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Take me back in time: Before The Coffee Gets Cold book review

Thursday, August 27, 2020

If you are given the chance to travel back in time, who are you going to meet? Would you rather go back to the past or see the future? What if there's a lot of conditions? What if there are limitations? Are you still going to do it?



I came across this book via the internet, though I could no longer remember what I was searching for that I came up with this result. I was probably drawn into it because the title have the word "coffee", plus the simplicity of the book cover worked its charm. The fact that it was written by a Japanese author also helped, as I am trying to widen the range of books I'm reading based on region. There's rarely Asian literature on my shelf (except for the books by Filipino authors) so I figured this could be a good addition.


The hovering loneliness

Cafe Funiculi Funicula is the book's prominent setting where all characters have met and told their respective stories. There's something lonely about the place, being so small that only 9 customers can be crammed inside, with dim lights that gave off sepia glow and the cool air that no one knows how or why since it has no air conditioning system. I also imagined the three wall clocks being old and giant ones that their dials could actually transport a person back in time. The place definitely had an odd character in my mind, like I would likely visit it whenever I wanted to escape the cruel world and be drowned in timelessness had it existed in real life.


Back and forth in time

The way the book was written is very simple and straightforward. But then again, maybe it's because I read it in English and the actual emotions could only be felt if I was reading it in Japanese. Translated books are like that - it tends to lose some (or maybe most) of its "magic" when translated in a different language. I didn't even have the chance to guess what's going to happen next. I must have read enough books to be able to predict the next act even before the pages reveal them to me.

I guess the real beauty of this piece of literature is that, it talked to me the way I would want to talk to my past and future self. It's like a letter that says, "Dear 45-year-old Beth", or, "Dear 17-year-old Beth". Because as I read every story, I imagined myself travelling back and forth in time, and I am meeting my old self and future self, telling them stories on how life was used to be so plain and simple, when it became complicated, and how the complications made me who I am in the future. 

I was so absorbed in the things that I couldn't change, I forgot the most important thing.

So if I could go back in time, I would, just to see my old self (that is if this isn't against the many rules) and tell her, hey, don't worry much about the future because we survived. We even lived during the pandemic.

But Kazu still goes on believing that, no matter what difficulties people face, they will always have the strength to overcome them. It just takes heart.

To my future self, well, to be thinking I'd still be able to see her is hope itself, so maybe I'll just see what she's up to in her time. Lol! 


Who wants cold coffee, though?

I am also glad that I am not the only one who couldn't enjoy coffee when it's cold. I've had a lot of opportunities to enjoy iced coffee (Jung Yong Hwa likes iced americano and I like him so much, share ko lang) but it never really gave me the same joy I've learned to expect from hot americano. Dalgona coffee wasn't worth the hype, either (and I did it because Ultimate Crush posted his in IG stories and Kim brought me some milk). So when it was mentioned in the story that Kohtake likes hot coffee even in the summer, ah, I just knew she'd be my bestfriend.

Kohtake, though, liked her coffee hot, even in summer. She liked the aroma of it when it was freshly brewed. She couldn’t enjoy iced coffee in the same way. Coffee was far more pleasurable when it was hot.

Before The Coffee Gets Cold is a book you'd want to read on a rainy Saturday afternoon, when there's nothing left to do but to curl up with a good book with a cup of coffee on the bedside table. I should say it was worth leaving my Kdrama backlogs for a moment and do something that I've always enjoyed. And with this book that I picked, it was really all worth it.


What's the last book you've read?

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Take me back in time: Before The Coffee Gets Cold book review

From my bookshelf: How I choose my books

Tuesday, August 25, 2020


It's Tuesday morning and I dread logging in for work. I've been working since Sunday night (not sure how I was made to work ON A SUNDAY but apparently I did), and it felt like my private time is violated. As if I could get back the used time in one full blow. Anyway, instead of brooding over the lost time, lemme talk about some of the books in my shelf using the How I Choose My Books tag. I got it from The Bookish Underdog when I was looking for something to write about. Let's begin:

1. Find a book on your shelves or e-reader with a blue cover. What made you want to pick up this book?

Far From Xanadu, Julie Anne Peters. I could have picked The Fault in the Stars (behind it) but I figured everyone must have read and heard about it. Plus, this one is already in front. This book is also called Pretend You Love Me (alternate title), and it's about unrequited love of all sorts. I got it in 2007 after reading Peter's 4 other books. Her writing is just so beautiful it's almost lyrical that I had to ask Power Books to have it shipped for me.



