Best and Worst Idol Actors

Over the years many idols are turning to acting as another way to connect with fans. There are many controversies surrounding these idol actors that question their acting skills and intentions. Whether it's to gain more awareness for their group or another source of income, many idols are turning to an acting career. So here is a list some of the best and worst idol actors in my opinion in no particular order.

Best Idol Actors:

Dasom (SISTAR)
- Melody of Love, The Eccentric Daughter-in-Law

Baro (B1A4)

- God's Gift 14 Days, Angry Mom, Reply 1994

Yoona (Girls' Generation)
- Love Rain, Prime Minister & I

Siwan (ZE:A)
- Misaeng, Triangle, The Attorney

Eunji (Apink)
- Reply 1997, That Winter The Wind Blows, Cheer Up!

Lee Joon (ex- MBLAQ member)
- Gap Dong, Mr Baek, Heard It Through the Grapevine

D.O (EXO)
- Cart, It's Ok This is Love

Worst Idol Actors:

Choi Minho (SHINee)
-To The Beautiful You, Medical Top Team 

UEE (After School)
- High Society, Golden Rainbow, Ho-Goo's Love 

Dara (2NE1)
- Dr, Ian, We Broke Up

Sulli (Fx)
- To The Beautiful You

JB and the rest of Got7
- Dream High 2, Dream Knights

EXO (minus D.O)
- EXO Next Door - webdrama

Who are your favourite and least favourite idol actors?

Allkpop ALLSTAR - Kpop Dance Game

Looking for a fun way to spend your time and make friends also interested in Kpop and Korean Dramas? Well why not try Allkpop AlLSTAR!

The game is sort of like DDR where you try to hit the notes on time using your computer arrow keys. You can also dress up your character in the latest Kpop fashion and join a crew with other Kpop fans.

Right now the game is in open beta so the game is officially open to the public, however because it's still in beta there are a couple of problems that still need to be fixed.

Just a warning, if you are playing the game on your laptop the game screen will most likely not fit the screen meaning the bottom will be cut off (now works on full screen mode).

Another problem I've noticed is that for team play mode and certain dance stages there can be a lot of lag; especially during 'bonus time' and 'break time' when playing the dancing games.

Overall the game is pretty good with many quests that will not leave you bored. It's always fun to hang out and talk to other kpop fans from different countries as well.

So give it a try! You can download the game on the Allkpop website, and sign in using your Allkpop account.

Have fun and don't get to addicted!

Top 10 Kpop Songs of Summer 2015

Summer is the season for Kpop, especially this year as the girl group competition is fierce with comebacks from many popular groups. So in order to keep track of all the awesome songs coming out I've made a list of some of my favourite Kpop songs of this summer. It was very hard to order the songs and these are my personal opinions. If you haven't listened to any of the songs listed I definitely recommend you do!

1. GOT7 - Just Right

I wasn't a huge fan of Got7's previous songs but this one is awesome and extremely catchy!

2. Girls Generation - Party

Girls Generation continues to put out good music. Truthfully I wasn't a fan of the song when I first heard it but after listening to it more it became addicting and definitely fit the summer mood.

3. Nine Muses - Hurt Locker

I've always found Nine Muses' songs to be decent but never as good as this song is, the dance is also really good but maybe that's just because they are all models.

4. AOA - Heart Attack
Once again AOA comes back with another addicting song. I hated the dance at first but it grows on you the more you watch it.

5. Sistar - Shake it
I was also disappointed when I first heard this song but it grows on you and becomes a fun song to listen to

6. Mamamoo - Um Oh Ah Yeh
Mamamoo did not disappoint, fun song and very promising rookie group. I'm looking forward to their future songs.

7. BTS - Dope

8. Big Bang - Sober

9. Super Junior - Devil

10. Infinite - Bad


My least favourite songs of the summer:

1. Girls Day - Ring My Bell
I've loved the majority of Girls Day's songs so I was extremely disappointed when I heard this one. It reminded me a lot of Two X's Ring Ma Bell which I like way more.

2. Goo Hara - Choco Chip Cookies
One word describes the song and music video, boring. Goo Hara is definitely pretty but her voice is so boring and unoriginal. Seungyeon should have gotten a solo before Hara.

