Although I don’t blog about variety shows, this episode (and the one with Chun MyungJun #52) deserve a special mention because it’s a nice follow-up to 100 Days My Prince.
I recommended earlier that @nrllee watch it. I wrote, “You should watch it! Hurry! Then tell me what you think of Kyungsoo Do. Notwithstanding his diminutive size, he stands head and shoulders above the rest of his EXO members. The hosts seem oddly deferential to him, too.”
She replied:
Seen it. Yes to your comment above…told you. He may not say much and he’s not the official ‘leader’/spokesperson (Rich Man SuHo is) but he is their centre. They look to him for stability. He doesn’t like variety (it’s too frivolous for him but he tolerates it for the group’s sake). He just has that “old soul” steadfast air about him. It commands respect. And the beautiful thing about it is that he is completely oblivious to it and would much prefer to take the backseat in everything. It’s a nice trait to have. It keeps him very grounded and very real. I hope he stays that way. It means we will always see the best side of him and he won’t have delusions of grandeur or feel like the world owes it to him. Did you see his dry wit displayed when they ribbed him about his kiss scene in 100DMP? I couldn’t help laughing. He told them he practised with a wall – deadpan, in all seriousness and EVERYONE bought it (despite how ridiculous it sounded)…then he said in the same steady voice, ‘it’s a joke’. 😂.
He has openly admitted he hates complicated things. He wants to live a simple life. He tackles acting the same way. Minimalist, he only does what’s necessary, he doesn’t overcook scenes. It’s all about acting what feels natural (he said). I know everyone marvels at how he can fit everything into his already packed schedule, it’s precisely because he doesn’t waste ANY energy on non-essentials. He sits stock still and doesn’t move much. He says very little. He doesn’t bow to conventions AT ALL. He neither looks nor acts like an idol. Which idol do you know (actually even actor) who will openly admit to having a belly and even look satisfied? That’s like anathema in a world obsessed with washboard abs. He is completely at ease in himself and what God has dealt him with. He knows where his limits are. He doesn’t want to be anyone else BUT himself. Remember MoonFace? In his interview he said that despite DKS being the younger in their friendship, he was the wiser one and was the one helping him out with his acting career… that’s why directors love him and the ‘idol’ prejudice everyone in the industry has melts upon meeting him. Yes I find him fascinating 😂.
****
Here’s my response:
This is MY first time ever seeing the EXO group. Previously, I know only three things about the boy band: One, they have a loud and obnoxious fan group. (Hey, if anyone of them come screeching here, I’ll block them.)
Two, a couple of their original members exited the band and returned to their native country due to unfair labor practices (I sense an irony there somewhere).
And three, some of their remaining members were dating members of another popular girl group (or ahjumma group when you consider the shelf life of idols. lol).
From this show, I can now add a few more notes to my EXO-files.
1. Their leader Suho isn’t much of a leader. lol.
He claimed that he often picked the tab when the members eat out because he’s the oldest but they didn’t thank him. His members loudly protested and soundly refuted his claim. According to them, it wasn’t true that he treated the members to dinner often; another member paid for their meals more often than he did. And it wasn’t true that he didn’t received thanks from his members; some of them, like KyungSoo, made it a point to thank him afterward.
I thought it was comedy gold that when he was ALREADY feeling sorry for himself because he was “unappreciated” by his “ungrateful” members, his “ungrateful” members ganged up on him and busted his notion of deserving to feel sorry for himself. According to them, he had no right to feel sorry for himself because his claims weren’t true.
Well… what could be more sorrier than that? The poor guy couldn’t even wallow in his own self-pity. hahaha.
And to rub salt in his wound, he isn’t even the oldest. The Chinese member (Chen?) is the oldest.
2. Chanyeol is the “dongsaeng” from Memories of the Alhambra! I knew there was an idol in the cast but for some reason, I thought the maknae of the family MinJoo whose ambition was to join a kpop group was THE girl group member in real life. I was impressed that he was pretty good at both games, the Charades guessing game and the Christmas song. He seems to be a competitive kid.
Wait! Was he also the guy in the kdrama adaptation of “Rich Man, Poor Woman”? I heard an EXO guy was also cast to play the lead there.
3. I understand why girls think that Kai oozes sex appeal. But I wish he’d lose that faux hair dye because he reminds me of Justin Beiber. Frankly, I was underwhelmed by his “presence.” Considering his good looks, I thought he would dominate the conversation with brilliant quips or practiced witticisms. But he didn’t contribute much to the repartees. That’s another reason I think he should ditch the dirty blonde hair. He reinforces the stereotype that blondes, even fake one, are dumb.