2. Think of a book you didn’t expect to enjoy, but did. Why did you read it in the first place?

Doppelganger, David Stahler Jr. I picked it up from a book fair on a whim - I never heard of it and that was the first time I saw the book. I was intrigued by the blurb so I thought to give it a shot, and thankfully I did. It was an awesome book, I like it more that Levithan's Every Day series.



3. Stand in front of your bookshelf with your eyes closed and pick up a book at random. How did you discover this book?

While The Women Are Sleeping, Javier Marias. I found this in random in a book sale (Power Books) last year. The cover is so nice so I put it in my cart, and I ended up loving it. In fact, I plan to read all the books by Javier Marias.



4. Pick a book that someone personally recommended to you. What did you think of it?

To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee. This is the very first book I read when I decided I wanted to read more than Goosebumps and Fear Street. It was recommended to me by an attorney during my internship back in college.



5. Pick a book that you discovered through YouTube / book blogs. Did it live up to the hype?

The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night Time, Mark Haddon. I saw this on Facebook being recommended by a friend to no one in particular (back in 2008 or 2009). I trusted her taste in books so I decided to give it a shot. It's now one of my favorites.



6. Find a book on your shelves or e-reader with a one-word title. What drew you to this book?

Inexcusable, Chris Lynch. Now that I think about it, I have mixed feelings about this book. I suddenly want to read it again.



7. What book did you discover through a film / TV adaptation?

Everything Everything, Nicola Yoon. I heard the movie was showing so I read it first. I ended up not watching the film. Lol!



8. Think of your all-time favourite book/s. When did you read these and why did you pick them up in the first place?

Eleanor Rigby, Douglas Coupland. I read it in 2007, and I like it because I can somehow relate to Liz Dunn's aloneness.



By The Time You Read This I'll Be Dead. I read it in 2012 (dammit I can't find my copy), and I like it because it's beautifully written it's almost lyrical (refer to first book, haha), plus Daelyn Rice's harrowing tale is too palpable I could almost touch it.

Harry Potter series. Uhmm, need I say more?


So, yeah. Those are some of the books I've read over the years. Have you read some of them, too? Or all of them? Let's talk about our favorite books down in the comments section.

Stay sane, lovelies!
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From my bookshelf: How I choose my books

It's Okay Not To Be Okay is worth the wait: Here's why I got hooked

Sunday, August 23, 2020

Finally, the long wait is over! Here's to the Kdrama I've been waiting for since Kim Soo Hyun was discharged from the military. Normally I would refuse to watch an ongoing drama, and prefer to binge-watch to keep myself from the agonizing week of waiting for the next episode. This time though, the tables are turned. I established my own Monday Nights with Kim Soo Hyun, and endured the agony of waiting because It's Okay Not To Be Okay is worth all of it.


When I first saw the trailers, it got me curious on how this could pull-off an element of comedy when it appeared to be dealing with the serious issue on mental health. There weren't any hints of fun and laughter, as the shots looked dark and gloomy. Kim Soo Hyun's character looked like a tired babysitter and Seo Ye Ji's character looked like she's up to no good. I had no doubts though, Kim Soo Hyun has always signed up for excellent dramas and so I knew this would be great. True enough, It's Okay Not To Be Okay provided me with a story that went beyond the usual Kdrama stories I've seen in the past.

The excellent portrayals of the actors

This is the first Seo Ye Ji drama that I've finished watching (I struggled to finish Save Me despite Woo Do Hwan and Ok Taecyon because I can't stand the bullying and I am still halfway through Lawless Lawyer), and I guess we can all agree that she did great in this drama. She successfully pulled off Ko Moon Young's character - a young anti-social whose marred past has been haunting her for years despite her success as a children's book author. I should say her excellent acting has got me into watching all her dramas saved in my drive.


Moon Kang Tae, on the other hand, isn't that different from the other characters Kim Soo Hyun has portrayed in the past - I see Do Min Joon (My Love From The Star) in his tremendous patience and his ability to hide his true feelings to the point of hurting someone he loves just to make her understand that "this isn't meant to be and we're not supposed to be this way". I see Lee Hwon (Moon Embracing The Sun) in his sudden screams of frustrations in the final episodes. I see Baek Sung Chan (The Producers) in the way he cared for his big brother and his patients. Kim Soo Hyun has done dramas and movies that allowed him to work on dynamic characters, from the village idiot (Secretly Greatly) to the mysterious next door neighbor (My Love From The Star) and everything just proves how magnificent he is as an actor. He is the highest paid Korean actor for a reason. In fact, he's the only Korean actor that I've watched all dramas and movies.

