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can't believe I actually am. That's the third time this week. craaaazy!
Makes me realize ... just how much time I spend on this wonderful site! Happy Friday, everybody, it's a wonderful time to be a KDrama addict I think, so many good shows are airing! I have only recently moved from marathoning shows once they're complete to watching as they are airing (and therefore commenting more on here), and I love it (AGD is to "blame" for that, actually)
On Monday evening in my time zone, I watch Faith raw, the next morning, I read wonderful subs on here; on Tuesday evening I watch Faith subbed and the next episode raw; on Wednesday morning, I read subs on here, watch Faith subbed and Arang raw, on Thursday ... you get the drill. Simply wonderful. In between, I also watch Haeundae Lovers (so wacky), skip through Golden Time to see whether there has been any noteworthy development (so far: not).
Love this site, love KDrama, love you all! :-)
and love that Park Shi-Hoo is coming back to Dramaland soon!
Lol, I've started doing that cycle too! It really makes me feel I'm getting the most out of the story! Plus the language comprehension practice of the raw! Though sometimes with Gaksital I try my best to stay away from the raws and recaps until I've seen it with subs, it can kind of spoil the suspense and squees and angst if I know what is coming. But mostly I'm impatient and in the that twitchy itchy GIVE ME MY GAKSITAL state so I don't. :)
I'm focusing myself on Arang only right now, fall for it in the first news and fall deeper when the teaser came out even more deeper in the first episode.. and deeper.. deeper in the next episode o_O that's why I put my barrier to stay or cycling the loop for Arang only to keep my insanity :p
Good morning, Kakashi! Or, in your case, good afternoon - lol.
I'm a little late as I tried to fit it a few hours of sleep after a long night. My Thursday night shifts seem to get busier as the summer goes by.
I watched the first episode of HLuv, but decided to cache it for a rainy day as there is too much on my plate, dramawise. It does seem like a fun ride, tho!
The PSH news made me happy! It's been a while since TPM, and his smile.
Good evening, Shukmeister! HLuv (like the acronym!) is kinda insane, I keep trying to stay away from it, but it keeps drawing me back in ... I don't watch the whole episodes, mostely, but just the bits that have Kim Kang Woo in them ...
So how has everyone's week been? Mine was incredibly hot, hehe, on vacation in Taiwan. So humid. **dies**
Any body watching "To The Beautiful You"? I am! So how do you guys think of it so far? (: Here's my thoughts. I think Sulli's doing a pretty good job on the acting (mind the fact she looks/sounds nothing like a boy). Minho, I guess is doing an okay job of what is required of him. Not incredibly impressive, but better than my expectations. And OMFG, Lee Hyun Woo is a cutie. He's a good actor also~ and I just love the fact that he always takes selcas (snerk) and is more popular with girls online than in real life. Just makes me love him more. So far, this show is decent enough for me to keep on watching. Other dramas on my "Currently Watching" list are: To The Beautiful You, Gakistal, Arang, and Faith.
I am watching TTBY. Addicted! :D I think Sulli's doing quite well, yes. It took me until Ep. 3 to warm up to Minho though. As for Lee Hyun Woo's Eun Gyul-- I was thinking, tsk, not only Jeremy'd, but Shinwoo'd as well? :D
Yes. Definitely. Poor Eun Gyul. You just know he's gonna get his heart broken. But he's so cute. You just wanna say, "I'll take you in!" like he's a lost puppy or something.
I also think Sulli's doing a pretty good job. As for Minho, I think Tae Joon is written better than Sano was in the jdrama, so he has more to work with. It's much more obvious that he's becoming attached to Jae Hee. There have been a couple places where I wish he'd shown a stronger reaction, but oh well.
I'm pretty pleases with Lee Hyun Woo as Eun Gyul. Nakatsu was my favorite character from the jdrama. You're right about both Jeremy and Shinwoo. :( Poor guy.
At first it was really hard to not compare TTBY to the jdrama or manga, but now I'm coming to accept it as it's own interpretation. My biggest complaint is that the dorm heads don't have quite the unique personalities they did in the others. Overall, though, I'm enjoying it enough to watch it for it's own sake. (Because, you know, I'm not watching enough dramas already. So many good ones this time around).
I'm basically watching every show that you're currently watching. To The Beautiful You isn't as bad as I thought it'd be. The drama does entertain me so I'll stick with it as long as it gives me pretty boys to look at and a story line that isn't completely bizarre.
I sort of expected Minho to awfully butcher this role and cringed inside when he was originally cast. The guy can be really stiff at times but to my relief, he's doing just fine. I still wish that when Tae Joon initially found out about Jae Hee's gender, the shock on his face would've been more apparent rather than subtle. But honestly how much of a shocker is that? I thought it was more surprising that they actually thought she was a boy.
Eun Gyul could get together with Hanna. They bicker like a couple and I actually don't hate her despite how she really is annoying. There's room for character development.
The plot is moving at a steady pace. I haven't read the manga or watched the Japanese version, so it surprised me that Jae Hee's "secret" was outed so early in episode 4.
LOL at "But honestly how much of a shocker is that? I thought it was more surprising that they actually thought she was a boy." So true.
I think they were also showing a contrast to how TJ feels strongly, warmly for JH whether he was a girl or a boy, while EG keeps questioning himself. One guy's rolling with his feelings, another tripping over them.
After saving JH from the bad man, I love how TJ gave JH that breath stopping hug because he cares about the person, not worrying about the gender.
JoAnne -
There are so many of them in this show.
I describe it as meaningless but breathless scene after meaningless beautifully shot scene with a little plot thrown in. All of this mind numbing gorgeous does nothing but whet my appetite for more. I think I could watch them -Minho/Sulli/LHW - stare intently while dripping with rain for the rest of my life. Especially if I am watching them struggle with wanting to kiss a boy.
It seems like the director who gave us a passionless BOF figured out how deliver scenes like the sit-up one from Secret Garden. He may or may not be up for the task of using them to tell a coherent story, but I don't care.
Hm, I may be the minority sorry, but I find Sulli just okay, but actually too subdued or expressionless in the face sometimes. I'm surprised because I see on other websites how everyone is praising Sulli's acting. There are some scenes where she's supposed to convey some emotion, but she just looks dead in the face to me (even Minho was showing more expressions in his face than her in a few scenes). One example was the scene where (may be spoiler for people that didn't watch episode 4) where she's attacked. She's running and then gets knocked down and it supposed to be scared and shocked, but her face was just blank to me. And I know she can pull these emotions because she shows them in other scenes, but it seems she turns it off in other scenes. Too inconsistent. Minho hasn't had a lot to do except grumble and act mean, so he's doing okay for me as well. His character is livening up a bit, so we'll see how he does as his character improves. LHW's Nakatsu is much different from the Japanese Nakatsu, but he's actually becoming an enjoyable character (though are they really going to pair him up with the other girl? Please don't!).
That's because most idols are usually at the extremes, either completely deadpan, or totally over-dramatic. Sulli is somewhere in between, which in my mind is a great start.
Personally, I find her to be very natural, her smiles and physical portrayals seem genuine, with more subtlety than I'm used to seeing from idol actors. Not that I think she is really girly in real life, but it is a rather great change from her girl group image.
Same. I tried watching the first Episode but then got extremely bored. And the acting was just....
Well, I've watched dramas with even worse acting - though I only continued cause I wanted to find out about the ending but I already knew the ending for this one!
I'm planning on continuing it but the low ratings isn't really convincing me it's doing any better in Korea.
Maybe after Answer Me 1997 airs, I'll give this a try again. So about 3 more weeks?
I'm liking TTBY so much, I already feel guilty. Since You've Fallen for Me I was being quite careful giving chances to those fluffly sweet dramas, but I think this one is a winner!
I like most of it, including Sulli's and Minho's acting, aside everything we have pointed out (Sulli DOES NOT resemble a boy in the least, Minho stoic kind of style etc. etc.).
Lee Hyun Woo is being perfect! Please give him more screentime ok?! Hope they don't pair him with Hanna, even though I find her hilarious and all that, but he really deserves better.
Hey, does anyone else here was kinda 'WOW' with Jae Hee oppa?! I study my ass off, but my korean is not nearly as good as his. And I have Korean lineage, which doubles the 'YOU SUCK GIRL' in my head.
Now, just something that's bugging me since last episode; did Min Ho know Jae Hee was a girl before her oppa said it so loudly during their quarel? Cause when she went missing with pervert-driver, he was quite distressed, and he kept glancing at them before, like he knew it, you know?
Loved those last 2 episodes. And I'm so thankful TTBY is not a carbon copy of Hanakimi.
And the fact TTBY's OST is way better, just mas me happier.
Yes to the above but - Oppa speaks good Korean because he is Korean - thats Julien kang and no I dont think Minho knew she was a girl I think his radar was just on with the creepy guy because he has feelings for his room-mate who he has no reason to suspect is anything but a boy
I am glad you are loving Seoul!!!! I think I left you a response last week, I will check and confirm, but I think I did. When are you leaving (to go back to England) ?
I'm going to Vietnam on the 28th and going back to UK 12th September. It will be really odd being back...
And I've been everywhere now!! I've been to the Palaces, the stream, the museums, Insadong, Myeongdong... Namdaemun... Dongdaemun...
We are visiting the DMZ sunday and Hongdae tomorrow!!
Korean friends Unni is showing us around! Should be lots of fun!!
And yeah... no boyfriend sighting yet...
But we are gonna parade aroung Kangnam for a bit soon! We are gonna go to the street where all the actors hang out!! Should be fun!!! <3
I'm so glad you're enjoying your time here in Seoul (even though the weather's been pretty terrible, overall, the last few weeks).
It sounds like you've been visiting a lot of the "right" places... that's fantastic! Have you also been enjoying the nightlife? One thing I've noticed about Seoul is that it's truly a 24/7 city... There are so many establishments (restaurants, gyms, whatever) that are open 24 hours, and people totally make use of them! Walking to the subway at 6:00 am, I'll pass all kinds of typical Korean restaurants, and there hasn't been a day yet that I haven't seen groups of people still sitting around with their bottles of makgeolli and soju, finishing up their night as some other people are going to work. Amazing :)
Anyway, again, I'm really glad you've been enjoying your time here, and I hope you'll manage to see at least one famous person :)
I responded to all my responses, so now I can comment on yours :-) So it sounds like you will be in Vietnam for about 2 weeks, good for you!!! You are getting to visit a few Asian countries in the process, that's great! Continue to have fun!!!! I am really happy for you!!!! You will probably have to readjust to life back in the UK when you return, hello reverse cultural shock (I experienced it when I went back home many years ago). In the meantime however, you are having a lot of cultural experiences, and that is wonderful.
Will you be going alone to Vietnam? Or will you be with your Unni? (The one you are with right now). How do you like the food in SK? How is the weather there, now? The DMZ reminds me of TK2Hs and Hongdae of the current drama Hongdae Lovers, which I am not currently watching.
I had another dream with LMH this past Monday. He was filming something again. Maybe I should ask him (if I dream about him again) how you could meet your boyfriend. Is Kangnam supposed to be a fancy and rich area? Please let me know if you spotted some celebrities you know.
Glad to know all is going really well for you!!! Do you start school when you go back to the UK? What are you studying?
Yeah, we want to hear all the sordid details, especially with pics! lol It's been sounding like an awesome trip, and I'm glad you are staying healthy throughout it. I'm always worried when I travel that I might find some...um...incompatibilities with the local food/water.
Happy Weekend, Leaf! I feel like, Shel: I haven't been on the OT in so long in a meaningful way that I had no idea that you were Korea...or had even been to China! Talk about a whirlwind trip. No wonder it's going to feel odd being back in the UK. It sounds like you've been having a great time, though, and that's all that really matters :) So happy you're enjoying yourself.
Good morning Kakashi!!! (my time zone, which is the same as DB). What time is it in your part of the world? And where are you, if you don't mind my asking?
It is nice to talk (errr... write) back to you as well :-). How do you like being first? I actually have had a fairly good week. I did stay up all night to catch up on Gaksital and read recaps and do some research (and read) about some of the things (names of movements, historical facts, etc...) that were mentioned in Gaksital, so I would have a better understanding of historical events as I was watching the drama, which made me have a major headache around 4:00am, my time (and I had slept a few hours the night before).
I was up and awake by the time the 1st article was posted today, (around 5:16ish, I think), but I decided to linger in bed for a few more minutes, so I could be a little more rested, so I could participate on OT and do other things today. I used to be able to stay up all night and be fine in the morning, but that is not always the case anymore. I know sleep can be over-rated(sp?) (for Kdrama addicts), but I am finding out that we still need it to feel better and function better as well :-). In the process, we let other people in the DB community be first :-), gotta share that feeling, right?
It's past 4pm here (=Switzerland). I think I'm the ONLY Swiss person that watches KDrama, haha.
Being first three times feels GREAT! But ... I've been spending almost too much time on DB these days ... clearly procrastinating. You can be first next time again, hehe.
I'm so looking forward to watching Gaksital! But when, oh when?! Faith has 24 episodes scheduled and Arang has 20 ... Anyway, Gakistal is my No1 on the HAVETOWATCH list.
as for staying up all night, yes, that's a thing the young do, I mean the really young, which I am not (closer to 40 then 20 myself).
And: I had a really good week, not only but also because of Faith and Arang, which I both like a lot.
Greetings from Northern CA. My sister used to live in Alsace, France and worked in Germany (don't ask me where). Knowing that you live in Berlin brought that thought to me. I hope you are doing well.
So you live in Switzerland, I see. So glad that you like and watch Kdramas. I have a friend of a friend who is relocating from the US to Switzerland for school. She will be in the hospitality industry. I also have a friend from High school who went to Law School in the US and then married a Swiss Doctor. They live in Switzerland, and have been married for 17 years and they have 2 beautiful children. My younger sister spent a summer in Switzerland many years ago as well.
So funny you liked being 1st, but I can understand the feeling. And yes, it can mean that one is spending a lot of time on DB, often procrastinating. I know how that goes, I have been there.
Re: staying up all night, I am actually closer to your age, (a little older as it turns out, I am past 40) and I decided to stay up because I had the apartment to myself and I just wanted to stay up. I don't regret it, personally. I love being up at night (if I don't have to be somewhere the next day). It is so quiet and peaceful, l love it. I pay a price for it, but it's OK if I don't have to drive the next day, which I didn't have to.
I am glad you like "Faith" and "Arang." From what I hear, they are quite different. I only saw episode 1 of Arang and decided it wasn't for me. I couldn't get into it. So I am sticking to Faith and Gaksital, because honestly, I can't watch too many dramas at the same time. It doesn't work for me.
Gaksital is very good, just know that it is quite violent (I think). I do love the OST as well. Where do you watch your Kdramas? Do they show some of them on Swiss TV (just wondering)? Because I think there is a channel in France that shows them.
Great to hear from you, I remember you from last OT. You googled something for me and shared the info. Have a great weekend, I hope.
Ah, no, nothing Korean on TV here, there's hardly any Korean restaurants in Switzerland either, so I was somewhat serious in saying I'm the only Swiss into Korean things, especially drama ... I watch Kdrama on Dramacrazy (almost exclusively), because Dramafever and viki don't work here. It's a very good platform and also very fast - almost as soon as the fansubbers are done on viki, it's up on Dramacrazy.
As for staying up late, I do that every single night, but never longer than 1am, since I have to go to work the next day. But staying up all night ... haven't done that in a long time, also because I have a 3year old daughter, which knows no mercy. She wants chocolate milk as soon as she wakes up around 7am. In any case, I'm quite lucky that I don't need much sleep in general, or I couldn't handle the crazy drama-schedule I'm on!!
I don't think I've ever watched as many dramas simultaneously before. I understand why you want to stay with just a few. But I was excited about both Arang and Faith for a while, and simply couldn't stop myself from getting drawn ... into both, "unfortunately". They are totally different, so that's a plus. I'm also keeping an eye on Haeundae Lovers, but have dropped Golden Time for good. It just bored me.
Hope your Friday is progressing nicely, mine is almost over!
I was glad to respond back to you (in time). It was just a matter of time, because I wanted to get to everyone who left me a post, I am sure you understand.
I am glad to know about Dramacrazy, in case I happen to be outside the US, so thanks for that info. You have a 3 year old, how precious. I am the oldest of 6 and I have been a nanny for over 25 years (over the years, not all at once), so I totally understand. I personally don't have children, but I have worked and have been a lot with them.
So how many dramas are you currently watching right now? How long does it take you to watch one episode? (it takes me a long time, but when I am done watching it, I know the episode well, usually). That's how I like to experience my dramas.
"I’m also keeping an eye on Haeundae Lovers," does that mean you are watching it? (just curious)...
I think we are 9 hours apart. Any big plans this weekend? (besides watching a Kdrama, maybe :-)). So what language(s) do you speak? (I know there is a section that speak French in Switzerland, I think).
You are very popular, Ivoire, so you have a lot of messages to attend to on here! I guess OT-day is always very busy for you ... so nice.
Usually, I don't have much time on Fridays, so I will probably not become a truly regular OT-user - but I am enjoying myself a lot while I can, this is such a wonderful community.
I am watching two dramas seriously (Arang and Faith). I watch every episode at least twice: once raw, though I sometimes skip through long dialogues - and once with subs. I then re-watch segments I particularly like (e.g. the fight scene in Episode 3 of Arang). I like to see how much I can understand when watching them raw - I'm just a Korean language beginner, but it's super exciting even if I just understand bits and pieces.
Haeundae lovers I'm skipping through, I only watch bits that I like (there is that story arc about a hotel (again!), incl. the second lead, which I don't like much so far, so I don't watch it). It's the kind of show where you can easily do that. I did the same with "Can Love Become Money" and other shows before.
My plans for the weekend? No big plans, really, I think it is going to rain (just started, actually), so I will probably play with my daughter, do some grocery shopping, some cooking in the evening, some ironing (hate it), etc.
oh, and I live in the German speaking part of Switzerland, so I speak Swiss German, but also proper German, French, and English. My Italian is basic and so is my Korean.
Thank you for your compliment (I took it as such) about being popular. I don't know that I am necessarily popular, as much as I tend to try to answer thoroughly to the comments I get and I ask questions, usually because I am curious. I think people tend to remember me because my screen name is unique, and because my posts can long, and because I try to answer to comments, even if I do it the following week or the week after. I like to finish the conversation or close the circle for that weekend, if that makes sense. I have also been regularly participating on OT for 9 months now, so one tends to recognize screen names, I guess. I usually answer the way I would want to be answered to, with details :-)...
