bit sad Min Min never end up with 13th Prince. Right now my favourite prince is 13th prince. He is rather carefree, he never demanded anything in return from Ruoxi except for friendship and he is the less prejudiced amongst the princes. Although it is sorta impossibly self centred that why 4 and 14 plotted against crown prince because of Ruoxi, but frankly without her they would have plotted against the useless arrogant crown prince. I am just a bit surprised by the sudden affection that Ruoxi has for no. 4 but then she seems to have heart to heart talk with No. 4 and 13 more than the rest. No. 14 seems quite taken in by her. I know, self serving also that everyone likes her, but the annoying no. 9 isn't. We never see no. 3, and No. 5 is said to be quite a carefree non political prince from what Ruoxi said. I am also annoyed how subdued Ruoxi became. I mean come on, where are the modern women traits? But I do see the appeal of no. 4. One scene I really like was when No, 14 asked her why she never seems to offer her friendship to him as opposed to no. 13 where she was very informal with and she simply said "13th prince never asked me anything in return, the friendship offered to me was without terms, unlike yours". Interesting why most princes are falling over themselves for her though. She is supposed to be very very beautiful but the actress, Li Shi Shi to me is the more I see her, the less pretty she is. Anyway to those who are camp 8 and camp 4, rest assured, she did love no. 8 but in her own words, maybe she didn't love him enough. Which means she will truly and utterly give her heart to no. 4, and admittedly no. 4 did in his own subtle ways pursue her. He's not a bad guy, at ep 17. No. 8 is still very ambitious though. And it seems everyone is married except for 14? Is 14 married? Even 13 is married. Right now this series has captured my full attention, especially those political intrigue scenes. Very intelligently shown, how no. 4 tries to avert disaster for no. 9 (for many reasons, some self serving, some noble) and how no. 8 tries to and gives up on no. 9. I am happy that this series knows at ep 17 how to separate the love story from the political intrigue and yet manage to make a subtle connection between the 2. However I am as perplexed that she seems to bump into no. 4 everywhere although this can be simply explained by the fact that she is the emperor's personal maid, so inadvertently they will bump into each other although he seems to be in casual dress all the time. I tell you, great show! Very great show but the costume at ep 17 is now recycled. Acting wise, all dubbed so difficult to comment on the authencity but looks wise, all ok but again I am annoyed by the leading lady's inconsistency.

And Kevin Cheng may in the end die but the way I see it he has so many scenes. He is equal lead with Nicky Wu, no less, sometimes even more. Very 8th prince centred series, not that I am complaining.

By the way I think I will buy the DVD to keep. Question is is it released in Malaysia? Hopefully with subtitles.

[ADD] Seen this poster before but can't help but repost. What a beautiful poster! Great concept!! Absolutely gorgeous.

And NG scenes, apparently real voices in here. I already knew Nicky's voice will be weak, Kevin it seems used cantonese. I didn't see since in office. Nicky Wu does look younger outside than in the series. But the images are darn funny!

[ADD] I am at ep 11 and right now I am wondering how she later fell deeply for No. 4 and how come for a modern woman she is so darn reserved when at the beginning she was so feisty. I just wished she sorta grab No. 8 and bloody hell kiss him!! Enough with the stare at you, touch of hand, do like what No. 4 did, grab her, kiss her! But of course what No. 4 did was an assault in today's world. Or molest.

Anyway you know the sort of trouble I went through for this darn series. I like to watch download, burn and watch on my DVD player using my 42 inches TV. This series for some bloody unknown reason just refuses to burn. I was so frust. Luckily the file size is small enough for me to transfer to my Nokia N8, then I use the HDMI adapter and connect to the TV (you see the TV no USD port!!), connect charger to phone and watch through my phone in the TV. The quality? EXCELLENT! No loss of quality at all!!

I tell you, at ep 11, damn good series. Everybody's acting is considered so so, but damn it, interesting, very interesting. And Damien Lau actually looked bigger than he actually is. Really like the portrayal of Kangxi here; so biased. Poor no. 4, misunderstood. Ambitious no. 8, so gentlemanly but I feel in real life he also wanted that throne too and he will do everything he can to get to it. As for the actress whose name escapes me now, I am still counting her pimples. The actress who plays the Mongolian princess looks pubescent!

Anyway are you not watching this show? You're missing out! Join the bandwagon, suspend disbelief and just well, just ignore the obvious flaws. The story is gripping. And you might wonder why every prince (except no. 9 and no. 3 and no. 2 and no. 1) seems to be so taken by her and why her tea dept has become Starbucks for the princes, reason is simple; she is different but I kinda feel as the series went along she is the same as everyone else. I want attitude! And she is sorta flirtatious you see. Oh yes, a flirt except to no. 4 which she avoids but ended up being forcibly kissed. Not a good thing really, sorta wrong. And by the way Nicky Wu... what happened to his face? I mean older, wiser, manlier but LONGER. Even Kevin looks like he needs a good shave.

And yes I will write a review for this.

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON 09.10.2011

Or Startled With Every Step or Startling Surprises With Every Step or my own interpretation,.. well can't remember what was my own interpretation. Let me remember first. Anyway I am at episode 6 and my god, what a smashingly great show!! Who would have thought I will say that of Kevin Cheng eh? But seriously, Kevin is still Kevin but he was given a role he was meant to play. The story itself is very interesting and I can understand why ALL the princes, well most of them likes the leading lady. Anyway I am now in two minds if I should continue to watch till the end knowing the ending is very depressing. I mean we all know who will be Emperor. If you're interested, you can watch them via youtube here or better yet, download to your computer and burn to DVD and watch on TV, believe me, HD is so HD that I can see pimples on everyone and suddenly even Kevin's skin looks terrible but the background pops out! Choose DVD version because reportedly that is full version. I am however trying to find the FULL DVD in the internet, yes I am cheapskate but can't find it. The DVD version files itself, each is MP4 somehow just refuses to be burnt to DVD. I don't know why. Anyway happy watching because believe the words of mouth; this series is at where I am amazing! By the way the posters I see are also amazing. I can just say this is quality production, even if I hate the dubbing. No way Damien Lau sounds like that. But the casting itself impressed me. Not that the acting were great but each suited his or her role well. Somehow however I feel if this series was made 10 years ago, Zhao Wei would have been the perfect leading lady.

An open letter to Nokia

2012-02-13T16:19:00.001+08:00

Dear Nokia,

I love your Nokia N8 phone! To be more precise, I love my Nokia N8 phone! Beautiful blue, with great functions which I can see on my 42 inches plasma TV thanks to the HDMI cable converter you included in the bundle. I especially love the 12MP phone which comes with flashlight. Clear beautiful pictures, as well as clear beautiful videos. Unfortunately the problem is as follows:-

16 GB storage, 256MB RAM, 512 MB ROM

AND

680 MHz ARM 11

I know you make the N8 usable even for much into the future, the functions tell me that. Dropped my phone twice and still is in one piece. Kept it next to my car keys and still no scratch. BUT the memory RAM whatever thing, they're old and they slow down the functions and ended up with jerky swipe thingy that sometimes hang. Why? Why so stingy with the RAM and the CPU? Can I upgrade? Do you have a service where I can bring my N8 to your service centre, pay like RM200-00 or a reasonable fee to upgrade these 2 elements to make the swipe thing more smooth, more fluid? Because that's the only problem with this phone. The internal hardware that is actually powering this amazing phone. If I can upgrade that, I tell you, my N8 is the best in the world which I can use for many years to come.

And by the way, when are you coming out with a tablet eh?

Please, do give serious consideration.

Regards,

Your loyal user, FUNN LIM

Note : I just found out I can now upgrade the OS to Belle and apparently it is really good! Can't wait to go home, plug in and download! Now my N8 will get a makeover, as in serious makeover!

All About Food!

2012-02-13T16:10:00.000+08:00

I have decided to be those blogger who blogs about food, as in what I ate, etc with pictures and some commentaries. Seems like a rather popular way to blog. I actually have a food blog called Sik Bao Lor (Yes, I have eaten already!/Yeah I am full!!) and I recently posted my dinner. I know, seem a lot but it was good! I think whenever I have something yum yum I will post a bit. I just don't like uploading photos, took too long. Anyway have a look yeah? Let's Yum Yum together! Oh by the way, sik bao mei? (Have you eaten? = How do you do?)

The answer?

SIK BAO LOR!!

[RIP] Whitney Houston

2012-02-12T14:27:00.002+08:00

If there is one shocking death next to Heath Ledger it has to be Whitney Houston who died on 11.02.2012 at the age of 48! I was so shocked. Still is. The news here. What a waste of talent and what a waste. R.I.P.

And Bobby Brown is still alive.

"Why I Like Kevin Cheng" Essay Contest

2012-02-10T16:04:00.002+08:00

UPDATES - 10.02.2012

Ok, I have written mine in ngam-ngam 500 words and submitted to Jayne. I know I won't win because I am sure there will be some serious fangirling out there, more so if the prize is a BBJX DVD set, but it is the Ghetto Justice DVD set though (phew!). Not even sure if I may get top 5 or top 10 since my essay seems rather contradictory. I suppose you can dislike someone's work and yet like that someone. Anyway, here it is, for you all to read. No no, I am not running out to subscribe to HunanTV and watch his latest series but you know, I have always liked him. I did tell Jayne that "If Kevin turns out to be the biggest jerk ever, I shall have to bury my head somewhere and kill off my internet identity!". Oh dear!

"Why I like Kevin Cheng"? It is easy to explain but difficult to articulate. But I shall try. I’ve not followed his career as an actor closely, and I only knew of him when he joined TVB. I can't remember all his appearances. Basically, he has always been the Under The Radar star for me, whom I occasionally watched, but never quite "taken to heart" so to speak. Frankly, I don't like him as an actor. I don't even like him as a singer. I often find him boring and uncharismatic onscreen. In short, I shouldn't be joining this essay contest. But recently I watched Bu Bu Jing Xin, and then of course Ghetto Justice, which I meticulously wrote a review for each episode. I didn’t feel much for his performance in Ghetto Justice but I did noticed his improved performance in BBJX . It was those BTS for BBJX that I really took notice of him, where he was basically enjoying himself with his fellow cast, looking like he was having the time of his life, forever with a smile on his face. Many netizens who followed my blog at point2e.com were surprised when I wrote myself liking Kevin. They thought I’ve fallen for his charms after BBJX. Truth is, and I can trace it if I wanted to, from the first time I saw him onscreen until todate, I’ve always felt he was and still is the handsomest actor in TVB. I find him devilishly handsome and his real personality as mature, almost grizzly in nature as quietly interesting even if he doesn’t always rush to the front to grab the headlines. I noticed him, the problem is when the cameras is on him, he seems to fade into the crowd. He is neither that good an actor to be noticed as a serious thespian of the art of acting or is he so flamboyant and flirtatious that he is known as a celebrity actor. He looks like a guy who doesn't have a temper; he even looks like an actor lacking in ambition but to me I like him because he doesn't seem to have one ounce of malice in him. It is the image I see of him, something I suppose he doesn't purposely convey but I see him as that sort of guy who you know, if you ask him for an autograph, he will feel genuinely honoured rather than annoyed. A guy completely without celebrity air so to speak, as in everyday man whilst looking like a billion dollars. That is why I like Kevin Cheng. He is good to look at, in fact he looks better with age and at the same time he gives me a feeling that he still retains the humility & graciousness even if he is in high demand. He is a serious man, but he doesn’t take his fame seriously & yet is appreciative. That’s why I like him. Oh, and the fact he is really devilishly handsome.

