Black & White (痞子英雄 / Pi Zi Ying Xiong -2009)

Starring:
The Law
Vic Zhou as Chen Zai Tian 陳在天 / Pi Zi 痞子
Mark Chao as Wu Ying Xiong 吳英雄
Janine Chang as Lan Xi Ying 藍西英
Zhao Shu Hai as South District Director 南區分局長
Tang Zhi Wei as Chen Jun Lin 陳俊麟
Qian De Men as Li Jian Guo / Lao Li 李建國 / 老李
Hong Chen Ying (洪晨穎) as Ai Lu / Xiao Lu 艾綠 / 小綠
Hank Wu (吳仲強) as Hao Ke 浩克
Chen You Fang as Ling Wen Qi 凌文琦
Jin Zhi Jie (金士傑) as Shi Yong Guang 石永光
Zhang Fu Jian as Fan Tian Cheng 范天誠
Sonia Sui as Lei Mu Sha 雷慕莎
Tao Chuan Zheng (陶傳正) as Defense secretary
Gao Ying Xuan (高英軒) as Senator's assistant
Huang Jian Wei as Wu Yang 吳洋
Fan Guang Yao (樊光耀) as Sergeant Huang
Zhou Kai Wen (周凱文) as Detective
Zhang Han (張翰) as Detective
Lin Jia You (林家佑) as Detective
Che Guan Cheng (車冠成) as Detective
Huang Lu Wen (黃綠文) as Forensic Specialist
Lai Zhen Ze (賴震澤) as Forensic Specialist
Lin Yi Qian (林伊蒨) as Police
Tang Qin (唐秦) as Police
Qiu Rong Sheng (丘瑢升) as Lieutenant
Xu Bo Qiang (許柏強) as Uniformed police
Lin Ju Xian (林均憲) as Uniformed police

Black and White Correlation Chart
SanLianHui
Ivy Chen as Chen Lin 陳琳
Paul Chun as Lao Tou 老頭
Na Wei Xun as Du Wen Yan 杜文雁
Tang Guo Zhong (唐國忠) as Che Jin 車進

Others in SanLianHui
Zhou Xiao An (周孝安) as A Tang 阿唐
Kageyama Yukihiko (蔭山征彥) as A De 阿得
Zhang Chao Min (張朝閔) as An Zai 安仔
Liu Kai Rong (劉開容) as An's brother
Bu Xue Liang as Logistics manager
Wu Xiang Zhen(吳翔震)
Huang Ding Jun (黃鼎鈞)
Cheng Bo Ren(陳柏仁)
Wu ming Lun (吳明倫)
Ansel
Shao Fu (少甫)
Zheng Wen Hong (鄭文宏)
Zou Zhong Xian (鄒仲賢)
Liu Yi Ru (劉翼儒)
Li Wei De (李威得)

Other Lawless
Kingone Wang as Gao Yi 高義
Xu Ai Xin as Cheng Yuan 程願
Jason Zou as Cheng Nuo 程諾
Huang Tai An as Hacker

Sarkozy
Jimmy Hung (洪天祥) as BOSS
Igor as CJ
Huang Wen Xuan as P
Benji as G
Eric as F
Yang Xiu Wen (楊琇雯) as K
Leandro as L
Ou Si Ka (奧斯卡) as O
Bobby as N
A Liang as M

The Civilians
Xiu Jie Kai as Ma Xiao Ming / Huang Shi Kai 馬小明 / 黃世楷
Yu Hong Yuan (喻虹淵) as He Xiao Mei 何小玫
Patina Lin as Ling Ke Le 凌可樂
Lu Yi Jing (陸奕靜) as An's mother
Zhao Zi Qiang (趙自強) as Attorney Hong
Bao Zheng Fang (鮑正芳) as Ying Xiong's mother
Renzo Liu as Jian Da De 簡大德
Xiao Call (小Call) as Tian Mi Mi 田蜜蜜
Li Lu (李律)
Luo Mei Ling (羅美玲)ring:

Pi Zi and Ying Xiong are two cops who are as different as day and night. One does nothing except for drinking coffee and living a luxurious lifestyle while waiting for information from dubious sources to crack his cases. Another believes law and justice are the pillars of society and is constantly on the street catching criminals… a little overzealously for his superior’s liking. When a case brought these two top crime solvers together, sparks flied and a little light peeked into this dark city where the nation's President is on friendly terms with the local triad and twins kill people while drinking milkshake.