I have taken to watching kdramas raw as well. I did it with Big (some episodes) (I didn't watch the whole thing), with Faith, Gaksital and a few other dramas I can't remember right now. I was afraid at first to do that, but now I am OK. It IS exciting when you catch a few words and phrases here and there and you find out you were right, isn't it? I totally understand that. I like it better with the subs though, because I still want to understand every single word, every nuance (if I can). When I watch raw, I find the recaps (Cadence does live recaps, she lives in Seoul) and read them. I do that with dramas that have recaps out quickly, otherwise I wait, read the recap and put that episode on my list of dramas or episodes to rewatch later, fully subbed.
Like you, I am also learning how to (slowly) speak Korean. Would love the day when I could understand every word in a Kdrama without subs :-). How did you come into Kdramas? Are you watching other genres like anime, Japanese, Taiwanese, etc... I personally stick to Kdramas at the moment, and would like to try "Rich Man, Poor Woman" which I have read a lot about (it's Japanese, I think). What do you think of Haeundae Lovers, would you recommend it? And what about "Can Love Become Money?" A commenter here seemed to like it a lot.
Funny that you hate ironing, because I actually like it :-). I am invited to a Birthday party tomorrow, so we will see. I speak English, French, Spanish and Bulu (my Cameroonian native language). My Korean is basic as well and I only know very few words of Italian and Portuguese.
Have fun playing with your daughter, this weekend :-)!
yes, I meant it as a compliment - I've noticed you immediately (on the OT but also on DB generally), not only because of your wonderful name but also because you so thoroughly answer all the questions. That's why everybody wants to 'chat' with you!
I came to KDrama by chance, a litte more than two years ago. I watched "Ninja Assassin", a movie which has Rain in it. And I thought "who's that gorgeous man??". I then looked for other stuff that he had done ... and the list was full of KDrama. I didn't expect to be able to watch ANY of it, but, oh wonder!, I very soon found Mysoju and soon after Dramacrazy and from there, I became an addict fast! I first watched all of Rain's dramas, and then it just took it's course ... I saw several other actors that I liked and checked out what they had done ... that led me to BOF, Chuno, etc. etc. etc.
I am only sticking to KDrama, I like them best (I gave the other a try, but admittedly only a cursory one). I used to watch tons of Anime (hence my alias, kakashi, he's my favorite anime character)
I'm learning Korean with Talk To Me in Korean, you should check them out, it's a great site! It's for free, basically, though you can also choose whether you want to pay for a download or not. Tons of podcasts, pdfs, etc. ... great concept.
Haeundae Lovers: well, hard to say. I can't really recommend it, because it's wacky/tacky and definitely not really good. But it's crazy enough to be special, so if you're feeling like something really silly, go for it!
“Can Love Become Money?” was alright, but as mentioned, I skipped through a lot of the cliché bits and mainly watched Yeon Jung Hoon (anticipating his return with Vampire Prosecutor 2 soon!!). I really like him in it.
Ah, ironing ... no, we'll never become friends. I put it off as long as I can and often end up putting on clothes unironed just because I let them lie around too long. *sigh*
And, finally (before I'm off to bed!), I learnt something new from you today, I didn't know about the Bulu language. Now I know! I went and read about languages in Cameroon, that's really fascinating.
I wish you a wonderful weekend and until soon, somewhere on DB!
@kakashi: I recently relocated from the United States to the Caribbean and have been able to access dramafever and viki using Hotspot Shield and/or Ultrasurf. I tend to use Hotspot Shield more than Ultrasurf. Hotspot Shield essentially "masks" your IP address by assigning a new address while Ultrasurf actually "hides" your IP address. Both have free versions available.
I currently have the remnants of a headache because I stayed up watching Gaksital and doing other stuff drama related. I will be OK though, I just took a migraine pill and I really want to participate on OT, so here I am.
I am giving you a hug back for the one you gave me last OT. I meant to respond, but didn't get to it, sorry :-( And thank you for the hug.
You also wrote this: "as usual, I’m juggling online class, freelance stuff, and my blog, and wishing there were more hours in the day so I can watch more dramas as well."
I hope the juggling act is going well or that you are at least managing it OK. I hear you on the "wishing there were more hours in the day to watch more dramas." I am there with you :-)
I hope your weekend started well. You do live in the Philippines, right? What class are you currently taking online, if I may ask?
Hi, Ivoire. Just got back to this because I just woke up!
/gives you more hugs
Yes, I live in the Philippines. My weekend actually started pretty well -- watched the latest episodes of To the Beautiful You and Ma Boy, went to catch a local mall show of the actor playing my favorite Princess and I character (Enrique Gil is such a cutie!), wrote another chapter for the book I'm kinda writing, came home to find the President actually appointed the one person I thought he would appoint for the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Haha, I don't know why that last one makes me so happy, but it does. Then woke up today with another story idea. So I'm riding the good vibes while they last.
I'm taking the Fantasy and Sci-Fi class (under Prof. Eric Rabkin) on Coursera. I've always regretted not going into literature / creative writing in college, so this is kind of my way of making up for it.
I tried to post a comment on your website and it didn't work. Asked me for a valid URL, what was I supposed to write? Here, I wrote DB, and that worked. So I was confused.
For the valid URL, I entered your website, the way it is written with "www." before that, which is what I do for DB and I have never had a problem since the beginning. So it ended not posting my comment, FYI.
I am still waiting to see your long comment, because it is not showing on my page yet, FYI.
I will wait, so it is fine. I guess the comment will post when it does. Do you know what that means "the comment is awaiting moderation notice?" I have had that comment a few times, but I never understood what it meant.
I did see that my comment didn't register on your blog, and I didn't feel that there was anything I could do about it, so I left it alone. That's too bad. Thanks for apologizing though :-) What time is it in the Philippines now?
/glares at own blog and tells it to go sit in the corner until it behaves itself.
I think some blogs (including mine) automatically flag comments that might be spam, especially if they contain a number of links. Mine had links to some PAI fanvids. So I'll have to wait until JB or GF publishes it I guess.
This is in response to the comment you made around 5:15pm your time, the one with the link and date posted below:
5.2.1.1.6 Laya August 25th, 2012 at 2:19 am
"/glares at own blog and tells it to go sit in the corner until it behaves itself." This was so funny and cute, made me smile. Technology doesn't always work the way we would want it to work, doesn't it? Oh well, hopefully things will get back to normal :-)
What does that mean, "to flag a comment"? (you mention that in your 2nd paragraph). I will keep on checking the site, to see if your longer post shows up, how about that? Thank you for writing a long one, btw :-) (I will enjoy reading it, since I tend to write long posts myself...)
:D The blog thinks the comment may be spam, but it's not sure, so it doesn't publish the comment, but it notifies the site admin to decide whether to publish the comment or not.
Thank you for the hugs, and I accept them :-)!!!! I wonder how we originally got connected... You must have said "Hi" to me once, right? And we went from there? So, are you the one who lives with her family and your sister has a baby (or a toddler) and you sometimes help with the baby? I am trying to remember how we originally connected (without having to check the last OTs, too many of them :-))
Where in the Philippines do you live? What city? (if you don't mind my asking). How do you like TTBY and Ma Boy (where did watch Ma Boy)? So when you say, you went to catch a show, is that like watching a movie or a live show? I just googled pictures of Enrique Gil, and yes, he is a cutie :-)! So he is the male lead in that drama (my favorite Princess and I). Do they have 2nd leads, like in Kdramas? How many episodes do the drama have, and often is it aired a week?
"wrote another chapter for the book I’m kinda writing," meaning? (why kinda writing?). Maybe you liked the person the President appointed because you think he is right for the position? If you are happy, then good!!!! Your creative juices seem to be flowing, so ride the good vibes while you can :-)!!!!
So what did you study in college then? Is Prof. Rabkin a good Prof.? (I am just being curious... )Are you enjoying the class? How long will the class be (how many months?) How often in a week do you have it? Do you guys do conference calls or how does that work? I have visited your page, and I liked it. I will have to read your recaps, some time.
Yeah, I think it was because you said "hi" on one of my OT posts way back :D
Yup, I was the one with the toddler nephew. They moved to their own house a couple of days ago, though, so the house is pretty quiet now.
I was a Biology major in college. We go to college as early as 15 or 16 here, and family wouldn't let me take an "impractical" course like language or literature, even though that's my field. I ended up running away to Manila for 7 years, though, and working in publishing. Then got sick, so went back home to General Santos (which is also boxer Manny Pacquiao's hometown, if you know him).
I'm writing a fantasy romance (so mundane) although it's kind of on the shelf at present. Weirdly, I only seem to be able to work on it when I'm in a cafe or diner (since that's how I began working on it in Manila), so I get to add to it only twice a month when I go to the bank downtown. Maybe because trying to immerse yourself in a fantasy world needs more concentration than, say, recaps (since I only have to describe what happened in the drama) or writing articles or blog posts.
It was a live mall show, which is why I had to go watch. He was so mobbed. I was afraid I was going deaf with all those screaming fangirls, it was crazy. (Here's a Princess and I fanvid with Enrique (or Quen) and Kath: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYpYIsZXd1M ) They are both way more good-looking in person, I swear. Interesting dynamic they have in PAI-- Jao's the prince who's picked to succeed to the throne because the king's daughter is missing, then he meets this foreigner he falls in love with, and people oppose it because she's a nobody, not knowing she's the real princess. (Ah, this cutscene I also like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvKXOUUQ5YE ) There is a second lead-- Gino, Jao's best friend. (Cutscene! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IywWKtJUQxM ) Filipinos are so big on loveteams, and Kath and Daniel (Gino) are actually being thrown together more outside of PAI, so it's confusing, even if the main story focuses on Jao and Mikay. Jaomik and MiGi fangirls keep squabbling about it.
Recapping Filipino dramas is exhausting because they air in 40-minute timeslots daily on weekdays, and you never know when they end until the network announces the last two weeks. I don't know when PAI will end, but I heard they're considering an extension till October, so until then I guess. It moves faster than other local dramas though, which is a relief. You can't imagine how many weeks some dramas send their characters running around in circles trying to locate a vital clue or person who was hiding in plain sight all that time; in PAI, stuff like that gets resolved the same week. Unfortunately, the network is big on taking down illegally posted vids (which are more often than not also unsubbed) of their dramas, and their website is also only for Filipinos or something. So I guess non-Pinoys who don't have the drama on cable (TFC, the Filipino Channel) can only watch it raw if they manage to find it online. Which is why I do the recaps, sigh.
As for the President, he just appointed the first female CJ in our country after the seated CJ was impeached on non-transparency and corruption issues. She was his first appointee to that Court too, and a dissenter in many controversial cases, so I'm hoping for reforms.
The Coursera class runs for 10 weeks-- 4 done so far! We just watch videos by the prof, then do an essay on the assigned reading. The assignments are peer-reviewed. At least the class is giving me more insights about reading and interpreting what I've read.
I watch both TTBY and Ma Boy on Dramacrazy. :D I like them both a lot! Ma Boy is still unsubbed though.
Gradually warming up to Tae Joon now... I think it was because of the angel wings. Although I was laughing at the bus scene in the rain, because, boys. In situations like that, girls tend to swing the umbrella down to deflect the splash. Although then it wouldn't have been as "romantic"? :D
I'm feeling Ma Boy seems a bit rushed, although maybe it's because I know the manga is 8 books, and the drama has only 3 episodes. I like that Irene is more realistic than Izumi though (because really, how do you disguise the Adam's apple and the deep voice, and how do you give the guy fuller hips?) and that he's more conflicted about what he's doing. Although listening to Let's Walk Together, why does it seem Sun-woong has a higher voice than the other guys in TOUCH (and I have to go back to Ep. 1 and see if TOUCH are Hyun-woo's dancer friends)?
No, it's not, sorry, there's still a long comment before that. I only remembered that I didn't answer your question about the dramas so I made another comment.
I have read a lot of comments about TTBY and I saw that you commented earlier as well on this OT:-). I also know that both shows are recapped here, on DB and I was thinking of checking out (more like watching) Ma Boy, since it will be only 3 epis. long, and it will give me a chance to see the gender bender genre done differently.
I am not familiar with the scene you describe in your 2nd paragraph (about the umbrella scene in TTBY) , since I am currently not watching the show, but I trust that if you were laughing/smiling to yourself, it must have been funny?
Did you read the manga books? All 8 of them? (of Ma Boy). If you did, did you like them? So if in the drama, Irene is more realistic, does that mean that Izumi is made to look more feminine in the manga? How long are the episodes of TTBY and Ma Boy (are they longer than an hour)? Would you recommend both shows? If so, why?
Ah, the bus scene in TTBY is in Ep. 3, which hasn't been recapped here yet. I was laughing more because what Tae Joon did was kind of impractical. Ended up thinking "Anything for a hug, I guess."
"Did you read the manga books? All 8 of them? (of Ma Boy). If you did, did you like them? So if in the drama, Irene is more realistic, does that mean that Izumi is made to look more feminine in the manga? How long are the episodes of TTBY and Ma Boy (are they longer than an hour)? Would you recommend both shows? If so, why?"
After I found out what manga Ma Boy was based on (Tenshi Ja Nai!), I went and read it online. Took me the better part of a day, lol, but it was fun. Yes, Izumi is more feminine-- he's even prettier, curvier, and girlier than Hikaru (Geu-rim in Ma Boy). The manga is more about Hikaru's journey than his, so I like that the drama focuses more on Irene's identity crisis for a change.
An episode of Ma Boy takes a little less than an hour, TTBY a little over an hour. I like them both; they're fun to watch, and we can always use a little more fun in our lives. TTBY is fluffier and has more cute, but then it has more time to work with, and the budding closeness between Jae Hee and Tae Joon is heartwarming. Poor Geu-rim just can't catch a break in Ma Boy, what with having a boy for a roomie and having to keep his secret, and then getting picked on by both Tae-joon and Irene's fans for different reasons. At least, unlike Hikaru, she sasses them all back. Now I'm wondering how they'll wrap this all up in the last episode-- I'm guessing they'll focus more on Geu-rim's problems in keeping Irene's secret even at her own cost.
I really loved your detailed answer but it left me confused about who is who in what drama. So please help me out:
TTBY has : Jae Hee and Tae Joon as the leads? (Jae Hee being the female lead and Tae Joon being the male lead)
and Ma Boy has Geu-Rim as the female lead (who is actually female) and Irene who is the male lead disguised as a female, right.
So if I am correct, I didn't understand this: "Poor Geu-rim just can’t catch a break in Ma Boy, what with having a boy for a roomie and having to keep his secret, and then getting picked on by both Tae-joon and Irene’s fans for different reasons." If Tae-Joon is in TTBY, why is Geu-rim having prob. with his fans? (Not the same drama, no?) Does my question make sense?
I understand why you're confused. I should have explained, sorry!
Both dramas have a character named Tae Joon-- the lead in TTBY is Tae Joon played by Min-ho, a champion high jumper. The second lead in Ma Boy is also Tae Joon, played by Min-hoo (yup, confusing, since they're different characters and different actors!) and he's the pop idol who Geu-rim likes and who likes Irene.
Phew!!!! Ok, now that makes sense!!!! Now wonder I was confused *Smiles* Thanks for clarifying that.
Why did the boy playing Irene decide to pass as a girl in the first place? (again my being curious), I don't mind spoilers. Ma Boy sounds interesting. Where could I go online to read the manga (of both shows, if possible) please?
Mangafox is a good place to try. :) Just look for Tenshi Ja Nai! for Ma Boy, and Hana Kimi for TTBY.
==Spoilers!==
In Tenshi Ja Nai!, Izumi needs money for the upkeep of his dad, who has been comatose in the hospital for many years, after a suicide attempt. In Ma Boy, Hyunwoo's uncle has a management agency and it had financial troubles, so when he needed a girl for a CF but couldn't find one, he hit on the bright idea of dressing up Hyunwoo as a girl named Irene. The problem was that Irene became in demand, and they're raking in the money, so it's hard for them to end the deception.
First off, your response was long but gooooood because I learned a lot in the process. I do remember you now. I think I responded when you mentioned something about your nephew living in the house and something else, and I made a comment about that. Was it when you were celebrating a birthday and you felt like you didn't have much to celebrate in your life at the time (or maybe I am confusing you with some else), please clarify. In any case, I remember you mentioning your sister, nephew and in following conversations you being sick and I sooooooo wanted to respond to that but I didn't, and the weeks went by. So, are you better now? (Just wondering)?
How many siblings do you have? Are you the only child living at home now? How do you like the house being quiet? I will post this now and answer your post in chunks, so you have something to read in the meantime, if that's OK. (hopes it makes sense)
"Was it when you were celebrating a birthday and you felt like you didn’t have much to celebrate in your life at the time?"
-Probably wasn't me. Sorry. :D But yes, I am better now, thanks. My blood pressure and potassium deficiency are being stabilized by meds, so I don't feel faint and shaky anymore, and having less stress also helps.
I have only two siblings, and my brother is also going to another city to train for a job, so after next week, I'll be the only child at home. Since my mom goes over to my sister's house to baby-sit and my dad has a job, that means I have the house all to myself all day --well, except for my old aunt who lives with us, but she's a quiet old lady. I actually kind of like it, since I'd gotten used to living alone when I was still working, so having a lot of people around all the time kind of grates on my nerves after a while.
I didn't finish responding with my post, and I saw that you actually responded to the little bit I wrote. I will be back later to finish, FYI. I hope your week is going well.
Dongsaeng, <3
I will respond to your comment soon (on your post) and I posted my (long) one below. Read if you have time. Sounds like you are having a blast, soooo HAPPY for you, really!!!!!
Hello back at you , Shel, good to see you back around here. I will read your post soon. Hope all is well with you and with the family. how is your daughter?
I don't know if you read it, but I answered you in the last OT (so my answer was the last one) here: (just in case you might not have been aware of it).
1.1.1.1.2 Ivoire August 19th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
I do have some updates, so please read below, if and when you can. I made some suggestions for you in my response in the last OT, I hope that will help. I just wanted to be helpful :-)! I will try and read your post later. I just skimmed it for now. Seems like you are staying away from dramas atm (at the moment), not a bad idea... and I totally understand.
