Best Romantic Historical Korean Dramas (Pt 2 of 2)

Hope you were pleased with the recommendation in Part 1.  Here's the second half of the list.  Enjoy!

Healing Crystal Natural Rose Stone Heart

(6) Mr. Queen (2020)
A chef from modern-day Seoul falls off a hotel balcony and into a pool. When he comes out of the water, he is in the body of a queen during the Joseon Era. It seems that at that moment a few hundred years ago, she had jumped into a lake because she was trying to commit suicide. Somehow his soul entered her body. He was in shock when he looked in the mirror and in even more shock when he realized he had to sleep with the king! His first thought was how to avoid the king's bed until he noticed the king didn't seem to be interested in him … uuuhh? … her. So then he turned his focus on how to get back to his time period and back in his own body.

Meanwhile … he had to learn to live as the queen, which meant he was drawn into all of the palace scheming, conniving, corruption, and treachery. He had to learn the queen's friends and her enemies, and how to get along with her father. The fun part of this time-travel/body-swap misadventure was using his chef skills to prepare dishes and win over the king’s enemies. Even though the chef's identity and personality remain in her body, the queen’s identity and personality gradually become dominant.

The chef's memories get replaced with the queen's memories and the reason she tried to commit suicide became clear. But by that time, the romance between the king and the queen develops because the king also understands her reason. The king was mistaken about her true intention and her love for him. He believed she was part of her family's corrupt plan for power. The queen learned the tragic story of the king's childhood and that her father had knowledge of how his family died. They became closer to each other and fell in love. Their love story is beautiful and triumphant. Best time travel romantic comedy ever!! [Where to Watch]

TRAILER: Global, CJ ENM. “Mr. Queen.” YouTube, Video, 12 Dec. 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1vplUsGDoI.

(7) Lovers of the Red Sky (2021)

Hong Cheong-Gi is the main female character and also the name of a real historical figure who was the only female painter accepted into the Korean Royal Academy of Painting during the Joseon era. The leading male character is Ha Ram. She is the divine painter and he is a divine astrologer. They first meet as children; she is born blind and he is a child with special power. The children get separated because Ha Ram is chosen to participate in a rain ritual. On the day he performs the ritual, he loses his eyesight and is possessed by a demon. At the same exact time, the blind girl gains her eyesight. When they grow up, they meet again, and their bond of friendship is renewed and matures into romantic love. However, their love and lives are endangered because they are caught up in two webs: the political power games in the human world AND the eternal power struggle of good versus evil in the spirit world. This Viki Original series is a delightful historical fantasy romance. [Where to Watch]

(8) Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist (2022)
A royal physician who works in the palace and is called upon to treat members of the royal family has such extraordinary medical skills, he is given the title “Divine Acupuncturist”. But others hatched a plan to murder the king and frame him. He is not aware that performing acupuncture would cause the king's death. Consequently, he is accused of murder and thrown into prison. The murderers hoped he would receive the death penalty and their crime would be hidden. But the crown prince set him free because he believed he was innocent and that he was also the only one who could prove who had murdered the king.

He went from working as a royal physician to working in a village hospital. But he was so traumatized that he could no longer perform acupuncture. He met a young woman and trained her to be an acupuncturist. When she first saw him she had to talk him out of committing suicide. When he met her again, she a trying to commit suicide. Not only did he have to treat her “heart”, he uncovered that she was a victim. Her mother-in-law was trying to convince her to commit suicide so her family would receive the Virtuous Widow Honor.

The royal physician who was no longer able to perform acupuncture started a new life and developed a new skill. The physician changed the way he treated patients by diagnosing both their physical sickness and determining how to heal their troubled minds. He became a “heart doctor” and he also fell in love. This K-drama has 2 seasons. [Where to Watch]

TRAILER: Global, CJ ENM. “Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist.” CJ ENM - YouTube, 18 Aug. 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc2Nr-1AYBc.

(9) The Secret Romantic Guesthouse (2023)

The daughter of a nobleman owns a guesthouse left to her by her father. In addition to being a guesthouse, there are also secrets and romance. There are three flower scholars are her guests.

• One is already paying for a room before the other two guests arrive. He hopes to win the heart of the owner.

• The second guest came to town to take the civil service exam for martial arts and hopes to become a member of the king's royal guard.

• The third guest has no money but he did try to help a damsel in distress. Since the damsel is the owner of the guesthouse, he arrives there and tells her she should repay the debt by allowing him to stay there.

