Son Ye Jin in My Wife Got Married

Official Trailer
Photos
X’s sneak (p)Review at Twitch

Biik!

Currently watching “Dal Ja’s Spring” and it’s fun! Of all the K-drama heroines, Oh Dal Ja is the most I can relate to and these screen caps from Episode 9 pretty much illustrate how I’ve been these past few weeks.

Argh! Now my pants are starting to get tight! X_X I tried cutting back on my daily intake, but I always end up feeling like Dal Ja in the last frame above. ^_^;; And food is one of the *few* pleasures I get to indulge in. I know I should be exercising, but I haven’t got the time nor the money for gym fees… Really, I’M JUST TOO LAZY!!!! It’s even a chore getting up early in the mornings. @_@

Annyong Haseyo

I was in Seoul last June 18 to 20, 2008 for the ICAS.

On our first night in Seoul, Sir Jessie and I got lost looking for the conference venue (good thing we thought of checking out the place the night before). We took a wrong turn and walked farther and farther away from the Grand Intercontinental Hotel. The programme said Casaville–where we were staying–was just a good 10-minute walk from the conference venue, but we’ve been walking for 30 minutes already and still saw no sign of it. We decided to go back to square 1 (quite literally) and realized that the Hotel was just across the block.

That area in Seoul where we stayed (Gangnam-gu) was like a busines district, with its high-rise buildings and chaebol names, the men clad in suits and women all dolled-up. It was like Makati, but the weather was of Baguio and the smell was of… HapChang. Or was it kimchi?!? Or maybe it was the Korean restaurant beside Casaville.

It was a full 2 days and we didn’t get to go around much. Most of the conference topics were also interesting and worth listening to. I also enjoyed the bottomless coffee and the fruit shakes. Occasionally, we’d play truant and go to the nearby COEX mall. The place is big (but nothing compared MOA). We were able to go to the Kimchi Museum, but not the Aquarium (where Samsoon and Samshik brought little Mijoo).

The only Korean drama-esque experience I got was the Dang Dae Mun market, which I think was where amnesic Ji Soo and Tae Hwa sold their merchandise. But I wasn’t too keen on relieving a Tae Hwa experience and the place is like Divisoria a hundred times more!!!! I wasn’t able to do a Sassy Girl in the subway, climb Yoo Rin’s 63 Building or the steps to NamSan ala Samsoon, run around N’Seoul Tower’s circumference like Yoon Soo and Sung Jae(?) or go to Lotte World. We missed the tour of the palaces coz we left a day earlier and we only realized that there was a Buddhist temple near the mall on our way to the airport. My only taste of Korean culture was the food which they served during lunch sympo, and the Nanta performance during the gala dinner.

So I had a lot of things planned but didn’t get to do, and I could allow myself to get disappointed. But I WON’T!! You see, one of the best things that happened during my sojourn in Seoul was unplanned and unexpected: My poster was among 21 recipients of the “Outstanding Poster Presentation” Award and I even got a handsome prince, ah este, prize for that. God is so good and gracious even if I have been ungrateful these past few days. ^_^;

Anyway, there’ll be lots of other opportunities to return. There’s the AOCCN next year and the 7th World Stroke Congress in 2010. So until then…

Komapsumnida!

I had the weekend off! Spent most of it holed up alone in the dorm (Natzi and Cha were away), going out only for meals and Mass. Slept off most of my post-duty Saturday. Watched DVDs. And for a semblance of productivity, did the laundry. Ok, so I have yet to do the dishes and fix my closet and hang the clean clothes. But hey, I managed to debulk my laundry pile by 80%!!

Finally finished watching “Thank You.” Mr. Lee has died… finally. And damn, it saddened me. Why did he have to give out those choco pies on the eve of his death? Now I feel like one of those villagers who looked down on Young Shin and her family (including Grandpa). Other touching scenes for me (aside from the choco-pie give-away) were: 1) Young Shin blaming Grandpa for having taught her to be selfless; 2) Young Shin trying to shield Bom from the awful truth of her having AIDS; 3) Bom shying away from people upon learning she has AIDS; 4) Boram’s dad reaching out to Bom and asking her to teach his daughter in Math; 5) Bom singing about this wonderful world we live in; and 6) Boram’s mom and the other villagers trying to stop Young Shin from leaving Blue Island.

There was something familiar about Young Shin, Min Gi Seo and Bom strolling happily down the beach. And then some words reminiscent, though not as cheesy, as “From a world without despair…” flashed on screen. I immediately recognized that feeling of deja vu… a sick child, a selfless parent, unconditional love. I just had to confirm it with Phoebe and true enough, “Thank You” was written by the same person who wrote “Let’s Go to School SangDoo!”

