This is a fanmade MV
Song : The OST “Swimy-Every Little Thing”
Clips : All casts’ scenes from J-Dorama “Kekkon Dekinai Otoko” (Fuji TV-2006)

My Comment :

I love this song very much ! Love the beat of the drum and the sound of the rhythm guitar..
Actually, there are so many of my favorite scenes that I like to fit into this MV but unfortunately the length of the song is limited so I have to just pick some of them…Enjoy!

Title: 結婚できない男
Also known as: The Man Who Can’t Get Married / He Who Can’t Marry
Episodes: 12
Casts :
Abe Hiroshi as Kuwano Shinsuke
Natsukawa Yui as Hayasaka Natsumi
Kuninaka Ryoko as Tamura Michiru
Tsukamoto Takashi as Murakami Eiji
Takashima Reiko as Sawazaki Maya

The Synopsis:

Shinsuke Kuwano, a successful architect at 40, enjoys living by himself. He doesn’t like people but somehow is able to design wonderful houses for them.

He has a routine of making himself a delicious dinner and then relaxing to classical music in his easy chair while pretending he is the conductor. One night, he plays the music loud enough to make his next door neighbor, Michiru Tamara knock on his door to complain. When Kuwano answers the door, he suffers a terrible stomach pain and collapses to the floor. Lucky for him, Michiru is nice enough to accompany him to the hospital, where he is treated by Dr. Natsumi Hayasake. He is really rude to Natsumi, but she is still determined to treat him.

Afterwards, Michiru and Natsumi become part of Kuwano’s life. They make friends with Kuwano’s colleagues Eiji and Maya Sawazaki. They all enjoy talking about how strange and eccentric Kuwano is. Is it possible that someone would ever want to marry him?

Credits: Dramawiki

My Comment :
Spoiler Alert!

Kekkon Dekinai Otoko is definitely one of the best J-Dorama ever and one of my all time favorite. Everything about this drama is just so good, the characters – from the people to the pet dog-, the storyline, the OST..They are enough to make me rewatch this drama..

Kuwano Shinsuke is such a unique character and Abe Hiroshi played it really well. From the gesture, various mimic of his face, the way he walk and his often cynical talk , make Shinsuke character so special. How I love to watch Shinsuke’s interaction with the people around him as well as Ken, the dog. They somehow play a big role to change Shinsuke to become a better man.

Shinsuke has so many good points, a remarkable architect, a good cook as well as good in doing chores, tall and handsome but unfortunately it is his personality that turn women off. However, once he turns to become more humane, it is not just one but three women that he knows fall for him straight away. I like to watch him with Natsumi the most, though.

It is so funny to see Kuwano comes to consult Natsumi as her patient with his health as an excuse, although the truth is he actually only need somebody to talk to. Through the communication Shinsuke hit it off with Natsumi. He and Natsumi have better understanding to each other. That’s why when she implicitly express her feeling to him through the playing ball analogy, Shinsuke gets what she means. It’s so different with the case of Shinsuke and Michiru. Michiru explicitly says she likes him but it is so funny that Shinsuke thinks she talk about her dog.

Poor Michiru, I think Shinsuke only think about Ken when he sees Michiru otherwise how come he gives her the farewell present no other but his handmade Ken-shaped souvenir .

I am kind of feel pity for Sawazaki Maya. I think she is actually quite compatible for Shinsuke as she looks like understand him as well. She works closely with Shinsuke for years without having any feeling to him but once she starts to like the more humane Shinsuke,  unfortunately he only considers her as very good working partner.

Shinsuke’s story with the other characters are also interesting to me…

I also love to see how Shinsuke story goes with Eiji, his subordinate. Eiji is the one that makes Shinsuke shed a tears in the drama.

The character of Kaneda, the person whom Shinsuke always regularly check on his website, is interesting as well. How Shinsuke  has prejudice against Kaneda before finding  out that he is actually a good man after all.

The old man who  fights with Shinsuke all the time  on the building sites but they still keep working together.

Shinsuke’s family, especially his mum.