Okay, Kim Soo Hyun is my ultimate favorite Kdrama actor. Need I say more? :D


I can't find any words for Moon Sang Tae though - he's basically the catalyst for everything that needs to be revealed in this story. It's the first time I've seen and heard of Oh Jung Se, and man, I'm sold! I loved his character from the beginning, and I loved him more and more as the story and his character progressed.



The past will haunt you unless you choose to move forward

This isn't the first time we are presented with star-crossed lovers. Crash Landing On You repeatedly broke our hearts over Yoon Se Ri and Ri Jeong Hyuk's almost impossible love affair. I should say I saw it coming - I knew that somehow, Kang Tae and Moon Young's dark family history will hover them like a thick air it would be hard for them to breathe. Yet, I stuck to it because I wanted it to unfold in front of me, and oh boy, I am living for all the back stories. Each character has their own story to tell, and they were all complicated yet straightforward, another thing that I've learned to expect from Kdramas.

Just like the characters in the drama, there are, maybe, a thing or two from the past that torment me up to this day (not a huge biggie, but still). I guess, all of us have. And the drama tells me that the only way to get over it is to look for the door and get out of it. Just like the mother in the story who blames herself for her daughter's death that lead to her depression and hallucinations, the son of the public official who only wanted proper attention from his parents, the old man who's forever damaged from the war - all of them tried to do something remarkable to conquer their fears, get out of the past, and move forward.

Do I even have to mention what The Troublemaker Trio did to get out of their own boxes?

Sang Tae always has the most sensible thing to say.

A different take on fairy tales

A fairy tale is a cruel fantasy that illustrates the brutality and violence of this world in a paradoxical manner, says Ko Moon Young in her first live reading session with the patients of It's Okay Not To Be Okay Hospital. A part of me agrees with this, as I've read a handful of articles in the internet about the dark origins of classic fairy tales. Although Moon Young doesn't really talk about the "unsanitized" versions of the fairy tales, but the harsh reality that each of the story brings. I also appreciated the seemingly grotesque illustrations of Ko Moon Young's children's book that I wanted to own one, or maybe all of them. It's wouldn't be too bad, I guess. It'll even help me in my Hangul lessons.


The soundtrack

I was hoping for a track sung by Kim Soo Hyun in the official soundtrack album, but this time, I am disappointed. Although, Breath by Sam Kim made it to my playlist, along with My Tale, In Your Time and Little By Little. Actually, I downloaded the entire album on Spotify, and I am thinking if it's worth buying the CD since this is a Kim Soo Hyun drama we're talking about.

The title itself reminds me that it's okay not to be okay - that life won't always be easy. What's important is we do not lose ourselves in order survive, and if that happens, we should be able to still find happiness, no matter what.


Stay safe! Keep sane. Watch Kdramas!
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It's Okay Not To Be Okay is worth the wait: Here's why I got hooked

Shadowed Truths is a book that'll make you face your truth

Sunday, July 26, 2020

The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution, says Albus Dumbledore to Harry during one of his many hospital wing moments. I never handled the truth as such. What I believed was that, knowing the truth was more important than the truth itself. But what is it? What kind truth do I need to know?


Last year I was graced to edit a book, something I didn't know would stain me in a way I never expected. Shadowed Truths was just one of the many projects I handled in the past thus, I focused on the technical aspects of writing rather than the content itself. It was a great material, I should say, impactful and something that would leave tears in your eyes. The poems left me smiling knowingly, similar to my a-ha moments, when there's something I wanted to say that I can't put into words. Ah, this is it. This is what I've been thinking.

It created a buzz this year as its authors, Cha and Kim decided to hold an online book launch. I felt compelled to read it again, this time not as an editor but as a bookworm who tries to catch up with her reading challenge. Half of this book is about the life of someone else, a friend of a friend, technically a half-stranger. Another half is about the life of a friend, her fears and anxieties, triumphs and pain. If there's one thing I don't like about reading memoirs, it's the feeling of indecency - I feel like I am peeking through someone's private life and witnessing something I shouldn't see. On the other hand I feel thankful. Not many people, me included, are ready to face their truth and share it to the world.

