"Letters From Korea" - Jihye Yoon

A Letter from Jihye Yoon. 

Hi everyone! I am Jihye Yoon from Ansan, South Korea! 

Let me introduce about my town, Ansan!

Umm of course I know Seoul is well known to all of you, but I want everyone to know about Ansan, where I live, from now on!

Ansan is a part of Gyeonggi-do which is near Seoul, so my friend and I often go to Seoul on weekends or holidays:) it takes 1-2hours to get there!

Ansan has a lot of parks and mountains (so the air in Ansan is very clean)! 'San' means 'Mountain' in Korean! so I guess that is the reason why Ansan is named anSAN :)(i said Ansan has lots of mountains, right?) also it's silent and clean! So it's a good place to live :D haha

There is a place called Jungang-dong in Ansan! Teenagers and many people go there to enjoy themselves, like me and my friends, because there are many things to enjoy or play! such as theater, restaurants, cosmetic shops, department stores, amusement arcades, cafes and pubs. My friends and I usually go to Jungang-dong to watch movies, buy some cosmetics, and just talk at the cafe! hehe I love that!

When you get the chance to come here, I will be the guide for you!

Lastly! Grapes are so famous! especially these are grown in Daebu-island which is located in Ansan. and lots of festivals are held in here such as The Street Festival and Flight fair or so. (sorry, there are so many festivals but i forgot what festivals are in Ansan)

Thanks for reading everyone! I'm so glad that i let everyone know about Ansan and I hope everyone was interested in my town while everyone was reading :) Bye!

감사합니다 ^^

Letters From Korea!

Hey everyone! I'm starting a new thing called "Letters From Korea"
It features many friends of mine and anyone who wants to write a letter and send it to me.. Telling you guys who they are, where they're from, and some interesting things about where they live and how it is there. This was made to bring people who don't live in Korea closer to the culture through personal letters from people. I will try to post one each week! I really hope you enjoy reading them, as much as I enjoy getting to know these people. Love you guys! My first one is going to be posted today. So just wait for it. 

-Shanea

Obsession: Kim Jong Kook

Kim Jong Kook (김종국)

If you don't understand why I love Kim Jong Kook.. Then you've apparently never watched "Running Man" or heard any of his songs. And that's not cool. "Running Man" is by far the best variety show I have ever seen. And Kim Jong Kook's voice is so unique and amazing. His songs soothed my pain while I was going through the breakup of my boyfriend of 4 years. Even his depressing songs.. It's just his voice. It's that great. In case you don't know much about him here's your chance to get to know one of the best singers in Korea. 

김종국

April 25, 1976 a little baby was born.. And I can't help but wonder if this said baby was born muscular, or if he just grew up that way. Hmm.. But anyways.. His birthday is only 4 days before mine. Fate. It's fate. 
Kim Jong Kook has been in the music industry for as long as I've been alive. Literally. Because he started in the group "Turbo" in 1995. Their most famous song is "Black Cat Nero" which I absolutely love, but if you aren't into Korean 90's music.. Then you probably might not like it too much because it does have a weird sound to it. 
Here's a link for anyone who wants to hear it..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACwMZCXvTyk

Turbo was not as popular as most 90's groups.. So they didn't really last long and they aren't well known.. But Kim Jong Kook later broke away from the group to be an extremely successful solo artist. The other members from Turbo, I have not heard of, to be honest... Except Mikey who featured in a song with Kim Jong Kook a few years ago. 

Jong Kook is well known for his muscles.. And apparently sounding like a mosquito. Haha. Everytime someone asks me if I like him, they always tell me the same things..
"Oh his body is so great. I wish I had one like him"
or.. " His voice resembles a mosquito." Which makes me laugh... Because even though I love his voice, I can see why they say that. Haha.
Kim Jong Kook was on the show X-man until it ended in 2007. But he is now on the variety show "Running Man"  and is doing quite well. 

"The Commander- Sparta Kook" is his nickname on Running Man because of how fiercly he can catch everyone on the show. He's the number one guy on the show.. If you were to be on the show you would always want to be on a team with Jong Kook because if not, you seriously might lose.. He's that great. On the show, besides being The Commander, he's known as being very close with Kang Gary and HaHa. They're called "The Commander and the 2 Kids"

Jong Kook has already done his military duties already.. He was in the military from 2009-2011. After his military time, he immediately returned to tv and started on Family Outing.

