Shining Boy and Little Randy (Hoshi ni natta shonen/ 星になった少年 -2005)

Starring:
Yuya Yagira ... Tetsumu Ogawa
Takako Tokiwa ... Sario Ogawa
Katsumi Takahashi ... Kosuke Ogawa
Yu Aoi ... Emi Murakami
Mitsuko Baisho ... Asako Fujisawa
Sayoko Oho
Kazuyuki Aijima
Tetsuya Takeda
Brother Tom
Takehiko Ono

Tetsumu, an introverted youth, realizes he has a natural ability of communicating with elephants. This prompts him to leave for Chiang Mai in Thailand to become Japan¡¯s first elephant trainer. Having found his place in the world, Tetsumu develops into a strong, confident young man. He returns to Japan with the dream of building a green ¡°paradise¡± for his ivory-tusked friends. Meanwhile, he starts a career as an elephant trainer for touring shows. He meets Emi, a woman seven years his senior and falls in love.

I write this with tear stains on my face. This movie is so touching. The love of animals and family and the role they play together.....this is that movie. Yagira Yuya, again, has picked a beautiful masterpiece that totally takes the heart and turns it inside out and outside in, in one motion.

You don't have to love elephants or animals in general to understand the mentality of youth growing up. The separation of child with its mother. The bullying and what gains and losses it brings.

Take everything.....the good and the bad of growing up.....

This will bring you heartaches and smiles....not at once....

Be prepared for the onslaught of mixed emotions at the end......bring the Kleenex.

Yagira Yuya

Bad Family (불량가족 / Bul Ryang Ga Jok -2006)

Starring:
Kim Myung Min is Oh Dal Gun (Na Rim's fake uncle)
Nam Sang Mi is Kim Yang Ah (Na Rim's fake sister)
Im Hyun Sik is Jang Hang Gu (Na Rim's fake grandfather)
Yeo Woon Kye is Park Bok Nyu (Na Rim's fake grandmother)
Kang Nam Gil is Jo Gi Dong (Na Rim's fake father)
Geum Bo Ra is Um Ji Sook (Na Rim's fake mother)
Kim Hee Chul is Gong Min (Na Rim's fake brother)
Hyun Young is Ha Bu Kyung (Niece of man that caused accident)
Park Jin Woo is Ha Tae Kyung (Son of man that caused accident)
Lee Young Yoo is Baek Na Rim
Kim Gyu Chul
Oh Ji Eun

Na Rim (Lee Young Yoo), who came from a wealthy household, lost her family in a car accident when she was nine. After the accident, she suffered from amnesia so her uncle hired Oh Dal Gun (Kim Myung Min), an ex-ganster,to recreate a similar household with parents, sister, brother, grandparents and uncle in hopes that she would regain her memory. In a hurry, Oh Dal Gun ended up hiring all sorts of odd ball characters to act as members of Na Rim's family. None got along at the start and hilarious situation arose when all members tried to cope in front of the little girl and also to protect her from the one who caused her family's accident. Eventually they started to behave like a real family and cared for each other, proving that blood relation is not as important as a caring heart.

This was probably one of the best Korean dramas I have seen in a long time. Again, this was one of those dramas I kept overlooking because the synopsis didn't sound all that interesting to me. But as I was cruising through aznv.tv, I read some of the comments and realized this must not be so bad. This was freaking hilarious. It was more comedy than drama even though the main gist of the story was a serious one. It probably got more dramatic near the last few episodes but the comedy was still there.

Not a typical drama whatsoever. If you are tired of the same old, same old that is typical of Korean dramas.....this is the one. Totally worth watching.

Seriously! I loved this. Okay, and I loved the fact that "Cinderella" was ever so lovingly called the Alien of the family. (For those newbies, "Cinderella" is Kim Hee Chul of the Korean pop group Super Junior. That is his nickname.)

I was so impressed with this whole show. Taking on the fact that not one person in the show was related but in the end.......you don't need to be blood related to be a happy family. This is a total A+ show.

Kim Hee Chul




Kim Myung Min