Park Hyo Shin's After Love MV

It's been a couple of days since the last day of class for 2009 but I haven't been catching up with the latest Kpop releases. I don't even watch end-of-the-week music shows (like Music Core, Music Bank, and SBS Inkigayo) anymore. Why? Well it's because I've been addicted to a new Korean drama Iris plus I've been watching a lot of movies these days. I still update myself with the lates Kpop news of course. I can't last a day without checking Allkpop and these news are also all over Twitter and Facebook so I can't avoid it.

Kpop scene is just getting worse as 2009 ends. Scandals and saddening rumors and controversies are everywhere. Recently Super Junior's Hankyung, their only Chinese member, is rumored to be leaving the group. He filed a complaint about his contract under SM in court and then one thing led to another, because of the issue (and the korean netizens perhaps), their youngest member Kyuhyun, closed his Cyworld homepage to the public. I'm really sad about what's happening and I don't want my favorite Kpop idol group to face the same problem as DBSK. I don't want to think about such sad things for now since it's Christmas. I don't want to be sad. I just wish that they won't end the year with a lot of issues unsettled. ELFs can't lose Super Junior, the 13 of them. Another scandal is Lee Byung Hun's of Iris. I hope that issue will be solved too. I really admire him and he's just starting to break through Hollywood and all this is coming up. Makes sense right?

Speaking of Lee Byung Hun, as I was looking for a music video of the OST of Iris today, I found another heartbreaking video by Park Hyo Shin(박 효신). This guy is really amazing. I love his voice. There's so much emotion that he puts to it when he sings. This song After Love(사랑 후에) is from his latest album The Gift. Actually there are two music videos for the song (part1 and part2). It's like a mini-movie. It's a very sad love story. I don't mean to make you sad this Christmas but I thought I must share this videos.

Part 2


Part 1


I'm loving Korean ballads even more. I really need to make room for more of Park Hyo Shin and other ballad MV downloads in the future so I think I should backup my files now. I think I will need a virtual tape library vtl. Anyhow, I purposely posted the Part2 first because I think it would be more dramatic if you watch part2 first. You'll appreciate the videos even more.

PS. Do you know that Park Hyo Shin sang Taeyang's Only Look at Me? And his cover was also beautiful.  Also check out his song Snow Flower. I like it too.

I Want a Personalized Duffle Bag for Christmas!

Since it's holidays I don't have much to do so for the past week I just had movie marathons and Kdrama marathons. Actually, I have lots to do but I want to enjoy the holidays so I'm setting them aside until after our highschool reunion. haha! Then I'll do my assignments and take a break for the New Year celebration. I hope I have more time to enjoy and just be a couch potato. Haha!

Today I watched some episodes of Iris, my new addiction. It's a Kdrama that just aired its last episode last week. It's a great action-drama series starred by Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Hee. I'm going to make a review of the drama Iris soon. I love, love, love it. Its cinematography, plot, script, cast, and acting - definitely fantastic. I'm hoping to finish watching it this week.

After watching Iris, we went to the city to buy some groceries that we forgot to buy last week for our Noche Buena. There were so many people in the mall and in the streets. I had fun looking at them and walking past them. I can really feel that it's really Christmas in just a few hours. But of course because of the Christmas rush, I expected the very long queues in the counters. Good thing I have already bought my gifts last week to avoid such hassles. I'm very excited to see my sisters' reactions when they open the gifts I bought them. I hope they'll like it. But what I'm more excited about are the gifts I'm going to receive. Who wouldn't be excited right? Christmas, aside from being about God, is also about giving and receiving. And one of the best gifts you can give to students like me is a personalized duffle bag! People who personally know me know very well that I'm not a very big fan of collecting bags. I only get those which I really need. In fact I only have one for each special need I guess. And this personalized duffle bag is one that is not yet in my closet so I will really be delighted to receive one of these cute duffle bags for Christmas. Well, of course, it would be much better if you personalize it and print Super Junior members' names there. I'm also thinking of giving some to my friends and relatives after the Christmas break. A laundry bag would be nice for my classmates who are living in boarding houses and don't do the laundry themselves. Insulated lunch totes would also be best for my cousins who are still students. Wow. In just a matter of time it will be Christmas and I can smell excitement everywhere I go. Merry Christmas everyone!

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Strong Heart (강 심장) : My New Favorite Variety Show

They say one of the most helpful ways to learn Korean is through variety shows. It's definitely true. I've been watching variety shows ever since I started to like Kpop and Korean movies. The first variety show I've ever watched I think was EHB(Exploration of the Human Body). I watched it because Super Junior starred in it. It was hosted by Shin Dong Yup. I really enjoyed that show and until now, when I watch it again, I still laugh a lot. I think Korea has the best variety shows. Another show that I really love is Star King hosted by Kang Ho Dong, one of the funniest korean guys I've ever known. Just by his face, you can really laugh and tell he's a great comedian. haha! Star King I think is quite famous since a lot of international performers guested there. Many people(especially Filipinos) know Star King because of Charice Pempengco. She guested there, and her guesting was featured on Philippine TV, and in Youtube. I think a lot of people discovered Super Junior because of that guesting too.

