FT Island in Animated Film "Toriko"

I haven't been posting a lot in the past couple of months since I've been busy at work, so I apologize. I'm slowly starting to get back into trying to post at least a couple per week. And of course, in order to do that, I have to keep up with the news.

Well, as I was browsing through the internet, I came across a news article about FT Island. (I have to confess, I pretty much only look at K-pop and Asian culture news when I'm trying to relax.)

Seems that they will be again lending their musical talents to another anime (this time a movie) called "Toriko". They will be singing the ending song to the movie. The anime is by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro and will feature this character, Toriko, on his adventures all around the world.

FT Island will also be featured in the movie as themselves. They have really handsome likenesses to each member! Some anime don't stay true to the real people, but I really like the way the artists drew them. (see photo)

I believe this will be the first time they will be featured in a movie of this sort. The last time they had a hand in an anime was when they had done the song, "Neverland" for the opening theme song to the anime series, "Ozuma" in early 2012.

So proud of these guys!

Source: TenAsia

BB What?

I've often wondered how Korean women have such beautiful skin. Is it the water they drink? Their diet? Are they just born with good skin genes? Combination of all the above? I couldn't be sure. But I know one thing I can be sure of is that their makeup lines certainly help in up keeping their skin with that beautiful translucent fair glow.

I researched a bunch of product lines. All claiming to be all natural and healthy for your skin. Now, some will say that putting any type of silicone or dimethicone in a cream is not healthy, but I honestly don't know how else you would be able to have any cream adhere smoothly onto skin.

After googling lines such as Étude House, Missha, Nature Republic and The Face Shop, I decided to finally try it for myself.

The simplest way to tackle this, I felt, was to go with the most popular product out on the market, the beneficial Bb cream. The "bb" stands for "blemish balm" or "beauty balm". Full of moisturizers, sunscreen and vitamins (depending on the line), doctors used to give these creams to patients who were recovering from laser surgery or burns to soothe and protect their tender skin.

Which to try first? Well, other than trying to order them off the net, I felt it would be easier to go with those that I could try in person first. The Face Shop and Nature Republic are stores nearest to me so I opted to go with them first.

I tried products from The Face Shop first. It was closest to wear I live. They offered several bb creams ranging from heavy to light coverage. I decided to try Lovely Me:Ex bb cream (don't ask me what ex means, I haven't the foggiest) and Magic Cover bb cream. (I also tried a bunch of samples like their aqua and waterproof, but I won't cover them here.)

The Magic Cover bb cream comes in two shades, light and natural beige. I am more of a natural beige. It is light, yet creamy with substance. If you put a bit onto your skin it doesn't run and it's not sticky at all. I learned from the first application that you really do not need a lot. I pumped out what I thought would be a reasonable amount, like a dime sized amount, and it was too much. When I put it on my face I looked as white as a sheet. But, my skin looked really smooth. Really, less is more! The cream has a almost baby oil smell and dries matte. It really covered the redness on my cheeks and some imperfections.

The second product I tried was Lovely Me:Ex bb cream. This brand tailors more towards the younger teen audience. Whereas the Magic Cover bb cream had some moisturizers, wrinkle reducer and SPF 40, this one only had SPF 20. And that's it. The cream is a little loose, but still not runny or sticky. It only comes in one shade, or so I saw, and it's actually the best color match to my skin. It's a natural beige with yellow undertones. The Magic Cover had more pink undertones so it kinda made my skin look gray. The Lovely Me cream smelled mostly like baby powder. It's addicting. I actually found with this cream I had to put more on. If you're looking for good coverage, this cream doesn't cut it. For instance, I have under eye circles, but this barely covers it. What it did do was make my skin look slightly made up and imparted a dewy look to my skin. This eventually fades a bit, but there is still that soft sheen.

I love both of these so far, they really sit well on my skin. And they do not rub off or cake under my glasses. Yes, I'm a dork, I wear glasses. I can switch between the both of them depending on my mood. I imagine you can also layer both with a powder foundation, but being that I don't like a lot of makeup on, I didn't apply any on. I included a side by side comparison of how the products looked on my skin. The left is the Magic Cover and the other is the Lovely Me.

