Simpleng Kaligayahan

Birthday food trip at Hwarang

2011-12-23T14:22:00.000+08:00

Because food, after all, is one of life's pleasures. With my recently acquired Koreanophile status, I had been wanting to taste some of those foods I kept seeing in K-dramas. Finally got the chance when I met my friend and erstwhile roommate Eva for our annual birthday food trip.

There's this new place along Araneta Ave. that I'd been noticing, but it was kind of an inconvenient stop for me because it's only two blocks away from the jeepney terminal and it would be kinda hard for me to flag down a jeepney afterwards. So having a friend to walk with afterwards would make the walk easier (and kinda safer). I guess it's that factor that makes the place attract only a few people, plus, it's kind of a small place and you have to watch for it-- we overshot it by a block and had to walk back.

All that aside, I can now cross bibimbap and banchan off my bucket list. :D I had the bibimbap and Eva had the yukgaejang, which is a spicy veggie and meat stew. Food was hot (in more ways than one), yummy and filling. We wanted to try persimmon tea, but it was not available, so we opted for the Ceylon iced tea instead. Just the way I like my iced tea, strong, balanced between sweetness and tartness, and ice-cold. Also, must mention the lemon-water. Quite refreshing. Eva made a note of it. She also insisted on trying to figure out how to make the different kinds of banchan... kimchi, of course; jeon (little pancakes); sukjunamul (bean sprouts); some sort of green leafy veggie and cucumber combo (please tell me what that was!) which we liked very much; and tofu with some sort of spicy sauce (dubu kimchi?).

As we left, Eva said, let's try the kalbijjim or yumyum chicken next time. We probably will. :D And they deliver, too!

Oh, BTW, I like the restaurant's name. Hwarang. If you're a sageuk fan, you probably already know that the Hwarang were elite warriors in ancient Silla-- see the sageuk Queen Seon Deok for future reference. Alcheon Rang, Yushin Rang, remember? So tell me the connection between the K-dramas Queen Seon Deok, Boys over Flowers, and Flower Boy Ramyun Shop. :P

No, Eva, you are not a model for Korean food.

Still trying to figure out what's in the banchan.

...this banchan.

Bibimbaaaaaap....

So, happy birthday to me

2011-12-22T12:14:00.023+08:00

And I found this in Divisoria last weekend, so it's all good. A birthday gift from myself to me. Now if only there was a Gu Jun Pyo to go with it...

I was shopping for gifts for family and friends, and I spotted some nice large cameo earrings in this little stall in 168 mall. I thought they would be nice to give a friend, so I stopped, and then I saw earrings in a familiar star-moon (or kissing star) design in the same case, so I asked if there was a necklace with that same style. And the shop owner said yes, and now I could be Jan-di! So of course I got the necklace... what K-drama fan wouldn't? :D

This year has been kind of rocky... I got sick a lot, and stressed out. I also progressed into full-blown K-drama and K-pop addiction, which can be both bad and good, depending on how you looked at it. I became a fan of FT Island and CN Blue, and Lee Hong Ki and Park Shin Hye and Jung Yong Hwa. And Suzy and IU and K-pop idols and the Dream High cast. I actually blogged more too (yay?) and wrote more, and been more open about writing (yay!) and made more (real, good, real good) friends, so it's ended on the plus side at least. Just a bit more to the plus side, but then that's good. Also gained a nephewwwwwww....!!! Who my family swears looks just like me when I was a babyyyyyy!!! Tita loves you, Baby Pao!

Thanks to all the friends and loved ones who have made this year meaningful. I love you all.

Teaser Tuesdays - December 20

2011-12-20T12:22:00.002+08:00

Today is for another oldie... it just happens that Mercedes Lackey is one of my favorite authors. And she worked with two of my other favorites, late fantasy/sci-fi greats Anne McCaffrey and Marion Zimmer Bradley, so it's all good. Valdemar with Tarma and Kethry, anyone? Another opening-line teaser this week.

It was a dark and stormy night...
:Pah!: Warrl said with disgust so thick Tarma could taste it. :Must you even think in cliches?:
- p. 11, Oathbreakers, Book II: Vows and Honor by Mercedes Lackey

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser Tuesdays - December 13

2011-12-13T12:09:00.000+08:00

It seems I never get tired of Miles Vorkosigan. This is the umpteenth time I've reread this book. And today's teaser rings so true I just had to use it.