Two of the scholars have a secret identity and are on a secret mission. The owner also has a secret and tells all of the guests they are not allowed to go near the guestroom located at the back. It's haunted.

When the owner was a young girl, she protected a young boy who ran into her yard and hid in the dog house. That boy was the crown prince but he did not tell her his true identity. Thirteen years passed and one of the guests is that prince and he' gong to fall in love with him. This is a Viki Original series. [Where to Watch]

(10) Missing Crown Prince (2024)

A royal physician was told that if his daughter married the crown prince, he would die young and she would become a widow. His plan is for his daughter to become the future crown princess so he kidnaps the crown prince. They are both drugged and spend the night together, lying side by side, technically making them a married couple. He further plans to eliminate that crown prince and replace him with another crown prince and get him to marry his daughter.

Before he was kidnapped the crown prince was investigating her father. He had information that proved he was having a secret affair with the Queen Dowager and might be responsible for the death of a court maid assigned to the queen dowager's palace.

The best laid plan usually doesn't work out. The daughter wakes up and helps the prince escape not knowing who he is. He also does not know that she is the daughter of the royal physician he was investigating. The other prince the father had hoped his daughter would marry was very close to the crown prince. They grew up together and had a strong bond. But that strong bond might be broken because both of them fell in love with the royal physician's daughter. This K-drama series is a spin-off of “Bossam: Steal the Fate”, another Viki Original which was released in 2021. This is a Viki Original series. [Where to Watch]

Original source

Best Romantic Historical Korean Dramas (Pt 1 of 2)

Need some recommendations for binge-watching historical romantic Korean drama?  Here is a 2-part list.

Heart Sticky Notes

(1) Dong Yi (2010)
A true story: a real-life love story between Dong Yi and King Sukjong. A concubine with a heart of gold, who suggested to the king that there be a law preventing a concubine from becoming queen (according to the TV series). She saw and experienced the cruelty of the “palace flowers” toward each other and the lengths they went to trying to eliminate their “competition”. In the actual history of Joseon, the strict Confucian social hierarchy and the established court protocols did make it difficult for concubines to rise to the status of queen consort. Dong Yi, who was the king's favorite concubine, was elevated to the status of Royal Noble Consort Suk-bin and became the mother of King Yeongjo. [Where to Watch]

(2) Shine or Go Crazy (2015)

Set during the period BEFORE the Joseon Era when the country was called Goryeo. Wang So is the Prince of Goryeo who is kicked out of the palace because they believed he is cursed. When his future was read, it was determined that he was born with both a light and fire, meaning he will either shine bright like a star OR he'll be a crazy man. Shin Yool is a princess from Balhae who survived her country's destruction and is included in a prophecy concerning Wang So. The prophecy said she would help a prince of Goryeo ascend to the throne and become king. They met each other in a most unusual way. They were both in a foreign country and she was trying to escape an arranged marriage.

Wang So was a random man she saw on the street and she persuaded him to participate in a fake marriage. When they met she was living as a successful businesswoman. She didn't know he was a prince and he didn't know she was a princess. Separately, he returned to Goryeo and she came to Goryeo later to do business. She recognizes him when she sees him but he didn't recognize her. This time, not only did he not know she was a princess; he didn't even know she was a woman. Shin Yool disguised herself as a man because her gender would prevent her from doing business in Goryeo. They met again and would fall in love, neither realizing that their relationship a part of a prophecy. “Shine or Go Crazy” is based on a novel of the same name. [Where to Watch]

(3) 100 Days My Prince (2018)
Yul is a young prince befriends Yi Seo, a nobleman's daughter and told her that he would marry her when they grew up. Unfortunately, his weak-minded and wicked father authorized the slaughter of her family because they were preventing him from ascending to the throne. He bravely helped her and her brother escape. His father became king and he became the crown prince who forced into a loveless marriage because his father-in-law wanted more power. His father-in-law even tried to assassinate him because the crown prince was simply getting in the way of his power plays. The assassination attempt failed but in the process Yul lost his memories.

Yi Seo had been adopted and raised by a loyal servant from her father; household. There was a royal command that all of the spinsters in the villages had to be married. Since her father knew that Yul had amnesia, he told him that he a his daughter's fiancé and they were to be married. Yi Seo was about to be flogged for disobeying the royal command. Just like that! Yul had inadvertently married his first love, the young girl he had promised to marry. Only they did not recognize each other. This series is based on a webtoon. [Where to Watch]

TRAILER: TV, Viki Global. “100 DAYS MY PRINCE - OFFICIAL TRAILER.” YouTube, Video, 26 Nov. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LxsJGR7DgU.

