Haikyuu! (Ongoing)

One of the saddest things I've had to encounter recently is the end of Kuroko no Basket's season 2. I found out about Kuroko through last year's Jump Festa. I visited Japan last December and was fortunate to be able to join the event. During the event, it was evident that Kuroko no Basket is a very popular anime in Japan. I had no idea about the show before coming to Japan but since Kuroko stuff is all over Japan, I decided to give it a try and I loved it. A few weeks ago, the last episode of its season 2 aired and I was so sad because I wanted to watch more of Kuroko and the team. Good thing, however, that Shounen Jump decided to adapt another sports manga as an anime-- Haikyuu!

I had high hopes for this anime because #1. I loved the plot. and #2. It's from Shounen Jump. So last week, I started watching the show and I can't be any more pleased. Loved the plot, the drawing, the colors... And it's funny. Yay!

I watch the show with my mom, who, by the way, loved the show as much as she loved Kuroko. So if you guys are thinking about starting to watch an ongoing anime, then I suggest you try this show out. There is no down side, in my opinion. Unless you count that you have to wait every week for a new episode as a bad thing (because apparently you are more impatient than I am). Currently, there are four episodes and I can't wait to watch the next!

Here's the plot taken from MyAnimeList.net:

A chance event triggered Shouyou Hinata's love for volleyball. His club had no members, but somehow persevered and finally made it into its very first and final regular match of middle school, where it was steamrolled by Tobio Kageyama, a superstar player known as "King of the Court." Vowing revenge, Hinata applied to the Karasuno High School volleyball club... only to come face-to-face with his hated rival, Kageyama!

A tale of hot-blooded youth and volleyball from the pen of Haruichi Furudate!!

Have you heard of this anime before? Are you currently watching it? Or are you planning to? Leave your thoughts below!

C.N.Blue- Truth: First Impression

There are only a few artists that I listen to over and over again. If you haven't noticed yet, I have a wide range of interest when it comes to music that's why it's hard for me to just stick with one artist, even for just a week. Also, I almost always don't listen to an artist's whole album. I just remember the songs I like and I play that over and over again. I have, however, a few that I listen to (the whole album) over and over again. Epik High is one of them, as well as EXO. Another one is Juniel and of course, C.N. Blue! C.N. Blue is such a talented group, I can't even point out any flaw. They're good looking too! ;)

They recently released this song called "Truth" and I want to share it with you.

The melody is catchy, as expected. I've never heard any C.N.Blue song that disappointed me. It's always been a song that has a certain sound that lingers. For some reason, even though this was sung in Japanese, I still liked listening to it (and I will probably have this on repeat). Yonghwa's voice is flawless as always. I have nothing but praise for this song. I love it! Do you?

K-Pop Star 3 Finale: My Thoughts

If you've been following me for quite some time now, you would know that I'm addicted to this Korean audition program called K-Pop Star. Right now, I'm watching the third season. I loved the second season although I wasn't able to finish it (daebaksubs had to stop subbing because of copyright claims, etc. etc.). For this very reason, I had high expectations with the third. I expected to see fresh and new talents that I would root for.

 Top Ten

The overall search from regionals to top ten selection was really interesting for me to watch since there were a lot of aspiring youngsters who had so much talent in them. Although not everyone I cheered for made it to top ten, I was still happy they were given enough exposure during the selection. Among them is Peter Han, Heong Jeong Hee and Brody.

 Something

 Kwon Jin Ah

When top ten was chosen, I was particularly drawn to Kwon Jin Ah and Something. Something didn't make it to the live broadcast. It was really heartbreaking as I wanted to see more of the duo. I really hope they get casted in an agency and debut soon. Kwon Jin Ah, however, did pretty well! She reached until top three and was eliminated just before the grand finale. It was such a pity since I really had this feeling that Kwon Jin Ah had the qualities of a K-Pop Star. I'm crossing my fingers, though, that an agency casts her and make her debut possible. I really consider her as the winner. Watch her perform Sunmi's 24 Hours here:

I only have one episode to go and I can't wait to find out who the winner is! I will be saving this post and get back as soon as I finish the whole program and find out who the winner is. I'm so excited!

[UPDATED!!!]

