Drama characters

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl is a drama about privileged teens living in the upper east side of Manhattan, New York. Gossip Girl is an anonymous blogger, who reveals all kinds of secrets, and everyone relies on this website for the latest scoops of their scandalous lives.

My favorite character in this series is Blair Waldorf. She is a daughter of a successful fashion designer and is known as the “Queen B” of the upper east side. She is very manipulative, downright evil, and everyone probably hates her at the beginning of the show. However, as we get to know her good side and see her overcome the struggles, she would truly be your favorite character.

Here are some of my favorite Blair quotes

“Destiny is for losers. It’s just astupid excuse to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen.”

“If you really want something, you don’t stop for anyone or anything until you get it.”
“You need to be cold to be queen. Anne Boleyn thought only with her heart, and she got her head chopped off.”

Our Favorite Blair Waldorf Quotes of All Time – SheKnows

“You can’t make people love you, but you can make them fear you.”

As you can tell from these quotes, she was a person who would work hard and do whatever it takes for what she wants. Although she was feared at times, she was always powerful, determined, and independent. That doesn’t mean she was a cold-hearted person, but she was also very caring and supportive for the people around her. There are many more things I want to say, but since it will take me forever, please watch the show and find out.

“Tokkebi”(English title: Guardian: The Lonely and Great God)

The story has relation with the Goryeo era and the present era. Main character, Kim Shin served as a General of the king in the Goryeo era, and he was a strong legendary man as people called them ‘god of military arts’. One day, he got killed by the king’s sword, and it got lodged in his chest. However, as a reward for what he has contributed to the country, the god grants him immortal life as a goblin ‘Tokkebi’. As time passes, he feels lonely to see all the loved ones passing away and seeing that for 939 years. The only way to end his life is to find his bride and ask her to draw a sword from his chest. He meets Eun-tak, a high school student and they start to fall in love as time passes.

My favorite character is Lee Dong-wook. He is a handsome grim reaper, and he is a housemate of Kim Shin. He has no memory about anything, although once he starts to fall in love with a lady called Sunny, he starts to recall his memory.

Reasons I like him is because…

  1. Unique job description: He receives a letter when someone dies, and he is in charge of bringing them to a room to guide dead people to a world of their afterlives. He gives tea to a dead person to erase their memory before sending them to a new world. The room is sophisticated, and makes me want to visit there at the last moment of my life too.

  1. Pure romantic story with Sunny: He had lived for over 300 years, however he had not fallen in love with anyone until meeting up Sunny, and he is clumsy with love. While a romantic story between Shin and Eun-tak is not always simple and often complicated, a romantic story between Dong-wook and Sunny is pure and sweet to watch over. For example, he struggles to exchange their numbers, as he did not even own a phone like a human.

  2. Friendship with Shin: Shin and Dong-wook’s personalities are opposite and they were uncomfortable living together at first. However, they get closer as the story goes on, and they show us funny interaction. They support each other, and these scenes are heartwarming.

Images and music are beautiful as well, and I am sure that you would be hooked into this fantasy world once you start watching. I recommend you to watch it if you have time!

Best modern films that take you back to the 1980’s

 What time period would you choose to visit if you could travel in time? Well, it seems like the 1980s would be a popular choice. With the nostalgic vibes and great works of pop music, films that are set in the 1980s have been incredibly popular in and outside Hollywood recently. Here I am going to introduce some of my recommendations.

 

British/Irish films set in the 80s

Pride (2014Genre: drama / based on a true story

 With the coal strikes here and there in the UK, working class people had quite a hard time in the 80s. This film introduces us to a LGBTQ community in Wales who teamed up with coal miners to get through the hard times. It is a heartwarming film based on a true story with hits from the time like Culture Club, which also can give you a little insight about what the era was like for British people. I also recommend Billy Elliot (2000) as a film portraying coal miners and strikes at the time.

Sing Street (2016Genre : teen / music

 This film is set in Ireland, and is about a teen Irish boy who forms a band with his schoolmates, resisting to surrender to the strict rules of his new school. It is full of great music from the time including classical hits from Duran Duran and a-ha, with the original music made for the film bringing the 80s vibes along as well. If you like teen films and music themed films, it is a must see.

Eddie the Eagle (2016)  Genre: sports / based on a true story

 This is a film about a ski-jumper Michael Edwards, who in 1988 became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping since 1928. He was not necessarily a talented ski-jumper, but his passion to become an Olympian and hard training made his dream come true. It is a very straightforward film with happy and colorful vibes.

 

American films set in the 80s

It (2017Genre: horror / coming of age

 Although in the original novel by Stephen King the parts where the main characters are kids were set in the 50s, this film is set in the 80s, with the sequel set in 2016. Going out on bikes, playing at the arcade and hanging out at a club house, their childhood is what kids from today envy, not quite the clown part though. It is a horror film, but the nostalgic vibes it gives make the bloody parts all worth it.