And last but not least the convenience store girl and the video shop guy..It is a surprise that they actually related to each other..

After watching this I am looking forward the Korean version of this drama. However, I am still doubt if the Korean version will be as good as the Japanese. I like Ji Jin He since his drama Dae Jang Geum and I think he is a pretty good actor however the character  of Kuwano Shinsuke has been so strong associated with Abe Hiroshi to me that I am not sure if I will like the Ji Jin Hee’s version.

I also like the chemistry of Abe Hiroshi and Natsukawa Yui alot that I am not sure if Ji Jin Hee and Uhm Jung Hwa pairing in Korean version will be as good as them. I think at the time I watch the Korean version one, I might turn out comparing these two version of Kekkon Dekinai Otoko.

Some viewers of Kekkon Dekinai Otoko post an unofficial Shinsuke’s favorite classical pieces on the net and there are two that I quite like..

I just finished watching the Japanese drama Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (The Man Who Can’t Get Married). The main character was a socially awkward man named Kuwano, played by Abe Hiroshi. I first watched Abe Hiroshi in Trick, Season 1, and always wanted to see a good drama with him in the main lead. I enjoyed watching him in Change and Hero, but he wasn’t the main character. I tried watching him in Shiroi Haru, but slow subtitles and a bad ending put me off the drama. I finally got to see him in this drama as the main character and confirmed that my first opinion of him as being a good actor hadn’t been wrong.

In this drama, we see a man who, at first glance, seems to be rude and obnoxious to everyone around him It is only as we, the audience, get to know him along with the other characters in the drama do we see that he just doesn’t know how to act in social situations, BUT he is willing to learn. He’s not a bad person … he doesn’t try to be mean … and when he hurts someone, he apologizes because he’s genuinely sorry. The drama was a good watch and I would highly recommend it. I especially like the little quirky things the drama throws in … like the character of Kaneda that Kuwano is obsessed with or the video store guy/food mart girl and their relationship.

The only reason I watched this drama was that I heard about it after watching the Korean He Who Can’t Get Married. The Japanese version was much better, only because you come away feeling that the main character in the Korean version is just plain mean and even if he apologizes it’s just not enough when he deliberately hurts the other characters.

Watch it if you have the time.

P.S.  I am working on the final chapter of “Dear Chun”.

A Man Who Can’t Get Married adalah drama adaptasi Korea dari drama berjudul sama dari Jepang ‘Kekkon Dekinai Otoko’ yang di perankan oleh si  Super Hot tua-tua keladi Abe Hiroshi.

Versi Koreanya dibintangi oleh aktor Jin Ji-hee (Spring day, Dae Jang Geum) sebagai Jo Jae-jui, dan Uhm Jung-hwa sebagai Jang Mun-jeong. Sementara Kim So-eun (Boys Over Flower), Yo Ah-in (Antique), Yang Jung-ah (Mom’s Dead Upset), dan VJ Dan Ji (I Am Sam) jadi pemeran pembantu dalam drama tersebut.

Drama ini juga mendapat respon yang cukup bagus dari para pemirsa televisi, mungkin karena hampir orang-orang Korea belum pernah melihat drama asli Jepangnya.

Gue sih udah liat, yang Jepang rame juga. Kocak liat Abe Hiroshi pasang muka datar dan kadang nyebelin karena kesinisannya. Udah ada yang pernah nonton yang Jepangnya? Kalo gue tinggal nunggu dvdnya keluar aja, soalnya ada dua orang pengen gue liat. Si cantik Kim So-eun sama si  cute Yo Ah-in.

Nach Hana-Kimi gibts dieses Mal praktisch 0% Drama, dafür aber eine unaufgesetzte und erwachsene 12 teilige Comedy um einen reichlich schrulligen heiratsunwilligen Architekten und seine netten Bekanntschaften aus der Sommersaison 2006.