3. Apink - Remember
Song was okay but wasn't as catchy as their previous ones.

Big Bang 2015 World Tour

Big Bang's 2015 'MADE' tour is coming to Toronto, Canada! The concert will be on Tuesday, October 13 at 8:00pm EST at the Air Canada Centre.
Tickets for the concert went on sale Friday, June 12th at 10:00am EST.
Seats are filling up quickly so If you haven't already, make sure you buy tickets soon!

The concert will also take place in:
Las Vegas, Nevada - Oct. 2
Los Angeles, California - Oct. 3
Anaheim, California - Oct. 4
Newark, New Jersey -Oct. 10 & 11

Ever since I started listening to kpop, 6 years ago, I've been waiting for them to have a concert in Canada. The only thing I am really curious about now is who the opening act will be; I'm thinking it might be rookie groups Winner or iKON. Either way, I am really excited to finally see big bang live!

You can purchase tickets on Ticketmaster by clicking here

EXO "Love Me Right" MV Review

EXO is back once again with the release of their 2nd Repackaged Album "Love Me Right"!

Song:
When I first heard the song I thought it was just okay and that "Call Me Baby" sounded better. After listening to it more, it became really catchy and fun to listen to. EXO always produces good music so I'm looking forward to listening to the other new songs on their repackaged album.

The new songs on the album are:
Love Me Right
약속 (EXO 2014)
Tender Love
First Love 

Music Video:
The theme is obviously football for some reason, so then why are they randomly swinging baseball bats in some of the scenes...
I personally don't like the football theme but they all look amazing in the uniforms.
I'm also really glad Xiumin is getting more parts in their songs and music videos. (If you couldn't already tell, he's my bias <3)

The song and dance are as awesome as usual and I can't wait to see them perform on music shows!

To listen to the full album on Spotify click here

Orange Marmalade Episode 1

Honestly, I was very hesitant to watch this drama mainly because Idol actors are generally a hit or miss for me. Nonetheless I decided to watch the first episode as I am waiting for more episodes of School 2015.

Plot:

The story is based off the webtoon of the same name and is about a teenage girl named Baek Ma Ri who tries to hid the fact that shes a vampire. Jae-Min who is a popular student ends up falling in love with Baek Ma Ri who is a new transfer student.

I actually started reading the webtoon in the middle of last year from the LINE Webtoon App but I stopped reading it once I deleted the app and I never got around to continuing it.

Acting:

I was surprised to see how grown up Yeo Jin Goo is now, he's even more handsome now but his hairstyle in the drama just doesn't do him justice. I became a noona fan when I saw him in I Miss You, and Potato Star 2013QR3. His acting is very mature and so I was looking forward to seeing him in this drama. 

His acting in this drama so far was pretty good although his character is very different from the one in the webtoon.

CN Blue's Lee Jong Hyun also stars in the drama as Han Shi Hoo. I really enjoyed watching Jong Hyun in A Gentleman's Dignity so I had high hopes for him in this drama. So far I am unsure whether I like his acting in Orange Marmalade or not; it was very overreacted but maybe that's just his character. Hopefully his acting will improve as more episodes come out.

I'm still a little hesitant about AOA's Seolhyun's acting but so far it's okay. She fits the character well and portrays Baek Ma Ri pretty much the same as how I imagined her to be.

Would I continue to watch more episodes? Yes

The cast and acting is pretty good and the story seems interesting and a little different from the webtoon so I am interested to see how the story develops.

To watch Orange Marmalade on Viki click here

EXO Next Door vs. GOT7 Dream Knight

After watching a couple of episodes of both EXO Next Door and GOT7 Dream Knights, I rated each short series based on a set of criteria.
I am a fan of both EXO and GOT7 so I tried watching and rating these series without bias.
This is just my opinion, feel free to comment on whether you agree or not and which series you preferred most.

EXO Next Door

Plot:
7/10
-Hot guys move in next door to main girl (every girls fantasy).

Acting: 
8/10
-D.O is a really good actor and I was surprised at how good Chanyeol's acting was too.
-Worst acting was probably Sehun and Baekhyun but overall the acting was decent.
Edit: Suho's acting was the worst, thankfully he didn't play a big role.

Overall: 
7.5/10
-Hate the CG blush, it makes the main girl look like a red smurf.
-First couple of episodes were pretty funny and interesting, I wouldn't mind watching more episodes to see how the story develops.

GOT7 Dream Knight

Plot: 
6.5/10
-Typical bullied orphan girl gets saved by random hot guys who she can call upon at any time and happen to have magical powers (also every girls fantasy).