I just finished the whole season and was shocked to find out that Bernard Park won! I really thought Sam would take over because he always had a lot of fans in the background. Nevertheless, I'm happy for Bernard Park. I really wish he achieves his dream through this and get to help his family.

Another thing I was happy about is that all the contestants I liked were there in the finale: Peter Han, Something and Kwon Jin Ah (the winner in my heart)!!! Yay! :)

Full House Thai: Review

So it's been a while since I talked about a drama that I already finished. Recently, I came across the Thai version of the popular 2004 Korean drama Full House. Back then, it was my favorite Korean drama (and actually remains as one of the top dramas I enjoyed). I was curious to see how they delivered this drama in Thai setting. It's not my first time watching a Thai production show but I've never tried following a Thai drama. It's always been Thai movies for me.

After trying out one episode, I was sold. I was hooked! The plot is pretty much the same as the Korean version. It is all about an aspiring script writer named Aom-am, who was conned by her sister to go travel to Korea while she (her sister) tries to sell out her house. During her stay in Korea, she had problems with accommodations and received help from a Thai superstar, Mike. Luckily, he was in Korea for a deal with a Korean company. She then returns to Thailand only to find out that her house was already sold... To none other than Mike! She then gets entangled in a contract marriage with Mike in order to get her house back.

What I loved about the show is how well they depicted the romantic comedy in Thai setting. I also really liked the leads. They were both good looking. The lead actress was super pretty. They kept on stressing how short she was but she always looked cute to me. Mike, on the other hand, is really hot! He's so good looking! And the chemistry between the two was just amazing. A lot of times, I suppress my smile but I always fail. They were too good together! And just so you know, the leads were played by Mike Pirath Nitipaisankul and Aom Sucharat Manaying.

WARNING: Contains spoilers hereon.

I loved everything about the drama except maybe for one salient point in the latter part where Mike was torn in between his promise to Mintra and his love for Aom-am. Personally, I just found it weird. It could be because of cultural differences but I just found it really shallow and I felt like they exaggerated a bit on how that promise ultimately affected the whole marriage thing. It took him so long just to let Mintra know that he is now in love with Aom-am. Personally, I didn't think keeping the promise in a way that would be hurtful for everyone isn't healthy to begin with that's why it was a bit hard for me to fathom why such happenings were occurring. But then again, as I've said earlier, it could just be because of cultural differences. Other than that, I enjoyed every episode, every moment. This is one of the best dramas I've watched recently, Korean dramas included.

If you're just starting out with Thai dramas, like I was, and if romantic comedy is your genre, I would highly recommend this lakorn/drama.

EXO-M: Overdose!!!

credits to owner

I haven't even typed out my post for the day on my main blog and here I am, on my drama blog, creating a post, when in fact, I don't have to. I don't know if you've seen the trend already but I basically blog everyday. I have two blogs that are currently active. This one and my beauty blog. Just to be fair and organized, I have decided to blog every other day for each blog. Yesterday, I already posted in this blog which means today is meant to be for my other blog. I was about to write down an awesome Sample Room review when I saw the news about EXO-M's performance of Overdose!

Due to the Sewol ferry tagedy, EXO-K's comeback has been delayed to give way for grieving on that very unfortunate incident. I completely understand this chain of events so I wasn't actually expecting any EXO comeback news until later but I read that EXO-M already performed the song through Global Chinese Music! I immediately watched it and (as I expected) I was completely taken over their performance. Really, 'someone call the doctor' please. Because EXO has really got me! Watch their performance below!

EXO! I want you! Luhan! You've got me! *fangirling*

I know I can be shallow at times. I like certain artists because they are physically attractive (so on and so forth) but one thing is for sure with EXO. They are not only attractive but they're also talented! I love their singing, dancing and overall performance. Also, I like their songs! They're one of the few artists that I like to listen to (the whole album). I can't wait for the mini album to be released. Keep it up EXO! I hope you come and visit Philippines again. :)

K-Pop Star 3: Peter Han

WARNING: Contains spoilers!

Over the past few days, my blog has turned into a reaction blog towards an audition program that I've been hooked to-- K-Pop Star Season 3. Since I did a long post yesterday when it was supposed to be a 'skip day' for me, I won't be writing long for today. I will just be sharing an eye candy that I found while watching the third season of K-Pop Star-- Peter Han!