Shinsuke Kuwano, mittlerweile 40 Jahr alt, hat neben seiner Architektenkarriere eigentlich nicht viel erreicht. Er ist Filmliebhaber, traut sich in seiner Stammvideothek aber nicht in den AV-Bereich, wird von der Kassiererin im Combini jedesmal mit den selben Fragen gelöchert und dirigiert während des Hörens gerne klassische Musik mit. Mit menschlichen Beziehungen hat er es aber nicht so, er weicht ihnen sogar grundsätzlich aus. Das äußert sich dann darin, dass er seine junge Nachbarin Michiru Tamara mit zu lauter Musik zum wortwörtlichen An-die-Wand-springen überzeugt. Eines Abends bricht er dann aber mit Magenschmerzen zusammen, und Michiru entpuppt sich ales Retterin in der Not und bringt ihn ins Krankenhaus. Dort wird er allerdings von Dr. Natsumi Hayasake, die er schon beim ersten Treffen nicht wirklich ausstehen kann, sie besteht aber dennoch weiterhin darauf ihn zu behandeln (und er irgendwie auch). Kuwanos Mutter ist dafür viel eher besorgt, ob sie vor ihrem Tot noch mal ein paar Enkelkinder kriegt, aber Shinsuke stürzt sich viel lieber in seine Arbeit. Dort warten sein Azubi Murakami Eiji und seine Chefin Sawazaki Maya, die für ihn immer nur die Scherben beiseite schieben. Und dann gibts da noch den Architekten Kaneda, der außer Frauenaufreißen eigentlich garnichts macht, ansonsten aber ein garnicht so übler Kerl ist. Und dann fragt man sich doch wirklich, ob Shinsuke irgendwann mal jemanden zum Heiraten findet…

Hiroshi Abe glänzt in der Hauptrolle eigentlich schon durch seine pure Anwesenheit, aber eben auch durch die etwas senile Schrulligkeit, die sich von der Kleidung durch den Laufstil bis in die Haarspitzen zieht. Würde er noch ein wenig zynischer auftreten, könnte er auch glatt als japanischer Dr. House durchgehen.
Als Gegenstück zu Abe tritt Natsukawa Yui (u.a. Muri na Renai) als ruhige Natsumi auf, die selbst so ein paar Probleme mit dem Altern und dem Heiraten hat und auch bedeutend schlechter damit klar kommt. Nebenbei darf sie dann auch noch als unbezahlte Vermittlerin zwischen Shinsuke und dem Rest der Bekanntschaft auftreten, aber irgendwann gewöhnt man sich bekanntlich an Alles.
Als liebenswerte Nachbarin gibts Kuninaka Ryoko (u.a. Celeb to Binbo Taro), die mit ihrem netten Hund Ken (benannt nach einem Ex-Freund) dafür sorgt, dass Shinsuke auch langsam klar wird, wie wichtig Beziehungen sind. Auch zu Hunden, denn da baut sich scheinbar eine gewisse Seelenverwandschaft auf.
Shinsuke Kollegin werden verkörpert von Tsukamoto Takashi (u.a. Gokusen) als Eiji und Takashima Reiko (Five) als Maya. Takachi Noboru (u.a. Koshonin) hat dann auch noch für seine 3 minütigen Kurzauftritte in jeder Episode als Kaneda abkassieren dürfen.

Die Show weist Elemente der guten alten Screwball-Komödien auf, bewahrt sich aber immer wieder selbst vor einem Abrutsch in die Lächerlichkeit, auch wenn es hier und da doch schon leicht schmerzhaft wird. Aber nichts desto trotz ein reichlich empfehlenswerter Spaßtrip.

After watching her in a supporting role as Gaeul in Boys Before Flowers, i know many are anxiously waiting to see Kim So-eun in another drama. Fans of the young lass (she just enrolled into university, but is currently on a study break due to filming this drama) won’t have to wait long as her new drama will be aired on KBS World soon!

The new KBS2 television drama The Man Who Can’t Get Married, staring Ji Jin-hee, Uhm Jung-hwa, Yang Jung-an and Kim So-eun held a press conference at 2pm, June 9th at Seoul’s Imperial Palace Hotel.

