Japanese Drama Untouchable

Title: アンタッチャブル

Title (English): Untouchable

Episodes: 9

Theme song: Orion by GIRL NEXT DOOR

Insert song: Koko ni Iru yo by 72

Synopsis

When reporter Narumi Ryoko loses her job at a first-rate publisher and ends up at a trashy tabloid called "Shukan Untouchable." She now chases celebrity scandals and sensational stories, but she hasn't lost her sense of duty or her persistence. While investigating her stories, she tends to notice details that imply some hidden truth beneath the surface, leading her to probe deeper into dangerous secrets.

Casts

Nakama Yukie as Narumi Ryoko

Kaname Jun as Toyama Shiro

Sato Tomohito as Takafuji Shinichi

Ashina Sei as Makise Misuzu

Urano Kazumi as Nishio Rika

Tsujitani Yoshimasa as Katayama Tamotsu

Tanaka Yoji as Nakahara Makoto

Sakai Toshiya as Jonouchi Hitoshi

Ozawa Yukiyoshi as Narumi Koji

Tanaka Tetsushi as Kashimura Hideaki

Terajima Susumu as Nagakura Eiichi

Above info extracted from wikipedia

My Review (Spoilers below)

Nakama Yukie was the reason that I watch the show (liked her since watching Trick). The beginning of the show, I was impressed with how an incident turned out to be a pre-planned one. But towards the middle, I was onto who the main culprit is (and proven right) because of too many such situations in other dramas where the closer the person is to you, the less suspecting you will be.

I was expecting something even larger (darker). I find it difficult to accept how the main culprit can manage to get his threat to the big boss because he could have been "finished off" easily.

But the story plot could have been worse if the creator is force to make another twist or force a happy ending or even worse, a sudden ending, which happens often (and sometimes comes with a disastrous impact on the show's entire plot). Thus, the ending is acceptable (for me).

As usual with most Japanese drama with each episode (at most 2/3) focused on a new story with same base characters, Untouchable is the same. But towards the end, I would suggested you get all the episodes (and your time) ready so you can watch them together because that's the few episodes that keeps one guessing who that person is, leading from one suspect to another.

(Still, I prefer Nakama Yukie in Trick than this.)

Yankee-kun to Megane-chan

Title: ヤンキー君とメガネちゃん

Title (romaji): Yankee-kun to Megane-chan

Also known as: Flunk Punk Rumble / Yanmega

Episodes: 10

Theme song: Loose Leaf by Hilcrhyme

Synopsis

Shinagawa Daichi used to be a good student who has now become a delinquent, while class president Adachi Hana was a delinquent who is now trying to move on. Her secret is discovered by Shinagawa, but she involves herself trying to correct his ways.

Main Cast

Narimiya Hiroki as Shinagawa Daichi

Naka Riisa as Adachi Hana

Hongo Kanata as Izumi Gaku

Koyanagi Yu as Chiba Seiya

Kawaguchi Haruna as Himeji Rinka

Suzuki Ryohei as Nerima Seiun

Minagawa Sarutoki as Sakai (homeroom teacher)

Furuta Arata as Shinagawa Chuta

Hori Chiemi as Shinagawa Kiyo

Owada Miho as Shinagawa Kairi

Ito Shiro as Adachi Tatsuo

Above info extracted from dramawiki.

My Review (Spoilers ahead)

Set in the classroom environment, it is a slight change of the usual Gokusen/GTO characters.

Here, you don't get to see teachers with good fighting skills. You get to see many students. One is the former yankee, Hana-san (our female lead), a current yankee Daichi-san(main lead), an elite student (who has another unknown secret) and their sidekicks.

Hana-san character reminds me of Gokusen's Yankumi in the first episode because of how persistence she is in trying to get all the students (in her class) to come to school. But a little surprise is how the show creator makes Hana-san's character to influence Daichi (as in trying to make him focus on changing his yankee style).

And also, it's very confusing when I initially thought it's difficult to get into the school. However, Rinka (whom I have an impression is not one with good grade) can suddenly transfer to the school and also, in the later episode, it turns out that Hana-san grade is at the last of the list (of the school and with a very low score for their exams), I am confused by how they can get entry in the first place. (If anyone can explain to me how the school admission works?)

Anyway, all in all, it's an enjoyable storyline with many laughs and easy storyline that does not put much stress to the heart. The pace is alright and the settings is just fine (as compared to the environment where you take one look and you will know it's studio set).

Side track

Saw some comments that Naka Riisa looks like Eriko Toda but based on this picture , I took she looks more like Nagasawa Masami.