Okay, everyone listen up. First this drama is still airing. Rumor has it that the ending will be open because the director has decided to make the ending into a blockbuster movie.

Having said that.

OMG! (I WILL BE WRITING IN CAPS FROM NOW ON BECAUSE I CAN'T SAY THIS LOUD ENOUGH)

THIS IS THE BEST DAMN DRAMA EVER!!!!!!

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? AN OPEN ENDING? A MOVIE? THAT MEANS THAT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE TO SUFFER IN THE ENGLISH SPEAKING WORLD WILL HAVE TO WAIT TWICE AS LONG BECAUSE OF PRODUCTION, RELEASE, DVD, AND THEN SUBBING. I CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG!

I'M TELLING THOSE OF YOU NOW WHO HAVE NO FAITH IN TAIWAN DRAMAS.....THIS IS THE ONE. HELL, EVEN IF IT WASN'T TAIWANESE. THIS ONE OUTRANKS ALL OF THE ASIAN COUNTRIES DRAMAS BY 10 TO THE 10TH POWER!

I REMEMBER BEING BORED AND CAME UPON THIS ONE. THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A DECENT TIME WASTER. FROM THAT MOMENT ON, MY SUNDAYS AREN'T SUNDAYS WITHOUT THIS SHOW. NEXT WEEK, IS THE LAST TWO EPISODES UNTIL THE MOVIE. AND FROM THIS SUNDAY ON, MY LIFE WILL HAVE NO MEANING.

THIS IS A COP DRAMA WITH A BIT OF COMEDY AND ROMANCE. BUT THE SHOW RELIES ON THE THRILL RIDE AND MYSTERY THAT THE MOST MAGNIFICENT WRITERS CAME UP WITH.

I'VE LOVED VIC ZHOU FROM THE TIME I SAW HIM IN MARS. THIS MAN HAS MADE IT WITH THIS DRAMA. AT THE START, HE IS MORE COMIC RELIEF BUT AS WE LEARN ABOUT HIS CHARACTER WE FEEL HIS PAIN AND SUFFER WITH HIM.

MARK CHAO IS A NEWCOMER. HIS NAME...."HERO". HE IS THE GOOD COP WHO RELIES ON JUSTICE AND BELIEVES THE GOOD WILL PREVAIL. HE IS THE PROTAGONIST TO VIC ZHOU'S ANTAGONIST.

THEY ARE A PERFECT PAIR. THEY ARE BLACK AND WHITE.

I CAN'T TELL YOU THE ENDING. WELL, BECAUSE THE ENDING HASN'T CAME. I COULDN'T WAIT TO TELL ALL OF YOU TO WATCH THIS DRAMA. WATCH IT AND FALL IN LOVE WITH IT LIKE I DID.

I'd better find things to do now because of this coming Sunday and after ward, I will be in severe Black and White withdrawal. *sigh*

And so y'alls know.....Mark Chao/Zhao is really, really, really new. So photos are rare at the moment. So in other words......I can't find good ones. So watch the damn drama! Get your fill of 20 high packed episodes fueled on octane on crack.

