You're Black, Why Do You Even LIKE K-pop?

Yeah.. yeah I'm serious.

More than once have I asked myself why I still fuck with South Korea after seeing some of the shit they they pull. I've known people who stopped caring for Korean music and pop culture in general after realizing how racist they were and not even apologetic about it. Which ya know I can't really blame them either. Sometimes it reaches a point where it's just like 'I've had enough.' I like kpop because I like the music and depending on the artist do I care for the lyrics. And that's what has kept me going. For artist that have made racist remarks or even have taken part in racist sketches that often make fun of Africa and contain black face, I've stopped supporting. At the end of the day it's just that simple for me. For example Super Junior members have been known to do things like back face (Super Junior Controversy) and after I found that out, I was pretty much done with them. I stopped following anything in relation to them and no longer support them or their music. These are just my feelings about it, so I decided to ask some fellow black women (I don't know many if any at all, men unfortunately) who listen to kpop, some questions and see see what their take was on kpop. So I asked them a few questions.


B: Why do you like kpop? 

S: I like kpop because I do lol, I just came across it when I was in 8th grade. I listened to music all the time, and I watched anime and telanovelas like crazy so when I saw it in a tab under Naruto on YouTube and I clicked I was instantly in awe!! Lmao the boy groups in particular I should mention I def was one of those boy group loving teens lol B2k, Back Street Boys, NSYNC, B5 ect.

J: It allows me to connect to a part of my family I don't know a lot about. But I mainly love kpop 'cause I love music. I don't care so much for the lyrics of the songs, I care more for the sound. The melody is more important to me. You can interpret a lot of what the artist was feeling from it and there is more room for your interpretation and your emotions to stem from a melody.

B: How do you feel about cultural appropriation?

S: Cultural appropriation is always a hard ass topic because the difference between it and appreciation is often up for debate. I personally believe credit should be given where credit is due. I used to actually feel excited when I saw artists doing things in homage to black culture and music but it quickly became frustrating when I saw some Asian fans claiming and belittling the influence of black culture. I saw a lot of fan arguments about this and it became even more upsetting when big artists didn't address these issues but tried to dress it up and claim it as their own. That's what really pissed me off in the end. Like as a black fan that likes kpop I already feel as if I didn't belong at times. I wasn't white or Asian so I was never welcomed. And just when I found something that verified we had an existence, it was quickly tossed aside. I started to feel numb to it all I had a really hard time enjoying the music for a while. It sounded so good, I saw my cultural influences, but it supposedly wasn't for me that's hard to deal with. So initially I was all about boycotting certain artists but as I continued to observe more and more I switched to educating artists and fans not aggressively but I'm a fact checker I just drop the links to music and articles about sound and style origins. Lol you can lead a horse to water but you can't force them to drink or some shit.

J: I don't think it's cool. I think it can be hurtful, but can be an opportunity for growth. When people appropriate something unknowingly or by accident it can be a learning opportunity, and a chance for them to gain new appreciation for something different from themselves. When people do it knowingly and they couldn't care less to learn about the culture they are appropriating and choose to stay ignorant that bothers me the most. This is someone's culture, this is what makes someone who they are it isn't there for you, like when it's cool and convenient and for you to disregard when it no longer is useful to you. 

B: How do you feel about seeing artist you like appropriating black culture?

J:  I feel like I almost never notice if they do. I think most of the groups or solo artists I listen to haven't and if they have, it was acknowledged and apologized for. I know some have not, and I know for some, they are forced to do certain things and it's shitty on their higher ups parts. I know that a lot of idols and hip hop artists over there see whats done here by black artists for hip hop music and try to emulate it to the tee. Rap and hip hop is a part of black culture and everyone should be able to participate in a genre of music if you like and you;re good, but I don't wanna watch your MV or hear your lyrics and it seems almost mocking or like you tried so hard to be hip hop that you thought to you had to "be black".

B: What are you thoughts on some of them doing things like black face, and wearing confederate flags?