Hey Ivy, thank you so much, I will go read your response in the previous OT now.
Just read the main part of your comment about your job - glad to hear you've made a decision. To me, the worst part is always thinking about the choices (and, if the answer is negative, giving a negative response to the respective person), so it's good to heart you've moved past that by now. Hope a better option comes along soon - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, as always!
I am glad you understand and can relate to how challenging last week was for me, but I guess that is part of living right? Making tough decisions and making sure that we have all the information we need to make an informed decision. I guess it is part of the (ongoing) growth and maturation process. I am glad I made it through and just continued to learn a few things in the process.
Thank you again for your well wishes, I appreciate them. I hope my answer in the last OT helped :-)...
P.S. You asked me whether I moved recently, so the answer is not yet.=) I'm moving in the second week of September and will have more than a week to finish moving my things, so I'm actually not too stressed about that.
Thanks again for your advice - will start jogging again tonight!
OTS, you are very welcome!!!
Hope that helps, let me know how that goes. Good luck with the move and everything else you have to do. Will read your post (more slowly) later :-)
Yes, I do have some news. If and when you have the time, please read my long (detailed) post. I hope your weekend will be relaxing as well.
Did you have a good time that weekend you went away (with a family member, I think)?
Just read you post. I'm glad that you have some clarity and that things are opening up for you.
I was away with friends at their home on the Chesapeake Bay. It was a great time. This past weekend was really special, though, as my 5th grandchild (a boy) was born on Sunday. So now I have 3 daughters, three son-in-laws, an adopted son and daughter, 3 grandsons and 2 granddaughters (plus a husband and 88 year old Mom, and a wonderful sister!) They all keep me really busy - which is why I like a little me-time with my Kdramas!
Too bad you are on the other side of the states as we could put your nanny services to good use here! I'll keep my fingers crossed that things work out well for you.
Good to read from you! I am glad you had a wonderful weekend with your friends. Congratulations on the addition of your 5th grandchild to the family. You guys sound like you are close (as a family) and that is great! (It's not always a guarantee that family members will be close and get along). I come from a big family, so I understand the need to get away and get lost in Kdramaland.
I think you guys might have liked me as a nanny. I am very good at what I do, I have many years of experience and I bring cultural and language experiences that not many people have. You can tell by my long posts that I am detail-oriented and that I communicate well. I am loyal and dedicated and hard working. I also have excellent recommendations. I am college educated (in France and in the US) but I really like working with children and taking care of them, which is why I love being a nanny.
Thank you so much for your good and kind wishes, I do hope that things will work out well for me as well. I hope that you will have a wonderful weekend. I think I did tell you that I spent some time (a summer) in Philadelphia, many years ago, didn't I? I have wonderful memories of my time there.
I feel so bad :-(... I never responded to your message 3 or 4 OTs ago, but I kept thinking about you. I wanted to ask you if you knew of a place online where I could find a good recipe (in English) for the Spanish omelet with the potatoes. I LOVE that omelet. I make it every so often, especially now because the potatoes are so cheap, but I don't manage to make them as well as I saw them being done in Spain (yummy!!!!). My omelet tastes really good, it is the aesthetic (the presentation) I am having a hard time with. And I try to do it the way I saw it being done, but I never quite get the same result :-(
Congratulations on writing again!!! So, what do you write? Where (if I may ask)? Have a great weekend :-)!
let me put my tought in order and I give you my family recipe. My mom hates onions so, we don't put onion in it, but there are a few tricks to make it look nice
You are making my day!!!! Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I will have to try your family recipe. And please let me know about your writing (I asked you above). Was that your previous profession? Or just something you like (love) doing?
Now I am hungry and I want that Spanish omelet. You guys make it look soooo good. It comes out fluffy and full and so yellow :-)! I don't know if you can tell, but I have excellent memories of my times in Spain (both times) :-). God willing, I hope to have the opportunities to visit other provinces and cities (Barcelona, Andalucia, and many more) in the future, and practice my Spanish in the process (I am fluent, but not as quick as I used to be). I am sure you know how that goes :-)
Thank you again so much, for sharing your family recipe with me :-)!
Sorry for the delay. I had a conversation with my mom about it the other day, and since you said that your problem is the shape and not the taste, here you have a few tips.
Make sure you have the right ratio potato/egg + a pan small enough to fit all the mix and have a thick omelette. All depends on the amount of potatoes and eggs used. Usually for a small it could be 3 medium potatoes and 5 eggs (it’s not exact, since we eyeball the amounts, but I’m sure you can find more exact measurements online) and a small nonstick pan for an omelette for two. Remember, one of the things that makes it pretty is its thickness. You just need 1cm or less of space left in the pan, once you add the mix. Remember the larger you make your omelette, the harder it will be to turn.
About the mix, once you’ve slowly cooked the potato in the oil (remember that more than frying, you’re boiling the potato in oil. It has to be soft, but not golden), you drain it well with a strainer , to make sure you get rid of all extra oil. While the potato is still warm, you mix it in a bowl where you have the egg already beaten.
Once you add the mix to the hot and oiled pan, use a spatula to carefully move the content and help it set faster without losing shape. Lower the heat to avoid burning, since it takes long to cook.
I’m sure you already know this, but just in case, place a plate over the pan to turn the omelette. As you know this part is tricky, with the help of the spatula, put the omelette back in the pan and help it recover its shape. If it is a little bit burn, you can always beat another egg at that moment, and pour as much as needed over the omelette to cover the imperfections, once the second side is already cooked, you’ll have to turn the omelette again, to finish cooking the egg you’ve just added.
Once finished, let it set a few minutes before cutting it. The cooking time will depend of how cooked you like it. I like it well done, but some people like to have some of the egg in the center still soft, even running.
About the flavor, the best is to select a potato that is slightly sweeter. I really don’t know about kinds of potatoes here in the States so I can’t recommend the exact brand. In any case, you can fix this by adding a teaspoon of sugar at the same time that the salt, when you cook the potatoes.
Seasoning depends on the taste, Usually you add salt while cooking the potatoes, and also to the beaten eggs.
I hope this helps you.
Let me know if you have any other doubt ;)
How are you? How was your week? I did reach an informed decision (looking at all the angles), so thank you for wishing me well about that. Re: our conversation on last OT, I now remember that you are from Indonesia, because you were the one who gave me some info about the Korean-Indonesian drama that is also filmed in Bali. Any recent news about that drama? I haven't tried to find it online yet. Too busy with other things, as you can imagine.
I posted a long message below, so please read if and when you have the time.
P.S.: I do think that it is only fair that you would let your roommate unpack and put things away once she is back in the US :-). Are you currently in school? If so, when do you start? (if you were on a break).
Great to hear that you've reached an informed decision, I hope it's one that you'll be satisfied with and that everything will go well from here then on.
Thanks for reminding me about the Korean-Indonesian drama, Iv. It's called Saranghae, I love you, btw. I did found some updates about it. I stumbled upon this article from allkpop: http://www.allkpop.com/2012/07/singer-tim-receiving-love-in-indonesia-for-korean-indonesian-drama-saranghae-i-love-you
I also read somewhere that Siwon Super Junior tweeted about it. So I'm assuming that it is also known in South Korea, even though only by a small fraction of people. And... I also came across the drama's clips on YouTube as well, the whole 20 episodes, although unfortunately they're not subbed yet. But since there are some English scenes, I guess you'll get the general story. You can check them here, btw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzwqMHxsAow&feature=relmfu
And yes Iv, my school started on Wednesday so I couldn't hang around OT and Dramabeans in general as frequently as I used to during the summer break. But I definitely will come back once in a while to check on responses though ;)
So good to hear back from you. You are back in school, so it would make sense that you won't be as visible on DB and OT, I totally understand that and support that as well. School and good grades are very important.
Thank you for reminding me of the title of the drama (will save it) and for the links you included in your response. I appreciate that. I will check out the youtube clips and I hope the drama will be subbed (I really hope so). So it sounds like this drama is not popular in SK then, if only a few people seem to know about it or follow it. Hmmm (makes me curious). You said that 20 episodes are posted on YT, which means that there are 10 episodes left, because the drama is 30 episodes long. I guess we will have to wait for the rest of the episodes to be uploaded. Well, at least we have those 20 epis. up already.
I hope school started well for you. What are you studying? How much longer do you have? (Just curious :-)). Have a great weekend, Maya!
I just managed to get back to OT again. No weekend for me now school and research started. Yes, looks like I won't be as visible in OT and other threads as I was these couple of few weeks back. But I still want to discuss about Gaksital to death and read the comments as well. Might drop by sometimes in Faith thread but depending on how much I enjoy the particular episode that day.
I don't mind at all. I'm currently working for my master degree in physics, and since I really really want to continue on to a phd program, I'm starting to look around for research available (in the field that I'm interested in), and hoping that the professor would have some funding that will eventually help funding me when I start working for my phd degree. I'm currently under a fellowship for the master degree, so I won't have to worry about not being funded right now. But I don't what's gonna happen once I'm finished. I just keep praying that everything will work out for the best. I have about one year left to finish my master degree and four years (at least) to get a phd degree (hopefully if everything work out ;)). Btw, I know I should've asked back at this point, but I kinda read your post to Ashley already below so I kinda know about what type of works you're doing right now, and how much you enjoy it (I hope that didn't sound stalker-ish :D). So are you considering about moving to another state right now (which I assume would be the big decision that you had to decide on)? If so, are you still going to do the same work you're doing right now?
And yes, I think the drama isn't well known in Korea itself, but Tim's fans will definitely know about it, and I would say that general public might be aware of it, just not in details. And as far as I know, I think there's only 20 episodes uploaded already, but then the drama just started running about a month ago from Monday-Friday so I think the numbers are right (for now).
Anyway I hope you've had a lovely weekend so far, Iv! And I hope I'll be able to bump into you again in OT or other threads soon.. :)
Happy Friday Ivoire! I hope you had a good week, and are enjoying the dramas you are keeping up with. Do you mind me asking what shows you are following and how you like them?
Soooo good to hear from you!!!! I did read your comment last week, later in the day and I did mean to respond (I don't know if I got to that, but I will check). I also remember greeting you originally when you started (I think) writing on OT and you were still in China, packing and getting ready to leave. I had answered some of your questions, but not all. I haven't forgotten that, thank you for reminding me last week :-). I think I had one question left (how I got into Kdramas and which one was the 1st one I watched?), which I will answer, promise.
I think I answered your questions in my (long) post below, so please read, if you have the time. Happy reading :-).
It amazes me that you have the patience to write a post that long, I wish I did. Where were you going to move to in Minnesota? I am from Minnesota, born and raised, but I agree with you about the 7 month winters, they are unbearable. I will look forward to your old replys when you can get around to them.
I can't believe you are from MN!!!!! The world is such a small place. And we meet here, on DB, of all places :-) because of our love and interest in Kdramas, how cool is that?
So I was going to move to Plymouth, which I don't know well at all. I was told it is close to Mpls. Where are you from, in MN? And where do you live right now (if you don't mind my asking)? I think you said you taught in China for about a year, where were you in China? And what do you do now? (if you don't mind my asking, again).
I lived in MN for 12 years, went to school at Hamline University in St Paul, worked in Bloomington (very close to the Mall of America) for 5 years, lived in ST Paul, the whole time I was there (close to Hamline by Snelling and Hewitt on one hand and University on the other side) and lived in Maplewood for 6 weeks before my move. I know Mpls (some) and some of the surrounding cities. I have been to Rochester, MN, Minnetonka, Rushford (small town) and other surrounding cities which names I can't remember right now (sorry) :-(
About my writing long posts, I love to write, I really do. Loved to write since I was a teenager, having pen pals in Mexico, Switzerland, and Israel (I met them on an English immersion program I went on when I was 16, many, many years ago) in England. I would hand write 16 to 20 pages (long) letters (handwritten) front and back (A4 format kind of pages). It did help improve my English, (I used the dictionary English-French) a lot. French is my 1st language.
And yes, I can patient. I have worked with children for over 25 years, so I have learned to be patient, lots :-). I come here and I pour my heart out because no one around me is into Kdramas, (my sister lives 2 and 1/2 hours away from me in Davis, she was into Kdramas before I was) and I have a friend I speak to on occasion, and we talk about the Kdramas we watch, among other things, that's about it. Here I learn about Kdramas, the language, the culture, etc... and I learn about other shows I didn't know about etc...
I tell myself every week that I should stay away from OT (or maybe consider writing shorter posts), but I haven't gotten to that yet. I am working towards that goal :-). I also love details, can you tell? I hope I can do something in the future with my writing, we will see.
I hope to read from you again :-) I am still so surprised that you are from MN, :-)
I am from Eden Prairie, which is a suburb of mpls., next to Minnetonka. I actually went to a christian school in Minnetonka for 5 years. My family moved to Virginia a week before I went to university, and have been living here for about 3 years now. My brothers have to make sure EVERYONE knows we are not from Virginia, but Minnesota. "Pride for the homeland" as they call it. I know, what a coincidence? Like I said in my first OT post, DB really does make this world feel smaller in a good way.
I was in Chengdu, China. Roughly about the 5th largest city in China. Now I am at home for a semester working and trying to pay off some student loans. Then I will return to school until I graduate. Afterwords I would like to move to South Korean to teach, either that or go back to China. You are a teacher? And if you do not mind me asking where are you from? I saw you said your sister is your only family here in the states, did you guys mover here together?
Hope you have a good weekend, and that I can hear from you soon :)
I just read your response. I know Eden Prairie, I have a former classmate (his dad is from Cyprus in Europe and is mom is American, and they lived in Kenya for a long time because his dad worked for Coca Cola in East Africa for a while) who was one of my really good friends in college whose aunt lives in Eden Prairie, and so his graduation party was there, over 10 years ago, and we had a really good time (all the guests). Not only was his whole family great hosts, but the food was so good!!!! It was catered. There was Greek food, some African drinks made with pineapple (really good) and American food. We did have a really good time.
I have also a good family friend we (the children) call "Uncle" because he lived with his family for a few years in my country (in Cameroon, Central Africa) when he was working there, before relocating to MN (his wife is American, his family is from Lebanon, but he grew up in Senegal, in West Africa). This uncle has lived in Minnnetonka ever since they came back to MN, over 20 years ago. I have been to their home twice (in Minnetonka). If you went to school in Minnetonka, would you happen to know a family whose name starts with "T" and ends with "af"? Although depending on your age, you might not have gone to school at the same time.
So now your family has been living in VA, I take it. In what city or town? (if you don't mind my asking). The "Pride for the Homeland" reminded me of the radio show "A Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor, which was broadcasted on MN Public Radio. I remember that show because of the news from Lake Wobegon, "the little town that time forgot and the decades cannot improve ... where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average." Keillor has a wonderful radio voice and I enjoyed listening to his show. It was very clever and entertaining.
I also remember you, because I believe that I was the first one who greeted you on OT. You had asked if it was too late to participate, and I had said "Hello," and your post was on page 2. You were packing (or ready to start) and had a few days left in China. We wrote back and forth a few times before you left. So do you live in VA, now? With your family? (I think you responded to that already). So are we 3hrs apart? (instead of 2). What are you studying? for a BA or a Masters?
About me: I was born in Paris, France, lived there for 3 years (so French is my 1st language), then went home to Cameroon (Central Africa) with my parents (my dad studied Civil Engineering and my mom worked for an airline company). I lived in Cameroon for 16 years and traveled extensively because of my mom (her privileges, but my dad encouraged it as well) sometimes alone, sometimes with my siblings (I am the oldest of 6). It was a lot safer back then, and they monitored children and teenagers. I then had a scholarship to study in France (for college) so I spent 4 years in Poitiers, Center East of France (foreign languages) and then moved to the US. I lived in GA, for 2 years (Norcross close to ATL, and Athens where UGA is), but went to school in MN, because of a scholarship. I ended up living there for 12 years, before relocating to Northern CA 5 years ago to be closer to my sister, who had moved to CA 3 years before me. I am quite well traveled, and I have lived and studied on 3 different continents and a few countries. I speak 4 different languages fluently (French, Spanish, English and Bulu, my Cameroonian native language. There are over 250 Cameroonian languages, FYI). I am slowly learning Korean as well :-). I studied Spanish and Communications in MN.
I love languages, cultures, food of different places, International Affairs, Social and cultural issues (and political ones), etc... and I came across a Korean drama (Personal Taste with LMH) 2 years ago on Hulu (online TV site). I thought he was really cute, and I liked the minimum sexual content. I liked the OST (ended up buying it from a guy in Korea :-) through Amazon.com), fell in love with the language (the way it sounds) and had the TV switched to 1 of 2 Korean channels available in CA when I was home. I was hooked. Came across DB and devoured the site. I would stay up late at night, reading recaps, news articles, etc, on weekends. I delurked and started participating last December, I think, on OT, then I branched to the other features. I have learned a lot here from the bloggers and the commenters. I discovered that I love analyzing Kdramas and their characters, makes my viewing experience richer and more rounded (if that makes sense). Was afraid when I wrote my 1st long posts, but nothing bad happened, so I continued and found out that I wasn't the only one doing it (if you haven't noticed yet).
As I said to someone, I love writing and (I love talking) and this is the place I go (usually. I visit a few other sites as well) to talk about things Korean related, besides talking about it with my sister, who started watching Kdramas before me and a friend of mine who has more years under her belt as well.
I currently tutor French part-time and I did that in college as well, being a Professor's assistant. I worked in offices, but I really love working with children and I have many years of experience being a nanny so I am going back to that (and keeping the tutoring as well). If it is OK with you, maybe we could exchange email addresses (I can give you mine) and we could stay in touch that way as well. I have done so with 2 ladies here and nothing bad happened. I am not an ax murderer, (I swear :-)), and I don't think I will be as prolific on OTs in the future. So let me know, if you would like to stay in touch that way.
One of the ladies is my friend on FB now, and the other one (From OT here), I met (Cherkell) back in May with Shel (who posted today. I met her daughter too) when we went to a huge 22,000 people concert here in Mountain View,CA organized by Google and YouTube. The tickets were free and Cherkell came to pick me up. We had a lot of fun. Met a lady from my church (she also had tickets for me) who knows Kpop songs way better than I do (she knows them all) and is into Kdramas as well. She is from Ghana, West Africa, married, one son, working mom, but I think way more hip and cooler than I am. It was fun being with her as well, she knew literally all the songs and artists, *smh, smiling*.