In Korea, when singers release their albums or singles, they promote it on weekend music shows and they guest in a lot of variety shows. Star King, I must say, is definitely a stepping stone for singers who wants to try the comedy and hosting world too. A lot of potential comedians and MCs/hosts were discovered there.

Super Junior's members (especially, Leeteuk and Eunhyuk) are regulars of variety shows too that's another reason why I love watching variety shows.

Strong Heart is a new variety show in SBS.

gosh

phew. here i am still up. i just finished preparing for our presentation tomorrow. well that's only 5 hours to go. i know i must sleep. i was supposed to sleep. when i discovered that pay per post now has a new policy. i was surprised when i couldn't open my old account. turns out i need to register again. so here it is.. hello ppp...


a perdurable a day, helps you sleep, work and play

Excited for American Idol Season 9

Yep it's the end of the year which means that in just a few weeks the new season of Americal Idol is going to start. I'm excited for this season because of the new judge, which is one of my favorite American TV personalities. Yes, Paula Abdul won't be judging American Idol anymore. I'm gonna miss her. At first, I was like, "What? American Idol is not Americal Idol when Paula's not there anymore." But later on, I thought maybe this will add a new spice for the show and of course it will be exciting and there will be more comedy. Well who's the new judge? Of course, everybody knows already.. haha! It's Ellen Degeneres. I like her so much. When I have time, I really make it a point to watch her show Ellen.


Last season, I was not able to watch a lot of episodes because it was such a busy semester for me but I will definitely watch Season 9. Even if school's gonna be busier? Maybe. Yes. I'm expecting a lot from this season. And I'm so excited how Ryan Seacrest,Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, and Ellen Degeneres will heat up my Wednesday and Thursday nights. There will be a lot of guest judges too including Victoria Beckham, Joe Jonas, and Taylor Swift. And of course I'm excited who will be the next American Idol.

Must Watch : Before Sunrise and Before Sunset

These two movies have been on my desk for almost a year now but it was only last week that I found time to watch it. If I only knew it was a very good movie I should have watched it before. It may be one of the best lovestory movies I've ever watched. You might get bored the first time you watch it but if you're patient, you will definitely enjoy it. Why did I say you might get bored of the movie? Because the whole movie, they did nothing but walk and talk about anything.


Before Sunrise is the first movie. The story starts with an American guy and a French girl who met on a train in Europe. They guy, played by Ethan Hawke, is on his way back to the US and the girl, played by Julie Delpy, is headed to Paris. When they met, they enjoyed talking to each other and so the two disembarked in Vienna a day before Jesse's (Ethan Hawke) flight back to the US. Since they did not have money to stay in a hotel, they decided to spend the night walking around Vienna and talking to each other and as hours pass, they discover more about each other and got amazed that they have something so exciting between them and thought that they have a romantic connection. When the two separate in the morning, they promised to meet each other there after 6 months without even exchanging numbers, addresses, and even full names.
The next movie, Before Sunset, was 9 years after that brief encounter they had in Vienna.

[Life Update] Happy December!

It's this time of the year again! My second favorite time of the year(next to summer) is Christmas.

I just love waking up on cold mornings. But sometimes because of the cool morning air, I tend to curl up back to sleep then run late in my classes. Other than the cold mornings, I'm excited for Christmas because of the break, the food, and the gift-giving.

Philippines is probably the only country I know that celebrate Christmas the longest. Most of the people start decorating their houses in September and take down the decorations in the second week of February. For our house, we put up our Christmas tree last week after the Halloween. Last year, our theme was blue and silver but this year we sticked to the red-green-blue theme and added a little gold and silver accent. We also had more Christmas lights this year so I really feel happy looking at the tree and the decorations at night.

Christmas break also means that my friends who are not studying in Iligan are coming home, and of course, the annual school alumni homecoming. Last year, I was not able to attend but this year, I will definitely go because I already miss hanging out with my highschool buddies.

Oh I forgot about the Christmas shopping!

You're Beautiful (미남이 시네요)

My current addiction. This is another good Korean drama. It features the life behind the angelic looks of A.N. Jell, an idol group. The story revolves around Go Mi Nam(고미남)/Go Mi Nyu(고미뉴), a clumsy aspiring nun whose twin brother got accepted as a member of the famous idol group A.N. Jell. But because of certain circumstances, when her twin brother was about to debut in a group, he couldn't be there so Mi Nyu had to pretend that she's Mi Nam. Everything was going well at first but no secret can be kept hidden so as (episodes) days pass by Go Mi Nam's adventure as a girl pretending to be a guy becomes difficult. Hwang Tae Kyung(황태경) is the clean freak, and snobby leader of the band who soon becomes Mi Nam's closest "hyung" in the band. Despite Tae Kyung's very strong personality, he and Mi Nam goes along really well especially when Tae Kyung discovers that she's a girl. Kang Shin Woo (강신우) is the sensitive member who easily discovers Go Mi Nam's true identity but because he wants to protect Mi Nam, nobody knows that he(Shin Woo) knows Mi Nam's secret. Jeremy is the bubbly magnae(i think) of the group.