(4) Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung (2019)
During the Joseon era, women were very limited in activities they could engage in freely. Goo Hae-ryung's older brother who raised her had decided that it was time for her to marry. He had out it off long enough. At the same time, the king decided to authorize the hiring of female historians. It was a first! There had never been female historians but there was a critical need. It was not to ensure that history was properly recorded. It was a way for the king and his corrupt officials to be able to gain access to the areas in the palace where only women could go.

The king and one of his corrupt court officials wanted to snoop on the queen, the queen dowager, the crown princess, the concubines, and any and all women in the palace. They wanted a record of people who met with the “flowers in the palace” and what they discussed. Hiring female historians was the perfect solution to “their problem”. Goo Hae-ryung believed being hired as a female historian was the perfect solution to “her problem”, i.e. avoiding an arranged marriage and remaining independent free-spirited woman. She passed the test and became a part of the group of the first female historians in Joseon. Once inside the palace she met and fell in love with a prince. Their romantic relationship hit a few roadblocks. There was no way to avoid the palace intrigue and treacherous schemes. They had to find a way to overcome them. [Where to Watch]

TRAILER: K-Content, Netflix. “Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung.” YouTube, Video, 8 July 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqaGhUJ9Vgs.  

(5) The Tale of Nok Du (2019)

Nok Du is a prince who thought he was a commoner because his adopted father kept his true identity a secret from him. Why? Because his own father, the king, tried to kill him to thwart a shaman's prediction of his future. Nok Du was content to be a commoner. He had a happy home with his father and brother on a beautiful island with friendly villagers. But one day female assassins showed up at his house. He overpowered them so they tried to escape. Nok Du chased after them and he was relentless in his pursuit. He followed the assassin into a widows' village and … they beat him up and kicked him out!

Nok Du needed to know why assassins showed up at his home and he knew the assassin was in that village. There was only one way to get inside that village. He dressed up like a woman and pretended to be a widow. In the village, he met a young woman, Dong Dong Ju, who dressed up like a man whenever she left the community. Dong Dong Ju was not a widow, but the head of the village allowed her to stay there. It was a safe haven for her because members of her noble family had been killed. Dong Dong Ju was on a mission of revenge. She planned to kill the man responsible for the death of her family members, i.e. king, Nok Du's father. They end up sharing a room together in the village, and she learns he is a man. They fall in love but it's gets complicated. [Where to Watch]

Original source

TV Movie: BBC Masterpiece Contemporary: Page EIght (2011)

Do you fancy BBC Masterpiece Contemporary Mystery movies or television series?

The BBC political thriller titled “Page Eight” is about a British intelligence analyst who refuses to compromise his integrity.

What happens to him is what usually happens when civil servants will not budge on their principles and ideals of Right versus Wrong, and their principles and ideals do not line up with their boss, i.e., the chief executive leader who says: I know what is best for our country and I am the one in charge, with the authority!

In his case, Mr. Worricker (the character masterfully played by Bill Nighy) butts heads with the British Prime Minister. He found some real information on page 8 of an intelligence report that points a finger in the direction of the Prime Minister and … Oh dear!

He has to leave his job? No. Rather he chooses that it is time for him to resign from the MI-5 service and move on. To spice up this not “atypical” political thriller plot, he meets a young woman (played by Rachel Weisz) that he has the power to help because of his access to confidential official government secrets. Does he help her? But of course! She helps him as well. In his line of work, it’s really hard to find someone you can trust.

This BBC political thriller is “Page Eight” is actually part of a trilogy. If it hooks you, you’ll probably want to watch the entire triology: Masterpiece: Worricker Trilogy Collection (Salting the Battlefield; Turks & Caicos; Page Eight)

Page Eight

Worricker: Page Eight

Worricker: Turks & Caicos

Worricker: Salting the Battlefield

Original source

Three (3) Vintage Classic Movies That Created Wonderful Childhood Memories

I was born in the 1950s. That means that I am from the first generation that got to experience television in the home. What a marvelous invention! I know my late mother never intended for the TV set to become her babysitter but my sister, my brothers and I spent hours in front of the television. There were so many wonderful programs to watch that educated and entertained us. I especially loved to watch movies with my big sister. The movies back in my day were memorable and made a lasting impression on my young developing mind. Below are three (3) films from my childhood that created indelible memories.