The truth is, life's unexpected turns could be tragic. One moment, you're full of hope and plans for the future. The next moment, you're in the hospital battling with a disease that may or may not allow you to live your life the way you want to. The truth is, sometimes, the people that we trust the most are the ones who always have the reason to leave when we need them the most. The truth is, when the time comes that even we couldn't understand ourselves, our friends and family will still be there to understand for us. The truth is, when life gets hard and and there's nowhere to run, God becomes our ultimate comfort. These truths seem to be universal, the kind of truths that everyone of us knows about. But this is also the kind of truth we don't believe. Until it happens to us.

My own truth is just the same - an almost tragedy. I can't even imagine a time darker than that. I was down so low it was impossible to see the end of the tunnel. But I survived. I got out of the tunnel and here I am telling the tale. It's probably the reason why Dumbledore defined the truth as both terrible and beautiful. It is terrible, because it can cripple us with pain it's almost cruel. But once we decided to face and accept this truth, it becomes an experience. A kind of experience that's too beautiful it's such a shame not to share to the world.

Shadowed Truths will make you cry - it'll give you a glimpse of how mean life's jokes are sometimes. Then it'll make you smile, because it'll make you think of all the good things, no matter how small, amidst the tragedy. In the end, it'll give you hope, because no matter how bad things can be, everything else is temporary, and God alone remains constant.

Where to get your copy? Visit their Facebook page at fb.com/shadowedtruths for more info.

Spread the looooove! ❤️

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Shadowed Truths is a book that'll make you face your truth

The Package brought me to France and I'm in love

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

I've finished watching this drama for a couple of weeks now and I know this review is super late but so what. :D The Package premiered in 2017, and is said to be a long-awaited gift from Jung Yong Hwa to his fans. This is the second drama I've seen of him (I've been watching all his variety show guestings and live performances when I signed up to be his fangirl just early this month). In all honesty, I didn't expect much from this drama as I never heard of it and I've never heard of the characters either. It was worth the shot though - The Package is a picturesque drama that teaches about love and healing.


10 nights in France

The entire drama was shot in France, maybe except for some of the indoor shots. It is a multi-character-based story which doesn't happen in lot of Kdramas unless we count the second lead syndrome (oh right fine, this happens all the time). I watched all of the 12 episodes in 2 nights, all of which have effectively brought me to one of the most historically significant countries in the world. An elderly couple comprised of a nagging husband and a dying wife, a yuppie couple who have been together for seven years and seem to have been losing the "spark" between them due to too much familiarity and comfort, a dad and daughter duo who were mistaken to be involved in an elicit affair, a guy who ended up alone in one of the most romantic places on earth after his girlfriend ditched him in the middle of a company mishap, and a woman who ran away with her boyfriend against her family's will - these people ended up together in a package tour that would leave a stain in them forever, a stain that also left me nodding, smiling, and in tears all at the same time while realizing how love can give us both pain and healing. They went to the famous tourist attractions in France as a group, and through these scenes the drama was able to showcase the beauty and timeless grandeur of one of the most famous places in Europe.


A beautiful yet a lonely place

I've always perceived France as the place of grand gesture in romance. In fact, I've written a romance fiction set in Europe where the main leads went to France. I've always thought about how nice it would be to kiss a boy by the Eiffel Tower at night. I've always imagined how romantic it would be to walk hand in hand in the cobblestone-floored streets and sit on an outside table of a cafe and drink coffee until the late hours of the morning. I've always pictured in my head how the male lead in my fiction stories would confess his undying devotion to the female lead in Pont Neuf while the district lights illuminated the evening streets. But it never occurred to me how cruel it would be to ask your husband to take a picture of you by the Eiffel Tower because it might be your last beautiful picture taken before you die. I never imagined how sad it would be, to sit in an outside table for two of a cafe in France right after your girlfriend has broken up with you. I never thought it would be lonely to stand by Pont Neuf with a close stranger, close but nonetheless a stranger.

They're talking about the movie The Lovers on The Bridge.

When you meet that guy...

San Ma Ru is funny, full of curiosity, apologetic, and has the tendency to think only of himself and his feelings. Far from Lee Shin who's more serious and has done nothing to apologize for. Jung Yong Hwa did great on both portrayals that I can't wait to see his other dramas.