S: (Mashed the 3rd and 4th question together) The world is s racist and prejudice place. Brown and black bodies are constantly portrayed negatively in media even in Africa prejudice ideas and colorism lead to classism. This standard and portrayal of brown and black people often translate through the media. So black people have a very negative reputation. Korea was pretty closed off for a while what they know of black people is mostly from media representations. Even though a few black people live in the country even fewer Korean people have actually met a black person in person let alone a foreigner. So when I see the black face and the confederate flag or even when they dressed BIGBANG in gang colors during Bad Boy. These are all displays of their ignorance. The stylist's ignorance the fan's ignorance and the artist's ignorance as well as the company there are so many hands these things go through before they reach the internet. So there is no excuse other than people thinking this shit is acceptable. With the world wide fame of kpop and the internet making it more

easily accessible for fans to voice their opinions there is a lot of progressive movements to remove these videos. But the problem starts at the root. The stylists need to Google the shit they put on people for the world to see. And the top producers need to reevaluate their regulations on what passes. Maybe initially kpop audience was the Asian populace but as kpop has grown so has their fan base and they now have a much more diverse audience. So they need to cater to that audience in some way. They don't have to completely change up the genre, but respecting people is given. South Korea is such an advance country when it comes to technology, the artist and producers must be able to Google what can be seen as offensive and avoid it. Why wearing feather headdress painting your skin black and sporting certain fashion is offensive is literally like 2 taps and a swipe away.

J: Black face is never okay! I feel with Confederate flags that's a lack of knowledge of our history. I feel if you're gonna wear something regarding another country and you're in the public eye, research it to avoid potentially getting in trouble or offending people. I don't think they're doing it with malicious intent, but that doesn't mean its okay, or cool to wear. What the hell are they doing with Confederate flags anyway???

B: Has this changed your views on Korea? Or Korean culture? Why or why not?

S: My views on kpop have changed. I can't say if its positive or negative but I have a new set of standards that I listen and view kpop through. These artists ,producers, actors and dancers are people. The thing with people is that people make mistakes and people often learn from their mistakes. I'm not perfect and neither are they. However, on that same note I practice what I preach I exercise caution not to step on toes when I indulge in another's cultures and I'm expecting artists to do the same, it's really not that hard. It has to be a set and willful change. Just like how idols push that they too are people so are the fans respect is a mutual thing. I'll forgive once maybe twice, but continued and repetitive disrespect people don't stand for. Some people don't even tolerate it the first time.

J: It hasn't changed my views. If I find an artist or a kdrama truly offensive, I'd stop watching or

listening, you lost a fan. I won't write it all off, these things provide a different perspective on life. I like learning about people and different societies and how we' re connected as well. Music is definitely one of ways we are. We go through the same emotions, some of the same problems, same joys and I can understand that through a song or a movie regardless of country or language which I think is wonderful. I definitely can't judge an entire country and it's people off of bad actions some of their artists in any sense of the word do or else I'd be screwed as an American if others were to do the same cause we do some messed up shit here and we're soooo ethnocentric.

I thanked both ladies for answering my questions and it just left me wondering how many other's felt the same way or completely different than us. What would it take for the artist we admired so much to realize some of the things they said or did was hurtful to quite a large number of their fans. Personally my views have changed slightly well for one I don't listen kpop as much as I used to, and I think that's okay. At the end of the day how you react to these things that happen within the things you love is up to you. You do what's right for you and your mental health. Although.. it would be nice if I could stop seeing things about black face. That would be great..

KDrama Review: Fight My Way: Fighting!!!

Hey there fellow reader, it's me your inconsistent writer Brandice here with another k-drama review review for you, because who doesn't like a decent Korean drama review. 

Fight My Way was a refreshing new drama for me. It stared Park Seo-Joon as Ko Dong Man who was a former Taekwondo player, his best friend Choi Ae Ra who was played by actress Kim Si Won. Together they were good friend with Kim Joo Man who was played by Ahn Jae Hang and Baek Seol Hee who Song Ha Yoon acted as. The four of them were 'The Crazy Fantastic Four.' 

Fight My Way was a fighting drama literally and figuratively. Ko Dong Man (Park Seo Joon), after a fixed Taekwondo match when he was younger, struggled everyday with a job he hates as well as love. That is until he finds MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Choi Ae Ra (Kim Si Won) wants more than anything to be an announcer and is sadly stuck working at a department store. Kim Joon Man (Ahn Jae Hong) and his girlfriend of six years Baek Seol Hee (Song Ha Yoon) struggled with their relationship while they work together at a home shopping network.

This drama is about the life of young adults just trying to make a living, but living their best life. It's about the external and internal forces that drive them and push them forward. At times it was high stress to watch Ko Dong Man's ex-girlfriend come back into the mix or the the other girl that was interfering with Baek Seol Hee and Kim Joon Man's relationship, as well as when you found out the

secrets of these guys Choi Ae Ra were dating before finding her true soul mate.

There were a couple of twist in this drama, well okay no there was like, one big twit that kept me heavily invested in the landlord's story line. She was oddly enough, very important to the story. 