I really like this drama. I think it's more fun than Boys Over Flowers. Maybe because I'm a fangirl so it gives me more insight about idol groups in Korea. Well I just finished watching Episode 9. Actually this airs in Korea on Thursdays and Fridays and last Friday, was Episode 12. I'm a bit late but it's okay.. I think Episode 9 is one of the best episodes of YB so far.. I'm excited to know what's gonna happen next. But I'll watch the next episode tomorrow.

Happy 4th Anniversary to Super Junior

Wow. It's been 4 years. I became a fan just last year. It's good to know that they have come sooooo far from the training days when all they worked hard for was to debut and achieve their dreams. I'm so happy for all the beautiful things that happened to them. For all the achievements they have received, they never forget to thank their fans, their family, and God. Most of all, I am very happy that until now, despite all the bad things that tried to pull them down, they're still here, they're still 13, they're still brothers who look after each other and love each other. I hope they never get tired of following their dreams, loving each other, and loving their fans.



From Leeteuk to ELF, that's Super Junior.

Leeteuk.
Hangeng.
Heechul.
Kangin.
Yesung.
Shindong.
Sungmin.
Eunhyuk.
Donghae.
Siwon.
Ryeowook.
Kibum.
Kyuhyun.

Super Junior Hwaiting!! ^________________^

Must Watch Movies

Darksphere Recommends..

For me, sharing is loving.. What's the use of discovering beautiful things if you don't share it right? So here, I'll share a list of my favorite movies to watch, trailers of those movies, and a little review about the films. I hope you will enjoy them all as much as I loved watching them. Hurrah to us all movie addicts! ^____^

• Speed Scandal (2009, Korea)
• Romantic Island (2008, Korea)
• One More Chance (2007, Philippines)
• Baler (2008, Philippines)
• Fireprooof (2008)
• Before Sunrise (1995)
• Before Sunset (2004)
  

[Life Update] Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! Even though we don't "sincerely" celebrate that here, I can feel the spirit of Halloween because of the scary shows they're airing on TV. There are also a number of costume parties happening in town though. When it's Halloween, we Catholics go to the cemetery to visit our loved ones that have already passed away.

Since my mom's birhtday was on the 30th, it has been a tradition in our family to visit her grave on her birthday instead of going there on All Soul's day. That way, we can avoid traffic and the crowded cemetery too. So on her birthday, we cooked some food, bought her flowers and visited her. I wish we could visit her often but the cemetery scares me a bit not because of lost souls but because of the people living near it because they can be dangerous sometimes. haha. One time, we went there and we encountered a crazy guy, because it was only me and my sisters, we got really afraid. Sometimes, you'll get to meet some drunk guys on the way there too. And there are only a few jeepneys that goes to that part of the Barangay so sometimes you'll have to wait for an hour.

One more day, and it's gonna be enrolment period. I can't believe we only had barely one week for our semestral break! I don't want to go to school yet!

By the way, I am now officially hooked with A.N.Jell!! hahaha! My sisters and I are having a You're Beautiful marathon these days. It's really a good drama, not to mention the cute, and definitely, angelic, A.N.Jell members.. weeeeee! I will post a review of this drama soon. ;) I'm still on episode 6.

I didn't notice that I only had one post for October. I've been really busy with school stuff. So there, happy halloween everyone, enjoy your trick n treats and costume parties.. And to my fellow students, enjoy your sem break! ;)

The Good that Ondoy and Pepeng Brought

On September 26, 2009 Philippines was hit by a very strong typhoon that put 25 provinces under the state of calamity. Typhoon Ondoy, internationally known as Ketsana, was brought the worst amount of rainfall in Metro Manila. It was the most devastating typhoon I have witnessed happening to my country. Flood water went up to the 2nd floor of the houses in Metro Manila. There were cars floating and a lot were stranded. That time, I hated watching the news because the calls and text messages of people asking for help and the videos and photos of the situation in Luzon really made my heart break. The typhoon was even stronger than hurricane Katrina that hit the US in 2005. Up to now, there are still people missing and the trauma it caused to Filipinos is apparently hard to take away.

Just days after Ondoy, another typhoon, Pepeng(international name, Parma), came and made a landfall. It was a super typhoon and was much much stronger than Ondoy.. The Philippines haven't even recovered yet from Ondoy and then a much stronger typhoon comes to our shores again. At first, since the Filipinos were a little prepared, days before Pepeng made its landfall, people from those areas predicted to be affected by flood and rains were evacuated, it was "okay" since we only saw Pepeng damaging our agriculture and homes instead of lives. Pepeng was about to leave the Philippine area of responsibility when another weather activity near it brought more water to the typhoon and made it even more stronger and made a U-turn back to Central Luzon. Flood water covered a lot of provinces leaving people trapped in their roofs and a lot of rice fields washed out by water from the dams surrounding the area. There were also land slides that left many people homeless and lose their families.