The drama is a romantic comedy based on the popular Japanese drama Kekkon Dekinai Otoko which aired in 2006. The Man Who Can’t Get Married will start airing on June 15, after The Slingshot (Story of a Man) ends its run (in South Korea that is).

Source: Newsen

Ballad singer Shin Hye Sung (Shinhwa member) will be participating in the new upcoming KBS2 TV drama, “Man Who Can’t Marry” OST, with “You’re beautiful”.

Shin Hye Sung who announced his participation will make an earlier comeback than scheduled. Due to his tight schedule between Japan and Korea, Shin Hye Sung finally decided to take part in the OST after knowing the synopsis of the original drama, Kekkon Dekinai Otoko.

In the OST, Shin Hye Sung will show off his sweet voice in a fresh medium-tempo song with light strings instrument. With his voice, it’ll make a splendid, sweet ensemble. In the past, Shin Hye Sung has participated also in “Alone in love” OST, as the lead singer.

The song is called, “You’re beautiful”, composed by Kim Geon Woo. This will be the love theme song between the lead couple, Jo Jae Hee (Ji Jin Hee) and Jang Mun Jeong (Uhm Jung Hwa).

Shin Hye Sung said, “When I first heard the song, it was really beautiful,” he gave his praises. The song will be released in a form of a digital single, before the rest of the songs from the OST are released.

source: POPSEOUL

And you thought my Abe Hiroshi obsession wouldn’t last! (Yes, I am assuming here.)

Right now, I happen to be watching the currently airing Japanese dorama Shiroi Haru (White Spring), which stars Abe Hiroshi (of course), Ohashi Nozomi, Yoshitaka Yuriko, Endo Yuya, Konno Mahiru, Endo Kenichi and Shiraishi Miho. I’m watching this dorama not only because it stars Abe Hiroshi (which is a good enough reason, really, if you ask me), but also because it’s made by the exact same people who brought us Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (The Man Who Can’t Get Married). It’s written by Ozaki Masaya. It’s produced by Ando Kazuhisa, Tojo Yuji, and Ito Tatsuya, with the addition of producers Yoshijo Hideki and Asai Chizu. It’s directed by Miyake Yoshishige, Komatsu Takashi, and Ueda Hisashi. The music is by Nakanishi Kyo. So yeah, pretty much the exact same people, down to the leading star. So how could I possibly stay away from this, when I loved Kekkon so much?

Unfortunately, the first episode, for me at least, did not quite meet those stellar expectations. This dorama, unlike Kekkon, is much darker and angstier, and is much more dream-like in feel. While Kekkon was all about the little details, and the insignificant day-by-day events, Shiroi Haru is more about an over-arching feeling of regret and nostalgia, memory and bittersweetness. It’s a somewhat grittier(?) show, with more of a focus on people who aren’t leading the most admirable or ordinary lives. It’s also not as subtle as Kekkon was.

Still, after six episodes, I’m convinced. I’m in love. I love how low-key it is, how nothing much happens in each episode, and yet it still feels like it’s all progressing towards something important (although we can all probably make a guess or two as to what that is). I love the warm-hearted feel, and the interactions between Haruo and Sachi. I love the unexpected moments of laugh-out-loud humour, and the moments of quiet despair. I love that it doesn’t have any illusions of grandeur, and that it focuses on the characters first. I love the acting, especially, as you have all probably guessed, from Abe Hiroshi. (How does this guy look so different every time I see him? If in Kekkon he was the fussy bachelor, then in At Home Dad he was the patriarchal hotshot with a gooey heart. And here, he’s the unkempt, unwashed ex-yakuza with a past that haunts him still. Yes, they’re all fairly grumpy characters (to varying degrees), and yet they all feel very distinct from each other. How does he do it? I seriously want to kiss the ground this guy walks on.)

Okay, so it’s not a perfect show, and it’s not as good as Kekkon was. Still, it’s entertaining me far more than any of the Korean dramas I’m watching right now. And I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing more. I’m confident that it’ll maintain this kind of quality – and perhaps even exceed it – in the episodes to come. The very thought makes me grin like a chipmunk on speed.