Sweet Relationship (美味關係 / Mei Wei Guan Xi -2008)

Starring:
Vic Zhou as Fang Zi Tian 方織田
Patty Hou as Chang Bai Hui 常百惠
Alan Kuo as He Ma Yang 何馬揚
Megan Lai as Ren Ke Xin 任可欣
Zhu De Gang (朱德剛) as Cheng Jia Jun 成家俊
Teresa Ji as Cheng Qiang 成薔
Zhang Yong Zhi (張永智) as Gao Qiao 高橋
Deng Jiu Yun (鄧九雲) as Lu Chuan Lin 陸川琳
Billie as Jin Dao Po Po 金刀婆婆
Gu Xuan Chun as Gu Jian Xian 辜見賢
Xu Zhen Wei (徐振偉) as B Pang B胖
Eric Tu (涂百峰) as Eric
Cha Ma Ke (查馬克) as Cha Ke 查克
Tang Qi as Tang Tang Jie 糖糖姐
Gui Ye (龜爺) as Gui Ye
Lin You Fang (林有方) as Zhu Rou Biao 豬肉彪
Cai Jie De (蔡皆得) as Doctor Cai
Luo Bei An (羅北安) as Duo Feng 多風
Bao Ma (寶媽) as Bao Ma (ep01)
Fei Zhen Hua (費鎮華) as Chang's father (ep01)
Qian De Men as Restaurant manager (ep01)
Wang De Sheng (王德生) as Chang's family friend (ep01)
Eric Chen as teenage Fang Zi Tian
Wu Zhong Tian as Liang Hai Tao 梁海濤
Tai Bao (太保) as Ma Yang's father
Li Dai Ling (李黛玲) as Ma Yang's mother

Bai Hui has a refined palate that allows her to enjoy every wonderful texture and taste different cuisines have to offer. Ever since little, food has been the centre of her world. It celebrated her college graduation and consoled her when her beloved father passed away. Her love for eating ignites passion in the heart of a genius chef, Zi Tian, who never found joy in food.


I can't believe it's over. I really loved this drama. There are very few Taiwanese dramas I like especially when most of them are remakes of Japanese dramas/mangas/animes.

Maybe it's because I'm a huge, HUGE Vic Zhou fan. Ever since seeing him in MARS, I've not forgotten and will not forget the trauma my heart went through watching that series. God! So as to say, I chugged along through and fell in love with this one. Alan Kuo was amazing as He Ma. He was sweet, funny and cute. I was hoping they would find him someone in the show to love.

It would be nice to see them make a second series showing their accomplishments as restaurant owners and possible parents. That would be funny and realistic. But that is just my take on it.

I'm really sick to my stomach knowing it's over. The last episode was amazing. I just melted when he sincerely confessed his feelings to Bai Wei. *sigh*

Vic Zhou


Alan Kuo

Aishiteru! Saranghae! Wo Ai Nee! Means....I Love You!

Ah! I've decided to post some of the reasons of why I watch Asian dramas before I start posting links and reviews of my favorite shows. I have 3 reasons why I watch Asian dramas........

1. HOT Japanese men.
2. HOT Korean men.
3. HOT Taiwanese/Chinese men.

Aren't those good enough reasons. (My husband is rolling his big, brown eyes right now.) I know, I know, I know. Hey! There are some HOT chicks but I won't talk about them because I'm not that sort of gal. Hehe!

I spent most of my night in bed tossing and turning on how to put this into words into my blog. I wish I had a voice recorder because at that time in bed it sounded so much better. Who do I start with? What movies should I reference them to? Should I make it even and put the same amount of guys for each genre? But, nahhhh. I'll just put who I like and why. And for the record, literally, most of these guys started out in boy bands or were singers before starting out as actors, and/or doing both.

So let me start by saying that it will be the Japanese first since that is the genre I started with in the first place. And it will be the first guy that I liked from the beginning.

So let me begin.

JAPAN

Tamaki Hiroshi

My first drama ever was Nodame Cantabile. It's corny by American standards. That's only because it's based on a manga (comic). Some of the actions are exaggerated but if you can get passed that....you'll fall in love with the story. Hiroshi plays Chiaki. His character is an eccentric, clean freak compared to Nodame who is untidy, unstudious, and totally a marble head. Other notable dramas and movies I have seen him in........