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON 09.02.2012

Organised by Jaynestars, there is a "Why I Like Kevin Cheng" Essay Contest where you can stand to win an official TVB Ghetto Justice DVD. I am tempted to enter but seriously I am not such a big fan. How to express in 500 words or less why I like him? Superficial reasons really. I think he is the handsomest actor in TVB (note : NOT the sexiest) and I like him off screen more than I do on screen, I like him more as a person than as an actor, I think he is an average actor at times guilty of being a poor one but I like him! I do!

And since winner will be chosen based on QUALITY of the essay, I can say that I won't win. This is meant for the best of fans. So fans of Kevin Cheng, join the contest and write the essay on why you like Kevin Cheng. I bet the fans are divided between BBJX (Ba Ye gang) and Ghetto Justice (Law Ba Shum Sui Po gang). I am more on Ba Ye gang.

Contest closes on the 29th of this month.

Prediction!

2012-02-09T23:33:00.003+08:00

A prediction. The day Leonardo DiCaprio stops acting in serious or uber serious dramas and move to lighthearted comedy-romance-whatever, is the day he will win an Oscar. Remember that. Funn's prediction, here, now on 09.02.2012.

Corporate structure : It's a dog eat dog world out there!

2012-02-09T23:13:00.000+08:00

I saw this in Facebook and it made my day! I laughed and laughed and laughed! Which one is you? I do like that dastardly look of the General Manager! Yeah, employees look like that huh? By the way the intern so happens to be my ideal dog I plan to have one day!

Life as I know it

2012-02-09T17:33:00.001+08:00

One day I was "Mui mui!" (little girl), next day I am "auntie". When did that happen? All of a sudden I am... older. I am now auntie. "Boy boy, come here and meet AUNTIE!" and I was like "Eh, Je Je (big sister) will do". Can't help to admit yes, I am older, so as to qualify being called auntie. Truth is, lately I discover there is a certain advantage at being called auntie. It means you're at a stage where you don't need to give a damn at how you look (is my lipstick ok? Is my hair ok? Is my dress ok?) and dress whatever however whichever way you want. Because to others, you're auntie, like some incurable disease that won't go away, they look at you like you're diseased, so whatever you do, you're still diseased so in a way, where everything has a silver lining, the silver lining to being called auntie and being seen as auntie is you can be like auntie and no need to care. It is an exhausting job to look good; TRUE! And expensive too! It is not like I am a natural looker so to speak. Even natural lookers will say it is an effort to look effortless. I never quite understood why beautiful people moan about trying to be more beautiful but I guess I sorta understand that now; when you're beautiful, you need to keep up the standard of looking beautiful. So you need to spend on stuff, to look better and you fear your beauty slipping away, and you spend and worry about everything affecting that beauty. Like when rich people say they don't care about money, when beautiful people say they don't care about their looks, that is complete B.S. Try getting a pimple on the chin, boom! Cry, worry, etc. It is ok to be vain. We are all vain at some point of our lives, even for some vanity takes over and we forget we are only human and we looked down on other people, as if you're better because you're more beautiful. I live with a woman who asks if she eats a lot after every single meal. She will moan about her tummy fat, about losing a few more strands of her already thick mane of hair, her wrinkles on her mid 40s face, to the point I was out of my mind fed up! So one day when she asked "Did I eat a lot?" and I said yes, "Am I fat?" and I said "Very much so", "My hair.." and I went OH SHUT UP! For my own sanity, if not for anything else, just SHUT UP! Yes I couldn't stand it anymore. Because talking about eating, I ate more. Talking about weight, I weigh more. Talking about hair, let's just say I can never have those Pantene commercial hair, ever in my entire life unless I beg God for that in my next reincarnation. So why is she moaning? She explained she wanted to air her insecurities, to discuss with us. Yes, once ok, twice ok, every single day after every single meal...it becomes a habit and habits are bad! Look, if you have ever been with such a person or is such a person, please remember, your suffering is YOUR SUFFERING ALONE. Leave the rest of us out of it. I haven't even begin moaning about being called auntie.

Sigh... sometimes I feel if I were to unload my worries on you, I would burden you like how I was burdened by the vanity of others. One time I even asked this particular person "You're in your mid 40s. You probably have like 30 years more? 40 years if you're lucky? Aren't you sick of dieting?" True! Imagine you're 60, oh you look good but all your life, protein shakes, fruits, bite sized cookies, etc. What is life if we can't indulge? The age for looking good is gone once you hit 30s. After that it is to look good for yourself. But what if no matter what you do you're never satisfied? It is good to have expectations but what if you have such expectations that no one, not even God can satisfy? Maybe lower down your own expectations? I personally do not think this person I am talking about is fat. Yes she was slimmer, but she was much fatter before. Maybe just dressing well, being happy and satisfied will make her look younger and better instead of constant worry about did I eat a lot, etc?

I have my worries too. I have lots of worries. Amongst many people I know, I consider myself a complete and utter failure by the standards of the ordinary masses. I want to do something about it but I don't feel like telling people that's how I feel. People have their own problems, I do not wish to add mine into theirs. For me it is incredibly thoughtless to do just that, you know? I suppose self awareness is the first step towards... something. It is 2012, life has passed me by so far, all of a sudden half my life is gone. If the Mayans are correct, 2012 is the end. Of course Mayans are wrong. The Earth is still alive and well for the next... probably 10,000 worth of reincarnations. But my present life...I don't know.. what have I achieved? Definitely nothing much. I don't do bad things so that counts as something. I am under no delusion that when I pass on, my name will be remembered forever and ever, next to the greats like Gandhi, Buddha, Winston Churchill, etc or the famous like Marilyn Monroe, or what nots. I am not even passing on my genes or DNA for that matter. As far as success goes, I am a complete and utter failure. Funny thing is, I am ok with that. I do feel bad about it during my bouts of self pity. Yes I do moan about lack of money all the time but truth is, I am ok, for now. Maybe it is my lack of ambition that is not helping matters. I am definitely the anti-Dragon, maybe I was born in the wrong year. Just imagine, after several times being called auntie, I am so ok with that, I even think it is ok to be called auntie and dress like one, and don't care about my looks like one, seeing it as a blessing rather than anything insulting.

Which really means... sigh... I am a complete and utter failure.

Jang Donggun back to TV

2012-02-09T13:45:00.000+08:00

I never though I will ever see the day Jang Donggun will go back to TV series but here is the news. Kim Ha Neul, I like her. Frankly never seen her acting but saw her lively personality thanks to 2 Days 1 Night where she was charming to say the least. I am excited but can't help but wonder, Jang Donggun's movie career is going nowhere and his fame in Korea is slipping. He needs another All About Eve. He still looks good even if daddyhood didn't help his fame.

4 In Love [2012][TVB][O]

2012-02-08T17:42:00.002+08:00

08.02.2012

I am taking a break from this series right now because the more I watch the more I feel nothing exceptionally different it is. Nothing revolutionary and nothing engaging, or at least engaging enough to want to chase this series. More like for leisure watch. And if this is different, I am sorry to ask what then is the really different series? And Charmaine, stop with the "lan yam"! And everytime Moses and Charmaine, cue the song "Close to you". This is reminding me of that nightmarish song Big Big World in DIF IV. I am traumatised. And I still hate the wig.

03.02.2012

I don't get why show Chloe is some international superstar when frankly I don't see her doing international superstar thing. In fact she seems rather... free... she is more like some rich girl who hasn't experienced life sort of person. Why not make her that? Why not make her someone like Paris Hilton then? I like her, I do but I feel where is the star thing? Where? Why not transport her When Heaven Burns character (that goth emo perpetually in black one) to this series because I feel THAT ONE is more Chloe than this Chloe. Let her act her age! And I still hate the wig. And I still don't like Moses.

01.02.2012

Is TVB trying to confuse me? Why a series with a title 4 In Love needs an English title called Let It be Love? Why? And why make Charmaine wear a long haired wig? I see Rippling Bossom and I see Myolie shocking not sure what's the hair colour and that is more international artiste feel than Charmaine's international artiste feel? Anyway as much as I like Moses in a comedy or lighthearted drama, I am bored with this pairing. For once I feel Kenneth Ma's puppy dog pouting lips would have been perfect casting for the simple guy from Mongkok sort of role. Other than that no comment so far but find it rather funny an international superstar like Chloe chasing after UFOs!! Anyway is Florence Kwok playing 620 subconsciously?!

Journey To The West [China][2011][O]

2012-02-03T00:50:00.002+08:00

THE FOLLOWING IS POSTED ON 03.02.2012.

If you see this at the top of normal blog posts, it means it is updated. For the updated comments, etc please click the Read More link at the bottom of this post.

IMPORTANT

This series is now showing in Malaysia at Channel 8tv (ASTRO Ch 708) every weekday from 8.30pm to 9.30pm with Malay subtitles. Thank god for not much CMs in between.

WHICH VERSION

2011, aka that Zhang Jizhong version

WHO?

The guy who did Duke of Mountdeer (Royal Tramp) with Huang Xiaoming. Also the same guy who did Legend Of The Condor Heroes with again Huang Xiaoming as Yangguo and the ethereally beautiful and should have been Maertai Ruoxi, Crystal Liu Yifei.

SPECIAL FEATURE

At the end of each episode you get to see BTS of that particular episode.

RELEASED IN

2011 I think

MORE INFO

Wikipedia

TRAILER

CLICK READ MORE LINK FOR MY OPINION, SUMMARISED!

MY OPINION SUMMARISED

As at 03.02.2012. For more updated comment, scroll below.