All of that to say that good things can happen from meeting people here, just so you know. It was kind of cool to actually meet 3 people because of OT and attend the concert (it was in a park). I wouldn't have gone otherwise. This is the concert we went to:
I was trying to find the whole 3+ hours of the concert online, but you can only see parts of it on YT, I think. They had the whole thing up, before :-(
How many siblings do you have? And you are child #? How many languages do you speak? My sister who lives in Davis (and goes to UC Davis) spent 5 weeks in China 6 years ago, as part of a college program. We are all non traditional students, having all (my siblings) lived in France for many years. My two youngest siblings still live in France, and 2 passed away when I was young.
How did you like China? Was it your first time when you went? What made you go? Do you enjoy teaching? About my education: I studied in Cameroon, France, England, Spain (went there twice, and 2nd time, I had a scholarship from Spanish embassy in Cameroon) and the US. I have visited some US states, 1/2 of them I think, some African countries (Senegal, Togo, Benin, Cameroon), Europe (France, Spain, England, Belgium) and Martinique (French Territory which is an Island, considered French West Indies). I love to sing, I used to sing in my choir when I was a child and in college (we had an African choir), I was often the lead singer. Singing makes me appreciate languages (how they sound, the intonation, pronunciation etc...) and love some Kpop songs (I am selective) and I usually love Kdramas OSTs. The Korean language is beautiful when being sung, imho. I LOVE how dramatic Koreans can be when they talk, LOL...
What dramas are you currently watching? It would be my dream to go to Korea one day, and to work on a South Korea-African project of some sorts (I know those exist). I also want to learn the language, and continue to learn the culture which is in many ways similar to the African culture, as a whole, so I can relate a lot to what happens culturally (which I thought was interesting). I also love to cook, btw.
Well, you did hear from me, didn't you? :-) Happy reading, hope you don't mind the length:-)...
Ivoire,
I do not know why it will not let me comment on your post, but hopefully you see this. I love long letters, notes, and posts, so length does not bug me at all. I just need to be in the right mood to write a long note, and on dramabeans if you press the wrong button then you lose everything you just typed (which happened to me yesterday morning), so instead I will be writing this on word and copying and pasting. I do not know if I would know the friends of yours, I went to a very small Christian school in Minnetonka. I like that you had a good time in Eden Prairie though. My family still really misses it there, and we really do not like living in the country, as we are doing now. We now live in New Market , VA. Yes I am living at home for the moment, first time in many years. I went to a boarding school for my last two years of high school, then college for 2 years before China. I plan on only being home for a semester, then going back to school for elementary education and I want to get a masters in reading specialist. I would love nothing more than to finish school, head to Asia, and live there the rest of my life (and travel to different continents of course). I love to travel and learn about different cultures. I have only been to Belize and China so far. I tried saving money to go to Paris, I have wanted to go there since middle school. College ended up taking that money, but I will get there someday. English is my only language, but I plan to change that and have started to learn Korean. I feel jealous of anyone who grew up speaking more than one language, because it is such a gift. Living abroad is in my blood, my mom grew up in Malawi, Africa as a missionaries kid. Then my parents were student missionaries in South Korea there first year of marriage. My mom loved it, and my dad could not get home fast enough, and neither of them got into Korean pop culture, so they find this love of mine funny and ironic. I have always wanted to go to China, I said since I was 6 that I was going to adopt a little Chinese girl. My best friend when I was little was a first generation Chinese American, and I spent a lot of time at her house. I ate her moms homemade Chinese food at least twice a week, saw her parents watching the Chinese news, and was just in awe by their culture. When I decided I wanted to be a student missionary this past year, China was really the only country I wanted to go to. I loved it there! Everyone told me I am more Chinese then American. I love how they respect the elders, and try to keep society respectful. You said you liked the minimal sexual content of Personal Taste, I also LOVE that. I hate seeing sex, drugs, and violence on American tv shows. I feel like I fit in better in Asia then in America, and my parents are supportive of me migrating.
I might have already told you this, but I got into Korean dramas while in China. The girl who had lived in my apartment before me left Boys Over Flowers with only Chinese subs so I watched it raw and fell in love with it. Then found Dramabeans that helped me translate what was going on. While Boys Over Flowers might not be the best k-drama ever, it will always have a place in my heart. I went to a Kim Hyun Joong concert in China and he sang the acoustic version of Because Im Stupid, while pictures of Jihoo and Jandi were in the background. I ended up crying, because it reminded me of when I first moved, and I didn’t know anyone yet, so at nights I would sit in my apartment watching BOF. In the beginning that show is what kept me from feeling lonely, which might sound pathetic or not make sense. My whole beginning part in China is so closely wrapped with k-dramas that I do not think I will ever stop loving them. I am a HUGE music lover, so of course I also got into the music. It started with the BOF OST, then Kim Hyun Joong – SS501. Then I watched You’re Beautiful so I got into CNBLUE (who is my favorite Korean band so far) and FTIsland. Shut Up Flower Boy Band – Infinite. So on and so forth. I just learn of all these music groups through OST’s. I am the type that hates American top 40, but because I don’t know how to look up unknown Korean artists I am listening to mainstream Korean music and actually like it. I love to sing also, my mom says I was singing before I could talk. I was in the traveling choir all 4 years of high school and loved it. I agree with you that singing really brings you into other cultures. I was always singing songs in Latin, Spanish, or some African dialect. I also love to cook. My mom loves to cook, and instilled the love into me. I am my family’s chief when I am home, because my mom works as a nurse full time. My dad works in business, and I have 2 younger brothers. I am the oldest, and only girl which is sometimes and great combination, and sometimes the worst. I do not know how you handled having 5 brothers and sisters, I can barley handle 2. I love to read, I am a huge book worm. My friends in China would make fun of me, because I always had at least one book in my purse. Me, and book, and my ipod are a deadly combo. I will not even know whats going on around me when I get deep into a book with music on. That’s why I love this website so much, because it combines my love of k-dramas with reading. I have read more dramas then I have watched. Since I dint have internet in my apartment in China I would download all the recaps of a show on my computer at work, then go home and read them at night. You said there are some other websites you got to, what are they? I also love kids. I want to work with them the rest of my life because I find it so much fun it does not feel like work.
Right now I am following Bridal Mask, To the Beautiful You, Answer Me 1997, Faith, Panda and Hedgehog, Ma Boy, and We Got Married. I am really only watching TTBY, Panda and Hedgehog, and WGM. The rest I just follow on here, and hope I have the time to watch someday. I have pretty much given up on American tv, but I wasn’t to big into it before hand anyway. What are you keeping up with? That is so cool that you got to meet some people you met on here. DB really is such a fun way to connect with people, and everyone seems so nice! I do not know how long this is going o be once I put it on DB, so I better stop. I hope to hear from you soon
Yes lets keep in contact through email, that sounds like a lot of fun. My email is [email protected].
I just saw your post (it is long, yay!!!!! *big smile on my face). I was responding to Laya earlier. I will now go off and read, but I am also going to send you a quick email. So you could check your email soon as well.
Will be back soon. I totally understand the whole "you press a button (or in my case, sometimes nothing at all) and you loose your whole message" thing because it has happened to me a few times here. Writing on Word and copying and pasting (especially for long posts) is a good idea. when I write a short post, I copy it (from the "edit" option on my computer) before I send it, just to be on the safe side. If it doesn't post, I just paste it again, and repost it. I hope that makes sense. For the long posts, I have used Word as well (like you did).
It will be good to continue our conversation by email, for the more personal stuff, I think... I want to grab a bite (breakfast, it's s 8:20am here now), respond to JoAnne who made a very funny comment about me (you should read it, on comment # 36) and then I will back to respond. Thanks again for your long post, you have no idea how happy that makes me :-). Great way to start my day!!!!!!
Hello everyone!!!! (It is morning here in my time zone, which is also DB time zone).
First, thank you to those of you who left me kind and encouraging messages last Friday. Last week was a stressful and challenging one, one of those where you have to be careful about the decision(s) you make. I was considering taking a job in MN, which would have had me relocate to Minnesota (US) where I actually lived for 12 years before moving to CA, five years ago. I am sure you guys can understand that I had to weigh and make that decision carefully, especially since that would have meant being further away from my younger sister, the only biological family I have in the States. We reunited 5 years ago when I moved to CA and we hadn't seen each other for a long time before that. So those things matter, you know.
Soooo, no MN winters for me (at least for now), I am glad to report (those can be cold, brrrrrr.... as some of you know). I felt a sense of peace after I gave my answer to the person in MN and was comforted by how she took the news. She understood my reasons behind my decision and invited me to stay in touch with her (we had had a nice phone interview), so that made me feel better as well.
Doors are actually slowly opening up here (job wise), and I am waiting on someone's answer about an opportunity to live with her (we will have an arrangement), so that is not totally squared away yet.
In the meantime, I have the apartment to myself this weekend (until Monday late night) because my friend is away until Monday. She is visiting friends and family in NY and in Philadelphia. I am invited to a birthday tomorrow evening, other than that, I am planning on having a fairly quiet weekend, catching up on "Faith," (yeah, I am still watching it :-)), reading recaps, posting some comments, slowly (re)packing (for the move) and getting ready for the week.
On the drama front, as I mentioned to Kakashi earlier, I stayed up watching Gaksital, pausing to read up on some of the historical movements that are mentioned in the drama (in those episodes), look up some military words I didn't know, replay some of the scenes (so I could finish reading the subs when they were too fast for me, or when I thought the scene was awesome, or deep or disturbing) and reading the recaps. I also stopped to write down the questions that came up for me, so I can ask them on OT on Friday. Sometimes, I stop and write some of the Korean words (how I hear them) I am recognizing and learning.
All in all, as you can tell, my process is very slow and long and elaborate (it took me 5 hours to watch 2 episodes, LOL, with bathroom and snack breaks, of course), but that is my process and it works for me. That's how I experience my dramas, if I can. No wonder I can't watch too many of them at one time, not enough time in the day for me. I think it is fairly safe to say that by the time I am done with one episode, I know almost every gesture, eyebrow raised, etc... the characters have done :-)
So for the moment, I have been sticking to BM and "Faith." I had to adjust my expectations for "Faith," but I like it. The heroine (her reactions) make sense to me (so far), considering the context. I had never seen KHS in anything and her acting to me is fine. I don't think she is over acting or anything and I buy what she is doing. I also think that she looks the part to be a plastic surgeon, and why couldn't a male Goryeo warrior date (and marry, maybe) an older woman? Someone said that (in the recap's comments) of episode 3 or 4 that in the drama, CY is supposed to be 29 and ES 33, so their age gap is actually not that big. I checked and it is true. And LMH could pass for a young 29 year old (KMJ doesn't look 40ish in AGD and yet he is 42, Korean age) and KHS is in her mid 30's, so it works for me.
Like many, I am not only interested in the main OTP story and line, but also in the 2dary characters, mainly the king and the princess, who are really well acted (love how they do subtlety). I have to say that I do love all the characters (even the baddies) and that I am interested in seeing how the drama unfolds. Really love Dae-man and his loyalty to CY (and how he follows him like a puppy) and I might be the only one, but Deok-man (another one of CY's men) reminds me of Hyun Bin in his early 20's, when he was a little bigger (think, MNIKSS, The World Within). Also love Jang Bin (sp?) and his cool (aloof, maybe?) attitude. I want him to fall in love with ES.
"Faith" to me is not as intense as TK2Hs or BM, but it has its moments when it surprises me, and it works (for me, of course). I haven't seen "Legend," so I can't really compare it to anything in the same genre, and that is fine with me. I am sure in time, I will watch more dramas and will have some references then.
BM, WOW!!!!! As GF (I think) said in one of the recaps this week, can things get darker? It turns out, they can. I LOVE the mind games and manipulations in BM, from many characters: Shunji, LKT, Rie, her dad, the count's son, MDR, etc... It is engaging, keeps you on your toes and wondering how it will all unfold.
I know BM is supposed to be violent and I expect as much, but I am still not always totally used to it or prepared for its level of violence (which I think is good on my part, phew...). Wow Shunji!!! I really liked you, (I think he is a needed character and an effective one) but man, you are gone, aren't you??? Kudos to PKW for the awesome job he is doing, he deserves all the accolades and awards he will get from starring in this drama. He truly shines here. Even his voice is creepy (the tone of his voice changes) when he is menacing or manipulative. And his face is so expressive, he uses it really well. I have a new found respect for actors and actresses who play villains and do it to the nth degree, portraying th
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1 kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 6:23 AM
can't be first?!
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kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 6:34 AM
can't believe I actually am. That's the third time this week. craaaazy!
Makes me realize ... just how much time I spend on this wonderful site! Happy Friday, everybody, it's a wonderful time to be a KDrama addict I think, so many good shows are airing! I have only recently moved from marathoning shows once they're complete to watching as they are airing (and therefore commenting more on here), and I love it (AGD is to "blame" for that, actually)
On Monday evening in my time zone, I watch Faith raw, the next morning, I read wonderful subs on here; on Tuesday evening I watch Faith subbed and the next episode raw; on Wednesday morning, I read subs on here, watch Faith subbed and Arang raw, on Thursday ... you get the drill. Simply wonderful. In between, I also watch Haeundae Lovers (so wacky), skip through Golden Time to see whether there has been any noteworthy development (so far: not).
Love this site, love KDrama, love you all! :-)
and love that Park Shi-Hoo is coming back to Dramaland soon!
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zgznoona
August 24, 2012 at 7:10 AM
I see you've fallen in the trap of watching raw, read recaps, and watching sub. Once you get hooked it's so hard to leave. ;)
Happy Weekend!
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kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 7:17 AM
hehe. I think you're right!! it basically means I spend twice as much time on every drama I watch now, which is simply insane!!
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Blaumauss
August 24, 2012 at 7:26 AM
Uhh, think I am the same. Am I a kind of dramabeanyjunky (or dramabeanky ??? o_O) lol
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alua
August 24, 2012 at 8:23 AM
How do you have the time for that?
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john
August 24, 2012 at 9:22 AM
alua~
Happy Friday . Are you still travelling?
alua
August 24, 2012 at 9:44 AM
Yep! Not much longer though :-(
I put some pictures up from Kashmir, if you are interested (and responded to your comment too).
john
August 24, 2012 at 9:59 AM
alua~
I love your pics. I'm looking forward to seeing them.
Mama J
August 24, 2012 at 10:04 AM
I have that book marked to check out this weekend - can't wait to see!
kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 11:32 AM
it's simple: less sleep :)
alua
August 24, 2012 at 11:35 AM
@JoAnne - hope you enjoy. It's only a small sample, when I have more time I'll upload more (but time is scarce).
@kakashi - I don't know how you do it! I barely fit in watching a few dramas once....
christy
August 24, 2012 at 8:03 AM
Lol, I've started doing that cycle too! It really makes me feel I'm getting the most out of the story! Plus the language comprehension practice of the raw! Though sometimes with Gaksital I try my best to stay away from the raws and recaps until I've seen it with subs, it can kind of spoil the suspense and squees and angst if I know what is coming. But mostly I'm impatient and in the that twitchy itchy GIVE ME MY GAKSITAL state so I don't. :)
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hanny
August 24, 2012 at 9:52 AM
i think many of us fall for that loop too :D
I'm focusing myself on Arang only right now, fall for it in the first news and fall deeper when the teaser came out even more deeper in the first episode.. and deeper.. deeper in the next episode o_O that's why I put my barrier to stay or cycling the loop for Arang only to keep my insanity :p
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christy
August 24, 2012 at 4:59 PM
lol! "keep my insanity" I'm stealing that phrase for future use :P
cmrprindle
August 26, 2012 at 6:47 PM
Wow, you've got quite the system. Maybe this is what I should have done to keep up with shows that subbed too slow for my ravenous tastes.
Happy Weekend! (Congratulations on being first ;) )
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leaf
August 24, 2012 at 7:12 AM
Congrats!!!
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shukmeister
August 24, 2012 at 8:51 AM
Good morning, Kakashi! Or, in your case, good afternoon - lol.
I'm a little late as I tried to fit it a few hours of sleep after a long night. My Thursday night shifts seem to get busier as the summer goes by.
I watched the first episode of HLuv, but decided to cache it for a rainy day as there is too much on my plate, dramawise. It does seem like a fun ride, tho!
The PSH news made me happy! It's been a while since TPM, and his smile.
Take care!
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kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Good evening, Shukmeister! HLuv (like the acronym!) is kinda insane, I keep trying to stay away from it, but it keeps drawing me back in ... I don't watch the whole episodes, mostely, but just the bits that have Kim Kang Woo in them ...
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2 Blaumauss
August 24, 2012 at 6:28 AM
Happy OT everyone!
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shukmeister
August 24, 2012 at 8:52 AM
Good morning!
What shows are you watching?
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zgznoona
August 24, 2012 at 9:37 AM
Happy OT to you too ;)
do you have any plans for the weekend?
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cmrprindle
August 26, 2012 at 6:51 PM
Happy OT Weekend, Blaumauss. Hope it's been a good one. :)
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3 meecheellee
August 24, 2012 at 6:28 AM
Happy OT everyone~! (:
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meecheellee
August 24, 2012 at 6:40 AM
So how has everyone's week been? Mine was incredibly hot, hehe, on vacation in Taiwan. So humid. **dies**
Any body watching "To The Beautiful You"? I am! So how do you guys think of it so far? (: Here's my thoughts. I think Sulli's doing a pretty good job on the acting (mind the fact she looks/sounds nothing like a boy). Minho, I guess is doing an okay job of what is required of him. Not incredibly impressive, but better than my expectations. And OMFG, Lee Hyun Woo is a cutie. He's a good actor also~ and I just love the fact that he always takes selcas (snerk) and is more popular with girls online than in real life. Just makes me love him more. So far, this show is decent enough for me to keep on watching. Other dramas on my "Currently Watching" list are: To The Beautiful You, Gakistal, Arang, and Faith.
Happy OT everyone~
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Laya
August 24, 2012 at 6:44 AM
I am watching TTBY. Addicted! :D I think Sulli's doing quite well, yes. It took me until Ep. 3 to warm up to Minho though. As for Lee Hyun Woo's Eun Gyul-- I was thinking, tsk, not only Jeremy'd, but Shinwoo'd as well? :D
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meecheellee
August 24, 2012 at 6:46 AM
Yes. Definitely. Poor Eun Gyul. You just know he's gonna get his heart broken. But he's so cute. You just wanna say, "I'll take you in!" like he's a lost puppy or something.
