Top Ten Tuesday: Songs We Wish Were Books

Last week's giveaway's winners are Beth W, Esperanza G, Jessica H and Maranda H! Don't forget to check out this week's giveaway for another chance to win. 

First, I have a confession, one that always makes me feel a little guilty admitting. I am not a huge fan of music. It's not that I dislike it, I just don't have the time to devote to caring about it, so I don't! If you ask anyone who knows me, they can easily attest that I don't do interests half-assed. If I am going to like something, it gets really intense and weird. That being said, since I don't like music, I decided to make my list about Korean Dramas that I wish were books so that I could fangirl with my non-Korean Drama loving friends over the amazing stories. 

I need to apologize for how long this is going to be. Like I said, when I have an interest it gets really intense and weird :p Plus, I don't really have anywhere that I can gush like this on Kdramas, so you'll just have to forgive me.

This drama absolutely blew me away when I watched it. It stars Yoon Eun Hye, who is an amazing actress, and Park Yoochun, who completely and totally stole my heart in this drama.

What's it about? 

This is easily the most melodramatic of all of the dramas on this list. It is a tear-jerker and can get pretty rough at times. The story starts out with the main two leads as children. Lee Soo Yeon is a young girl whose father is known as a murderer. This gets her bullied a lot in school. Then there is Han Jung Woo, the son of a banker and the new kid at school. They become best friends, until something really awful happens to them, and they are separated for 14 years. When Lee Soo Yeon comes back to Korea under a new identity, she harbors a grudge against Han Jung Woo for what happened to them when they were young. But he has spent the past 14 years desperately searching for her, willing to do whatever it takes to get her back in his life.

What would make it a good book? 

The story here is pretty flawless. It knows how to pull on all of the right strings and push all of the right buttons. What happens to Soo Yeon is absolutely horrendous, and it really punches you in the gut. You want so much for her to heal and to just let Han Jung Woo in. And his steadfast pursuit of her for 14 years, putting every other aspect of his life on hold is pretty stinking romantic. Of course, it wouldn't be a Kdrama (or a YA novel) without a love triangle. And despite his many, many flaws, there is something impossibly lovable about Harry Borrison. Enough that I know a lot of girls who would ignore his "villain" status and ship him and Soo Yeon the whole way through. (Here's looking at you, Mariela :p) 

Harry knows exactly how pretty he is.

Favorite Scene

I am the first to admit this kiss was a little awkward when watching it! They both had no idea what they were doing, so it got a little sloppy. But the "OH MY GOD, FINALLY!!!" moment is probably my favorite part of this drama. But really, the whole drama goes into the favorite scene section.

Interested in checking it out? 
You can find it on Hulu and Dramafever.

This drama is what is called a Noona romance. It has an older girl (noona) and a younger guy. I don't normally do noona romances (or ajusshi romances, which is the opposite), but this one does it in a way that doesn't skeeve you out.

What's it about? 

Another drama that (sort of) starts with the past. Jang Hye Sung is a young girl who witnesses Min Joon Gook kill Soo Ha's father and stops him from killing Soo Ha. Joon Gook threatens her that if she tells anyone what happens, he will kill her and everyone she tells. Of course, as good stories go, she doesn't listen and shows up in court to report what she saw. Joon Gook tries to kill her and they arrest him, all the while promising that as soon as he gets out, he will kill her and her whole family. Soo Ha is so grateful to her, he follows her from the courtroom and promises that he will protect her from Joon Gook. 10 years later, Hye Sung is an attorney and Soo Ha is a high school senior. He has spent the past decade honing his martial arts skills and searching for Hye Sung so he can protect her. Their paths cross again, just as Joon Gook gets out of prison and all hell breaks loose. 

What would make it a good book? 

I think I forgot to mention, Soo Ha can read minds! He helps Hye Sung as his adorable sidekick for her cases, while keeping his identity a secret for as long as he can. He is always silently protecting her, willing to give up his life for hers. It's a really awesome romance, and has a bit of action and a lot suspense tossed in. 

Plus, he's just so pretty. 

Favorite scene. 

This one is hard. There are just so many to choose from, but I think I am going to stick with this romance/kissing theme and go for this one. It's another of those "FINALLY" moments I love so much, and it is made all the better by how happy Soo Ha is that all of the secrets and lies are out in the open. 

Interested in checking it out? 
You can find it on Hulu, Viki and Dramafever.

Only two down, anyone still with me? This drama is, like all of the others on this list, amazing. It's got a little bit of something for everyone. Romance, comedy, ghosts, suspense, mystery, melodrama, and some action. It's a complete package! 

What's it about? 

Tae Gong Sil's life is a total mess. After an accident that left her in a coma, she woke up with the ability to see ghosts. They haunt her, asking her to do things for them, scaring her at all hours of the day. She can't hold a job, she can't keep any friends. Her life is basically that of a ghost herself. Then you have Joo Joong Won. He is the owner of a huge shopping mall, and due to his own trauma at a young age, is severely emotionally shut down. All he cares about is making money. A chance encounter brings Gong Sil and Joong Won together, where he starts using her as his ghostly radar detector in order to find the ghost of the girl who hurt him so long ago. 

What would make it a good book? 