Aka the Zhang Jizhong version. You all know how much I love TVB's JTTW with Dicky Cheung, to the point everytime I feel like hating TVB and pop in the DVD or rewatch the reruns and I love TVB again. TVB made JTTW accessible, it made it modern and yet traditional, entertaining and yet educational, suitable for all races and yet clearly about Buddhism, the makeup is just right, the costume is just fine and yes the scenery and the effects could do with a bit of tweaking but the storytelling, reworked, modernise, rearranged and reimagined, made it to me THE BEST JTTW EVER. Dicky also gave us a very temperamental and yet handsome monkey and who can forget his "YO!" cry. BUT the best monkey is of course still Liu Xiao Ling Tong in the original JTTW from China. However these past 2 or 3 years we see a reemergence of the popularity of JTTW in various form, the latest being the Zhang Jizhong version which is said to be the most faithful to the book(s). I am watching it, and I sorta loving it because of one singular factor; the actor who plays Monkey King is superb not in his acrobatics skills (non existent - he seems to hesitate with that errr... stick I shall call it) or even his facial expressions (for very obvious reasons) but for his body language and his eyes. Never before has an actor been so limited in expressions due to the circumstances and yet so expressive. I love his very very cheeky and very very angry and scary Monkey King. I love how disrespectful he was, and how he learned to be compassionate. Basically I love him. I am however not loving Wu Jing played by Elvis Tsui (Sorry but I keep thinking him as king of Cat III movies - competent actor though) who basically has nothing to do and has yet to display the utmost loyalty I expect of him. For me, yes Evergreen Mak was annoying for all the tears but I feel he showed the qualities of Wu Jing. I am also not loving Bajie played by Zang Jinsheng simply because I hate his character BUT the actor was good actually, again limited by the obvious elements and still manage to express through eyes and body language. I am not loving Nie Yhe monk. He is good looking but so far I find him a tad annoying. Lacking the wisdom I expected but then he is very close to the book I suppose but sorry man, Kong Wah rocks! Kong Wah makes you believe a mortal of 20 odd years old can be the sifu of 3 beings whose combined age is more than 1000 years old. The demons, etc I don't quite like due to excessive make up and lack of imagination. I find their colours dreary. The heaven sequence is beautiful BUT way too much effect, too much smoke sorta thing. That makes the gods seems... seems godlike which is of course the intention but what I like about TVB JTTW is the gods and deities are almost human in nature; with faults, with things to like and dislike. Of course Feng Shaofeng as Erlang Shen is handsome and all BUT I find his Erlang Sheng for the episodes I saw very... nothing much to say. For that, yes Joe Ma wins. I love how Dicky called him 3 Eyed Kid, a clear insult. I am also eager to watch the actor who played Buddha, who is Wang Huichun who was 8th prince in Yong Zheng Wang Chao and am pleased to hear same voice so that means his voice is THAT powerful and deep. No feeling for Guanyin. Still feel TVB's is the best, as Mimi Kung always has that tiny friendly smile, making her Guanyin such a delight to watch and believably compassionate. The ladies are pretty but are indistinguishable from one another. I find their make up the worst.

The makeup is too much but works for the monkey, and the pig but the rest.. too restrictive. I almost pity the actors, stuck in latex and can't act with face. Way too much rubber in this series. I know realism is good but in a fantasy flick, it should allow for flexibility for the actors and some imagination left for the viewers. For that, I love TVB's JTTW. I mean I don't doubt the quality of this series' makeup for a TV series but I just wish for less literal interpretation and more... imaginative interpretation.

The kung fu is non existent at this moment. I find it not innovative, I find even the flying sequence spoiled by the lack of imagination, flair and too much OBVIOUS green screen. For that, I applaud Stephen Chow for the clever use of CGI and real scene. I know it is fantasy but it should look credible enough even for a fantasy. I hope as the journey progresses I will get to see some major good fighting sequences and less CGI or those effects. I mean one scene it was so badly done as monkey stood there and supposedly received something magically and yet so obvious it was 2 sequences edited together when it shouldn't look so obvious.

The storytelling may be faithful but it feels... disjointed. Some stories unfinished. I don't feel touched by the love story. I felt little for the demons. I feel for Monkey King and his sifu but the rest, none at all. That's why I love TVB's JTTW. The stories may be longwinded for some but updated and retold in such a way it works. It feels connected, it feels like it is bridged between the fantasy and the message the series is supposed to tell. It feels inspiring, touching and most of all, you feel involved. The problem with most Mainland China series of such nature is you don't feel that way. This version of JTTW wastes too much time on unnecessary scenes that wouldn't make sense for someone who has never seen JTTW of any version before; like why all of a sudden Monkey went crying and insisted Bajie patrol the hills? We know it is because he wants to play a trick on Bajie. But the series was too sudden. And I feel by weaving together Bajie's supposed side story of lovesick nature with his eventual mission to India in TVB's version, it just makes for funny and at times touching watch. Like his 1000 love punishment. I laughed so hard. I don't see that sort of personalisation in this JTTW. In fact this JTTW is dominated by monkey king whilst at least in TVB's version there is am effort to balance and give fair treatment to all characters. The villains also just didn't garner much pity unlike that 3 strike the white bone demon in TVB's JTTW, my favourite of the story. You pity the demon and yet understood Wukong's predicament and yet blame the monk and yet understood his frustration. This story is also by far the best in this JTTW but somehow lacking in that personal touch for the stories of the demon and our heroes.

The worst is so many places credited as the backdrop that I realised they'r really backdrop. Most scenes the actors film in front of the green/blue screen and rarely on site except for some small scene and even then all those sites rarely fully utilised. For this Qiong Yau should be applauded. Did you see that disaster called New HZGG? Disaster yes, but scenery worthy of all the HD in the world and so colourful. JTTW should have been that. But yet the actors stuck in front of green screens, even in scenes they were supposed to be travelling, obviously green screen. I mean what a waste!! I know the logistics is difficult, as shown at the end of each episode with the BTS sequences BUT come on! Less green screen, more real scenery!!

But the best of the best, the themesong. I don't have anything bad to say about the themesong; serene, beautiful, peaceful. I hope I can find its soundtrack some day.

But don't let my criticisms deter you from watching this. It is still highly entertaining and you have got to watch Wu Yue as Sun Wukong. He is a mixed between Dicky and the original Liu Xiao Ling Tong, but neither the dexterity of the old master nor the nimbleness of Dicky. But he excels in the little things; the way he moved his fingers, the way he looked at people, his eyes. Like I said, he was so limited by that stupid rubber latex that it is almost frustrating to imagine how he would have look facially but he made it all up with body language. For that I am loving this JTTW even if everything else is just... 50-50.

If God has an Ipod...

2012-02-02T17:42:00.000+08:00

After listening to this rather interesting song by Milk Kan with the title God With An Ipod, I wonder too... if God has an Ipod, what would His playlist be like? Maybe no "Hotel California" by Eagles, the one song I believe comedians love to say it's a devil worshipper's song if you play it backwards! Or is it another song? Anyway I bet Devil's playlist will include "Light My Fire" by Doors!

Hungry for books!

2012-02-02T14:22:00.000+08:00

I don't know what's wrong with me these days. I could just curl up on my bed and read and read and read. No no not those Shakespeare stuff but you know ordinary books. I just finished all 5 books of the Percy Jackson series (hey! no shame in teenager books ok!!), then started on Heroes of Olympus where book 1 took me the longest but book 2 was much better only to realise this is also a 5 part series so I shall have to wait for book 3, 4 and 5!! WHAT?! I mean my neck is long already waiting for Robert Harris' 3rd book on the Cicero series, now I gotta wait for these too? I should have started on the Egyptian series by the Percy Jackson writer since only 3 books and first 2 already published in paperback. Gotta admit, very shocking to find greek goddesses and gods which I know is very promiscous is also very incestously promiscous. Shouldn't have been surprised at all. Of all 3 major gods, if I have a choice I would like to be Poseidon/Neptune. Why not eh? Sea is more than land. Ok, Zeus/Jupiter is pretty cool for ruling the sky but you know, I find creatures under the sea much much cooler. Moreover, Poseidon is a nicer name than Zeus (like kena zapped!).

Now on the Percy Jackson series, reading book 1 made me want to re-read the whole of Harry Potter series. Same story lar! Except Percy can say he is most royal of the 2. I mean daddy is Poseidon man! Poseidon! Cool powers also. Harry... is just...Harry. But no doubt Rick Riordan influenced by JK Rowling influenced by Tolkien. Except admittedly I do enjoy Percy's story, more so when I was reading Heroes Of Olympus and the story of Jason Grace was like the worst for me (all those sub plots about this girl having the hots for that guy is very very distracting) and I find myself missing Percy and book 2 of the Heroes series has Percy again which was to me excellent.. anyway admittedly Percy's world doesn't make sense. Very easy to explain mortals can't see what is really going on because of the mist. I mean one line, that's it. I find Percy's world not convincing although Greek gods and stuff is stuff of prime time long running drama. No doubt, JK is a much better writer in visualising Hogwarts and stuff. But as I read the 5 part series, book 2 Sea of Monsters was my favourite. It begins to steer away from the Harry Potter similarities and some paragraphs are witty and stuff. I find myself chuckling and as I read more and more, I began to like Tyson the Cyclops more and more. I like Percy also for his cynicism of the gods and his bravery. In the Heroes series book 2, I like how he dumped Hera on the river. I would have done the same. However I still find the stories somewhat incomplete. Many not explained, and the author did not bother to explain. You take it for what it is. Which is why JK Rowling is a billionaire writer; she connects the dot, even if her books got progressively thicker to the point I can't even take one up and throw it. Too heavy.

Ahhhhh I miss Harry. After I am done throwing my money on the 2 Egyptian series, I shall return to Harry and Hogwarts. My imagination needs a bit of familiar ground to flex its "muscle".

Anyway I shouldn't say throwing money when it comes to buying books, any books (except pornographic books where real thing is of course way better eh?). Because a book is a knowledge treasure trove. You don't need to read encyclopedias to reap knowledge. Some books will lead you to more knowledge. Like my favourite, Imperium and Lustrum/Conspirata by Robert Harris which led me to Cicero. And now these Percy Jackson books, reignited my love for Greek gods and stories where when I was a little girl I used to have a book on Greek myths and loved it. Now of course it is a tad deeper. Not sure what I feel about Egyptian myths though. However much I may diss a bit of Percy and his world, in the end truly I was entertained. Question is will I return to Percy later? Not sure... maybe... maybe...

Anyway buying books like I said is never a waste of money. Rather books than... ermmmm... food? I read with interest what Paulo Coelho (never liked his books... sorry) said about the recent US' attempt for control over rampant piracy on the internet. He actually encouraged it! But he is only supporting it from the viewpoint of books aka authors. I understand his reasonings and I agree. I can find many torrents on a lot of books but if you want me to stare at the screen reading the books or even Ipad, sorry, I'd rather pay RM35-50 or whatever for a book where I can bring into toilet, brand my name on it, fold it, basically abuse it to the point one day it just fell apart, like my Goblet Of Fire book. I think I need to buy a new one.

Anyway what books are you reading lately? Any good recommendation? I am running out of books. MY taste is modern books as in not too old. I am not into old books, the oldest I read was Jane Austen and I wasn't thrilled. The old classic one I read that I loved was Black Beauty. Anything older I am afraid my brain cannot process. Maybe one day I will try again those older books.

[HELP!] Do you know this song?