So, what exactly is the point of this post? No point, really, except to say: If you’re in the mood for something heartwarming with both sad and funny moments, then watch this. Seven episodes have aired so far (it airs every Tuesday), but six episodes have been subbed into English. So what are you waiting for? I promise you won’t regret it.

So, I’ve noticed this blog’s starting to have too much text and not enough eye candy. What better way to solve this problem than to post some pictures of my new favorite Japanese actor, Abe Hiroshi? The man is turning 45 soon and is still…so…HANDSOME. And tall. And talented. AND. He’s got the most alluring eyes…

Another reason why we love Abe-san:

Sigh. I miss Kekkon Dekinai Otoko already.

…and as a distraction I shall write about, what else? Dramas.

Finished Kekkon Dekinai Otoko today, which put me in a fantastic mood from this afternoon until a little over one hour ago (when a shitastrophe occurred). To describe this dorama in the most understated way possible: it was amazing. I never thought I could have this much fun watching a TV series. Each episode felt too short and left me wanting more. So smart, so funny, and so cute. I haven’t seen too many Japanese dramas (yet!) but I can’t imagine any of them being better than this.

The enjoyment of watching Kekkon and the feeling I got when I finished it reminded me of my current drama-viewing habits. See, I have a problem of starting a drama and then forcing myself to watch it until the end, no matter how sick I am of it. I always read other people’s reactions/reviews before I start watching for myself and since I only look for dramas that are supposedly good, I sometimes think I’m enjoying a show when I’m actually bored out of my mind. It usually isn’t until I get near the halfway point that I realize I am not having fun and am instead, wasting time. But by then I feel like if I give up on it, I’ll feel really guilty afterwards. But really, what is there to feel guilty about? It’s a damn TV show for crying out loud.

Throughout my drama-watching years, I have had faith that just because the first few episodes aren’t good doesn’t mean it isn’t worth watching. Take Resurrection, for example. It took SEVENTEEN episodes for me to like this show. I was so sure that because everyone else loved it I would too, so I kept trudging on. After episode 16, I even said to myself “Maybe this drama isn’t for you. Everyone has their own opinion, after all. Give it one more episode and if you still don’t like it then drop it. There are other dramas you could be watching with your time.” Well, whaddyaknow? I watched episode 17 and was addicted until the end. This is probably the only time when I have not regretted “wasting” time on a show I didn’t like, because Resurrection proved to be worth the first 16 hours of non-enjoyment.

My friend recently asked me why I keep watching certain dramas when I don’t like them anymore. My response was received with a weird look and a rolling of the eyes. She knows just as well as I do that going to a school like ours, we don’t have the time to dilly-dally when we could be doing our homework. Do you know how much higher my GPA would be if I didn’t spend hours watching shows like Cain and Abel? Speaking of which, C&A is my main burden right now. Honestly, when I’m watching this piece of crap I feel like I’m being tortured. TORTURED. Watching television should not cause physical pain. Why am I watching C&A? Because of So Ji Sub. Why do I feel the need to finish this because of So Ji Sub? I don’t know. I mean, he is my favorite actor and all, but why do I have an obligation to suffer for 20 hours when I could just rewatch I’m Sorry, I Love You or something? Answer: I don’t.

What is the purpose of my justifying my dumb drama habits? Well, I have made the decision to drop Cain and Abel (and the fact that I feel the need to formally announce this decision is really, really sad…). And now that I have poured out my anxieties into this stupid little blog, I feel better about my decision. No more guilt. Yay me!

I have also stopped watching 1 Litre of Tears and Green Rose, two other shows that “everyone” loves…and I don’t. And that is perfectly fine because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Now that I’ve given myself a nice little lecture I will go finish my homework. I am now feeling more embarrassed than shitty. Excellent.

