Simone’s Neighborhood

Here the February Potato!
It's so dreamy!!! ^////^

( Enjoy! )

Here the February Duet! ^_^
I love to see Arashi with Japanese fabrics!
I remember another photoshoot like this^^

( Enjoy! )

New Johnnys mags are out! ^_^

( Enjoy! )

With 5 new kdramas premiering this week, I really didn't know which to watch. Not to mention that I had a bunch of 2009 dramas that I need to catch up with. So I decided to watch all the first (and maybe second) eps. I've just finished 공부의 신//God of Study. It's the k-remake of the jdorama Dragon Zakura.

Yeah, another k-remake. One after another, and seems like more to come. Mawang aka Maou (adapted from the novel, not remade), Boys Over Flower, The Man Who Can't Get Married, God Of Study, Itazura Na Kiss (upcoming?), Zettai Kareshi (upcoming?)...

Ever since BOF, I've been really unsure about k-remakes. They tend to add details to the original, usually because they are allocated at least 50% more drama time than the jdorama. Sometimes such details fill up gaps (in the sense that they add plot developments in areas the audience desires, eg more romance, not in the sense that they make up for loopholes in the original, which are very rare) but sometimes, they vandalise the simplicity of the original with unwelcomed plot twists.

So, it was with some hesitation that I started watching God of Study. As expected, the plot was similar to Dragon Zakura, with slight changes to the backgrounds and motivations of each character. It has been a long while since I finished Dragon Zakura, so I can't really remember its details. But based on what remained, I think the remake is at least 70% similar. For example:

