My newest drama obsession, Rooftop Prince. Yoochunnie is in this drama, along with Han Ji Min. So far I have been laughing my butt off every episode (and I believe I am only on episode 3/4). I look forward to finishing this drama. If you get a chance, check it out!

A man walking down a dark street at night comes across another man on his hands and knees in the gutter searching for something under a streetlight.
“What are you looking for?” asks the man.
“My car keys,” the second man replies.
“Let me help,” the first man says as he gets down and starts to look.
After a few minutes he asks, “Are you sure you dropped them here?”
The other man replies, “Actually I dropped them half a block back.”
“Then why are you looking here?” the man inquires.
“Because this is where the light is,” is the answer.

-

Likewise, searching for love in the wrong place or hoping to evoke it in the wrong person seldom produces lasting happiness. Jumping off a dark cliff may feel like flying for a moment, but it can be risky if you cannot accurately anticipate a soft landing.
This is where learning comes in.
If you have a clear idea what character consists of and what qualities in other people you need to pay attention to, you are much less likely to make the catastrophic mistakes that now plague the institution of marriage.
Life has no guarantees, but why we pay less attention to this body of knowledge than we do to learning algebra is a persistent mystery.

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‘How To Love’, Gordon Livingston

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p.s. In the first place, don’t go to the wrong places.

I love reading things from Dongwan's Naver,it makes him seem so desperate for love, but at the same time, it is truly what we are like when we are looking for love. Does that mean I am looking in the wrong place? 

credit: Dongwan's naver+absoluteshinhwa

鍾無艷

I recently finished a drama called 東西宮略 (Queens of Diamonds and Hearts), and in this drama were two female characters by the name of 鐘無艷 and 夏迎春. I found the story very interesting, as it spoke of how these two female characters were seen in the eyes of the king. You could say that this happened in history, but it was kind of a spin-off of a sort of real story in history.

鐘無艷 is a character who did not have exterior beauty, but was talented in everything else. She knew martial arts, and understood politics, basically brains and brawns. 夏迎春 on the other hand was more beauty than brains and brawns. The king married both 鐘無艷 and 夏迎春, 鐘無艷 was the 東宮娘娘 and 夏迎春 was the 西宮娘娘. The difference in the titles was that 鐘無艷 would be the one with more power,  or the one that was married first. 鐘無艷 was a big help to the king as she helped with many political things, and read through all paper work. The king was very grateful to have a wife like 鐘無艷 since she did all the necessary work, and that meant he could spend more time with the pretty 夏迎春. But whenever the country was in trouble, he would always go back to 鐘無艷, and almost beg for her help. And hence the saying 有事鐘無艷, 無事夏迎春. 

EATYOURKIMCHI

I saw on the ALLKPOP forum about somebody saying how "Simon and Martina are really annoying me now". I know there are BOUND to be some anti-fans out there (like how there are anti-fans for EVERYTHING). But seriously, no need to start a thread about it and 'rant' (sorry I'm kinda ranting about it here, but it is my blog XD)

For those who don't know, Simon and Martina are the founders and 'sole producers' for a site EATYOURKIMCHI. They are a Canadian couple who lives in Korea, and they do Youtube videos every week on KPOP, food in Korea and different places to visit in Korea. They used to be English teachers, but have now switched to doing YouTube videos full time. 

I guess I am being butt-hurt fan about all this (cause I really love watching them), but I am going to rant. Let me answer those things that that person posted on the forum first.
1) Martina did NOT say that there are NO KPOP male fans, but in the context of that video, the number of B2ST fans that are male would probably be significantly less than female B2ST fans. And if that fact is wrong, then it is just a normal assumption (that many people WOULD make) in regards to the gender of fans for different idol groups. One could very easily assume that there are more female fans for a male idol group and vice versa. Also there are many male fans who are into KPOP, and sometimes do not announce to the world that they like KPOP, so maybe the population is even bigger, but it is something we will never know.
2)It is not that they want to apologize for their opinion, but it is very often that they get e-mailed about their content and how others are displeased about it (even though the fans are the ones who are SO eager to their videos reviewed, and can't take criticism). Simon and Martina are being thoughtful about their audience, like how the TV stations always have to apologize to people who find offence in their content. Simon and Martina are probably receiving many many e-mails on how they are bias and what not, and they just wanted to clarify to their audience their point of view.
3) Martina cutesy impressions driving you up the wall eh? Martina is doing the cutesy aegyo stuff for the videos, and I'm pretty sure there are MANY idols that are doing the aegyo and I do not see others complain about it. Other than Sunny from GG (who can have aegyo that calls for a punch), aegyo is widely accepted from idols/actors/actresses by their fans, no matter what age they are. That person is criticizing Martina simply because she is not one of those famous idols. And again, Simon may seem really 'up himself' in videos, but keep in mind, everything on video needs to be exaggerated so emotions will flow through. This couple is trying to make a living,and you guys are bashing them.