Heidi (1937) ~ This is a classic children's story written by Swiss author, Johanna Louise Spyri, adapted to film. Famous child star Shirley Temple played Heidi, the little orphan girl who was taken to live with her grandfather. After she and her grandfather had bonded and become close, she is tricked into leaving “the grandfather” and sold to be a servant in a wealthy man's household. If I tell you more and you have not seen the movie, that would spoil everything. So I'll stop right here.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) ~ I loved this movie!! It was a musical but everything about it was magical. The Yellow Brick Road, the Wizard, the Munchkins, the Wicked Witch, Glenda the Good Witch, the ruby red shoes that Dorothy wore, and that song she said that melted everybody's heart: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Judy Garland was cast as Dorothy. Yes, it was also based on a book. L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's fantasy novel titled “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”.

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National Velvet (1944) ~ This is a film about a horse race. Not just any race. England's Grand National Sweepstakes horse race. There is a young girl who has a dream that she can win. It is based on a story by Enid Bagnold. Famous child star Elizabeth Taylor played the role of Velvet Brown. Did she win the race? You'll have to watch the movie.

Do you have any favorite childhood movies?

Original Source

BOOKS: Romance Novels are the Best Selling Book Genre: Here are 4 Novels for Your Reading List

Did you know that: Romance is the best-selling book genre in the English language.

That being said, to explore the topic further, the question you must ask is:  What “type” of romance novel do you enjoy reading? 

• The Subgenres of Romance | Writing-World

My preference is historical romance, set in say the 16th to 19th century, in Europe, with an intense plot that keeps you engaged, a passionate romance that unfolds, and where you also learn little tidbits and trivia about life during that period of history.

Here are four (4) romance novel you should add to your reading list:

- A Rose in Winter - Set in 1792 England. Erienne Fleming's father forces her into an arranged marriage with the mysterious and disfigured Lord Saxton to settle his gambling debts. It's almost like a beauty and the beast tale. She begin to see the gentle side of her husband and is drawn to him, although she's never seen him in the daylight. But Erienne also meets Christopher Seton, a handsome American, and is attracted to him. Can she be in love with another man and betray her husband? She feels strongly toward both of them. But which one does she truly love?

- Shanna - Shanna Trahern, makes a desperate attempt to avoid an arranged marriage by contracting a marriage with Ruark Beauchamp, a condemned prisoner, facing the gallows. She reasons she’ll be a widow in a short time, and her father can not easily marry her off. As a widow, she has a certain liberty. However, Ruark does not die. He manages to escape and decides to find Shanna and claim her as his wife. She is legally his wife.

- Skye O'Malley - Skye O'Malley, is a beautiful and strong-willed Irish heiress, who is forced into a marriage with a brutish lout. On her wedding night, the lord claims the droit du seigneur ('right of the lord'), meaning he can be the first to bed the virgin. The lord wanted to do more than bed her, he wanted her for his own. But Skye's life is filled with dramatic twists and turns. She encounters several lovers. At the beginning of the novel, she was a young innocent teenager. By the end of the novel, she was 28 years old and had lived quite an adventurous life, pirates and all!

- The Velvet Promise - Set in 1502 England. A marriage is arranged between Judith Revedoune, a noblewoman, and Gavin Montgomery, a powerful and handsome lord. Their relationship does not get off to a good start, but once they worked through their misunderstandings, they fall in love. Finding their path to happiness is not easy, but once Judith and Gavin learn to trust and love each other, they develop a heartfelt and enduring romance.

(Book cover images found on Good Reads)

Historical Period Korean Drama: "Queen for Seven Days" (2017) ~ For Fans of Park Min Young

"Queen for Seven Days" is a Korean drama series released in 2017, with 20 episodes, categorized as Romance, historical period, sageuk, costume and period; and streaming on Viki. It is based on a true Joseon queen who only lasted on the throne for literally 7 days. 

• SUMMARY: A dramatization of the life of Queen Dangyeong. TRUE STORY: Shin Chae-kyung became Queen Dangyeong. She married Grand Prince Jinseong. In 1506, when Prince Jinseong ascended to the throne, he became King Jungjong and Shin Chae-kyung became the queen. Just seven days later, she was deposed and expelled from the palace. Her father, Shin Su-geun, was implicated in a coup against King Jungjong, which led to her deposition. She remained deposed until her death in 1557. Her title was posthumously restored, i.e. she was honored with the title of Queen after her death.