Acting: 
7/10
-JB was probably the best actor and I was pleasantly surprised by Jacksons's acting.The rest of the GOT7 members were pretty decent as well.
-Worst acting was probably Mark.
-Song Ha Yoon can be a little annoying but she's pretty good at acting (aside from that horrible "fall" on the road in episode 2).

Overall: 
6/10
-SOOO Cheesy! Sometimes it was hilarious but sometimes it was annoying (almost made me want to stop watching), but I will still try to watch more episodes just to see if it gets better.
-The camera movement was really random sometimes and almost made me sick at one point from all the movement. (note to self: don't watch on full screen mode)
- Aside from that I absolutely loved all the cameos especially the JYP moon!

To watch Dream Knight on DramaFever click here


Verdict:
I personally preferred EXO Next Door only because it wasn't as cheesy as GOT7's Dream Knight. Both short series however were very entertaining and had many funny moments.

Interesting New Drama

I recently started watching this new Korean drama called 'School 2015' and it's very interesting so far. 

The drama is related to the 'School' series that started in 1999 that focuses on the issues Korean students face such as bullying and suicide. 

A couple of year ago I watched 'School 2013' and I ended up loving the drama and the cast who rose to stardom (Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo bin); so when I heard another series was coming out and Kim So Hyun was playing the lead, I was very excited to start watching it and so far it has not disappointed me. 

At first I was a little nervous that the storyline would be too similar to the previous drama but from the episodes I've watched it's completely different. In my opinion, this drama gives off a less serious vibe than the previous one as it's a little more unrealistic; nonetheless it was very interesting and entertaining and I would recommend it to anybody looking for a good Korean drama to watch.

For more information on the drama click here

To watch School 2015 on DramaFever, click here

Recommended Korean Drama

I recently found a very interesting Korean drama that I recommend everyone should watch. The drama is called "Angry Mom" which is about a young mother who finds out her daughter is being bullied in school so she decides to become a high school student to protect her daughter.

Cast:

Kim Hee Sun (Wonderful Days, Faith)

Ji Hyun Woo (Trot Lovers, Queen In Hyun's Man

Kim Yoo Jung (Love Cells, Gold Rainbow)

Baro (member of B1A4, Reply 1994, God's Gift - 14 Days)

Lizzy (member of After School & Orange Caramel)

When I first heard the storyline and saw the poster for the drama, I for some reason thought it would be sort of a romantic comedy; I was dead wrong. It has a lot of drama but not too much that it becomes cheesy and soap opera like. There is a touch of comedy however to lighten the mood at times. The cast is also made up of very talented actors/actresses who play their roles convincingly. 

So I definitely recommend this drama to anyone looking for a new interesting drama to watch; you will never be bored watching it, trust me!

I've also found a new love <3

To watch "Angry Mom" on Viki click here

Roommate Officially Cancelled

The popular Korean variety show is officially cancelled. There were originally plans for a season 3 with a new cast but it has been revealed that the show will be cancelled all together. Honestly I am not that surprised since the show has been receiving bad ratings in Korea even though it's extremely popular overseas.

Roommate was one of my favourite Korean variety shows. I preferred the second season over the first season as the cast members were always fun and entertaining. It is sad to hear that the last episode will be airing next week.
To read the whole article from DramaFever, click here.

On a side note:
My favorite roommate episode of all time was the most recent episode, episode 45. If you have not seen it yet you definitely should. I was laughing for hours and fangirling over all the Jackji moments (Jackson from GOT7 and Youngji from Kara).
To watch the episode, click here.

Top 10 Japanese Dramas

Here is a list of my top 10 all-time favourite Japanese dramas, in no particular order. (I'm probably forgetting some but oh well). If you haven't already, you should definitely check out these dramas, you won't regret it!

1. Hana Yori Dango

Before Boys Over Flowers, there was Hana Yori Dango, which was originally a manga. Probably one of the most famous Japanese dramas that shot all the actors into stardom. Very good storyline that will never make you bored. Side note: the main characters' actors are dating in real life!

2. Hana Kimi

Another very popular Japanese drama, Also originally a manga, very good cast and fun story.

3. Ryusei No Kizuna

Awesome story line that will leave you crying. If you haven't already, you must watch this drama! Cast did an amazing job as usual.

4. Liar Game

Also originally a manga and has a Korean adaptation; in a later post I compared both versions.