2012-01-28T14:15:00.000+08:00

Please hear the video below and do reply if you know the title and the singer! Love the song but can't figure out the singer. I suppose the title is Without You? Please help! Hellllllllllllllllllllllppppppppppppppppppppp!!!!

Happy Chinese New Year!!

2012-01-25T00:02:00.000+08:00

I like you Nicky but this is just painful. But I do like you!

Anyway, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR everyone! May the dragon fly past, turn back, stop in front and say Hi to you! Fortune showers, blessings galore, money money money and good radiant health to all!

Updates

2012-01-19T16:29:00.000+08:00

Time for some spring cleaning! I have imported all older posts and retained only those essential ones here. For the archived posts, check out Archived Blog. I think I will clean that up later also. About 1000 plus posts there and I am sure I have accidentally deleted a few hundred when I was moving posts here and there. As usual, template still very much a work in progress. Hopefully will get it done soon when inspired!

Bottled Passion [TVB][2011][O]

2012-01-11T14:32:00.000+08:00

11.01.2012
Check out my review here. I haven't written a proper length review for a long time. Feel rather rusty!

02.01.2012
I avoided spoilers for these past few days. My new mantra for the last 2 episode was "Let Lo Yat live! Let Lo Yat live!" Finally saw the last 2 episodes and

SPOILERS!!!

Ep 20 was brilliant. Love the ending for the villains. But ep 21 was a complete waste of time and one single episode made the entire sries darn stupid. Oi! This is 1920s not like ancient China! You got stabbed you go to hospital! NO! He had to stagger almost entire night until morning, went onto a boat and die! When for that 10 hours or so he could have staggered to the hospital and save his own life! I don’t get it! What a stupid ending!! Drama for drama sake! At least it isn’t Lo Yat! Why does TVB have to spoil such a good series with this stupid last episode?! How can a half dying man with a knife in his stomach can wander around guangzhou and no one knew? NO ONE KNEW!! Drama for drama sake. Again I repeat, at least it isn’t Lo Yat!

But the past 20 episodes, this series was a winner. Just ignore ep 21. It does not exist. There is no ep 21.

29.12.2011
Seriously, the 2 Raymonds should be nominated next year but I feel by that time their excellent performance would have been forgotten. Another would be Eric Li whom I expect to be darn evil but right now, no sign of being evil at all. A big surprise. I have a mantra now; let LuoYat be good. Let Luo Yat be good!

28.12.2011

Wouldn't it be great if Milk Candy Girl is another girl and so our hero Boon Sin has to choose between Milk Candy Girl and Tsui Sum? Even better if the Ko adopted this Milk Candy Girl? But will never happen in such epic proportion. The Kos are too selfish to love anyone but themselves. But wouldn't it be just great IF the Milk Candy Girl is someone else? That reminds me of Jacky Cheung's song; "One side has gratitude; the other side is love" or something like that.

23.12.2011

When was the last time I saw an actor smoke in a TVB series? I can't remember. Tonight, Raymond light up a ciggie and did it with such casualness and yet with such force to the lighter and then puff and then exhale, I practically cheered because damn it, you want Shanghai Bund era? Well you must smoke and look cool! It is almost indecent! Anyway great series. Really enjoying the story!

21.12.2011

Ok I retract my statement about the themesong. It is ok, except for the Ahhhh ahhhh ahhh haaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa part which was excruciating. Does sound like Nikki Chow doesn't it? Anyway can't remember which episode but love the scenes Tung scolded poor Tsui Sum like a dog. Seriously entertaining series.

14.12.2011

I am at Episode 7 or 8, can't remember and I have used all manner of cursing against Raymond's Tung Boon Sin. Poor poor Tsui Sum. Nikki Chow still a terrible actress. What a waste of a good role.

12.12.2011

I am at Episode 5 and seriously enjoying this series. So the acting by Nicki Chow is horrendous but everybody else is great and Raymond Wong is doing great. Story is engaging. Are you watching? But do ignore the screeching that is called singing for the themesong.

10.12.2011

I am watching Bottled Passion, starring Raymond Wong ((he's gonna be a villain!!) and tailor made role for her, Nicki Chow. I find it interesting with all the hallmarks of a Lee Tim Shing production. Yeah rehashed stuff but darn interesting. Raymond Wong looks pale but he can act. Nicki Chow however.. pretty, older, wiser looking, improved a bit but overall still god awful. This role should have been Tavia Yeung's, before her nose job. Shall post more in this post when I have anything more to say. So far I am very curious; where is limping Milk Candy girl and who will play her? Don't tell me! Wanna find out for myself. Anyway love the Chinese title. It sounds like a comedy with play of words but this is a very serious drama. So I find the title not suitable but quite inventive. It is "Ngo Dik Yu Yi Long Gwan" which normally means "My ideal husband/partner in life" but the word Long here is not the usual word, it means "wolf" or someone with dishonest intentions and so the title became "My dastardly husband". Interesting!

No Regrets [TVB]

2011-12-27T23:12:00.000+08:00

I am watching No Regrets, it is ending this Saturday and I haven't talked much because it is a series with a heavy subject and I can honestly say, I am wowed by the actors who made an effort to sound like they were speaking Japanese and I know they did, however their pronunciation since I recognised some words and they all sounded credible and I know they were all TVB actors but maybe the fluent ones may be some other people. Kudos to them and I may laugh at Kam Kong (is that his name?) but he gave as commendable performance. I really like Wayne here as the righteous, and Pierre Ngo as Lau Sing, the increasingly brave Pai Kwat. Love the way he shot Kam Kong to death but the best was Sheren Teng shooting that despicable Japanese 3 times. What a woman and a very strong female character. I even like Raymond Wong as Yeung Yeung, something very old fashion goodness about him that makes him best suited for this era, like Kenneth Ma is except Raymond Wong is a better actor. I would have liked Fala Chen more if she didn't have so much role. I don't get it; why is she having so much role? For a while I was fed up with so much of her scenes and wished her dead and I still do. 8 years and for someone with a serious heart disease she is still very much alive.

But I nearly shed a tear for Leung Fei Fan that is Evergreen Mak. Oh he was despicable, wished him dead and yet when he died, like Lau Sing and Pai Kwat, I felt very sad. His end was pretty sad and he did die with a clear conscience.

Anyway ending soon. I want a happy ending. But I just can't stand the aunty Susan Tse. 8 years, even when Japanese was occupying China, she was busy comploting Kau Mui's downfall. You know woman, there are other more important things to do!!

But of course No Regrets have its regrets, like how anyone could just stroll up to the concentration camp and throw food. One wonders were the Japanese blind at that time?

I think I will write a review for this. It deserves such a treatment rather than just scattered opinion.

[LYRICS] 注定/Destined [Nicky Wu]

2011-12-21T16:49:00.000+08:00

This is a beautiful song and a sad one. Took me some time to hunt for the Chinese lyrics and I hope I got the right one. I listened to this song and immediately I dream of Jin Yong situation; bunch of people hounding to death the hero's parents who died in each other's arms. There is something rather old fashioned about this song and tragic as well. Sung by Nicky Wu. Not sure if the lyrics is the duet or him alone. Need to check. One glance at the lyrics I feel I may have blown my own trumpet too soon. A challenge but shall make sense of it one step at a time. The title is 注定 which some says Doomed, some says, Fated, I say Destined. But is there a difference between Destined and Fated? More to the point you can say Meant To Be but I think Fated/Destined can explain that. It isn't necessarily Doomed though. The video above is I am not sure duet version (half chinese, half korean) or full chinese. The lyrics after the Read More link.

注定
Zhùdìng
Destined

冬去春来几时缘分人不知
Dōng qù chūnlái jǐshí yuánfèn rén bùzhī

悲欢离合只盼与你相知
Bēihuānlíhé zhǐ pàn yǔ nǐ xiāngzhī

若有命运恩赐自有重逢时
Ruò yǒu mìngyùn ēncì zì yǒu chóngféng shí

再续前生不变相思
Zài xù qián shēng bù biàn xiàng sī

梦已长你我相守两不忘
Mèng yǐ zhǎng nǐ wǒ xiāng shǒu liǎng bù wàng

任时光消失成空再回想
Rèn shíguāng xiāoshī chéng kōng zài huíxiǎng

你为我注定寻山万水而来
Nǐ wèi wǒ zhùdìng xún shān wàn shuǐ ér lái

我为你等待一生去爱
Wǒ wèi nǐ děngdài yīshēng qù ài

冬去春来几时缘分人不知
Dōng qù chūnlái jǐshí yuánfèn rén bùzhī

悲欢离合只盼与你相知
Bēihuānlíhé zhǐ pàn yǔ nǐ xiāngzhī

若有命运恩赐自有重逢时
Ruò yǒu mìngyùn ēncì zì yǒu chóngféng shí

再续前生不变相思
Zài xù qián shēng bù biàn xiàng sī

梦已长你我相守两不忘
Mèng yǐ zhǎng nǐ wǒ xiāng shǒu liǎng bù wàng

任时光消失成空再回想
Rèn shíguāng xiāoshī chéng kōng zài huíxiǎng

你为我注定寻山万水而来
Nǐ wèi wǒ zhùdìng xún shān wàn shuǐ ér lái

我为你等待一生去爱
Wǒ wèi nǐ děngdài yīshēng qù ài

梦醒之后的黑夜你不在我身边
Mèng xǐng zhīhòu de hēiyè nǐ bùzài wǒ shēnbiān

我情愿住在为你心碎的世界
Wǒ qíngyuàn zhù zài wèi nǐ xīn suì de shìjiè

因为与你的承诺
Yīnwèi yǔ nǐ de chéngnuò

我从来没忘记过
Wǒ cónglái méi wàngjìguò

生死注定我要爱你
Shēngsǐ zhùdìng wǒ yào ài nǐ

[LYRICS] 你是我的梦/You are my dream [Nicky Wu]

2011-12-21T16:24:00.000+08:00

I am practising understanding Chinese, so best way to start is lyrics. Simple ones and frankly Chinese pop songs are rather simple and repeats several times. But also must understand meaning. I really like this song by Nicky Wu and so did my best to translate to English equivalent. ** means I am not sure of the sentence. So far no full song which is a pity. Listen to the song proper here.

The lyrics after Read More link.

你是我的梦
Nǐ shì wǒ de mèng
You Are My Dream

I know,you are the one

我知道自己在你心里
Wǒ zhīdào zìjǐ zài nǐ xīnlǐ
I know I am in your heart

对想象，我还有
Duì xiǎngxiàng, wǒ hái yǒu
I still wish for us to be together

一些需要的差距
Yīxiē xūyào de chājù
A bit of needed distance between us *

哦耶
O Yeah!

I know,you are the one

你把心交给我那天起
Nǐ bǎ xīn jiāo gěi wǒ nèitiān qǐ
From the day you have surrendered your heart to me

我珍惜因为你
Wǒ zhēnxī yīnwèi nǐ
I treasure it because of you

给我信心永远在一起
Gěi wǒ xìnxīn yǒngyuǎn zài yīqǐ
You gave me the confidence to be with you for eternity

哦耶
O yeah!

