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..

Song of the Day

If I could have hair color like anyone from kpop it would be Hyuna, I feel like her hair is always a new color. Like that one time it was that greenish color or twas it more of a turquoise? Whatever it was cool. Today's song of the day, is drum roll please.
"ROLL DEEP" by Hyuna featuring Ilhoon from BTOB
Hyuna as you all probably know is from a group called 4Minute. She was in Wonder Girls for like a hot second and then Troublemaker (is that even still a thing?) and then she was in 4Minute and as far as I know she's gone solo and is now doing her own thing. So this song Roll Deep by her is one of my favorite songs by her, some of my friends don't like her, nor her music. I do have to say not all of it is great, but this song is pretty darn great. I

haven't been listening to her music for long, but let's just say that... I don't hate it. And I think all of her M/Vs are hella interesting.
Below are the English translations, don't know if there completely accurate :)

Roll Deep (잘나가서 그래) by Hyuna ft. Ilhoon from BTOB

Hyuna: 

There’s never anyone who doesn’t know me

Wherever I go, they wanna touch me

Look, this was always my swag

If you have a problem with that, just give them water

Ok now good, yes good

(Queen’s back, if you don’t know, shh)

My scale is different, you can’t touch this

You’ve heard it, it’s Red

Even my friends get jealous of me, I know

I’m always alone here

On top of the chopping block, I know

Chew me up when I smile

I don’t care, I don’t care at all

I’m OK, my place is still the same

More jealousy and envy makes trouble, I know

Actually, a little dangerous

You and you, I am me, hey

Like this, like that, it doesn’t matter

You are you, I am me

Like this, like that, like this, like that

It’s all because I’m the best

It’s because I’m pretty

It’s because they’re all jealous

Baby I’m bad all day

It’s all because I’m the best

It’s because I’m pretty

It’s because they’re all envious

Sorry, I’m a dope girl

Ok now good, yes good

You can’t touch me Don’t touch me

Ok now good, yes good

You can’t touch me Don’t touch me

Ok now good, yes good

You can’t touch me Don’t touch me

Ok now good, yes good

You can’t touch me Don’t touch me

Ilhoon:

It’s because I’m the best

It’s because you’re not

The answer is simple

It’s because you don’t get attention

I’ve never had these four things:

Time, likeability2, fear, fat

I’m like a made-up character since I was born

People around me massage me with jealousy

Oh it’s still the same, she’s still the queen

I have everything but height

But they all open the door for me

They call me fake,

saying I’ve never been real

But HyunA, who you can’t even hold hands with?

She’s like my sister to me

Hyuna:

You and you, I am me, hey

Like this, like that, it doesn’t matter

You are you, I am me

Like this, like that, like this, like that

It’s all because I’m the best

It’s because I’m pretty

It’s because they’re all jealous

Baby I’m bad all day

It’s all because I’m the best

It’s because I’m pretty

It’s because they’re all envious

Sorry, I’m a dope girl

You can’t touch me Don’t touch me

I don’t care, I don’t care at all

I’m OK, my place is still the same

You can’t touch me Don’t touch me

Like this, like that, like this, like that

It’s all because I’m the best

It’s because I’m pretty

It’s because they’re all jealous

Baby I’m bad all day

It’s all because I’m the best

It’s because I’m pretty

It’s because they’re all envious

Sorry, I’m a dope girl

Ok now good, yes good

You can’t touch me Don’t touch me

Ok now good, yes good

You can’t touch me Don’t touch me

Ok now good, yes good

You can’t touch me Don’t touch me

Ok now good, yes good

You can’t touch me Don’t touch me

HYUNA(현아) - '잘나가서 그래 (Feat. 정일훈 Of BTOB)' (Roll Deep) 

Side note: It wouldn't let me grab the video from YouTube so I ended up downloading it and then uploading it. Haha.. ^^''

Song of the Day

Cooking it up G-Dragon style.

I decided to start of with my favorite artist and my ultimate bias. I know you all know who he is, but just in case you don't I'll give you a little more information. 

G-Dragon also know as Kwon Ji Young was born August 18, 1888. Haha okay let me stop myself right there, I'll give basic facts instead of his whole life story. 