Shikaotoko Aoniyoshi
Last Christmas
Remote
Waterboys
Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru

Oh did I mention that he can sing too?!!!

Kimura Takuya

Out of all the actors I mention, he is the very best so far by my standards. Agh! I get the eebie-geebies, mushy, heart squeezy feelings for this man. He isn't the best looking of them all but damn if his characters don't make you fall for him.

The very first drama from this talented guy that I happened upon and ended up having a Takuya marathon was Love Generation. Katagiri Teppei...mmmmm,mmmmm,mmmmm. Maybe it was the bad boy image? Long hair? Attitude? From this drama on, I watched maybe 3-4 other of his dramas back-to-back. Oh, my toes curl with delight. Takuya-kun is a member of the boy band called SMAP. Here are few more of my recommended shows for viewing from this guy.

Hero
Engine
Pride
Good Luck!
Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi

Oh damn! Just read that he's going to be in an American made movie called I Come with the Rain starring Josh Hartnett! Hot damn!

Kamenashi Kazuya

If only I were 10 years younger....*sigh*. So cute. Kazuya is a member of the HOT boy band KAT-TUN.

I never really paid much attention to this guy until I came across the drama called 1 Pound no Fukuin. This drama is another drama based off a Japanese manga. It's about a boxer who falls in love with a nun-wannabe. Very sweet. But the best out of his dramas, hands down, is the drama called Nobuta wo Produce (notice how my blog name resembles his...hehe! Here are few more shows from him that I recommend.......

Tatta Hitotsu no Koi
Suppli
Gokusen 2

Here's a song from KAT-TUN with Kazuya singing the theme to Gokusen 2....Kizuna!

*sigh*

.....and last but not least............

Matsumoto Jun

Mmmm,mmmm,mmmm! Kawaii (cute in Japanese!) *sigh* He is also a member of a boy band named ARASHI. I'm not much for their music, but hey, I can't like everyone.

This guy is a great actor. Something about him comes across as arrogant. Very tense for an actor and hard for me to see as a comedian even though he did have very many poignant, comedic moments in Bambino! and Gokusen (the first season....he was not in the second season with my Kazuya.) I first noticed this guy in the movie Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru. The movie is about a brother and a sister(fraternal twins) who love each other...and not in the sibling fashion. This might sound like a perverted movie but you forget they are related and you feel for them. A forbidden love that can't be accepted. Definite tear jerker. It makes you think about what is considered forbidden and accepted in society and why the rules are the way they are. What is even sadder is that they have loved each other since the day they were conceived. Man, tears are already forming. *sigh* Here's more from this great, young actor/singer........

Hana Dori Yango
Kimi wa Pet

KOREA

Oh yeah. This country produces the best dramas....EVER. You will find fan sites of Korean dramas and fanatics like myself who can't get enough. OMG! My Bi (Rain) is from here. *sigh, giggle, sigh*

Jeong Ji Hoon
Bi (Rain)

*saliva oozes from the corners of my mouth* I can't get enough of this man! My excitement mounts because a few months ago I found out that my main man will be in the Speed Racer movie coming out next month. It won't be a main part but who gives a damn! I'll be there in my theater seat drooling like a rabid dog in heat! He can act, he can sing, and damn if he can dance! *shivers*


Out of all of the Korean dramas, this one has been considered the best out of them all. There hasn't been another one that can compete with the ratings this one pulled out in the year 2004. The drama.....is called Full House! The ratings for this show went through the roof. Let's compare it to the year that JR got shot on Dallas kind of ratings. Whew! This drama is the drama that got me hooked. I've not watched American TV since. No more LOST, no more Desperate Housewives, no more Office. Why should I watch them when these dramas can't compare? They are more intense, more loving, more romantic....ahhhh. Bi (Rain) as he is called in the English language has this naive, childlike demeanor in his shows. He is so compelling. His face is so sweet. You can't help but be drawn into his innocence. Yeah, that is the word....innocence. There isn't any awkwardness, evil, mistakeness in his acting. It's sincere in it's primest form. Oh, let me count the ways I love this guy. If you want to start watching at least one Asian drama...this is the one to start you out on. Here's more from "my" guy. (The husband is rolling his eyes again..... ;) )