♦ Based on the True Story of Queen Dangyeong

In “Queen for Seven Days”, Shin Chae-kyung is the daughter of the king's most trusted official. That official is also a relative of the queen and is well-connected in many ways. Even so, he did his best to hide his daughter in the countryside and she doesn't know why. She thinks her parents are ashamed of her. However, her parents were told a prophecy. If their daughter married into the royal family, there would be a bloodbath. Her mother and father believed that. (Although, truth be told, during the Joseon Era, weren't there always bloodbaths in the royal family?) Nevertheless, Shin Chae-kyung overheard servants talking and saw that an important document was supposed to be delivered to her father. She stole the document, dressed up like a young boy, and traveled from the countryside to Hangyang to visit her family's home. It would be a surprise! Surprise? More like a SHOCK!

Before she finally reached her home, she had a few misadventures.

• First, she accidentally met Grand Prince Jinseong, the boy who would become her husband and would also become the king and she would be his queen. Having never been to Hangyang or the palace, she was clueless and thought he was just a rude child of a nobleman who acted like a gangster.

• Second, that important document that she was carrying to give to her father was stolen by a pickpocket. She wrongfully accused the grand prince of stealing it. That misunderstanding led to more misunderstandings.

• Third, she thought she was chasing after the grand prince but crossed paths with the current king, the older brother of the grand prince instead. Once again, she was clueless, not realizing that she was interacting with her future brother-in-law.

By the time she finally reached her home, her mother and father were meeting with the royal family, discussing her marriage to the grand prince. She was standing outside the door and could hear her parents making all kinds of excuses about why she was not a suitable match. The grand prince noticed that someone was eavesdropping and when he pushed the door open, she fell down. Her parents were shocked and yelled out her name in the form of a question. “Chae-kyung????“ It was their turn to be clueless. What was their daughter doing in Hangyang? That was their question. Her question was why were her parents saying such terrible things about her? She was a suitable match for the grand prince and she was going to prove it!

Shin Chae-kyung had no idea about the prophecy. She also had no idea that the document she was bringing to her father was the “secret order” of the late king. It was that king's will that the grand prince ascend to the throne. Grand Prince Jinseong was also clueless about these matters. They were both innocents who had unintentionally walked directly into a fire, a hotbed of treachery and treason, and a bloodbath. They would eventually marry but Shin Chae-kyung would not survive?

• If only that young innocent girl had remained hidden in the countryside and/or her parents had told her about the prophecy.

• More importantly, if only the Joseon noblemen, government and court officials, and the royal family didn't always engage in politics based on treachery and treason!

Would her history have been different? We will never know.

Main Characters:

• Shin Chae-Kyung (played by Park Min-Young)

• Lee Yeok (played by Yeon Woo-Jin)

• Lee Yoong (played by Lee Dong-Gun)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 7.6 out of 10 stars

• My Drama List: 8.2 out of 10 stars

• Dramabeans: 9.3 out of 10 stars

• Google users shared a rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

• Viki viewers have rated this series 9.3 out of 10 stars

Park Min Young has had a loyal following ever since “Healer” but “Marry My Huband” made her even more popular. Fans may want to visit or revisit some of her earlier work like “Queen for Seven Days”.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

FirstImpressions: “Queen For 7 Days” Delivers Sweet Puppy Love AndIntense Family Drama | Soompi

Queenfor Seven Days Korean Drama Review | Kdrama Kisses

SevenDay Queen Finale Review | I Dreamed A Drama

K-Drama Review: "Queen For Seven Days" Reigns With Emotional Love Picture & Standout Portrayals | Hello KPop

5 K-Dramas to Watch If You Enjoyed ‘Marry My Husband’

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“Queen for Seven Days” is Available on DVD

♦ (Original source)

“Interior Chinatown” (2024) ~ A Hilarious Hulu Original Series Starrng Jimmy O. Yang

Interior Chinatown is a hilarious Hulu Original series, with 10 episodes, adapted from a 2020 award-winning novel by Charles Yu; released November 19, 2024.

"Feel like I'm a background character in someone else's story." - Willis Wu

This series pokes fun at Hollywood's stereotypes of Asians while making you laugh and also get involved with the main character, Willis Wu, who has always thought that nothing significant or important ever happens in his life. Then a female detective asks for his help in solving a crime and in the process, he learns things about his own family that he never knew.

