Must See Romantic Movies

Top 10 Must See Romantic Movies

Great Romantic Movies

I love watching entertaining and educational movies in my spare time when I am not in busy with kids or cooking. I like to combine my interest so, I make healthy snacks at home just I can sit down and have entertaining friends and family by watching DVDs at home. It is not only cheaper to watch a movie from my own collection or rented from movie rental store. Also check classic uplifting holidays movies for family that will sure to bring cheer and inspiration to anyone. Valentine day is just around the corner and it is a great to do something special for your loved ones.

I love romantic reading as any other woman out there, and I cry at sappy movies and laugh and get happy when there is a happy ending to people’s love.There is something about two people destined to be together come over great obstacles and misunderstanding to come together in the end, which is so inspirational and hopeful for anyone in love out there. Many of are made for women no wonder some are call chick-movies. Another romantic things to for your loved one is get them flowers for valentine, chocolate or cook dinner for them. Hopefully guy who is truly in love will watch these movies with his girlfriend, wife, sister or mother. There are many romantic comedies out there which are great. I want to share my top romantic movies list.

Top Romantic Movies

1. Titanic

Language: English
Genre: Romance/Drama
MPAA rating: PG-13
Director: James CameronActors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane
Based on part non-fiction and part fictional story takes place in voyage over the ocean and tells a story of unlikely pair in love. Young rich girl and poor boy’s doomed love story. Whole story is told in flash back by old lady who comes with her grand daughter to retell what really happened. I love Leo’s character in this movie and made him a star.

2. An Affair to Remember

Genres: Drama, Romance, Rating: NR,Language:English
Director: Leo McCarey
Actors: Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Richard Denning,Neva Patterson, Cathleen Nesbitt,Robert Q. Lewis

I did not see this movie until recently and I loved it and wonder why I had not seen it. It stars Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. This another love story in ocean liner and fall deeply in love. Deborah’s character is engaged to somebody but they agree to meet after six month at Empire State’s Building if they still felt the love after six month’s time. A tragic accident keep their love apart but in end all ends well.

3. Casablanca

Language: English
Genre: Drama/Romance
MPAA rating: NR
Director: Michael Curtiz
Actors: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid

This movie is set in Casablaca, Africa during 1940s. Bogart’s character has past which he wants to forget and avoid. He meets his past love, Ingrid again in a bar he owns. Things get complicated as has a husband now and to watch happens next you have to watch this movie.

4. Roman Holiday

Language: English
Genre: Drama/Romance
MPAA rating: NR
Director: William Wyler
Actors: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert

I love Audery Hepburn and this was her first ever movie for which she won an academy award. It also stars Gerogory Peck as news paper reporter. He meets a princess played by Audrey who has escaped her boring family life. Will he spill the beans in new paper story? Watch this movie to find out.

5. City of Angels

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Rating: PG-13,Language:English
Director: Brad Silberling
Actors:Nicolas Cage,Meg Ryan,Andre Braugher,Dennis Franz,Colm Feore,Sarah Dampf

This movie is remade or inspired by a German movie called Wings of Desire. Meg Ryan plays a heart surgeon and has just lost a patient. An angel name Seth played by Nicholas Cage comes for this patient and falls in love with doctor. She can feel him and Angel chooses to be normal human and losing his immortality to be with woman he loves. Touching romantic story is gripping to watch.

6. When Harry Met Sally

Director: Rob Reiner
Actors:Meg Ryan,Billy Crystal,Lisa Jane Persky,Carrie Fisher,Steven Ford,Bruno Kirby
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Rating: R Language: English

This movie asks eternal question, can man and woman can be ever true friend or sex will have come between them. This movie spans two people’s life from a college to twenty years, starting with friendship and more to see they truly care and loved each other.

7. Gone With the Wind

Language: English
Genre: Drama/Romance
MPAA rating: PG
Director: Victor Fleming
Actors: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, George Reeves

An epic movie tells civil war tale of a strong woman, Scarlett, who loves the man she didn’t marry. When she truly realize that man she married is the person she truly love, it is too late.