What I liked about the female lead Choi Ae Ra, was that she wasn't one of those female leads who just sat back and took shit. She would beat someone up if they messed with her. She was loud, opionated, and never held back, always speaking her mind. That was refreshing and I appreciated it and lot since many of the drama I have watched in the past, made me feel that not many female leads were like that. Well don't get me wrong there are some, but not many like her. Her friend Baek Seol Hee was kind of different from her, she tolerated everything until the last straw and she wasn't very confrontational at all and I think that's what made them a good pair. Choi Ae Ra reminded me a little of myself. 

It's kind of hard to give y'all a synopsis of the drama without giving it all away. 

When Ko Dong Man finally picked up MMA I was actually very excited. I was over here like, "BOY IT'S ABOUT TIME! KICK SOME ASS!" It in all honesty made me want to learn how to at least box ya know? Of course I don't really see myself doing that anytime soon. Fight My Way made me wnt to do the things that I loved even if I knew there would be or might be setbacks

Remember what I said about figurative fighting? That was this drama. Fighting constantly for the people you love and the things you wanted to do. The true struggling in friendships and intimate relationships. A little bit of suffering from depression seemed to be thrown in their as well and understanding the value of yourself. It was about an adolescent struggling and very much appreciated. Overall I give this drama 4.5 G-Dragon heads out of 5. I didn't see many flaws with the drama the only thing I wish was different was the ending between mother and daughter. That' a spoiler for I won't give much away. 

I know that sometimes life can be a true struggle, but I know y'all can do it! 

FIGHTING!!!!!!!

Remember to check out Fight My Way onViki or DramaFever!

KDrama Review: She Was Pretty: I'm Pretty Too!

Hey all! I'm back at it again with these drama reviews! I know I've been gone for like years or something, and I'd like to apologize. Talk about inconsistency. To start a new era of k-drama reviews I'll be starting with a 2015 show... Ha ha, years later. 

This drama was a romantic comedy that stared Hwang Jung Eum as Kim Hye Jin, Park Seo Joon as Jin Sung Joon, Go Joon Hee as Min Ha Ri, and Choi Shi Won as Kim Shin Hyuk. I would like to start by saying GO JOON HE'S hair was giving me life. I love her hair, her fashion sense however left a lot to be desired. Not going to lie it was a little weird.

Anyway, this drama was about Kim Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eum) an unemployed woman looking for work, who happens to find one in the same company as Jin Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon) her old childhood friend and first love. Actually, not only do they work in the same company, he ends up being her boss. Prior to this we learn that he's been in America for about 15 years, wanted to link

back up, and when she goes to meet him, he doesn't recognize her. The reason being, when he left she was still a young girl and very pretty and now that she's older she looks completely different. So she asks her friend Min Ha Ri (Go Joon Hee) to pretend to be her and well, things get very interesting.

I want to say before continuing that it was nice to see Hwang Jung Eum and Park Seo Joon in another drama together. The other drama they were in together was Kill Me, Heal Me where they were adoptive sibling. Woo! That drama.***

While watching this drama I could seen an antagonist per say which I go into a little later, but you know it a lot of dramas there is that one character that's so horrible and mean and they make it hard for the main character. They're always so awful. I can tell you right now you will saved from anger and hatred in this drama. Why? Because all you can do is cringe. Cringe really hard. You will hurt yourself cringing. Kim Hye Jin has got to be the most cringe worthy character ever. She freaks out and does really embarrassing things and says embarrassing things too. It hurts to watch, but it's so

funny.

Throughout this drama I had second lead syndrome so bad. I'll assume most of you know what it is, but if you don't I'll tell you, Second lead syndrome is when you can't help but root for the second male lead because you want them to be with the main girl, but you know that it'll never happen. This is every drama ever. I felt so bad for Min Ha Ri (Go Joon Hee) and Kim Shin Hyuk (Choi Shi Won) because they both fell in love with people that would never love them back, but I loved them because they were so okay with it all at the end. It was bitter sweet, but mostly sweet. 

In the drama, there were two other big secrets. One was who was the chief editor's nephew because they end up being VP of the company. I had a hard time figuring it out who it was. The other one was who the famous author TEN was. I guess that from the jump. I called it! But no spoilers. 

This drama promoted the idea of fairy tales and happy endings as well as self love and believing in ones self to achieve overall happiness. Which I appreciated. While it wasn't a big problem they had to to overcome in the drama, it made the show light and fluffy. Now thinking back on it the over antagonist of the show was HQ trying to shut down the magazine if they didn't bring their ratings up. Of course I wasn't worries. Knowing the fairy tale theme one could see that just about nothing remotely horrible was going to happen. To me that was its downfall. It was predictable because it was a fairy tale, there was so much more that could have been done. Even the plot twists weren't huge.