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Laya
August 24, 2012 at 6:49 AM
And that smile---!
I'm guessing he gets a loveline with Hanna though. They certainly bicker like it. :D
hanabi
August 24, 2012 at 6:54 AM
I also think Sulli's doing a pretty good job. As for Minho, I think Tae Joon is written better than Sano was in the jdrama, so he has more to work with. It's much more obvious that he's becoming attached to Jae Hee. There have been a couple places where I wish he'd shown a stronger reaction, but oh well.
I'm pretty pleases with Lee Hyun Woo as Eun Gyul. Nakatsu was my favorite character from the jdrama. You're right about both Jeremy and Shinwoo. :( Poor guy.
At first it was really hard to not compare TTBY to the jdrama or manga, but now I'm coming to accept it as it's own interpretation. My biggest complaint is that the dorm heads don't have quite the unique personalities they did in the others. Overall, though, I'm enjoying it enough to watch it for it's own sake. (Because, you know, I'm not watching enough dramas already. So many good ones this time around).
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Autumn
August 24, 2012 at 9:09 AM
I'm basically watching every show that you're currently watching. To The Beautiful You isn't as bad as I thought it'd be. The drama does entertain me so I'll stick with it as long as it gives me pretty boys to look at and a story line that isn't completely bizarre.
I sort of expected Minho to awfully butcher this role and cringed inside when he was originally cast. The guy can be really stiff at times but to my relief, he's doing just fine. I still wish that when Tae Joon initially found out about Jae Hee's gender, the shock on his face would've been more apparent rather than subtle. But honestly how much of a shocker is that? I thought it was more surprising that they actually thought she was a boy.
Eun Gyul could get together with Hanna. They bicker like a couple and I actually don't hate her despite how she really is annoying. There's room for character development.
The plot is moving at a steady pace. I haven't read the manga or watched the Japanese version, so it surprised me that Jae Hee's "secret" was outed so early in episode 4.
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jomo143
August 24, 2012 at 9:17 AM
LOL at "But honestly how much of a shocker is that? I thought it was more surprising that they actually thought she was a boy." So true.
I think they were also showing a contrast to how TJ feels strongly, warmly for JH whether he was a girl or a boy, while EG keeps questioning himself. One guy's rolling with his feelings, another tripping over them.
After saving JH from the bad man, I love how TJ gave JH that breath stopping hug because he cares about the person, not worrying about the gender.
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Mama J
August 24, 2012 at 10:06 AM
wasn't that an awesome sequence? I could not believe they went there...and then I was SO happy that they did.
jomo143
August 24, 2012 at 1:24 PM
JoAnne -
There are so many of them in this show.
I describe it as meaningless but breathless scene after meaningless beautifully shot scene with a little plot thrown in. All of this mind numbing gorgeous does nothing but whet my appetite for more. I think I could watch them -Minho/Sulli/LHW - stare intently while dripping with rain for the rest of my life. Especially if I am watching them struggle with wanting to kiss a boy.
It seems like the director who gave us a passionless BOF figured out how deliver scenes like the sit-up one from Secret Garden. He may or may not be up for the task of using them to tell a coherent story, but I don't care.
la dee dah
August 24, 2012 at 9:46 AM
Hm, I may be the minority sorry, but I find Sulli just okay, but actually too subdued or expressionless in the face sometimes. I'm surprised because I see on other websites how everyone is praising Sulli's acting. There are some scenes where she's supposed to convey some emotion, but she just looks dead in the face to me (even Minho was showing more expressions in his face than her in a few scenes). One example was the scene where (may be spoiler for people that didn't watch episode 4) where she's attacked. She's running and then gets knocked down and it supposed to be scared and shocked, but her face was just blank to me. And I know she can pull these emotions because she shows them in other scenes, but it seems she turns it off in other scenes. Too inconsistent. Minho hasn't had a lot to do except grumble and act mean, so he's doing okay for me as well. His character is livening up a bit, so we'll see how he does as his character improves. LHW's Nakatsu is much different from the Japanese Nakatsu, but he's actually becoming an enjoyable character (though are they really going to pair him up with the other girl? Please don't!).
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Kgrl
August 24, 2012 at 10:55 AM
That's because most idols are usually at the extremes, either completely deadpan, or totally over-dramatic. Sulli is somewhere in between, which in my mind is a great start.
Personally, I find her to be very natural, her smiles and physical portrayals seem genuine, with more subtlety than I'm used to seeing from idol actors. Not that I think she is really girly in real life, but it is a rather great change from her girl group image.
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ian
August 25, 2012 at 6:49 PM
Same. I tried watching the first Episode but then got extremely bored. And the acting was just....
Well, I've watched dramas with even worse acting - though I only continued cause I wanted to find out about the ending but I already knew the ending for this one!
I'm planning on continuing it but the low ratings isn't really convincing me it's doing any better in Korea.
Maybe after Answer Me 1997 airs, I'll give this a try again. So about 3 more weeks?
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shelhass
August 24, 2012 at 9:52 AM
I'm liking TTBY so much, I already feel guilty. Since You've Fallen for Me I was being quite careful giving chances to those fluffly sweet dramas, but I think this one is a winner!
I like most of it, including Sulli's and Minho's acting, aside everything we have pointed out (Sulli DOES NOT resemble a boy in the least, Minho stoic kind of style etc. etc.).
Lee Hyun Woo is being perfect! Please give him more screentime ok?! Hope they don't pair him with Hanna, even though I find her hilarious and all that, but he really deserves better.
Hey, does anyone else here was kinda 'WOW' with Jae Hee oppa?! I study my ass off, but my korean is not nearly as good as his. And I have Korean lineage, which doubles the 'YOU SUCK GIRL' in my head.
Now, just something that's bugging me since last episode; did Min Ho know Jae Hee was a girl before her oppa said it so loudly during their quarel? Cause when she went missing with pervert-driver, he was quite distressed, and he kept glancing at them before, like he knew it, you know?
Loved those last 2 episodes. And I'm so thankful TTBY is not a carbon copy of Hanakimi.
And the fact TTBY's OST is way better, just mas me happier.
Also, listening to J-Min nonstop.
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Mama J
August 24, 2012 at 4:57 PM
Yes to the above but - Oppa speaks good Korean because he is Korean - thats Julien kang and no I dont think Minho knew she was a girl I think his radar was just on with the creepy guy because he has feelings for his room-mate who he has no reason to suspect is anything but a boy
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jomo143
August 25, 2012 at 10:45 AM
I just messaged you a question on TTBY elsewhere if you ever see this or that.
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 11:06 AM
Hi JoAnne, I left a response on your post (at the end of your thread) here:
36.4 Ivoire August 25th, 2012 at 9:48 am
I hope you will see it. Have a great weekend!
Laya
August 24, 2012 at 11:16 PM
Currently LSS-ing on J Min as well. If I'm not listening to that song, I'm humming it! >_<
And I kind of like Jae Hee's oppa. Doc (Seung Ri's uncle! lol) seems to have a big crush on him.
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4 leaf
August 24, 2012 at 6:31 AM
Hello everyone!!!!
Hope you all have a good week!!
I'm still loving Seoul <3
I have to leave soon though ;(
Love xxx
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 6:43 AM
Hello Dongsaeng!!!!
I am glad you are loving Seoul!!!! I think I left you a response last week, I will check and confirm, but I think I did. When are you leaving (to go back to England) ?
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leaf
August 24, 2012 at 7:06 AM
I'm going to Vietnam on the 28th and going back to UK 12th September. It will be really odd being back...
And I've been everywhere now!! I've been to the Palaces, the stream, the museums, Insadong, Myeongdong... Namdaemun... Dongdaemun...
We are visiting the DMZ sunday and Hongdae tomorrow!!
Korean friends Unni is showing us around! Should be lots of fun!!
And yeah... no boyfriend sighting yet...
But we are gonna parade aroung Kangnam for a bit soon! We are gonna go to the street where all the actors hang out!! Should be fun!!! <3
Love!!! <3<3<3
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Sethe
August 24, 2012 at 8:57 AM
Hi Leaf!
I'm so glad you're enjoying your time here in Seoul (even though the weather's been pretty terrible, overall, the last few weeks).
It sounds like you've been visiting a lot of the "right" places... that's fantastic! Have you also been enjoying the nightlife? One thing I've noticed about Seoul is that it's truly a 24/7 city... There are so many establishments (restaurants, gyms, whatever) that are open 24 hours, and people totally make use of them! Walking to the subway at 6:00 am, I'll pass all kinds of typical Korean restaurants, and there hasn't been a day yet that I haven't seen groups of people still sitting around with their bottles of makgeolli and soju, finishing up their night as some other people are going to work. Amazing :)
Anyway, again, I'm really glad you've been enjoying your time here, and I hope you'll manage to see at least one famous person :)
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 12:44 PM
Hello Leaf again, :-)
I responded to all my responses, so now I can comment on yours :-) So it sounds like you will be in Vietnam for about 2 weeks, good for you!!! You are getting to visit a few Asian countries in the process, that's great! Continue to have fun!!!! I am really happy for you!!!! You will probably have to readjust to life back in the UK when you return, hello reverse cultural shock (I experienced it when I went back home many years ago). In the meantime however, you are having a lot of cultural experiences, and that is wonderful.
Will you be going alone to Vietnam? Or will you be with your Unni? (The one you are with right now). How do you like the food in SK? How is the weather there, now? The DMZ reminds me of TK2Hs and Hongdae of the current drama Hongdae Lovers, which I am not currently watching.
I had another dream with LMH this past Monday. He was filming something again. Maybe I should ask him (if I dream about him again) how you could meet your boyfriend. Is Kangnam supposed to be a fancy and rich area? Please let me know if you spotted some celebrities you know.
Glad to know all is going really well for you!!! Do you start school when you go back to the UK? What are you studying?
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shel
August 24, 2012 at 6:49 AM
Leaf! How are you? I haven't been on in so long, I didn't know you were in Seoul! How wonderful for you!
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leaf
August 24, 2012 at 7:14 AM
Yes I've been in Seoul for a week now!!
I arrived after my month in China.
It's been so awesome but sad I'm going to leave now... :'(
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korazylady
August 24, 2012 at 2:48 PM
I'm so jealous! Now when you watch dramas shot on location in Seoul, they will be so much more meaningful!
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zgznoona
August 24, 2012 at 7:05 AM
Enjoy your vacation while it last and hope you tell us lots of stories once you get back home.
Any luck meeting your boyfriend? ;)
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shukmeister
August 24, 2012 at 8:55 AM
Yeah, we want to hear all the sordid details, especially with pics! lol It's been sounding like an awesome trip, and I'm glad you are staying healthy throughout it. I'm always worried when I travel that I might find some...um...incompatibilities with the local food/water.
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cv
August 24, 2012 at 8:18 AM
Hi Leaf! ^^
I'm still so jealous! hehe I'm glad to hear you are doing well and loving Seoul. Hope you took lots of pics--any cuties sighting?
Have a good weekend!
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cmrprindle
August 26, 2012 at 6:56 PM
Happy Weekend, Leaf! I feel like, Shel: I haven't been on the OT in so long in a meaningful way that I had no idea that you were Korea...or had even been to China! Talk about a whirlwind trip. No wonder it's going to feel odd being back in the UK. It sounds like you've been having a great time, though, and that's all that really matters :) So happy you're enjoying yourself.
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5 Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 6:34 AM
Happy OT everyone!
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kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 6:44 AM
Happy OT, Ivoire! Nice to once again talk to you :) I hope you've had a wonderful week.
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 7:07 AM
Good morning Kakashi!!! (my time zone, which is the same as DB). What time is it in your part of the world? And where are you, if you don't mind my asking?
It is nice to talk (errr... write) back to you as well :-). How do you like being first? I actually have had a fairly good week. I did stay up all night to catch up on Gaksital and read recaps and do some research (and read) about some of the things (names of movements, historical facts, etc...) that were mentioned in Gaksital, so I would have a better understanding of historical events as I was watching the drama, which made me have a major headache around 4:00am, my time (and I had slept a few hours the night before).
I was up and awake by the time the 1st article was posted today, (around 5:16ish, I think), but I decided to linger in bed for a few more minutes, so I could be a little more rested, so I could participate on OT and do other things today. I used to be able to stay up all night and be fine in the morning, but that is not always the case anymore. I know sleep can be over-rated(sp?) (for Kdrama addicts), but I am finding out that we still need it to feel better and function better as well :-). In the process, we let other people in the DB community be first :-), gotta share that feeling, right?
How was your week? Good I hope...
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kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 7:15 AM
It's past 4pm here (=Switzerland). I think I'm the ONLY Swiss person that watches KDrama, haha.
Being first three times feels GREAT! But ... I've been spending almost too much time on DB these days ... clearly procrastinating. You can be first next time again, hehe.
I'm so looking forward to watching Gaksital! But when, oh when?! Faith has 24 episodes scheduled and Arang has 20 ... Anyway, Gakistal is my No1 on the HAVETOWATCH list.
as for staying up all night, yes, that's a thing the young do, I mean the really young, which I am not (closer to 40 then 20 myself).
And: I had a really good week, not only but also because of Faith and Arang, which I both like a lot.
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Blaumauss
August 24, 2012 at 7:31 AM
Hello kakashi. Another european here ! Greetings from Berlin. :-)
Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Hello again Kakashi,
And thank you for your answer, to which I will respond to, promise. so please check back, because I will answer today :-)
kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Hello Blaumauss, I thought you sounded kinda German (your alias, I mean). Greetings up North!
Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Hello Blaumauss,
Greetings from Northern CA. My sister used to live in Alsace, France and worked in Germany (don't ask me where). Knowing that you live in Berlin brought that thought to me. I hope you are doing well.
Have a great weekend!
Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 12:24 PM
Hello again Kakashi,
So you live in Switzerland, I see. So glad that you like and watch Kdramas. I have a friend of a friend who is relocating from the US to Switzerland for school. She will be in the hospitality industry. I also have a friend from High school who went to Law School in the US and then married a Swiss Doctor. They live in Switzerland, and have been married for 17 years and they have 2 beautiful children. My younger sister spent a summer in Switzerland many years ago as well.
So funny you liked being 1st, but I can understand the feeling. And yes, it can mean that one is spending a lot of time on DB, often procrastinating. I know how that goes, I have been there.
Re: staying up all night, I am actually closer to your age, (a little older as it turns out, I am past 40) and I decided to stay up because I had the apartment to myself and I just wanted to stay up. I don't regret it, personally. I love being up at night (if I don't have to be somewhere the next day). It is so quiet and peaceful, l love it. I pay a price for it, but it's OK if I don't have to drive the next day, which I didn't have to.
I am glad you like "Faith" and "Arang." From what I hear, they are quite different. I only saw episode 1 of Arang and decided it wasn't for me. I couldn't get into it. So I am sticking to Faith and Gaksital, because honestly, I can't watch too many dramas at the same time. It doesn't work for me.
Gaksital is very good, just know that it is quite violent (I think). I do love the OST as well. Where do you watch your Kdramas? Do they show some of them on Swiss TV (just wondering)? Because I think there is a channel in France that shows them.
Great to hear from you, I remember you from last OT. You googled something for me and shared the info. Have a great weekend, I hope.
kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Ivoire, thanks for getting back to me!
Ah, no, nothing Korean on TV here, there's hardly any Korean restaurants in Switzerland either, so I was somewhat serious in saying I'm the only Swiss into Korean things, especially drama ... I watch Kdrama on Dramacrazy (almost exclusively), because Dramafever and viki don't work here. It's a very good platform and also very fast - almost as soon as the fansubbers are done on viki, it's up on Dramacrazy.
As for staying up late, I do that every single night, but never longer than 1am, since I have to go to work the next day. But staying up all night ... haven't done that in a long time, also because I have a 3year old daughter, which knows no mercy. She wants chocolate milk as soon as she wakes up around 7am. In any case, I'm quite lucky that I don't need much sleep in general, or I couldn't handle the crazy drama-schedule I'm on!!
I don't think I've ever watched as many dramas simultaneously before. I understand why you want to stay with just a few. But I was excited about both Arang and Faith for a while, and simply couldn't stop myself from getting drawn ... into both, "unfortunately". They are totally different, so that's a plus. I'm also keeping an eye on Haeundae Lovers, but have dropped Golden Time for good. It just bored me.
Hope your Friday is progressing nicely, mine is almost over!
Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 1:06 PM
@ Kakashi,
I was glad to respond back to you (in time). It was just a matter of time, because I wanted to get to everyone who left me a post, I am sure you understand.
I am glad to know about Dramacrazy, in case I happen to be outside the US, so thanks for that info. You have a 3 year old, how precious. I am the oldest of 6 and I have been a nanny for over 25 years (over the years, not all at once), so I totally understand. I personally don't have children, but I have worked and have been a lot with them.
So how many dramas are you currently watching right now? How long does it take you to watch one episode? (it takes me a long time, but when I am done watching it, I know the episode well, usually). That's how I like to experience my dramas.
"I’m also keeping an eye on Haeundae Lovers," does that mean you are watching it? (just curious)...
I think we are 9 hours apart. Any big plans this weekend? (besides watching a Kdrama, maybe :-)). So what language(s) do you speak? (I know there is a section that speak French in Switzerland, I think).
kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 1:31 PM
You are very popular, Ivoire, so you have a lot of messages to attend to on here! I guess OT-day is always very busy for you ... so nice.
Usually, I don't have much time on Fridays, so I will probably not become a truly regular OT-user - but I am enjoying myself a lot while I can, this is such a wonderful community.
I am watching two dramas seriously (Arang and Faith). I watch every episode at least twice: once raw, though I sometimes skip through long dialogues - and once with subs. I then re-watch segments I particularly like (e.g. the fight scene in Episode 3 of Arang). I like to see how much I can understand when watching them raw - I'm just a Korean language beginner, but it's super exciting even if I just understand bits and pieces.
Haeundae lovers I'm skipping through, I only watch bits that I like (there is that story arc about a hotel (again!), incl. the second lead, which I don't like much so far, so I don't watch it). It's the kind of show where you can easily do that. I did the same with "Can Love Become Money" and other shows before.