4. KyungSoo Do. Of course, I watched this episode for him and I wasn’t disappointed.
I liked how he confidently chose to partner up with the tallest guy in the room, and how he fed his hyungs first when their snacks arrived. I also liked that he observed that he was getting more recognition from adult fans because of his stint with 100 Days My Prince. He mentioned that a motherly-type of fan recently asked for his autograph at the airport.
But aside from his joke about kissing the wall for practice, the highlight for me was his quick thinking on his feet. Everybody in that room KNEW that the mic was an accident waiting to happen but nobody did anything to fix the situation except for KyungSoo Do.
I loved how he ran up to Kai like a squirrel (lol, as if the camera couldn’t capture him if he made himself small) and unhooked the mic from the wire.
It was straight out a scene from 100 Days My Prince! Swoon!!!
Hahaha.
Overall, I enjoyed the show. Although the beginning half when they showcased their EXO talents bored me (because I’m not into kpop music and dance), the second half of the program when the boys were allowed to talk and interact with each other proved to be entertaining.
I can work on getting to know the BTS (or is it BST?) members next.
I love how @nrllee speaks about Kyungsoo Do. Makes me feel like I’m falling for him too 🙂
Haha @oli…join the Ahjummas (?) in love with DKS. No @PM3 SuHo the ‘leader’ was on Rich Man (His acting name is Kim JunMyeon, apparently SuHo is his stage name, don’t ask me how SuHo came from KJM? 😳). Chanyeol is dongsaeng in MOAlhambra and acted in the movie I Married An AntiFan.
A reporter once asked DKS if he purposely used DKS when he acted and D.O. (At least I get that link unlike SuHo 😂) when he was with EXO to distinguish the 2. He blandly replied, “But that IS my name? I see no reason to distinguish the 2?’. He is the same person on both stages. He has accepted that it is part of who he is, he doesn’t fight it. That’s refreshing because so many idols are intent on ‘losing’ or ‘hiding’ that part of themselves in the acting industry because of the stigma and prejudice. The higher ups didn’t want to cast him in 100DMP because of his idol status when the PD recommended him. It was only when the PD mentioned that he had currently filmed Swing Kids that they changed their mind. Even now, the Korean public see ‘an idol has been cast’ and they refuse to watch a particular drama or a movie. I guess there’s good reason for it, there aren’t that many who can act credibly. 🙄
He is a man of conviction and abides by it. He has a moral code that drives him. It commands respect. He reminds me of Atticus Finch (See Exhibits below)
Exhibit A
The little scenario that played out where DKS bolted in to disconnect the battery pack for Kai… that is just further proof that when the chips are down, he’s the one that will take charge. He’s a first responder. The sort of person who will not be standing by watching a neighbour’s house burn down waiting for the fire truck to arrive but will charge in to rescue someone inside. Everyone will bill them as heroes after the event but they will just shrug and say,’I only did what was right’. Even the hosts of the program made moves initially to disconnect it but they were worried they would get in the way of Kai’s dancing. None of the other EXO members moved. DKS had to push past another member to get to Kai. A quiet hero.
Exhibit B
Feeding of the multitudes. Never mind the fact that by the rules of Knowing Brothers, if you lose, you don’t get to eat (like 2D1N). Nobody else in EXO went round to feed the hosts. DKS went about his business and ignored the man made ‘rules’ (he lives by his own higher moral code) and fed his Hyungs regardless. Note how all of them seemed lost for words when he did that. He gained their respect and probably all the other staff filming. He stands out from the crowd. In the flashy idol world where so much is fake or scripted, he stays unaffected, real and grounded. He is not above anyone because he’s a ‘star’ or an ‘idol’, he serves and shares with others because it’s the right thing to do. No wonder all the senior actors/actresses adore him on set.
Exhibit C
They all depend on him in hard times. Note how when the members were asked who they wanted to form a unit with. Chanyeol picked DKS and so did Kai. Nobody picked SuHo. 😂 I get the feeling everyone in the group acknowledges that SuHo is their delegated spokesman, he’s the one that always gets the microphone first to introduce the group, but DKS is the real unspoken ‘leader’ that they all look up to and depend on. SuHo is from a rich family, he has a Drama Major at Uni. DKS has neither…never even taken any acting classes before his foray into acting. He learnt on the job. He can’t actually tell you how he acts. He keeps saying ‘I just do what feels natural for that character’. That just makes him even more intriguing and mysterious. He’s an anomaly in the system. Raw talent. I hope he stays unaffected by all the accolades thrown at him because if he is it would ruin his charm.