San Ma Ru appears to be an experimental character, he's not a common gem in the world of Kdramas. When I saw the still cuts of the kiss scenes on Youtube, I thought I already understood why this was rated as PG15 (they're all sizzling hot it's like ASMR), but it appeared to be just the tip of the ice berg. San Ma Ru is not the type of male lead you'll easily fall in love with (unless you're already swooning over Yong Hwa before watching this drama). He appears to be lost most of the time, with his mind scattered all over the place. His ceaseless curiosity is too dangerous it could be the death of him. It's almost as if he never did anything right. But as the story progresses, he is revealed to be an upright, determined, and thoughtful man. Why else would he be in France and break up with his girlfriend on a vacation? Why else would be following So-so around and spend an enormous amount of time with her? Why would he still want to talk with the hotel manager to help the old couple after all the cruel nagging of the husband at him? No, San Ma Ru isn't the princely guy we've learned to expect from Kdramas. He's that average, random guy who became your friend because you had no other choice, and overtime you'd ask yourself why and how are you falling in love with him and you can't get him off your head.

If you'd ask me, San Ma Ru is probably more dangerous.

No, don't look at me like that I'd melt!

Love heals all wounds

The characters in this drama are all emotionally wrecked, in one way or another. But somehow, their tour in France taught them what it was to be broken by love and be mended by love. It is painful to understand that a father's unconditional love isn't all and enough for a teenage daughter that yearns for acceptance. It is painful to accept that in sickness, you could potentially lose everything you've cherished for so many years in a fleeting second and you do not have the power for defiance. It is painful to think that despite all your efforts to know yourself, you still have no idea what you want to do and what you want to be. It is painful to discover that the person you've trusted most in the world isn't on your side after all, just when you needed that person the most.

But love understands. It understands that you cannot be everything to anyone, and maybe that's okay. Love understands that there are things beyond your capacity, and maybe to smile more is all you need to do in order to create more beautiful memories. Love understands that your worries are valid and it'll do its best to chase you fears away. Love understands that you need more time to reflect on your feelings, and it is willing to wait until you're ready to open up your heart again.

Love is a beautiful thing. But dangerous too. We should be careful.


The soundtrack

JB & Jackson's U & I is something I imagined Jung Yong Hwa would include in his albums (GOT7 fans, please don't hate me). Maybe because of the guitar strums - I don't know, but it reminds me of him apart from the fact that it became an official soundtrack to his drama. Fateful Love and You Look Nice Today also made it to my Kdrama soundtrack playlist as well.

The Package is an unexpected twist in my Kdrama journey, much like Heartstrings which I'd play randomly on a stressful workday. But it gave me a lot of things to reflect on, to smile about (I love San Ma Ru), and also to think of Europe (again) as one of my future travel destinations (should I share that story I wrote set in Europe?). I'm not sure what to binge-watch next, but I have a lot on my list that I've created a spreadsheet for it.

Stay sane! Watch Kdramas!



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The Package brought me to France and I'm in love

Heartstrings made a fangirl in me

Friday, June 12, 2020

I didn't plan on watching this drama. Heck, I didn't even know it existed. It's the first Park Shin Hye and Jung Yong Hwa drama I've seen, and it was aired 9 years ago. I accidentally discovered it when Spotify played Jung Yong Hwa's Because I Miss You based on my Kdrama music playlist, and upon hearing it, I just knew I had to see this or I'll be missing probably half of my life. I was never wrong though. Heartstrings is one of the best!


Young love is always the sweetest

It's the story of two university students who both live in the world of music. Though the similarities end there, for Lee Kyu Won specializes in traditional music as she comes from a family whose prominence is found in this area. She lives with her grandfather, a world renowned pansori master who wants his granddaughter to follow his footsteps. Lee Shin, on the other hand, is into modern music. He is the popular campus crush who also happens to be the lead vocals and guitar of a local band called The Stupid. The drama subtly reminded me of A Walk To Remember, only Lee Shin isn't a troublemaker but a guy who likes to be alone and appears to be indifferent but in reality he's a sweet boy who makes sure to accommodate his mom and little sister. In the end, he just needed the warm and bubbly Kyu-won to open up his heart completely. When the peaceful worlds of these two young people collided in an unexpected turn of events, it was impossible not to listen to the noise it made as it eventually created a beautiful and heart-warming melody.

Lee Kyu Won's layered clothes in bold colors reminded me of my own fashion ensemble for a brief period in 2011, along with my empire tops and ballet flats. Plus, it was so nostalgic to see them using those little Samsung Galaxy phones with blings (Lee Shin and Kyu Won even got matching bears). Talk about old memories. I was pleasantly surprised that this drama holds all the things I enjoyed the most - coffee, evening rain, and good music, especially back in the days when I had to battle through long work nights as a call center executive. People didn't have to wear parkas and trench coats, probably because it was filmed during the summer, but there were lots of scenes under the rain which certainly added to its appeal. I don't know how or why, but I find crying in the rain sad at the same time romantic. The absence of glaring ads is also noticeable, unlike the ones that I've seen recently where it felt like people paid for their Netflix subscription just to see a huge advertisement campaign. C'mon guys, we know we can do better than this!

coffee

evening rain

good music

That kind of guy...