8. Pretty Woman

Director: Garry Marshall
Actors: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere,Jason Alexander, Alex Hyde-White, Hector Elizondo
Genres: Romance, Comedy Rating:R
Language: English

Richard Gere plays a rich lawyer, whose girl friend has left him. He meets a prostitute to give him a direction and he uses her services to take her to special events and get to know each other to realize they there is more to the relation and that is love.

9. It Happened One Night

Language: English
Genre: Comedy/Romance
MPAA rating: NR
Director: Frank Capra
Actors: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Roscoe Karns

A rich and spoiled daughter of rich father, runs away from home to meet the guy she think she in love with. She meet up Clark’s character who is newspaper reporter and they take journey together to realize at the end that they are in love with each other.

10. Romancing the Stone

Genres: Action, Adventure
Director:Robert Zemeckis
Actors:Michael Douglas,Kathleen Turner,Danny DeVito,Zack Norman,Alfonso Arau,Manuel Ojeda

A romance writer played by Kathleen Turner, receives a treasure map in the mail. She is soon headed to Columbia and have an adventure to save her sister from kidnappers, and maybe fall in love with a rogue soldier-of-fortune played by Kirk Douglas.

Non movies way to Celebrate Love, Romance and Valentine Day:

Classic Romance Gifts

	Valentine Amore Romantic Gift Set – Bed of Roses Scented floating silk rose petals and tealight candles
	BoldLoft “Say I Love You” Couple Pillowcases-Romantic Valentines Gifts for Couples, Cute Valentines Day Gift Ideas, Good Couple Gifts for Valentines, Romantic Anniversary Gifts
	Reasons I love you stones Pack
	My Heart Will… Pocket Compass

Source: Top 10 Romantic Movies

January 2, 2014January 5, 2014

Which Kdrama Is Best For Beginner?

Boys Over Flower: Another Love Story Couple

When I first started watching Korean Drama was by accident and I chose the good Kdrama for expert, but not for a beginner. I watched melodrama which was slow and had many sad scenes. However, somehow, I stuck along 20 episodes of it and survived. Since then I realized that there are much more better choices of Kdramas I could have started with.

Watching Korean Drama is very different compared to American Drama and even BBC mini series sitcoms, it is very unique experience. If you are new to Korean Drama or want to experience the craze about Kdrama, then these are the dramas you should start with.

Things to know before watching any Korean Drama:

Korean dramas are 16-24 episodes long, unlike decade running series like “All My Children” or “General Hospital. That means there is finite time and end.
Korean dramas are over an hour long, without any ads or commercials. If you watch it on some streaming drama sites, they would add their own ads every 15 minutes or so, making it long (Unless you get paid subscription)
Make sure before you buy or pay for Kdrama, it has fully English subtitles, or whichever language you prefer. If you are native Korean speaker, ignore this tip.
Korean drama are slower in pace and culture is quite different compared to US or western culture and drama. Sometimes holding hands between lead pairs can take long time.
There is less importance on physical relationship. Sometimes lead pair can kiss in last episodes, or sometimes they may not even kiss despite loving such as “49 days”. Don’t worry, it will not make it dull or less romantic viewing. Believe me and other Kdrama addict fans.
There will be lot of back hugs, piggy back rides, drinking and eating food together, plenty of guy shower scene as they seemed to do lot of thinking during shower.
Storyline either be modern time, or Joseon era of past, or time traveling between old and modern time such as Rooftop Prince or Queen In Hyun’s Man.
Do not start a Korean Drama just before test, before project is due. Believe me, everything will be left as it is and drama will be finished.
You may lose your sleep, just trying to watch JUST ONE MORE episodes. I have done it plenty of time.
You may start to read Kdrama blogs and recruit other people missing out on watching Korean Drama.

Okay, now that I said what to expect, let’s move on important part such as which is the best Korean Drama to start watching. After watching Korean Drama since 2010 and watching many good, bad, ugly and all in between dramas, I can suggest and share my best drama list for new beginners to Kdrama world.

Best Korean Dramas For a Beginner:

One more thing, first episodes is always a introduction of situations, characters and it is all jumble usually for most Korean Drama. You will have to watch at least 2 or 3 episodes to really get in to drama. So, have little patience and watch 2-3 episodes at least.