Very cool makeup, I can't wait to head to Nature Republic to try their line!

Hope you liked my ramble, comment if you tried these products or if you had another recommendation on what else to try!

Samgyetang- Korean Chicken with Ginseng Soup

Recently, Siwon of Super Junior tweeted a pic of samgyetang soup. Samgyetang is a Korean chicken and rice soup with ginseng, jujubes, and garlic. Lots of garlic.

I remember a friend of mine raving about the samgyetang she had in Busan when she had visited earlier this year. It also happens to be a favorite dish of one of my favorite idols, Hong Ki of FT Island.

The picture that Siwon tweeted along with the description from my friend had me looking up the recipe.

Photo Courtesy of Choi Siwon's Twitter

Now, I love to cook. And I like to cook as authentically as possible. If there's any inkling that a recipe may be otherwise, I move on. Lucky for me, there's YouTube. I happened to see this Korean ahjumma demonstrating dukkbokki in one video and found she had one for samgyetang. Hallelujah! Can't go wrong. It's simple with only a few ingredients. The only thing that kinda makes me squeamish is the whole ginseng root. But apparently to all Koreans, it's a necessity and it's good for you. Otherwise it would just be chicken soup.

Now that the weather is colder, I'm going to be making this. And hopefully post a review on this, unless I eat it too fast. I hear you're supposed to eat this in the summer, but I would love this to warm me up on a cold winter day.

Here's the video, you can also find it on Maangchi's page. (Of course I don't take credit nor own the video and any pictures on this post.) Check out the other recipes too on http://www.maangchi.com. Then come back to see a review, or let me know how yours turned out. Enjoy!

Will the Cast of "Glee" Be Able to Pull Off Psy?

This is what I'm wondering after seeing AllKpop's article on this.

ABC's hit musical drama, "Glee", will be airing their take on Psy's famous hit, "Gangnam Style".

Everyone has done the horse dance by now. Why not the cast of "Glee", too?

Cast admits it was a challenge learning the song in Korean. Let's see what America, the world, and especially the Koreans think about this latest copy.

Just remember, mimicry is the most sincerest way to compliment someone.

Click here for the link to the article with a teaser.

Source: AllKpop

Total Respect for Production Crews

In my line of work, I've been privy to behind the scenes looks of documentaries and commercials.

Today was an especially grueling day on set. Working with multiple talent (actors and actresses), many combinations of wardrobe and props under intense summer heat, I have found a greater respect for production crews.

Stylists, prop artists and production assistants constantly rush back and forth the whole day getting a prop for an actor, fixing hair, wardrobe and make-up, making sure outsiders (everyday people) are kept off the set and quiet and basically making sure everything is moving along smoothly. It is rough! On top of that, the director, sound and lighting crews make sure everything is sticking to script and lighting is ok. It's especially rough when you shoot outdoors, like we were today. We were constantly having to wait for the sun to come out behind clouds. Sometimes we would have a couple of minutes and sometimes it was only a few seconds to get precious takes. It is a heck of a lot of waiting!

Craft service crew members (the ones that provide the food, the good part of being on set) fill and refill snacks and food, making sure no one goes hungry or thirsty. Staying hydrated today was a problem since it was so hot.

There is so much work that goes into putting together a piece that goes on TV. And I didn't really understand why people would lose sleep or weight. Now, I get it. Perhaps I didn't stay for long enough on sets before, or perhaps it just didn't click when I read actors lose sleep and weight during weeks of shooting. (Google pics of different actors like Jang Geun Suk, Kim Hyun Joong, and Lee Min Ho pre, during and post production on their dramas. You'll see what I mean) With call times in the early morning and wrap up times late at night, it's no wonder!

It's so cool and glamorous on the outside. A friend of mine on Facebook thought it was so cool that I work on sets. And yeah, it is. You meet people and you get a first look at everything. But it is tiring work. I wouldn't recommend it for just anyone.