If you're looking for a drama that is lighthearted and you don't want to tear your hair out watch this drama, but if you want more DRAMA don't watch this one. 

ALRIGHT JACKSONS! I give this drama 3.5 G-Dragon heads out of 5. And honestly though, she was still is pretty.

Watch She Was Pretty on DramaFever >>>>>> She Was Pretty

****Kill Me Heal Me Review****

Korea: The Cultural Appropriators

***HEAVY SUBJECT***
So, this is something that I've always wanted to talk about. It's a very sensitive subject, so if you can't handle it you may stop reading anytime. 

I really do appreciate the things Korea produces I really do, but there are times when I can't take the culture appropriation and the racism, it's disgusting. So I'm not going to act like Korea is this great place where everything is fine and dandy. 

They hate the idea of being dark but like the things that us black people do, but you know that can be said about every race who isn't black honestly. Yes, I'm being general here, I know not everyone is like that, but when the a majority outweighs the minority, then you're going to be lumped in with that group or not and as you read this, I don't want you to say, oh I'm not racist I have this many black friends, that's racist. You're not really helping the problem here now, are you? 

I know where all people of color here, but if all we do it put each other down and not try to help we will all be stuck. 

I digress. So, Korea the cultural appropriators. Let's just dive right into the nitty gritty here. HIP HOP  and Rhythm and Blues also known as R&B is black. It started in black communities did it not? I'm pretty sure it did. It's is one of the many like styles of music throughout the world and very popular in Korea. I'm not saying that people can't do the same music, of course they can there is nothing wrong with that. It's when they start to emulate and take the idea of being black without being black and hating BLACK is where lies the big issue I have. 

Now I know not everyone is caught up on their American history, but most people know of this flag this my dears is the Confederate flag one of the LARGEST symbols of oppression in the Black  

community, but yet  it can be seen on clothing in Korea. Which is highly offensive, you do know you just might possibly have Black fan right. You know just saying! I mean not a big deal or anything.
This flag could be seen in Zico's Tough Cookie M/V which I hated, it was horrible and all it did was take the idea of black culture and shove it in one video and I bet half of those guys would never want to be black. I mean who told him that it was a good idea to do that.

There was also the Korean drama which I reviewed You're Beautiful where one of the character wore a hat with the confederate flag on it. Honestly someone please tell me what the hell is up with them and this offensive flag? They are sensitive people but don't care about the sensitivity of others. Once

again excuse for the generalization but seriously, what the hell?

Another problem that I have is that they try an emulate this culture and they only take away the negative aspects of it. The violent "gang banging" aspects as if it's cool or something. They do this with no knowledge of what it really means and how harmful it is to a community. If you create popular music or anything for that matter and portray a group of people to an audience, who like you, have no knowledge of that group of people they will believe whatever it is you put out. 

It's nice to be INTERESTED in another culture, that's fine, but when you start to try and become that race and take things from that race that don't represent it well and tell other people that's what they're like. 

If they just took the time to learn where certain things come from before tying to be like them it would help a great deal. 

If you know anything about global history, you would know at one point the Japanese had colonized Korea it was a horrible ordeal for them even now there is still tension about the issue. The Rising Sun Flag has a similar meaning that the confederate flag does. It's a symbol of a hard time, a time of oppression, regardless of what other's think it means it has its true meaning.

They even do black face, I'm just saying they do take things too far. The racism there is very prominent, now I'm not saying in America it's not, because I mean this year is freaking crazy look at Donald Trump. A giant bigot running for president, he's literally unleashed every asshole racist in bloody America. I will never understand people who shame and hate black people but love the things they can accomplish, their entertainment. Everyone wants to be black, but no one wants to take on all the struggles that black people face.

Ghost Stories are Lame But

So I'm going to be real, I haven't heard a great ghost story or a creepy urban legend in a while. There hasn't been one that has chilled me to my very core. I mean, it's just like "Oh okay." Maybe I haven't heard them in the right setting. With the lights off with only one light. In the middle of a place where my back is exposed. Even then I don't think I'd be scared. I've been watching too much Supernatural. I've figured out how to deal with all kinds of shit from that show. I don't know. 

Anyway, I decided to do some searching and find some cool Korean ghost stories and urban legends, thought it would be a good idea after doing superstitions! None of them scared me though sadly, if anything they were just interesting! Let's see where should I start?

