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Amanda Palmer recommended Dropping Ashes on the Buddha in Books (curated)
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Best Girls in Books
Jul 10, 2019
I love Korean culture, so I decided to read this book when I saw it was available on Amazon Prime.
We’re never told of the narrator’s name, only that she is a sixth grader. More importance is put on the sons of the family. Our narrator’s family is poor. In order to help with the money problem, our narrator makes a shocking choice.
This is a very short story, but it is written very well. I felt like I was in the story. It is a sad story though.
We’re never told of the narrator’s name, only that she is a sixth grader. More importance is put on the sons of the family. Our narrator’s family is poor. In order to help with the money problem, our narrator makes a shocking choice.
This is a very short story, but it is written very well. I felt like I was in the story. It is a sad story though.
Fran Donohoe (856 KP) rated Squid Game in TV
Oct 24, 2021
squid game has many legs to it inthat it could have gone in any direction
personally i didnt see what all the hype was all about , having said that it was an addictive show just to see what happens next ,the acting was good (we watched in dubbed english but the original korean apparently is better with englisg subtitles) it was a little violent for younger viewers but other than that it was a good couple of hrs viewing on a cold autumn night
Caitlin Ann Cherniak (85 KP) rated The Dragon Queen in Books
Oct 20, 2018
A very strong and intelligent female protagonist (2 more)
The Korean history
Rich detail
Mr. Simon bits (1 more)
The king is so weak!
Taken from my review on Goodreads: I won this book during a Kindle giveaway, and I'm very happy I was one of the lucky winners of this book. For a book that almost has five stars on this forum, it definitely deserves its ranking. This book not only tells a legend to an ignorant American government official, it tells the story of how a shy girl became a queen that sparked a revolution between the Koreans and the Japanese in the late 1800's. Honestly, the present day parts didn't add much except for why Anna is telling the story in the first place, which I guess adds some relevance, but the core of the story is the story of Ja-young, who should count as a princess Disney will never write about considering how sexist and violent her situation got throughout the entire novel. My greatest advice for encountering this book is skip the beginning and go straight to Ja-young's story. Waaaaaaaaaaay more influential than listening to a white man ramble about North and South Korean issues any day of the week.
Dean (6921 KP) rated The Uninvited (2009) in Movies
Apr 23, 2018 (Updated Nov 30, 2019)
Eerie Thriller
At last a very good suspenseful thriller in a similar mould to What lies beneath, The Number 23, Secret window. I wouldn't put this in the horror category although it has a few jumps along the way. A take on of a Korean film called A tale of two sisters. I really enjoyed this and thought it was a well made film with a good cast. It has a nice twist towards the end, although suspicious minds might make it out? Overall a very enjoyable film. If you like this type of thriller go see it soon!
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Parasite (2019) in Movies
Nov 12, 2019
Strongly Directed by Bong Joon-Ho
There are more strong film makers in this world than are just sitting in traditionally English-speaking Countries (like the U.S./England). One of the strongest - and a Director that I will watch WHATEVER he is Directing - is South Korean auteur Bong Joon-Ho. His previous efforts (THE HOST, OKJA, SNOWPIERCER, amongst others) were all led by intriguing stories, interesting people and strong visual imagery, so I was very excited for his newest effort, PARASITE. I purposely did not find out too much about this film, for I wanted to be surprised by what was unfolding in front of me.
And...I was rewarded, greatly by another intriguing story with interesting people and strong visual imagery.
In Korean, with English subtitles, PARASITE follows a lower class Korean family that go to work for a high class Korean family and brings us on a journey for BOTH families. And that's all I'm going to say about it, for to reveal anything else would be to spoil the surprises along the way.
But, as is often the case with these types of stories, it is the journey, not the destination that is the treat of this film. Bong Joon-Ho regular Kang-ho Song stars as the Patriarch of the lower class family who, seemingly, is lazy and allergic to "work", but that is not really the case. Woo-sik Choi is the son of the lower class family that connects with the daughter of the higher class family and Hye-jin Jang is the matriarch of the lower class family and they both bring sensitivity and strength to their roles. But for me, the real star of this film is So-dam Park as the daughter of this family who turns out to be the heart and the brains of the operation.
Director Bong Joon-Ho brings his usual flair to the proceedings, not letting his camera shy away from the seemy underbelly of this society, but not lingering on it either, moving the surprising plot along at a fast (enough) pace to keep you guessing throughout. I see a lot of films, so when I run across a plot that I couldn't tell what was going to come next, it is satisfying.
And, satisfying this film is. Some are calling it an "Oscar Contender" and I don't think I would go quite that far - the film does drag a bit in the middle. But, if you can handle reading the subtitles, you'll be entertained indeed by the fervent mind of one of the better Directors working in film today.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And...I was rewarded, greatly by another intriguing story with interesting people and strong visual imagery.