My plans for the weekend? No big plans, really, I think it is going to rain (just started, actually), so I will probably play with my daughter, do some grocery shopping, some cooking in the evening, some ironing (hate it), etc.
kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 1:33 PM
oh, and I live in the German speaking part of Switzerland, so I speak Swiss German, but also proper German, French, and English. My Italian is basic and so is my Korean.
Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 2:25 PM
@ Kakashi,
Thank you for your compliment (I took it as such) about being popular. I don't know that I am necessarily popular, as much as I tend to try to answer thoroughly to the comments I get and I ask questions, usually because I am curious. I think people tend to remember me because my screen name is unique, and because my posts can long, and because I try to answer to comments, even if I do it the following week or the week after. I like to finish the conversation or close the circle for that weekend, if that makes sense. I have also been regularly participating on OT for 9 months now, so one tends to recognize screen names, I guess. I usually answer the way I would want to be answered to, with details :-)...
I have taken to watching kdramas raw as well. I did it with Big (some episodes) (I didn't watch the whole thing), with Faith, Gaksital and a few other dramas I can't remember right now. I was afraid at first to do that, but now I am OK. It IS exciting when you catch a few words and phrases here and there and you find out you were right, isn't it? I totally understand that. I like it better with the subs though, because I still want to understand every single word, every nuance (if I can). When I watch raw, I find the recaps (Cadence does live recaps, she lives in Seoul) and read them. I do that with dramas that have recaps out quickly, otherwise I wait, read the recap and put that episode on my list of dramas or episodes to rewatch later, fully subbed.
Like you, I am also learning how to (slowly) speak Korean. Would love the day when I could understand every word in a Kdrama without subs :-). How did you come into Kdramas? Are you watching other genres like anime, Japanese, Taiwanese, etc... I personally stick to Kdramas at the moment, and would like to try "Rich Man, Poor Woman" which I have read a lot about (it's Japanese, I think). What do you think of Haeundae Lovers, would you recommend it? And what about "Can Love Become Money?" A commenter here seemed to like it a lot.
Funny that you hate ironing, because I actually like it :-). I am invited to a Birthday party tomorrow, so we will see. I speak English, French, Spanish and Bulu (my Cameroonian native language). My Korean is basic as well and I only know very few words of Italian and Portuguese.
Have fun playing with your daughter, this weekend :-)!
kakashi
August 24, 2012 at 3:50 PM
yes, I meant it as a compliment - I've noticed you immediately (on the OT but also on DB generally), not only because of your wonderful name but also because you so thoroughly answer all the questions. That's why everybody wants to 'chat' with you!
I came to KDrama by chance, a litte more than two years ago. I watched "Ninja Assassin", a movie which has Rain in it. And I thought "who's that gorgeous man??". I then looked for other stuff that he had done ... and the list was full of KDrama. I didn't expect to be able to watch ANY of it, but, oh wonder!, I very soon found Mysoju and soon after Dramacrazy and from there, I became an addict fast! I first watched all of Rain's dramas, and then it just took it's course ... I saw several other actors that I liked and checked out what they had done ... that led me to BOF, Chuno, etc. etc. etc.
I am only sticking to KDrama, I like them best (I gave the other a try, but admittedly only a cursory one). I used to watch tons of Anime (hence my alias, kakashi, he's my favorite anime character)
I'm learning Korean with Talk To Me in Korean, you should check them out, it's a great site! It's for free, basically, though you can also choose whether you want to pay for a download or not. Tons of podcasts, pdfs, etc. ... great concept.
Haeundae Lovers: well, hard to say. I can't really recommend it, because it's wacky/tacky and definitely not really good. But it's crazy enough to be special, so if you're feeling like something really silly, go for it!
“Can Love Become Money?” was alright, but as mentioned, I skipped through a lot of the cliché bits and mainly watched Yeon Jung Hoon (anticipating his return with Vampire Prosecutor 2 soon!!). I really like him in it.
Ah, ironing ... no, we'll never become friends. I put it off as long as I can and often end up putting on clothes unironed just because I let them lie around too long. *sigh*
And, finally (before I'm off to bed!), I learnt something new from you today, I didn't know about the Bulu language. Now I know! I went and read about languages in Cameroon, that's really fascinating.
I wish you a wonderful weekend and until soon, somewhere on DB!
hillarytnt
August 24, 2012 at 4:31 PM
@kakashi: I recently relocated from the United States to the Caribbean and have been able to access dramafever and viki using Hotspot Shield and/or Ultrasurf. I tend to use Hotspot Shield more than Ultrasurf. Hotspot Shield essentially "masks" your IP address by assigning a new address while Ultrasurf actually "hides" your IP address. Both have free versions available.
Mama J
August 24, 2012 at 5:05 PM
@KaKashi - My Beloved is beautiful is he not?
Laya
August 24, 2012 at 6:45 AM
Happy OT Ivoire! How's your weekend? :D
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Hi Laya,
I currently have the remnants of a headache because I stayed up watching Gaksital and doing other stuff drama related. I will be OK though, I just took a migraine pill and I really want to participate on OT, so here I am.
I am giving you a hug back for the one you gave me last OT. I meant to respond, but didn't get to it, sorry :-( And thank you for the hug.
You also wrote this: "as usual, I’m juggling online class, freelance stuff, and my blog, and wishing there were more hours in the day so I can watch more dramas as well."
I hope the juggling act is going well or that you are at least managing it OK. I hear you on the "wishing there were more hours in the day to watch more dramas." I am there with you :-)
I hope your weekend started well. You do live in the Philippines, right? What class are you currently taking online, if I may ask?
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Laya
August 24, 2012 at 10:10 PM
Hi, Ivoire. Just got back to this because I just woke up!
/gives you more hugs
Yes, I live in the Philippines. My weekend actually started pretty well -- watched the latest episodes of To the Beautiful You and Ma Boy, went to catch a local mall show of the actor playing my favorite Princess and I character (Enrique Gil is such a cutie!), wrote another chapter for the book I'm kinda writing, came home to find the President actually appointed the one person I thought he would appoint for the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Haha, I don't know why that last one makes me so happy, but it does. Then woke up today with another story idea. So I'm riding the good vibes while they last.
I'm taking the Fantasy and Sci-Fi class (under Prof. Eric Rabkin) on Coursera. I've always regretted not going into literature / creative writing in college, so this is kind of my way of making up for it.
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 11:23 PM
I tried to post a comment on your website and it didn't work. Asked me for a valid URL, what was I supposed to write? Here, I wrote DB, and that worked. So I was confused.
Laya
August 25, 2012 at 12:42 AM
Valid URL...? What did you put in?
I think you don't need to put a website link or something, just a nickname and e-mail. So you can leave the "website" part blank.
(I wrote you a long comment below, but it's "under moderation" still.)
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 12:52 AM
For the valid URL, I entered your website, the way it is written with "www." before that, which is what I do for DB and I have never had a problem since the beginning. So it ended not posting my comment, FYI.
I am still waiting to see your long comment, because it is not showing on my page yet, FYI.
Laya
August 25, 2012 at 1:03 AM
Yeah, I looked at the site, the comment didn't register. Ugh. Sorry about that! It usually doesn't need a URL.
I still see the "comment is awaiting moderation" notice on my long comment. Maybe because it includes three links to Youtube vids. :(
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 2:03 AM
Hi Laya,
I will wait, so it is fine. I guess the comment will post when it does. Do you know what that means "the comment is awaiting moderation notice?" I have had that comment a few times, but I never understood what it meant.
I did see that my comment didn't register on your blog, and I didn't feel that there was anything I could do about it, so I left it alone. That's too bad. Thanks for apologizing though :-) What time is it in the Philippines now?
Laya
August 25, 2012 at 2:19 AM
Right now, it's 5:15 pm Saturday. :D
/glares at own blog and tells it to go sit in the corner until it behaves itself.
I think some blogs (including mine) automatically flag comments that might be spam, especially if they contain a number of links. Mine had links to some PAI fanvids. So I'll have to wait until JB or GF publishes it I guess.
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 7:43 AM
Hi Laya,
This is in response to the comment you made around 5:15pm your time, the one with the link and date posted below:
5.2.1.1.6 Laya August 25th, 2012 at 2:19 am
"/glares at own blog and tells it to go sit in the corner until it behaves itself." This was so funny and cute, made me smile. Technology doesn't always work the way we would want it to work, doesn't it? Oh well, hopefully things will get back to normal :-)
What does that mean, "to flag a comment"? (you mention that in your 2nd paragraph). I will keep on checking the site, to see if your longer post shows up, how about that? Thank you for writing a long one, btw :-) (I will enjoy reading it, since I tend to write long posts myself...)
Laya
August 25, 2012 at 8:45 AM
:D The blog thinks the comment may be spam, but it's not sure, so it doesn't publish the comment, but it notifies the site admin to decide whether to publish the comment or not.
And thanks. I hope it shows up soon. :D
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 9:57 AM
Laya, my answer to this:
5.2.1.1.8 Laya August 25th, 2012 at 8:45 am
Thank you for explaining. I am not very technologically advanced, so you have taught me quite a few things during our conversation this weekend :-)
Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 10:57 PM
Hi Laya,
Thank you for the hugs, and I accept them :-)!!!! I wonder how we originally got connected... You must have said "Hi" to me once, right? And we went from there? So, are you the one who lives with her family and your sister has a baby (or a toddler) and you sometimes help with the baby? I am trying to remember how we originally connected (without having to check the last OTs, too many of them :-))
Where in the Philippines do you live? What city? (if you don't mind my asking). How do you like TTBY and Ma Boy (where did watch Ma Boy)? So when you say, you went to catch a show, is that like watching a movie or a live show? I just googled pictures of Enrique Gil, and yes, he is a cutie :-)! So he is the male lead in that drama (my favorite Princess and I). Do they have 2nd leads, like in Kdramas? How many episodes do the drama have, and often is it aired a week?
"wrote another chapter for the book I’m kinda writing," meaning? (why kinda writing?). Maybe you liked the person the President appointed because you think he is right for the position? If you are happy, then good!!!! Your creative juices seem to be flowing, so ride the good vibes while you can :-)!!!!
So what did you study in college then? Is Prof. Rabkin a good Prof.? (I am just being curious... )Are you enjoying the class? How long will the class be (how many months?) How often in a week do you have it? Do you guys do conference calls or how does that work? I have visited your page, and I liked it. I will have to read your recaps, some time.
It was good to hear from you :-)
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Laya
August 25, 2012 at 12:35 AM
Yeah, I think it was because you said "hi" on one of my OT posts way back :D
Yup, I was the one with the toddler nephew. They moved to their own house a couple of days ago, though, so the house is pretty quiet now.
I was a Biology major in college. We go to college as early as 15 or 16 here, and family wouldn't let me take an "impractical" course like language or literature, even though that's my field. I ended up running away to Manila for 7 years, though, and working in publishing. Then got sick, so went back home to General Santos (which is also boxer Manny Pacquiao's hometown, if you know him).
I'm writing a fantasy romance (so mundane) although it's kind of on the shelf at present. Weirdly, I only seem to be able to work on it when I'm in a cafe or diner (since that's how I began working on it in Manila), so I get to add to it only twice a month when I go to the bank downtown. Maybe because trying to immerse yourself in a fantasy world needs more concentration than, say, recaps (since I only have to describe what happened in the drama) or writing articles or blog posts.
It was a live mall show, which is why I had to go watch. He was so mobbed. I was afraid I was going deaf with all those screaming fangirls, it was crazy. (Here's a Princess and I fanvid with Enrique (or Quen) and Kath: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYpYIsZXd1M ) They are both way more good-looking in person, I swear. Interesting dynamic they have in PAI-- Jao's the prince who's picked to succeed to the throne because the king's daughter is missing, then he meets this foreigner he falls in love with, and people oppose it because she's a nobody, not knowing she's the real princess. (Ah, this cutscene I also like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvKXOUUQ5YE ) There is a second lead-- Gino, Jao's best friend. (Cutscene! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IywWKtJUQxM ) Filipinos are so big on loveteams, and Kath and Daniel (Gino) are actually being thrown together more outside of PAI, so it's confusing, even if the main story focuses on Jao and Mikay. Jaomik and MiGi fangirls keep squabbling about it.
Recapping Filipino dramas is exhausting because they air in 40-minute timeslots daily on weekdays, and you never know when they end until the network announces the last two weeks. I don't know when PAI will end, but I heard they're considering an extension till October, so until then I guess. It moves faster than other local dramas though, which is a relief. You can't imagine how many weeks some dramas send their characters running around in circles trying to locate a vital clue or person who was hiding in plain sight all that time; in PAI, stuff like that gets resolved the same week. Unfortunately, the network is big on taking down illegally posted vids (which are more often than not also unsubbed) of their dramas, and their website is also only for Filipinos or something. So I guess non-Pinoys who don't have the drama on cable (TFC, the Filipino Channel) can only watch it raw if they manage to find it online. Which is why I do the recaps, sigh.
As for the President, he just appointed the first female CJ in our country after the seated CJ was impeached on non-transparency and corruption issues. She was his first appointee to that Court too, and a dissenter in many controversial cases, so I'm hoping for reforms.
The Coursera class runs for 10 weeks-- 4 done so far! We just watch videos by the prof, then do an essay on the assigned reading. The assignments are peer-reviewed. At least the class is giving me more insights about reading and interpreting what I've read.
OMG this became a long post, lol.
Laya
August 25, 2012 at 12:54 AM
I watch both TTBY and Ma Boy on Dramacrazy. :D I like them both a lot! Ma Boy is still unsubbed though.
Gradually warming up to Tae Joon now... I think it was because of the angel wings. Although I was laughing at the bus scene in the rain, because, boys. In situations like that, girls tend to swing the umbrella down to deflect the splash. Although then it wouldn't have been as "romantic"? :D
I'm feeling Ma Boy seems a bit rushed, although maybe it's because I know the manga is 8 books, and the drama has only 3 episodes. I like that Irene is more realistic than Izumi though (because really, how do you disguise the Adam's apple and the deep voice, and how do you give the guy fuller hips?) and that he's more conflicted about what he's doing. Although listening to Let's Walk Together, why does it seem Sun-woong has a higher voice than the other guys in TOUCH (and I have to go back to Ep. 1 and see if TOUCH are Hyun-woo's dancer friends)?
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 2:05 AM
Laya, is this the long comment you were referring to? Just wondering...
Laya
August 25, 2012 at 2:23 AM
No, it's not, sorry, there's still a long comment before that. I only remembered that I didn't answer your question about the dramas so I made another comment.
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 8:01 AM
Hi Laya, this post is in response to this:
5.2.1.2.1 Laya August 25th, 2012 at 12:54 am
I have read a lot of comments about TTBY and I saw that you commented earlier as well on this OT:-). I also know that both shows are recapped here, on DB and I was thinking of checking out (more like watching) Ma Boy, since it will be only 3 epis. long, and it will give me a chance to see the gender bender genre done differently.
I am not familiar with the scene you describe in your 2nd paragraph (about the umbrella scene in TTBY) , since I am currently not watching the show, but I trust that if you were laughing/smiling to yourself, it must have been funny?
Did you read the manga books? All 8 of them? (of Ma Boy). If you did, did you like them? So if in the drama, Irene is more realistic, does that mean that Izumi is made to look more feminine in the manga? How long are the episodes of TTBY and Ma Boy (are they longer than an hour)? Would you recommend both shows? If so, why?
Laya
August 25, 2012 at 9:13 AM
Ah, the bus scene in TTBY is in Ep. 3, which hasn't been recapped here yet. I was laughing more because what Tae Joon did was kind of impractical. Ended up thinking "Anything for a hug, I guess."
"Did you read the manga books? All 8 of them? (of Ma Boy). If you did, did you like them? So if in the drama, Irene is more realistic, does that mean that Izumi is made to look more feminine in the manga? How long are the episodes of TTBY and Ma Boy (are they longer than an hour)? Would you recommend both shows? If so, why?"
After I found out what manga Ma Boy was based on (Tenshi Ja Nai!), I went and read it online. Took me the better part of a day, lol, but it was fun. Yes, Izumi is more feminine-- he's even prettier, curvier, and girlier than Hikaru (Geu-rim in Ma Boy). The manga is more about Hikaru's journey than his, so I like that the drama focuses more on Irene's identity crisis for a change.
An episode of Ma Boy takes a little less than an hour, TTBY a little over an hour. I like them both; they're fun to watch, and we can always use a little more fun in our lives. TTBY is fluffier and has more cute, but then it has more time to work with, and the budding closeness between Jae Hee and Tae Joon is heartwarming. Poor Geu-rim just can't catch a break in Ma Boy, what with having a boy for a roomie and having to keep his secret, and then getting picked on by both Tae-joon and Irene's fans for different reasons. At least, unlike Hikaru, she sasses them all back. Now I'm wondering how they'll wrap this all up in the last episode-- I'm guessing they'll focus more on Geu-rim's problems in keeping Irene's secret even at her own cost.
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 10:15 AM
@ Laya, answer to this:
5.2.1.2.6 Laya August 25th, 2012 at 9:13 am
I really loved your detailed answer but it left me confused about who is who in what drama. So please help me out:
TTBY has : Jae Hee and Tae Joon as the leads? (Jae Hee being the female lead and Tae Joon being the male lead)
and Ma Boy has Geu-Rim as the female lead (who is actually female) and Irene who is the male lead disguised as a female, right.
So if I am correct, I didn't understand this: "Poor Geu-rim just can’t catch a break in Ma Boy, what with having a boy for a roomie and having to keep his secret, and then getting picked on by both Tae-joon and Irene’s fans for different reasons." If Tae-Joon is in TTBY, why is Geu-rim having prob. with his fans? (Not the same drama, no?) Does my question make sense?
Laya
August 25, 2012 at 10:31 AM
I understand why you're confused. I should have explained, sorry!
Both dramas have a character named Tae Joon-- the lead in TTBY is Tae Joon played by Min-ho, a champion high jumper. The second lead in Ma Boy is also Tae Joon, played by Min-hoo (yup, confusing, since they're different characters and different actors!) and he's the pop idol who Geu-rim likes and who likes Irene.
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 10:52 AM
@ Laya, answer to this:
5.2.1.2.8 Laya August 25th, 2012 at 10:31 am
Phew!!!! Ok, now that makes sense!!!! Now wonder I was confused *Smiles* Thanks for clarifying that.
Why did the boy playing Irene decide to pass as a girl in the first place? (again my being curious), I don't mind spoilers. Ma Boy sounds interesting. Where could I go online to read the manga (of both shows, if possible) please?