This is probably the biggest calamity we had to face this year. Central Luzon is the rice and vegetable bowl of the country. Prices of such commodities are now going up and people from Luzon are now being supplied by Mindanao. People lost their homes, families, and their means of living.

During these times, what amazes me is the Bayanihan spirit and kindness of Filipinos.

[Life Update] One FUN Day

Yesterday was a long, tiring, yet very happy day. We started the shooting day at 7am and I got home at 7pm. I had lots of fun. We went strolling, biking, and picture taking. There were minor accidents and wounds but the laughs we had outnumbered them all. I had fun learning how to bike. Yes, I don't know how to bike. Such a loser. hahahha! Up to now, I still don't know how. But soon, I'll be able to ride on my own. ;P
I hope to have more bonding times like this with my treasured friends. It was a great way to spend the holiday. :)

Can You Keep a Secret? (Orphan Movie Review)

This is one suspense movie that’ll make you be afraid of adopting children from orphanages.

The story starts with a couple trying to find a child to adopt in an orphanage and discovers a child there so different from the others, loves to paint, with a prim and proper façade, and talks so mature for her age. Esther is a nine-year-old girl originally from Russia. The couple, who thought of adoption for them to recover from the loss of their unborn child, ended up adopting Esther. What they did not know was that Esther is not the sweet and modest little girl they thought she was. As she lives with her adoptive family, a series of horrible events lead them to suspect that there must be something wrong with Esther.

Actually, she’s from a mental institution in Russia and has the record of being the most violent patient there. She has a very rare genetic disease that makes her appear like a child but she’s actually already 33 years old. It turns out that she had feelings for her adoptive father and because she saw her adoptive parents having sex, she started to get mad and caused those terrible events like killing the nun that visited their home to warn her parents about Esther’s past records, setting a fire on her foster brother’s treehouse, and cutting down the roses that were her mother’s remembrance of her unborn child.

It’s really a very intriguing movie that will surely make you think and analyze. Isabelle Furhman, who played the role of Esther, really portrayed her character well. And I also think Vera Farmiga, excellently played her role as Kate, Esther’s mother. The development of the characters in the movie was showed excellently too. This movie is definitely a horror movie that you should not miss. And who survived in the end? Well, it’s for you to find out. You better watch Orphan now and find out what is really wrong with Esther.

Watch the trailer here :

Where is RJ-45?

Whew. I have to admit I hate attending make-up classes because most of the time, if not all the time, they're boring. I also hate waking up early on Saturdays because it's my me-time. It's the time when I stay in bed almost whole morning and just get up when I want to eat and take a bath. It's been two Saturdays now that we've been having make-up classes for our Computer Networks subject. Even though this is what I want to Major in IT, it's not an exception when it comes to taking away my me-time. It's not that boring though compared to Bio classes but still..

Well, still, I had to deal with it.

Today's class was very frustrating. We had to crimp three UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cables for our hands-on exam. Yesterday, I was pretty excited for this. But dang, I didn't know it would be hard and FRUSTRATING!! No wonder Network Technicians get paid Php1000 for crimping just one cable. hahaha! It's hard aligning those color-coded copper wires to the slots of the RJ-45. When you cut it, it's straight but when you put it in the RJ-45, some wires fit and some are too short to reach the end of the jack. So what you're gonna do is to cut it again. I guess, my one-meter cable lost 1/4 of its length because I couldn't do it right. Phew. Such a clutz. Good thing I'm not the only one. hahaha! A lot of us were whining. After you align the color-coded wires correctly, you'll crimp it and viola, - a crimped UTP cable. But it's not yet ready to use for connecting your networking devices, you still need to test it. And when it fails to function using the tester, you'll have to do it again - cut a portion of the cable that is connected to the RJ-45 and bye bye RJ-45, you're now a garbage! We were only provided 6 RJ-45s, just enough for making 3 cables - the straight-thru, the crossover, and the rollover cables. So... saying bye-bye to an RJ-45 is really painful. hahaha!


It was a busy afternoon. We were like busy buzzing bees packed in the inadequately air-conditioned classroom. Everywhere you go in the room, you'll hear people saying, "where's the stripper?" or exclaiming, "hey, who took the scissors??" But what'll really sting your ears would be, "Oh, no. Where's my RJ-45???" Well, goodluck with that. hahaha

I actually lost my other cable. I only finished the straight-thru with my friends to rescue me in the midst of my frustrated state. And until now, my thumb still hurts for pushing the wires just to fit it into that RJ-45. Good thing our teacher said that submitting one working cable would be fine. I was saved!

[Life Update] It's Depressing

There's not much going on these days, lots of suspensions of classes, lots of lazy days for me, and lots of food trips. We also have lots of school requirements to pass but I haven't started doing one - lazy days, lazy days.. When will I ever stop cramming? It's already rooted in my system ever since highschool. I can't generate good ideas anymore unless it's the eleventh hour. Just as what my teacher once said, "deadlines make miracles." I know I should change this. I hate being almost-late but I like the rush of beautiful ideas during deadlines. hahaha!