I definitely have total respect for production crews on TV shows and movies. Especially the ones on Korean dramas. I hear they run their crews ragged to get the perfect takes on shoot constantly, day after long day. Whew!

Tomorrow, I pull double duty. I'll be part of the production crew and I'll also be acting again. We'll see how it goes. Hope I wake up on time, it's another early morning call and a full shoot day.

Blog about it later! Happy weekend! Hwaiting!

Asian Stars Bulking Up!

I've been noticing trends with the Asian male stars, and mostly Korean since that's what I've been watching a lot. There seems to be a trend favoring bodies that are leaner and sexier.

Where lean and skinny was once considered handsome or pretty, muscular and "cut" (showing muscular definition) seems to now have taken over.

Take for instance one time SS501 leader Kim Hyun Joong. While he was filming the popular K-Drama "Boys Before Flowers" he was lean, a little on the skeletal side and handsomely beautiful. Cut to a few years later and he's seen without shirts showing off his ripped (aka chocolate) abs and defined pecs and biceps.

Another example is CNBlue hottie Jung Yong Hwa. He was Park Shin Hye's affectionate, yet sometimes awkward suitor in the popular drama "You're Beautiful". While filming, he was lean, with slight definition to his arms and chest. Earlier this year, after wrapping up promotions for CNBlue's latest album, "Ear Fun", he tweeted that he would be hitting the gym to bulk himself up. In a recent video posted on AllKPop, he shows off his back in a wife beater (that's a men's tank top in case you haven't hear the term before. It doesn't actually mean that you beat your wife). His back muscles and arms clearly defined as he flexed for the camera.

Lastly is FT Island member's Lee Hong Ki and Choi Jong Hoon. While at a concert, in front of hundreds of their fans, they promise they are going to show them better bodies at a future concert. Jong Hoon and Hong Ki hit the gym and while they were in Thailand, Hong Ki pulls up Jong Hoon's shirt displaying his abs to all their adoring fans. Sadly, I don't think Hong Ki was able to show his set off yet. (sorry ladies!)

My point is, what is the point?? In just my humble opinion these guys looked great before they started to work out. I know they love their fans and it's their job to look good, but honestly, sometimes stars/idols can go overboard. Why do these stars feel like they need to bulk up in order to look more handsome? Weren't they handsome enough before? What? Their  handsome faces, voices or acting weren't enough? And why are we, the fans, encouraging them to change? I hope it's for their own self worth and health. I think that would be ok. But anything other than that, is so unnecessary in my opinion.

These stars shouldn't tamper with what God gave them. They should be grateful they're already handsome. I wish these stars would remember that some fans love them just the way they are.

Want to see an example? Go to part 2 of this post. Tell me, do you think as handsome as these stars are, they need to be bulking up?

By the way, can anyone who reads my post tell me if they can read any of my current posts? I usually post daily, and I think there may be something wrong with my site. Please help me?

Netflix vs Hulu Plus for K-Dramas

I am going to go out on a limb here and just assume others have been in my situation.

I am currently debating whether or not I want to reinstate my Netflix membership or not. Why? I simply am not happy with the selection on Netflix. Especially when it comes to Korean dramas.

I think it's been especially, pardon my expression, "sucky" the past year as they moved away from blockbuster movies to TV and drama series. Granted it's been because they lost their partnership with Starz (I believe) but I have my doubts on whether or not this was a good move.

But, I digress...I can go onto a totally different tangent on just their movie selection alone. I want them to have more K-Dramas! And not just the older titles, but current titles as well.

Netflix has been a bit of a thorn in my side when it comes to K-Dramas. They have well-known dramas, but some dramas do not have all of the episodes. For instance, I was thrilled to see that they had Lee Min Ho's drama "City Hunter" and Song Seung Hun's drama "My Princess". But when I went to watch them, there was only half of the episodes listed. Now, they have the full list of episodes ready to watch. But my pet peeve was when I wanted to watch them, they weren't available. And this was after the dramas had been complete for some time. Netflix also has hiccups in their service where it takes quite a while to stream movies or dramas. My experience has been that Netflix would stream for 12 seconds then stop, then stream for 5 seconds and then stop again. Very, very difficult to watch. I have never experienced this with anyone else like YouTube or Hulu.