 Peter Han with the Shorties

 Lower right corner- Peter Han

with Yao Weitao

I am extremely sad that he got eliminated, not only because I felt like he had all the star qualities needed to debut in the music industry but because I genuinely felt like his last performance was so much better than some of the people that were chosen as part of the top ten.

If you don't know who Peter Han is, then you better read on. He's basically a contestant in the aforementioned show. He's from Austria and he has a very nice musical background. If I'm not mistaken, both his parents are working under the musical field.

In my opinion, he's the most good looking contestant in K-Pop Star Season 3. I will be leaving you with one of his performances with another contestant, Yao Weitao (who also got eliminated), the good looking Chinese chef. While they can't take their eyes off of you (They're singing the song "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", I can't take my eyes off of Peter Han! Sorry for too much fangirling. Just let me be. Jebal. Hehe.

K-Pop Star 3: Hong Jeong Hee (홍정희)

WARNING: Contains spoilers.

I'm not supposed to write down a post today but I just feel so down, I have to let out these unfair feelings stirring up inside me. So as you probably could tell, I've been into watching K-Pop Star Season 3. Yesterday, I posted about Brody from episode 8, thinking she got really eliminated. It was a sad event but during that time, I think the judges were in the right position when they made this choice.

Today, however, as I was watching episode 12, my heart was wrecked, almost literally. This post is in tribute for this one talent who, in my opinion, should not have been eliminated- Hong Jeong Hee (홍정희). During the battle audition, Hong Jeong Hee was up against Bae Min Ah and Almeng, both formidable opponents for this 'make it or break it' round. They will be ranked in this battle. The one who goes first goes straight to the top ten contenders and the second place goes for a re-match. The one who goes last, however, gets eliminated. And as stated above, Hong Jeong Hee was eliminated. And for me, it was just unfair. I think this is one of the most unfair situations I have ever seen in my life. And yes, I may have exaggerated a little bit on this. It was so unfair that I didn't really find it weird that YHY couldn't control his tears during the announcement of ranking.

Let me give you a little bit of an overview of what transpired during this stage. In my opinion, Hong Jeong Hee did a really good job. YHY chose a trot song for her to sing- ballad style. During the performance, she was really able to showcase her abilities in singing. I especially liked the quality of her voice, the technique and interpretation. I think the song fit her really nicely and that she really put out a really nice stage, fitting for the said crucial stage. Just so you have an idea, here's an audio of her performance:

Just hearing the audio shows how good her voice is but if you like, you can also view the whole stage here:

You can watch starting from the 5:24 mark.

Now her rival for this stage would be, in my opinion, is Bae Min Ah. She did a really good job. I thought if they didn't particularly like Hong Jeong Hee's song choice, it would be Bae Min Ah who would get the top spot. But no, it was Almeng!

Now before all Almeng fans lash out on this post, I would like to clear that I have nothing against them. I feel that they are musically talented. They are very passionate and it really shows in all their performances. They produce their stage very well and arrange their songs perfectly. In fact, I have this high regard for Almeng basically because I feel that they are good, but not only because they are naturally good. It is also because they work hard to be good and it shows. The only problem during this performance was that Choi Rin's voice was not in its best condition. To better explain, you can watch their performance below and you would see that her voice cracked several times during the performance. There were also a number of times when her voice sounds like it's having a hard time coming out. On another note, without a doubt, the arrangement and lyrics were the best out of the three. But for this stage, their delivery was the worst. I mean, I could see the passion and hard work that was placed just to finish the performance. But the thing is, I don't know if I've heard it from other judges or in other audition programs, voice management (taking care of your throat) is a vital part of preparation for every performance. I agree with this because you will be judged on the delivery itself don't do it properly, your song and arrangement won't come out as good as expected. This was very evident in their performance here.

If you watch it objectively, it was obvious that their performance wasn't good enough mainly because of the quality of the voice that came out during the performance. Surely, Almeng has one of the most potential out there but more than potential, performance must be taken more into consideration. I just felt like they didn't deserve first place during this stage. I know how good Almeng is but if I just compare the two performances, Hong Jeong Hee did a lot better. For this very reason, I am sleeping with a heavy heart.