Summer of 84 (2017Genre: horror / juvenile

 Obviously set in 1984, it portrays four boys trying to find the murderer behind some cases that occurred around their town. With some people calling it the darker version of Stand By Me (1986), it certainly gives those nostalgic vibes that Stand By Me and It give us too.

 

Here are some honorable mentions!

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017Genre: action / comedy

 These two superhero films are not set in the 80s, but they feature tons of great music from the 80s and also 70s, including 10cc, Electric Light Orchestra, and Glen Campbell. They are perfectly good superhero films that can make you laugh, cry, and find a few songs to add to your playlist.

Stranger Things (2016-Genre : SF / juvenile

 It is not a film, but its one of the most popular shows you can find on Netflix, set in the 80s. It features a lot of 80s music and 80s sounding synth music, the colorful fashion, and what we imagine about the childhood in the 80s-bikes, walkie talkies, and dressing as the Ghost Busters for Halloween. With huge influence from and references of Sci-Fi and juvenile films from the 80s, its a perfect show for people in love with the decades culture.

 

 Those were my recommended films set in the 80s. Theyre also genuinely good films to watch, so if youre having trouble choosing what to watch today, pick one from my list! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy those films.

What makes Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes so popular?

When one is asked to name a famous British novel, I am sure that most people will either mention The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes or Harry Potter. Translated into countless languages, the two works are not only popular in Britain, but is loved by people all around the globe. So, what makes the two novels so successful? Although created in a very different era, the two works have few things in common, which makes them popular to this day. 

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 

Firstly. I would like to introduce the brief summary of The adventure of Sherlock Holmes. Since I am the one who got interested in the story after watching the first episode of the drama, but the stories of the novel are a bit different.

 

The adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a series of 12 stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. The main character of this story is a very clever detective, Sherlock Holmes and his assistant, Dr John Watson. The stories are told by first person narrative from Watson’s point of view. The stories are mainly about strange mysteries and those two characters solve the problems in the different situations. Holmes is described as a fairer sense of justice since he identifies and correct social injustices in the mysteries. 

Background 

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Doyle was the eldest son in the 10 siblings and had a father addicted to alcohol. Thanks to the support by his mother and relatives, he was able to go to the university and majoring medicine. He began writing in the late 1870s, and had his first short story, “The Mystery of Sasassa Valley”, published in September 1879. 8 years later, A Study in Scarlet, his first Sherlock Holmes story, was published by Ward Lock & Co. The novel was well received, but Doyle was paid little for it, and despite a series of novel, The Sign of the  Four, which was published in Lipincott’s Monthly Magazine, he shifted his focus to short stories.  

Popularity  

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The first edition was published on 4 October 1892 and there are 12 volumes of the stories. The first one sold 10,000 copies and competed with the joint edition of Strand Magazine, which was published in large quantities. By the end of the year, 8,000 copies had been sold. The first edition sold out soon and was reprinted 5,000 copies in 1893 and 1894. The series “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”, which became famous all over the world as the original of the stages, the movies, and the television dramas. Especially, the Granada television production in the 1980s, acted by Jeremy Brett, is the most famous one. He was praised by many as the most suitable actor for Sherlock. Sherlock Holmes has been in the media without any interruption since the first origin of Sherlock Holmes appeared in print more than 125 years ago.  The characters created by Conan Doyle have become a global phenomenon beyond the boundaries of literature and are still creating new fans.   

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling 

Next, I’m going to introduce the story about Harry Potter. 

Brief summary  

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As most of you know, Harry Potter is one of the best fantasy novels written by J.K.Rowling. The stories are set in England in the 1990s and it depicts the school life of Harry Potter, a wizard boy, and the struggle with the mighty dark wizard Voldemort, who murdered Harry’s parents 

Background 

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Harry Potter books are written by J.K. Rowling who were unknown author when the first novel was published in 1997. Before her works were published, she was having severe life that she was a single mother receiving welfare and was suffering from depression at the time. Eventually, overcoming the depression, Rolling finally completed the script of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” in 1995. She brought the manuscript to the publisher and asked for publication, but it was just refused.  A year later,  she concluded the contract with Blooms Berry Publishing Company. The editor-in-chief of Blooms Berry Publishing Company had his 8-year-old child read the manuscript and saw the response before he read it. If this editor-in-chief did not do that, “Harry Potter” might not have appeared in the world even now. She did not expect to abruptly become one of the world’s most popular authors. However, she is now the best famous novelist in the world.  

 

Popularity

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When the first volume, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in 1997 by Bloomsbury Publishing House in London, it quickly became a world bestseller, even though it was the first novel by an entirely unknown author. It was read not only by children but also by many adults, and it became a global social phenomenon as a popular work that transcended the boundaries of children’s literature. The stories are now translated into 73 languages and the total circulation of the series reached 500 million as of December 1, 2018, which makes them the best-selling series of all time. 

Now, I would like to explain the similarity in the two works, which makes them so popular. 