生命中经过了多少风雨
Shēngmìng zhòng jīngguòle duōshǎo fēngyǔ
In our lives we have braved through many obstacles

我们才能如此的靠近
Wǒmen cáinéng rúcǐ de kàojìn
Because of that we could stay close to one another

那些和你有过的回忆
Nàxiē hé nǐ yǒuguò de huíyì
And the memories I have of us together

让我们勇敢的走下去
Ràng wǒmen yǒnggǎn de zǒu xiàqù
Enable us to bravely continue our journey

I know you are
The one for me

如今我的世界
Rújīn wǒ de shìjiè
Now in our world

所有快乐悲伤
Suǒyǒu kuàilè bēishāng
There is happiness and there is sadness

都是因为着你
Dōu shì yīnwèizhe nǐ
It is because of you

给我爱的指引
Gěi wǒ ài de zhǐyǐn
Guiding me with your love *

I know you are
The one for me

是你让我相信
Shì nǐ ràng wǒ xiāngxìn
Because of you I believe

只要付出真心
Zhǐyào fùchū zhēnxīn
So long I am sincere

一寸一寸耕耘
Yīcùn yīcùn gēngyún
With bit by bit of hardwork *

永远不必再怀疑
Yǒngyuǎn bùbì zài huáiyí
I shall never have to doubt again

[LYRICS] 沒時間後悔/No time for regrets [Hanjin Tan] W.I.P

2011-12-19T16:14:00.002+08:00

I absolutely love the themesong for Ghetto Justice which is called 沒時間後悔 aka Méi shíjiān hòuhuǐ aka No time for regrets. I wrote about that in my Ghetto Justice Episodic Thoughts under Themesong but since not many go there, I am reposting the lyrics here. Powerful lyrics, very angry and determined man point of view and I have yet to find the TV themesong full version with MC Jin rapping in Cantonese but I found plenty of download links for Hanjin Tan's full version in Mandarin which is the lyrics that I am reposting below. Humbly I am translating the lyrics from the 1st person point of view, sometimes literally, sometimes the meaning but I have 2 or 3 lines that I am not sure so I wrote Pending. And since I tend to explain myself more, you will see Note meaning me explaining. Fantastic song! Anyway this is still W.I.P!

DOWNLOAD

The full version by Hanjin Tan

TV version with MC Jin rapping (unavailable)

MY INTERPRETATION
I wrote this in an email to a friend;

Because original full song is I think Hanjin's song and TVB used it as a chorus for MC Jin's rap for the GJ themesong. Original song is really fantastic. Lyrics from what I can understand is also positive; like someone singing and fighting his fate and gives his finger to the heaven. Quite an attitude.

So I think my translation (based on and expanding on K-TVB's translation will be from the 1st person perspective, a very determined and angry person singing this song. All I can say Hanjin, I love you for this song!!

THE LYRICS

Full version is pure Mandarin. TV version is rap in cantonese, some part mandarin.

FULL VERSION
CHINESE
From Asianfanatics

Note : I believe this is Hanjin's full song, minus the rap. Pending translation.

A

為甚麼自卑　
Wéishènme zìbēi
Why must I feel inferior
Note : Zibei is also low self esteem

幹嗎要後悔　
gànma yào hòuhuǐ
Why should I feel regrets

Yeah Yeah

就算再多挫折我都不認失敗
Jiùsuàn zài duō cuòzhé wǒ dū bù rèn shībài
Even in the face of failure, I will never admit defeat

我不會流淚　
Wǒ bù huì liúlèi
I will not cry

沒時間後悔　
méi shíjiān hòuhuǐ
I have no time for regrets

Yeah Yeah

地上再多血跡我也得站起來
Dìshàng zài duō xiějī wǒ yě de zhàn qǐlái
Even if the ground is splattered with blood I can still stand back up again

AA

拜托　不是三歲小孩　
Bàituō bùshì sān suì xiǎohái
Oh please, I am not a kid anymore
Note : The actual wording is "I beg you, not a 3 year old child anymore" but when someone says like this, it just means telling the other person to stop treating him like a child, he's not a child anymore

太多　人想看我受害
tài duō rén xiǎng kàn wǒ shòuhài
Too many people want to see me fail

幫我口口聲聲的說　
Bāng wǒ kǒukǒushēngshēng de shuō
All the promises made by you
Note : The actual wording is "Help me, you kept saying" but I am having trouble on whether the Help Me is really pleading for help or just like the expression of Baituo, like oh please, god help me, etc. It can be a pleading or it can be sarcasm. Since can't see comma, and all so I am not sure. I read the whole word to mean as I am translating since it connects to the next line so that it makes sense.

到頭來結果　還是一場空
dàotóulái jiéguǒ háishì yīchǎngkōng
In the end are just empty promises

誰說　我不能自己來　
Shuí shuō wǒ bùnéng zìjǐ lái
Who says I can't make it on my own
Note : Can also mean who says I can't do it myself but I think the writer meant someone achieving something on their own effort.

成功用雙手建起來
chénggōng yòng shuāng shǒu jiàn qǐlái
Success is built by my own hands

掌握
Zhǎngwò
Seize it

好的機會不多　
hǎo de jīhuì bù duō
Good opportunities are hard to come by

這是我的show　又幹嘛不做
zhè shì wǒ de show yòu gàn ma bù zuò
This is my show, why shouldn't I do it

Repeat A to AA

拜托　
Bàituō
Oh please

別煩我　
bié fán wǒ
Stop disturbing me

我不在　
wǒ bùzài
I am not here

再多的電話都不開
zài duō de diànhuà dōu bù kāi
I will not take any calls even if you keep calling
Note : Literal meaning is however much phone calls I won't open, but I interprete it as I wrote

在做專輯但電腦開　
Zài zuò zhuānjí dàn diànnǎo kāi
PENDING

有甚麼好說　用電郵說
yǒu shénme hǎo shuō yòng diànyóu shuō
Whatever you wanna say, just email me
Note : One word could have summarised this sentence that is Oh shut up and just email me! but it also means what I wrote which is the literal sense.

結果還是得自己來　
Jiéguǒ háishì de zìjǐ lái
In the end we can only depend on ourselves
Note : I use we here because of the next sentence and the literal meaning is "In the end we ended up doing it ourselves" but I interprete it as depending on ourselves.

合伙　把公司建起來
héhuǒ bǎ gōngsī jiàn qǐlái
Work together to rebuild the company
Note : Could also be "Cooperate to bring up the company again"

經過　這麼多的無奈　
Jīngguò zhème duō de wúnài
After going thru so much of hopelesness
Note : Wunai can also be frustration but I feel hopelesness is more to the point because wunai is more than just being frustrated

也是時候該給自己點愛
yěshì shíhou gāi jǐ zìjǐ diǎn ài
Sometimes I should love myself a little more
Note : Or I suppose some credit also can but I think the meaning is to say sometimes one must love oneself little more or rather literally "Sometimes (some moment) should give oneself some love"

Repeat A to AA, TWICE

THEMESONG VERSION
I found the translated/pinyin lyrics here at k-tvb.net and excellent translation but I suppose will differ from what I will eventually post above.

Note : This is the MC Jin rap with Hanjin's chorus version

[POEM] Don't Quit

2011-03-21T16:42:00.000+08:00

No one knows who wrote this inspiring poem, Don't Quit. I didn't even know it is a well known poem because I bought a scroll like hanging ornament with this poem on it and it has been hanging on my bedroom wall since forever. Sometimes I do look at it, like a reassuring message that whatever shit comes my way, I can handle it. Anyway I am reproducing the same poem here for your reading pleasure;

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won had he stuck it out;

Don't give up though the pace seems slow--

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,

It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up,

When he might have captured the victor's cup,

And he learned too late when the night slipped down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far,

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

[TV] DREAM HIGH [KBS] : Pure comments

2011-01-27T12:02:00.001+08:00

I am moving all my Dream High notes into this single post. I mean I am no Drama Beans so I shall just sporadically post something as witty as Drama Beans... oh come on! I can! Can't I? So any Dream High comments, please do post here.

POSTED ON 27.01.2011
Just read this latest news here of extending this series from 16 episodes to 17 episodes which is ok but if the TV station has its ways, it might go beyond 17 episodes which to me is a big NO! Let it be 17 episodes, short and sweet. Any longer and we shall have nonsense. Anyway I just realise this ain't American Idol, probably Akademia Fantasia but this is Glee, Korean version. And I dislike Glee but I like this unless Dream High suddenly has teenage pregnancy lar, doing Britney Spears lar, themed shows lar. Please no! NO! I still find Hyemi or the actress unremarkable. What's so special about the actress anyway? I am now very curious how the sushi girl actually looks like and I shall avoid googling her to see her real face. In Episode 2 our Yon-sama's character did say cryptically "She will be very beautiful" and I still think she is K and if the producers haven't decided yet, well make her K! The rest can wallow in their love triangles or octagons or whatever. If this was TVB, everybody would have a nickname like the dancer Jason may be called "MJ" or Hyemi will be called "Rude Girl" or Sushi girl is "Fat girl" and tall guy called "Hero" or something like that! And in TVB this would be 25 episodes, minimum and in TVB this would suck.

Anyway I also think Yon-sama is single. Not that he is gay, but he is married to the reflection in the mirror. Kidding. I suppose some men do like being single and not be tied down with marriages, children, wives. I can't imagine him with a child, holding a child and such. I read in Wiki he had a girlfriend named Lee Sa-gang but can't find any pictures of her. Very curious!

POSTED ON 25.01.2011

I just realised when I was watching Episode 1, there was a warning which says the show is unsuitable for those aged 15 and below. One witty comment I heard was "Why? Because having an ambition and a dream is harmful for young teenagers?" and another I heard was "Probably to warn those who may be rather scared of Bae

POSTED ON 25.01.2011

[NOW] Wow, sushi girl can sing!! However I can't stand Hyemi. I find her boring. I just wish the story would move away from her than having guys running to her all the time. And in Episode 2 I realise there are no police in Korea but plenty of gallant heroic boyfriends. Anyway I just remember Episode 1's MAJOR MISTAKE with the translation. Bae Yongjun played Summertime mixed with Korean pop song. Since I am a major fan of George and Ira Gershwin I knew Summertime when I heard it. Translation said... wait for this... "WINTERTIME"!!!!!!!!!!!!! You know, just because it is Bae Yongjun and Winter Sonata doesn't make all stuff Winter!! And Bae Yongjun's character is like Dumbledore and Kirin is like Hogwarts. If not how can anyone explain him knowing certain students by name and all when they never auditioned? I still believe Sushi girl is K.