/end blabbering post which I hope nobody will read

Took the AP Euro exam today, and now I feel so giddy. My first thought after finishing the exam: “Yay! Now I can watch dramas again!!!!” My babies, how I’ve missed you. I feel like, to make up for these past two weeks, I should watch a drama a day or something. Cramming for the AP really screwed up my daily routine.

What I’m looking forward to in the near future:

Kekkon Dekinai Otoko: My number one priority at the moment. I thought about this drama every day for the last 14 days. It has been my motivation for studying. Seriously, it’s THAT good. For this reason – I know this is very cynical of me – I really, really, REALLY don’t want the Korean one to air. I might have a little more faith if the PD was, say, Han Ji Seung of Alone in Love? I read a comment somewhere about how AIL is a very “Japanese” Korean drama and I can totally see why. I can’t think of any other PD who would be able to capture the charm of Kekkon Dekinai Otoko. Why do I have a really bad feeling they’ll ruin it? I like k-dramas for what they are and I DON’T want a Koreanized Kekkon.

Cain and Abel: Subs have been completed, which means I am so very behind. Eh…I’ll give episode 15 a go once I feel like watching this again (which may as well be never).

Story of a Man: Which I haven’t started yet, but I will soon. I have not read Dramabeans’ recaps yet thankyouverymuch (not gonna make the same mistake I did with Coffee Prince) but her descriptions of the show are tempting me. I love dark revenge-dramas with hot actors.

Painter of the Wind: I think my interest in this series has been waning ever since Moon Chae Won’s screen time started decreasing exponentially. What’s up with that, yo? I really liked Jung Hyang’s relationship with Yoon Bok and without her in the drama, the story’s just not that interesting.

Come Back Soon Ae: I’ve been neglecting this one too. ‘Tis a shame, cuz I actually really enjoyed the first four episodes.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go drown myself in dramas.

So here are the first couple of official stills for the upcoming KBS Monday-Tuesday drama The Man Who Can’t Get Married, where Ji Jin Hee geeks it up in character. The drama is set to premiere in June.

…And I’m worried.

Okay, I should probably be more open-minded about this. But seriously? Do those photos look a little OTT to anyone else? Like they’re exaggerating his character? But the whole charm of Kuwano is that he’s outwardly this handsome, successful architect (who, granted, has very “ordinary” fashion sense) who’s inwardly this grumpy, anti-social clean freak. Those pictures get it all wrong, and it scares me.

I swear to god, if they turn this into some sort of stupid, tasteless comedy with OTT acting and unrealistic situations (i.e. the complete opposite of the J-dorama it’s based on), I’m going to throw a fit.

Still, maybe this is just a stupid promotional thing that doesn’t really reflect on the drama itself. At least, I hope so. Seriously, if they mess this remake up, I’m pretty sure my very soul will throw up. Or, at the very least, become nauseous.

Random thought: Notice the birthday cake? (At least I assume it’s a birthday cake.) Looks like they’re going to keep that part in! Hurrah!

(Via Newsen)

Well, after At Home Dad, I mean, which I am currently downloading.

For those who don’t know, I have a huge, lame crush on this guy currently, and I need to stem my addiction somehow by watching more of him. It is through Kekkon Dekinai Otoko that I came to realize this love, and now I need something to fuel it. I’m definitely going to be watching At Home Dad soon, but what about after that? I have no idea. There is simply too much to choose from.

So yeah! I leave it up to you, my trusty readers. Which Abe Hiroshi drama do you think I should watch next? Please vote and soothe this agony of mine! (Pwetty pwease?)

It was announced today that Uhm Jung Hwa (37) will become the female lead of new KBS2TV drama The Man Who Can’t Get Married. This will be her comeback drama after SBS Get Karl! Oh Soo Jung in 2007.

According to Sim Entertainment this morning, Uhm Jung Hwa will be starring opposite Jin Jin Hee and Kim So Eun who have been confirmed last week. The drama is a remake of the 2006 Japanese drama Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (starring Abe Hiroshi) with Uhm Jung Hwa taking on Natsukawa Yui’s role and acting as a female doctor who falls in love with Ji Jin Hee’s character.