• Sakuragi: 5 (to enter Todai) this year, 10 next year, and in 5 years' time, 100.
• Ino-sensei: What's attractive about the school?
  Sakuragi: 100 students accepted into Todai.
  Ino-sensei: Other than figures?
  Sakuragi: Figures are evidence of competitiveness. Education is also a business.
• *Sakuragi goes on stage and eyes the rowdy crowd of Year Threes.*
  *Suk Ho goes on stage and eyes the rowdy crowd of Year Threes.*
  Sakuragi: Everyone looks like an idiot. You'll continue to lose throughout your entire life.
  Suk Ho: You're really a bunch of idiots. People who will be stepped over throughout their entire life.
  Students: Get down here. We'll kill you! *uproar* 
  Students: What? What did you say? Get down here. You won't?! You're asking for a beating. Get down here! *uproar*
  Sakuragi: Teachers are teachers, students are students. Listen to what others are saying till the end!
  Suk Ho: Shut your mouths and listen to me, you bunch of kids!
  Sakuragi: When I say lose, it means to be cheated. If you continue staying like this, you'll continue to be cheated for your entire life.
  Suk Ho: Having lived till now, do you know what it means to be stepped over, to fail? That means to be played  by others. That's you all. All of you are destined to be played by other till you die.
  Student: Cheated? Why? By who?
  Sakuragi: Our society has rules. You have to live following these rules. But these rules are written by smart people. In other words, what does that mean? These rules are all written by smart people who make use of them. Since dumb people won't understand them, they can be used to hide things. These rules will be used to serve those smart people who will make good use of them. For example, rules about taxes, salaries, insurances, allocations...
  Suk Ho: This society has rules. You can only live according to these rules. Who made these rules? It's the smart people. The law, education policies, land policies, tax, finance, capital allocation. It's all according to the wishes of the smart people who made these rules so that they can live comfortably.
  Sakuragi: The smart people will continue to make them incomprehensible. Dumb people will only have to try to understand them. You just think that it's bothersome trying to use your brains. So you'll continue to be cheated and pay a hefty price your entire life!
  Suk Ho: But for those that are to their disadvantage, they make them difficult and complex to confuse those dumb people so that they won't get a chance to understand. The smart people make use of these rules to live a well-off life. in contrast, you idiots who find using your brains a bother can only be played by smart people your entire life. And so in conclusion you'll be a failure.
  Students: It might be so, but it can't be helped!
  Student: Then what do you want us to do!?
  Sakuragi: The smart people will make use of the situation and cheat while the dumb people will continue to be cheated and lose. This is how the society works! So, if you don't want to be cheated, if you don't want to lose, study! I'll teach you a simple method. Go to Todai.  
  Suk Ho: If you guys don't want to be pushed off by rules created by those smart people, if you don't want to be played by them or to become a failure, there is only one method! Study. Only study. Study! Grit your teeth and study. Go to Chun Ha University! This is the only thing you can do now.
  Sakuragi: The special class will aim for the univeristy entrance exam. It'll unconditionally take in anyone who wants to study. But the only goal is Tokyo University. This year, 5 students will succeed. This is the turning point of your life. Insufficient people have no chance.
  Suk Ho: Byungmoon High School will set up a Chun Ha University special class from today onwards. It doesn't matter if your results are like chicken feathers or dog poop. All of you can do it. The Chun Ha University special class aims to have at least 5 students getting into Chun ha University this year. I don't need other universities. I just want Chun Ha University.
  *Yajima throws a basketball at Sakuragi, who dodges. The ball hits the wall & bounces back to Yajima.*
  *Baek Hyun throws a basketball at Sok Ho, who dodges. The ball hits the wall & bounces back to Baek Hyun.*
  Yajima: What's with Todai? You've been talking about Todai. You're noisy!
  *Sakuragi gets off the stage and picks up ball.*
  Sakuragi: Do you hate Todai?
  Yajima: Yeah, everyone here thinks so.
  Sakuragi: Me too.
  Yajima: Ah?
  Sakuragi: Those people who admire just the name Todai makes me puke. Those people who think that their life will be successful just because they entered Todai and those people who feel small once they learn that the person before them is from Todai are meaningless.
  Yajima: Then why are you asking us to go to Todai?
  Sakuragi: You won't understand that yet.
  Yajima: Ah?
  Sakuragi: Kids like you don't know a single thing about society. You don't know because your parents hide it from you. That you have such boundless possibilities.
  Baek Hyun: Chun Ha University? What kind of joke is that? Then what about you? Were you from Chun Ha University? Is Chun Ha University feeding you? Is Chun Ha University that good?
  Suk Ho: I wasn't from Chun Ha University. I don't like Chun Ha University. Those people who feel superior just because they were from Chun Ha University are garbage.
  *Suk Ho goes off the stage.*
  Suk Ho: Not worthy enough for us to talk about them. But your situation is different. If you want to use your dog head to achieve something in this society, you can only go to Chun Ha University.
  Baek Hyun: Dog head?
  Suk Ho: You all saw that banner hanging in front of the school. Why did you think of when you saw it? The banner that advocates cleaning up you garbage is evidence that you are all pests. All of you who can't even study or say a single word, and can only hide at one side, if you're not idiots, when what are you?! Why are you wasting your own talent instead of working hard? Why are you not doing anything and letting your brain stay empty?!
  *Sakuragi throws the basketball, aiming at the hoop across the hall.*
  *Sakuragi succeeds and the whole hall goes into an uproar*
  Sakuragi: If you don't want to know of such a society, be the person who make rules. If you want to live your life without being cheated, study! Idiots and ugly people, go to Todai! 
  Suk Ho: Become the person who make rules! The turning point of your life is before your eyes.
  *Suk Ho picks up the basketball.*
  Suk Ho: Work hard and study! Go to Chun Ha University!
  *Suk Ho throws the basketball, aiming at the hoop across the hall.*
  *Suk Ho succeeds and the whole hall goes into an uproar.*
• Ep 3 seems to be very similar to Dragon Zakura too. There's the white-haired teacher whom the lawyer introduces to the special class, and the focus on basic calculations. Even the part about answering Math questions being something like a sports!
• And some more that I can't really remember...lol 

As for character parallels, all 5 students from Dragon Zakura were preserved, except for the one that left the special class midway (Kobayashi). Plot aside, I think the acting in God Of Study is quite decent, and there're quite a lot of eye candy.