[PREVIOUSLY] I just realised when I was watching Episode 1, there was a warning which says the show is unsuitable for those aged 15 and below. One witty comment I heard was "Why? Because having an ambition and a dream is harmful for young teenagers?" and another I heard was "Probably to warn those who may be rather scared of Bae Yongjun's face" which to me isn't right. In fact I feel if anything, this should be the standard viewing for young teenagers when it comes to Bae Yongjun, why? Because if they can learn to dress like our man does, even 50% of his style, we shall have a very stylish nation. I was actually thinking why this is not suitable for aged 15 and below is because our TV or rather KBS doesn't want young teenagers and dreamy children to dream "bak yat mung" meaning pointless daydreaming since the subject is fame isn't it? What a way to "encourage" our young ones eh? You know what? The more "Not suitable for aged 15 and below" the more 15 and below wants to watch because they'll wonder, what the heck is wrong with it? Maybe expecting Bae Yongjun to do a repeat performance of his movie, Untold Scandal. I don't even remember Oh! My Lady having the same warning and there we have Choi Siwon stripping for all he is worth for the first few episodes. Not that I am complaining. I am convinced it is so stop people from "Fatt bak yat mung". That must be it. Anyway until now I can't distinguish one actress from the other, they all look the same. The actors I can distinguish since one tall, one short, one shaggy hair, one with bunny tooth and all. And I am still wondering what is so great about winning a Grammy. I mean by 2018, is Grammy still relevant? Why not show that K due to perform the biggest concert ever in foreign land say in Carnegie Hall? Somewhere prestigious? And like I said before, sold 30million albums. And have fans from all races and age. Grammy in light of the recent nominees and winners just reminds me of Golden Globes and the Oscars these past few years. Anyway I will be following this series until everybody becomes insufferable and I shall have to stop my viewing before I slit my throat over depression. This series does present a group of people with dreams and all, but Kirin College of Art or Girin just sound like a beer. In fact it is a beer, from Japan! Shouldn't it be Kirin, School of Performing Arts? And what's the yearly tuition fees like I wonder?

I did make the mistake (unintentionally) of calling this series DREAM ON. I swear I didn't mean anything by that, it was really a mistake.

Ok, I shall shut up for now.

There are older posts. Please click on Read More link for the rest of the contents.

POSTED ON 24.01.2011

Sehseh has been hardselling this series to me, called Dream High and since amazingly ASTRO is showing something new and so near the actual release date in Korea, I might as well promote it a bit myself. Dream High, produced by Bae Yongjun will be showing on ASTRO's Ch 391 every Monday and Tuesday at 9pm. I checked and yes, it's there! How good is it? Don't know but it does star some of the hottest young pop idols of Korean music scene and no, not Choi Siwon. He is busy doing SERIOUS acting. Joking!! But he was in Athena and so far no news on how was Athena. Choi Siwon can act and I suppose he has moved beyond ensemble pieces of people his age and into ensemble pieces of people of various age?

[ADD] I watched the 1st episode, realised none of the young dudes have half the style of Bae Yongjun and none of them have half his Botox as well. Anyway liked it, so ok lar, will continue to watch. But I really dislike the leading female character. She is such a mean spirited girl and why all the guys just drop like flies for her? I actually find the other girl, the best friend prettier. Anyway Grammy awards and 20 million album sales? That's like so Alanis time. Make it 30 million! Surely 2018 would mean more people? And who's the one who will win the grammy? My bet, not our leading lady. As for Taecyoun (did I get his name right?) an obligatory slow-mo shot of him jumping/sliding through a car's windshield/whatever. Ok, he is young, he is tall, well built and cute. Waiting for him to strip but atypical of the characters for one cold one, one turned villain, one silly, one stupid, one gallant, now one in English and do not be fooled by dreams, ambitions, Grammys and all, in the end it is all about Korea's favourite word, SA-RANG. Hopefully Bea Yongjun getting sick of Winter Sonata will break the mold and make it not really about love.

Burning Flame III [O]+[E] : Feelings and emotions in the torrents of disbelief

2010-09-23T15:40:00.001+08:00

IF YOU SEE THIS AT THE TOP, IT MEANS IT'S UPDATED WITH NEW POST

JUST ADDED : 23.09.2010- Episode 26?27?

That should be the right title. Instead of just writing episodic thoughts which is tiring, I have decided to just how I feel which should be pretty short but to the point, I hope. Don't be surprised to see this post constantly updated since I don't plan to post a new post for each .. ermm... new post. Latest post is always the bottom post. Anyway since it will be long, just click the Read More link.

Some useful information

- About the series here

- One review by Bridget Au here

- Previous Burning Flame reviews : BF I by me | BF II by me | BF II by Bridget Au

If you would like to comment using Post A Comment, do write the episode first if it is episode specific. I will not be writing for each and every episode though.

18.08.2010

Episode 1

I am watching Burning Flame III, the much maligned installment out of the 3. Never doubt my love for the classic Burning Flame, and Burning Flame II had its moments and could boast the best acting and sexiest fireman of the 3 and so I wonder how will I feel about Burning Flame III? So far I only notice how fit Wong Hei is, even Kevin Cheng has his shirtless moment and all of them so tanned. Even Bosco looked like he worked out. And Kevin so short next to the other fireman, and the sibling relationship between Elaine Yiu and Kevin Cheng so freaky because I thought they were lovers as she was part of hos hockey fan club and the way she looked at him and the way she was on top of him massaging his bare naked shoulder... I have digressed. Frankly the comraderie part of the firemen is a bit forced and is Kevin and Wong Hei supposed to be best friend? Like now they looked like they had a lover's tiff. HOWEVER what is nice though is the reality of the work; we have 2 teams in the fire department, 2 chiefs so to speak which is realistic since firemen are supposed to "work one day, rest 2 days" so some other team must takeover during the rest days.

I am not loving it, especially how they "persuaded" a (in TVB's own words) "suicidal crazy injured AIDS sufferer with a knife who has open wounds" to not kill himself. Do like Kevin did; kick him to the floor. Who needs a counsellor eh?

19.08.2010

Episode 2

Want to talk about the opening theme which has no opening theme but dialogues and music. Radical eh? Frankly I quite like this series thus far thanks to this single episode. I mean in all 3 BF Wong Hei has been different and in here he is serious, dedicated, somewhat kiasu and very sulky. Great! I read the synopsis he is supposed to be best friend with Kevin but didn't look like it. Kevin being the handsome one gets the press attention so I see jealousy brewing. Will I hate this when Myolie appears? So far Wong Hei's character is the most fascinating and his back story as in his childhood story is good to watch. Bosco is ok. Acting improved but still has that lazy eyes you know? I did notice that the fire scenes are becoming more realistic. I suppose you get something out of every BF instalments. Personally, BF I is still the classic. Maybe make a BF IV with the BF I characters? But Louise Koo has effectively retire from TVB. Anyway still neutral with the series. Quite enjoying it thus far although I will never ever ever ever ever believe Kevin can carry any heavy equipments up 20 floors by foot. He looks so tiny. I mean Wong Hei is also as tiny but he looks like he could carry those equipments. Why can't they just ask Alex Fong to act in Kevin's role? Unfortunately no sign if freaky incestous sister in this episode.

20.08.2010

Episode 3

I was taken by surprise by Myolie's sudden appearance and she already is friendly with Kevin and it turns out she works at the station as well. So far no hatred. No love either. Anyway this entire episode is about Kevin, his past and why he became a fireman. Unlike Wong Hei who became a fireman because he had no choice, he wanted a good career, Kevin came from a family of fireman as in his father was a well respected fireman so there is that pedigree there. How he loved clubbing, very irresponsible as opposed to Wong Hei, forever very responsible and then father died of heart attack and so he became a fireman and learn to be responsible. Good, good but Kevin, clubbing? Kevin a wild young man? Not just that, that scene where his father died, his grief of his death was so badly acted, the acting was god awful. But none as god awful as seeing Elaine Yiu there because how old is the sister? 26? 28? because that was 10 years ago and she looked sort of 16? 18?. Should have been a younger girl because I thought the sister is only early 20s! And can't they find someone more good looking to be his dad?! Michael Miu can make a guest appearance! Getting back to Myolie-Wong Hei, I like how nice he is to her, buying ling tzi for her stepmother so that she will be treated well! How charming! And what's with Myolie's half brother and his sulky face? Whilst I am still neutral on the story, I like however the fire or rescue scene. More realistic this time. As for the Kevin being complaint by fellow ice hockey rival, that was just pure ridiculousness. HK gives me an impression when they're complained against, they will immediately go weak on the knees and pray to god and whatever else because like it's doom! Please.....And it was ridiculous, is that Stephen Hyuhn the villain? It is stupid that he said "Officer this man (Kevin) must stay and be interrogated! All of them must be detained!" because he said Kevin stole his watch when Kevin as a fireman broke open his apartment on suspiscion of fire. And guess what? Kevin just got a call to attend to another emergency! And what did the police do? "Ermm sir, we will need to investigate you". WHAT BS IS THIS? He's got another fire to fight man! So for the sake of YOUR watch, those people can burn to death is it? And I can't figure out the connection between Wong Hei's scene of rescuing a dead pregnant lady in a car crash (the husband, "BEST ACTOR" because when told wife died but child survived, well, he was rather happy. Yeap, screw the woman! As long as I have mahhhh son!" and Bosco's scene of finding evidence against the guy who started a fire which the police think Bosco did it. Is there a connection, at all? Anyway thank you for Wong Hei, the only decent one in this series. Even King Kong looks stressed.

23.08.2010

Episode 4

More flashback on how Wong Hei became a fireman and his love with Kevin. I mean friendship. FRIENDSHIP. I suppose these flashbacks will explain why Wong Hei is such a sourgrape when with super popular Kevin. Wong Hei was a lowly medical emergency staff stationed at the fire department and Kevin was trainee officer and they strike out a friendship with Kevin the sassy one teaching Wong Hei about the big city and having fun. They were best of mates, best friends, best buds, bestest of the bestest best and they were BFFs until Kevin found ice hockey, I think. Ahhhh who cares! I do! I do! Wong Hei is jealous. Imagine he became an officer I think 2 years or 3 years after Kevin (since he needed his degree first) but now he is on the same rank with Kevin? And yet Kevin reaped all the glory since he's Kevin you see. I feel for Wong Hei and his innately intense jealousy of Kevin, or is it love because I can't forget how Kevin delicately held Wong Hei's hands and push him into his convertible car on their first date... I mean joy ride. If TVB wants me to believe they were BFFs, please save us the flashback and just say they're because that would be more convincing than watching them act BFFs. BUT Wong Hei rules. Bosco is still running around and being silly but is now calling Wong Hei sifu aka sensei aka his personal hero aka love interest, maybe.