 

Sympathetic Protagonist 

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One of the factors which makes the two works so popular is its featuring of the protagonists, whom the audiences can sympathize with. In order for a book to succeed, they must have an attractive protagonist, which readers can sympathize with. To do so, authors must illustrate not only the positive side of the character but also their negative side. The two works successfully does so by featuring protagonists with pros and cos. For example, in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes, Holmes is not only illustrated as an intelligent and brilliant character, but also as an odd figure, who sometimes takes drugs when he has no cases to solve. We are also provided with an impatient side of him in “The Adventure of the Yellow Face”, in which Holmes jumps to the conclusion, only to find out that his reasoning was wrong. In Harry Potter, Harry is illustrated as a kind and friendly character, but we see that there is an immature side to him as he smirks at the Dursleys at the end of the first book. The cons remind us that the protagonist is not perfect, thus making them more likable. 

 

Content which anybody can enjoy 

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          Another thing which makes the two works popular is that they have a content which people of any age can enjoy. Both books avoid the use of inappropriate words and sexual contents, which may be considered “too early” for young children. For example, in Harry Potter, the author writes that the character says a “bad” or a “mean” word, instead of making the character say the actual word. The sexual contents are avoided as much as possible and even if there is one, it is not obvious for it is cleverly hidden within the text. The same goes for The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes, where the characters do not say much of an inappropriate word and the sexual content is avoided. In a way the two works can be said as child-friendly novel, allowing not only adults but also children to read them. In addition to this, both novels have a twist in their story, which always catch the readers by surprise. The mystery or the secrets are revealed and explained in simple words, which allows anyone of any age to understand and enjoy the story easily. 

 

British culture and society reflected in the work 

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Both novels are set in the UK and the British cultures and the society reflected in the work is what makes the two novels successful. The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes takes place in London and Holmes lives in a fictional street, 221B Baker Street. In the novel, the objects which the characters use reflect the British society of the 19th century. For example, the pocket watch, the stick, and the pipe which many of the characters carry shows how the three items acted as a symbol of gentleman in the British society. The newspapers and books which Watson read provide us with the popular entertainment of the British middle class in that era. In Harry Potter, when Hogwarts is on break, Harry stays in the Privet Drive of Little Whining, a fictional place set in the UK. Here, we can learn the trend through Dudley, as he begs his parents for the most up-to-date toys and clothings. We are also provided with a detailed description of UK’s famous places throughout the book. Kings Cross Station, an actual station existing in London is one of its example, as Platform 9 3/4, an entrance to the wizard world exist in it. For British readers, these reflections of the British cultures, trend, and society, stirs up their feeling of affinity. Their fascinating cultures appeal to the foreign readers as well, and this is one of the reason why the two works are popular around the world. 

No TV Drama, No Life!

How are you planning to spend this weekend? Hanging out with your friends? Going to the gym for workout? Playing games with your new Nintendo Switch? Or how about watching foreign shows all day? We will introduce you some of the best TV shows to make your life much more exciting. I swear this article will change your mind and make you stay home. You might as well want to buy some snacks home for your comfy weekend.

Breaking Bad
Breaking bad means to wander from the right path or go against what’s normal which describes perfectly about this show. A high school chemistry teacher who has a DEA agent as a brother got diagnosed in cancer. He wants to leave money for his family before he dies, so decides to sell crystal meth. The main character has a perfect knowledge in chemistry, the depiction of underworld is interesting. I recommend this for people who wants to watch something serious.

 

Mad Men
What makes this show attractive is the setting; America in 1960’s. Their fashion, music and the way they act are glamorous. It was also the time when the marketing industry was growing rapidly and advertising agent was the coolest job. The story is about the daily life of those ad men working in New York. Best acted and engrossing drama.

 

The Fosters
This show is about ‘the Fosters’, a family which has two lesbian mothers and children from different backgrounds. A protagonist of this show is a teenage girl who has been abused by the adopted family and tried to protect her younger brother. After that terrible fact was discovered by the police, she and her brother are sent to another family. That family is ‘the Fosters’. ‘The Fosters’ often face difficulties but overcome them by helping and sometimes fighting each other. This show focuses on LGBT, race, suicide and other serious issues appeared in modern society, but it does not always have a serious mood. There are also heartwarming and funny episodes in the series. I promise that you can find at least one character you can sympathize with!

                                                                                  Quantico
Quantico is a name of the FBI academy. FBI recruits learn plenty of things in the academy to be professional FBI agents. This show has two timelines. One is the past in which recruits struggle with the mission they are given in Quantico. Because every recruit has a complicated background which made him or her aspire to a FBI agent, there are always conflicts with each other. The other is the present in which there was a big explosion and the same recruits who have already graduated from Quantico try to find out the truth of the incident. If you want to spend a thrilling time, you should watch Quantico right away!

Is there any TV show you are attracted to? I hope there is at least one. Be a TV-drama fanatic and spend the best weekend ever!