How about here! 

#1 Sesame Seed Bath Okay this one was just really gross to me, and I kind of ended up laughing, even though I shouldn't have because this was messed up. So apparently there was this young girl and she was obsessed with having beautiful and healthy skin. So she asked a healer or someone for a way to keep her looking beautiful forever and they suggested sesame seeds in her bath water and to rub them on her skin and soak in the tub. She was in there for a long time and so her mother started to get worried. She knocked on the door twice but there was no answer from her daughter so she opened the door. In there she found her daughter with sesame seeds stuck in her pores and her trying to take them out with toothpicks. 

Isn't this just gross? I broke it down like well the bath was hot, her pores opened up and boom they got stuck and then they closed. It's grossss. 

#2 Roach Mask This one is worse than the first one. So, there was this man who had horrible acne he had tried everything to get rid of it and one day while surfing the net, he find and article that gave a cure. It was a roach face mask. All he needed was a cockroach and so that night, after having read the instructions, the man put the roach on his pillow. When he woke up, he was happy to find the roach AND his acne gone. He went to school all happy, but throughout the day had pains and itching in his face. So he went to the bathroom to look at it, and he found that the roach had laid eggs in his face. 

This one was like 10 times worse. On a scale from 1-10 the sesame seeds were probably a 5 maybe 6 even, but this, this is a 9. What makes it worse is that everyone can get pimples and acne is common and roaches are freaking gross man. BUGS IN YOUR FACE! 

#3 Red Surgical Mask/ Slit Mouthed Ghost I really like this one. I actually first heard it by one of my Japanese friends, because they have the same kind of ghost there too. I was just like, she must be teleporting or something because how does Japan and Korea have the same ghost. I know the countries are close, but still! 

You probably know the story, so at night if people are walking by their lonesome they will be stopped by a woman in a red surgical mask. The woman is often described as pale skinned tall and with really long black hair that covers her face. She normally asks them if they think she is pretty. If they say no she kills them with a scalpel, but if they say yes, then she removes the surgical mask to reveal her horrible face. Her mouth that has slits from ear to ear showing all her gums and teeth, and she will ask them again if they think she is pretty. If they say no, she will cut them in half, but if they reply yes again, then she will cut their face just like hers. Mwhahahahaaa!

#4 Harvesting Organs There was once a KakaoTalk that had circulated talking about organ harvesting. It was about a drunk man who took a ride in a cab, and he was stabbed in the neck with a needle. Later he woke up by himself in a field bleeding from his stomach. He went to the hospital later to find out that one of his kidneys had been stolen from him. 

This is actually a really big problem in Korea apparently organ trafficking and people selling them because they are in tremendous debt. I mean granted it's a quick way of making money, but it's a horrible idea to sell your organs pals. I won't do it. 

#5 Bongcheon Dong Ghost I read this comic nearly peed myself. I has jump scares. Not cool man. Not cool. Anyway, this story is actually based off real life events. There were this woman, everyone only know her sir name Cho, anyway she got divorced and in the settlement she lost everything including her two year old daughter. He took the girl with him. (She was having an affair). Anyway, in 2007, she jumped from the top of her apartment complex and died on impact. People said they would see her walking around the complex asking for her daughter. 

Here is a link to the webtoon comic. Bongcheon Dong Ghost Comic

Ghost stories are lame but, I hope you all can go to sleep tonight! 

Super Korean Superstitions

VERY SUPERSTITIOUS!

Okay, yeah that was a little corny, my bad I won't do that again. My level of corniness is outrageous though, so beware. Whatever though, it leads into the obvious topic because it's the title, but let's talk about Korean superstitious. The word 'superstition' in Korean is mishin 미신. 

Here are 10 different Korean superstitions! 

#10 Fans Never go to sleep with an electric fan on in your room with the windows closed, behind a closed door, or it'll freaking kill you! It's believed that a person will die from suffocation you know, lack of oxygen or die of hypothermia. So be careful this summer everyone! 

#9 Red Ink Are you trying to kill someone like Light Yagami from Death Note? In Korea it's been said that if you use red ink to write someone's name they'll die. In Korea they normally use red ink to write the names of the dead, so to write the name of the living is considered wrong because you could possibly kill them. (I know in America we use red ink to correct and mark papers.) So unless you're planning to kill someone, don't use red ink in Korea!

#8 Giving Shoes as Gifts To give someone a pair of shoes as a gift especially to someone you love puts a strain on the relationship... because whoever is the receiver of those shoes will probably end up running away from the giver. Forever. I once read somewhere that if you "sell" the shoes instead it's basically a loophole to the superstition and they won't run away!