Lee Shin must have been the epitome of all the male characters in most of the Wattpad stories I've edited in the past (when all this time I thought it was Dao Ming Zhu). That guy whose serious face and sad eyes are dangerously good-looking that anyone would fall at his feet in just a glance. That guy who goes missing as he transforms into music itself whenever he sings and plays the guitar. That guy who is too cold and somewhat arrogant on the outside but will melt your heart once you get to know him on the inside. That guy who sings the lines back to you, in case your heart forgets that you're the most important thing to him and he won't let you slip away just like that. The one who'd lie to you and ready to hurt himself when all else fails, just to make sure you win. That guy who'd kiss you in front of everyone, and would tell the world "yes, that's her." That guy.

Oh, Lee Shin, if you exist in real life, won't you save me?


Love vs. Career

When we were young, we were often asked this idealistic question - what would you choose, love or career? I'm sure many of us have chosen career over love for various reasons - love won't put food on the table or, love can wait while opportunities are hard to come by. What we might have missed is that maybe, love, in its truest form, allows us to do all things. Love, in its truest form, patiently waits for us, when we're heartbroken or confused or indecisive, the way Kyu Won bought coffee for Lee Shin over and over even after Lee Shin said she didn't have to do that anymore. Love, in its truest form, does come back and gives way to second chances, the way Director Kim went to Professor Jung and told her he wants them to start over again. Love, in its truest form, finds a way for you to do what you love the most, the way Joon Hee arranged a stage performance for Hee-joo when she failed to attend the auditions. Love, in its truest form, can be self-sacrificing and at times, willing to hurt and get hurt just to make sure we do the right choices, the way Lee Shin had to hide his true feelings so that all of Kyu-won's sacrifices won't go to waste. Love, in its truest form, will always give us beautiful endings no matter what.

The soundtrack

Ahhh, the thing that brought me here. I didn't know Park Shin Hye could sing! I love her The Day We Fell In Love, along with M Signal's Give Me A Smile, Kang Min Hyuk's Star, and Jung Yong Hwa's Heartstrings. Because I Miss You made a butter on a heated pan out of my heart. Of course, I didn't know what were the words behind that seemingly sad melody (maybe except for bogopaseo, saranghaeyo and mianhaeyo), and when I finally knew, the feeling just intensified. I can't stop listening to it that it's on repeat for days, and now it's the song I listen to at night. Jung Yong Hwa is a great artist and now I wonder where I've been all the time he was performing out there. Now, all of his songs (and also CNBlue's) are on my playlist. The thing about musical dramas is that they have the best soundtracks ever. I think it's a requirement, but even so, this just exceeded expectations.

your grand kleenex moment

now you're the one who's in his arms

Right now, I haven't decided what to binge-watch next, as my list just went down the drain not knowing if the items there would be as good as this one (unfair, I know but...). Do I have time to binge-watch another drama? Let's see. I'm having a good laugh at Running Man episodes during my free time these days but another drama really sounds tempting.

Stay sane kids! Watch kdramas.

the failed confession


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Heartstrings made a fangirl in me

Itaewon Class breaks the norm of the usual Kdramas I've seen

Saturday, May 30, 2020

I finished watching Itaewon Class for almost a week now but I am still groping for words to say about this drama. This is just the second time I've seen Park Seo-joon in the small screen and I should say he's really one hell of an actor! Park Seo-ro-yi is far too different from Lee Young-joon (What's Wrong With Secretary Kim) that I felt they were portrayed by two different actors.



Bringing me back an old classic

This kdrama just hits differently. It's far from the usual ones that make us swoon over the lead stars and want to fall in love again (but of course who wouldn't fall in love with Park Seo-joon no matter what he does?). Maybe this is just me, but this webtoon-based series makes me think of Park Seo-ro-yi as our modern-day Edmond Dantes. He wasn't exactly wronged when he went to jail after his father was killed in a road accident, and his determination to get even to those who made him feel powerless and his come back felt reminiscent to that good ol' Dumas classic. Seung-kwon, a fellow ex-convict, along with Hyun-hi the transgender, To-ni, the black Korean guy whose father is yet to be found, and the competitive yuppie Yi-seo are the kind of diversity I rarely see in Kdramas. They are Seo-ro-yi's Jacopos who gave him all the reasons (and the motivations) to continue what he started. Oh and yes, how can we forget Mercedes in Soo Ah's character - his childhood romance. The woman of many conflicted feelings towards Seo-ro-yi and his nemesis, Jangga Co. 