According to the production company, Uhm Jung Hwa had already been marked as the top candidate for the role while they doing the casting for the drama because they felt that the role was tailor-made for her. The Man Who Can’t Get Married is about a man who can’t seem to get married even though he’s already 40 because of his unpleasant personality. The drama will premiere on 15th June after Story of A Man.

source: coolsmutf

Singer-Actress Uhm Jung Hwa has been cast as Ji Jin Hee’s love interest in the upcoming Korean adaptation of the hit Japanese drama, “The Man Who Can’t Get Married”. She’ll be playing the role of Jang Moon Jung, a doctor in her late thirties who was engaged to someone when she was younger, but when the engagement didn’t work out, lost interest in marriage, and has been single for a long time. She likes the kinds of foods that older men would like, but she also reads comic books and plays online games for fun.

The drama is set to air in June, on KBS.

WHOA. I was not expecting this kind of casting. O_O Uhm Jung Hwa is…very different from Natsukawa Yui. Wow. I…can’t even picture this. The casting of Ji Jin Hee was unexpected enough, but this is…strange. Well, she’s a good actress anyway, and I do think it would be nice if they didn’t copy the original J-dorama exactly. Still. I dunno. Uhm Jung Hwa just seems a little too glam for the role. I was expecting someone a little more traditionally girl-next-door. Then again, she could always prove me wrong. I’m looking forward to seeing how she’ll handle this role.

(Via Star News)

Finished writing my speech yesterday and P&F is basically memorized. I just have to perform it this weekend (eep). But all in all, life is good again.

Having been away from dramas for about a week (omg) I have discovered that reading about dramas and not watching them is really suffocating. Who would have thought that visiting Dramabeans could be so painful? Reading the open thread on Friday made me crave Japanese dramas really badly. I am in the midst of downloading episode 2 of Kekkon Dekinai Otoko. I have to say, I am super impressed so far.

The show isn’t utterly amazing or anything (yet) but it feels so different from the j-doramas I’m used to watching. Maybe it’s because I’m downloading it with excellent quality that I’ve never seen in a jdorama; perhaps it’s because this series isn’t based on a manga or anime, so somehow (as weird as Kuwano’s personality is) the characters feel closer to home; maybe it’s because it’s the first dorama I’ve encountered that relies on witty dialogue to be humorous, and not bizarre camera angles or un-human-like antics that make me go “…0_0?” Whatever it is, it’s totally working.

I had the sudden urge to start this show after hearing about the Korean version coming out this year with Ji Jin Hee and Kim So Eun (mm, I can see these actors in their respective roles already). I wanted to watch the original before the remake, for sake of comparison and other shtuff. Based on the first episode alone, I already have a feeling this is going to be my new favorite Japanese drama.

ETA: Just finished episode two. It made me so happy I was on the verge of tears. I’m so in love with this drama right now I’m afraid it’s going to become a crazy obsession. Kekkon Dekinai Otoko just might be the One. The one that turns me into a diehard jdorama addict, that is.

So I’ve developed yet another celebrity crush. Didn’t take me very long, did it? I am so easy.

My latest crush is not on a K-actor, surprisingly enough. No. My latest crush is on a Japanese actor. An actor who goes by the name of…Abe Hiroshi. The adorable lead actor of my current addiction, the J-dorama Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (The Man Who Can’t Get Married).

Despite the fact that I ought to be studying for exams, I have been marathoning this drama like a person possessed. It’s all I can think about, which is pretty bad when I’m supposed to be thinking about the beginnings of the Canadian documentary tradition instead. And Abe Hiroshi is playing a major, major role in this addiction. I can’t get over how good he is. (Er. At acting, I mean.) He has this character down to a T, and as I have an unfortunate history of falling for anyone with even a smidgeon of talent, I was doomed from the very beginning. (Talented people are sooo HOT. Yeah, I’m looking at you, Oh Man Seok.)

So what if he’s old enough to be my father? Older men are sexy. So what if he’s married? Maybe his wife is okay with polyamorous relationships. So what if he probably can’t speak English or Korean? Love doesn’t care about language barriers. We’re made for each other. My heart can tell.