Sunset @ Marina Keppel Bay

Oh.. yet another last minute proposed phototaking session. Suggested by my friend, we headed to Marina Keppel Bay Club to try capturing the sunset. A pity is that I didn't manage to get the idea how to take the picture nicely. BUT...I wish This is MINE~~ (sounds like Lord Of The Ring line? lol)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sigh.. I thought it look nice... But...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Anyway, I saw this and was very curious whether is it purely a piece of art work or is it something useful. Anyone has any idea what it is?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sunset-ting~ When we reached there, the sun was so bright because there wasn't much buildings (almost none) and you can really see the BIG sun!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Proof of "I was there"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sunset!

Singapore Art Festival

Trying to recall when was the last time I went for such event... It must be none? Haha.. Anyway, my photo taking kaki told me that I should take go and check it out. Although I was quite reluctant initially (because I didn't want to go alone), but in the end, my kaki was "onz" enough to revisit the place with me ah tada! There I went...

Upon reaching, I was already amazed by the "fire" around me.. From the ones that were hanged as shown above and below (continue to read on after the picture)
to the one that was manipulated by people (of course not by anyone) and it's really amazing how the fire was controlled to blast upwards (like rocket high as shown below) ...
...or how dim it can get without being put off. (The below picture is not yet the dimmest because it's too impossible to capture (for me))



If you think that was all, you are wrong. By the trees were again pots of fire (Not the song "Fire" though but it's a nice song introduce by my friend recently)

After "fire"-struck for quite sometimes, we finally moved further into the area and I saw this moving circle (which is so hard to capture in picture).

I think I like the tree better than the charcoal burning inside this ball. Somehow I associated this with Halloween when I first saw it.

And when I turned around.. I see this

Tried my best in capturing the flame

(to be cont. with more photos)

Just some rantings

Ever since I stopped my blogging at Chinatown, it seems to have attracted a lot of spams comments. Till date, I already rejected 10+ spam comments. Hopefully it will end ah~! Hopefully

Chinatown - Chinese New Year Deco

Well, this is taken during pre-Chinese New Year. As I was early, I went around alone taking pictures.. The place was SOOOO crowded that I was lucky to have the space to do some snapping.

Yes, it's blurred and it is done on purpose. Playing around with my camera....

Now, grabbing a spot at the bridge, I quickly snapped this word "spring" decoration.

Plum blossom! I like it so much because it's in pink... A pity this is a fake one.

The human traffic there was so scary that I had to wriggle my way out and finally found a resting spot beside the temple and continue "snapping". This lantern seems almost the same that was on display during the lantern festival.

Attempting to create a "moon" from the lantern "bulb"

Oh yeah, my friends reached! And OMG! Their DSLR ran out of battery! So in the end, we ended our photo taking session earlier than planned. A shot at their camera

Oh yeah, not before we tried to capture the moon but many failed attempts

My last shot before we called it a day

Chinatown

Don't be surprised if you found this entry in the year of 2010 but this is actually dated 2009 because I was busy with posting photos in flickr but not adding new entries here.

Date: On one of the Normal Saturdays, 26/09/09
Time: Morning to late noon

Me and my photo-taking kaki went to Chinatown hoping to get something nice. But as any normal days, it was quite a hot weather that day so lots of sweats were dripped (but no worries, the sun helped to clear it away).

Look at this! I mistaken it as SQL! But well.. it's just my mistake

Moving around, there was a stretch of colorful shop houses. A picture of one of the shop houses.

I am totally into the number 8!

At the end, you can go find this entrance/exit path:

Well, when we moved around, there is an lantern exhibition for moon cake festival. The material they used are very unique.

Films? no.. look carefully

Different fabrics

Using CD & bottles

The below pictures are taken somewhere near.. eh... Tanjong Pagar? My friend brought me there and told me that it is a very nice place (which indeed is) to take picture. The only thing is, I was so tired and all in sweat when we reach there. Hopefully I will have the chance to go back to the place because there were so many unique stuffs over there.

A pattern of a stone statue.

A good word for business engraved on the doors

And a very nice mailbox

The last shot before I left the premise

The Taste of a Peanut

During a wedding dinner, I said that I would blog this and here I am. My friend asked me what is the taste of a peanut as he said he is unable to describe the taste. Sweet? Salty? But he just can't define it accurately.

But to me, Peanut on it's own, without any coating, tasted kind of milky and unique (for me). And the feeling of the crunchiness kept me eating, one or two, or a handful at a time... until there is none left that I stopped.

Peanuts are almost found in everywhere. Take for example, snacks: salted or sugar-coated peanut, desserts: chocolate-dipped ice-cream coated with peanut or the peanut paste dessert, bread: peanut butter jam in your toast, drink: the peanut dashed on the whipped cream in your ice-blended coffee.

No matter where you found them, their taste are still unchanged. Isn't it fascinating?

Chinese Garden

Have been updating only my flickr account and totally missed out on my blog... Make up a bit...

Here's the photo of my solo trip to Chinese Garden. I went there on a hazy day and spend like 2 hours sweating like mad...