If you liked Jimmy O. Yang as a stand-up comedian, you'll probably be happy that he got the opportunity to spread his wings. Getting the lead role in “Interior Chinatown” is definitely something significant and important in his life. In an interview with The Wrap, Yang indicated the his character was very much like him in that he had similar experiences early in his career where he felt invisible or not represented. (Interior Chinatown: Jimmy O. Yang Talks Stepping Into Lead Role |The Wrap)

The reviews on this Hulu Original series are mixed. It figures. Asian-Americans rarely speak out about the racism and discrimination they experience. So when a TV show gets released pointing it out and poking fun at the unfairness and inequality, and it's very IN YOUR FACE, that might strike a nerve with some people. Me? I like Jimmy O. Yang and am happy for this major step he has taken with his career. All of the actors in “Interior Chinatown” were an impressive cast.

CAST: Jimmy O. Yang, Ronny Chieng, Chloe Bennet

GENRE: Comedy, Crime, Murder Mystery, Police Procedural

FILMING LOCATIONS: Filmed mainly in Los Angeles, California (on-location shoots and studio spaces, including the Fox Studio Lot and Universal Studios Lot). Certain scenes were in the actual Chinatown neighborhood in Los Angeles.

• Rajasini. “Where Was Hulu’s Interior Chinatown Filmed? All Filming Location Explored.” Sportskeeda, 21 Nov. 2024, https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/shows/where-hulu-s-interior-chinatown-filmed-all-filming-location-explored.

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 7.1 out of 10 stars

Watch “Interior Chinatown” (2024) | Hulu/Disney+

LINKS OF INTEREST:

JimmyO. Yang Shines in Excellent "Interior Chinatown" |TV/Streaming | Roger Ebert

‘Interior Chinatown’ Struggles to Turn an Allegorical Novel Into a Show: TV Review | Variety

TheHollywood Reporter | 'Interior Chinatown': Jimmy O. Yang in CharlesYu's Meta Hulu Mystery

InteriorChinatown review – ambitious, yet tiring, adaptation of CharlesYu’s novel | Television | The Guardian

Hulu's'Interior Chinatown' impresses viewers and critics with bold satire |YAHOO! Entertainment

Review:‘Interior Chinatown’ is too weird and ambitious for its own good| Datebook

(Original Source)

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Favorite Classic Movies: Best 3 Cary Grant Movies Ever!

One of my favorite leading male actors when I was growing up was Cary Grant (1904 – 1986). Why did I like him? He reminded me of my father. No he didn’t look like my dad at all. But he dressed like my father. Always neat, well groomed, and very dapper! Grant was much like my father in that the suits he wore fit him perfectly. He was always well-dressed, even when his clothing was supposed to be “casual”, i.e. not a suit and necktie.

Admirers or fans have described Cary Grant as “debonaire”, “sophisticated” and “funny”! But before being described that way, when he was an unknown, he must have had enough confidence in himself to believe that he would be a “survivor”. Born and raised in Bristol, England, he did not have a very happy home life as a child. He was expelled from school at the age of 14, and so he had to go to work and fend for himself. His mother had been committed to a mental hospital and he and his father did not have much of a relationship. He went to work in a theater in his hometown. That introduced him to the world of entertainment and that put him on the path to Hollywood stardom.

He came to America at the age of 16. He was traveling with a group of entertainers from England. His first stop in the USA? New York City. When the people he came with went back home, he decided to stay in New York. When he grew into manhood he was quite a dashing figure. His handsomeness was attention-grabbing! Yet he did not get his first Hollywood acting contract until he was age 27; using the name Cary Grant.

He established himself as a comedic actor. His humor was really clean too! You don’t mind watching all of his movies, where he played comedy roles, with young children around. It was said that he only accepted roles that he thought portrayed him as a good moral character. He wanted anybody including children to be able to watch him on screen. That was the public image he always wanted to maintain and he did. The movies he starred in for the first half of his career were wholesome clean comedy. But when he teamed up with the great director Alfred Hitchcock, he proved that he could also play dramatic roles quite convincingly. Whether comedy or drama, he maintained that image of being a decent and upstanding gentleman.