Take a look at who led the boys out in a recent NYE song/dance event where they performed. And it wasn’t like he was supposed to be in the far left of us on stage…because Chanyeol moved there during photo time…he’s their unspoken leader…
https://www.instagram.com/p/Br7YSeuBisR/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1jlaihtdnc4zv
🙂
@nrllee isn’t annoying when she talks about KyungSoo Do. She’s informative and we gals like to make an informed decision when we “obsess” over our actors, actresses, and characters.
I’ve heard of fangirls who gush over actors’ long fingers and THAT is a no-no here. Like, if I allow hand fetishism in this blog, where will I draw the line? Feet? Hips? Ears? pwahahaha.
Thank you PM3. 😊. I only gush over men with substance. I am very old school. 😂 Credit where credit is due. If I were to be absolutely honest, visually he’s not what you would expect as ‘main lead’ material. And I am wondering how that would limit the offers he would get in future dramas where the conventional
male lead is tall with angular features. I guess it remains to be seen. I wish him all the best, knowing full well that when his final curtain falls in the entertainment industry, he will live out the rest of his days living the simple life fully content in obscurity planting veggies and cooking from his homegrown produce. 🙂
@nrllee, ahjumma, yes :)) At least to DKS. I’m 33
Fun part about watching reality shows observing how much of it scripted. Except two members whose talked about trivial things like sleeping and eating habits, all questions were for self promotion so it was predictable.
KyungSoo seems to be most talented and he has talent for making people feel uncomfortable too. That wall joke…it was written on his face he didn’t like that his friend put him on the spot but he looked satisfied after fools believed his word heh like that gesture, he shook off his jacket. To me he is easy to read and it helps he tries to be honest. 👍
All members must be really close , and they just get each other. It was interesting they didn’t stop Chanyeol whenever he was bragging about himself. To my surprise I was amused by him the most. He is such a dork.
It was my first time SEEING the members of the EXO as a group and I could only identify Kyungsoo Do. I mistook Kai for Taemin of Shinee. 😂 Chanyeol? I didn’t know he was that tall. He was a head taller than Kyungsoo Do. Their leader Sejo? I wouldn’t recognize him in a police line-up.
But Chanyeol was funny, too. When he protested that he paid for many of their meals, and he pretended to have a “neck pain” (for stress), I fell for it. I thought he was really pissed off. And then afterwards, I saw the leader giving him a high five as he took his seat, so I knew it was all just an act. 😂
I still like variety shows because it favors the quick thinkers and the ad libbers. Sure, the FLOW is scripted otherwise it would be a mess to edit afterwards. But the delivery of the script is entirely their own.
Like, of course, Kyungsoo Do was going to enter first with the line “am I the only one uncomfortable around here?” That’s his tagline from 100DMYP so he’ll have to milk it. But the other times he said it, it couldn’t have been scripted. It would have been ad libbed. The hosts and guests don’t have time to REHEARSE all their lines as a group. 🙂
I think they do get a rough script of questions and what’s going to happen and they get a chance to think about their answers but I don’t think they’d rehearse it with the hosts beforehand.
Just a little teaser – this is another clip (not very long) on a ‘reality’ show (I think it was in 2017). The only thing ‘real’ about the whole show was DKS’s answers (he really only said those bits in the whole show, he had been pretty much silent the whole time hence the host’s first question). I love how the others jump in to lighten the mood or make his answers sound more ‘politically correct’ (I don’t know if it’s to protect his image or theirs?). DKS does none of that…he tells it like it is. I think you have to turn on English captions to get the subs. Some of which I don’t think captures what he says very well. Like when asked if there are any memorable moments in the past 6 years and he said no and the other members sound affronted. It’s because he doesn’t attribute any special ‘meaning’ to any one point in time. He lives in the present. (He’s said it before in a previous interview – he doesn’t look to the future or dwell on the past, the present is all that matters to him). So it’s not that nothing is ‘special’, it’s because every moment is. He lives every moment and then lets it go. 🙂 And when he spoke about the difficulties they faced, you could tell they ALL felt that way, that was their harsh reality (the mood shifted significantly with his answer). It was the most ‘real’ thing said in the whole show.
https://youtu.be/ZY9UyaAbI_w
SUHO is the one from RMPW and Chanyeol is the guy from the Chinese movie version of SO I Married an Anti-Fan.