Kpop scene is depressing. Jaebum left for Seattle last last week leaving 2PM without a leader and one member less. That's not 2PM anymore right? Sigh. I'm actually upset with Korean netizens for making such a big issue about those MySpace comments. I mean if I were a Korean, I'd also be mad about that but considering that those comments were written years ago, and after reading Jaebum's explanation, I'd forgive him. I understand what he was going through that time enduring a very stressful training away from home without even an assurance that all his hard work will pay off. Also, even though he's Korean, he was basically new to Korea that time and found it hard to adjust to a culture so different from American culture where he grew up. I just think that Koreans were really really unfair to him. 2PM activities were also postponed and appearances of other members in shows(regular shows and guestings alike) were called off. Well, he voluntarily left the group and abandoned his position so I'll respect that. He needs time to be away and reflect too. On the other hand, the controversy involving TVXQ and SM Entertainment also worries me. I don't want TVXQ to separate. They're the best Korean boyband I know in terms of singing abilities. And after so many years of being together and so many albums they released, it would be really hurtful for fans like me to see them break up. I'm not saying they are on the verge of breaking up but logically, if the two parties cannot have an agreement that will settle the issue about TVXQ's "slave contract" with SM, I don't think it's possible that Changmin and Yunho will stay at SM and Micky, Xiah and Jaejoong will leave SM and they'll still be TVXQ! There are even rumors that their upcoming performance might be their last performance together as TVXQ. Oh no. I pray that it won't happen or they will break millions of hearts of the biggest fan club in the world.

Must Watch : Fireproof

Love is not a fight. But it's something worth fighting for.

This is another must-watch. Fireproof is a Christian film, maybe the second Christian film I've watched this year next to Passion of Christ. This is about a firefighter who saves life but is on the verge of not saving his marriage. The principle of not leaving his partner in firefighting is instilled to him - but not in his marriage. They have been married for many years but they didn't notice that each day, they have been growing apart.

He was ready to give his marriage up after a big fight he had with his wife one morning until his parents asked him to postpone working in the divorce papers for 40 days and instead to the Love Dare. He listened to his father and did the Love Dare. Slowly, change is happening to him, as he gets to know God even though he refuses to at first. While his wife begins flirting with her officemate, he starts to understand that for him to love others, he must understand Christ's love for him first.

Then after a while, her wife got convinced that he has really changed and understood that she too needs Christ in her life. They started anew and she asked him if he could help her find her way to living life with Christ.

This movie is really good. I learned a lot of lessons especially regarding relationships. It's really a miracle how He makes a change in you if only you call for His help.

here's the trailer of the movie :

Studying Law

Why do lawmakers use very hard English when they write laws?? Is it because they just want people, especially ordinary people who isn't familiar with deep English terms, to be misled making them more prone to committing crimes?

I'm studying for our quiz on Laws on Obligations and Contracts tomorrow. Actually, I'm just reading. I feel so lazy to study today. I like Political Science and I even dreamed of being a lawyer before but law readings like these make me fall asleep, really. They use deep, boring words. But I have no choice, I need to study. I'll study after i watch my favorite shows. lol. I think I have really mastered the art of cramming.

The VMA Incident

Gosh. I was really shocked about what happened at the recent Video Music Awards. Taylor Swift won the Best Female Video Award for her music video You Belong with Me. She won the title against Beyoncé's Single Ladies, Pink's So What, Kelly Clarkson's My Life Would Suck Without You, Lady GaGa's Poker Face, Katy Perry's Hot and Cold. She was crying when she gave her thank you speech but everyone's grew big when they saw Kanye West come up on stage while Taylor was still speaking, grabbed the microphone, and said “Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ll let you finish, but Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!”


He left everyone stunned and shocked - Taylor, Beyoncé, and everyone in the audience.

That was very disrespectul Kanye! It's a trending topic now on Twitter, new sites, and blogs.


Here's the music video of You Belong With Me. The Best Female Video of VMA 2009.

Learning Korean

photo courtesy of Seoul by Subway

It started on the late part of 2007 when a Korean boyband was introduced to me. Later on, i got hooked and followed their musical career. Then because of the Hallyu wave in the Philippines, more and more Korean dramas were aired here and dubbed in Filipino. Then i got addicted in Kpop music. But whenever i listen to a song, its lyrics matter more to me than it's melody. So i always research for translations for the Korean songs that i like. But it was such a hassle for me and i can't seem to be contented of reading romanizations ang english translations in the internet. So i decided to learn Korean. I also started to like Korean culture and the Korean people. I really admire them being so respectful and nationalistic. As time goes by, and everyday i discover more about it's beauty, i'm loving Korea more and more. I want to go there someday.

So learning Korean is a must for me because of the following reasons : (1) so i can understand the Kpop songs that i love, (2) so i can understand KDramas better (because sometimes, the filipino dub fails to deliver to viewers a better translation of what the lines really mean) and of course, (3) so that when i go to Korea, i can communicate with them.