Speaking of Hulu, I am currently exploring Hulu Plus. I just started my trial the other day. I have to say that I am impressed so far. Not only do they have the older K-Drama titles, but they have newer ones like "My Name Is Kim Sam Soon" as well such as "Time Slip Dr. Jin" and "Baker King Kim Tak Gu". I will note that "Dr. Jin" has not finished airing yet, or may have just finished, but all of the episodes up until this point have been posted on Hulu ready to be streamed. They stream from Drama Fever and have pretty much everything that Drama Fever has, and just within the last year alone, I know that they have grown quite a lot in their selection.

However, I have a slight annoyance with Hulu. I am not sure if this will go away once I have membership, but every program, TV series or movie I have tried to watch has what they call "limited commercials". This is something that I never experienced with Netflix. I hate it. I hate it that YouTube does it, and I hate it that Hulu does it. I hope there is a plan that let's me remove commercials, for a good price of course.

So, the jury is still out on both of these services. But frankly, without the good movie service and the fact that I would use either service to watch K-Dramas, I am leaning more towards.....Hulu Plus.


By the way, can anyone who reads my post tell me if they can read any of my current posts? I usually post daily, and I think there may be something wrong with my site. Please help me?

FT Island's Song Seung Hyun Kicks Off Musical

Has anyone heard about what FT Island's maknae (youngest member) is up to now?

Well, it looks like he's joining the rest of his hyungs (older "brothers") as an actor.

In one of my earlier posts, I wrote about how surprised I was that Song Seung Hyun could actually sing. Apparently, he can sing pretty well. Well enough to be cast into role of "Daniel" in the musical "Jack the Ripper".

Now, I'm waiting for the jury to come out on whether or not this guy can act. But if his singing is any indication, he may surprise us.

But...and it's a small favor to ask...can someone talk to the make-up artists, let them know that the guy is actually good looking. And that he doesn't need all that pancake make-up in order to look good.

Hey, I'm all for stage make-up, it worked wonders for me. But if you don't need a lot of it, please lay off. For one, it makes you look like a ghost, another is that it gets very itchy. And lastly, if you start to sweat, you begin to sweat rivers of pancake make-up. Trust me when I say that it doesn't look very good under hot lights.

Take a look below and tell me, does he look like he needs this much make-up? *have to disclose that I don't own this picture. I took it off of allkpop, so rights go to them*

The poor guy has so much make-up he looks like a woman and just shy of a clown. Give the guy a break, please?

Song Seung Hyun...like your hyungs told you, work hard and do well! Hope you have a successful run that will lead to many more opportunities!

Psy's Gangnam Style!

OMG, this song and it's music video is everywhere here. From radio stations, to Facebook posts to covers, it's becoming extremely popular!

I'll admit that this song is super catchy. The beat, the catchphrase "Oppa Gangnam Style!" is so repetitious you'll be saying it in your sleep. And the dancing, good lord the dancing, I can totally see a new dance craze.

But wait! Why does that dance move look so familiar?? Oh yeah! It looks like the galloping horse dance from back in the early 2000's. Only now, it's updated to use two hands to "hold the horse" instead of one.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not bashing Psy for coming up with a repeat move. I just find it funny that a version of the horse dance is making a comeback so soon. Can you just imagine a whole flash mob dancing to this? That would be so cool!

I really like the lyrics. It's interesting cause it's level headed lyrics, but weird because it's with off key scenes.

The lyrics talk about how he is the type of guy, like the guys from Gangnam, that likes girls that are clothed more without any bare skin showing. Like Gangnam guys, he finds girls that are like that sensible, but sexy. Totally his style. Got to respect that. (I'm paraphrasing only a section of the song by the way)

It's hilarity but with a good message.