So G-Dragon, is in a group called BIGBANG. The fans are commonly known as VIPs. He works for YG entertainment and I've been listening to his music since I was... 16. So not that long, well okay it's been 6 years. 

Pretty sure my ovaries exploded when I saw this

I've listened to all of his albums with BB and solo and while I may not like all of the songs I like 90% of them, and I think he's a great musician. 

My favorite song by G-Dragon is "Who You" also titled (니가 뭔데). When I first heard this song I like, automatically fell in love with it. I loved the video too. There was something about the music and the rhythm that I really enjoyed. I loved his voice and his rapping within the singing. So because I'm not a native Korean speaker I had to go find out if the song that I liked so much had lyrics really worth knowing so I went out to go find the English translation. 

WHO YOU by G-Dragon

English Translation: 

Baby I love you, I say this but

I don’t feel good at all

I want you I need you, I sing but

I don’t know why I feel bad, who you?

Congratulations, you already are meeting someone new

I hope it works out, althought it’s a bit early

If you’re happy, that’s all I want

But I keep getting angry, baby who you?

Du du du du du du du du du du du du du

oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Du du du du du du du du du du du du du

oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Baby I miss you, why do I keep thinking about you

I can’t meet someone else, I don’t want to

Whether I love you or hate you

I can’t determine, everyday I’m still confused

I don’t know why I feel bad, who you

You keep showing up in front of me with your arms locked to his

This isn’t right, are you kidding me?

Oh my? Enough is enough

A pair of dirty flowers bloomed by the street

Instead of the expensive purse that I couldn’t get you

Instead of shoes I bought a pillow, wet with tears

uh why are you happy while I’m unfortunate

Who you

Du du du du du du du du du du du du du

oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Du du du du du du du du du du du du du

oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Baby I just want you back

I want you back I want you back

Baby I know it’s too late it

just too late it’s just too late

Baby I just want you back

I want you back I want you back

Baby I know it’s too late it

just too late it’s just too late

I pray for fight, pray for a break-up

I always pray for you to come back to me

Every neighborhoods every streets

I visit and tell people that you two aren’t doing well

So lame and loser-ish, I’ve always been a loser

I didn’t know, you’re the same, you bad girl

I will treat you better, will you meet me?

I won’t bother you, will you please come back to me?

Baby I hate you Baby I loved you

Ma baby hate you

Baby love you du du du du du who you?

Now I don't know what it was exactly, but there was something I could connect with when I heard this song. I don't know if these translations are COMPLETELY accurate, but it was still kind of hitting me. Like it was some real shit and yet it was sung with such upbeat music. I don't know but, GD you got me!

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.

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.

You Can't Love My Ultimate Bias...

Lord, I can't tell you how many times I thought of this man. (Not the man above) Well men. If I believed in the lord, I would have confessed already because I've sinned in my mind. Does sinning in one's mind even count though? If not, then I guess it doesn't matter. But if it was not in my mind, oh boy... 

If you're not familiar with the fandom terminology, it pretty obvious, assuming you know what bias means. In idol groups, boy and girl groups, most fans have a bias. Whoever that may be is the one person they "worship" more than the other members in the group. Just like most fans I'm head over heels in love with my many biases. I say many because I have a lot of groups that I love, but I mean who doesn't? There are biases, but then there are ULTIMATE biases. These are the ones that surpass your regular biases. Normally though the ULTIMATE bias is only one. If you have more, well then... you must have a huge ass heart. That's all I'm saying. If I went through the list of the groups that I adore, I could tell you every bias I had in that group, it would be a pretty long ass list though, and I don't want to torture you.

OKAY IF YOU INSIST!

Over to the left.. or is it the right? Underneath the "Blog Archive" and "Follow by Email" section. Whichever side of my blog they are on, is the kpop group section. It has the titles of the groups I like and listen to. I listen to some others, but not as much as I listen to these. I have a favorite or favorites out of each group. Most people have a "bias" no matter what group you like. Whether it be One Direction of Blessthefall we all have that one person out of the group we like more than the rest. DON'T LIE and say you don't. I know you do. I'm watching you... but in all seriousness. If you thought Belibers and One Directioners were insane you have have never met kpop fans, but I'm going off topic here. Of course you can have a bias in a girl group if you're a girl. That one girl you just think stands out and SLAYS the rest of them. That's her. In 2NE1 that girl for me would be Park Bom. Her voice just reaches a whole new level also she has the cutest face like... ever. In 4Minute it would be HyunA whose name you can see further down.
Before I continue I just want it to be known that you don't have to have a bias for each group you can just like them overall.

