JYJ’s Kim Jaejoong And UEE Confirmed As Leads In Upcoming Time Slip Drama - Manhole

After UEE rejected offer to star in weekend family drama with Park Si Hoo, On June 23, it was confirmed that JYJ’s Kim Jae Joong and UEE have both been cast as leads in KBS’s upcoming time-slip drama called “Manhole” (tentative title).

KBS’s “Manhole” is a comedy drama about a man who goes back in time to stop a marriage from happening in the present. Kim Jaejoong will be playing the lead male role of Bong Pil, who is a character that has been studying for the civil servant exam for three years and is the neighborhood’s token unemployed person. He’s an immature character who doesn’t feel the need to grow up and depends heavily on his father, who is a postmaster.

UEE will be taking on the lead female character of Kang Su Jin, a character that has built a metaphorical wall between herself and Bong Pil for 18 years; however, as her marriage date draws closer, her feelings waver as she begins to see Bong Pil’s love for her in a different light.

“Manhole” is set to begin airing after “Queen for 7 Days” comes to an end.

Gonna be so excited to see this two! They are such a good-looking couple on set then :)

Circle Korean Drama 2017 First Impression

Circle tells a story of two worlds connected, which feels like W: Two World starring Han Hyo Joo and Lee Jong Suk. But this Circle tells a more different storyline, which up till now, I am also curious as how the story will unfold. 

The drama is divided into two parts. The first is set in the present, The Beta Project (2017); which is about twin brothers who think they saw an alien in their childhood. The younger brother, Kim Woo Jin's (played by Yeo Jin Goo) university suddenly has an array of suicide cases. A student who looks like the alien (played by Gong Seung Yoon) but claims she's not and Woo Jin thinks that the suicides are actually murders. They work together to stop the organization behind it. The second setting is in the future, A Brave New World (2037), the story is about an alien invasion in 2017 and the subsequent new Earth in 2037; which is separated into the “Smart Earth” where people’s emotions are controlled and no crimes or illness exist, and the “General Earth” where people still suffer from rampant plague and lawlessness.

In 2037, there is a detective which name is Kim Joon Hyuk which I assumed, he is the future Kim Woo Jin or maybe one of the twins. Joon Hyuk insists on going to Smart Earth to find out the mystery of alien invasion in 2017 and dig the secret between the missing twins case. Which I guess, he is trying to find out what has happened actually in the past. 

In my opinion, Circle began with a literal bang this week, and after months of trying to find a fix for my drama slump, I’m almost hyperventilating at how good it is so far. I was nervous because I didn’t know whether the two timelines would mesh, or whether the whole dystopian future would be executed well. But, almost everything, from the fast pacing to the rich background stories to the high-quality acting, is on point. So without further ado, I give you Circle.

Star Trek, Star Trek - Into the Darkness, Star Trek - Beyond Review & First Impression

Last Saturday, I finally watched Star Trek - Beyond, starring Chris Pine as a gorgeous Captain James T. Kirk who explores the new world and discovers a new civilization. At first it was not me who decided what to watch, even just a minute before, I just know what movie I'm gonna watch that night but this turns out to be a pretty cool and good one!

Even in the end of the movie, I decided to watch the original of Star Trek which was aired in 2009 before. It appears as if the it was far in the future later on, even hundred years later on and it was very possible that human can now travel to other planets and galaxies. 

In the 23rd century, the Federation starship USS Kelvin is investigating a "lightning storm" in space. A Romulan ship, the Narada, emerges from the storm and attacks the Kelvin.Narada's first officer, Ayel, demands that the Kelvin's Captain Robau come aboard to negotiate a truce. Robau is questioned about the current stardate and an "AmbassadorSpock", whom he does not recognize. Narada's commander, Nero, kills him, and resumes attacking the Kelvin. George Kirk, the Kelvin's first officer, orders the ship's personnel, including his pregnant wife Winona, to abandon ship while he pilots the Kelvin on a collision course with the Narada. Kirk sacrifices his life to ensure Winona's survival as she gives birth to James T. Kirk.