Laya
August 25, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Looks like my long comment is now up :D
Mangafox is a good place to try. :) Just look for Tenshi Ja Nai! for Ma Boy, and Hana Kimi for TTBY.
==Spoilers!==
In Tenshi Ja Nai!, Izumi needs money for the upkeep of his dad, who has been comatose in the hospital for many years, after a suicide attempt. In Ma Boy, Hyunwoo's uncle has a management agency and it had financial troubles, so when he needed a girl for a CF but couldn't find one, he hit on the bright idea of dressing up Hyunwoo as a girl named Irene. The problem was that Irene became in demand, and they're raking in the money, so it's hard for them to end the deception.
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Laya, in response to this:
5.2.1.2.1 Laya August 25th, 2012 at 12:35 am
First off, your response was long but gooooood because I learned a lot in the process. I do remember you now. I think I responded when you mentioned something about your nephew living in the house and something else, and I made a comment about that. Was it when you were celebrating a birthday and you felt like you didn't have much to celebrate in your life at the time (or maybe I am confusing you with some else), please clarify. In any case, I remember you mentioning your sister, nephew and in following conversations you being sick and I sooooooo wanted to respond to that but I didn't, and the weeks went by. So, are you better now? (Just wondering)?
How many siblings do you have? Are you the only child living at home now? How do you like the house being quiet? I will post this now and answer your post in chunks, so you have something to read in the meantime, if that's OK. (hopes it makes sense)
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 2:10 PM
@ Laya, I am going to church, so I will finish responding to your latest post later :-)...
Laya
August 26, 2012 at 9:51 AM
"Was it when you were celebrating a birthday and you felt like you didn’t have much to celebrate in your life at the time?"
-Probably wasn't me. Sorry. :D But yes, I am better now, thanks. My blood pressure and potassium deficiency are being stabilized by meds, so I don't feel faint and shaky anymore, and having less stress also helps.
I have only two siblings, and my brother is also going to another city to train for a job, so after next week, I'll be the only child at home. Since my mom goes over to my sister's house to baby-sit and my dad has a job, that means I have the house all to myself all day --well, except for my old aunt who lives with us, but she's a quiet old lady. I actually kind of like it, since I'd gotten used to living alone when I was still working, so having a lot of people around all the time kind of grates on my nerves after a while.
Ivoire
August 27, 2012 at 4:07 PM
Hi Laya,
I didn't finish responding with my post, and I saw that you actually responded to the little bit I wrote. I will be back later to finish, FYI. I hope your week is going well.
leaf
August 24, 2012 at 6:46 AM
Unni!!!! How are you??
Hope you have a good week!!!
Love xxx
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 10:29 AM
Dongsaeng, <3
I will respond to your comment soon (on your post) and I posted my (long) one below. Read if you have time. Sounds like you are having a blast, soooo HAPPY for you, really!!!!!
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shel
August 24, 2012 at 6:49 AM
Hello Ivoire, long time, no talk to!
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 10:25 AM
Hello back at you , Shel, good to see you back around here. I will read your post soon. Hope all is well with you and with the family. how is your daughter?
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oftheshore
August 24, 2012 at 6:50 AM
Helloooooo, Ivoire! Any updates on your big decision and move?
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 10:23 AM
Hello OTS,
I don't know if you read it, but I answered you in the last OT (so my answer was the last one) here: (just in case you might not have been aware of it).
1.1.1.1.2 Ivoire August 19th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
I do have some updates, so please read below, if and when you can. I made some suggestions for you in my response in the last OT, I hope that will help. I just wanted to be helpful :-)! I will try and read your post later. I just skimmed it for now. Seems like you are staying away from dramas atm (at the moment), not a bad idea... and I totally understand.
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oftheshore
August 24, 2012 at 10:59 AM
Hey Ivy, thank you so much, I will go read your response in the previous OT now.
Just read the main part of your comment about your job - glad to hear you've made a decision. To me, the worst part is always thinking about the choices (and, if the answer is negative, giving a negative response to the respective person), so it's good to heart you've moved past that by now. Hope a better option comes along soon - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, as always!
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 11:10 AM
Hey OTS,
I am glad you understand and can relate to how challenging last week was for me, but I guess that is part of living right? Making tough decisions and making sure that we have all the information we need to make an informed decision. I guess it is part of the (ongoing) growth and maturation process. I am glad I made it through and just continued to learn a few things in the process.
Thank you again for your well wishes, I appreciate them. I hope my answer in the last OT helped :-)...
oftheshore
August 24, 2012 at 11:16 AM
P.S. You asked me whether I moved recently, so the answer is not yet.=) I'm moving in the second week of September and will have more than a week to finish moving my things, so I'm actually not too stressed about that.
Thanks again for your advice - will start jogging again tonight!
Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 11:28 AM
OTS, you are very welcome!!!
Hope that helps, let me know how that goes. Good luck with the move and everything else you have to do. Will read your post (more slowly) later :-)
korazylady
August 24, 2012 at 6:52 AM
Bonjour Ivoire,
Any news on the home or job front? Hope you have a relaxing weekend!
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 10:14 AM
Bonjour KL,
Yes, I do have some news. If and when you have the time, please read my long (detailed) post. I hope your weekend will be relaxing as well.
Did you have a good time that weekend you went away (with a family member, I think)?
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korazylady
August 24, 2012 at 2:10 PM
Just read you post. I'm glad that you have some clarity and that things are opening up for you.
I was away with friends at their home on the Chesapeake Bay. It was a great time. This past weekend was really special, though, as my 5th grandchild (a boy) was born on Sunday. So now I have 3 daughters, three son-in-laws, an adopted son and daughter, 3 grandsons and 2 granddaughters (plus a husband and 88 year old Mom, and a wonderful sister!) They all keep me really busy - which is why I like a little me-time with my Kdramas!
Too bad you are on the other side of the states as we could put your nanny services to good use here! I'll keep my fingers crossed that things work out well for you.
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 2:50 PM
Hi KL,
Good to read from you! I am glad you had a wonderful weekend with your friends. Congratulations on the addition of your 5th grandchild to the family. You guys sound like you are close (as a family) and that is great! (It's not always a guarantee that family members will be close and get along). I come from a big family, so I understand the need to get away and get lost in Kdramaland.
I think you guys might have liked me as a nanny. I am very good at what I do, I have many years of experience and I bring cultural and language experiences that not many people have. You can tell by my long posts that I am detail-oriented and that I communicate well. I am loyal and dedicated and hard working. I also have excellent recommendations. I am college educated (in France and in the US) but I really like working with children and taking care of them, which is why I love being a nanny.
Thank you so much for your good and kind wishes, I do hope that things will work out well for me as well. I hope that you will have a wonderful weekend. I think I did tell you that I spent some time (a summer) in Philadelphia, many years ago, didn't I? I have wonderful memories of my time there.
zgznoona
August 24, 2012 at 7:04 AM
Morning Iv!!
Happy OT and weekend to you too.
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 9:59 AM
Morning Zgz,
I feel so bad :-(... I never responded to your message 3 or 4 OTs ago, but I kept thinking about you. I wanted to ask you if you knew of a place online where I could find a good recipe (in English) for the Spanish omelet with the potatoes. I LOVE that omelet. I make it every so often, especially now because the potatoes are so cheap, but I don't manage to make them as well as I saw them being done in Spain (yummy!!!!). My omelet tastes really good, it is the aesthetic (the presentation) I am having a hard time with. And I try to do it the way I saw it being done, but I never quite get the same result :-(
Congratulations on writing again!!! So, what do you write? Where (if I may ask)? Have a great weekend :-)!
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zgznoona
August 24, 2012 at 10:26 AM
let me put my tought in order and I give you my family recipe. My mom hates onions so, we don't put onion in it, but there are a few tricks to make it look nice
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 10:35 AM
WOW Zgz,
You are making my day!!!! Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I will have to try your family recipe. And please let me know about your writing (I asked you above). Was that your previous profession? Or just something you like (love) doing?
Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 10:40 AM
Now I am hungry and I want that Spanish omelet. You guys make it look soooo good. It comes out fluffy and full and so yellow :-)! I don't know if you can tell, but I have excellent memories of my times in Spain (both times) :-). God willing, I hope to have the opportunities to visit other provinces and cities (Barcelona, Andalucia, and many more) in the future, and practice my Spanish in the process (I am fluent, but not as quick as I used to be). I am sure you know how that goes :-)
Thank you again so much, for sharing your family recipe with me :-)!
zgznoona
August 31, 2012 at 6:03 AM
Sorry for the delay. I had a conversation with my mom about it the other day, and since you said that your problem is the shape and not the taste, here you have a few tips.
Make sure you have the right ratio potato/egg + a pan small enough to fit all the mix and have a thick omelette. All depends on the amount of potatoes and eggs used. Usually for a small it could be 3 medium potatoes and 5 eggs (it’s not exact, since we eyeball the amounts, but I’m sure you can find more exact measurements online) and a small nonstick pan for an omelette for two. Remember, one of the things that makes it pretty is its thickness. You just need 1cm or less of space left in the pan, once you add the mix. Remember the larger you make your omelette, the harder it will be to turn.
About the mix, once you’ve slowly cooked the potato in the oil (remember that more than frying, you’re boiling the potato in oil. It has to be soft, but not golden), you drain it well with a strainer , to make sure you get rid of all extra oil. While the potato is still warm, you mix it in a bowl where you have the egg already beaten.
Once you add the mix to the hot and oiled pan, use a spatula to carefully move the content and help it set faster without losing shape. Lower the heat to avoid burning, since it takes long to cook.
I’m sure you already know this, but just in case, place a plate over the pan to turn the omelette. As you know this part is tricky, with the help of the spatula, put the omelette back in the pan and help it recover its shape. If it is a little bit burn, you can always beat another egg at that moment, and pour as much as needed over the omelette to cover the imperfections, once the second side is already cooked, you’ll have to turn the omelette again, to finish cooking the egg you’ve just added.
Once finished, let it set a few minutes before cutting it. The cooking time will depend of how cooked you like it. I like it well done, but some people like to have some of the egg in the center still soft, even running.
About the flavor, the best is to select a potato that is slightly sweeter. I really don’t know about kinds of potatoes here in the States so I can’t recommend the exact brand. In any case, you can fix this by adding a teaspoon of sugar at the same time that the salt, when you cook the potatoes.
Seasoning depends on the taste, Usually you add salt while cooking the potatoes, and also to the beaten eggs.
I hope this helps you.
Let me know if you have any other doubt ;)
Maya
August 24, 2012 at 7:40 AM
Happy OT Iv! -How was your week? I hope you've finally reached the informed decision. Have a great weekend. :)
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 9:50 AM
Hi Maya,
How are you? How was your week? I did reach an informed decision (looking at all the angles), so thank you for wishing me well about that. Re: our conversation on last OT, I now remember that you are from Indonesia, because you were the one who gave me some info about the Korean-Indonesian drama that is also filmed in Bali. Any recent news about that drama? I haven't tried to find it online yet. Too busy with other things, as you can imagine.
I posted a long message below, so please read if and when you have the time.
P.S.: I do think that it is only fair that you would let your roommate unpack and put things away once she is back in the US :-). Are you currently in school? If so, when do you start? (if you were on a break).
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Maya
August 24, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Hi Ivoire!
Great to hear that you've reached an informed decision, I hope it's one that you'll be satisfied with and that everything will go well from here then on.
Thanks for reminding me about the Korean-Indonesian drama, Iv. It's called Saranghae, I love you, btw. I did found some updates about it. I stumbled upon this article from allkpop: http://www.allkpop.com/2012/07/singer-tim-receiving-love-in-indonesia-for-korean-indonesian-drama-saranghae-i-love-you
I also read somewhere that Siwon Super Junior tweeted about it. So I'm assuming that it is also known in South Korea, even though only by a small fraction of people. And... I also came across the drama's clips on YouTube as well, the whole 20 episodes, although unfortunately they're not subbed yet. But since there are some English scenes, I guess you'll get the general story. You can check them here, btw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzwqMHxsAow&feature=relmfu
And yes Iv, my school started on Wednesday so I couldn't hang around OT and Dramabeans in general as frequently as I used to during the summer break. But I definitely will come back once in a while to check on responses though ;)
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 3:39 PM
Hi Maya,
So good to hear back from you. You are back in school, so it would make sense that you won't be as visible on DB and OT, I totally understand that and support that as well. School and good grades are very important.
Thank you for reminding me of the title of the drama (will save it) and for the links you included in your response. I appreciate that. I will check out the youtube clips and I hope the drama will be subbed (I really hope so). So it sounds like this drama is not popular in SK then, if only a few people seem to know about it or follow it. Hmmm (makes me curious). You said that 20 episodes are posted on YT, which means that there are 10 episodes left, because the drama is 30 episodes long. I guess we will have to wait for the rest of the episodes to be uploaded. Well, at least we have those 20 epis. up already.
I hope school started well for you. What are you studying? How much longer do you have? (Just curious :-)). Have a great weekend, Maya!
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Maya
August 26, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Hi Ivoire,
I just managed to get back to OT again. No weekend for me now school and research started. Yes, looks like I won't be as visible in OT and other threads as I was these couple of few weeks back. But I still want to discuss about Gaksital to death and read the comments as well. Might drop by sometimes in Faith thread but depending on how much I enjoy the particular episode that day.
I don't mind at all. I'm currently working for my master degree in physics, and since I really really want to continue on to a phd program, I'm starting to look around for research available (in the field that I'm interested in), and hoping that the professor would have some funding that will eventually help funding me when I start working for my phd degree. I'm currently under a fellowship for the master degree, so I won't have to worry about not being funded right now. But I don't what's gonna happen once I'm finished. I just keep praying that everything will work out for the best. I have about one year left to finish my master degree and four years (at least) to get a phd degree (hopefully if everything work out ;)). Btw, I know I should've asked back at this point, but I kinda read your post to Ashley already below so I kinda know about what type of works you're doing right now, and how much you enjoy it (I hope that didn't sound stalker-ish :D). So are you considering about moving to another state right now (which I assume would be the big decision that you had to decide on)? If so, are you still going to do the same work you're doing right now?
And yes, I think the drama isn't well known in Korea itself, but Tim's fans will definitely know about it, and I would say that general public might be aware of it, just not in details. And as far as I know, I think there's only 20 episodes uploaded already, but then the drama just started running about a month ago from Monday-Friday so I think the numbers are right (for now).
Anyway I hope you've had a lovely weekend so far, Iv! And I hope I'll be able to bump into you again in OT or other threads soon.. :)
Ivoire
August 27, 2012 at 4:10 PM
Hi Maya,
I read your post yesterday, but I didn't get a chance to respond. I will do so later (before Friday). I hope your week is going well :-)!
AJ
August 24, 2012 at 7:40 AM
Happy Friday Ivoire! I hope you had a good week, and are enjoying the dramas you are keeping up with. Do you mind me asking what shows you are following and how you like them?
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 9:38 AM
Helloooo Ashley,
Soooo good to hear from you!!!! I did read your comment last week, later in the day and I did mean to respond (I don't know if I got to that, but I will check). I also remember greeting you originally when you started (I think) writing on OT and you were still in China, packing and getting ready to leave. I had answered some of your questions, but not all. I haven't forgotten that, thank you for reminding me last week :-). I think I had one question left (how I got into Kdramas and which one was the 1st one I watched?), which I will answer, promise.
I think I answered your questions in my (long) post below, so please read, if you have the time. Happy reading :-).
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AJ
August 24, 2012 at 11:10 AM
It amazes me that you have the patience to write a post that long, I wish I did. Where were you going to move to in Minnesota? I am from Minnesota, born and raised, but I agree with you about the 7 month winters, they are unbearable. I will look forward to your old replys when you can get around to them.
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Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 11:52 AM
Ashley,
I can't believe you are from MN!!!!! The world is such a small place. And we meet here, on DB, of all places :-) because of our love and interest in Kdramas, how cool is that?
So I was going to move to Plymouth, which I don't know well at all. I was told it is close to Mpls. Where are you from, in MN? And where do you live right now (if you don't mind my asking)? I think you said you taught in China for about a year, where were you in China? And what do you do now? (if you don't mind my asking, again).
I lived in MN for 12 years, went to school at Hamline University in St Paul, worked in Bloomington (very close to the Mall of America) for 5 years, lived in ST Paul, the whole time I was there (close to Hamline by Snelling and Hewitt on one hand and University on the other side) and lived in Maplewood for 6 weeks before my move. I know Mpls (some) and some of the surrounding cities. I have been to Rochester, MN, Minnetonka, Rushford (small town) and other surrounding cities which names I can't remember right now (sorry) :-(
About my writing long posts, I love to write, I really do. Loved to write since I was a teenager, having pen pals in Mexico, Switzerland, and Israel (I met them on an English immersion program I went on when I was 16, many, many years ago) in England. I would hand write 16 to 20 pages (long) letters (handwritten) front and back (A4 format kind of pages). It did help improve my English, (I used the dictionary English-French) a lot. French is my 1st language.
And yes, I can patient. I have worked with children for over 25 years, so I have learned to be patient, lots :-). I come here and I pour my heart out because no one around me is into Kdramas, (my sister lives 2 and 1/2 hours away from me in Davis, she was into Kdramas before I was) and I have a friend I speak to on occasion, and we talk about the Kdramas we watch, among other things, that's about it. Here I learn about Kdramas, the language, the culture, etc... and I learn about other shows I didn't know about etc...
I tell myself every week that I should stay away from OT (or maybe consider writing shorter posts), but I haven't gotten to that yet. I am working towards that goal :-). I also love details, can you tell? I hope I can do something in the future with my writing, we will see.
I hope to read from you again :-) I am still so surprised that you are from MN, :-)
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AJ
August 24, 2012 at 7:18 PM
I am from Eden Prairie, which is a suburb of mpls., next to Minnetonka. I actually went to a christian school in Minnetonka for 5 years. My family moved to Virginia a week before I went to university, and have been living here for about 3 years now. My brothers have to make sure EVERYONE knows we are not from Virginia, but Minnesota. "Pride for the homeland" as they call it. I know, what a coincidence? Like I said in my first OT post, DB really does make this world feel smaller in a good way.