YES BTS plz. They were also on knowing brothers, but it’s very rare for them to appear on variety shows. They do produce their own shows though, free on VLIVE and they are very funny. Only V (Taehyung) acted on a drama before, in HWARANG, with Park Seo Joon. Anyway, I don’t wanna spam, but plz search them. Or see these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH6OAxzLTDY
https://youtu.be/NXqkNikPpHs
They have been guested by several US TV shows last year.
Anyway, It’s been a very slow drama month since Dec. I’m only watching Strange Hero with Yoo Seung Ho halfheartedly and nothing else so I’m here to see if you can suggest something. I’ve already dropped several dramas. I was looking forward to Clean with Passion but I dropped that too. Is anything good?
@sansukini Sky Castle. It’s brilliant. I have a feeling it will beat Goblin in ratings at the end. It’s already hit 15.8% in Ep 14. For a drama that starts to air at 11pm on a cable channel like JTBC it’s unheard of. It has 20 episodes. It’s not for the faint hearted though. So be forewarned.
Yeo JinGoo and Lee SeYoung start a Sageuk on tvN this coming Monday called The Man Who Became King (it has another name but I forget). That looks interesting if you’re into something a tad more light hearted than Sky Castle.
Also I have heard good things about the Last Empress or Empress Dignity. Haven’t watched it so can’t speak from personal experience.
Eeey it would be so awkward if they rehearse lines. I am familiar with how variety shows works not with guests. They even retake some parts , there is always sudden changes on background or their postures.
@sansukini I recommend SkyCastle. It’s loosing a bit of its charm on second half but still best show currently airing imo.
From what little I’ve seen, Sky Castle seems to be “on point.” But I’m recusing myself from the discussion because I’m not in a position to comment on the SK’s state of education. 😉
Meanwhile, I’m amusing myself with Memories of the Alhambra (not for the love angle, mind you) and Top Star Yoo Baek.
I’m not sold on the love theme of MoA, just like I wasn’t sold on the romance in Ghost Detective. I’m totally fine if the characters don’t fall in love and are involved as colleagues or close friends or something other than lovers.
To me, the emotional stress in situations presented in MoA and GD doesn’t lend itself to a romance. It’s more like Stockholm Syndrome to me. They get close to each other because they’re “hostages” of the incredibly stressful and inescapable crisis they find themselves in.
😂 you’re never ever a “spammer” here, @sansukini.
There’s no such thing as off-topic post or irrelevant subject when you’re sharing your ideas and people here can learn something your posts.
😈 What I do block is the “I love Oppa” or the “I ♥️ HyunBin’s dimples” from new posters. 🤪
My reaction when I read posts like that is: Okaaayyyy…. I wasted two seconds reading that line and I don’t know you from Adam. Why should I care that you’re getting lascivious thoughts about your crush??! 😂
The whole game and AR theme didn’t hold my interest. I prefer real people relationships. I still read PM3’s analysis on MOA though but yeah it just sounds like s straight up thriller Jason Bourne style. I guess PSH’s fans would feel cheated because obviously the thrust is very HB-centric and PSH’s character hasn’t seen much action. But most virtual games are? From the little XBox that I tried to play with my son, the platform is how you view the world and everyone else. (tried is the operative word here – I couldn’t get a handle on the different buttons there were – I kept jumping when I meant to shoot 😂).
Hahaha. Lucky you!!
I played Spyro the Dragon a long time ago on PlayStation (or Game cube, I can’t remember which one) and I couldn’t jump!
I was stuck at a level because I couldn’t jump and get more jewels on a cliff. After I learned to jump, it was controlled flying. There was always some skill I had to learn to move up a level.
Spyro the Dragon was my first and last experience with those games. They gave me headaches. If I’ve to be sedentary, I prefer to work on jigsaw puzzles, sudoku and crosswords than play those games.
But with MoA, I’m trying to figure out where the writer is going with this. I want to understand his (or her) world view. Robert Ludlum, creator of the Jason Bourne series, was actually an interesting guy although his heroes were always single-handedly fighting against conspiracies and topping big evil bureaucracies. 😂
“If I’ve to be sedentary, I prefer to work on jigsaw puzzles, sudoku and crosswords than play those games.”
Ditto. Whilst waiting in reception for appointments I will rifle through gossip magazines to find the pages for Sudoku and busy myself doing that 😂.