Seventeen years later, on the planet Vulcan, a young Spock is accepted to join the Vulcan Science Academy. Realizing the Academy views his human mother Amanda as a "disadvantage", he joins Starfleet instead. On Earth, Kirk becomes a reckless but intelligent young adult. Following a bar fight with Starfleet cadets accompanying Nyota Uhura, Kirk meets Captain Christopher Pike, who encourages him to enlist in Starfleet Academy, where Kirk meets and befriends doctor Leonard McCoy.

Three years later, Commander Spock accuses Kirk of cheating during the Kobayashi Maru simulation. Kirk argues that cheating was acceptable because the simulation was designed to be unbeatable. The disciplinary hearing is interrupted by a distress signal from Vulcan. With the primary fleet out of range, the cadets are mobilized. McCoy and Kirk board Pike's ship, the Enterprise. Realizing that the "lightning storm" observed near Vulcan is similar to the one that occurred when he was born, Kirk breaks protocol to convince Pike that the distress signal is a trap.

Enterprise finds the fleet destroyed and the Narada drilling into Vulcan's core. The Narada attacks the Enterprise and Pike surrenders, delegating command of the ship to Spock and promoting Kirk to first officer. Kirk, Hikaru Sulu and Chief Engineer Olson perform a space jump onto the drilling platform. Olson is killed but Kirk and Sulu disable the drill. Despite their efforts, Nero launches "red matter" into Vulcan's core, forming an artificial black hole that destroys Vulcan. Spock rescues the high council and his father Sarek, but Amanda dies.

As the Narada moves toward Earth, Nero tortures Pike to gain access to Earth's defense codes. Spock maroons Kirk on Delta Vega after Kirk attempts mutiny. Kirk encounters an older Spock, who explains that he and Nero are from 129 years in the future. In that future, Romulus was threatened by a supernova. Spock's attempt to use "red matter" to create an artificial black hole and consume the supernova failed, and Nero's family perished along with Romulus. The Narada and Spock's vessel were caught in the black hole, sending them back in time. Nero stranded Spock on Delta Vega to watch Vulcan's destruction.

Reaching a Starfleet outpost, Kirk and the elder Spock meet Montgomery Scott. With the elder Spock's help, Kirk and Scott beam onto the Enterprise. Following the elder Spock's advice, Kirk provokes younger Spock into attacking him, forcing Spock to recognize he is emotionally compromised and relinquish command to Kirk. After talking with Sarek, Spock decides to help Kirk. While the Enterprise hides itself within the gas clouds of Titan, Kirk and Spock beam aboard the Narada. Kirk fights with Nero and Ayel, killing the latter and rescuing Pike while Spock uses the elder Spock's ship to destroy the drill. Spock leads the Narada away from Earth and sets his ship to collide with Nero's ship.Enterprise beams Kirk, Pike and Spock aboard. The older Spock's ship and the Narada collide, igniting the "red matter". Kirk offers Nero help to escape, but Nero refuses, prompting Kirk to give the order to fire, dooming the Narada to be consumed in a black hole.

Kirk is promoted to Captain and given command of the Enterprise while Pike is promoted to Rear Admiral. Spock encounters his older self, who persuades his younger self to continue serving in Starfleet, encouraging him to do what feels right instead of what is logical. Spock remains in Starfleet, becoming first officer under Kirk's command. The Enterprise goes to warp as the elder Spock speaks the "where no one has gone before" monologue.

First Impression

With this background and story line, I just realize that I actually like a science fiction theme of movie, specially with exploring new planets and galaxies in which it is a very imaginative storyline. I really like how they could create such story, design, warp speed, classification of planets and galaxies, even with their spaceship. We are also able to see and imagine what an alien looks like. 

I know this might sound absurd right now, but in hundred years later, I believe what I see from Star Trek might happen in the future and that's where the science can work. It might be not possible too, but since God is so amazing with His creations, I believe we can still explore places that no one has gone before. This film also promotes unity, with the establishment of the Federation, it gives us hope that one day, we can work with anyone, not because he/she is a human with a human look like, but with anyone, including other species or even an alien. It's just amazing and I give my very positive review for this kind of movie. It's good to see what human are able to imagine and maybe it might really happen. 

Cheers, stardate 2016