24.08.2010

Episode 5

This series has more flashbacks than fighting fires! And guess what? I thought I was watching Inception! Why? In the flashback by fellow firemen about the fallout of Wong Hei and Kevin, we have flashback by Wong Hei about Myolie within that flashback! I was like why the hell is the story suddenly about her? Whose flashback is this?! And until the end still no sign why Wong Hei acted like a prick towards Kevin although in flashbacks we see them taking off clothes and going swimming together. I notice Kevin has a slight sign of a six pack. Ooooohhhhhh... and still I am not convinced they were bros because Kevin looks slightly uncomfortable with Wong Hei's hands on his shoulders and Wong Hei just look like he is doing a pre rehearsed act. Not real at all. Is this Burning Flame I am watching? Or is some words missing? Maybe the full title is BURNING FLAME OF DESIRE - THE TALE OF FRIENDSHIP, LUST AND LOVE OF PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE TOLD IN FLASHBACKS??

25.08.2010

Episode 6

After all the Inception like flashbacks with such confusing and complex layers after layers of fuzzy looking flashbacks, we finally know why the lovers parted. Kevin's men did not check the cars and equipments before handing over the shift to Wong Hei's men and so happened a major accident happened and Wong Hei discovered something wasn't checked and refilled. He tried to call Kevin and Kevin arrived in the morning without seeing Wong Hei and got the scolding of his life by his then boss. He blamed Wong Hei for not covering for him and for reporting on him. What Kevin didn't realise is best buds also don't go flirting with best bud's girlfriend. I am team Wong Hei. How can he even open his mouth and ask his best bud to cover for him in a potential life and death situation? Wong Hei has already warned him to check on his men to make sure they do their work and Kevin didn't. Luckily no one was killed. Kevin was the unreasonable one and so the lovers parted ways about a year before present time. Meanwhile we see Myolie not quite happy with Hei who was not encouraging her in her piano lessons and guess who was? Yeap, the best bud. Again I am on team Wong Hei. He is such a good boyfriend. He helps her, advises her, helps her angry looking brother, family, etc. He is someone you can depend on, someone you know will take care of your family and who in the end she choses? The guy who gives her Chopin CD perhaps because he understands her. Awwww .... dumb woman. Of course the series will justify it by making him a stalker, mad and whatever. I thought she didn't do enough for him! She spends her day taking care of her family, the shop, piano lessons etc and very little time for him. Doesn't seem eager to be with him. And of all flashbacks, why not show HOW they met in the first place? They didn't meet at work because she only joined the fire dept later. Anyway the entire fuzzy screentime finally ended with this episode. What a long flashback. I am still interested in Wong Hei to wanna watch this show though but I am happy it is out of Inception mode. Myolie looks to star-like to act as a bullied soft girl. In fact her make up is rather "in". Can't they make her a bit more ordinary looking? And what's with 5 buttons off for Kevin and his skinny shirt everytime he is off from work?

26.08.2010

Episode 7

My brother very kindly told me that Wong Hei and Kevin weren't best buds in real life and that Wong Hei;s best bud is Wayne Lai, which if I am not mistaken they were never co-stars in a series? Anyway he also mentioned Wong Hei was pissed he wasn't in the Best list during the awards whilst Kevin was. And frankly at that point I choked on my Twisties. I too was shocked. I know TVB wants to promote Kevin, even desperately but please, this episode alone shows Wong Hei IS HK's best fireman on screen and a far better actor than Kevin who was like some pouting little boy in love with Wong Hei and angry when Wong Hei in the series refused to say sorry. Last episode we learned why the lovers parted ways, in this episode we see their respective cheerleading groups fighting one another and Wong Hei was asked to move to another branch! Of course he was pissed, it was as if his men did wrong when it was Kevin and his inability to control his men that was the main cause. I mean what sort of a leader is he anyway? Tolerating his men's superstitions and all. Of course one major fire saved their friendship and the separation of the lovers. That scene, which is pretty realistic had Wong Hei and Kevin working together to save their men and then Wong Hei told Kevin to go and leaving him alone in the burning building with oxygen tanks surrounding him since he had nowhere to go, can't jump, can't run. My heart stopped for a moment. Kevin, sensing his lover is in trouble screamed and I mean screamed at a high pitch tone to get his men to ready themselves to enter the building after escaping from it. I was like huh? Anyway they saved him, but not before we are subjected to the TV screen being divided into 2 or 3 screens showing Wong Hei, the building and our team fighting the fire to reach Wong Hei. Artistic yes I suppose but at that point I was worried for Wong Hei as my brother also kindly told me he will be in a coma and I was afraid if Wong Hei would go into a coma so early into the episode, my enjoyment of this series or rather a purpose to watch it will be ruined since it will be a long coma. Lovers reunited in the end of course, some awkwardness and then a smile and Kevin saying "You're so brave, you don't have to be so brave all the time" with Wong Hei giving a sheepish grin. Oh come on, kiss! KISS DAMNIT! KISSSSS! Well it ended there, friendship repaired, only later to be totally annihilated when this best bud seduces his "sister in law" that is Myolie. Despicable! Did I mention Kevin was just horrible? I mean how can he get the nomination? Is he THAT famous in HK? I would have thought Wong Hei was more famous in the fame category and definitely a far far far better actor? Seeing Kevin mumbling "If that someone just say he is sorry, things will be alright" during the scene where he was defending his men and Wong Hei defending his before the chief was hilarious. What a childish sort of statement. And the way he pouted at Wong Hei who of course looked grim and sulky but then I couldn't see much since his eyes is so small was just amateur. Totally amateur. Come on Kevin, give me something to love you! No no taking off the shirt won't help. Wong Hei definitely is more fit than you! Anyway the fire scene was the best. Very realistic come to think of it. As for Bosco cute moments as he kept calling Wong Hei "sifu" this, "sifu" that in the fire station which by the way HK only has ONE fire station? How come Bosco got transferred there? Myolie has yet to annoy me but I still feel her getup is too glamorous for someone supposedly bullied by family or the nice-nice girl. The make up is the problem, she looks like she could just wear a gown and go for some movie premiere. I wish TVB8 will rebroadcast Burning Flame I. I still feel sad thinking of Sze To But's suicide. If you haven't watch any of Burning Flame series, always start with and end with Burning Flame I. That is the standard of storytelling and acting that no other Burning Flame series could match in its entirety, even music too. Admittedly Andy Lau's singing of "FLAMEEEEE!!!" is really a classic.

01.09.2010
Episode 9 & 10 (I think)
Frankly I lost count, but from my dates above, the episode I am talking about should be Episode 9 and 10. I will take notice of the next episode so that I can confirm which one I am talking about. And I have decided the moment Wong Hei goes into coma, I will stop watching and will return once he is back. So a bit of spoiler and tip as to which episode to continue watching would be most appreciated!

The thing about this series is they're trying hard to justify why in the end Kevin ends up with Myolie, as in why she broke up with Wong Hei. Problem is Wong Hei is such a good actor I am on Team Wong Hei. If they really wanna justify that, either make Wong Hei's character truly as controlling and as unreasonable as Myolie's lazy angry stupid brother says he is or just change actors. From what I could see, yes he is controlling a bit but like he retorted when Myolie accused him of being controlling and forbid her to learn piano and he said quite rightly "As if I could stop you!" which is true. She never did listen to what he has to say, all she does is yes to him, yes to everybody and yes to herself meaning she says yes but takes on and on and on and never quite deal with the problem. She accused him of not understanding her passion for piano lessons, something I suspect she will later deduce Kevin does since he gave or will give her a Chopin CD. And there I was thinking why would she choose an irresponsible cowardly playboy (oh yes he is!) rather than a brave strong and determined man? Because he is too determined? His personality too strong? But Myolie has no personality to start of with, she got walked all over because she wants to be walked all over and the only sense of control she has is the guy she is with, in the sense she can break off with him but she can't choose her family. Yes he should have more tact when telling her what he was thinking but Wong Hei is a man of action. His Ah Ngau, despite not liking she takes piano lessons actually drove her to classes, waited for her, even found teachers for her and yet she despises everything he does and dismiss his way of showing how much he loves her by saying he is controlling and worse still, "You don't understand me". And there I was feeling what sort of nonsense is this? Of course I had a fierce debate with my sister who sat with disbelief as I curse Myolie for her lack of attention to Wong Hei and she said "But he is so controlling, he doesn't want her to learn piano, he doesn't understand her!" and there I was saying "Well she got what she deserved". Why? All Wong Hei is asking for is perhaps 1 day in 1 week for him, just her and him for 1 day without piano, grandmas, shops, work, etc and yet she scheduled her lessons every day, when she is free, she works at the shop, she takes care of grandma. I am not disputing she is a nice girl but she is a lousy girlfriend. This man dedicates 6 days in a week for her and even protects her from a sleazy piano teacher who was looking at her cleavage and in return he got "You don't understand me!" in retort and all he asks for is 1 day in 1 week, maybe lesser and in return she got pissed of, saying he is demanding, arranging everything for her, not letting her do what she wants the way she wants it. Sorry girl, but from my point of view, you're doing exactly what you want the way you want it! Yes Ah Ngau was wrong to dismiss her ambition but he did try his best to make up for what he said. And when he accidentally let slip that she was working too hard to pass her piano exam to her grandma whilst delivering a cream to smooth her hurt fingers, what did she do? She scolded him for meddling into her affairs, for telling her grandma when he did it not out of malice but out of concern. Yes he doesn't understand her but let's face it, she doesn't seem to be trying to save this relationship is she? Why? Because Laws Of TVB wants us to accept that when she does get together with their Chosen One, we will all sing hallelujah and praise the power that be that these 2 who are meant to be together got together! Ah Ngau right now is such a dedicated fellow. That scene where he dug to retrieve an old man's body from the mudslide was so touching, and may I say the fire and rescue scenes are the saving grace of this series apart from Wong Hei and Wong Hei alone. Never have I seen Myolie showing concern for his work. All she is is "ME, MYSELF AND I". And of course as I am very sure that Ah Ngau will turn "Ngau Gok Jim" (bull with horns which basically mean a stubborn relentlessly unreasonable person) when it comes to love (yes I saw the trailer of him chasing after them in his car, begging to be given a second chance), this is like a justification that "SEE! SEE! SHE WAS RIGHT TO LEAVE HIM!!!!" and got herself "THE BETTER MAN!" and I can only say what a load of crap. Like I said, TVB, you want us to cheer for this pair, then either

a. find a better actor than Kevin Cheng
b. write a better character for Myolie
c. make Ah Ngau so darn unreasonable from the start
d. do not hire Wong Hei as Ah Ngau because his performance alone makes me TEAM BULL!

But nope, nope, nope...we have to have that pair shove down our throats. And I was discussing with my sis again with what's wrong with Myolie and we came to a brilliant conclusion apart from her character is darn awful and selfish pretending to be darn giving and selfless, is that what I suppose to be her wig is too glamorous and her make up is too in for a girl next door or a easily pushed and timid girl. And I just suddenly remembered Myolie was paired with Wong Hei in Doomed To Oblivion and yet they worked so well together. Here, in Burning Flame III, it's like non existent. Bad storytelling of course is one part of the reason. This series does teach you a lesson about love. If you truly love someone, spending 1 day in 1 week with him wouldn't be too much to ask for. If you feel you can't give that to him, it means only 1 thing; you don't love him at all so maybe you should reconsider your relationship with him and not blame the breakup on him and him alone.