#7 Shaking Your Leg I actually have this really horrible habit, guess this is why I'm so poor. It is said that if you shake your leg you will shake away all your god fortune. In Korea apparently (I had no idea this was a thing there) there is prosperity that lies in the leg, so when you shake it, you're basically shaking it all away. 

#6 Dreaming of Pigs If you have a dream of pigs, Koreans would say that a lot of money is coming your way. So keep dreaming of pigs everyone!

#5 Whistling at Night Whistling at night is thought to bring evil spirits, bad luck, snakes, the works man! So don't whistle at night otherwise you're going to have a bad time. Keep the spirits out of your house. (I have learned that his isn't just a Korean superstition this is an international superstition. I once watched this anime Mushi-shi--love it, but there were an episode where Ginko instructed this boy to not whistle at night because bad mushi; that looked like snakes, would come into his home!) So just don't whistle at night.

#F The Number 4 Means Death This one is the most interesting to me, because I first learned it from my Chinese math teacher. The number four in Korean sounds like the word death so often it's skipped on elevators and there is no 4th floor in many apartments.If there is a 4 it's normally replaced with 'F,' hence the #F. (This is also true of Chinese even Japanese culture isn't this cool?) 

#3 Blinding Butterflies I know how beautiful butterflies and moths can be, but don't let them touch you, and if you do, make sure not to rub your eyes right after. Why you ask? Because if you do, you're bound to go blind! Apparently though, this superstition has been around for centuries it has it's believers and non believers just like any other superstition. 

#2 Moving Spirits Don't move, you might as well just stay put. If you decide it's time for you to move into a bigger and better house you need to make sure you do it on a moving day. If not, you're going to be bringing bad spirits or just spirits in general from the other house. For the people that believe this, there are calendaer made so they know when it's a good time for them to move and when it's not. My advice... you better find the perfect place from the start.

T.O.P and Ueno Juri in Secret Message 

#1 Deoksugong Path I love and hate this one. It's like.. symbolic, you know? It's been said that if you and your significant other walk down this path that means you're going to break up soon. It's also like, symbolic because couples who are going to get divorced have to walk down this path to the family court.

We Are Back!

Hey everyone we are back and ready for action, going to have to have some blog post coming your way soon, by soon I mean very soon. Look out for them. Share them, comment and read. Keep coming back.

Fun fact about me, when I write my blog post, I always listen to kpop, that seems like an of course, but there is like a set playlist for my blog write with certain music for my blogging grind. I need it to motivate me to keep it moving, because although I like to write, I get distracted. But this music is like good music to keep up with my pace for writing that it keeps me writing even more.

Do any of you have motivational music to help you with things?

Anyway, moving on the schedule for things will be different because well a lot has changed. Sorry I lied and said we'd be back at the end of September I should've never made a promise I couldn't keep, so that is definitely my fault, I will gladly take all the blame for that one. Sorry to make you keep reading the same post over and over!

I've been going through a lot and it's not the best excuse but it did effect the way I felt about writing and watching Korean Dramas and just keeping up with things in general. I guess you can call it some kind of slump.
So, yeah we didn't get back back up in October my apologies.

I still want to cover the material I made in October but never posted! So you'll see things like Korean Superstitions and famous ghost stories and horror movies I'll move on from there. I will still do the drama review so get ready for that. I know that's like all of your favorite parts.

I'll also start trying out some Korean food recipes and talk about my experience making them and what they tasted like. I'll even take pictures and maybe even a video or two.
I am really trying to make the best of this blog and give you all some good reading content!

So this will probably end up being a summer blog if anything, if I find the time to post during school I will! I'm about to be a senior in college, so you know, about to be like the F4 and run the entire campus.

Hope you guys stick with me and let's enjoy Korean pop culture together!

My Friends Will Never Understand

There are so many things my friends who don't like Korean pop will never understand. 

                                        Yeah such as life. Oh well, it's okay I have friends who do know what I'm going through and we can all go through it together. I'm sure if you like kpop and kdramas you will know exactly what I mean. 

#1 When You Hear Strangers Talk About Kpop.

This is the best thing ever. I guess though this can apply to everything when you hear people talk about something you like. There is this urge to go over there and talk to them because you know it too and you have finally met someone who likes the same thing as you. The only difference with kpop is that the people who listen to it are a well hidden breed so unless they are going about repping it with merch you will never know so hearing someone talk about kpop I normally go over and talk to them about. We have to stick together. 