"In my opinion," he said, "the trouble with oaths of the form, death before dishonor, is that eventually, given enough time and abrasion, they separate the world into just two sorts of people, the dead and the forsworn. It's a survivor's problem, this one."
-pp. 427-428, A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser Tuesdays - December 6

2011-12-06T12:05:00.000+08:00

Still more Anne McCaffrey! I'm still rereading her books... what an imagination she had. I wish I could have met her. :( The most unusual heroine in this book is actually her best one of all of them, I think, and she's created so many-- Lessa, Menolly, Sorka, Killashandra, Yana, Kris, Lunzie, Sassinak, Rowan, Damia, Laria... and Helva.

"Are you referring, sir," asked Helva politely, "to the Dark Age discussions of how many angels could stand on the head of a pin?" ...
... "If you substitute 'atom' for 'angel,' the problem is not insoluble, given the metallic content of the pin in question."
-p. 5, The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser Tuesdays - November 29

2011-11-29T12:12:00.000+08:00

Because one of my most favorite authors ever died last week, I've been re-reading her books. I'm trying to collect them all, which is a huge undertaking... she authored at least eight multi-book series! Anne McCaffrey was the first woman to win both a Hugo and a Nebula award, the two most important awards for science fiction and fantasy. She created many fictional worlds and universes that seemed so real I wanted to live there. Oh, and she made me want to ride a dragon. She will always be an inspiration.

Today's teaser is from my favorite book, The White Dragon, of her most well-known series, Dragonriders of Pern. Jaxom and his dragon Ruth have to be my favorite among all of the memorable Pern characters. Thank you, Anne. I love you forever.

Jaxom splashed wine in a cup and held it to Lytol. "It doesn't stop the pain, I know," he said in a rough tone, "but you can get drunk enough not to hear or remember."
-p. 159, The White Dragon by Anne McCaffrey

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser Tuesdays - November 22

2011-11-22T12:09:00.000+08:00

I have always had a soft spot for puns and all sorts of wordplay. Especially in book titles. Part of the reason why I've got books by Tamar Myers and Diane Mott Davidson in my collection-- well, in addition to the fact that they're foodie mysteries. I've recently begun reading books by this author, and they're kind of growing on me...

Towards the end, I found myself standing before a Santeria shop window in a neighborhood up above 125th Street, desperately examining a display of magic candles and some vials of powdered sheep entrails, wondering if maybe... Well, I bought a candle-- you can always use candles-- and a week later I discovered Eastport and fell in love with it at once, in the same sudden, irreversible way that a person might be struck by lightning or run over by a bus.
- p. 21, Wicked Fix by Sarah Graves

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser Tuesdays - November 15

2011-11-15T12:18:00.000+08:00

I love this author. I've been trying to collect all her books ever since I first read Archangel. Today's book is a non-Samaria book, though.

All that I know of human love is that it is a dagger in the heart. Even death seems kinder.
- p. 267, Wrapt in Crystal by Sharon Shinn

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Best Fictional Boyfriends of All Time

2011-11-13T16:08:00.000+08:00

I realize this is a very subjective topic, but I just had to post this.

We keep reading books or watching movies or dramas and fall in love with the characters and the stories, but then we realize that the lead male character isn't necessarily a good boyfriend or husband. Many of our favorite male characters fall down in the romance department because their pride, arrogance, or fears get the better of them. I know it makes them more interesting (and more like real people) as characters to be so flawed, but they end up hurting the women in their lives or leave them hanging in fear and anxiety. Some may justify this by saying that adversity builds character and all that, but what does it say about the characters when they deliberately treat each other with coldness or cruelty, or cheat on them, knowing that the other person loves them? Thus, when we encounter that one rare male lead character who actually devotes everything to the happiness and welfare of the woman he loves, we all wish he was real. He's that extremely rare specimen, the one man a woman can trust with all her heart, the one who will always come through for her. Unfortunately for us real-life ladies, such men are few and far between-- and just all too perfect to be real.

Nevertheless, I've listed the few fictional men I've encountered whose devotion to the women they love made me wish they were mine.

WARNING: SPOILERS!!!

Sunwoo Hwan (Lee Seung Gi), Shining Inheritance / Brilliant Legacy.

Everyone around him was trying to make him believe the worst of Go Eun Sung, but Hwan, conflicted as he was, followed his heart. I'm glad he did.