"Oppa Gangnam Style!" LOL!


I do not own this video. All credit goes to PSY. What a guy that PSY.

SISTAR "Loving You" Drum Cover

I have a good college friend who loves to do drum covers of songs from famous artists.

After some, ok lots, of begging, he's starting to do covers of K-Pop songs again. Yay!

One of his new drum covers is by popular girl group, SISTAR!

I love this song and I love the scenery. It was shot in and around one of my favorite places to blog, a beach park in Hawaii!

I wanted to share this with all who come by. He's an awesome drummer and I want him to keep doing K-Pop! If you have a moment, stop by the "Xymbalreborn" page on YouTube. And show him your love for this song by liking it.

By the way, if you've ever seen a TV show called "Hawaii Five-0", he does a pretty good drum cover of that, too. It's one we all know too well, haha.

Check out his video below!

I Soju, We Soju

At the end of one of my earlier posts, I posted a pic of soju. Soju is a popular distilled Korean drink served in bars in Asian bars in the U.S. and certain restaurants in South Korea. It is usually drunk neat and always served in a shot glass to a companion. It has its own serving protocols to show respect to those older than you, but I won't go into more detail as that would be quite long to explain.

Soju can be made from different starches such as rice, wheat, barley and sweet potato and tastes a bit like sake (Japanese rice wine) or vodka.

It can be flavored with fruit, such as strawberry, watermelon (my favorite) or melon and blended with ice to make a slush. These flavored ones are the most dangerous as the fruity flavor takes a bit of the bite away from the alcohol in the soju. Trust me, I've seen many friends become smashed just by drinking a couple of shots.

If you ever come across the chance to try this popular drink, please do. But don't forget you have to be legal to drink it.

It's wonderful ice cold and drunk with a couple of friends. You never want to drink a whole bottle by yourself. It's that potent, no matter what it's mixed with.

Enjoy!

Idols- to tweet or not tweet to?

Ok, something has been bugging me for quite a while.

I'm pretty new to the Twitterverse, so my hash tagging and my quotes are sometimes weird. I also live in a part of the world that's one of the last places to get news because of our time zone. When idols tweet at night, I don't see them in my feed until I wake up the next day. Hours later.

I follow a good part of the South Korean idols, actors, etc. that I like. And more of course. It's cool and exciting to see what they're up to. And the selcas (self camera shots) are funny sometimes, too.

My questions are: when is it ok to tweet to an idol? Like an "out of the blue when you feel like it" tweet? Do you only follow them and reply to their tweets? Is it ok to tweet stars like Lee Hong Ki, Lee Min Ho, CNBlue, Wonder Girls and more questions like "how are you?" or "what have you been up to?" as long as it's not too personal? And when is it too late to reply to a tweet? I feel embarrassed replying to anything more than a couple of hours old. It feels like I'm replying to no one because everyone else has said their peace and moved on.

I wouldn't want to go crazy like sasaengs, wanting to know everything about stars...But is it too much to do that? Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter open up communication. But is there some sort of unstated protocol?

Wildly curious...

And I definitely wouldn't want to offend...

Hungry for Soondubu

I can't believe it, but I am actually feeling chilly. I'm sitting in my living room with the door open for a little breeze to come through. It's the middle of summer and it feels like it's late winter/early spring.

Nights like this make me crave for some Soondubu Jjigae or spicy soft tofu soup.

It's a light soup made with spicy pepper paste, veggies like green onion and soft tofu. Sadly, even though it seems relatively easy to make, I haven't been able to try. Sigh...need to up this on my list of recipes to make.

Since I can't make it, when I need a fix, I go to my nearest Korean restaurant to order it. But you can't take it home! Like pho, it's best eaten at the table. With the usual sides of vegetables (banchan), of course. It comes in an earthenware pot, scalding hot, with all the bubbling soup sitting inside waiting to be eaten. Eat with some rice and the aforementioned veggies and you've got a light healthy meal.

Eat you soon, soondubu!

 

Image courtesy of me, please ask before using.