MIDAS

The drama, Midas, is all about the intrigues in the financial world. I gained more knowledge about Finance after watching this drama. I am an Accountancy student so some of the terms used in Midas aren't really foreign to me. I even learned new terms. =D Stocks, loans, mergers and acquisitions were talked about in the drama and how these affects the business world. I used to not pay attention with all that has been going on in the stock market but after watching Midas I was interested. =D

The story revolves around Kim Do Hyun (Jang Hyuk) a son of a fish vendor who strived hard to go into a law training institute and eventually became a lawyer -- a very good lawyer. He is also a financial genius who has foreknowledge about stock market movements. He has a girlfriend, Lee Jung Yeon (Lee Min Jung), but their relationship went rocky when Do Hyun started working for the Yu family (he resigned and worked full time at Lone Asia) and Lone Asia. He was blinded by his dreams, ambitions and eventually by his greed. Lone Asia is a hedge fund firm headed by Yu In Hye (Kim Hee Ae). Yu In Hye is an illegitimate daughter of the owner of Injin Group, Yu Pil Sang. 

Do Hyun was imprisoned for 2 years because of lobbying/bribing bank executives whom Lone Asia targeted in a M&A. Yu In Hye was part of this and discarded Do Hyun right then and there. After spending years in prison Do Hyun was thirsty for revenge against In Hye. Their battle started in the middle of the series and that made the drama more interesting. =)

Spoiler Alert.

The drama had a happy ending. James Jung died. In Hye was just like Do Hyun. She made a deal with the devil, James Jung. In Hye changed after his brother Yu Myung Jun (No Min Woo) died of pancreatic cancer. Fans of NMW were saying he should not have died but IMO he had to because if he didn't die In Hye still would not have realized that MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING.

Do Hyun started a charity foundation in Yeouido (Korea's Wall Street) and has been popular since. Do Hyun and his father rekindled their relationship. Do Hyun and Jung Yeon were as in love as ever.

I sooo love them! They were so fun to watch with their con activities. The actress who plays Jeong Ja is really pretty. =) Kim Do Chul was also a fun character. 

Kim Do Hyun and his financial gang

Don't you just love them? They are intellegent and handsome! =D 

QUOTES FROM THE DRAMA:

• "When law is dominated by money, all that's left is SORDID GREED." - Yu Inhye
• "Desire and greed have no end. A person has to look back and glance around to the sides as he lives. Racing ahead just looking forward is an ideal way to trip and fall." - Jung Yeon's dad
• "If you don't know how scary money is, you'll get badly hurt." 
• "If your greed is excessive, you will be ruined." 
• "Money is the devil's currency."

NOW THE FINANCIAL TERMS I learned from the drama:

• Non-Performing Loan (NPL)- A loan on which the borrower is not making interest payments or repaying any principal. At what point the loan is classified as non-performing by the bank, and when it becomes bad debt, depends on local regulations. Banks normally set aside money to cover potential losses on loans (loan loss provisions) and write off bad debt in their profit and loss account. In some countries, banks that have accumulated too many NPLs are able to sell them on - at a discount - to specially established asset management companies (AMCs), which attempt to recover at least some of the money owed.

• Hostile Takeover (in a Merger & Acquisition) - is a type of corporate takeover which is carried out against the wishes of the board of the target company. Hostile takeovers can be traumatic for the target company, and they can also be risky for the other side, as the acquiring company may not be able to obtain certain relevant information about the target company.

• Paper Company - A company with no operations that exists exclusively for a financial reason. In the drama, these companies were establish for illegal reasons.

• White Knight - A company that comes to the rescue of another listed company when it is under siege from an unwelcome bidder (sometimes called a black knight), often at the request of the targets management. The white knight may make an improved offer, or it may just be a more acceptable predator than the first bidder, as far as the management is concerned.

This drama is really good for business students. =) Watching this drama is a good break from all the romantic-comedy dramas that has been in the Korean drama industry for like --- forever! =D 

Lesson: MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING.  If one isn't firm with their principles, it's scary how money changes a person.

Tell me your thoughts about the drama too! Post a comment. =)

BABY-FACED BEAUTY / YOUTHFUL BEAUTY =)

The colors are sooo cute. =D

Just watched episode 1. Well, I'm really not hard to please when it comes to dramas so I give this a thumbs up. One reason I'm watching this is because of Choi Daniel. I love his funny character in the drama, World's Within. 

Lee Soo Young (Jang Nara) is a 34-year old woman who looks like a 25 year old university student. She is also  a struggling fashion designer who only graduated up until high school. She worked at a company for 14 years but recently was fired. She's the bread winner in her family so she has to find a job ASAP to support her mother and younger sister. 