* * *

Lee Sun Joon (Park Yoochun), Sungkyunkwan Scandal.

Sun Joon is one of my favorite male leads, and he's a man for anyone's dreams-- handsome, rich, noble, brilliant, and accomplished. And highly principled, which I like a lot. Maybe a lot of people thought he was too fuddy-duddy, but Sun Joon always came through when it counted, even when he wasn't fully sure what Yoon Hee was up to. What I like best about their relationship is the easy friendship, even competition, between him and her. His girlfriend is his best friend and closest academic rival-- whether they're having a showdown or teaming up, they're extraordinary. Some may say he cheated on her with Hyo Eun, but I say he didn't know then that she loved him. :P

* * *

Landon Carter (Shane West), A Walk To Remember. A movie I've watched umpteen times just for the pleasure of seeing Landon fall for Jamie and want to do anything for her, including helping her to accomplish her bucket list.

* * *

Lee Shin (Jung Yong Hwa), You've Fallen For Me / Heartstrings.

This drama reminded me a lot of A Walk To Remember-- I guess both male leads gave me the same warm fuzzy feeling. Shin's the one boy who was never devoured by insecurity as to his role in his girlfriend's life. Once he fell for Lee Kyu Won, he fell head over heels. He was always there to support her, to comfort her, to protect her, to catch her when she fell, even to let her go when she needed to be given that push to encourage her to fly. Usually, that's the girl's role-- Shin reversed it. He was confident enough about who he was and what he was capable of, to be able to wish the same or even better for Kyu Won, and to not begrudge her for surpassing him. Shin-ah, do you have a hyung just like you? I'd like someone in my life just like you, kthx.

Teaser Tuesdays - October 25

2011-10-25T16:33:00.000+08:00

Forgot again! Lunchtime book is a lifesaver. This is practically my favorite Mary Stewart book [I love Lewis], and it's been a while since I made a first-two-lines teaser, so...

Carmel Lacy is the silliest woman I know, which is saying a good deal. The only reason that I was having tea with her in Harrods on that wet Thursday afternoon was that when she rang me up she had been so insistent that it was impossible to get out of; and besides, I was so depressed anyway that even tea with Carmel Lacy was preferable to sitting alone at home in a room that still seemed to be echoing with that last quarrel with Lewis.
- p. 1, Airs Above the Ground by Mary Stewart

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Korean actors and actresses I always look out for

2011-10-22T18:07:00.003+08:00

Annyeonghaseyo! I'm just so happy to see Song Joong-ki earning accolades for Tree With Deep Roots, I guess. [Chukha haeyo, Joong-ki-ya! You've worked hard!] Hence this post! These are the actors and actresses I've seen in Korean dramas, some of them in leading roles, some of them in bit roles, and I couldn't get enough of them.

Kim So Eun

Gaeul in Boys over Flowers; Yoo Jin in The Man Who Can't Get Married. Pretty and feisty. Not to mention that Yuki /Xiao You is my favorite Hanadan character.

Lee Ji Ah

Because Sujini in Legend is still one of my favorite KDrama characters ever. So there.

Ha Ji Won

This should not be a surprise really... she's a kickass actress. Hwang Jini. Secret Garden. Need more examples?

Nam Sang Mi

First saw her in Lee Seung Gi's video for "Words That Are Hard To Say" as a teenage rebel. Then as feisty, funny Pyung-gang in Invincible Lee Pyung-gang. As someone once said in a Dramabeans convo, she makes you feel for her character, which is a mark of a good actress, wouldn't you say?

Lee Seung Gi

Well, there's nothing to wonder at with this-- the boy is practically Korea's darling. Watch him once and you're hooked. Hwan in Shining Inheritance is my favorite male lead character ever-- and have you ever watched One Night Two Days?

Ban Hyo Jung

While we're on the subject of Shining Inheritance, of course I have to mention her because I loved Hwan's halmoni. And her cameo in 49 Days as Hell's Angels Halmoni was epic!

Chae Rim

All About Eve. Oh My Lady. Dalja's Spring. Need more examples?

Bae Soo Bin

It took a while for me to warm up to him despite being a Shining Inheritance fan, but Chun Soo oraboni in Dong Yi has gotten me hooked. Give this man a lead role please, and make it soon. With or without Han Hyo Joo.