But seriously, this is one talented dude. AND he’s oozing with charisma. AND he has a sexy, deep voice. AND he has the cutest little smile ever. AND he has the most adorable laugh wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. THAT’S HOT, DAMMIT.

C’mon. Look at that. Just…LOOK. How can you possibly resist? C’mon.

ARE YOU WATCHING KEKKON DEKINAI OTOKO YET???

Ji Jin Hee has been cast as the male lead in the Korean remake of the popular 2006 comedic Japanese dorama “The Man Who Can’t Get Married” (Kekkon Dekinai Otoko). The script is to be written by Yeo Ji Na (9 Innings 2 Outs), and it is set to be directed by PD Kim Jung Kyu (Glorious Inheritance). It will be produced by Apple Tree Pictures.

Ji Jin Hee’s character, Jo Jae Hee, is a stubborn bachelor in his early 40’s who enjoys being alone. He’s an architect who lives alone in a luxurious apartment and enjoys eating and shopping by himself. The drama will chart the character’s gradual change as he learns to open up his heart. The character is always serious, but it is that very seriousness that causes funny situations to emerge.

Meanwhile, Kim So Eun (Boys Before Flowers, Empress Cheonchu) has been cast as Jung Yoo Jin, his energetic next-door neighbour who lives alone with her dog.

The drama is set to air in early June, following the currently airing KBS drama The Slingshot (aka Story Of A Man).

What a pleasant surprise! I’ve actually just started watching Kekkon Dekinai Otoko today, and I’m loving it so far. It’s witty, smart, and nicely-acted, and I’m hoping the Korean version will be just as good, if not better. I am a little worried about the PD, but the writer looks decent, and Ji Jin Hee is a good choice. I’m a little iffy on his comic skills, and I wonder if he has enough charisma to pull off a character like this. Still, he’s a good actor, and I have high hopes for him. As for Kim So Eun, I’ve heard good things about her acting, and I kinda liked her in the little that I saw of her in Boys Before Flowers – not that she had much of a chance there to show her skills or anything.

Crossing my fingers that the rest of the casting will go well…

ETA: Yang Jeong Ah has also been cast!

(Via Chosun News and Chosun News)

i really enjoyed this one…so watch out for the review soon…

Shinsuke Kuwano, a successful architect at 40, enjoys living by himself. He doesn’t like people but somehow is able to design wonderful houses for them.

He has a routine of making himself a delicious dinner and then relaxing to classical music in his easy chair while pretending he is the conductor. One night, he plays the music loud enough to make his next door neighbor, Michiru Tamara knock on his door to complain. When Kuwano answers the door, he suffers a terrible stomach pain and collapses to the floor. Lucky for him, Michiru is nice enough to accompany him to the hospital, where he is treated by Dr. Natsumi Hayasake. He is really rude to Natsumi, but she is still determined to treat him.

Afterwards, Michiru and Natsumi become part of Kuwano’s life. They make friends with Kuwano’s colleagues Eiji and Maya Sawazaki. They all enjoy talking about how strange and eccentric Kuwano is. Is it possible that someone would ever want to marry him? (dramawiki)

• Title: 結婚できない男
• Title (romaji): Kekkon Dekinai Otoko
• Also known as: The Man Who Can’t Get Married / He Who Can’t Marry
• Format: Renzoku
• Genre: Comedy
• Episodes: 12
• Viewership rating: 16.9
• Broadcast network: Fuji TV
• Broadcast period: 2006-Jul-4 to 2006-Sep-19
• Air time: Tuesday 22:00
• Theme song: Swimi by Every Little Thing

Awards
• 50th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Drama
• 50th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Director(s)
• 50th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Scriptwriter
• 50th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Actor – Abe Hiroshi
• 50th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress – Natsukawa Yui
• 50th Television Drama Academy Awards: Special Award ~ Ken (the dog)
• 23rd Annual ATP Awards: Award for Excellence (2006)