A Love to Kill
Sang Doo, Let's Go To School
I'm a Cyborg, but It's Ok

Lee Wan

Okay, this guy is gorgeous. Oh my! But that is not the only reason why I love this guy. I watched the most beautiful, saddest, romantic story with this guy as a main character. The story.....Heaven's Tree, or Tree of Heaven, depending on how that person wants to write it. I watched this story and afterwards cried so hard for so many hours. A+++++ is this show. OMG! You'll go through a year's worth of Kleenex in one sitting. Just thinking about it now, my nose starts to run and my eyes start to water. Story depicts the love of two step siblings. The girl is Japanese. Her father dies and her mother goes back to Korea and marries another man who already had a son from his previous marriage. The son is Lee Wan (Soon-suh). Even with language barriers, she only speaks Japanese and he only speaks Korean. They eventually fall in love. Oh God....the waterworks are going as I remember the story. All I can say is......if ever there was a true love....the story depicts it well!! I've seen him in only one other drama.....In-Soon is Pretty. This one was well-acted. A really good show. But because of Heaven's Tree, I had to put him in my blog.

Gong Yoo

Ummm.....yummo! Found that pic and had to post it up! Whew! *sweatin' bullets* LOL!

I've only seen one of his dramas and one movie. The movie he had a small supporting role...but it was quite funny. The movie was called.......My Tutor Friend. It was a cute, sweet film. Something fun to watch to get you out of your doldrums. The drama that shows his best ability was the drama called the First Shop of the Coffee Prince. This was actually my first Korean drama. The storyline catches ya like a shark on bloody meat. As soon as your hooked, all you can do is hang on because you aren't going anywhere. LOL! Definite must see, and hey, he's not bad to look at either. Hehe!

TAIWAN/CHINA

What is it about a guy, leather, and a crotch-rocket? Mmmmm. Why do I start with that question? Well, because the first guy I will talk about looked so damn good in a particular drama...that I've been following his shows ever since. And damn if he ain't the finest thing next to fine China.

Vic Zhou

OMG! He's the best looking out of them all! I swear! Another boy band member, he is a member of F4. F4 was created after Meteor Garden was created. Metero Garden is the Taiwan version of Hana Yori Dango...another Japanese manga. Does anyone see a correlation here?

And most of all, his hit drama MARS was out of this world (pun intended). Whew! MARS is highly recommended. Next to Heaven's Tree, this one will make you cry. Maybe not as long, but it will take you for one hell of a rollercoaster ride. That is for damn sure. MARS was another drama depicted from a Japanese manga. And this one my friends is why girls like guys on bikes. *fans self* Okay, okay....he's not just gorgeous but he really can act. He started out as an actor and continues to this day. I've seen almost all of his dramas............and they kick butt!

Love Storm
Silence~serious tear jerker....BEWARE!
Sweet Relationship
Wish to See You Again

Joe Cheng

This guy was the first Taiwanese actor I got to witness. I had just got done watching Itzura na Kiss (a Japanese drama and manga) and came across It Started with a Kiss the Taiwanese version of the manga. He was the main character. Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm! Kawaii!!! This drama is soooooo popular. It is the hottest thing searched on most video viewing websites. *cough, cough* Luckily, the Taiwanese decided to stick with the manga and have followed it pretty well. And with the drama being sooooo popular, they decided to continue the story further and have produced They Kissed Again (scroll down the page from the link to ISwAK). A very addictive show. The second show is still airing to this day.