ALSO they have voting system for Music Monday for a reason. Prior to their voting system, Simon and Martina picked videos to review, and they got thrashed for it. "Why you so bias?" "Why you so YG bias?" "Why you no review_____?" And with the bigger audience that they have now, the voting system would a) work because there are enough people voting for it b) allow people to vote for their biases, and in return them not get hated on for not doing their biases c) expose them to different groups that come out. If you are dissatisfied with the music choice for KPOP Music Monday, then VOTE! That is the only way you will see them review the video you want them to review. BUT keep in mind, even if you get your bias up there it does NOT mean everything that they will say will be pleasing to you. They are only human and they cannot possibly like EVERY SINGLE HIT RELEASED IN KPOP. Like how you may not like a certain KPOP group, they are allowed to not like certain songs or not prefer a certain KPOP group. Think about it, if everybody likes the same music or group, there is no need for all those different groups out there in the first place. And also, they are NOT expert music reviewers, and you cannot expect them analyse like people on the billboard charts do. These videos were meant to be THEIR opinions with a little comedy injected into it, so you can take everything lightly with a grain of salt. If they said they liked every song, there really wouldn't be any point in the KPOP Music Mondays. Lastly, their jokes  tend to be more Canadian and word play, so people from other parts of the world may not get.

To end off this post, for those who "can't stand Simon and Martina doing *thisandthat*", simply don't watch their videos. They are not making videos that are pleasing to you, but to do videos that have their opinions in it in hopes that the right audience will stumble over it and be their fan. I am not bashing them in anyway, and I love watching their videos, but for those who can't accept it, DO NOT WATCH THEIR VIDEOS.

Blessings From God

God had blessed me in unexpected ways last Thursday.
Last Thursday I went to take my driving test for the G license. In Canada, in order to obtain a driving license, one needs to complete three tests within a span of 5 years. The first is the G1. G1 is a written test, and you are tested based on the rules of the roads in Canada. The test consists of questions regarding signage on the road, or specific rules that apply to different roads. After writing the initial test, one would need to wait 8 months before proceeding with the second test, G2, which is a road test. Throughout the 8 months wait, driving classes are taking with an instructor, and also insurance class is taken. The instructor would teach you the basics of driving on the road, and correct any bad habits. Insurance class is a three day course where, again, basics of the roads are taught but in a classroom setting. The purpose of taking that class is to lower the cost of insurance (hence the name insurance class). The insurance company would lower the cost of insurance because they would think that through the class, dangers of the roads are shown to you and you would be more responsible drivers and have less accidents. Which means that you are not as dangerous, hence the lowering of the cost. During the G2 test, one is tested on your skills on the road, driving normally, turning, parking etc. The test takes place in the city, and only in the small streets. And the last test to take is the G, which is also a road test, but it includes the highway (which is a road that drives at a limit of above 80km/hr.)

ANYWAY, time to start with the story. I went to take the test by myself (because my mom has to work, and it is alot of pressure having people wait for you). So I took the highway up to Bloomington Road (G2 drivers are allowed to take the highway, but there are restrictions on when you can drive etc.) and went to explore the roads. I wanted to practise a few more things before taking my test (like parallel parking, controlling my speed limit, and parking.) I started to drive around looking for streets where I can practise the mentioned skills at, but all streets did not have any cars that I could practise on. I started driving and driving, then I realised that I was east of where I was supposed to be. I then slowly made my way back to approximately where the test centre was around, and started searching again. This time, I drove myself to somewhere I did not recognize. And I thought to myself Oh goodness, I am lost. None of the maps in my car had Aurora on the map, so I had to keep driving to find roads I was familiar with. For a good 5-10 minutes I was almost scared out of my mind because I was afraid that I would miss my driving test. finally making my way back to the center, I went inside to tell them I am here, then I went to wait at the car. You had no idea how freaked out I was (more like nervous). Every driving examiner that came out I wished that they would not be my driving examiner (because they were very mean looking). I was so nervous that I prayed to God. God, I am really nervous right now. Please calm my heart down. I stood by my car reviewing everything that I needed to remember, then sirens rang, and emergency response vehicles zoomed by outside and I panicked What am I supposed to do if I meet them on the road? I freaked out for another 5 minutes. Then the examiner approached me. He is a friendli(er) looking examiner, and I did not feel that nervous with him as my examiner (My first G2 test examiner looked like those people who scowled at everything). As we headed out we started on a path that was like any other exam, then we turned right, and saw the scene of a car accident. The examiner told me to take a left, and we ended up on a road that was familiar to me. Why? Because I was heading on the exact route that I got lost on. God really had blessed me. I normally do not do well when it comes to big/steep hills. But because I had practised before hand, I knew what to expect, and I was able to proceed down the hill at a good speed.

God had really had a hand in my exam. I got lost practising for my exam, and my route was almost exact for the test. I believe that if the car accident did not happen outside of the test center, that we would have taken another route entirely. I believe most importantly, He reassured me, and calmed my heart down, enough that I was able to remember everything. The Lord has worked many ways that day, and this post does not even begin to describe all the emotions I experienced that day.

Praise the Lord. And thank you Lord for watching over me.

Run Don't Walk!