Grant became an American citizen in 1942 and the naturalization process allowed him to legally change his name from Archibald Alexander Leach to “Cary Grant”. He made 70+ films over three (3) decades (1930s – 1960s), but it was easy for me to narrow down my 3 favorite films (listed below) because, in addition to being a huge Cary Grant fan during my youth, I was also a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan. Hitchcock is known as the “Master of Suspense”; and his films and his television show were extremely popular back in my day. One may wonder however since comedy was not really Hitchcock’s specialty, why he would even approach a comedic actor to star in his films. But isn’t the answer obvious? Cary Grant made a very attractive leading man and if you paired him with an equally attractive leading lady, how could your movie not be a hit? Of course, I don’t know if that was in Mr. Hitchcock’s mind, but that’s what I would have been my thinking.

1. Notorious (1946), leading lady, Ingrid Bergman
2. To Catch a Thief (1955), leading lady, Grace Kelly
3. North by Northwest (1959), leading lady, Eva Marie Saint

All of the women chosen to star in the films with Mr. Grant were just as popular as he was; and onscreen they made the perfect pair.

Notorious (1946), leading lady, Ingrid Bergman

This movie is a Hitchcock classic that will not disappoint anyone who loves old movies about espionage. Most of the action in this film takes place in Brazil, but the opening scene is Miami, Florida, the city where I was born and raised. For that reason only, the movie instantly captured my attention. Ingrid Bergman plays the daughter of a man who was convicted as a Nazi spy. She is as American as apple pie and there is no reason why she should be punished for the sins of her father. Cary Grant works for the United States government as an agent and he persuades Ingrid Bergman to accept an assignment because it is her patriotic duty. They caught her father and convicted him but they need to catch another bad guy. Grant and Bergman fall in love almost immediately and that makes her carrying out the assignment “complicated”.

To Catch a Thief (1955), leading lady, Grace Kelly

Cary Grant was a professional thief and he was a very good one known as “The Cat”. But he retired to the quiet life of a bachelor in a gorgeous villa where he grew beautiful flowers. Unfortunately, there is a copycat cat going around committing burglaries and stealing people’s jewels. Naturally, he becomes the prime suspect. He needs to catch the real thief to prove his innocence. While trying to find the victims, i.e. jewelry owners, that the copycat thief is likely to rob, he meets Grace Kelly, the daughter of one of the victims, and falls in love. She helps him catch the thief and she steals his heart as well.

North by Northwest (1959), leading lady, Eva Marie Saint

I have often heard people say that everybody in the world has a “twin”. I don’t really know if that it’s true, but in my own life experience, I have had people mistake me for being someone else. The person’s name was Julie. I never met her but people have approached me or waved at me from a distance calling out the name Julie. That’s not my name! Nevertheless being mistaken for someone else didn’t really disrupt or interrupt my life. In this movie, Cary Grant is mistaken for someone else and his life is turned upside down! There’s a lot of spying going and one of the spies is a woman. No worries. She’s one of the good guys. He’s no experienced secret agent but he decides to help her accomplish her mission. The two most memorable scenes in this movie? The one where the couple is on Mount Rushmore and the scene where Grant is running, and trying to avoid being run over by an airplane!

♦ These are my top 3 picks for favorite Cary Grant movies. My favorite leading lady was Ingrid Bergman. Agree or Disagree.

(Previously published via Article Writing Jobs.)

In remembrance of Cary Grant, who passed #otd November 29, 1986 pic.twitter.com/jiAzvLUR6u

— 𝙉𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙜𝙞𝙖. (@Dear_Lonely1) November 29, 2022

Under the Queen's Umbrella: Korean Drama TV Series on Netfilx Released in 2022

Under the Queen's Umbrella is a Korean historical period drama series, released in 2022, that is currently streaming on Netflix. 

16 intense episodes. Viewers gave this series 4.9 out of 5 stars. I totally agree.  Kim Hye-Soo's performance as Queen Im Hwa-Ryeong is award-worthy. But giving credit where credit is due, quite frankly, all of the actors and actresses in this series gave exemplary performances. They played their roles as if they were real historical figures in the Joseon Era.

The worth of the flowers in the palace, i.e. the king's women, is judged by how many sons they bare the king. 

 Queen Im Hwa-Ryeong (played by Kim Hye-Soo) has been very fortunate. She bore five (5) sons for the king. Her oldest son is the crown prince, but he is suffering from a life-threatening illness. He could die any day! If he were to die, who would take his place? The crown prince already has a son of his own, so according to the line of succession, his son, her grandson, should be heir to the throne. Then as alternatives, one of his brothers, her four other sons who are grand princes, could be chosen. But her sons are perfectly content to never be king. She would have been content to allow them not to pursue the throne EXCEPT … the deposed queen (i.e. the queen before her) also had many sons.  When she realized the lives of her sons were in jeopardy, she immediately made up her mind that her sons would not suffer the same fate as Queen Yoon and her sons.