#2 Going Out Of Your Way To Remember All The Member In A Group  

To say that I haven't done this would be a huge lie. Let me just say, that it takes a while too especially because once you take notice in one group you take notice in another and another and now you're trying to learn all their names. On top of that you're watching old videos where all of their hair colors

are the same. So you can't tell them apart and when you finally can their hair has changed, and now you have to go back and get used to that color and remember who is who all over again. What makes this worse is that you're now trying to catch a glimpse of their face while their dancing and they keep moving so you have to pause the video. This soon becomes a hassle so you just go on google and type in the group name to see the members and it's another task in its self. Large groups always take the most time to learn. I know all the members names of Girls' Generation, but I don't know who is who.

"AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A TRUE FAN!!" 

#3 Learning The Dance To Your Favorite Songs

There is the need to learn the dance to favorite kpop songs. If you are the type to try then kudos to you because some kpop dances are freaking hard! If you are the type to succeed then super kudos because wow, you're amazing. The choreography is so good, it's too hard to try to imitate. I always end up comparing myself to them and I realize how dumb I look. Of course that never stops me from trying all the other dances. I wouldn't be a fan if I stopped trying now would I? The difference with

NU'EST "Good Bye Bye"

Korean pop and American pop is that a lot of American pop music doesn't really have choreographed dances. It's always fun to try to to their dances honestly it is. You know what I'm talking about if you tried. I'm tried, dances like "Hot Summer" by f(x) "Lucifer" by SHINee as well as "Hello" and "Ring Ding Dong"  EXO's "History" and G-Dragon and Taeyang's "Good Boy." That song I managed to do the whole dance correctly although it was hard as all hell. My friend and I didn't know whether to follow GD and Taeyang or the backup dancers. The list of course goes on and on. What dances have you tried if any?

#4 Watching Variety Shows With Favorite Idols 

So, personally I haven't watched many episodes of many variety shows, but I have watched all the episodes of every variety show that had BIGBANG in it. I've gone back into the past and watched all the shows and episodes they were in even if it was only brief or only one of them in the show's episode. While watching variety shows it allows the audience and the fans to connect their favorite groups. They get to know them on a new level. If you have ever watched a variety show you might know what I'm talking about. It's just seeing them and how they act with other people and each other, NOT in a music video. 

My first variety show was Weekly Idol with G-Dragon. It was his first time on weekly idol. It was pretty late in his career too, he promoting his album Coup D'etat so it was like 2013. Prior to this he was in a popular show Running Man and on another called Infinity Challenge. I feel like Variety Shows are the small bridge between the M/Vs they put out, and the "TV" episodes they do every once in a while and the concerts where you get to see them in real life. 

Variety Shows are everything man! 

These are just four of many things that only kpop fan will get and relate to. Sometimes being a kpop fan is just hard you know? Especially when you have friends who don't like kpop the way you do. It's so sad that my friends will never understand.

But What Do I Know About Korean Makeup

I just want everyone reading this to know, even though I wear make up... As you can see in the following pictures. I know nothing about it. 

 Koreans are really into healthy skin and flawless skin. Something all people aspire to have, some obtain it, others do not. I'm one of those who don't... sadly. The medications, and the treatments for some reason just don't work on my skin, but you know what does work on my skin? MAKE UP. This brown person you see with flawless skin in an illusion. So if you see me on the street, don't expect me to look like this unless I have make up on. Acne kills one's face. I've had acne since elementary school and I'm in college. Even my dermatologist was like "Shit you didn't grow out of this yet?" 

I'm just saying if your dermatologist is saying this, obviously you're quite fucked. At this point all he can do is prescribe me every single drug until it goes away and never shows up again. Which I doubt will happen, but it's okay. I have make up. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't like my natural face, I often go around without all this caked on, but sometimes it's just, some times I feel like being EXTRA pretty today. You know like, let me doll myself up. This summer I'm trying this lemon juice treatment to get rid of my marks so I'll see where that takes me. Probably right back to the drawing board, but it's okay. On the bright side if someone recommends me that I can say I've tried it and it didn't work! 

But anyway, enough about me. 

Koreans have really nice night time face treatment regiments I wish I wasn't lazy so I could be on their level, but... I'm lazy and I know on the third day I'll get tired and stop, that or run out of facial mask and not buy anymore. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check this video out. I'll put it below. 