Park Ha Sun

While we're on the subject of Dong Yi, might as well mention Queen Inhyeon. I thought she was beautiful, and I'd like to see her in other roles. She's currently playing Ha-sun in High Kick 3.

Lee Min Ho

Does His Hotness really need an introduction? Go watch Boys over Flowers, Personal Taste, and City Hunter.

Jung Il Woo

Thinking of Lee Min Ho made me think of his best friend, who's someone to watch out for in his own right. Proof? Return of Iljimae and 49 Days.

Kim Bum

I alread mentioned his two BFFs, didn't I? It took me a while to like him too-- I didn't really like his character in Boys over Flowers. But Ha Min Jae in The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry? Okay, I'm in.

Kim Nam Gil

One appearance, and you make the character a household name? That's something. I'm seeing a touch of Johnny Depp at times, but all to the good. If you haven't heard of Bidam, I suggest you go watch Queen Seon Deok. Be prepared to have your heart broken! I'm eagerly anticipating the day he gets out of army service.

Go Hyun Jung

Because her Mishil raised the standards for evil villainess to a whole new level. Nuff said. For another side to her, there's always What's Up, Fox?

Lee Seung Hyo

While we are on the subject of Queen Seon Deok, I have to say I want to see more roles for this guy. Getting yourself noticed when you're beside Kim Nam Gil and Go Hyun Jung isn't easy, but Alcheon Rang held his own.

Yoo Seung Ho

I already mentioned Legend and Queen Seon Deok, didn't I? Here's one boy who's already played several kings before he turned 18. And Warrior Baek Dong Soo is definitely on my to-watch list.

Park Shin Hye

You're Beautiful. You've Fallen For Me. Enough said.

Jung Yong Hwa

Because I shipped Shinwoo/Minyeo even when I knew Taekyung/Minyeo was the OTP. Also, his Lee Shin is on my list of Best Fictional Boyfriends of All Time, so there. See both Park Shin Hye dramas, above.

Lee Hong Ki

Jeremy in You're Beautiful never really got in the running for Minyeo's heart, but he held his own, and, let's face it, probably induced more tears than the sinking of the Shinwoo/Minyeo ship. Plus, he has a great voice in addition to his acting chops. Give this boy a lead role soon please!

Lee Hyun Jin

Let's face it, even if I'm firmly a Jung Yong Hwa fan, Ki-young in You've Fallen For Me derailed a lot of shipping, and he wasn't even the lead. Presence, he has it in plenty. I can has moar pleez kthxmuch.

Park Yoochun

Yes, he's also an idol star, but I loved Sun-joon in Sungkyunkwan Scandal. I haven't watched Miss Ripley yet, but some say he did well there too. So there.

Yoo Ah-in

Because we're talking about Sungkyunkwan Scandal. Yoo Ah-in really needs to do more sageuks, please, thank you.

And finally...

I don't look like him, do I?

Song Joong-ki

Because Yong-ha in Sungkyunkwan Scandal was epic. :D I also keep seeing a resemblance to Romeo+Juliet vintage Leonardo di Caprio at odd times. I hear Joong-ki's getting raves for playing the young King Sejong in Tree With Deep Roots, so please, give the boy a lead role soon.

Gamsahamnida for reading this post!

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Day 7

2011-10-21T13:08:00.000+08:00

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Days

Most memorable k-drama date

Where there is a K-drama main couple, sooner or later, they go on a date. Sometimes it makes for hilarity, sometimes for cheesiness, sometimes it makes you go awwwwwwww and swoony inside. [Hmph, I've realized that when the couple is part of an ensemble, they don't get an official first date, they just go out at odd times.] Let's look back at what qualify for what may just be the most adorable k-drama dates ever.

For Jin-ho and Gae-in in Personal Taste, I liked the "Charlie Chaplin" date better than the formal ice rink one, even when they were just friends then-- mainly because Gae-in crossdressed, thinking that Jin-ho was gay.

My former favorite was Eun-sung and Hwan's "last date" in Shining Inheritance, although at that time Eun-sung was taking a leaf out of Jan-di's book when she suggested the date. The main awwwww factor there was, of course, Hwannie.

What is this, Shin, I don't even...

I say former, because something else recently trumped it! A date at a museum where you could interact with the artworks made for much awesomeness and cuteness between the two main characters. I'm talking, of course, about Shin and Kyu-won's first date in You've Fallen For Me / Heartstrings. Sigh, swoon, dreamy eyes.