City Hunter

This is best Kdrama for beginner in my opinion, as the story takes place in modern time, and has cool spy things, politics, love, revenge all rolled in to one. Of course, having a Good looking Lee Min Ho starring in it, sure helps. Based on a famous Japanese comic, CITY HUNTER is a Korean TV drama thriller starring Lee Min-Ho(Boys Over Flowers( and Park Min-Young (Sungkyunkwan Scandal) that follows a trail of revenge and romance all the way to the presidential Blue House.

You’re Beautiful

This series is about 3 guys in boy band group and one girl, pretending to be a boy in a boy band which surely leads to love, confusion and heartaches. Taekyung (Jang Keun-Suk) is A.N.JELL’s arrogant and insufferable lead singer. Guitarist Shinwoo (Jung Yong-Hwa of C.N.Blue) is too perceptive for his own good, and happy-go-lucky drummer Jeremy (Lee Hong-Ki of F.T. Island) is just plain slow on the uptake. Into the boy band mix comes A.N.JELL’s bumbling newbie, Go Minam (Park Shin-Hye). But what the fans don’t know is that he’s actually a she! Roped into posing as her twin brother, Minam has to hide her real identity. But secrets have a way of coming out, especially when her bandmates start falling for her!

Secret Garden:

Story is cute and has un-realistic plot line, but that will not matter, you will want true love life like them in no time. From shiny tracksuits to cappuccino foam kisses, the fantasy romance Secret Garden provided some of the hottest topics in 2011. Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won bicker away in the series as an eccentric, elitist CEO and a spunky stunt woman who hate each other almost as much as they’re undeniably attracted to each other. It’ll take some magical intervention to get these two stubborn lovebirds to ‘fess up to their feelings!

Roof Top Prince:

This drama story takes places in both modern and old Joseon era times, however it is mostly in modern present time. There is re-incarnation of both male leads and female leads in both modern and olden era.

Prince Lee Gak finds himself time traveling 300 years into the future with his 3 trusted sidekicks as they are investigating murder of Princess, his wife. They would have to go through considerable challenges as he adapts to 21st century Seoul and Park-ha. Can love last when there is 300 years gap? You will laugh, cry and fall in love with Omurice, J4 (Joseon 4 guys) and lead pair’s love story.

Full House:

This was very popular series in 2004, by singer actor Rain and I can see why, it has every thing Kdrama needs, rich, good looking male lead, pretty, happy go lucky poor female lead, fake marriage contract and love square.

Female lead Han Ji-eun’s loses her house by greedy friend to Rain. She and rain makes an arrangement for her to earn her house back by working at home for him, which leads to Fake Marriage contract and confusion and eventual love. Even though I am not a big Rain fan, I like his acting in this series.

Boys Over Flower:

This is high school romance story between unlikely pair has its origin in Japanese Manga. Only reason you should watch this drama is, unless you have watched Boys Over Flower once you do not know Kdrama. While it has too much hype as most popular Korean dram, you should watch it for experience and who Jan Di and Gun Pyo are, and who F4, fabulous four guys are. Story takes place in high school where F4 are rich, good looking and bully to the core. One poor girl, stands up to them and 2 guys falls for her from F4. How their love survives between evil mom, memory loss and fiance is what makes it fun.

Queen In Hyun’s Man:

To people who complain that there are not enough hot kisses in Korean drama should watch this drama as it has many passionate kisses between the lead pair. They are dating in real life at the time, so I guess the chemistry shows up on screen. The story takes place in modern time but time traveling is also there. Male lead who is smart, considerate and adapts to modern life quickly. Love story has cute, comedy scenes are there and fun to watch, so go ahead and try it.

The Heirs:

The Heirs also takes place in high school and stars Lee Min Ho. But unlike Lee Min Ho character from Boys Over Flowers, here Lee Min Ho’s Character Kim Tan is more mature and level headed person, even though he used to be a bully in past. Kim Tan is in California in first few episodes, his English leaves lot to desire but it will not matter. Love story between illegitimate rich son and housekeeper’s daughter is shown in realistic way. Seeing screwed up lives of rich parents and kids made me feel at ease that I am not rich. Watch this series for fun viewing as it is in modern times that we can relate.