The next one...-- You know what fuck this, this list will go on forever. I'll just go onto my ultimate bias. THE NOTORIOUS okay.. well he's not notorious.. just because he smoked a blunt means nothing. Whatever! His stage name is G-DRAGON and his actual name is Kwon Ji Yong. He's from the group BIGBANG and he's the leader. Here are some pictures and everything.

This is his M/V Crooked. 

 I'm just saying if you have't fallen in love yet, you need to go to sleep wake up and look at this man again. Okay, maybe he's not your thing, that's perfectly okay, because the less people that like him the less fans he has which means at one point, he'll be just miiiiine. *Cough Cough* Excuse me I don't know where that came from. 

 Anyway, like I was saying before, he's my Ultimate Bias, which basically means that I like him above all my regular biases. If I had to make a bias list, which I do have, he would be at the top, and he is. He'll always be at the top, is what I'm saying. It's sometimes hard though sharing your bias, because you want to believe that they will always just belong to you, but I have a secret... THEY DON'T. Doesn't that suck? Don't worry, we all know in that fanfic they'll be yours... if they aren't each others. Pervert. 

I just want to let you all know... YOU CAN'T LOVE MY ULTIMATE BIAS. 

Bye~

KDrama Review: You’re Beautiful: "Um, Who’s Beautiful?"

HA, You’re Beautiful, what a drama I tell you. Anyway, I watched this drama because it was starring three of my favorite actors. Jang Keun Suk, Park Shin Hye, and Lee Hong Ki (who I’ve spoken about before). Of course it also had Jung Yong Hwa and Uee. If any of you all listen to or know CNBLUE or After School you know these two. The drama was about Park Shin Hye’s character, Gemma who is this nun, or this nun to be, she is learning the ways. As she is doing this, her twin brother’s agent comes to find her because he needs her to pretend to be her brother so that he could sign some papers to officially be a part of this group called A.N.JELL.

A.N.JELL

She poses as him because he’s in America fixing his hideous plastic surgery. So her second “real” character is Go Mi Nam her “twin brother.” I use quotation marks to let you know that she was just playing a man there was no actual man playing the brother, only in one episode. The only reason she decided to pretend to be her brother wants to find their mother. She is a singer and he thinks it’s the only way to find her. (They grew up in an orphanage in a church.) So, she agrees believing in her brother’s technique.

From there it’s a whorl wind of everything let me tell you. People start to fall for each other, people cry, turns out some people’s past are intertwined in a convoluted way. Jang Keun Suk’s character, Hwang Tae Kyung who has a crap relationship with his mother, and he hates her, for a very good reason too. She’s messed up.

Cute Dorks 

All of this is going on and Gemma somehow is stuck in the middle of it all, somehow she can keep up this façade. For a while it was pretty damn predictable, I say this because prior to this drama, I’ve seen others that dealt with women pretending to be men. So I had an idea of what to expect and what I thought was going to happen sort of happened… but then boom! Plot twist, the past of the lead characters happened to be intertwined and they have no idea. I honestly didn’t see it coming. The thing is, although the background of the characters was unpredictable, everything else was, but then again it’s a kdrama. So far I haven’t watched one that wasn’t predictable, but that’s just me of course.

Within this drama you knew at some point Gemma was going to be found out by someone early on. The person who found out was going to be a guy and that guy who did, was going to fall for her seeing her as a woman. Then there was going to be that other character who might be the guy above (or not) except in this scenario he doesn’t find out and is now questioning his sexuality and it’s putting him through his own personal hell. Then there is the male lead, who could be the guy questioning his sexuality (again or not) and knows absolutely nothing, for a long time. He finds out by accident and hates her for a while because he was falling for her and thinking she was a man because she had him questioning himself and he’s just hurt and slightly relieved. There is that, or he finds out after everyone and is still hurt. He might also know, and not let on that he knows that could also be the first guy I talked about.