Shin, that thing has horns in addition to its wings.
What are you trying to say?

Other bonus days:
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Most unforgettable sisterhood.
Most unforgettable bromance.

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Day 6

2011-10-20T12:26:00.000+08:00

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Day 6

Most unforgettable unnee

An unnee, of course, is a girl's older sister, either of the blood or of the heart. In this post, I'd like to pay tribute to some of the most kickass unnees ever seen in K-dramas.

There's Kiha, priestess of fire, Sujini's older sister and rival in Legend. Most of their relationship is due to a karmic debt owed by Kiha's past incarnation Kajin to Sujini's past incarnation Seoh, and they got separated, but in the end Kiha did care for her younger sister.

There's Biyun, Pyung-gang's fierce unnee-best friend in Invincible Lee Pyung-gang. Although they're not really sisters, she's the closest thing Pyung-gang has to one, and dispenses sage advice and even a little discipline when needed.

Princess Cheonmyeong (Park Ye-jin) and Princess Deokman (Lee Yo-won)

And finally, there's my favorite unnee, Princess Cheonmyeong, Deokman's older twin sister in Queen Seon Deok, who gave her dongsaeng the biggest sacrifice anyone could make for another. Since she also left her son Prince Chunchu who would become Queen Seon Deok's heir, that's two of the greatest gifts an unnee could ever make.

Other bonus days:
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Most unforgettable sisterhood.
Most unforgettable bromance.

Yay for awards!

2011-10-20T09:56:00.001+08:00

The lovely Alice Audrey gave me this award; she said it's for spreading the love!

I'm passing it on to...

Sheng of Anything Goes
Kel of It's True! It's True!
Karen of Bury Me In This Dress
Kring of Funny is the New Sexy

It's fun tracing the award back through the links, so [according to F.E. Sewell]...

1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your top 4 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog or sending them a message.
3. Post the award on your blog!

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Day 5

2011-10-19T11:15:00.002+08:00

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Days

Most unforgettable abeoji

I made this category for the best KDrama abeoji I've seen, only to realize, after searching through my memories, that KDrama dads are usually sweet and passive, deadbeat, cold-hearted, or absent. Seung Jo and Ha Ni's dads in Playful Kiss were sweet, but peripheral characters. So was Kyu-won's dad in You've Fallen For Me-- plus, he left his daughter with his own dad really, so he and Kyu-won are more like friends than daddy and daughter. Shin had an absent dad as well. Jin-ho's dad in Personal Taste was dead; Gae-in's dad was also absent for most of the drama. Eun Sung's dad in Shining Inheritance wasn't really that deadbeat, but he married a materialistic, scheming woman; his business went under; he got given up for dead. Jan-di's dad in Boys over Flowers was also kind of deadbeat-- Jun-pyo's dad was all but dead.

I'd nominate Eom Ki-joon's Kang Oh Hyuk from Dream High for this, really-- he did a great job taking care of three rebellious teenagers living with him and three others not living with him. He treats Hye-mi with just the right amount of understanding and discipline, and he knows how to guide her and what to give her, although he's just sort of a semi-stepdad-- he's a better abeoji to her and her friends than their real dads are.

As for real dads-- I guess I'll go for Geum and his Crown Prince brother's aba-mama, Ji Jin Hee's King Sukjong in Dong Yi, who would do anything to keep his children safe and happy. He wants his children to be good brothers to each other and to not let politics come between them. If you didn't awww at the father-son incognito day out in Episode 46, you had better get your heart checked :P

Other bonus days:
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
Best unnee
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Most unforgettable sisterhood.
Most unforgettable bromance.

Teaser Tuesdays - October 18

2011-10-18T13:03:00.000+08:00

I almost forgot it's Tuesday. Thank goodness I always bring a lunchtime book.

Even now, after four years of regular meals, affection, and education, he sometimes felt as if his head were split in two. Magic and the Living Circle temples didn't exactly mesh with a life in which meals were stolen and mistakes were paid for with maiming and death.
- p. 26, Street Magic, Book Two of The Circle Opens Quartet by Tamora Pierce

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Day 4

2011-10-18T12:33:00.000+08:00

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Day 4

Most unforgettable oemoni

Basically this is just a category for the most kickass KDrama mom I've ever seen.