She wants rich guys but... 

Park Seo-ro-yi has to exist in real life somewhere. That guy in baggy hoodies and jeans with a handsome face that has to be illegal and sports an awkward haircut that he'd deliberately pat when he's annoyed at himself or groping for words. That boss who doesn't discriminate and gives second chances to his employees merely because he trusts them and believes in what they can do more. That guy who knew the kitchen too well and makes sundubu better than anyone else (I'm craving for some right now!). That thug whose principles could never be swayed by fear, the one who'd get on his knees and would be ready to kill somebody if only to keep you safe. That friend who values you and his relationships with other people more than anything else on earth. That warrior who believes in the potential of the enemy that he dared use it to arm himself in his battle against that same enemy. Seo-ro-yi isn't perfect by all means - he's actually a flawed man, wounded and scarred who used his pain to gain strength. If this isn't a guy you'd put in a romance book, then I don't know what is.



Patience is key

It must be hard, to wait for fifteen long years to finally achieve that sweet revenge. It wasn't an easy fifteen years either. There were uncertainties and losses that Seo-ro-yi has to suffer. Although, his moves were well-calculated and thought for albeit risky. It was a good thing that his motivation to succeed wasn't revenge alone - it helped that his people, whom he considered as friends also had their own struggles that their end goals also became his business. In the end, when IC Co. was established, all of them ended up with a good life. It was just sad when Dong-hee couldn't stay by Seo-ro-yi side. His untarnished character was too perfect he didn't deserve his dysfunctional family. They say blood is thicker than water, I'd say water is purer than blood. 



Social taboo

Just when we thought we are living in a modern world where everyone accepts one another just the way they are, let's think again. Our social media feeds are full of stories about all kinds of discrimination - criminal background, gender, race, and even age. No one fully trusts an ex-convict in real life. Transgenders are condemned because they dared to defy nature. People with darker skin colors are deprived of so many basic rights. Romance between two people with wide age gap is frowned upon. This is the sad reality that I can only shake my head as I try to understand how come we are all under the same sky with the same sun and moon shining upon all of us if we are any different. This happens everywhere - even in places where people are so loud in claiming to be embracing diversity. These social "aversions" all happened in Itaewon Class, our princely lead Seo-ro-yi brought them together and proved that if there's anything wrong, it's the world's perception and setting limitations to these people who just want to be somebody. 

It all comes down to great acting and music

Like I mentioned earlier, Park Seo Joon did great acting. Well, he usually does but this one is just exceptional. I felt his angst and devastation when he cried in the rain for his father. His loathe towards Jang Dae-hee and everything about that old man was so palpable I could almost taste it. Geun-won's sneer is so annoying I want to punch him in the face over and over. The evil Jang Dae-hee - the sight of his fingers drumming against the table, or the arm rest leaves me seething. I don't get it though, because there was a brief moment when I felt a crack of sympathy for him when he found himself on his knees in front of Seo-ro-yi as he tries so hard to cling to his beloved Jangga. Plus, the music. The first episode told me that I am in for a good music treat and man! I downloaded everything and have been playing on repeat for days now. 





I am not sure what to see next after this - my list is long plus there are two upcoming dramas that feature my main oppas. 😂 I haven't decided yet but maybe I'll see another Park Seo Joon, or Ji Chang Wook. Or maybe a Lee Min Ho (I plan to watch The King: Eternal Monarch when it's finally bingeable). 


Stay sane kids. Watch kdramas. 

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Itaewon Class breaks the norm of the usual Kdramas I've seen

I can't get over Crash Landing On You

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Right on to my fourth kdrama of the month.

Crash Landing On You is the first Hyun Bin drama I've seen and the second Son Ye Jin, the first being Something In The Rain which made me love the rain and Korean barbecue even more. It took me a little bit longer to write this review - I still find myself going through the episodes over and over as I finally understood what the fuss was all about.


