Hara 1991-2019

Oh man, this is such such heartbreaking news to hear. And yet, once Sulli passed away, we were all worried how Hara (who was well known as one of Sulli's dearest friends) would  handle it. Hara herself had been saved from an attempted suicide just months ago as well and we were afraid Sulli's passing would affect her.

Right after Sulli's death, a tearful Hara (who was in Japan at the time) made a heartbreaking personal video apologizing to Sulli that she couldn't be there for her funeral, and summed up the video by promising Sulli that she would find the strength to live for both of them.

But I guess Hara's demons were too much to fight against.

Hara had been through a lot these past months, with an abusive boyfriend threatening to release nude photos of her, calling the police on her and accusing her of assault just this past May. This triggered Hara's first attempt at suicide and though she pulled through, the news of Sulli's passing surely took its toll on her.

Such an utter shame. Hara was, as mentioned above, just in the middle of restarting her career with new music in Japan, and as some of you know, KARA was a huge, HUGE part of my life. They were the catalyst that first got me into K-Pop back in 2012, a love that still exists til today, and I just cannot imagine that that sweet girl with the sunny smile is gone.

Rest in Peace, Hara.

Jiyoung x 7 in "Orphan Black"

I loved the BBC America Drama Series ORPHAN BLACK starring Tatiana Maslany as the four similar and yet wildly different clones of the same woman, and when I found out they were going to make a Japan version (like they did with BONES and COLD CASE) starring KARA’s JiYoung in the multi-personal role, I couldn’t wait, and just this week I was able to check out the first episode!

Blazing through the first episode, I am amazed how exact they were able to replicate the BBC show. So isimilar is the japanese version that I didn’t even have to wait for english subtitles as the drama is almost frame-by-frame identical!

As Orphan Black begins, we are introduced to  derelict girl named Sarah Aoyama who has just arrived back in town, only to see a professional-looking woman that looks JUST like her commit suicide by jumping off the platform into a running train.

Sarah Aoyama meets her double Maoko Shiina

Quickly getting over the shock, the streetwise girl snatches up the woman's purse and belongings, intending to steal her checks and raid her bank account. With the help of her brother Felix, (a fabulously gay raver and an admitted scene-stealer!), they manage to trick the cops into thinking that the jumper was the derelict Sarah Manning, and thus Sarah assumes the role of Beth.

Meeting up with brother Kaoru (Shun Nishime)

"This Shiina looks JUST like me!"

Maoko Shiina's ID.

"Holy Crap- What are you gonna do?"

But once stepping into the role of this woman, she finds that this Maoko Shiin was a police investigator whose last case may have the key to events directly impacting Sarah...

Becoming Police Investigator Maoko Shiina

Under the guise of the Police Investigator, Sarah-Maoko finds the reason that she and Maoko look so similar may have a more sinister reason than pure coincidence, and as she delves deeper, she makes contact with other women connected with the case.

  The next duplicate "Maoko" meets is a desperate purple-hair girl who reaches out to her. Apparently, she and the real Maoko were working together to gather evidence to expose some criminal activity. Unfortunately, Katja is taken out of the game before she can explain anything more to the confused Sarah, shot in the head right before Sarah’s eyes!!

That’s it for episode one and I can’t wait to see how they develop the rest of the clones, especially lesbian dreadlocked scientist Cosima and super uptight and bitchy housewife Alison Hendrix. Should be a real thrill watching Jiyoung tackling these roles!!!!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

JiYoung Does "Orphan Black"

Kang Jiyoung in Orphan Black: Seven Genes

Readers of my Retro Stuff blog might remember how much I loved the BBC America Drama Series ORPHAN BLACK starring Tatiana Maslany as 4 different characters...all clones of one source girl and a wide range of personalities!

Well, just as Japan has gone on to remake other English shows like COLD CASE and BONES, they've just announced their new show scheduled for a December release: ORPHAN BLACK: SEVEN GENES starring none other than KARA's Jiyoung Kang as the Multi-personality Clone Girl!

Man, I'm really excited to see this, not just because I loved the original show so much, but to see if Jiyoung can even come CLOSE to how AWESOME Tatiana Maslany was...there were times when, watching the show, I would SWEAR she was ACTUALLY two different people. In this drama, it seems (at least from the title and promo pic, anyway) that Jiyoung will be playing a set amount of SEVEN clones, awww man, can't WAIT, looks so cool!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

What K-Pop Acts From My Golden Era are Still Intact?

With the news of Rainbow's dissolution, I thought it was time to double check to see which (if any) of the original groups I loved from the first few years of my K-pop Fandom were still around and intact!

1. Girls' Generation

The biggest hit of them all for me was when Jessica was removed from Girls Generation. This group, while still a big favorite of mine, will NEVER be the same without her. She was just that darn important to me.