At first I thought Han Hyo Joo's Dong Yi would unseat my long-standing favorite, but on second thought, maybe not. Although she comes pretty close, raising a prince in exile and teaching him to empathize with the common people and to stand up for himself.

A lot of moms are depicted as either too sweet and passive, or cold and evil, or scheming on their kids' behalf (I'm looking at you, Sung Hee from Shining Inheritance and Jang Hui-bin from Dong Yi), or even clingy and demanding. Not the most kickass oemoni of my acquaintance. There might be moms who find themselves caught behind enemy lines and demand that their kids come take them out at all costs, or who wait passively to be rescued. This oemoni accepted a friend's proposal in order to raise her son in legitimacy and keep him safe. She made a mark on me, however, when she sent her son a letter --written in her own blood, on a scrap from her own clothes, for want of other materials-- telling him to abort his plans of rescuing her and his wife from a heavily fortified city whose ruler, his stepbrother, had laid a trap for him. She told him that he was walking into a trap, and he was too important to his people at that time, so he could not die-- if he persisted, she and his wife would kill themselves in their prison so that he would no longer have a reason to go in for them, and would be forced to go back.

I'm talking of course, about Lady Yu-Hwa, mother of Jumong, the first king of Goguryeo.

Other bonus days:
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
Best unnee
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Best abeoji
Most unforgettable sisterhood.
Most unforgettable bromance.

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Day 3

2011-10-17T13:34:00.000+08:00

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Days

Absolutely must-have item featured in a KDrama

There are a lot, to be sure. Samsooki pig from My Name is Kim Sam Soon, and Pig-rabbit from You're Beautiful. The Jason doll from Dream High. Jun-pyo and Jan-di's star-moon necklace in Boys Over Flowers and Taekyung and Minyeo's star necklace in You're Beautiful. That diamond heart pendant from Shining Inheritance. Kyu-won's (You've Fallen For Me) and Myung-wol's (Myung-wol the Spy) t-shirts.

But my holy grail would have to be the Comme des Garcons Play t-shirt that both Eun-sung (Han Hyo-joo) and Hwan (Lee Seung-gi) wore in Shining Inheritance. I covet it very much, both because I like the concept of those fierce eyes and because Shining Inheritance will always be a drama that is special to me. But CDG doesn't have a Manila store that I know of, and so far I haven't had much luck catching it on E-bay. I'm still hoping though!

Other bonus days:
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
Best unnee
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Best oemoni
Best abeoji
Most unforgettable sisterhood.
Most unforgettable bromance.

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Day 2

2011-10-14T14:09:00.000+08:00

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Day

K-drama character with the wardrobe you most covet

I'm sure we all have those days when we see something a character is wearing and go "MUST. HAVE. WANT." I've got two Kdrama characters whose wardrobes I want, even though they are very different from each other and I probably would look ridiculous in them anyway.

For example, I covet Seung Mi's wardrobe in Shining Inheritance even though I could never pull off Moon Chae Won's flair. Most of it is in nudes and basic colors, with clean, simple lines, and she looks so classy and elegant.

But the wardrobe I covet the most-- so much that I actually did a Poupee Girl cosplay for some of it-- and will never wear because it's impractical for the climate I live in, would be Hye-Mi's wardrobe in Dream High, including those shoes she kept throwing at people. I love those coats and jackets, tights and boots and hats! Have I ever said that I like the way Suzy moves-- she's what we Filipinos call "mahinhin," (mah-heen-heen) demure yet graceful. I bet that when Dream High finally gets shown here, a lot of girls will be wanting Suzy's hime hair (hrm, now I'm wondering about the name Hye-mi).

Other bonus days:
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
Absolutely must-have item featured in a KDrama
Best unnee
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Best oemoni
Best abeoji
Most unforgettable sisterhood.
Most unforgettable bromance.

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Day 1

2011-10-13T13:26:00.000+08:00

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Bonus Days

Your favorite casting ensemble

I actually have a lot of choices for this category-- I'm the type who gets all wrapped up in the characters if they're constructed well. I chose the ones where each character has his or her own part to play and isn't a token something or a member of the chorus.