As for XBox. My son (he usually has a friend over and they try to conquer the world together) has banned me from sitting in the same room when they play coz I often interject their silent telepathic communication methods (grunts and whoas…) with inane questions like, “what’s the end game?” Or “Is there a princess to rescue in the final level?”…I usually get withering looks with those questions so I’ve learnt to shut up now 😂
Hahaha. Wait until he grows up…😈
Staying away when the guys hang around doing their powwows was a necessary life skill for me, too. I still do whenever we have guests come and watch Super Bowl 🏟 Football isn’t XBox but when these grown men sound like kids when they complain and curse over a sack or fumble and wrong ref calls.
And my questions are also “inane” like yours. Examples: “What’s the point of moving that 🏈 ball 🏈 ten yards?” And “why are these men wearing ballerina’s leotards.” 🤪🤣
@nrllee Is sky castle makjang?I’ve been reading reviews and have seen comments about jealousies, revenge, and makjang elements in the comments. I don’t think I’m ready for a makjang this early in the year.
ButI think I’ll start with MoA. I’m not a fan of the pairing, but I do like PSH. She’s a bit of a stone acting wise, but I find that she usually has great chemistry with her leading men. I also like the fantasy-game element. It’s intriguing.
My son is a gamer as well. He’s just 11 so he’s playing fortnight and Minecraft the most. I really don’t get those games. I’ve never been fond of games myself, I would rather read a book, listen to music or watch a drama for fun. SO I really don’t get the concept of these games. in Minecraft, they just kept hacking and I’m so clueless as to what they’re making. I’d rather play puzzle games and candy crush.
@pm3
I love BTS. I live and breathe them. More than their looks, I really love their music. Especially the b-sides. Most of the songs are relatable and quite touching and very easy to listen to. The songs Spring Day, Tear, Anpanman and Young Forever holds a very special place in my heart. I never realized how much time I spent listening to their music till spotify wrapped. (They have over 70 songs out for 2018 alone. They got disqualified for best new artist in the Grammys bec they released a lot. But their album package is nominated in the Grammys). End of Spam. Thank u for not blocking me.
@sansukini SC is most definitely NOT makjang. Although that’s a word I had to google. I haven’t been long in the KDrama world. It is brutal and real. If you are familiar with the Asian education scene it will hit home. You can always try it and see if it piques your interest. The writer does throw you in at the deep end though, choosing to introduce everyone all at once in Ep 1 which makes it hard for the viewer to know who belongs with who but it does unfold when you stay on the bus for future episodes. The cliffhangers at the end are intense. 😮 It is not a drama for the faint hearted or those just wanting a nice easy watch…it’s very dark.
Empress Dignity is the queen of makjang apparently. So avoid this at all costs.
Sorry but I am only on the EXO bandwagon for DKS…and even then I don’t think I qualify as an EXO-L (that’s what the fans are called apparently and BTS fans are fondly referred to as the ‘Army’). So I really only watch their videos and VLives to observe his interactions with them and they with him. Yes I am odd like that. I study him like a research animal and form a profile…and on the side I profile the other members just as a matter of course. I will try to catch Swing Kids when it opens in my country end of this week (which has had good reviews by critics worldwide – I hope it wins some Foreign Film award).
@pm3 My boy is now 21 so he’s not as glued to the XBox anymore. Haha 😂 To your salient questions…to a casual sports observer those are pertinent questions surely? What is the purpose of wiping out an entire battalion of zombies just because? There must be some higher purpose to all that bloodshed – saving a Princess at the end would justify it? Zombies have green blood apparently and it’s supposed to make it look less ‘violent’ 😆 – game speak. I think I asked once if there was some sort of game map plan which tells you what to expect when you level up and my Son rolled his eyes and said, “The point is that you DON’T know what’s next which is what makes it exciting” (although he replied in far fewer words than that and I had to fill in the details myself). 😂 And it does sound like MOA is playing out exactly like a game. I read of people giving up because they feel like it’s going round in circles and you are back where you started in Ep 1. But that’s what a game is like, you keep going back to the same scenarios repeatedly to glean another piece of the puzzle and sometimes even when you do level up, you still find yourself having to return because you didn’t pick something up which was only available in the level below but was necessary in your existing level to get to the next level up. The scenario may stay the same but you have changed? Hyun Bin’s dimples 🙄 and the story didn’t grip me enough. Had I watched it, I would probably be like you, trying to piece the bits together to make a coherent story. It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle isn’t it? Only problem is that you’re reliant on the writer providing all the pieces. I noticed that she’s already left a couple out in your analysis which makes it harder but still challenging to weave the pieces she does provide. Jigsaw lovers unite!! 👍