Oh, and to make it clear, I don't mean to say Almeng must be eliminated, because they are good and they will probably create great stages for the live performances but just judging from these performances, they were clearly last, in my honest opinion.

I made this post just because I felt that it was so unfair for Jeong Hee's part. What do you think?

K-Pop Star 3: Brody

Hi guys! I'm currently on a K-Pop Star mode. For the past few days, all I've been doing is watching K-Pop Star stuff. It all started when I found out about 2000 Won's "I Hate Seoul" MV getting released, followed by reminiscing Racoon Boys during season 2. Because of this, I have decided to watch the third season, just to see if the new contestants are as good (or even better) than the previous season. Right now, I'm on episode 8 and the only reason why I'm stopping is because it's already 12:40AM and I have to hit the sack. (Yes, I schedule posts just a few hours before it gets published. Haha.) For this reason, I won't be writing a long post like I usually do. Instead, I would just simply share this performance of Brody from K-Pop Star Season 3.

*SPOILER ALERT*

She was the youngest of all the contenders, it was such a pity she got eliminated. She has a lot of potential in her and she has that certain charm to draw in viewers. I really hope she doesn't stop and continue to head towards a career in music. For now, let me leave you with one of my favorite performances of hers, "Titanium".

If you haven't watched K-Pop Star Season 3 yet, I suggest you do. It's just as good as the previous season, if not better. Oh, and there's an eye candy for the ladies out there so that's a plus. And yes, I am talking about Peter Han. (I'm not even going to deny it. Haha.)

Oh, and today's Good Friday so I would love to leave you with this quote by Augustus William Hare. "The cross was two pieces of dead wood; and a helpless unresisting Man was nailed to it; yet it was mightier than the world, and triumphed, and will ever triumph over it." This is just one of the top ten quotes to share about Jesus Christ to commemorate his crucifixion. Other quotes are found in International Business Times. Be sure to read it if you have time. God bless everyone!

UPDATE + SPOLERS

I am now at Episode 10 and WOW! Just WOW! Brody wasn't eliminated after all... She was casted in JYP! Yay! And Peter Han??? He's still sooo good looking, I can't even... ;)

Angel Eyes: My Thoughts

I have finally decided on a new Korean drama to follow, now that my previous favorite "Emergency Couple" has ended. Out of all the new and fairly new dramas out there, I chose to watch Angel Eyes. It is a drama starring Goo Hye Sun (Boys Over Flowers). I have high expectations on the drama because of Goo Hye Sun and because the plot is very interesting for me.

 I love their young love story. Sooo sweet!

 Oh, and VIPs??? BigBang's Seungri is a part of the cast! I saw the preview of the 3rd episode and I seriously cracked up when I saw Seungri during Basic Life Support training! I can't wait to watch episode 3!

It is all about finding each other's first love after 12 years. Yoon Soo Wan used to be a strong and lonely girl who, because of an accident, lost her sense of sight. She met Park Dong Joo, a boy who's always fancied her, even after finding out about her disability. They started a romantic relationship but eventually had to separate because of filial responsibilities. Twelve years later, they meet again. Only this time, Soo Wan has already received a donor for her eye operation and can now see.

Although this is not exactly the genre that I lean towards to, the plot seems interesting enough for me to be hooked. The story is very well paced and the characters were nicely built up. I also like the choices for actors and actresses. I'm currently on Episode 3 and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Are you also planning to follow this drama? If you do, let me know down below in the comment section.

For today's featured performance, I have Racoon Boys with Park Jae Hyung during their Dream Stage "Toxic" performance in K-Pop Star 2. I came across this performance because yesterday I shared 2000 won's new song "I Hate Seoul" and that reminded me of the Racoon Boys, who I hope debut together someday. I know the three has already separated ways but I still have this thread of hope within me.  They were so good together. Park Jae Hyung, however, has become a part of 5Live. I sincerely thought it would be great if these four people debuted together but seeing as Jae Hyung is already doing well with 5Live, I'm still glad.

