uisceros | Upcoming Taiwanese Dramas 2009: Updates!

Thanks so much for all the good wishes re work! I'll try to get back to everyone tonight (unless I manage to fall asleep, which is looking more and more probable by the minute). It's been a long day, and I won't go into it more, but it's left me exhausted.

So yesterday I mentioned awesome (to me) drama news, but then put off writing about it, because Big Bang got in the way...

Anyway, I've heard rumors for awhile, but now, not only does it look to be happening very soon, but it's ALREADY IN PRODUCTION!

The drama I'm talking about; Good Health & Fortune (福氣安康, Fu Qi An Kang), starring my most beloved Chen Qiao En! The male lead? Why none other than Lan Cheng Long (Blue Lan)! He was in The Outsiders, but probably is best known for playing Yamen (the dude was was supposedly Ah Si's cousin, but was actually hired by Dao Ming Feng to seduce Shan Cai) in Meteor Garden. He also dated Barbie Xu awhile back.

Anyway, the plot of this drama is pretty interesting; Cheng Long plays a rich guy with a genial facade, but is really kinda evil. He is forced by his grandfather (somehow...) to marry Qiao En's character (an ordinary girl [with a heart of gold, of course!] who studies herbalism). Because he doesn't want to marry her, he decides to hire assassins to kill her. Up until the killing part, it's typical drama fare. But man, they had me at the assassins.

Of course, Qiao En will melt his heart, and everyone will be happy. BUT FIRST THERE WILL BE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATIONS!

I'm actually kinda glad Jerry didn't sign on to do this drama. I love him, but the role just doesn't seem right for him. I've only seen Cheng Long in MG, but his character was kinda evil and manipulative, so hey, it fits in my mind! It's supposed to air post My Queen, which is GREAT! I'll be losing the amazingness that is My Queen, but gaining a new Qiao En drama. Pretty even trade.

I also heard rumors that Extravagant Challenge was back on. Tenative of course, but still super exciting!

Also; How off the presses. A potential new drama starring Sam Wang; Mo Nu 18 Hao (魔女１８號, Witch 18). I know NOTHING about it, other than it possibly also starring June and Dou Zhi Kong. Which makes me think it's somehow connected to Your Home Is My Home. Or maybe not... maybe they just wanted to throw the actors together again. They ARE both on CTS...

Calling Big Star is supposed to start airing this month, but I haven't heard a specific date.

I hate whenever I go to look something up about a upcoming twdrama, my blog is always one of the first listings. Seriously, am I the only one writing about them?! That's kinda sad...

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Haha! Assassins! If I wrote a story like that, I would have a scene where the assassins are still trying to kill her, but he's changed his mind, so he protects her (and if I wanted to make it tragic, he would die).

It sucks how iffy TW dramas are! You'd think they wouldn't announce stuff until they're more concrete.. But I guess maybe tabloids get ahold of the news and report too early?

I know! It's a pretty awesome plotline!
Ah, but then it would be a kdrama. Twdrama almost always end happily, so unless the bullet gets stopped by an old medicinal herb book she gave him, there probably won't be killings.

Man, I know. It's like, why can't they make up their mind and stick with it... It's not just tabloids either. They often have press conferences announcing dramas that later get canceled/postponed.

Hehehe that would be good! Do TW dramas do the "oh no someone's gotten into an accident! QUICK DRAMA" and then like ten seconds later everything's fine? (Obvious attempt to boost the ratings). Japanese dramas do that ALL THE TIME.

That sucks!! I know that sometimes things happen, but if it's such a problem, they need to hold off on the press conferences for a while!
Sometimes Japanese dramas will get canceled because of a scandal or something, but that's pretty rare.

They do it sometimes, but not like jdramas! The accidents/illnesses/etc tend to be more serious (like in one, a character got super sick, and needed a liver (?) transplant, and so his brother (another major character) was going to give him part of his, but then at the end they made you think they both died, but in reality, they both lived. Because twdramas MUST end happily (I can only think of three that don't). The illness/accident plotlines are usually more drawn out too. Like 2/3rd of the drama will be happy, then SUDDENLY the illness/accident, which takes up the last third (until the last episode when everything is happy again). Also, twdramas are weird graphic. in that department.

Exactly, jdramas only get called off for special circumstances. Not because the television companies are bullshitting, like with twdramas...

That sounds like a better way to do it, because then it's actually part of the story, and not just an attempt at grabbing ratings.
Sickness/accidents/violence in Japanese dramas are sooooooo hilarious! Blood always looks like red water, literally. It's light and thin and super fake.

I love knives in jdramas! So cute! Who in their right might would be horribly intimidated and terrified of a tiny pocket knife!

Taiwan is pretty good with blood/gore. But their real masterpiece is vomit. Their vomit is hugely realistic. Which is gross....

I know! I mean, I'd be scared if anyone tried to attack me, but I wouldn't be much more scared of a tiny knife than I would be of someone without weapons!

Eeeew! Of all things to be realistic..ick

And it's not like it's impossible to do damage with a tiny knife (in fact, it's relatively easy if you know where to strike), but to be utterly terrified at the sight of one? Hilarious.

I know. It's like, why, Taiwan? Why?

Exactly! Especially when the attacker is just some moron who's trying to randomly slash at you. Sure, (s)he might HAPPEN TO cut you in a vital area, but probably they won't.

I appreciate realism, cause it's cool and it makes me happy when things aren't all stupid/obvious fake, but...obviously, realism can be gross..

I laughed out loud in Densha Otoko, because the "attacker" was this dork who had this tiny pocket knife, and he was fumbling so badly he couldn't even get the blade up. And the Densha Otoko dude (totally forget his drama-name) is TERRIFIED, like shaking/sweating/crying. I should have felt bad, but I didn't. I laughed. A lot.

It can be, and in the case of Taiwan, often is. I'm never surprised by what they throw at me now (not that I SHOULD be, considering American tv, but Asia is different!)

Upcoming Taiwanese Dramas 2009: Updates!

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