Although learning korean is a bit difficult, there are soooo many resources that we can find online. Google is your friend. hehe!

But even though i'm such a newbie in learning Korean [actually i only know common Korean words and i can't converse well in Korean both in writing and in oral], i want to share the following tips that definitely worked for me as a Kpop fangirl who got interested in learning Korean.

Must Watch : Baler

One of the best Filipino period films i've ever seen, Baler is based on the historical event that happened in Baler during the Spanish occupation. The event now known as the Seige of Baler was a battle between the Filipino Revolutionists and 50 Spanish soldiers who made the church in Baler into a fort. The movie, based on a true story, is about the forbidden love story of Celso (a Mestizo soldier, played by Jericho Rosales) and Felisa (a Filipino girl, daughter of one of the officials of the Filipino Revolutionists. Story-wise, i couldn't say more except that "Love is difficult in time of war.(Lope, played by Mark Bautista)."

The film is an entry to the famous Metro Manila Film Festival in 2008 and of course with its brilliant acting showcase and amazing cinematography, it bagged a lot of awards.

I'm so amazed and proud of this movie. I hope there would be more Filipino movies as beautiful or even more beautiful than this. It's really something to be proud of.

Here's the trailer :

Must Watch : One More Chance

This is John Lloyd's first movie that i watched in the movie house. I'm just not fond of watching movies in theatres but this one was an exception because at that time, when it came out, i can somehow relate to the movie's storyline. hehe. Anyway, this movie came out in 2007 and was one of the most top grossing films that year. Hmm.. it's a bit old but, it's one of my favorite movies of all time so i wanted to post something about it. I saw it last night in Cinema1 and i was reminded that i should include it in my blog's must watch list. It's definitely a must-watch.

The story is about a couple who's been together for years and everything about them was almost perfect. Nothing else could go wrong. But that was only what Popoy thought because for Basha, as time goes by for the two of them, she loses her self respect because of Popoy becoming too caring that sometimes Basha thinks that Popoy is over controlling her with his plans. Basha got unsure and decided to break up with Popoy. While Basha fixes herself and slowly finds herself doing what makes her happy, Popoy though broken-hearted tried to move on and finds another girl. Then a project that reunites the engineer and the architect together comes and as they work together, they discover that they still want each other and wondered what really made something so perfect go wrong. Is Popoy to blame because he planned to much? Or was it Basha for being too selfish and choosing to find herself over fixing the relationship?

hmmm.. how did it end? well, it's for you to find out. ;P

watch the trailer here :

2PM Become Wild Bunnies?

Ever wondered how idols groups actually behave off-cam and what are the things they really want to do but can't because they're idols? Well MNET has a new reality show that I am now officially addicted to. It features a different side of 2PM. Jaebum, Nichkhun, Junsu, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho, and Chansung, will be filmed in between schedules in their dorms and other locations and show a sneak peak of their lives as idols. Let's watch them do funny and dorky things as they attempt to do non-idol-like things in this show. The show started in July 21st and aired a new episode once every week.

Here's the opening vid of the new show Wild Bunny.. hmmm.. aren't they adorable?? I promise you'll really enjoy and laugh a lot.. *wink

2NE1 Wins Mutizen

Their songs are really catchy. And just yesterday, they won the Mutizen Award in SBS Inkigayo as their song Fire became number one surpassing Super Junior's It's You, Shinee's Juliette, and many other hit songs. Here is a clip of the announcement of the No. 1 song in Inkigayo yesterday.

They just debuted this year under YG Entertainment. Their first song was Lollipop with their sunbaes Big Bang. 2NE1 is composed of Park Bom, CL, Sandara, and Minzy.

Park Bom, CL, Minzi, Dara

LYRICS FT Island - First Kiss (Chot Kisseu)

영화처럼 멋질수 있을까
yeong hwa cheoreom meot jeel soo ees-eul gga
could it be as amazing as the movies

그녀와 옛 처음 입맞춤
geu nyu wa yet cho-eum eeb mat-choom
with that girl, the first kiss

내일 다시 만날것 같은데
nae-eel da-shi mahn nal geot gateun deh
i think ill meet her again tomorrow

왜 벌써부터 두근거리는 떨린 가슴이
weh beol sseo boo deo doo geun geo lee neun ddeol leen gaseum-ee
why is my heart already beating fast

터질것 같은지
deo jeel geot gateun jee
and it feels like its going to explode

솜사탕 같을까 궁금해
som-sah tahng gat-eul gga goong geum heh
i wonder if it will be like cotton-candy

눈을 감고 상상해 혹시 그녀도
noon eul gahm go sang sang heh hok shi geu nyu doe
i close my eyes and wonder

지금 이순간 똑같은 상상을 할까
jee geum eeh soon gahn ddok gateun sang sang eul gal gga
if the girl is thinking the same

사탕처럼 달콤할것 같아
satang churum dalkom hal gut gat-ah
i think it will be sweet like candy