Prime Minister and I + 2000 Won's I Hate Seoul: My Thoughts

Prime Minister and I isn't actually a new drama. It started late last year and it already ended two months ago. I knew about it from week one and I immediately watched it as soon as english subtitles were released. The sad thing about it, however, is that during that week, I didn't find the story to be amusing enough for me to actually finish one episode. Yes, you heard me right. Although the genre of the story is romantic comedy, my favorite, the story itself didn't appeal to me. It's not that the pace was too slow for me but I just didn't really like watching the show because of the main lead. Just to clarify, I have nothing against each of the leads. Although I am not familiar with Lee Beom Soo, I can see that he's a good actor and he does his Prime Minister role quite well. Yoona, on the other hand, has always been one of my top SNSD members that I admire. She's pretty and she acts well. This brings me back into revealing why I was so uninterested of the drama when in fact, individually, both lead actors were great. Two words. Age gap. I don't actually care about their age gap in real life but physically, they look so far apart in that category that I didn't feel the chemistry at all.

Yesterday, however, I did not have anything to watch so I tried viewing the drama again. I'm a firm believer of second chances (in giving a certain drama my attention) and I'm glad I did. Now that I'm watching it for the second time, I don't cringe at the age gap anymore. It's still too early for me to judge the drama as a whole but so far, so good. I'm planning to watch more episodes. I'm still on episode 3 so I can't really comment much on other aspects of the drama but I think it's worth the time. It's entertaining enough for me and I'm planning to finish the whole drama in the coming days especially since I haven't really decided on what to watch as replacement for the now finished "Emergency Couple". Oh how I miss that drama!

Something that I ought to mention in this post is the plot. The story is all about Nam Da Jung, a writer from a tabloid news spread called Scandal News. In an attempt to get a scoop on the youngest nominee to be the prime minister, she got herself tangled in a scandal with the nominee, Kwon Yul! To settle everything, they both ended up in a contract relationship with each other.

I suggest you try it out and watch it with me. I actually want buddies to watch it with. Oh, and if you already watched this, let me know if you find it any good. But please, no spoilers. I can't accept that. Haha.

On another note, I would like to share a new song that was released a few days ago that I just came to know about today. The song is by 이천원 (2000 Won), a duo group from South Korea, whom I knew from K-Pop Star Season 2 alongside Akdong Musician and Racoon Boys. They were among my favorites that season, including the other two mentioned just now. Anyway, 2000 Won got eliminated in the middle of the competition, seeing as Akdong Musician was the grand winner but it's just really nice to see that they have actually debuted despite having been eliminated. I particularly liked them because I knew they had talent within them to break into the K-Pop music industry and this song proves me right. I just hope they make it big and the promotions for this particular song goes well.

Here's their music video so you guys have an idea of what I'm talking about. It's entitled, "I Hate Seoul".

And here's a shout out to my good friend, Jade who's just moved to UK. Hit me with your adventure stories as soon as you can, okay? I can't wait! :)

Real Man (Korean Variety): My Thoughts

So recently, I've been into this Korean variety show called Real Man/ Real Men. I wasn't really sure what to expect from it except that the setting was in the military. The reason why I decided to watch it in the first place is because of Super Junior's Henry. Somehow, all the news I've read regarding the show is all centered in Henry. (Or it could be because I only read the news when I see Henry's name in its title.) It was interesting for me to read about some of his 'adventures' in the military especially when he was just starting and his friends tricked him into believing all the lies they said about the army (bring cash for weapons, red caps are the managers, knowing girl groups is a no-no, etc.) Recently, I've read about him calling SNSD's Tiffany to score some points from his superior and that's when I finally decided that I must watch the show once and for all. Good thing there are subbed versions for me to enjoy.

So excited, he doesn't even have any idea.

I was expecting it to be interesting but it did so much better than that! I find myself tearing up numerous of times because I've been laughing too much. I don't know why but Henry's character is so comical, sometimes I even wonder if all of it is real. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if it's scripted but fellow SJ members vouch for his innocence regarding army life that even though it's hard to believe how clueless he is, I still do! He does unbelievable things I've never imagined one could actually muster up to do inside the military but sometimes, his baby face just makes me believe he's completely innocent about the world.