On the short list are:

Queen Seon Deok - Lee Yo Won as Princess Deokman / Queen Seondeok; Uhm Tae Woong as Yushin; Lee Seung Hyo as Alcheon Rang; and Kim Nam Gil as Bidam. Princess-in-exile wants to claim her birthright, crossdresses as a nangdo (novice Hwarang), and collects a white knight (Yushin), a dark knight (Bidam), and a golden knight (Alcheon) en route. My only peeve is that Alcheon is not as well-delineated as the others, but then I seem to have heard that this role only got expanded because the character got a lot of fan support.

The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry - Park Jin Hee as Lee Shin Young; Uhm Ji Won as Jung Da Jung; Wang Bit Na as Kim Bu Ki; Park Ji Young as Choi Sang Mi; Kim Bum as Ha Min Jae; Choi Chul Ho as Na Ban Seok; Lee Pil Mo as Choi Sang Woo. Career women of a certain age, still looking for love and the meaning of life. The three friends mesh well together, each with her own quirks, and each finds the kind of life that best suits her.

Dream High - Suzy as Go Hye Mi; Kim Soo Hyun as Song Sam Dong; Taecyeon as Jingook; Ham Eun Jung as Yoon Baek Hee; IU as Kim Pil Sook; Wooyoung as Jason. Six students--spoiled rich girl, naive provincial, black sheep, betrayed devoted fan, ugly duckling, prince charming--enter high school for potential stars, learn friendship along the way.

You're Beautiful - Park Shin Hye as Go Minam/Go Minyeo; Jang Geun Seok as Hwang Taekyung; Jung Yong Hwa as Kang Shinwoo; Lee Hong Ki as Jeremy. Novice nun crossdresses to masquerade as errant twin brother in an idol band.

But my first choice is, and always will be-- Sungkyunkwan Scandal's Jalgeum Quartet (ah, those naughty gisaengs, what a nickname!). Each of the four has a distinct personality and a distinct role to play in the story, and thus has something important to contribute to the group as a whole.

Jalgeum Quartet en route to archery contest
(L-R: Yongha, Jaeshin, Sunjoon, Yoonshik/Yoonhee)

The fans are so divided on this, but I'm one of those who thought Yoochun was really well-cast as Lee Sun-joon, aka Ga Rang the "perfect husband material." Sun-joon's good-looking, nobly born and rich, and a really bright scholar. He's a bit of an idealistic nerd, and comes across as aloof, but you realize how lonely he must have been growing up when you see him reach out to his friends and classmates. He also puts that intelligence and idealism to good use when it's most needed.

Then, seemingly on the opposite end of the spectrum, you have Yoo Ah In as Moon Jaeshin, aka Geor Oh, the "crazy horse." He's this guy who makes scruffy look hot, and yet one look from him sends most of his schoolmates diving for cover. What they don't know is that he's as much an idealistic scholar as Sun-joon in his own way, and just as chivalrous too. He's the martial artist in the group, so most of the time he provides the muscle. [Anecdote: It is said that Yoo Ah In once fell asleep on set waiting for the shooting, but he was so in character that when he was called by his character's name instead of his own, he answered in his sleep.]

You'd expect an Alcheon-type character to balance these two, but no, you get Song Joong Ki as Gu Yong Ha, aka Yeo Rim the playboy. At first glance you'd think this peacock didn't have a deeper thought in his head than color coordinating his clothes for the next day, then you find out he knows everything that goes on in the school. The born spymaster turns out to be a loyal and valuable friend as well.

And then you have Kim Yoonhee pretending to be her brother Kim Yoonshik so she could study at Sungkyunkwan, aka Dae Mul the "big man" (who is not big and definitely not a man) and before that was called "nok bin hong an" the "pretty face." She's got that something that gets most of the other students on her side, even though they don't know she's a girl.

Other bonus days:
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
K-drama character with the wardrobe you most covet.
Absolutely must-have item featured in a KDrama
Best unnee
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Best oemoni
Best abeoji
Most unforgettable sisterhood.
Most unforgettable bromance.

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Day 30

2011-10-12T10:44:00.000+08:00

30 Days [and more] of KDramas Challenge

Day 30: A Kdrama which made you so sad

Aw, it's the last day already... not! Lots of bonus days ahead! :D

I blame the pervasiveness of TV for my having watched this drama. :P It was one of those instances where you're alone in the house and have the TV going for company, except you're kind of watching-not watching it while doing something else. And sadder than this drama was the life of its star, who killed herself a couple of years later :(

Her rosy life was really grey.