 2. f(x)

I was shocked when Sulli departed from f(x), thankfully this is one group that has managed to remain just as great as they ever were, thanks to the strengths of the remaining members Luna, Krystal, Amber and Victoria! With their latest album 4Walls reminding me just why I love K-pop so much,  at this moment, f(x) are at the top of my favorite K-pop artists!

3. APink

★★★STILL TOGETHER!!!★★★

Though technically even this group has lost a member, I didn't discover the wonder of these girls until Yookyung had already left the group, and so, for, me, APink are the lineup of  Chorong, Bomi, Naeun, Eunji, Namjoo and Hayoung, and I'm gonna call this one  "Unchanged"!!!

4. Dal Shabet

Another big blow for me as not only my bias Jiyul left the group, but my second favorite member Kaeun as well! I admit to having a hard time dealing with this loss and my fandom of Dal Shabet has never really recovered, sad to say.

5. 4Minute

Another of one my vey FIRST K-pop acts I fell in love with (I My Me Mine may be the very FIRST k-pop song I ever heard!), It's hard to believe 4Minute are gone.

But with HyunA still up and about and a Jiyoon solo project on the horizon it looks like I'll still be able to see these girls in some capacity!

6. 2NE1

I don't know WHAT YG has on his mind lately, but shame on him for letting this seemingly indestructible unit fall apart. People blame Bom for the group's status but in my opinion it was just plain old neglect. How could he just let a group this powerful fester on the sidelines?! Minzy was wise to leave when she did.

7.Kara

Kara, the group that unlocked the door to my K-pop passion. Their first few albums are still some of the best albums out there, ones that I listen to all the time. Gone, but their impact (on me) cannot be measured! Plus, I can still hear Jiyoung grooving it up in the J-pop world! That's reassuring.

 8. T-ara

★★★STILL TOGETHER!!!★★★

Unbelievably, even with all the add-on members, fired members and dropped members and a HELL of a lot of controversy, T-ara have managed to come out (so far) unscathed with ALL SIX of their ORIGINAL members intact! This is the line-up I fell in love with, the ones that did "Bo Peep Bo Peep" and "I'm Really Hurt", and it's amazing they're still together and functioning as well-oiled as ever!

 9. Rainbow

Don't feel right labeling them as disbanded when their contracts don't expire for another couple of weeks, but let's be honest, there's no real chance of anything new coming out from them soon, is there? Good luck, girls, you stuck it out as long as you could!

10. Sistar

★★★STILL TOGETHER!!!★★★

Now HERE'S something to marvel at- Sistar may be the sole group here that are not only still around and knocking the hits outta the ballpark as regular as clockwork, but they're one of the few that have NEVER had any changes done to their line-up. Hyolyn, Bora, Dasom and Soyou were the first and ONLY members of this terrific outfit!

11. Secret

Though Hyosung is my bias in Secret and I think Jiyeon is the voice that holds the group together, I just don't know if I can appreciate Secret without Sunhwa, who was and will always be the "heart" of the group. 

 12. AOA

While it's true that AOA's lineup  of Jimin, ChoA, Yuna, Mina, Seolhyun, Hyejeong and Chanmi can technically be considered "Still Together", it was their harder-rocking Musician side "AOA Black" that I first fell in love with, and with the recent departure of Drummer Youkyung, it looks like that avenue is closed for them. That's a Damn shame, the five member unit was so darn talented. But of course, their sexy, idol side was the one that won out in the end, and I guess it was the right path as they're finally getting the recognition they deserve.

13. Nine Muses

Man, what a mess this group has become. Granted, their  history of rotating members out has always led to a rather tumultuous roster, but the loss of the "heavyweights" of the group: Lee Sem, Euaerin, Eunji, HyunA, Minha and my beloved Sera have rocked this group so much that I can scarcely call the new group with their new members "Nine Muses"anymore.

14. Afterschool

Because of their silly "Graduation" system, Jooyeon and Jungah's departure from Afterschool was expected, but after that, what the heck happened? We have not heard a PEEP out of this group ever since, and it frustrates me to no end thinking that they're just SITTING on the group and letting them fade away!!!! COME ON PLEDIS!!!!

15. Brown Eyed Girls

★★★STILL TOGETHER!!!★★★

 Well, at least I can end this list on a positive note: Jea, Miryo, Narsha, and Ga-In are THE quintessential K-pop Diva act, and they've happily JUST celebrated their 10th annniversary!!!

Congrats for staying around so long, girls!!!! Hope to continue to hear from you in the future as well!!!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Crush Of The Day: Rin Takanashi

The new Maki Horikita-led crime drama Higanbana~Keishicho Sosa Nanaka is just chock full of lovely ladies that I love, including Dan Rei, YOU, Kang Jiyoung and the stoic Mao Daichi, but the one actress who has been sailing head and shoulders above the rest is darling, darling Rin Takanashi, here reaffirming the initial attraction I had for her in 5 Ji Kara 9 Ji Made: she is cute, cute CUTE!