IIjimae:

Unlike other Korean Drama for beginner, this is only Kdrama that is completely takes place in olden time. The reason I picked it here but it story line is similar to Robin Hood. The hero or Iijimae robs and steal to help poor, oppressed people under corrupt lawmakers. We get to see his past story to why he does what he does. There is love from 2 girls that Iljimae has, but does he have time for it? I believe, new Kdrama viewers will love this series even though it is takes place in Joseon era.

Dream High:

Dream high is a feel-good fluff Kdrama that is fun to watch. Six students at Kirin High School have the dream of becoming K-pop idols. During their school years, they learn how to develop their singing, songwriting and dancing skills while undergoing personal growth. They also go through their love life and start to develop feelings for each other. Each one of the students has his or her own strengths and weaknesses, but they strive to debut with the support and guidance of each other. The series was so popular that there is season 2 of Dream High was made with new actors and season 1 actors making a cameos in it.

So, pick any one of the drama and start watching Korean Drama, soon you will be viewing more complex and wonderful world of Korean Drama in no time.

December 30, 2013December 31, 2013

My Lovely Kim Sam Soon

My Lovely Sam Soon Korean Drama Review

This Kdrama Genre is Romance, Comedy with 16 episodes and aired on MBC network from June 2005 to July 2005. Main star cast are, Kim Sun Ah as Kim Sam-soon, Hyun Bin as Hyun Jin-heon, Jung Ryu Won as Yoo Hee-jin and Daniel Henney as Dr. Henry Kim. I liked Hyun Bin since “Millionaire’s First Love” and had seen Daniel Henney in “Seducing Mr. Perfect” and both are great in here as well as female leads.

Plot follows like a quite a few Korean Drama before, poor female leads is too good, gets dumped by boyfriend. She gets in love/marriage contract with rich and jerk male lead, and eventually both fall in love for real. Kim Sam Soon (Kim Sun Ah) is a baker who has a talent in making pastries and cakes. On one day, she caught her boyfriend, Min Hyun Woo (Lee Kyu Han), cheating on her and breaks up on the same night. By sheer coincidence, Jin Hun needs a baker for his restaurant Bon Appetit and Sam Soon is unemployed. Sam Soon is hired as the restaurant’s chief baker. Nevertheless, they started to have feeling for each other and Sam Soon agreed to post as Jin Hun’s girlfriend so his mother would leave him alone. Things got complicated when Jin Hun’s ex-girlfriend Yoo Hee Jin came back from the States intending to win him back.

It’s a story about a 29-year-old woman named Kim Sam Soon. Prior to turning 30, Sam Soon had basically three goals, i.e. to find love, to officially change her name to Kim Hee-jin and to run a bakery business. She graduated in Paris and was a highly qualified pastry chef, who, has the habit of baking cakes and pastries to relax. Nothing was going right for Sam Soon at the start of the story. Her long-time boyfriend dumped her for a slim, pretty, rich, and younger woman. Worst, people often laughed when she introduce herself. And she was jobless. She lived with her mother and elder sister who returned from Paris after a divorce.

Buy: My Lovely Sam Soon (English Subtitles)

My Lovely Same Soon Korean Drama Trailer

Plot in details: The story starts with Sam Soon’s series of bad luck. Her luck changed when she was offered a job as a pastry chef in an expensive western restaurant called ‘Bon Appetite’. There, she met Hyun Jin-heon who was 3 years younger than her and who was also the owner of the restaurant. Jin-heon, was not a very nice boss and often bully her.

However, forced by desperation for money, Sam Soon approached her boss for a loan. At first he flatly refused. Later he agreed, but on the condition that she agreed to pose as his girlfriend and fiance for the next few months. Sam Soon reluctantly agreed and vowed to pay him back as soon as she could. Jin-heon had his own problems. He was trying to runaway from his mother’s arranged marriage plans. He thought he could convince his mother to stop, thinking that he was already involved in a serious relationship with Sam Soon.