02.09.2010

Episode 11 (I think)

I absolutely forgot to check the episode number and I missed 45 minutes of the show only to see a near suicidal Ah Ngau or rather him sitting near the edge at the rooftop and being advised to let go, not to hold on to soneone who doesn't want you anymore. And whatever he said, I didn't hear as I was arguing with my sister who said "This Ah Ngau is so preachy, everything he says is right, never supported his girlfriend and didn't support wholeheartedly" and I was arguing "Of course he was supportive, at least he pretends to be supportive. What? Like Prince Charming give her a Chopin CD and that is supportive? So what about what he had done?" (for further opinion on this issue see the post directly above this). So tomorrow Ah Ngau will suffer a massive injury? Frankly I am darn pissed off with this series for what it is trying to do to Ah Ngau. I can tell you this; glad that Wong Hei will go into long coma rather than participate in this long meandering crap.

03.09.2010

Episode 12 (I think)

Again I forgot to check the episode no. Why do I keep forgetting?! Anyway I must say the fire and rescue scenes are excellent for this series, especially this episode for the BIG FIRE SCENE and also BIG RESCUE SCENE. For a moment I did worry for the actors to be placed in such realistic fire scenes even if all precaution was taken. If you haven't seen The Towering Inferno, you must watch it! As realistic as Burning Flame III and that is a compliment!

Anyway today is the start of Ah Ngau's coma. Can someone tell me how long before he wakes up? I really don't want to tune in until then although I am sure there will be plenty of flashbacks. Anyway it was a big fire, and as usual Ah Ngau's team had to enter the fire. I didn't even notice Kevin was there until much later because I was joking Kevin must be a serial arsonist because everytime he is on leave and Ah Ngau on duty, there is some huge fire going on! Anyway Ah Ngau called Myolie and said to her he is ok with breaking up but only hope she will talk to him once more. Poor guy. And then the big fire happened and everybody rushed to see them, Myolie looked sort of worried, and Ah Ngau saw her with Kevin and was jealous. Went into the fire, rescued a lot of people, very very brave of Ah Ngau considering he was having emotional turmoil at that time when... when... my mother decided to talk to me about the Malaysian rapper and I lost the track of time so to speak. I did notice Ah Ngau hurt, they all rushed to see him, rescued him at the bottom of some elevator shaft I think, even Myolie's brother was acting responsibly in the ambulance, rushing him to the hospital. When I started to watch properly again, I kept seeing a guilty looking Kevin and I was thinking why he looked so guilty? Did he push Ah Ngau down elevator shaft? I don't think so but prior to Ah Ngau's accident they were both having an argument or rather Ah Ngau venting his anger at Kevin, questioning his relationship with Myolie. Talk about bad timing. This was something he did not reveal to the investigative team and poor Ah Ngau now in coma, deep deep deep coma. And still Kevin looked guilty and my sis said maybe he feels guilty because he couldn't save his friend? And I was like there is "can't save his friend" guilty look and "pushed him down elevator shaft" guilty look and a great credit to Kevin for being such a god awful actor at that point for having that guilty look as if he pushed Ah Ngau down the elevator shaft! So I don't know. However Kevin Cheng the actor was terribly inadequate eventhough he did kicked the hospital chair (one row) with enough force for it to not topple but move some centimetres. Meanwhile Myolie feels very sad and kept listening to his last message and remembering their times together and I think in next episode she will promise to wait for him to wake up. And why then later on she will date Kevin? And when Ah Ngau wakes up, did he forget he agreed to let go of her?

Anyway how long much I avoid the intervening mess oh experts out there who has suffered through this mess? Right now I am not in disbelief but I feel rather sad because Ah Ngau the only reason to watch this series is in a deep deep coma. Will there be any good fire scenes after this? Can someone pinpoint the episodes so I can just tune in and tune out? And did you notice Myolie's long fake lashes? Much too glamorous. And nope I wasn't convinced she was worried about Ah Ngau at all. Myolie's performance was not just inadequate but just not there. Wasn't even trying. Kevin tried, oh he tried but gave the wrong vibe.

Suddenly I miss Bosco's dog. Where is Bosco's dog, perhaps the best actor other than Wong Hei?

20.08.2010

Episode "No idea"

Skipped until Ah Ngau awakes from his coma and so many things happened. Like grandma's deader than dead, Bosco married, his dog missing, his wife pregnant, that two got together, everybody knows but Ah Ngau refuses to accept the fact and went on to have another major accident with his car falling out of a bridge dramatically whilst chasing them 2 and ended up with his one leg chopped off. And my concern was ; what about that poor guy in the red car which Ah Ngau's car dropped on? Huh?

Anyway Wong Hei is supreme. He really looks like he is in extreme pain in that hospital. Back to story. Apparently Myolie stopped her piano lessons a long time ago. So... so... so... when Ah Ngau was BF, she was busy with shop, grandma and daily piano lessons. When she starts going out with Rex, suddenly she has all the time in the world?! Poor Ah Ngau who should dump this urghhhhhh woman. As for Rex, no comments. They do deserve one another, this cheating couple. YEAH! CHEAT! Why? Poor Ah Ngau was only in coma for bloody 6 months and everything changed. SIX MONTHS! Obviously she never loved him. All those promises she will wait for him, can't even wait 1 year. Again my sis and I had an argument; she said why not? Let them be. Well it happens in real life too where best friend goes out with best friend's girl. But the thing is can't they just wait? Do they expect him to wake up and go "I understand perfectly that because I was in coma for 6 months, you had to fall for someone else. I mean nothing to you, I understand that. No go my love, be happy for the 2 of us"?!

Disgusting. DISGUSTING! When is this gonna end? WHEN?

23.08.2010
Episode 26? 27? Nearing the end perhaps?
Poor Ah Ngau. He lost his leg! And I can see the nurse eyeing him. Come on Ah Ngau, move on, go for someone better. The nurse looks cute and can take care of you too! But poor Ah Ngau. The only reason he gave up on Myolie was because he thought without a leg he didn't deserve her. But if anyone can stand up again and run on prosthetics, he can. A pity someone as calibre as him as to end up as a clerk or desk job. He can be a trainer right? Anyway I don't hate Kevin anymore. He did go to the Commissioner or whatever his rank was and begged for Ah Ngau to be reinstated eventhough he himself came under fire from a very mean and may I say gay looking superior (what's with that diamond earring dude? Can't take you seriously with that bling bling!). Nothing with being gay but he makes gay look bad. So petty. And why do I still get the incest vibe everytime I see Kevin and sister together? WHY? And does the sister do anything other than whine or "put on the electricity"? Quite a redundant role. In fact this series has too many people, too many ke-le-fes, some of the firemen included. You know though, I quite like Bosco even if I do think he is a tad immature. But his wife and him is cute although I don't get their storyline. Sort of like a dead end. Acting wise, Kevin is now between smiling and worried, when he smiles, he smiles but he is worried, his eyebrows are arched closed together. I am rather annoyed with his performance. How can he be nominated WHEN Wong He who had to act he lost a leg and looked like it, argued with his on screen dad begging his dad to give him some pride when he had lost everything, his anger, his angst, his pain, his jealousy, etc NOT get a nomination? HOW?! In fact the best acting is the fire scenes. I will nominate the fire scenes as MOST FAVOURITE AND BEST ACTOR of the series. So darn real. I hope TVB bought good insurance back then. Luckily no one got seriously hurt or died. In fact I don't doubt the fire scenes were real. For TVB to actually pay good money for good special effects, might as well just throw a bottle of kerosene and some matches to the director and yell "HERE'S YOUR SPECIAL EFFECTS!".

[UPDATE] Ok, Kidd told me all 3 male leads got nominated. Ok, I surrender to HK and the world's citizens for not voting much for Wong Hei. Sigh... will he ever win? Maybe when he shuts up?

[DOWNLOAD] IRIS [2009] with softsubs in English

2010-09-21T17:40:00.001+08:00

I am watching IRIS right now and yes I am a bit slow on that. Anyway if some of you haven't seen this yet and would like to download the entire series, I am happy to note the links are still active. Thanks to Sehseh for a whole bunch of links but if you're new to all these srts and what nots, I am sure you will be confused which subs for which version. Moreover some version just stopped "production" and some subs do not work well with some popular versions. Well I only download credible good looking video files with good subs that is timed perfectly and so look no further. The following is the only version you would want to download. I mean the videos are already HD so they look good on my 42 inches Plasma TV, so it will look good on lesser sized TVs.

The links after Read More link.

- If you're from banned country, download and switch on Hotspot Shield before going to Megaupload links.

- To learn codecs, how to hardcode the subtitles and then burn to DVD for TV viewing (unless you can connect your laptop to the TV itself that would be redundant but I am an old fashioned girl; I like my DVDs and best quality is 3 episodes per standard DVD), click here. All video files are AVI and so is perfect for hadsubbing using VirtualDub.

- Just so you know, ep 1 to 8 is ental version hence the subtitle file is different. The rest thereafter is HAN version. The special does not have subtitles unfortunately.

- Subtitles in English only.

THE VIDEO LINKS
Copy and paste to your window browser. Any doubt on the links, check the source links below.

Videos Source - Kpopella

Password : cashewmaniakpop

1
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=A053P0SB

2
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=03MPSGGH

3
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=L4XMSNQG

4
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YSB3EY0S

5
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T6D77I5F

6
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EY635IWP

7
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4XDRQKEB

8
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OSAZR7JL

9
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GB1F5G9E

10
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5RVT5KZO

11
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=N2XUGO4W

12
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PB1UBY5B

13
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RAJ22CVE

14
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4G43WY0H

15
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MXVOFOAX

16
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KAAXL8DX

17
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BDFGFISC

18
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8V3P04OG

19
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9T50D55M

20
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VZZZ7SKL

Special - TMO
No subtitles
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UCQMWB1G

THE SUBTITLE LINKS
Subtitle source - WithS2

- Download the entire series' subtitle files here in rar format (right click and choose Save As)

- Unzip/extract

- Many versions included but only use the following for the above video files

Ep 1-8
ENTAL. You can use ENTAL v2 but frankly I never checked what is the difference as ENTAL itself was good enough

Ep 9-20
HAN 450p. Again you can use HAN 450p v2. However as for HAN 720p version, somehow the subtitles refuse to load for me. As HAN 450p was in synch, I used that for the remainder.

- To watch using Windows Media Player or similar with the subtitles automatically loaded, just rename the subtitles file same as your video file. For example; ep1.avi means the subtitle file must be ep1.srt. Ploace the video and srt files in same folder. The subtitles should automatically load.

That's it!