In Not-so-other news-
I lovelovelove, with a passionate, fiery, love, Devil Beside You. It's not one of the top or more famous dramas, as far as I know, possibly because it's Taiwanese instead of Korean, but I don't care what the rest of the world thinks. It shot straight into my top three dramas of all time, alongside Coffee Prince and a third which is constantly changing, depending on my mood. Oh, I loved it. Mostly because of how different it is from all the other dramas I've seen - this one is steady, doesn't waste time, gets exactly where it's going and gets there relatively quickly, and most, best, and most surprisingly delicious and refreshing of all, featured a couple who were actually functional. They actually call each other(none of this nonsense of "oh, I don't have a cellphone, or oh, I didn't think to call cause I'm so upset/worried about whoever it is I want to get in contact with that heaven forbid I should actually CALL, or my batteries died(Meteor Garden), and so on, in the endless ridiculous variations and repetitions so common in dramas") and immediately tell the other person/talk to each other when they have a problem, and go find each other when they're upset - they say what's on their minds.
Also featured a gloriously delicious secondary couple(with none of the constant mixing-and-matching and unnecessary angst of heroine-running-off to secondary male character when she's upset and making him fall in love with her and ruining her relationship with main male character-and vice-versa also so exhaustingly and exhaustively featured in dramas) who were adorable BEYOND reason and were featured the exact amount that they should have been in comparison to main couple - i.e. enough to satisfy the romantic palate but not enought to upstage central couple.
And one of my favorite parts? The friendship between Yuan Yi and Jian Meng, or Ahmon. Usually, the two central male characters do have some sort of friendship, usually from the past so no time is put in developing it and it's upstaged by their romantic relationships and usually ruined by the same thing. Yuan Yi and Jiang Meng meet for the first time early in the drama, and while there's at first a rivalry over Qi Yue, that quickly fades and from competitive enemies and rivals in the romantic realm and on the basketball floor, they make a sort of teasing, competitive, utterly delicious alliance - two strong men with their strength and commitment to their chosen passions in common, who choose to assist each other and help each other, knowing that their strengths are in different ways. Both are leaders, and yet they become friends. I love each and every one of Yuan yi's times of being there for or giving advice to Ahmon, and vice versa. Ahmon nicknames him "Ahyi" (or "auntie") and he doesn't mind!! Oh, it was amazing. Male friendship is a much-underused theme in ALL entertainment.
Not to mention - it's the only drama I've seen in which I thought BOTH of the main male leads were super super hot. When they were both together it's like a double shot of eye candy. :)
The devilish(and ridiculously hot, especially after he becomes a good guy:) Mike He, who plays Jiang Meng
A (not particularly flattering - he has a GREAT smile) picture of Yuan Yi
They
are SO ADORABLE
(That scene with the wink? possibly my most to die-for drama moment of all time. literally stopped it and rewinded to watch it again)
They're such a mature couple too. They actually deal with their problems and communicate. Of all the "leaders", princes, heirs to vast business empires, and gang/school leaders I've seen in dramas, Ahmon of this drama and Choi Han Kyul of Coffee Prince are by far and away the most mature(which is not necessarily saying much, but does at least make me respect them so much more). Ahmon, as he should be, actually is a rock for Qi Yue to lean on instead of causing her more problems. YUM.