왠지 아카시아 향기도 날것 같아
wenjee akah shee-ah hyangee doe nal gut gat-ah
i also think that the aroma will be like that of a flower

향기에 취해 버릴까봐
hyangee eh chwee heh buleel gga bwa
i might get drunk off the aroma

그게 걱정이돼
geu geh guk jungee dwe
thats what im worried about

근데 그보다 큰 걱정은
geun deh geu bo da keun guk jung eun
but more than that, the bigger worry is,

아무도 믿지 않겠지만
ah moo doe meet jee ahn get-jee mahn
though many may not believe,

나 솔직히 아직 까지 키스 해본적 없다는걸
na sol jeek hee ajeek gga jee kisseu heh bonjuk ub da neun gul
honestly, i have never kissed anyone

영화처럼 고개를 돌릴까
yunghwa churum go geh leul doleel gga
should i turn my head like in the movies?

입을 맞춘후에 어떻게 숨을 쉴까
eeb eul mat choon who eh uh dduh keh soom eul shweel gga
how should i breathe after the kiss?

그게또 걱정돼
geu geh ddoe guk jung dweh
that also worries me

눈은 언제쯤에 감는지 코는 어떡하는지
noon eun unjeh jjeum eh gahm neun jee koe neun uh dduk ha neun jee
when should i close my eyes, and how should my nose be placed

대체 얼마나 오래 하는지
deh che uhl mahna oleh ha neun jee
how long should it be

도대체 알수가 없어
doe deh che ahlsoo ga ubsuh
i dont know

사탕 처럼 달콤한 너라면
satang churum dalkome hahn nuh la myun
if you were sweet like candy

아주 오랫동안 그대로 있을거야
ah joo oh let dong ahn geu deh lo ees eul guh ya
then i will stay like that for a long time

입술에 취해 버린대도 밤은 새울거야
eeb sool eh chwee heh buleen deh doe bahm eun se-ool guh ya
even if i become drunk off your lips, i will stay up

서툰 내가 싫다 할까봐 나먼저
sutoon neh ga sheelta hal gga bwa nah munjuh
im afraid that you might not like me

고백해버릴까
gobek heh buleel gga
so i will confess first

나 솔직히 입맞춤은 키스 니가 처음이야
nah soljeek hee eeb matchoom eun kisseu nee ga chu-eum eeya
honestly, this kiss is my first

그런 걱정으로 밤샌지 아주 오래 지난후
geu lun guk jung eulo bahm senjee ajoo o-leh jee nahn who
it has been a while since i have been staying up with those worries

우린 드디어 어느 깊은 밤 살며치 입을 맞췄지
oo-leen deu-dee-uh uh neu geepeun bahm salmyu chi eeb eul maht-chwut-jee
finally, we kissed on a long night

레몬보다 더한 달콤함에 그냥 그대로 난 꼼짝할수
lemone boda duhan dalkome hahm eh geu-nyang geu dero nahn ggom jjak halsoo
sweeter than a lemon, i couldnt move from that position

없었어 행복에 취해 버린채로
ubs-uss-uh hengbok eh chwi heh buleen chero
i was happy

얼어 버린거야
ul-uh buleen gu-ya
i became frozen

서툰 그녀가 왜 이렇게 고맙고 다행스러운지
suh toon geu nyu-ga whe eeluh geh go mahp go daheng seu lu oon jee
that girl was thankful and it was a relief

약속할게 나 영원히 키스 너하고만 할게
yak sok hal-geh na yung won hee kisseu nuh hago mahn halgeh
i will promise, i will forever only kiss you

키스 너하고만 할게...
kisseu nuh hago mahn halgeh...
i will only kiss you...

Translation by: epic jihae@LOVEFT-I

what a beautiful song.. this is one of my favorite tracks from FT Island's Cheerful Sensibility Album. Everytime I listen to this song or watch the video where they performed it during their first concert, I always end up smiling to myself. The joy of first kiss.. hahaha! the worries and joys of first love.. It's really unforgettable. So highschool-ish right? But those are the most beautiful moments of a person's life. Whenever you go back on those memories, you just can't help but smile. That person may not be the one that you'll end up with in the future, but will always be a part of your life.

Must Watch : Romantic Island

I've never been to Boracay. Yes, I know it's one of the nicest beaches in the world. The nightlife is fun and the white sand of the beach makes it all the more attractive to tourists, foreign and local. Being a beach person I'd also love to go there but Palawan's more appealing to me because I don't like crowds and I love calmness. haha well, enough of my dream vacations..



Yesterday, I watched Romantic Island with a friend. This film was released last December 24, 2008 and is also one of the top grossing box office hits last year in Korea. I first found out about it in Arirang Showbiz Extra. And guess what, approx 80 percent of the film was shot in the Philippines, specifically, the beautiful island of Boracay.