I tried watching Pasta, but despite the widespread love for the drama, I haven't found anything attractive. In fact, I feel like just rewatching MNIKSS! The other one, Wish Upon A Star, is barely passable based on the first 10 minutes, because of the lead female, though I think she'll improve once her parents' death forces her to become more responsible. As for Chuno.....ancient drama....so....maybe not.

arghhh.. ="= tired T_T so will not be translating today.. but i will try to do one tomorrow.. but sighs.. you never know.. i got class tomorrow as well ="= poooo.. anyhows.. got all too excited about Meza and iitomo today.. so i'm uber drained (i know it's been a while since i posted about it but i was obviously still repeating till now) gonna go and put down some studying before i pass out Orz saddd already so much on my plate now.. hahaha yabai i am getting old.. the first week of school is usually extra hard though hahaha.. just cause the body is all worned out by the nonstop fangirling that was happening during break and the brain is not use to being in practical use anymore XD

gonna chill down with Still .. =] and Sho kun <3

+++++

a few days before the end of 2009
i made these drawings.

I am not yet done with this one but I am already happy
with the result.

this is chibi nino..

this one is riida.. does it even remind u of oh-chan?
i overdid his eyebrows.. XD

this one is sho-chan..
i find his face so hard to draw coz his chin is small..

this one is aiba-chan..
I'm not sure if he really has a mole on his right cheek.. hee

and lastly my ichiban..
who is the most difficult to draw.

this is not jun at all..:(

 
and this one is my other version of riida..


To be honest all the members are really hard to draw for someone like me
who lack the skills. This year I want to make more fanarts, so I must practice!

so i guess now it's pretty much out in the open? lols that none of them are living at home anymore? LOL i mean yes i already suspected like LONG LONG time.. hahaha but i guess they're of a certain age that avoiding the topic of not living at home is no longer an issue XD

both Ochan and Nino talked about it ne.. haha Ochan was like "i went home for new years" and Nino was like "isn't hard to find time to go home?".. btw Nino was organizing his receipts during new years XD and MJ went on a domestic trip huh.. oh and i already posted about Ochan and Aiba chan so that covers everyone hahaha 8D

(all this is coming now because i just finished watching the clip XD sorry for spamming)

how they manage to make even a wideshow so much fun and interesting is honestly amazing haha.. i am totally enjoying this wayyyyy to much XDDD and then when they asked which part is Aiba chan's favorite part in the SP drama hahaha he says something that's blocked out because it's GIRI GIRI OUT desu XDDD (by Nino) and then after shots usually MJ and Sho kun would check their performance footage on the monitor but Nino hardly double checks..

oh and btw.. on iitomo.. hahaha when they were focused on the 4 flower baskets the other 4 sent to Sho kun.. XD Sho kun was like.. ah.. these are my friends.. LOLOLOL.. CUTEEEEEEEEEEE and when they were all waiting to take their naked promo pictures they were all in robes but since they had to wait a bit before the actual photo.. they all slouched in chairs in their robs XDDD (hard to explain.. need to see him do it) kyaaaaaa

T_T rawrrrrrr... tooooo cute!! need HD fileeeeee someone please give me HD fileee... Sho kun too cute on it lah.. they should have made it into an one hour show XD i was in class when it was aired so i wasnt able to watch it till now XD rawrrrr... i'm so tired and watching this SO DID NOT HELP XD hahaha.. drained me out LOLOLs..

the other boys send him flowers <333 so cute XD and when he imitated Ochan doing his fishing moves LOLOLOLs.. too bad he didnt win that mobile strap huh.. lols close.. but NO COOKIE!!!

Arashi's Special Interview for their suspense drama "The Last Promise" on Mezamashi TV this morning.
more scenes were shown and you can also hear the theme song on the BG.

Sho-chan appeared around 1213pm~

Flowers from other members~

20100107 iitomo - sho