Gradually, Sam Soon developed feelings for Jin-heon and later confessed. Jin-heon, on the other hand, was confused especially when his ex-girlfriend, Lee He-jin, returned from the United States to continue their relationship. Jin-heon refused to admit that he loved Sam Soon and forced himself to start again with Hee-jin. At about the same time, Sam Soon’s ex-boyfriend returned and started to woo her back despite being married. He wanted to make her his mistress.

This drove Jin-heon crazy and he finally understood his feelings for Sam Soon. He confessed to Sam Soon but was too afraid to break-up with Hee-jin. Hee-jin was suffering from an eating disorder and had just recovered from cancer. Obviously, the poor woman found out and fell ill again. It worried Jin-heon but luckily, her hunk of a doctor cum friend Daniel Henny was there to support her. She decided to return to the US with Dennis but requested Jin-heon to accompany her to the US for one last time and stay for a week. Jin-heon was reluctant but went ahead after seeking ‘approval’ from Sam Soon.

Surprisingly, he didn’t return as promised. After waiting around for months, the broken-hearted Sam Soon decided to move on and start a bakery shop together with her sister. When Sam Soon was starting a new relationship with another guy, came back. He claimed that he has been sending postcards to her while traveling alone in the US. Of course Sam Soon accepted him back but the ending is not 100% happy and is a bit disappointing. If you want to know, buy the DVD la.

One outstanding thing about the drama was that Sam Soon’s character wasn’t the typical feminine roles Korean dramas often portray. In fact, she’s quite the opposite. She has bad hair, a bit fat, poor sense of fashion, rough demeanor, often uses rude language and has a really bad temper. It amazes me how an anti-hero character would grow into such a lovable one.

Overall, I’m giving this drama a high score of 8.5/10. It’s highly recommended for those who are desperate for a good laugh. It has many funny scenes that would make your eyes water with laughter. (Source: CheAyu)

This drama won a quite a few awards, such as;

Awards

42ND THE PAEKSANG AWARDS
– Best Drama, My Lovely Sam-Soon
– Best Screenplay, Kim Do Woo
– Most Popular Couple, Hyun Bin, and Kim Sun Ah
– Best Cast, My Lovely Sam-Soon

MBC AWARDS 2005
– New Actor Award, Daniel Henney
– Popularity Award, The Main Couple Hyun Bin and Kim Sun Ah
– Best Couple Award,Hyun Bin and Kim Sun Ah
– Excellence Award , Jung Ryu Won
– Top Excellence Award/ Male: Hyun Bin
– Top Excellence Award/ Female: Kim Sun Ah
– Greatest Award, Kim Sun Ah

SEOUL DRAMA AWARDS 2006
– Best Mini Series, My Lovely Sam-Soon

Buy: My Lovely Sam Soon (English Subtitles)

December 12, 2013December 29, 2013

Queen Inhyun’s Man Korean Drama Review

Rating:*** (A-)

This is nice romantic korean drama that ran from 18 April 2012 – 7 June 2012. It is 16 episodes long. Plot is not simple and keeps viewers intrigued throughout 16 episodes, it did at least for me. The story flips back and forth from Joseon era to modern korean time 2012 when the series first aired. Kim Boong-do (Ji Hyun-woo) is a noble-born scholar in 17th century Joseon era and his family’s sole survivor after they were massacred in a conspiracy. Boong-do supports the reinstatement of Queen In-hyun, who was deposed due to scheming by royal concubine Lady Jang.

Meanwhile in modern-day Seoul in 2012, Choi Hee-jin (Yoo In-na), an unknown and upcoming actress, lands her big break when she is cast as Queen In-hyun in the television drama “New Jang Heebin”. Due to a mysterious talisman, Boong-do time-travels to 2012, where he crosses paths with Hee-jin and falls in love. I like the part where Choi Hee Jin’s friend and manager keeps asking same questions to Kim Boong do as history keeps changing by the action they have taken. While I do not think Hee Jin is not the “most beautiful person in world” as she names herself in Boong Do’s cell phone but it makes me chuckle at cuteness.