In Korean, with English subtitles, PARASITE follows a lower class Korean family that go to work for a high class Korean family and brings us on a journey for BOTH families. And that's all I'm going to say about it, for to reveal anything else would be to spoil the surprises along the way.
But, as is often the case with these types of stories, it is the journey, not the destination that is the treat of this film. Bong Joon-Ho regular Kang-ho Song stars as the Patriarch of the lower class family who, seemingly, is lazy and allergic to "work", but that is not really the case. Woo-sik Choi is the son of the lower class family that connects with the daughter of the higher class family and Hye-jin Jang is the matriarch of the lower class family and they both bring sensitivity and strength to their roles. But for me, the real star of this film is So-dam Park as the daughter of this family who turns out to be the heart and the brains of the operation.
Director Bong Joon-Ho brings his usual flair to the proceedings, not letting his camera shy away from the seemy underbelly of this society, but not lingering on it either, moving the surprising plot along at a fast (enough) pace to keep you guessing throughout. I see a lot of films, so when I run across a plot that I couldn't tell what was going to come next, it is satisfying.
And, satisfying this film is. Some are calling it an "Oscar Contender" and I don't think I would go quite that far - the film does drag a bit in the middle. But, if you can handle reading the subtitles, you'll be entertained indeed by the fervent mind of one of the better Directors working in film today.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
David McK (3180 KP) rated Yes Man (2008) in Movies
Jul 25, 2020
Jim Carrey comedy vehicle, in a return to his more physical comedy of his earlier years, as a man who - after attending a self-help (Cult?) seminar - must say "yes" to every opportunity that comes his way.
Queue a fortuitous meet up with Zooey Deschenal, learning Korean, to play the guitar and how to fly (all of which later come to his aid), in a romcom that pretty much does exactly what you'd expect it to do.
I think, personally speaking, that the main problem with this is that you could forget it pretty quickly: indeed, I'd forgotten I'd ever seen it before until I got about halfway through!
Queue a fortuitous meet up with Zooey Deschenal, learning Korean, to play the guitar and how to fly (all of which later come to his aid), in a romcom that pretty much does exactly what you'd expect it to do.
I think, personally speaking, that the main problem with this is that you could forget it pretty quickly: indeed, I'd forgotten I'd ever seen it before until I got about halfway through!
David McK (3180 KP) rated Devotion (2022) in Movies
Feb 12, 2023 (Updated Feb 12, 2023)
I saw this on Amazon Prime (I don't think it got a theatrical release), and heard good things about it, with a few of the reviewers saying it was even better than Top Gun: Maverick.
Unfortunately, I think they watched a different film than me.
This is set during the Korean War, and tells the story of the friendship between Naval aviators Tom Hudner and Jesse Brown; the latter one of the first non-white aviators in the air force at the time.
Personally, I found the film to be quite long and drawn-out, with even the vaunted flight scenes looking just not-quite right!
Unfortunately, I think they watched a different film than me.
This is set during the Korean War, and tells the story of the friendship between Naval aviators Tom Hudner and Jesse Brown; the latter one of the first non-white aviators in the air force at the time.
Personally, I found the film to be quite long and drawn-out, with even the vaunted flight scenes looking just not-quite right!
Merissa (11622 KP) rated Dirty Secret (Cole McGinnis #2) in Books
May 30, 2023
Cole McGinnis must be the only private investigator out there who will deal with the Koreans! No, seriously, I know that he has been approached because of his previous dealings!
The second in the series deals with more mystery and mayhem, with people getting shot at (and in some cases) and killed. Once again full of action, it did become harder to keep all the Korean names straight in my head, over who was who! Still, a very good addition to the series.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 20, 2016
The second in the series deals with more mystery and mayhem, with people getting shot at (and in some cases) and killed. Once again full of action, it did become harder to keep all the Korean names straight in my head, over who was who! Still, a very good addition to the series.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 20, 2016
Auburn (57 KP) rated Hello, I Love You in Books
Apr 10, 2019
If you are looking for a KDrama mixed with a Hallmark movie and a soap opera then you have stumbled upon the correct book.
While I do warn of a trigger warning for suicide this book is so adorably written. The main characters have such darkness and reflect what you would normally find in a Korean Drama or Soap Opera that you can't help but think what this would look like as one. The love story unfolds just as it would in the show, adorable, awkward, and takes forever.
If you are looking for a sweet read I do not know if this is for you. There are a lot of dark parts and unhappiness but it does end in a HEA.
While I do warn of a trigger warning for suicide this book is so adorably written. The main characters have such darkness and reflect what you would normally find in a Korean Drama or Soap Opera that you can't help but think what this would look like as one. The love story unfolds just as it would in the show, adorable, awkward, and takes forever.
If you are looking for a sweet read I do not know if this is for you. There are a lot of dark parts and unhappiness but it does end in a HEA.