Dad, I'm right behind you! :)

Another thing that I like is his relationship with his 'Appa (father)'. It's nice to see him getting support from other guys since I really think if he doesn't get any, he wouldn't survive. I like that Park Gun Hyung has always been taking care of Henry as if it was a part of his nature to do so. (If you think you've seen Park Gun Hyung before but can't seem to remember exactly where you've seen him, think "Innocent Steps" or "I Do, I Do". That might help.) He doesn't get mad at him, understands him and always tries to teach him 'the ways' in a way that Henry would understand- because Henry is such a baby. Don't get me wrong, though. I love Henry and I think he's cute and being a military baby doesn't make me like him any less. :)

Currently, this is my favorite reality show of the moment. I have a few more subbed episodes to watch and I just can't wait to finish them all and continue watching out for new releases. I'm more than ready to laugh some more. Bring it on, Henry! I'm ready.

Have any of you watched this show already? Or are you planning to? I wanna know your thoughts!

5 Centimeters Per Second: Review

5 Centimeters Per Second is one of those movies that I had such high expectations for but didn't quite meet them. Don't get me wrong, though. I don't hate the movie. In fact, for reasons I cannot explain, I like the movie. I'm not a slice of life story fan. In fact, I find them boring and I usually think the pacing is too slow for my taste. If you didn't already know what I like, I'm into romantic comedy stories so slice of life stories don't really appeal to me that much.

To me, 5 Centimeters Per Second is a romantic slice of life kind of story. It is a chain of short stories revolving one guy from his teenage years up until he became a working man in modern times. It was divided into three chapters. The first chapter was all about Takaki's first love, Akari, how they got separated and their short but sweet love story. The second chapter was still all about Takaki Tono and his days when he moved to Tanegashima, his good friend Kanae, and her unrequited love. The third chapter focuses in the modern times when Takaki was already grown up and Akari is preparing for a marriage with another man. They pass by each other under a cherry blossom tree where they decided to watch the cherry blossoms thirteen years in the past.

At first, I gotta be honest, I found it boring. I didn't like the first chapter. I had too many unnecessary comments regarding each scenes and basically, I just didn't find it interesting. The second chapter, however, made me take interest. I particularly liked Kanae's character. I like how genuine her feelings for Takaki is, even at such a young age. I can't really talk about it so much since I would probably drop some spoilers if I do, since each chapters are too short to summarize.

All in all, I wouldn't include this movie in my must-see list but I would definitely recommend it if you're into romantic slice of life stories. Here's the trailer, for those who are interested.

My friend Jade is leaving for UK today so I just want to wish her good luck and a safe flight. I'm not sure if she will be reading this but either way, since she's an important person in my life, I want to make her a part of this blog post.

L-DK (Ongoing Manga): Review

Okay so I'm back with another manga review. I've been busy with reading manga for quite some time now mainly because I only have two shows that I currently am following- Emergency Couple and Cunning Single Lady. Usually, I watch 3 along with my blogging and youtubing. But since I can't find a suitable show to add on my list, I just decided to dedicate my time on reading.

I found out about L-DK when I found out that a live action movie will be released soon. I reckon thinking, 'If this is going to be adapted on the big screen, then the story must be great'. And it is! Although the pacing of the story is a little fast for my taste, I feel that the core story line makes up for it.

It is a story about a regular girl living alone, who finds out that the school's "prince" is apparently her neighbor. You would think that this is an exciting discovery for any girl from their school. Yes, that's true. But not for Aoi. She thinks Shusei is full of himself and doesn't deserve a second look. That's how she thought until she meets the real Shusei through inevitable circumstances in her apartment, as her neighbor.

I'm currently in volume 9 and can I just say that this is a very cute romantic manga? It's not outright comedy, in my opinion, but there are definitely times when I just burst out laughing. I would definitely love to recommend this manga for all of you who are looking forward to reading a nice manga to kill time. Oh, and I particularly like the drawing. If you didn't already know, I am a firm believer that for a manga/anime to be truly beautiful, the drawing must first be beautiful. There several exceptions, of course. There are drawing styles that I am not particularly a fan of, but the story line is amazing. I'm just saying that most of the time, I look at the drawings first prior to the plot. Sorry, that sounded so shallow but it's the truth. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive my shallow self. I thank you, bow.