Confusing right? So many possibilities.

And thus Piggy Bunny was made.

After the first couple of dramas I watched with something like this I had some of these characters down to a t.

Oh, there is also the second female lead, who likes the male lead and learns that the female lead is lying about her identity and threatens her because she’s evil and nasty and mean and she wants the advantage.

The drama was funny and it had a lot of feels.

Some serious feels here.

Uee who based on Infinity Challenge (if you know what that is, YAY. If not you should check it out it’s a variety show) seems like the sweetest person ever, played the biggest bitch ever in the drama. She was pretty evil y’all. She was very convincing. Personally I think Jang Keun Suk and Park Shin Hye are really amazing, but Uee killed it. The drama was corny, it had a lot of those moments, but it honestly didn’t make me like it any less. Sometimes though it would piss me off because it some of the characters just talked to each other a lot of things could have been easily resolved.

The ENDING was completely and utter BS, but I liked it, but not a lot. If anything I respected it… can you respect an ending? It was happy, but it wasn’t a “happy ending” I guess when I think about it, it was perfect for this drama. It was unpredictable. I really thought it was going to be a legit happy ever after like most dramas I watch. So even though I didn’t like the ending (this will sound like a contradiction) because it wasn’t the ending I wanted, I was happy that it wasn’t.

I have to give this drama. 3 G-Dragon heads out of 5. The predictability overtook the unpredictability sadly. If I didn’t watch all of other dramas. I would give it a 3.5, but I guess I ruined it for myself. Sucks doesn’t it?

After you watch this could you tell me who’s beautiful, exactly? 

Check out You're Beautiful here >>>> You're Beautiful

KDrama Review: Modern Farmer: "Farmers Can’t Be Modern"

****SPOILERS****

River Song Doctor Who

So, some time ago, I decided to watch this Korean drama titled Modern Farmer because my friend said that it was funny and she wanted someone to talk with about the drama. I of course was all for it, like “WHOOO NEW DRAMA!!” This drama starred Lee Hong Ki the lead singer of the Korean band FT Island (Who if you haven’t heard of you should totally check them out. His voice is amazing).

FT Island 

It also starred Park Min Woo who was in the other drama Flower Boy Ramen shop, which I hated, but that’s another blog post, there was also Lee Si Eon and Kwak Dong Yeon. As well as Honey Lee (that is not her real name). Min A from AOA and Park Jin Joo who is in a lot of dramas actually. Of course that wasn’t that whole cast, just the people that I think are worth mentioning.

Anyway, let me think… the plot of this drama… Hong Ki’s character whose name is Min Ki was in a band with his friends and they were called I believe Excellent Souls or something like that. Please correct me if I am wrong. The band disbanded and they went their separate ways, some of them still talking to each other, only excluding one member. Min Ki is serious debt and owes a lot of money to some loan sharks and when his grandmother dies he inherits her land. His grandmother lived in his home town which was pretty much farm country, so he gathers the band under the false pretense that they are going to grow cabbages to make a new album when in reality it’s so he can get out of debt and pay back the loan sharks. There he is reunited with his first love.

The drama started off good, it was really weird, not like all the other drama’s I have watched so it was pretty into it. Although it seemed predictable.

They were going to be successful and make money but then poof half the money is gone because Min Ki took it to pay off his debts and the rest of them find out and boom the end, but twist in turn they forgive him and they become a band again and he falls for his first love all over again.

Well, I was half right, okay more like, ¼ right. Although the drama was funny and quirky. I feel like it sort of left the plot behind. Which was him making cabbages to PAY OFF HIS DEBT. Granted he got closer to his band mates again, but they never found out about his debt. I guess you could call that a good thing, but after his one segment in the drama it was never talked about again and the loan shark like… didn’t exist in the drama again. Which was weird to me, because I’m just saying if I was a loan shark, I would have scrambled his brains so I could get my money back. On top of that there was this girl trying to find some hidden money in the all the farmers fields, I didn’t even understand her purpose except for being the love interest for this other character who had an illness.