 Do you see all the steps that go into this? I go to bed late by late I mean the next day. If I did this I'd feel the need to go to sleep right after I did it. Well, maybe that would help with my acne, I heard good sleep helps with that, but you know I'm impatient so if I don't see results in a week I start to believe it's not really working and I stop. Horrible habit, but you know the first step to fixing a problem is admitting you have one! Anyway on top of that they also have a nice daily facial regiment too. I wish I had the patience to do this. Dear karma god, if I'm reborn as a human may I please be reborn with some sort of patience, that or just no acne? That work? 

Onward to the make up! After you clean your face and put your daily moisturizer on it, that's when you normally start you nice make up routine whatever that is. Right now a big trend in Korea is little make up and bright lips. No matter the color is seems, but it's often pink or red, something along those lines. The lip is a gradient lip. It's when you put lots of lip color on the middle of the lip and let it gradually come out, but you also make the lip look smaller by put concealer around the lip.  

As you can see a lot of the color is in the middle of the lip while the res of the lip is the skins natural color. Some other trends along with this one are cushion foundations, and using mineral and sparkling water facial cleanser. A lot of the make up like I said before is just really natural to no make up, this also goes for eyes too not just face. So they don't use a really bright eye shadow, and when they do, it's not a really light color. This brings me to another trend, pastels, like if make up is being "heavily" worn they will use pastel blush and such so it can't be see too much because remember, "natural" look.
But I mean, what do I know about Korean make up?

KDrama Review: Blood: "Not Enough Blood"

Second kdrama review on lock! 

So... Blood. It's a vampire Korean drama. I'll be honest there was way too much dialogue when it was supposedly an action, thriller, fantasy drama. For every 1 action scene, there were like... 5 dialogue scene. However it was pretty good, had situational irony, a lot of it actually, but, YES BUT, the objective of the antagonist wasn't super clear and neither was the end for that matter. 

Let me be the first to say that American vampires are cooler than Korean ones-- excluding Twilight of course. Maybe their concept of vampires are just... not good. By their I mean the writers, and producers and directors. The drama starred Ahn Jae Hyun who played Park Ji Sang and Koo Hye Sun who was in Boys Over Flowers. I liked her in that drama, Boys Over Flowers I mean, but in this drama she was annoying as all hell. I hated her character. Well, okay hate is a strong word, I strongly disliked her character. She was selfish and self entitled, whined a lot and very arrogant. If that was their goal, bravo. 

Ahn Jae Hyun's character was also a bit arrogant, not as self entitled and not as whiny. I felt like both of their characters were pretty three dimensional. Their background story, although it could have been explained more, it gave them a good amount of depth. For a vampire drama there weren't a lot of vampires. I mean there were, but there was a lot lacking. They were more human than vampire, yeah they had the super human strength, and the quick agility, but they didn't really drink blood. It was pretty darn rare, and isn't that like the one thing that vampires are known for, their love of the red drink? 

Blood is about Park Ji Sang who was born a vampire. For a while he grew up with his mother and even though when he's around blood he changes, he decides to be a surgeon and help people instead of killing them, so he gets a job at a hospital. Ji Sang is quickly accepted by the other doctors excluding Yoo Ri Ta( Koo Hye Sun). A new director is employed at the hospital and with the "help" of him Ji Sang starts to uncover truths and secrets about his past. 

So overall it was good, there were plenty of deaths, and you know it was satisfying. I just wish the antagonist had a better reason for doing what he did. He personally didn't have a good story line. Or maybe I just didn't understand, but I doubt it. He seemed one dimensional even though I knew he really wasn't supposed to be. On top of that the things he did to get his way didn't really add up. Perhaps if they did more flashbacks for him or something. The ending was also pretty confusing in itself. Like, is there going to be a second season? The ending (***no spoilers***) was way too simple when obviously, it didn't make sense! If there is going to be another season then it makes sense, but with an ending like that if they don't have a second season it just set people up for disappointment. Especially if they really liked this drama. 

The drama had a few characters that, if anything, weren't needed. They were probably like "Oh shit, we hired too many people. Let's kill 'em off." Kim Yu Seok, that played Doctor Jung Ji Tae; his character was lacking so much. He had what seemed like an interesting childhood, but because he wasn't the focus, they didn't talk about him much. All the humans that found out Ji Sang was a vampire were way too cool about it. WAY TOO COOL. 

Some parts of this drama were too slow and others too fast, but if you've watched Vampire Prosecutor and want move vampire dramas watch Blood because it wasn't horrible. No matter the faults, I really liked it. I'm giving it 3.5 G-Dragon heads out of 5.  

Seriously though, there was not enough blood. 

Check out Blood on DramaFever!! >>>>> Blood on DramaFever