A Pink "Pink Blossom" Mini Album: Review

For the past two days, I have been listening to A Pink's latest mini album called "Pink Blossom". It was released last March 31, 2014 with seven tracks, one being an instrumental. This is the perfect background music for when I'm reading romance mangas. I don't know why but all their songs seem to emit a romantic feel, which I surprisingly have been loving lately.

I gotta be honest with you. I'm not a big A Pink fan. Although I have big respect for them for not going with the "sexy concept" trend, I'm still not familiar with all the members and I don't have enough knowledge on the group's total personality. They have been in the industry for a while but I haven't really listened to their albums as much as I listened to this one. So basically, what I'm trying to say is I really really like this album compared to the previous ones. I have high hopes regarding this album and I really hope that they get the recognition they deserve for this.

There are seven tracks and I would like to share my thoughts on each track, in a regular netizen's point of view, who doesn't understand the Korean language. I won't be looking for english translations so I will just comment on how it sounds to me.

1. "SUNDAY MONDAY (썬데이 먼데이)" 

This is probably my favorite track in the album. I love the acoustic feel/ sounds of the song. It matches A Pink's vocals very well. I don't exactly know what the song means (too lazy to search) but it emits a very romantic feel. I like to put this track on repeat.

2. "Mr. Chu (On Stage)"

Their title track that has been released a few days ago. It's a very catchy song that I always end up singing along with. I love the transition of different parts of the songs right from the verses to the chorus. Oh, and have you seen the MV??? I love it! All the members look so fresh! I wonder if it's possible for me to also have the same feel- fresh and youthful. (Frustrations activated! LOL)

3. "Crystal (크리스탈)"

It's the type of song that would make you take a step  side by side while listening to. I also like the transition of different parts of the song and the harmony of their voices are quite pretty to listen to.

4. "Fairytale Love (사랑동화)" 

This gives me that drama OST kind of vibe. I personally like how their voices came out in this particular song because it doesn't sound too small for my taste. (I don't know if I'm even making senses with that comment. Haha)

5. "So Long"

This has got to be my second favorite track of the list. I like the sound, their voices and I feel nostalgic everytime I hear this. I don't even know what the song means but when they say "Do You Remember", it actually stimulates me to think of different memories.

6. "Mr. Chu"

Practically the same song as the On Stage Mr. Chu, except for some added accompaniments and added song duration of a few seconds.

7. "Mr. Chu (Instrumental)"

A nice instrumental so you can definitely make a cover in no time.

I've been loving the concept so much that I actually made a makeup tutorial inspired by their Mr. Chu concept!

Ao Haru Ride (Manga): First Impression

Today, I've been itching to watch Cunning Single Lady's newest episode but I can't find subbed videos yet, and since I can't understand Korean, I had to venture out on other things that might be worthwhile to do. So at first I was very frustrated because I am originally an impatient person but as I was searching for something to watch, I came across a link that led me to find out about the upcoming live action movie of this particular manga. I wanted to watch it but since it's not yet available, I just decided to read the manga. Now I'm hooked!

I've only read Volume 1 but I can say that this story will keep me hooked! I love the characters, I love the artwork, how the characters are drawn and I just love how romantic this story is. Just to give you a jist, I will talk about the main plot of the manga.

Futaba is a pretty timid girl who's not fond of boys except for this one guy named Tanaka. Tanaka is a short, quiet guy Futaba has been crushing on. Series of events brought them together and just as when a good opportunity to actually get to know each other's feelings for one another, Tanaka had to move out of town and switch schools. Futaba was left in her old school with some friends. A school year later, guys eventually noticed that Futaba is quite the charmer and is indeed pretty. This sparked interest among the opposite sex but induced jealousy from her female classmates and friends. Eventually, Futaba was alienated and left alone. This led her to dramatically change how she acts once she stepped into high school. From the timid girl she used to be, she tried to be more outspoken and be unlady-like, just to change her image. She was then able to make friends and was living the life she thought she dreamed of until she met this boy, who looks extremely like Tanaka- only he's taller and with a different personality. He points out that her current friends are fake, which bothers her. To top things off, he's called "Mabuchi", not Tanaka, but she's sure he's the same guy. So far, the story revolves about her high school life, getting real friends and discovering love for the person she once liked.