You might be sensing a theme here, but this drama has such a good romance in it. Gong Sil discovers that touching Joong Won makes the ghosts disappear, so of course there is a lot of skinship going on here that is hilarious at times, and romantic at others. And of course, there is a love triangle, that morphs into it's own relationship story that is pretty freaking great, too. 

Favorite scene. 

Of course, there are a ton of amazing scenes in this drama, but the scene where Kang Woo (the second male lead) comes to rescue Tae Gong Sil from some thugs is probably one of my most watched ones. While I totally ship Joong Won/Gong Sil, I fell so hard for Kang Woo! 

Interested in checking it out? 

You can find it on Hulu, Viki, and Dramafever.

This drama is kind of rare for Korean dramas, as not many of them have to deal with aliens. In fact, I can't think of another drama off the top of my head that deals with them. And when the aliens are so cute, it's hard to understand why :p 

What's it about? 

Do Min Joon is an alien that was left behind on Earth 400 years ago while he was busy saving a little girl from falling to her death. In the present, he finds her reincarnation, actress Cheon Song Yi. Song Yi is a little ditzy and a bit arrogant, and due to the supposed suicide of a rival of hers, she is ostracized by the Korean people. Of course, it's not a suicide and there is an evil man at work who wants to destroy Song Yi for what she might know about the truth. Enter Do Min Joon, the alien who at first wants nothing to do with Song Yi, but can't help finding himself falling in love with her. 

What would make it a good book? 

It seems like aliens are all the rage lately, and of course the romance is out of this world (sorry, I couldn't help it!) Plus, this story has a really amazingly scary villain. Seriously. And who doesn't love to hate a good villain? 

With his dead eyes and slicked back hair, it's hard not to hate him.

Favorite scene. 

In the beginning of the show, Min Joon stole Song Yi's shoes because his alien powers gave him a vision of a person standing in her fancy shoes falling to her death. Song Yi saw her stolen shoes in his apartment, and misinterpreted it to mean he had a shoe fetish. After a pretty brutal rejection from Min Joon, she throws herself a pity party with a lot of soju and gets completely drunk. She starts banging on his door, shoes in hand, saying if he would just rethink his rejection he could have the shoes he loved so much. Classic Song Yi :P 

Interested in checking it out? 

You can find it on Hulu, Viki, and Dramafever.

Last one! And this one was the hardest to pick, cause there are so many dramas that deserve a spot on this list! But ultimately, I decided to go with this drama because it has a lot of great story elements that would make it an excellent YA novel. 

What's it about? 

Dae Woong is a spoiled student who has dreams of becoming a big action star. After running away from a fight with his grandfather, Dae Woong accidentally frees a gumiho (a nine-tailed fox) from a painting she had been trapped away inside. Terrified by the woman who appeared before him, Dae Woong runs away, only to fall and injure himself so badly that he is near death. Mi Ho, the gumiho he saved, gives him her bead which has her strength and magic in it so that he could heal. With the bead, he slowly starts to heal, but Mi Ho can't live if something happens to her bead, so she has to follow him around. Zany antics ensue, and of course plenty of romance! 

What would make it a good book? 

The whole being trapped in a painting, only to be rescued by a lovable jerk who is then saved by the being's naivete and love screams YA novel. Mi Ho is ridiculous adorable, and while Dae Woong will make you want to rip your hair out a lot in the beginning, he really does grow into a character that you really love. Plus, it's just really funny. 

Favorite scene. 

Everything is finally going right for our couple, they have put aside all of the crap and realized they are perfect for each other. But we still have 4 episodes to go, and the drama gods of course aren't going to be kind. So everyone finds out that if Dae Woong keeps the bead, he dies. If he doesn't keep the bead, Mi Ho dies. Not knowing what they should do, Mi Ho runs away. But Dae Woong finds her and comes up with a solution to their problem that involves a pretty awesome kiss in the middle of a crosswalk. 

Interested in checking it out? 

You can find it on Hulu, Viki and Dramafever.

I know I rambled on a lot, and most people don't have any interest in Korean television. But that's exactly why I wish these stories could be books, so that I could at least share the love with someone :) 

These are songs I picked because I listen to them when I read. I have a song for each genre, always the same song for each genre. I always repeat the same song over and over while reading a book.

Because I believe in Angels, and I love books about Angels. Not to mention, I just love this song so much. 

I listen to it with every angel book I read.

I super duper love this song! If this song were a book it would be an epic love story, sort of like Jamie and Claire from Outlander. And I always listen to this song when I read fantasy books like Falling Kingdoms. 

Also, Bryan Adams is HOT! 

Just because this is a super duper romantic song and I am a super duper romantic person. Plus, it is just a beautiful love song.

And I had a crush on Lou Gramm!

This one is actually from the movie Requiem for a Dream. I listen to this song every time I read a post apocalyptic or dystopian novel. I also listen to it when I drive  and it is raining or cloudy. There should be a super scary post apocalypse book based in this song, it is very scary. 

There are so many versions of this song, I love all of them. But this version is especially creepy!

Imagine a book based on this song! It would be so full of drama and so heartbreaking. You would never be bored! We will definitely finish this book in tears. I listen to this song every time I read a contemporary romance.

And I would name the main character Axel so it could be even more dramatic.