5. Gokusen

Originally a manga. One of my favourite Japanese dramas of all times. It can be very inspiring and the actors did a really good job. Love This drama!

6. Zettai Kareshi

Originally a manga called Absolute Boyfriend and is now made into a Chinese version of the same title. Very interesting plot and good acting.

7. Keizoku 2: SPEC

Toda Erika plays the female main character and if you couldn't already tell I am a huge fan of her dramas. Originally, I was hesitant to watch it but I became hooked after the first episode.

8. Code Blue

Usually I am not a fan of medical dramas but this one actually made me start liking them. It was so awesome I've watched both seasons 3 times.

9. Nobuta Wo Produce

At first I didn't really care for this drama but after a couple of episodes I started loving it. The main reason why I watched it and loved it though was because of Kame (Kamenashi Kazuya, member of KAT-TUN) and Yamapi (Yamashita Tomohisa, ex-member of NEWS).

10. Seigi no Mikata

Another one of my all-time favourite dramas. Actors are amazing and characters are very funny. The older sister is definitely my favourite character in the whole show; even though she can be "evil" it always ends up benefiting others. Side note: the actress who plays the older sister is also the wife of actor Oguri Shun.


Honorable Mentions:
- Kurosagi
- Switch Girl
- BOSS
- Yamada Taro Monogatari

-pictures taken from Google images

NEW Anime Series Spring 2015

There are many new anime series coming out in Spring 2015, but the one I'm looking forward to most is called "Ore Monogatari" or "My Love Story!!" created by Kazune Kawahara (story) and Aruko (art).
Originally it was a romantic comedy manga and is now getting an anime adaptation. To read more click here.


When I first heard the news I was extremely excited as it was a very funny, light-hearted and very different from the usual mangas.
If you haven't read the manga I suggest you do, you won't regret it!

The anime is set to release April 8 So get ready everybody!

(picture from Crunchyroll)

2015 Anime North

This year’s Anime North will be held at the Toronto Congress Center (located in Canada) on Friday, May 22^nd to Sunday, May 24^th. If you have already purchased your tickets you’re able to pick it up on Thursday May 21^st from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. This year’s attendance cap limit is 20,000 people per day, total admissions that will be available for sale will be listed below. For those who are deciding to purchase a single day admissions I would suggest to purchase ahead of time through Pre-Registration as it is not 100% guaranteed available for sale at the door. At door registration will only accept cash; no cheques, credit cards or debit cards. Sunday at door admission can only be purchased on Sunday, you will not be able to purchase it ahead of time such as Friday. Adult prices for single weekend admissions are listed below, note that children between ages 6-13 is able to get in for half price while children 5 and under are admitted for free but must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or over. 

All attendees are required to wear an Anime North Convention badge provided which acts as a proof that you have purchased an admission and are eligible to attend the convention. You can obtain the badges at the registration desk, if you are already pre-registered you can present your confirmation form (printed or mobile) from Eventbrite at the registration desk with a Photo ID (e.g. Drivers Licence) in order to confirm your identity. It is required that you print your full name on the badges and show them to security if requested.  

Buyers be aware on purchasing fake Anime North convention badges; you are only able to obtain your badges at the Registration Desk or sent through mail by direct arrangement with Anime North Registration. Those who are suspected on using a fake badge are to be required to leave the convention and their fake badge will be confiscated by security.

Admission Status:                                                      Adult Single Day Admission:

Weekend/Group: 15,000 [SOLD OUT]                     Friday Only: $35 ($17.5)* CDN/USD

Friday-only: 5,000                                                      Saturday Only: $45 ($22.5)* CDN/USD

Saturday-only: 5,000                                                  Sunday Only: $35 ($17.5)* CDN/USD

Sunday-only: 5,000                                                     *Prices for Single Day Children Admission

  

All of the above information can be found at animenorth

New Korean Drama

A new SBS Korean drama has started airing called "Heard it Through the Grape Vine". This drama is definitely on my list of dramas to watch this season, as it is starring former MBLAQ member Lee Joon who has been showcasing his excellent acting skills in various dramas.

Plot:

This is a black-comedy drama depicting a prestigious family whose lives are suddenly shaken because of a rumor about their teenage son impregnating his schoolmate.