I really really like the plot and I am definitely planning on reading some more after I type this post, which in translation is 'now'.

Cunning Single Lady (Ongoing): Review

Since my last drama post is all about a divorced couple who meets each other after six years (Emergency Couple), I might as well just make it a trend and talk about another drama that revolves around a divorced couple. Although it is possible for you to go, "Not another divorced couple drama!", I would still like to point out that the similarity of the two ends with the fact that both the leads are divorced. Other than that, the plot is very much different, so is the setting.

I hope I got your attention with my introduction paragraph and if I did, then I guess it's time for me to introduce you to "Cunning Single Lady". It is my number one favorite drama at the moment, just a tad bit higher than Emergency Couple. The reason behind this is because Lee Min Jung stars in this drama. If you're not aware, Lee Min Jung is one of my favorite Korean actresses of all times, alongside Moon Chae Young, Kim Tae Hee and Jeon Ji Hyun. Oh, and Song Hye Kyo too! So yeah, with her being in this drama, it instantly gets an automatic additional of 10 points for my like-ability meter. And mind you, my meter has 10.5 as its upper limit so it literally only needs a little push for me to over-like it.

Anyway, if everything still seems blurry to you because you're not aware who Lee Min Jung is, then I would like to slap you on the face! Just kidding! Of course I wouldn't do that to a lovely reader. (Virtual Hug- ON) Instead, I would be more than willing to try and help you get to know this great actress named Lee Min Jung by refreshing your memory on where you might have seen her. I first saw Lee Min Jung through Boys Over Flowers (Korean version, of course). She was the short (not super short) haired girl who was set up to be Goo Jun Pyo's wife. If you didn't watch that, then you might have seen her as the lead of Smile You (with Jung Kyung Ho- SNSD Sooyoung's boyfriend) or Big (with Gong Yoo- Coffee Prince). If you still haven't watched those two then you probably have never seen her before, except maybe if you've been to a boutique of a Korean cosmetics brand Skinfood, which she apparently models for. Anyway, I love this actress so much. She is one of the most beautiful person I've ever seen on screen (cause obviously, I haven't seen her in real life yet). I can only wish to be as pretty as her but I know that's really far from happening but anyway, her chemistry with Joo Sang Wook in this drama is just soooo good. I think the casting director made such a good job in getting both of them as leads.

 

Oh, and before I forget, I think it is only fair for me to mention a little something about the lead actor too since I kind of babbled away while talking about Lee Min Jung earlier. For me, Joo Sang Wook is a familiar face although I keep on forgetting his name. (Don't fret, I will have his name stored in my brain by the time this drama ends.) I saw him in a drama called Good Doctor (another great drama with Moon Chae Won and Joo Won). His role was the head of the pediatrics surgery department- Dr. Kim Do Han. And yes, this is where my little something about Joo Sang Wook story ends. I don't mean to be biased with Lee Min Jung but I have yet to get to know him some more for me to write a longer paragraph dedicated to him.

Now that you've found about the two main leads, let me talk to you about the plot of the drama. It talks about two divorcees. Immediately after having the divorce filed, the guy became a successful IT businessman. He became DonTalk (a company similar to Line)'s CEO while the girl remained struggling as a regular employee in a boutique. After a series of unfortunate events, Na Ae Ra decided to find her ex-husband, get into his company and work under the same environment.

This is indeed a romantic comedy and Lee Min Jung lived up to my expectations. She's actually good with roles like these. On the other hand, I was very surprised that Joo Sang Wook is actually also doing well. He was very serious in Good Doctor and it was just hard for me to imagine him doing comedy. And now that I've seen him do it, I actually feel like he fits comedy too!

Lastly, if you are an Infinite (K-Pop) fan, a reason for you to watch this is L!!! He stars as Cha Jung Woo's assistant.

As you can probably tell, I only have praises for this drama. You might have a different opinion, I'm okay with that. I just basically wanted to share this because I didn't want you to miss out on this drama, if you have the same drama taste as me.

Oh, this is off topic but tomorrow, I'm going for a job interview. Hopefully, everything goes well. Please pray for me,