Summer X Summer
The Rose

All in all, these are a few of my favorite men. Oh there are more. But I seem to come across these guys the most. There will be more to come...and I'll have new reviews to post. So keep a look out!

Sayonara!
Ahn nyung hee ke se yo!
Zài jiàn!
Bye!

MARS

No, I'm talking about the planet. It's a drama that I recently discovered that at this moment has torn, halved, tormented, shredded my heart and soul. The name is actually based on the Roman god but this drama is in fact made in Taiwan. It's foreign. It can be found subbed in English but spoken in Mandarin Chinese. It is probably the best foreign drama that I have seen so far or probably ever. Hell, not just foreign, but any drama ever.


It is based off a manga...a Japanese manga of the same name. It's about a girl (Qilou) who was raped at 16 by her stepfather. From that moment on has never accepted the help or want of male companionship. Afraid of her own shadow, lived in fear of all things. Her world was lived only through art and her paintings. It's about a guy (Ling)who had his own family problems. His twin brother committed suicide and left him empty. Out of fear and loneliness became a womanizer. He used women for sexual gratification and never could find love because of it. His mother also committed suicide prior to his twin brother. And come to find out his dad, isn't his dad, but his uncle. And through it all...a psycopath who is hell bent on destroying him.
It's not just a story of those two characters but about trust, family, love, hate, fear, suicide and recovery. This story was so well acted and written. I can't stop thinking of them.
I know, I know I'm an Asian freak. I love all things that come from there. But this....this story should not be repelled because it isn't spoken in English. I've come to realize that I'm the worst kind of naive American. We Americans, though living on a continent with countries above and below us, act as if we are the only country in the middle of the ocean. Our houses made of gold and silver. Our bodies made of steel. We repel all things non-US. We say we don't but we do. Nobody realizes that other countries embrace other countries other than their own. We Americans only watch American made shows on TV unless it's specifically a channel on cable that allows us to see another culture. Yeah, yeah....we have Spanish channels out the wazzoo. I'm talking another continent people. Did you know other countries see American made television with subs? We don't have subbed television. Why? It sickens me to see that all these wonderful shows that I watch online aren't seen on main stream American television. Totally sickens me. There is so much we could learn from other countries. Heck, I learned a few basic words to get me by in Japan, China and Korea. Not alot but enough. And just by watching these shows online. But, I digress...............
MARS should be seen even if you can't stand reading subs. It's a beautiful story. Okay, okay...and let's not forget that Ling is HOT, HOT, HOT. And because these are seen online..not all the video quality is satisfactory. We have to depend on private fansubs to do these for English speakers. Three of the 21 episodes were not in sync with sound and timing. Ah well. I do what I have to do.
This will not be the only Asian show I review. I've seen so many. So many beautiful, funny stories. Not seen on American television. Ugh. So tired of reality TV. There is only so much American Idol and Dancing with the Stars I can take. The writers strike....well, I thank you! It made me bored enough to find other things...and I found awesome works better than American television could ever produce. So thank you! Expect more reviews in the future.
Recommended dramas:
The Coffee Prince-Korean......(the second forein drama I watched...excellent)
It Started with a Kiss 1&2-Taiwan/Chinese
Bad Couple-Korean
Full House-Korean
Sweet 18-Korean
Hana Kimi-Japanese
Hana Yori Dango 1&2-Japanese
Itazura Na Kiss (It Started with a Kiss...the original before the Chinese got ahold of it)-Japanese
Remote-Japanese
Nodame Cantabile-Japanese (the very first drama....and next to MARS....my favorite)
Meteor Garden 1&2 (the Taiwanese version of Hana Yori Dango)-Taiwan/Chinese
My Lucky Star-Taiwan/Chinese....another AWESOME one!!
Smiling Pasta-Taiwan/Chinese...very funny and loveable.
My next on my list to see.....Sweet Sensation-Taiwan/Chinese. The actor (Vic Zhou) who played Ling is in this one. Got to see it!