Choi Yun Hee and Han Jung Ho are a wealthy couple from a prestigious family. Their reputation suddenly turned upside down because of their son's relationship with an ordinary girl. The girl, Seo Bom, determined to endure the humiliation and isolation from the family for the sake of her child's future while the son, Han In Sang (Lee Joon) struggles between his love for Seo Bom and his family's high expectation. (taken from Dramawiki)

Cast:
Yoo Joon Sang (You Who Came from the Stars), Lee Joon (former member of MBLAQ, Gap Dong), Park So Young (Nice Guy).


To watch Heard it Through the Grape Vine  on Dramafever clickhere.

KPOP Concert 2015

Good News for those of you who are fans of Ailee, Jay Park, and San E, as a collaboration concert called 'Unite the Mic 2015' is being Krowdpoped in 6 cities around the world.

These cities are:
Toronto, Canada
Istanbul, Turkey
New York, United States
San Francisco, United States
Dallas, United States
Las Vegas, United States

The campaign is currently in the second stage, which requires the ticketing goal to reach 100% in order to confirm the concert in your city. So if you want to see these amazing artists in your city, you must buy tickets in order for the concert to happen! (I've already bought my ticket, go Toronto!) 
ps. If you want to sit with your group of  friends you must buy your tickets together

How Krowdpop Works:
Step 1: vote for your favourite artist or start a movement of your own
Get enough votes and a campaign is created and Krowdpoped
Step 2: tickets are up for sale
Hit ticketing goal and concert is on!
Miss ticketing goal and get full refund

For more information on Krowdpop and how it works, click here.
'Unite the Mic 2015' page, click here
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment and I will do my best to answer :)

Japanese workaholics forced to take days off?

The Japanese government is trying to force workaholic’s to take days off?

According to Business Insider, the Japanese government is “aiming to ensure workers are getting the rest they need”. Japan is well known for their workaholic lifestyle. Mental depression, suicide and heart attacks or cerebral hemorrhaging are the main symptoms of overworking which caused an estimated of 200 deaths a year. About 22 percent of Japanese workers work more than 49 hours a week, an average of 9 days per individual to take any vacation days in a year.

The new law will encourage parents to spend more time with their family during special holidays or during summer months when kids have summer break, it would give workers more flexibility to their hours. It could also help to increase birth rates in Japan as the workaholic lifestyle is not allowing couples to raise children.

Source: Business Insider

Image: Google Images

Korean Drama Showdown

Kill Me Heal Me VS. Jekyll, Hyde, Me

Both dramas are fairly similar as both of the male leads have Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder) which is why I decided to compare the two to see which one is better (in my opinion).

Kill Me Heal Me 

Plot:

A romantic comedy between a third-generation billionaire with Dissociative Identity Disorder and a first-year Psychiatrist resident who treats him secretly. (DramaWiki)

Main Cast:

Ji Sung (Secret Love, Protect the Boss), Hwang Jung Eum (Secret Love, High Kick 2), Park Seo Joon (Witch's Romance).

Jekyll, Hyde, Me

Plot:

Goo Seo Jin is the director of the theme park Wonderland. Jang Ha Na works in the circus at Wonderland. Jang Ha Na falls in love with a man who has two different personalities. One of his personalities is that of Jekyll, who has a cold personality. The man's other personality is that of Hyde, who has a sweet and innocent personality. (DramaWiki)

Main Cast:

Hyun Bin (Secret Garden), Han Ji Min (Rooftop Prince), Sung Joon (Gu Family Book, I Need Romance 3), Hye Ri (member of Kpop group Girl's Day)

As I am writing this there are 6 episodes of Kill Me Heal Me out and only 2 episodes of Jekyll, Hyde, Me, so my opinions may change later on as more episodes come out.

I was really excited to watch Kill Me Heal Me as I loved Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum's chemistry together in Secret Love. I was also looking forward to watching Jekyll, Hyde, Me because Hyun Bin is an amazing actor and Hyeri from Girls Day stars in it as well. With that said the results are.....

-

-

-

Winner:

Kill Me Heal Me!!!

After watching 2 episodes of each drama I came to a conclusion, which was fairly easy to make. 

I personally loved Kill Me Heal Me far more than Jekyll, Hyde, Me simply because Kill Me Heal Me started off with more intensity and just had me hooked after watching the first episode; Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum are AMAZING actors! 

Jekyll, Hyde, Me was okay but I found it to be rather slow and I don't think I like Hyun Bin's character. I can't really criticise the drama too much though because only 2 episodes have come out. I'll continue watching both dramas and maybe update this post later when both dramas are finished.