Of course, there are a few plot holes towards the end of series such as why talisman changes (without giving away spoilers for those who have not yet seen it) sometimes I just take happy ending for sake of feeling romantic or good as sometimes dramas do not follow logic but they entertain us. Quote from the drama’s narration – “A chance encounter that started with a gap in time… that meeting already ended a year ago. Our reunion now is not because of a mysterious talisman written by a monk, but because of a string of memories that belongs only to us both. Now begins our second encounter. Now, I am his lifesaver. The price to pay? All he has to do is stay forever by my side.” May explain the last episode time travel via cell phone was possible, may be?

There are a few dramas that I can re-watch and this is certainly one of it. It has history, romance, mystery and of course time travel unlike in roof top prince, where time traveling was not frequent as in this one.

During filming, actors who played the lead roles actually fell in love and after much gossips and Hyun Woo and Yoon In Na admitted to be couple. I like sometimes that romantic couple I rooted for in the series were actually in love and it comes across the scenes.

Queen In Hyun’s Kissing Scene (English Subtitle)

Cast:

Ji Hyun-woo – Kim Boong-do
Yoo In-na – Choi Hee-jin
Kim Jin-woo – Han Dong-min, Hee-jin’s ex-boyfriend
Ga Deuk-hee – Jo Soo-kyung, Hee-jin’s friend and manager
Jin Ye-sol – Yoon-wol
Uhm Hyo-seop – Minister Min
Lee Kwan-hoon – Ja-soo
Ji Nam-hyuk – Han-dong
Park Young-rin – Yoon Na-jung
Jo Dal-hwan – Chun-soo
Seo Woo-jin – King Sukjong
Kim Hae-in – Queen In-hyun
Choi Woo-ri – Jang Hee-bin
Kim Won-hae – Eunuch Hong

Memorable Quotes from the Series:

Hee Jin: „Wait, don’t go. Don’t…go. If you go now, I might never see you again… Don’t go. After trying so hard to save your life, why are you treating me like this? Didn’t you say you’d be responsible for me? Why are you not honouring your promise? Don’t go…“

Boong Do: „I didn’t know it myself, but I think I just might be a player. This I admit.“

Boong Do: „But why is my letter still around? How?“

Hee Jin: „Minister Nam kept this in his possession. Last month, his descendants officially disclosed it.“

Boong Do: „How can they disclose someone else’s private letter?! It has to be destroyed.“

Hee Jin: „That letter is now in the museum. Now, you definitely can’t destroy it. Unless the museum collapses.“

Where you can watch it with english subtitle?

You can watch it on Drama Fever or buy DVD of Queen In Hyun’s Man with English subtitle on Amazon so you can rewatch, freeze your favorite scenes like I do.

If you are interested in Queen In Hyun’s Man’s Original Sound Track which is wonderful by the way, you can get it here: Queen In Hyun’s Man OST.

[English Lyrics] Queen In Hyun’s Man OST Part 3-Another Time, The Same Sky

OST: Queen In Hyun’s Man OST MV: My Man Kim Boong Do

Queen In-hyun’s Man OST
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	“인현왕후의 남자 – Title” (Queen In-hyun’s Man – Title)		Kim Hee-jin, Nam Hye-seung
2.	“같은 하늘 다른 시간에” (Same Sky, Different Time)	Jo Hyun-joo	Kim Do-hyeong	Joo Hee of 8Eight	03:40
3.	“꼭 한번” (Just Once)	Young Jae, Min Yeon-jae	Young Jae, Bae Gi-pil	Young Jae of 4Men	03:35
4.	“그대가 왔죠” (You Came)	Jung Ho-gyu, Pabaki, Mr.Sync	Jung Ho-gyu, Pabaki, Mr.Sync	Kim So-jung	03:10
5.	“지금 만나러 갑니다” (I’m Going to Meet You)	노는 어린이	노는 어린이	Deok Hwan	03:18
6.	“시간을 넘어” (Leap Through Time)		Kim Hee-jin, Nam Hye-seung	이크거북
7.	“같은 하늘 다른 시간에 (Inst.)” (Same Sky, Different Time (Inst.))		Kim Do-hyeong		03:40
8.	“꼭 한번 (Inst.)” (Just Once (Inst.))		Young Jae, Bae Gi-pil		03:35
9.	“내 남자, 김붕도” (My Man, Kim Boong-do)		Nam Hye-seung, Park Sang-hee	이크거북