This movie is about four souls who went to Boracay to flee from their busy and confusing lives in Korea. It's definitely a feel-good movie. After watching it, I wanted to fall inlove and go to Boracay. haha! Kidding. But really, if you watch it, you'll definitely be amazed and smile in the ending - amazed of the sceneries which lived up to the movie's title and smile because of the beautiful romantic-comedy storyline.

Here's the trailer of Romantic Island:

Must Watch : Speedy Scandal

Starring one of my favorite Korean actors, Cha Tae Hyeon, Speedy Scandal was released last year. It was one of the box office hits toppers of 2008, not a wonder for a Cha Tae Hyeon movie. This is one of my favorites! I love Korean comedy films. And the kid, Wang Seok Hyeon is really, really cute and talented. Park Bo Hyeong is so pretty also. I wonder if she's really the one singing.

It's a very good movie. It won't only make you laugh and giggle over the cute kid + Cha Tae Hyeon + Bo Hyeong but the story is also very nice.

Here's the trailer of the movie. It's definitely a must-watch!!

Boys Over Flowers Screencaps Ep8

Episode 8

• The last leg of the competition takes place - the swimming part. And who won? Well, somebody turned off the lights on the moment of truth.
• Ji Hoo and Jan Di won't be expelled, and the issue will be taken as if it never happened so they had to celebrate for a victory and they had a date.
• But unfortunately(or was it fortunate for Jan Di/Jun Pyo?) everything about the rest of the date only made Jan Di think of Jun Pyo even if she's with her first love Ji Hoo. On the other hand, Jun Pyo too was thinking of her.
• Then, after calling it quits for Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo, the F4 plotted a prank for Jan Di and Jun Pyo to patch things up. And after that, they then went on a date and Jun Pyo surprised Jan Di's family by paying a visit and asking her parents if he could spend the night in their house.
  

I Won Something!!

wait, it's not just something! It's an original, fresh-from-Korea Boys Over Flowers OST Part 2 Album!! I was just browsing through my bookmarked blogs when I found out that Ate Betchay, a Filipina Blogger from Korea was having a contest with the BOF OST2 album as price. I tried my luck and commented for an entry. Then I had to leave for OJT. When i came home one weekend, I had my regular bloghopping and found out that I won!! Well, i was soooooooooooo lucky that out of the 100 people who commented, my number (comment #29) was chosen by the raffle program. hahaha! I won, I won, I won! It's my first ever package from abroad sent by someone aside from my family so i was super-duper excited. And not only that i received it for free, I am a very big fan of Boys Over Flowers and the album includes 9 photocards, and I also love the theme songs of the drama.

The album actually arrived last Sunday, May 31 in the afternoon but because I was so busy with my project defense and our enrollment, i wasn't able to post about it immediately.

A BIG BIG BIG THANKS to Ate Betchay for this wonderful price! I'm sooooooo happy about this gift! A gift that i didn't even ask. Thanks!! You guys should also check out her blog. You might just be the next winner of her contests. Thanks again Ate..

Boys Over Flowers Screencaps Ep7

Episode 7

• Goo Jyun Pyo's sister, Goo Jyun Hee helps Jan Di, Jyun Pyo, and Ji Hoo fix the love triangle trouble that happened during the New Caledonia trip
• Good thing Jyun Pyo is obeys her very tough sister
• What's the meeting about with F4, Jan Di, and Jyun Pyo's noona?? It's about a competition courtesy of Jyun Hee noona.
• Who won? Not yet revealed in this episode since the competition's gonna end in Episode 8 so watch out for that.

________
dang. sorry for the short hiatus guys. i was really busy with the enrollment and a project defense. I have a good news!! I received a beautiful gift! Check out the next post for the details.

FT Island - She Doesn't Know/Girls Don't Know MV

I was browsing through some of the latest Kpop music releases when I found this video. It's F.T. Island's Music Video that's featured in their Rock Prince DVD. The song is entitled She Doesn't Know or Girls Don't Know (Yeojaneun Sarangeul Molla 여자는 사랑은 몰라). I think this is one of their best videos. I instantly fell inlove with this MV because aside from the fact that I love this song, they all look great in this video. I suddenly missed Wonbin after watching this.

F.T. Island or Five Treasure Island is a Korean Band composed of Choi Jonghoon(leader, lead guitarist), Lee Hongki(vocals), Lee Jaejin(bassist), Choi Minhwan(drummer), and Song Seung Hyun(guitarist). Oh Wonbin was a former member of the band and just left last January 2009 to pursue his solo career. He was replaced by Song Seung Hyun.

What I love about this band is that they are not only typical Korean Kkotminams(pretty boys) but they are really talented. They play their own instruments. Not all Korean boybands do that. They are also multi-talented as they are also into modelling, hosting, and acting.

My favorite albums from them would be Colorful Sensibility(the album in which this song is a part of) and the Jump Up Mini Album (the first album after the regrouping). Those albums are definitely part of my playlist must-haves and must-listen-tos.

Everyone in the Kpop fandom was really saddened by the news that Wonbin left but maybe it's for the better. I wish him luck. I am also looking forward to FT Islands upcoming album releases and activities.