Yes, here's another list post. This will be a good list. I promise. I have been watching the Korean outdoor variety show Running Man (런닝만) for as long as it has been running (did not mean as a pun). And just on the 11th, it celebrated its two year anniversary. I can't believe the show has been running for two years now. Unbelievable! An overview of the show, 7 permanent cast members + sometimes one or two guests, would be sent to a location, and they would have to finish missions assigned by the production crew. Usually there is some sort of theme to the missions, and most of the missions require running, or some sort of fast paced thinking. Currently, it has aired 102 episodes to date, and I've only watched 92 episodes. In celebration of the two year anniversary of this hilarious and exciting show, I will list my top 7 favourite episodes out of them all. This was inspired by the article seen on Allkpop. (Warning: May contain spoilers)

7. Team Bonding (COEX) (29)
This was a good bonding episode, and getting to know the members. As a frequent variety show watcher, knowing the personalities of the members will allow for further enjoyment of the show. And the team work that was required for the mission, although Kookie did become the clutch, the dependence on each other was amazing.

6. Dynamic Duo, Simon D, Tiger JK, Yoon Mi Rae (59) 
Although my fingers curled multiple times during this show, it was an awesome spy episode. Although all the hip hop artists had such stage presence performing on stage, on this episode, it was no big star feel to them at all. they were like the people who would live next to you, personable, and easy to get along with. The ending was to die for, just the pure love. 

5. Kim Min Jung, Jung Yong Hwa (72+73)
The third overseas episode, this time in Hong Kong, my home town. I picked this episode purely out of selfishnes (since it is my home town. But they did a good job of introducing all the tourist attractions of HK while completing missions. Heck, they even got Jackie Chan to appear on the show. Seriously, Running Man 대박! (Some MAJOR spoilers ahead) Haha almost touched to tears when someone knew the lyrics to Rosa, then Gwangsoo's misfortune on the roller coaster, and Jaesuk & Haha's fear of heights in the crystal cable car. Makes me want to go home and visit all those places again. Other than that, Yonghwa on Running Man is always awesome as there are usually unexpected results.

 

4. Shin Bong Sun, Kim Sooro Lee Hong Ki (09)
 This episode took place in Lotte World. I loved this episode purely for the loveline SBS and Jong Kook had. And the first challenge was just unbelievable. I visited Lotte World last summer, and seeing that roller coaster in real life I got the crap scared out of me. I was surprised that they actually managed to sing on that roller coaster. It was so freaking fast. And also the Leisure Cup of Tea (they need to bring this segment back). Because of SBS and Kim Sooro this episode was hilarious. Lee Hong Ki could have done more if he didn't just return from Japan, he needed to switch back culturally.

3. IU, Ji Jin Hee, Joo Sang wook, Lee Chun Hee, Kim Sung Soo (76+77)
These two episodes had killers and spies all in one. The four killers are quite handsome, making it more enjoyable to watch, especially Chunderella. When they went to pick their spies, it made me wonder WHY DID YOU HAVE TO PICK HIM!? But as the spies did their jobs, it was more obvious they they did pick correctly. The turn of events happened when there were only a few left, and it was a big shock. Then IU came in the second episode, and happiness all around. 

2. Betrayal (38+91)
Not one but two episodes of ultimate betrayal from Yoo Jae Suk. My brother would argue that this would be the best episode EVAR, but this only places second on my list. But I must agree on one thing, the first time was cool, but the second time was even more awesome. I think he had a harder job in the second betrayal. One was because of the other mission that existed, and second because betrayals were so common on this show, that the smallest action could raise suspicion. 

1. Hyungnims (Lee duk Hwa, Park Jung Gyu, Park Sang Myun (90)
This episode was awesome beyond words. Firstly from their anticipation for girl groups to come. Then being scared out of their wits with the hyungnims. The amount of time they spent on the first portion was quite hilarious. It was unexpectedly hard. But I think I liked this episode the most was because it was the return of the Monday Couple. The Monday Couple finally were paired again ever since Ji Hyo came out with her relationship. The first few minuets they were awkward, but throughout the show you would see why they were dubbed Monday Couple in the first place. Although this will never turn out to be a romantic couple, the chemistry they have together is undeniable.

Black

This post is to share with you one of my new favourite artists that I have recently come to a liking for. 周柏豪, Pak Ho Chau. At the beginning of the month I was lucky enough to work at a talent show and he was the special guest. Prior to the show I didn't really know any of his songs, and didn't really know of him as an artist.

But his live is just so good, and the expressions he has on his face, it's just so inspiring. I can see that he really enjoys/loves music. That night I got home, and I started to Youtube his songs, and all the songs were love. His voice is deep but not too deep, and the lyrics are just so meaningful. Then recently I came upon this video where he had mentioned his best friend whom has stage 4 cancer. And the things he did and is doing to give him hope, and inspire his best friend to get through all this was incredible. I can see that everything he did was truly from the heart, whether it would be talking on stage, or how he treats others, it's from the bottom of his heart. I have a new found appreciation for those who write and produce their own music, and please check out his music.

天光

 

黑

(Photo credit: 新秀歌唱大賽多倫多選拔賽 New Talent Singing Awards Toronto Audition @Facebook)