I'm talking, of course, about My Rosy Life starring the late great Choi Jin-shil. The main character of this drama was the martyr of all martyrs... she sacrifices everything, gets taken for granted by cheating hubby and indifferent sibling, kids and in-law, and gets a terminal illness. Talk about makjang. And then you keep thinking "This could have been me."

I want to do these bonus days:
Your favorite casting ensemble
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
K-drama character with the wardrobe you most covet.
Absolutely must-have item featured in a KDrama
Best unnee
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Best oemoni
Best abeoji
Most unforgettable sisterhood.
Most unforgettable bromance.

Teaser Tuesdays - October 11

2011-10-11T12:24:00.000+08:00

Eeep, I missed a week :( But I'm glad to have found a copy of today's book, so...

Well, she thought, at least that's handled.
So. A total of two weeks to save the universe, huh?
- p. 64, Wizards at War, Book 8 of the Young Wizards books by Diane Duane

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Day 29

2011-10-11T12:18:00.000+08:00

30 Days of KDramas Challenge

Day 29: A Kdrama which made you so happy

A whole darned lot of them! These are the dramas that made me laugh out loud and hate it when I had to stop watching and go to sleep. Full House was the first. Then Shining Inheritance. Dream High. The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry. Sungkyunkwan Scandal. Dong Yi. Personal Taste. Ottokae, ottokae. What to choose!

Fine. When it comes to maxed out happiness levels, Sungkyunkwan Scandal wins. Properly drool-worthy and heartwarming cast of characters, sparkling repartee, beautiful cinematography, rockin' sound, and hold-your-breath-worthy adventure. You get a sageuk with a Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet vibe-- and there's Song Joong Ki as Gu Yong Ha, who keeps on reminding me of a young Leo, the mischievous one not the tragic-hero one, with a dash of Clueless's Cher ["Black is so not my color!"]. What's not to like?

Day 30: A Kdrama which made you so sad

Aw, we're nearly at the end! But don't worry, lots of bonus days ahead.

Also, I want to do these bonus days:
Your favorite casting ensemble
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
K-drama character with the wardrobe you most covet.
Absolutely must-have item featured in a KDrama
Best unnee
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Best oemoni
Best abeoji
Most unforgettable sisterhood.
Most unforgettable bromance.

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Day 28

2011-10-10T18:21:00.000+08:00

30 Days of KDramas Challenge

Day 28: A Kdrama not loved by many but you seem to like

Eh, everyone knows the answer to that already. It would be The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry. It didn't get very high ratings in Korea, and was run over by Chuno and Will It Snow For Christmas. But the characters are interesting, the premise is interesting, and the protagonist is a woman who hopes to have someone in her life but is such a workaholic her job doesn't really leave much time for a relationship-- and then stuff happens anyway, in ways she doesn't expect. Also, watch out for Kim Bu Ki a.k.a. Boogie Woogie. She's the best friend you'll wish you had. There, enough gushing. Just watch it already!

Day 29: A Kdrama which made you so happy
Day 30: A Kdrama which made you so sad

Also, I want to do these bonus days:
Your favorite KDrama character (lead or supporting)
Your favorite casting ensemble
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
K-drama character with the wardrobe you most covet.
Absolutely must-have item featured in a KDrama
Best unnee
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Best oemoni
Best abeoji
Most unforgettable bromance.

30 Days of KDramas Challenge, Day 27

2011-10-09T06:04:00.000+08:00

30 Days of KDramas Challenge

Day 27: A Kdrama loved by many but you don’t seem to like

Erwhut? /scratches head. Fine. That would have to be Boys Over Flowers, because as much as I am a ~~[rabid]~~ Lee Min-Ho fangirl, I never jumped on that bandwagon. But then I'd already been surfeited with Meteor Garden three times. Dratted local TV channels couldn't think of airing anything else. It's probably the only Asian drama that got aired on BOTH major channels in this country.

Day 28: A Kdrama not loved by many but you seem to like
Day 29: A Kdrama which made you so happy
Day 30: A Kdrama which made you so sad

Also, I want to do these bonus days:
Your favorite KDrama character (lead or supporting)
Your favorite casting ensemble
Your favorite plot/ending twist
Favorite line/s by a supporting character
K-drama character with the wardrobe you most covet.
Absolutely must-have item featured in a KDrama
Best unnee
Best hyung
Best noona
Best oppa
Best oemoni
Best abeoji
Most unforgettable bromance.