A day in a life in North Korea

North Korean life and culture never peaked my interest before, unless you count the blog I stumbled upon a few years ago showcasing smuggled snapshots of the everyday life in North Korea. I've always thought of it as a scary place, with uniformed men everywhere ready to shoot you in just one wrong move. Until I saw the village women in their colorful clothes and simple country life, and I am reminded that all places must have been created equal when it came to rich culture and beautiful people. The kimchi cellar and the meat in the salt rock, the lack of electricity during most nights (though I've seen an interview that this actually happens twice a month at most in real life), the improvised wet sauna, and the spacious yards where you can plant tomatoes and other crops - all of these must be on your checklist when you dream of a place to go whenever you want to escape the crazy urban life. Even without internet, I know and I'm sure I'll survive. I could just read books all day, write stories, and be a homemaker for the dashing Captain Ri Jeong Hyeok.

how to make kimchi

A muscular hot soldier making noodles.

Evening conversations in the dark over an unlighted candle is what we're living for.

One of the pros of not reading more about the history of two Koreas is that I didn't need to put too much effort to suspend my disbelief that Crash Landing On You's love story is possible in real life. Bringing together two hearts with a ceasefire line between them is just next to impossibility. It felt like I was watching a low-key loose adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, with the soldier boys as the dwarfs (oh hello, Lee Sin-young!), the ceasefire line as the Evil Queen and Jo Cheol Kang as the bad apple. Well, Snow White was cursed too many times so all of Se-ri's other misfortunes were counted as that, plus she was thrown in a place where no one knows her. I laughed during Captain Ri's jealous moments. I cried in their every goodbye, both knowingly and unknowingly, especially on the last one when everyone around them were holding out their guns ready to fire. I fell in love with Captain Ri after his South Korean make over with his hair brushed up and his brown coat hanging perfectly on his shoulders. My heart fluttered over Ms. Seri and Mr. Ri's every kiss, both the light ones and the deep ones. I smiled when the village women gathered together to console the arrested police officer's wife. I felt hope when the soldier boys finally found their captain, right at the moment when everything appears to be falling apart. This drama gave me so much feelings in the mere hours I was watching it, feelings that I never thought I'd feel in the confines of the four walls of my room in the middle of the night.

I cried ugly in this scene.

Look at that babe magnet!

There is hope.

This kiss!

The second lead is strong in this one

The con man Gu Seung Joon isn't that hard to love once you give him the chance. I had the impression that he was once a sweet boy, hiding in the bad man facade to deny the pain and longing in his heart brought about by bad family history. And oh boy, was I ever wrong? I was so happy for Seo-dan for their encounter, especially since Seo-dan's character wasn't really meant to be hated - that's how I see her. Everyone of us deserves to be happy, and this couple just made a perfect pair. But not all love stories are created equal, as some end tragically. My heart feels heavy until now, as I remember how Seung-joon felt loved as he fought for his life in Seo-dan's arms. It was the sadness I felt for Dae-young and Myung-ju (Descendants of the Sun second leads) that I actually had second lead syndrome in that drama. The main leads are just too strong this time, plus Captain Ri is just too seriously good-looking to be toppled over. Just when I thought I'd always be a noona, now I think again because the young Korean men's regime in my heart seems to be waving goodbye.


The soundtrack

Musicians make the best loverboys (say my friends, ehem). Captain Ri playing the piano just made him the complete package. His piece, The Song For My Brother easily made it to my kdrama playlist, along with IU's Give You My Heart, Yoon Mi Rae's Flower, and Kim Jae Hwan's Someday.

In conclusion

In so many ways, Crash Landing On You reminded me of the ever impossible love story of Cheon Song Yi and Do Min Joon (my ultimate Kdrama favorite, My Love From The Star and I died during Kim Soo Hyun's cameo!). Also, both dramas ended up in the most realistic way possible, yet it satisfied my craving for a happy ending story. I like the fact that it wasn't the kind of closure that's too convenient for the romance to continue, because we all know that it takes both time, attention, and effort for love to grow deeper and stronger. And oh yes, because only one person is responsible for both stories - the screenwriter Park Ji-eun. There's a woman who knows what she wants and can do anything by herself, and suddenly she needs saving. Maybe this is a reminder that all of us need saving. In this world full of bad apples and cruel things, even if we are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves, at the end of the day, it's nice to just have someone who'd put us in their arms and say nothing and there'll be warmth and peace all over and from within.

Not sure how long my CLOY fever will last, but I'm sure it's gonna be here for a long time. Watch it too, if you haven't and let's all try to recover from this syndrome all at once.

Stay sane, kids! Watch kdramas.

Must be warm and quiet in his arms.


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I can't get over Crash Landing On You
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