Ops.. this is not within Chinese Garden. I took a bus to somewhere nearby and walk my way to Chinese Garden MRT. There is this very nice place that you can either go there for a walk or to cycle. (Do rem to give way to pedestrian and bring towel + a bottle of water!)

Forgot to mention that you can catch the Chinese Garden from far at the park which is like 10 mins walk from Chinese Garden MRT.

Here is the path before you reach the Chinese Garden entrance. I wanted to take a longer stretch but due to several elements, I can't and I had to edit to remove a red pole which was in the middle of this picture.

There were a lot of Zen elements which makes me feel totally not in Singapore as there ain't a lot of tall buildings or HDB when you reach Chinese Garden. This is actually the reflection of the trees which looks very interesting to me.

Another reflection shot

You should not missed out the 7 storey Pagoda. Yes, every level is accessible. And at the 7th storey, you will be able to see the entire view of Chinese Garden (and many other buildings, such as HDBs, condominium, MRT track). This spiral staircase is within the Pagoda.



And this? This is the door knob of the Pagoda

Followed by the door image

There were a few things that I tried to capture (playing around with "ideas")

For example, at the second (or was it third? forgot) level, I went out and remembered a wedding photo where the photographer wanted to capture a pattern of the entrance (somewhere else) with the couple at one side. Using the same concept, (without the couple though), I thought that this picture looks like a chinese word. However, I am still working on what word it could be. :p Let me share with you if I remember.


This photo was yet another shot which I attempted to mimic from others. However, I am still working on which should I be focusing on.. The object in the background? or the window grill. It was suppose to be a picture thru the window grill but it didn't look good for me thus I focused on the window grill instead.

Well, after spending some time (actually like 30mins +), I continued my journey outside. At times, take a look up and you might find some cute little birds chirping (for me, I found one which is willing to "pose" for me LOL)

Photo takings

Some mentioned that taking photo ain't about just happy-snapping. But I find it hard to change this habit of mine.

You see, unlike my peers who have the talent for photography, I am not able to visualize what I wanna take on the spot. Thus, most of the time, when I see what my friend took, and my mind goes "Oh, so this can be taken like that". When I wanted to try out the same shot, a part of me wants to try something different. But sad to say, it failed badly anyway. Thus, my "happy-snapping" will comes in (again...), trying capture whatever I see..

Korean Drama That Fool

Starring Hwang Jung Min as Goo Dong Baek, Kim Ah Joong as Han Ji Soo and Joo Sang Wook as Kim Kang Mo (Ji Soo's secret love).

Honestly, this is my first time seeing Hwang Jung Min's acting. I started this show purely because of the plot and Kim Ah Joong, the lead actress for 200 Pound Beauty. I was impressed with her singing in that movie. The plot is actually a simple one, with some twists here and there... Simple: A famous star and a down-to-earth man fake marriage become true. Twists: The factors leading to the fake marriage and the factors causing the fake marriage become true.

BUT I would give the biggest credit to Hwang Jung Min. If not for him making his character alive, I wouldn't have continued this drama. Lee Chung Ah as Goo Min Ji (Dong Baek's younger sister) and Baek Sung Hyun as Han Sang Chul (Ji Soo's younger brother) also brighten this drama making it more interesting.

Btw, after I did a google on Hwang Jung Min, then I realized he bagged a number of awards (mostly for movie performance).

Some info about the drama

Title: 그바보 / That Fool
Alternative title: The Accidental Couple / While I Was Looking / That Dummy
Previously known as: 식스먼스 / Six Months
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 16
Broadcast network: KBS2
Broadcast period: 2009-Apr-29 to 2009-Jun-18
Air time: Wednesday & Thursday 21:55

Goo Dong Baek is an honest and good-hearted postman. One day he encounters with Han Ji Soo, a top celebrity. However, an ordinary man gets no chance to show his feeling to this top actress who everyone loves. Six months period of time with her elapses like a midsummer night's dream. But he cannot just end up his love like a “dream”. Shouting out love! His love has just begun.

Source from Dramawiki

09/09/09

A special date which I remembered being invited to a dinner date with my best friend whom insisted that we should make this date memorable cos it won't happen again. Mabie next year 10/10/10, I will invite her for dinner instead and cont till 12/12/12. :) So Ami chan, you have a date with me on 10/10/10, 11/11/11 and 12/12/12!. Make time for me wor~

iPhone Hang?

My sis came to me today with an iPhone which hang... Without a clue (and press the power on/off button doesn't help) I GOOGLE for help! One of the solution (which was the most simple one) was to press the Home key and Power On/Off key for for about 5 sec(or more) and iPhone will reboot.

And it worked!
However, if you have professional (iPhone) personnel around you, it's always better to check with them before doing this as you never know what caused the iPhone to hang in the first place.

Regards