I watched “Thank You” because it was Korean and I needed something to distract me from my own thoughts. Now I am not in the right state to delve further on selflessness and gratitude and how wonderful life is. All I could say is that I sure could learn a thing or two from Young Shin.

Next project: “DalJa’s Spring” and “Fantasy Couple” as per Phoebe and Lexi’s recommendations. I also intend to watch “MiSa” also written by Lee Kyung Hee as the aforementioned dramas. And I am curious about this new Korean medcial drama, “New Heart”.

Some of Life’s lessons–a text forward.

1. Be kind to yourself.
2. Looking good is feeling good inside.
3. You’re not out to please everybody.
4. Expect little but do your best and dream big.
5. Smiling is healthy.
6. Laugh your heart out. Be silly.
7. Live light and keep it simple.
8. Failure is a good starting point.
9. You’re blessed. Don’t forget to say thanks.
10. God answers.

The Good, The Bad and The Weird

The Good: Ticked off the first 3 items on my “To Do” list. Bought a cute (merthiolate) pink polka-dot dress on sale.

The Bad: Procrastination–have yet to accomplish the last 4 items on my “To Do” list. Asthma attacks and allergic rhinitis.

The Weird: Me! I’m the biggest weirdo you’ll ever meet–even I can’t figure myself out! @_@

But this one’s all good, good, good! Thanks Phoebs!

Thank You Episode 9

I think one of the reasons why “Thank You” is so emotionally difficult for me to watch is because of the issues Min Gi Seo have about losing patients despite his best efforts, as well as quack doctor Rico’s feelings of ineptness. ^_^;;

I’m now on Episode 9 but things are getting to be more interesting now that Bom’s secret is out. Thanks but NO thanks to Grandpa who continues to thrive in his own little fantasy world, oblivious to the trouble he has caused Young Shin and Bom. Now, I am not an agist; I’ve actually got elderly and even demented patients who are cute and endearing. But not Mr. Lee! He’s such an inconvenience! I hoped he was lost for good when he ran away, but Young Shin and Bom found him! I thought I was never gonna see him after falling off the bridge, but Seok Hyun rescued him. And then Min Gi Seo had to successfully perform CPR after V-tach. Lexi hints he’ll die in the end, so I’ll just wait for that.

Whiny nurse has redeemed herself when she defended Young Shin and took the beating from the angry villagers. Quakie Rico has also improved and is more confident now. I don’t care about balding Mr. Park and his aplastic anemia–his karma for his falsely accusing Min Gi Seo of murder! There’s still a lot of Seok Hyun and his mother, and they have the last 7 episodes to prove themselves. But Eun Hee (Seok Hyun’s girlfriend) is nice, and I never really disliked her even when she lied about her pregnancy.

Screen caps from this episode which had me laughing so hard.

Lol! Bom’s reaction is priceless! Whatchasay Lex?!

Thank You

While the others are in Malarayat for a convention (and golf and overnight swimming afterwards), Natz and I are holding the fort–she’s SNOD and I’m Pay ROD tonight. Felt bad initially about not being able to go, but thought it was the trade-off for watching Lea Salonga. And anyway, I realized I have a lot of things to do over the weekend:

• LU report ^_^;;
• CMC report
• EMG-NCV reports
• ICAS poster
• Passport pics
• Adams Chapter 5
• Laundry

On the side, I’m watching “Thank You” (고맙습니다) starring Gong Hyo Jin and a post-military service Jang Hyuk. Don’t know if I’m busy with other things, or if I’m losing my Hallyu touch, but I’m still on Episode 8 and somehow I’m not so “can’t-wait-for-the-next-episode” excited about it (though it’s not as boring as “What Happened in Bali” but which I watched til the very end, nor a total drag like “Sad Sonata” which not even the love of Sang Woo sustained me past episode 2). I dislike the demented Grandpa, the loud-mouthed ahjumma mother of Seok Hyun, the quack doctor and his whiny nurse, the balding ahjussi who has a crush on Young Shin… And neither Seok Hyun nor Min Gi Seo (despite Lex’s adulations) pique my interest (so shoot me now Jang Hyuk fans!). I’m only watching it for Young Shin and Bom who’s the cutest and smartest Korean child actor (sorry Bori). But I’ll be reserving final judgment until I have watched the entire drama, for I am only halfway, and who knows if those above characters will redeem themselves in the latter half.