Queen Im Hwa-Ryeong now understands that THIS IS WAR!

Read full review at My Sageuk Addiction on Medium.com.

Original source

Meet Jeff Majors, Harpist and Breakthrough American Musician

The harp is mentioned more often in the Bible than any other musical instrument.

The harp is an earthly instrument with a heavenly sound. It can soothe a troubled soul.

In Jewish history, it is written that when King Saul was tormented, he asked for someone to play the harp for him to calm his spirit. A young harpist named David was recommended. The lad was surely an extraordinarily talented musician because he was often summoned to play for the king to relieve his distress. When David grew up, he succeeded Saul as the second king of ancient Israel. Music continued to be an integral part of his life, and in addition to being an accomplished harpist, he also wrote psalms (songs).

Unfortunately, none of the harp music of King David was preserved, so we can only imagine what those hauntingly beautiful and caressing melodies may have sounded like.

Fortunately, Jeff Majors is a harpist with a great imagination!

Image credit

The American music audience no longer insists that the harp is just for classical music thanks to breakthrough artists like jazz/gospel harpist Jeff Majors.

Now a well-known and much-appreciated African-American artist/composer/harpist, Jeff Majors followed his dream. Literally. He actually had a dream about playing the harp and decided he would learn.He was taught by the late Alice Coltrane (1937 -2007), jazz pianist and harpist, and the spouse of the legendary John Coltrane (1926 -1967).

Along with Alice Coltrane, Mr. Majors credits the late Dorothy Ashby (1930 -1986) with influencing his musical style. These ladies proved that the classical harp instrument could be easily and effortlessly integrated into jazz compositions. Once Mr. Majors mastered the instrument, he set out to share his musical gift with others. Through collaborative efforts with other artists, he has set to music some of the Psalms written by King David.

Official website.

FUN FACT: Mr. Majors named his harp "Hanifah". (A female given name: from an Arabic word meaning “true believer”.)

Original source

Indian Movies: Celebrities: Spotlight on Amy Jackson

Do you heart Amy Jackson?  Do you even know who Amy Jackson is? She’s an actress. OK. Yeah. She’s a hottie! I discovered her by accident, because of two music videos on YouTube.

• The first music video attracted my attention because it looked like an Indian version of Beauty and the Beast.

• In the other music video, Ms. Jackson was a female photographer who was being taken on a tour in India.

Watching the music videos piqued my interest. Had to seek and find what movies these videos were associated with. I was extremely pleased with the results of my treasure hunt!

Image Credit: Amy Jackson (Supergirl) signed 8x10 photo

♥ But first, let me share a little background info about Amy Jackson.

Her nationality is British; born on the Isle of Man and grew up in Liverpool. She was the winner of several beauty pageants including Miss Teen Liverpool and Miss Teen World. At the age of 16, her modeling career began.

Her acting career blossomed almost instantly when she caught the eye of director A. L. Vijay who thought she looked like a perfect fit to play the part of the leading lady in a Tamil language historical period drama. (He was right! IMHO.)

She has appeared in several Indian films and is currently included in the ranks with other female Bollywood superstars. She is also included alongside female superheroes. She is Imra Ardeen / Saturn Girl in the popular American TV series “Supergirl”.

Follow her on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

♥ And now the moment you’ve been waiting for.

The two South Indian (Tamil) films discovered after watching the related music videos, that made me join the Amy Jackson fan club are Madrasapattinam (2010), a historical period drama.  I (2015), a drama sci-fi thriller.

What hooked me about these movies? I’m a sucker for romance. Both were love stories.

* * *

Links of Interest:

• Gannon, Louise. “Meet Liverpool-Born Bollywood Superstar Amy Jackson.”DailyMail Online, Associated Newspapers, 27 Jan. 2018, www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-5303413/Meet-Liverpool-born-Bollywood-superstar-Amy-Jackson.html.

• Petski, Denise. “’Supergirl’: Bollywood Actress Amy Jackson To Recur As Saturn Girl.”Deadline, Penske Business Media, LLC, 26 Sept. 2017, deadline.com/2017/09/supergirl-bollywood-actress-amy-jackson-recur-saturn-girl-1202176567/.

Image credit: Amy Jackson Top Live Wallpaper by Solution

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