Jong Kook has released 7 albums in his lifetime.. My personal favorite being his 7th "Journey Home" which was released in October 2012. 
Here's some of the songs.. One of which includes his 2 kids from Running Man. 

"Words That I Want To Say To You" ft HaHa & Gary - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuCeF6vz_-s

"Men Are All Like That" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4eVFXT9eIw

"How Lucky" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdAtkglE8uE

Kim Jong Kook is honestly, my ideal man. He's manly, he's nice, he's awesome, he's strong, he's sexy, he's cute, he's funny.. He's got everything. I would literally love to marry someone exactly like him.. Yes the muscles have to be included. Rawrrr(;

Happy Holidays and see ya next time,
Shanea

안녕하세요!

Ahh,so welcome back to another amazing blog by..me!!

Been a while since I’ve made a blog but I promise this one is good.

Sooo recently I’ve traveled, to a far away place filled with as many stylish and hilarious Asians as you could imagine, but where?

Well ehh, it might not be as obvious as you think..

I went to Japan!!

Now you may be thinking “Omg, cool!” or you may be thinking “Ex-squeeze me, aren’t you on the wrong subject and wrong place?”

But as I’m sure if you’re at all interested in South Korea, you’re probably somewhat interested in Japan also, and so in an attempt to mesh both of these topics together I’ve decided to tell you guys about the Kpop scene or even Korean scene in Japan as I walked through Koreatown located in Tokyo! Have fun ;)

“Irasshaimase!” “Irasshaimase” are words I heard while walking to one of my best experiences in Tokyo, while hearing those words from the staff members of shop owners walking to Koreatown, they slowly began to fade and things while still very..”Asian” looking started to look different, I was nearing my destination but didn’t know it, as soon as I walked across a busy street trying not to die, I came to a beautiful and very detailed traditional Korean restaurant, it looked expensive, then I turn to my right and spotted it..what did I spot? A giant Kpop fan shop, I almost fell trying to look and get past all the people, but upon my arrival to the door..it was locked -__________-

Frustrated, I didn’t know what to do so I kept walking through the town and thank God I did, as soon as I made another left, there was the Korean marketplace with Kpop fan shops everywhere and Korean restaurants in abundance! Here take a look ^^

I couldn’t focus on the teenaged Japanese girls trying to walk, so they had to dodge me, but anyway I found my shop and I did some very exciting shopping and had the time of my life in a Kpop themed traditional Korean restaurant, yes they exist!!

I listened to “Ringa Linga” as I wolfed down my 짜장면 and Korean spicy chicken balls..lol

My impression of Japanese population’s interest in Kpop seems to be girl-dominated and maybe not so much for guys, as I went into a fan shop I heard a Japanese girl say “あれ、お姉ちゃん？” which means “Huh, sister?”, so she either was saying that I was getting for my sister or that I was a..sister xD

But anyway I couldn’t gather much on Kpop outside of Koreatown but I do know that Japanese radio has Kpop music and not the Japanese ver.; the original! I think that many specifically Japanese girls like Kpop and are becoming more interested in Korean culture which in turn in a female dominated entertainment scene like Japan’s, can be a new and good thing and could also ease at least the tension between the 2 countries, which there is not a lot of but still.

Yes, I have to say that the Koreans I saw appeared to be very friendly and warm, I love you Korea and cute Korean girl that waved and said “안녕!” to me while I was leaving the restaurant.

But anyway while this is sort of different from our usual, thank you for reading another one of our blogs, we really appreciate it. Continue to read our experiences and news and such, this is only one of our experiences abroad! We want you guys to know about Korea and Kpop, so please comment on our blogs about certain things relating that you want to know, we want our idea’s to be viewer inspired also! So              내가 당신을 위해 무엇인가 할 수 있는 일이 있으면 주저마시고 알려주세요!!

Please if you can, if you ever decide to live in Korea, take a trip over to Japan, it’s amazing!

Have a good day and till next time,

안녕하세요!

New Obsession: Miracles in December - EXO

My lovelies, I know its been quite awhile since anyone has written anything on our blog. That would be because the other author Vince is in Japan for a little while and I have had no laptop.. Mine and my moms broke. So I'm very sorry for the pause in writing, I promise I'll try to write about anything and everything while this computer works. 

Back to the subject at hand.. I'm very late posting this.. And normally if I'm late posting something, I usually just don't post it... But with this song. I can't just ignore it. This song is so beyond amazing.. That watching the video and listening to the song, I was in tears.. 

