ATHENA

I was a big fan of IRIS -- actually I'm a big fan of spy series. I was excited when the news came out that there would be an IRIS spin off. I had high expectations about Athena but I was left disappointed after watching the series. The first episode brought lots of guns and action and I loved it especially the scene of Son Hyuk and that martial artist but after episode 1 I kind of felt like Athena wasn't living up to the people's my expectations that it would be much much better than IRIS.

There were a lot of almost useless scenes like the 15 minute dream sequence of Jung Woo and Hae In. I was like "oh yeah this scene is great" but I was like WTF? when it brought us back to Jung Woo......who had fallen asleep at NTS ---- so yeah it was a dream and it took out almost a quarter of the episode. It would have been okay if they shortened it. Next one was the kidnapping of the president's daughter. Yeah it was all about the SNC that is vital to the completion of the nuclear technology the president was developing  but we didn't even see the president's daughter in the later episodes or shall I say the plot in Italy really didn't make a huge impact in the later episodes. I respect BoA as an artist but her cameo was sooo MEH. It would have been better if one of her staffs were part of Athena but no ---- the whole point about BoA's cameo was her speakers were used as a transport channel by the terrorists. That's it and it took us almost 2 episodes to figure that out. BoA and Jung Woo also had this some sort of "date" in Japan which I thought was soo out of the picture. The last one was Son Hyuk and Jae Hee's love scene. IT HAS NO SIGNIFICANCE. Well it would have been better if Son Hyuk fell in love with Jae Hee (I was rooting for them after it was repeatedly shown that Jung Woo was head over heals with Hae In) in the later episodes but he too was lovesick with Hae In.

But I have to agree that Cha Seung Won is H-O-T.

One thing I also dislike about Athena was their OH SOOOO ANTI-CLIMACTIC SCENES at the end of almost each episode. They really had the knack of extracting those excitement and thrill out of you at the end of each episode. At some point, you feel the thrill and the next one you don't and vice versa.

Athena's cast was good and I think the cast was better than IRIS but maybe it was just the poor creative writing that made them --- their characters looked bad. Jung Woo (Jung Woo Sung)  is like a bipolar agent. He's sometimes idiotic with his rash behavior (remember when Hae In was 'kidnapped" and he stole the SNC to give to Athena in exchange for Hae In) as an agent but sometimes he can also be the "super" agent type or sometimes he's a clueless git. I really don't believe he's a super spy. He was more like an excellent police officer I mean the vibe he gave off in the series it was nothing like a great spy. I gotta commend Su A in this drama. She really did great in her role as a bad ass spy but there was something lacking in her character. Now let's cut to the chase. The only reason why I watched this series till the end it's because of:

KIM MIN JONG: Dammit. *daydreams* ♥

Quite a long introduction as to the reason why I watched the series eh? =D Yeah, it's because of KIM MIN JONG! He plays a funny and formerly "skilled" North Korean elite spy who defected to the South. I loved his role in Athena though it's somewhat like on the verge of non existent. Eventually, I became his overnight fan! ♥ Just wished he had more scenes. The North Korean agents storyline of Athena was far more interesting than it's main storyline.

I'm a Super Junior fan so how could I forgot Choi Siwon's awesome perf in this drama. Though same as Kim Min Jong, he also had minimal scenes but he saved the day in Episode 8 and I love it~! And oh, he's "noona" moment was AWESOME! 

His unrequited love for Jae Hee.

Such a cutie.

I commend Athena for being a greater "evil" than IRIS. They had grander terrorist methods than IRIS.

If you want to watch Athena, you might want to watch the episode in Italy, episode 8, episode 14 and I think the last few episodes or else maybe you'll just find yourself asleep at the end of the other episodes.

Soo disappointed. 

CHUNO / THE SLAVE HUNTERS

I just finished watching Chuno/The Slave Hunters ---- not really because the link was DEAD! Of all the episodes why does it have to be the last! I'm so sad. =( Talking about being so anti-climactic. Sigh.

EDIT: I already bought a DVD of this drama! Hurrah! =) I watched it all over again! I will edit this entry as soon as I'm finished watching it. Round 2. =D

Chuno is a drama about slavery, love and betrayal. Daegil comes from a noble family and is in love of their family slave, Hyewon/Eunyeon. His life was ruined when Hyewon's brother set their house ablaze and left him there to die but he survived. He became a slave hunter together with General Choi and Wang Son ( I love the "Daegil" family!) in the hopes of finding Eunyeon. Ohh Daegil's undying love for Eunyeon. Jang Hyuk was really great in this drama. I'm so glad he won the Daesang (grand prize) in the 2010 KBS Drama Awards. I guess he also won in the 2010 Seoul Drama Awards. I really felt his pain searching Eunyeon for 10 years and what made it so unbearable was he found out that she married the man he was supposed to catch/kill. I can also feel his........CHOCO ABS. =D

Episode 21 (at the feast):

Daegil to Gen. Choi: "Not being able to see her was driving me crazy but now seeing her everyday (esp. with Song Tae Ha), it's just killing me." =(

Song Taeha is a former military commander and spent 8 years serving the crown prince in China after Joseon lost the war in the Qing dynasty. He was falsely accused of appropriating state crops and was sentenced to slavery.  He married Hyewon in the end which I disapprove of because I wanted Oh Jiho all by myself. Bwahahahah!