Each character had their own problems they were dealing with and you know that makes sense because each individual has their own issues, but it would, most of the time take priority over the entire plot. So, Min Ki is supposed to grow cabbages with his band mates to pay off his debt, and they do, but of course they run into issues like any farmer would, but that would fade into the background for a little bit. Yes you can't make the whole drama about him paying off his debt, but they never talked about it again. DID HE EVER PAY OFF HIS DEBT? On top of that, the reason this one guy in the show didn't talk, didn't make any sense at all, like yes tragedy, but... you suddenly lose the will and power to speak ever again? Even to your daughter? I didn't get it, but if you do, keep watching. 

Also, not sure this is relevant, but one of the characters, the one with the illness looked much older than the rest of the group. When I looked it up he was like 32, not saying there is anything wrong with that, but you could tell, I just wished they decided to cast someone who looked younger, or... was younger. 

It was kind of all over the place if you ask me, but it didn’t make me like it any less, well okay it did just a little. I wanted some consistency, but they kept pulling this weird background story and not explaining it well at all. They would give a half ass explanation and then would be like there you go now you have some sort of idea. THE ENDING was not good at all, not even a little bit, but it fit the dramas quirky style.

Sorry about some of the spoilers, hopefully this review doesn’t make you not want to watch it or stop watching it if you already are, because no matter what I say about it, I still enjoyed my time watching it. Honestly, I enjoyed the singing bits a lot, and it was pretty funny, but it a serious corny way, like very corny, but it kept me laughing and hooked, because obviously finished then entire drama.

This is also where I learned the term  괜찮아 [gwenchana.] If you watched this you know what I mean.

I give the drama 2.5 G-Dragon heads out of 5 

But seriously, farmers can’t be modern.

Check out Modern Farmer on DramaFever!!! >>>> Modern Farmer

I Can't Speak Korean But

MAN if I could speak Korean! That would be hella nice. I would always sing in Korean, and on top of that I would know what the hell I was saying. Wouldn't that be grand? I guess depending on who you're talking to it would be amazing. I can't speak Korean, but I'd love to learn. I'm in the midst of learning Japanese, and if anything I'd have to learn Korean on my own time. I already have a hard time learning Japanese, trying to add Korean on top of that, I would probably be dead. Watching so many Korean dramas has already made me stumbled when speaking Japanese. For example, I was trying to tell my friend how to say coffee in Japanese and ended up telling her it in Korean because they sound the same. I don't know what my life is anymore. 

OPPA!! OPPA!! How great would it be to NOT sounds like a koreaboo as you said that. A koreaboo is like a weeaboo except they like Korean stuff and not Japanese stuff. Why wouldn't you sound like that? Because you could be like "I'm learning Korean! So technically I can!" 

There was something that I heard floating around the kpop community one day, it was something along the lines of: "Korean men, don't like when foreign women call them oppa." I'd like to know why. Not because it bothers me, but I'd like to know why they feel this way, if they feel this way. 

My name is Jon Snow and I know nothing it seems. 

I can't speak Korean, but if I could I would probably have no one to speak it with, so.. in the end I'd end up not remembering it... and not knowing Korean anymore. 

If you're reading this and you know Korean, want to teach me? I won't pay you with money, but I'll pay you with sincere gratitude and hard work, just know your efforts will indeed pay off. 

If I could speak Korean I'm not sure I would, I saying this with idea that I'm American and I have learned it. I'm pretty sure it would sound like a choppy mess. No offense, but the lettering itself has a bunch of consonants next to each other. Sometimes just looking at it makes me supper confused. 

For example. You see that picture over there. How on earth would I pronounce  that? Like, it has two k's next to each other. "mkkur" Please give me a pronunciation. That's all I ask. I know this sounds like a bunch of backhanded compliments, so if I offend, I really am sorry. I'm just.. aggressively curious... if that's even a thing.

I would be able to watch dramas without having to sit there and read subtitles. That would be the life. I could leave it on and go cook food and not have to pause it because I would be able to understand. That would be great. I can't speak Korean but... I can sure as hell try. 

Trying to teach yourself Korean? This is where I got the pictures from, they are very helpful! 

Click Me if you want to learn Korean!