If you haven't listened to it yet, I am not even close to joking when I say that you are missing out on one of the best songs you will ever hear in your life. So here's the link. 

Korean:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVLxRXoLaas

Chinese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZjoebuUM_w

Now I like the Chinese version, do not get me wrong. And I love Lu Han.. But there's something that the Korean version has that EXO M could never have... And that's D.O... Do not get me wrong.. D.O is not my bias.. Surprisingly enough Chen is my bias followed by Baekhyun and then Chanyeol, but voice wise.. No song sounds completely perfect without D.O being in it, because he has one of the best voices I have ever heard. For that reason, I like the Korean version better. Plus I am a big Korean person so I think the Korean language is extremely beautiful. 

So here starts my thoughts about the video..

1. Like I said in above paragraphs, I literally cried at this song.. Because it was just so beautiful and the music video was so beautiful.. And the lyrics are so beautiful.. It was just so overwhelming with beautifulness.

2. This song is only sang by D.o, Baekhyun, and Chen in the Korean version. In the Chinese version it's sang by Lu Han, Baekhyun, and Chen.

3. If you know EXO then you know why this song is beyond perfect. It features the best 3 singers out of all 12 EXO members.. Like if Chen and Lu Han were in EXO K instead of EXO M then EXO M would literally just be a rap group because their vocalists would be gone. They couldn't even do any singing without those 2. And then EXO K would still be the better rap group because they have Chanyeol.. It sounds like I'm insulting EXO M and take it as you may, but deep down inside you know that it's true and EXO K is the superior EXO...  But I totally respect your opinion if you think EXO M is better. To each their own. 

4. The other 9 members of EXO are all included in the video which I really do like. I wouldn't like this music video as much if it just showed the singers singing. It would still have the feeling, but I'd be kinda sad not to see the other members. Which btw, in case you don't pay really close attention to all EXO videos.. All the members are in there at least once. Usually all together. An example would be History. At one point they're all there with their hands in their pocket looking cool and stuffs. 

5. Who here thinks that in every music video, Kai should have a puppy? Because I think this is just too adorable for words. And what I'm thinking watching this.. is that the puppy sure does look like Jjanggu.. Kai's dog.. But his dog is bigger than that already, so does that mean they've been filming this for a LONGGGG time? If so, that goes to show how much work our Kpop stars have to do to make music videos. It doesn't just come together in a months time. 

6. Like I know the background is just a set.. But does it not look absolutely freezing? This probably isn't really something cool or interesting to point out.. But still.. I look at the background and I'M COLD.. JUST FROM LOOKING AT IT. I wonder if they made it like 90 degrees in the room just so the people watching them sing wouldn't feel cold. Or maybe I'm just extremely weird.. Hmm...

7. Another thing about the setting is that even though it looks freezing, its seriously beautiful. Like it's so pretty. And then the white piano in there with it.. and then the 3 members standing up there... It just looks so beautiful. 

8. Kris is very focused on his painting.. And sad. He's probably painting "Be sad, Kris... For the music video" that way he can look that sad.

9. Lu Han needs to bring me all that stuff he got from Nature Republic.. Because I want it.. Which btw... That was advertising at it's best.. Because Lu Han is one of the faces of Nature Republic.. And just so they could advertise the company.. They made sure they showed the box in there that said "Nature Republic" on it. They knew how many people would watch this video and want it because Lu Han was holding it. Haha. Well played advertisers, because it worked on me.

10. One of the most beautiful parts of this music video is when they look like they're rotating in a dark room and clips of the members are on the wall behind them. I think this was such a great idea to use. Because I thought it was just extremely cool and beautiful watching it.. 

Doesn't show the clips.. But oh well... 

11. If you don't know why Tao turned back time.. It's because the lyrics say.. "Stopping the time, (I) go back to you"

12. I have never seen Chanyeol or Tao cry.. And I'm going to tell you that I NEVER want to see it again. When Chanyeol started getting teary eyed, I felt like dying.. 

13. Last thing I'm going to say is.. That EXO are amazing actors.. Some people can't genuinely look sad.. But everyone looked so sad, that you completely grasped the feeling of the song even without speaking Korean. 

BAEKHYUN & CHEN FOREVER

Hahaha... Happy Holidays everyone and hopefully you'll hear from me soon. 

Love ya bunches,

Shanea.