Choi Jin Wook (Choi Daniel) is man who looks older for his age. He is the heir of a multi-million dollar company but is not in good terms with his father and decided to take his fate in his own hands. He worked at a fashion company as a managing director. That scene where he thought he had to walk on the runway was funny. =D

I just finished watching episode 1-4. The first few episodes started slow but after episode 4, I couldn't wait to watch the next one! Daniel Choi really portrays his role well in this drama same with Jang Nara. Sometimes I'm kinda annoyed of Nara's character, Soo Young, because of her low self confidence. I hope for a better character development of Soo Young as the drama progresses.

I guess basing on the posters Soo Young and Jin Wook will end up together huh. IMO, Ryu Jin and Nara have more chemistry! =D The scene where Seung Il gave the -- (was that a 10 won coin? Sorry I'm not familiar with Korean currencies,) was so funny and the way Soo Young received the coin. =DD Either way it'll be okay for me since I also like Daniel Choi. Haha! Can't wait to watch episode 5! And ohh, Soo Jin ---- the real one, really gets into my nerves!! >.<

That's all for now. =) I will be updating this post as the drama progresses. =) Hope you'd be coming back here.

ALL ABOUT MARRIAGE / PLEASE MARRY ME

All About Marriage is a drama about couples and.....uhmm...marriage. I wasn't able to finish watching the whole series because the DVD I bought was until at episode 28 only (there are 54 episodes in this drama). As far as episode 28 is concerned, the series depicts the cons of marriage. Husband and wife always fights, betrayal, cheating, selfishness and all those things that make a marriage feel like hell. How some couples in this series are so dysfunctional? The father even said that their children are useless!

If not for Lee Jong Hyuk ( he's sooo damn HOT in this drama.☺Wearing suits really suits him WELL! ♥Though his character was a jerk!), I think I wouldn't be able to continue watching this drama. It's depressing to watch married couples fight almost every episode! It gives me a heavy heart after watching. They also pointed out how ones social status can affect when both persons want to get married. I mean..is it really like this in Korea? I hope not. It is really sick.

Kim Taeho (Lee Jong Hyuk) and Nam Jeongim (Kim Jiyeong):

• Taeho is a selfish man and doesn't respect his wife. He's even a bigger jerk when he starts to cheat on his wife. All he could think of was himself especially when he rose to stardom as a host in a TV talk show that deals with marriage problems. I even can't figure out in the middle part in the series where they separated if Taeho was constantly chasing Jeongim because of love, loyalty or just for his reputation as a perfect husband but I do think (as far as epi 28 is concerned) it's for his reputation. To be fair, there were scenes where Taeho looked back on their happy memories with Jeongim but that's not good enough for me. He's really a jerk. Taeho was unemployed when he married Jeongim. Jeongim worked hard to support his husband's graduate school and it sucks seeing them in the series where they always fought. They live their separate lives (not divorced). 

Yun Seoyeong (Lee Taeim)

• She's Taeho's co-host. You are right. She's one of the reasons why TH and JI marriage has gone mad. You guys know what annoys me? She acts all innocent and sweet! Grrr! I just want to strangle her. She even asked Taeho what their relationship is to hiim!!! Is this girl stupid??!! That man is married! F!

Kim Jongdae( Baek Ilseop) and Oh Soonok (Ko Doo Sim)  

• Jongdae is Taeho's dad. Taeho really takes after his dad in being a jerk and I HATE THIS CHARACTER! I feel sorry for his wife, Soonok  because he doesn't treat her with respect. He treats her like a housemaid giving out errands left and right even preparing for his food (even if his wife was not feeling well) he leaves it to his wife. Jongdae is obsessed with social status. He doesn't want his children to marry someone from a poor family when he himself isn't rich. I mean really...if you love that person it really doesn't matter. He also isn't over his first love. One breath of fresh air in this series is Soonok and Jeongim's mother-daughter-in-law relationship. She's not the mother-in-law from hell. Both of them confined with each other whenever one of them feels sad. They also understand each other because of their husbands' similar attitudes.

Han Gyeonghan (Han Sangjin) and Kim Yunho (Oh Yoona) & Kim Gangho (Seong Hyuk) and Yu Dahye (Lee Dain)

• I have nothing much to say about these couples. Their love is like me-against-the-world type of thing. For the latter, their storyline is also a breath of fresh air. You know being young, cute and in love. 

I hope I will be able to finish this series before school starts. ☺ As for Lee Jong Hyuk, he's really a great actor. haha! I know I'm a bit biased but he really plays the jerk character really well. He's known for his roles as an antagonist. He also played as an assassin in Chuno. In Formidable Rivals, he played a very stiff man but hides his soft side. In Green Rose, I haven't watched that series but I think he was the main antagonist in that drama. I really hope he'll be given the leading role (the good one and the one who gets the girl in the end) someday.

♥ =D

Hot professor. =D

"Trust is the foundation of all human relationships." - Yun Seoyeong (How ironic for her to say that. Ugh I just hate her character! =D But I love the quote that's why I'm posting it here. =D)