Higanbana is an OK drama about a girl (Horikita) who uses psychic abilities to "hear" the voices of the dead, but more than that, the thing that keeps me glued to my screen is Rin’s playful portrayal of cutie pie Rin Ito (Yes! Her character’s name is Rin, too!) and her adorably girlish antics in each episode!

   Each member of the Higanbana Team has their personality; Jiyoung's an Americanized Gal, YOU is a harried mother, etc, and I was stoked to see that the character of Rin’s was of a sunshiney, cheerful , dizzy and giggly girl, she’s so cute in every episode, you just want to put her in your pocket and take her home!

  Her skills involve computer detective work and sifting through forensic evidence, but her true skills are that of a Martha Stewart variety: making crafts and baking cookies and brownies. Best thing of all, whenever she shows off her latest hobby creation, she is falling over with pride, squealing “look what I made!” LOL

   Boy, the Higanbana Directors really know how to properly play her up, with lots of wide-eyed innocent gazes, anime-speed girly speaking and OOOHH, those disarmingly effective POUTS! 

So much like an anime come to life, man, there are scenes where she looks like a living Japanese Barbie Doll! And did I mention how much I love a girl with ribbons in her hair? Mmm.

  This makes TWO dramas where Rin Takanashi is playing these wonderfully sweet and innocent babes, part of me is really worrying what I’ll do when I finally see her playing a crude and morose character. Will I be able to take it? LOLOL.Directors, please take note: continue to cast Rin Takanashi in Cutesy Roles forever!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Seungyeon and Hara Withdraw from KARA, Gyuri Looking for New Agency

Sigh, I guess I shouldn't be surprised with this news. After all, so many of my OTHER favorite k-pop acts have lost members and been downgraded; Girls Generation, f(x), Nine Muses, Dal Shabet and the like, furthermore, KARA was always a group that seemed one step away from dissolution , with the tangle of lawsuits they went through and then Nicole and Jiyoung leaving.
Still, this one really hits home beacuse as you know, KARA was my gateway drug into K-pop and it was always comforting knowing they were still around. But nothing lasts forever, and I suppose it's just time. Poor Younji, though...she JUST got into the group and was making a mark for herself, I sure don't know what direction DSP is going to go with her, if she's still going to be part of them.
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

J-Drama Femme Fatales: Kang Jiyoung

Jiyoung as Irina Jelavic in ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM

Well, just got through watching the incredibly zany Yamada Ryosuke movie “Assassination Classroom”(Ansatsu Kyoshitsu), a movie about a class of misfit students that are recruited by the government to kill their teacher, an alien creature posing as an instructor who tells them that if they cannot successfully kill him before the end of the semester, he will destroy the earth... 

Yeah, the film was just about as silly as it sounds, but there was one BIG perk of watching it- throughout the show, they kept introducing new government assassins posing as transfer teachers and students, and among them was an extremely hot and sexy bombshell named “ Irina Jelavic”, played by pretty Jiyoung, she late of K-pop group KARA!

Man, when Irina came out with all GUNS ABLAZIN' I was all like WHOOO HOO check out this HOT, Kick-Butt Lady! Aww, too bad that once defeated by the Alien Teacher "Koro-Sensei", she spent most of the time sitting off to the side brooding impotently... No matter, she still looked sexy as hell!

"Must...KILL that Alien Teacher...SOMEHOW..."

One of the funnier aspects is this sultry teacher’s name,  Ms Jelavic.  Vic is pronounced “Vich”, and as you all know, since the “V” sound doesn’t roll off the Nihongo tongue very well, her students end up pronouncing her name slightly DIFFERENTLY! Hilarious scene where she’s trying to tell them the difference between her name…and what THEY’VE been calling her!

"You guys have been pronouncing it like THIS"

"It's pronounced like THIS!"

"VIC, you understand? VIC."

"It's pronounced Jela VIC!!"

But it’s all in fun as Ms. Jelavic’s sluttiness is pretty much the comedy relief in the show! I mean where else can the class have an overnight sleepover in the school and the teacher comes dressed in her Negligee? LOL

Sleepover Girl Talk will never be the same!

Damn, gotta say, when I first began watching Assassination Classroom, I didn’t even recognize her-  the blonde wig was an obvious throw-off, but additionally Jiyoung was probably the last actress I expected to see here…

 I guess I shouldn’t have been TOO surprised, though, since she played another little hottie in the equally crazy monster-in-the-classroom drama JIGOKU SENSEI NUBE! Mmmm, She’s been lookin’ HELLA fine!!!

Just a Girl and Her Gun

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com