I was in Chengdu, China. Roughly about the 5th largest city in China. Now I am at home for a semester working and trying to pay off some student loans. Then I will return to school until I graduate. Afterwords I would like to move to South Korean to teach, either that or go back to China. You are a teacher? And if you do not mind me asking where are you from? I saw you said your sister is your only family here in the states, did you guys mover here together?
Hope you have a good weekend, and that I can hear from you soon :)
Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 10:00 PM
Ashley,
I just read your response. I know Eden Prairie, I have a former classmate (his dad is from Cyprus in Europe and is mom is American, and they lived in Kenya for a long time because his dad worked for Coca Cola in East Africa for a while) who was one of my really good friends in college whose aunt lives in Eden Prairie, and so his graduation party was there, over 10 years ago, and we had a really good time (all the guests). Not only was his whole family great hosts, but the food was so good!!!! It was catered. There was Greek food, some African drinks made with pineapple (really good) and American food. We did have a really good time.
I have also a good family friend we (the children) call "Uncle" because he lived with his family for a few years in my country (in Cameroon, Central Africa) when he was working there, before relocating to MN (his wife is American, his family is from Lebanon, but he grew up in Senegal, in West Africa). This uncle has lived in Minnnetonka ever since they came back to MN, over 20 years ago. I have been to their home twice (in Minnetonka). If you went to school in Minnetonka, would you happen to know a family whose name starts with "T" and ends with "af"? Although depending on your age, you might not have gone to school at the same time.
So now your family has been living in VA, I take it. In what city or town? (if you don't mind my asking). The "Pride for the Homeland" reminded me of the radio show "A Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor, which was broadcasted on MN Public Radio. I remember that show because of the news from Lake Wobegon, "the little town that time forgot and the decades cannot improve ... where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average." Keillor has a wonderful radio voice and I enjoyed listening to his show. It was very clever and entertaining.
I also remember you, because I believe that I was the first one who greeted you on OT. You had asked if it was too late to participate, and I had said "Hello," and your post was on page 2. You were packing (or ready to start) and had a few days left in China. We wrote back and forth a few times before you left. So do you live in VA, now? With your family? (I think you responded to that already). So are we 3hrs apart? (instead of 2). What are you studying? for a BA or a Masters?
About me: I was born in Paris, France, lived there for 3 years (so French is my 1st language), then went home to Cameroon (Central Africa) with my parents (my dad studied Civil Engineering and my mom worked for an airline company). I lived in Cameroon for 16 years and traveled extensively because of my mom (her privileges, but my dad encouraged it as well) sometimes alone, sometimes with my siblings (I am the oldest of 6). It was a lot safer back then, and they monitored children and teenagers. I then had a scholarship to study in France (for college) so I spent 4 years in Poitiers, Center East of France (foreign languages) and then moved to the US. I lived in GA, for 2 years (Norcross close to ATL, and Athens where UGA is), but went to school in MN, because of a scholarship. I ended up living there for 12 years, before relocating to Northern CA 5 years ago to be closer to my sister, who had moved to CA 3 years before me. I am quite well traveled, and I have lived and studied on 3 different continents and a few countries. I speak 4 different languages fluently (French, Spanish, English and Bulu, my Cameroonian native language. There are over 250 Cameroonian languages, FYI). I am slowly learning Korean as well :-). I studied Spanish and Communications in MN.
I love languages, cultures, food of different places, International Affairs, Social and cultural issues (and political ones), etc... and I came across a Korean drama (Personal Taste with LMH) 2 years ago on Hulu (online TV site). I thought he was really cute, and I liked the minimum sexual content. I liked the OST (ended up buying it from a guy in Korea :-) through Amazon.com), fell in love with the language (the way it sounds) and had the TV switched to 1 of 2 Korean channels available in CA when I was home. I was hooked. Came across DB and devoured the site. I would stay up late at night, reading recaps, news articles, etc, on weekends. I delurked and started participating last December, I think, on OT, then I branched to the other features. I have learned a lot here from the bloggers and the commenters. I discovered that I love analyzing Kdramas and their characters, makes my viewing experience richer and more rounded (if that makes sense). Was afraid when I wrote my 1st long posts, but nothing bad happened, so I continued and found out that I wasn't the only one doing it (if you haven't noticed yet).
As I said to someone, I love writing and (I love talking) and this is the place I go (usually. I visit a few other sites as well) to talk about things Korean related, besides talking about it with my sister, who started watching Kdramas before me and a friend of mine who has more years under her belt as well.
I currently tutor French part-time and I did that in college as well, being a Professor's assistant. I worked in offices, but I really love working with children and I have many years of experience being a nanny so I am going back to that (and keeping the tutoring as well). If it is OK with you, maybe we could exchange email addresses (I can give you mine) and we could stay in touch that way as well. I have done so with 2 ladies here and nothing bad happened. I am not an ax murderer, (I swear :-)), and I don't think I will be as prolific on OTs in the future. So let me know, if you would like to stay in touch that way.
One of the ladies is my friend on FB now, and the other one (From OT here), I met (Cherkell) back in May with Shel (who posted today. I met her daughter too) when we went to a huge 22,000 people concert here in Mountain View,CA organized by Google and YouTube. The tickets were free and Cherkell came to pick me up. We had a lot of fun. Met a lady from my church (she also had tickets for me) who knows Kpop songs way better than I do (she knows them all) and is into Kdramas as well. She is from Ghana, West Africa, married, one son, working mom, but I think way more hip and cooler than I am. It was fun being with her as well, she knew literally all the songs and artists, *smh, smiling*.
All of that to say that good things can happen from meeting people here, just so you know. It was kind of cool to actually meet 3 people because of OT and attend the concert (it was in a park). I wouldn't have gone otherwise. This is the concert we went to:
1--http://www.kpopstarz.com/articles/8388/20120522/mbc-k-pop-concert-frenzy-22-000-audiences-google-head-quarter-mountain-view.htm
2--http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2012/05/youtube-presents-k-pop-stars-in.html
3--http://www.powerhouselive.net/KoreanMusicWaveInGoogle.aspx
4--http://www.kpopstarz.com/articles/8356/20120521/k-pop-google-free-concert-tonight-watch-kpopstarz-com-for-real-time-updated-information.htm
I was trying to find the whole 3+ hours of the concert online, but you can only see parts of it on YT, I think. They had the whole thing up, before :-(
How many siblings do you have? And you are child #? How many languages do you speak? My sister who lives in Davis (and goes to UC Davis) spent 5 weeks in China 6 years ago, as part of a college program. We are all non traditional students, having all (my siblings) lived in France for many years. My two youngest siblings still live in France, and 2 passed away when I was young.
How did you like China? Was it your first time when you went? What made you go? Do you enjoy teaching? About my education: I studied in Cameroon, France, England, Spain (went there twice, and 2nd time, I had a scholarship from Spanish embassy in Cameroon) and the US. I have visited some US states, 1/2 of them I think, some African countries (Senegal, Togo, Benin, Cameroon), Europe (France, Spain, England, Belgium) and Martinique (French Territory which is an Island, considered French West Indies). I love to sing, I used to sing in my choir when I was a child and in college (we had an African choir), I was often the lead singer. Singing makes me appreciate languages (how they sound, the intonation, pronunciation etc...) and love some Kpop songs (I am selective) and I usually love Kdramas OSTs. The Korean language is beautiful when being sung, imho. I LOVE how dramatic Koreans can be when they talk, LOL...
What dramas are you currently watching? It would be my dream to go to Korea one day, and to work on a South Korea-African project of some sorts (I know those exist). I also want to learn the language, and continue to learn the culture which is in many ways similar to the African culture, as a whole, so I can relate a lot to what happens culturally (which I thought was interesting). I also love to cook, btw.
Well, you did hear from me, didn't you? :-) Happy reading, hope you don't mind the length:-)...
AJ
August 25, 2012 at 7:23 AM
Ivoire,
I do not know why it will not let me comment on your post, but hopefully you see this. I love long letters, notes, and posts, so length does not bug me at all. I just need to be in the right mood to write a long note, and on dramabeans if you press the wrong button then you lose everything you just typed (which happened to me yesterday morning), so instead I will be writing this on word and copying and pasting. I do not know if I would know the friends of yours, I went to a very small Christian school in Minnetonka. I like that you had a good time in Eden Prairie though. My family still really misses it there, and we really do not like living in the country, as we are doing now. We now live in New Market , VA. Yes I am living at home for the moment, first time in many years. I went to a boarding school for my last two years of high school, then college for 2 years before China. I plan on only being home for a semester, then going back to school for elementary education and I want to get a masters in reading specialist. I would love nothing more than to finish school, head to Asia, and live there the rest of my life (and travel to different continents of course). I love to travel and learn about different cultures. I have only been to Belize and China so far. I tried saving money to go to Paris, I have wanted to go there since middle school. College ended up taking that money, but I will get there someday. English is my only language, but I plan to change that and have started to learn Korean. I feel jealous of anyone who grew up speaking more than one language, because it is such a gift. Living abroad is in my blood, my mom grew up in Malawi, Africa as a missionaries kid. Then my parents were student missionaries in South Korea there first year of marriage. My mom loved it, and my dad could not get home fast enough, and neither of them got into Korean pop culture, so they find this love of mine funny and ironic. I have always wanted to go to China, I said since I was 6 that I was going to adopt a little Chinese girl. My best friend when I was little was a first generation Chinese American, and I spent a lot of time at her house. I ate her moms homemade Chinese food at least twice a week, saw her parents watching the Chinese news, and was just in awe by their culture. When I decided I wanted to be a student missionary this past year, China was really the only country I wanted to go to. I loved it there! Everyone told me I am more Chinese then American. I love how they respect the elders, and try to keep society respectful. You said you liked the minimal sexual content of Personal Taste, I also LOVE that. I hate seeing sex, drugs, and violence on American tv shows. I feel like I fit in better in Asia then in America, and my parents are supportive of me migrating.
I might have already told you this, but I got into Korean dramas while in China. The girl who had lived in my apartment before me left Boys Over Flowers with only Chinese subs so I watched it raw and fell in love with it. Then found Dramabeans that helped me translate what was going on. While Boys Over Flowers might not be the best k-drama ever, it will always have a place in my heart. I went to a Kim Hyun Joong concert in China and he sang the acoustic version of Because Im Stupid, while pictures of Jihoo and Jandi were in the background. I ended up crying, because it reminded me of when I first moved, and I didn’t know anyone yet, so at nights I would sit in my apartment watching BOF. In the beginning that show is what kept me from feeling lonely, which might sound pathetic or not make sense. My whole beginning part in China is so closely wrapped with k-dramas that I do not think I will ever stop loving them. I am a HUGE music lover, so of course I also got into the music. It started with the BOF OST, then Kim Hyun Joong – SS501. Then I watched You’re Beautiful so I got into CNBLUE (who is my favorite Korean band so far) and FTIsland. Shut Up Flower Boy Band – Infinite. So on and so forth. I just learn of all these music groups through OST’s. I am the type that hates American top 40, but because I don’t know how to look up unknown Korean artists I am listening to mainstream Korean music and actually like it. I love to sing also, my mom says I was singing before I could talk. I was in the traveling choir all 4 years of high school and loved it. I agree with you that singing really brings you into other cultures. I was always singing songs in Latin, Spanish, or some African dialect. I also love to cook. My mom loves to cook, and instilled the love into me. I am my family’s chief when I am home, because my mom works as a nurse full time. My dad works in business, and I have 2 younger brothers. I am the oldest, and only girl which is sometimes and great combination, and sometimes the worst. I do not know how you handled having 5 brothers and sisters, I can barley handle 2. I love to read, I am a huge book worm. My friends in China would make fun of me, because I always had at least one book in my purse. Me, and book, and my ipod are a deadly combo. I will not even know whats going on around me when I get deep into a book with music on. That’s why I love this website so much, because it combines my love of k-dramas with reading. I have read more dramas then I have watched. Since I dint have internet in my apartment in China I would download all the recaps of a show on my computer at work, then go home and read them at night. You said there are some other websites you got to, what are they? I also love kids. I want to work with them the rest of my life because I find it so much fun it does not feel like work.
Right now I am following Bridal Mask, To the Beautiful You, Answer Me 1997, Faith, Panda and Hedgehog, Ma Boy, and We Got Married. I am really only watching TTBY, Panda and Hedgehog, and WGM. The rest I just follow on here, and hope I have the time to watch someday. I have pretty much given up on American tv, but I wasn’t to big into it before hand anyway. What are you keeping up with? That is so cool that you got to meet some people you met on here. DB really is such a fun way to connect with people, and everyone seems so nice! I do not know how long this is going o be once I put it on DB, so I better stop. I hope to hear from you soon
Yes lets keep in contact through email, that sounds like a lot of fun. My email is [email protected].
Ivoire
August 25, 2012 at 8:24 AM
Hi Ashley,
I just saw your post (it is long, yay!!!!! *big smile on my face). I was responding to Laya earlier. I will now go off and read, but I am also going to send you a quick email. So you could check your email soon as well.
Will be back soon. I totally understand the whole "you press a button (or in my case, sometimes nothing at all) and you loose your whole message" thing because it has happened to me a few times here. Writing on Word and copying and pasting (especially for long posts) is a good idea. when I write a short post, I copy it (from the "edit" option on my computer) before I send it, just to be on the safe side. If it doesn't post, I just paste it again, and repost it. I hope that makes sense. For the long posts, I have used Word as well (like you did).
It will be good to continue our conversation by email, for the more personal stuff, I think... I want to grab a bite (breakfast, it's s 8:20am here now), respond to JoAnne who made a very funny comment about me (you should read it, on comment # 36) and then I will back to respond. Thanks again for your long post, you have no idea how happy that makes me :-). Great way to start my day!!!!!!
Ivoire
August 24, 2012 at 9:22 AM
Hello everyone!!!! (It is morning here in my time zone, which is also DB time zone).
First, thank you to those of you who left me kind and encouraging messages last Friday. Last week was a stressful and challenging one, one of those where you have to be careful about the decision(s) you make. I was considering taking a job in MN, which would have had me relocate to Minnesota (US) where I actually lived for 12 years before moving to CA, five years ago. I am sure you guys can understand that I had to weigh and make that decision carefully, especially since that would have meant being further away from my younger sister, the only biological family I have in the States. We reunited 5 years ago when I moved to CA and we hadn't seen each other for a long time before that. So those things matter, you know.
Soooo, no MN winters for me (at least for now), I am glad to report (those can be cold, brrrrrr.... as some of you know). I felt a sense of peace after I gave my answer to the person in MN and was comforted by how she took the news. She understood my reasons behind my decision and invited me to stay in touch with her (we had had a nice phone interview), so that made me feel better as well.
Doors are actually slowly opening up here (job wise), and I am waiting on someone's answer about an opportunity to live with her (we will have an arrangement), so that is not totally squared away yet.
In the meantime, I have the apartment to myself this weekend (until Monday late night) because my friend is away until Monday. She is visiting friends and family in NY and in Philadelphia. I am invited to a birthday tomorrow evening, other than that, I am planning on having a fairly quiet weekend, catching up on "Faith," (yeah, I am still watching it :-)), reading recaps, posting some comments, slowly (re)packing (for the move) and getting ready for the week.
On the drama front, as I mentioned to Kakashi earlier, I stayed up watching Gaksital, pausing to read up on some of the historical movements that are mentioned in the drama (in those episodes), look up some military words I didn't know, replay some of the scenes (so I could finish reading the subs when they were too fast for me, or when I thought the scene was awesome, or deep or disturbing) and reading the recaps. I also stopped to write down the questions that came up for me, so I can ask them on OT on Friday. Sometimes, I stop and write some of the Korean words (how I hear them) I am recognizing and learning.
All in all, as you can tell, my process is very slow and long and elaborate (it took me 5 hours to watch 2 episodes, LOL, with bathroom and snack breaks, of course), but that is my process and it works for me. That's how I experience my dramas, if I can. No wonder I can't watch too many of them at one time, not enough time in the day for me. I think it is fairly safe to say that by the time I am done with one episode, I know almost every gesture, eyebrow raised, etc... the characters have done :-)
So for the moment, I have been sticking to BM and "Faith." I had to adjust my expectations for "Faith," but I like it. The heroine (her reactions) make sense to me (so far), considering the context. I had never seen KHS in anything and her acting to me is fine. I don't think she is over acting or anything and I buy what she is doing. I also think that she looks the part to be a plastic surgeon, and why couldn't a male Goryeo warrior date (and marry, maybe) an older woman? Someone said that (in the recap's comments) of episode 3 or 4 that in the drama, CY is supposed to be 29 and ES 33, so their age gap is actually not that big. I checked and it is true. And LMH could pass for a young 29 year old (KMJ doesn't look 40ish in AGD and yet he is 42, Korean age) and KHS is in her mid 30's, so it works for me.
Like many, I am not only interested in the main OTP story and line, but also in the 2dary characters, mainly the king and the princess, who are really well acted (love how they do subtlety). I have to say that I do love all the characters (even the baddies) and that I am interested in seeing how the drama unfolds. Really love Dae-man and his loyalty to CY (and how he follows him like a puppy) and I might be the only one, but Deok-man (another one of CY's men) reminds me of Hyun Bin in his early 20's, when he was a little bigger (think, MNIKSS, The World Within). Also love Jang Bin (sp?) and his cool (aloof, maybe?) attitude. I want him to fall in love with ES.
"Faith" to me is not as intense as TK2Hs or BM, but it has its moments when it surprises me, and it works (for me, of course). I haven't seen "Legend," so I can't really compare it to anything in the same genre, and that is fine with me. I am sure in time, I will watch more dramas and will have some references then.
BM, WOW!!!!! As GF (I think) said in one of the recaps this week, can things get darker? It turns out, they can. I LOVE the mind games and manipulations in BM, from many characters: Shunji, LKT, Rie, her dad, the count's son, MDR, etc... It is engaging, keeps you on your toes and wondering how it will all unfold.
I know BM is supposed to be violent and I expect as much, but I am still not always totally used to it or prepared for its level of violence (which I think is good on my part, phew...). Wow Shunji!!! I really liked you, (I think he is a needed character and an effective one) but man, you are gone, aren't you??? Kudos to PKW for the awesome job he is doing, he deserves all the accolades and awards he will get from starring in this drama. He truly shines here. Even his voice is creepy (the tone of his voice changes) when he is menacing or manipulative. And his face is so expressive, he uses it really well. I have a new found respect for actors and actresses who play villains and do it to the nth degree, portraying th