Hyewon/Eunyeon is a house slave of Daegil's family. After the incident, she and her brother lived as nobles and acquired a new name, Kim Hyewon. I didn't like how Lee Dahae portrayed her role in this drama. For starters, she's too beautiful to be a slave and even for a noblewoman her face doesn't suit her because she's too beautiful.

The sole reason why I watched this drama is because of Lee Jong Hyuk. =D As you have read in my previous entry, I became his fangirl after watching Formidable Rivals. =D I'm so glad I was able to watch because THIS DRAMA IS AWESOME! Lee Jong Hyuk plays Hwang Chul Woong. He was Taeha's colleague when both of them were still on the same side. He was enslaved by his ambition and the desire to beat Song Taeha. He became a cold hearted assassin.

General Choi, Wang Son and Seol Hwa really gives this drama hilarity amidst of all the betrayal and slavery that has been going on in the drama. I thought General Choi and Wang Son died but they didn't. After that episode (where they were supposed to die), any comedic attempts by other characters didn't have an effect on me. A couple of episodes had pass they re-appeared and I was so happy watching the four (Daegil, Choi, Wang Son and Seolhwa) of them again with Seol Hwa and Wang Son going at with each other's throats.

Favorite parts of the drama:

• Awesome scene where Chul Woong, Daegil, General Choi and Tae Ha were fighting in episode 6. Hyewon had to cut it off. Grrr. Just watch the episode. Hahah!

• I forgot what episode was this but I really cracked up when Cheon Jiho (slave hunter) tried to catch that bamboo thrown by Chul Woong and didn't catch it. LOL. I repeated it around 5 times. =)))

• Scenes of the "Daegil" family. ♥

• In a crammed shack, a very heart-warming scene among slaves in episode 20 wherein they talked about what they were going to do after they successfully carry out a rebellion against those who oppressed them and finally achieved to live as a free person. They were like children talking about their dreams and ambitions. There is indeed nothing worse than slavery. How did such thing existed in the ancient times? Unfortunately, they were tricked by a man sent by the evil Minister Lee. =( I feel so sorry for them.

• Actually I love all the fight sequences in this drama. I LOVE THE DRAMA ITSELF. Hahaha.

• I really loved the scenes where Daegil and Taeha were tag teams towards the last part of the series. =)

Daegil and Taeha fighting Hwang Chul Woong's troops

Smiling at each other after they kicked the butts of Hwang Chul Woong and his men

Smiling at each other after they kicked the butts of Hwang Chul Woong and his men

EDIT #2: I finally watched the last episode. I was left speechless. JANG HYUK's acting was just AMAZING. He really deserved all those Daesang awards last year. Lee Jong Hyuk was an AMAZING antagonist too. Ironic as it sounds I love the way the drama ended. Almost all the characters had closure. When I think about Chuno/The Slave Hunters, there is only one name that first pops out of my mind and that is LEE DAEGIL. Daegil deserved the "epic hero" ending. He gave up his life saving his only beloved, Eunyeon, and telling her to live with happiness with Song Taeha (super duper ouch!). I really cried watching the scene of Seolhwa and Daegil in the last part where Daegil was dying. I was really a Daegil/Seolhwa shipper at first but realized no one can replace Eunyeon in Daegil's heart. Daegil's treatment to Seolhwa was like a little sister. This line from Daegil made me cry even more.

Daegil (dying): "Seolhwa, I'm sorry. Darkness surrounded me, that's why I couldn't see your heart was beating for me."

Currently, Chuno is my most favorite drama and it is one of the best indeed. I will never get tired watching this drama over and over again.

Quote from the drama:

‎"A life of simplicity is a wise man's greatest virtue." - Lee Daegil

"You know what last resorts are? Something you never use as last resort because when things go astray, there's never going to be a way out." - Lee Daegil 

"It doesn't take a crown to change the world." - Song Taeha

The OST is still in my head. ♪♫ gaseumeul dein geotcheoreom  nunmure paein geotcheoreom jiwojiji annneun sangcheodeuri goeropda ♫♪