Random Pic-k: Set 01

Random Pic-k, hehe. I was looking through some photos in my laptop today and found that there were too many of them. I was originally planning to do a clean-up but it would be such a waste. So I decided to have this 'Random Pic-k' here in my blog as their new home. It's a collection of pictures of where I went, what I ate, who I was with, stuff like that. Although I'd love to blog each of them, I can't because of my limited time. 

So here's the first set. Please look forward for more~

Taken the morning after my sleepover with my classmates. We were taking pictures for our Photojournalism class. Shutter speed!

 The perk of being a media intern. I was with the crew to shoot an episode of a cooking demo-show, got to eat after! Creamy heese-puffs, yum.

 Meh, nothing to do? Eat. Bought looooots of food to not get bored during class breaks.

 Chemicals x Laboratories. I took a picture of this because this always remind me of that one scene in the horror movie, Shutter.

Milk Tea-ing with four-ever friends after lunch. I got that grumpy one, hmmm.

At La Vie! Doing a cover of the presscon happening that time. Got to eat free foods for the press and enjoy the lovely place! Also got to learn how to drink champagne during that time, heh!

 Human Interest photo for my Photojournalism class. Street children playing along the sidewalks.

 Yay cakes... if only these are real. Ha!

 Now this one's real. At Oppa Cafe for the first time, and trying their waffle. Can't really remember if it was good.

My pet cat could be an acrobat. He's sitting on the the ledge of our veranda! Woah!

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Snackin' at Topokki Man

Craving satisfied.

Topokki Man is a Korean snack bar, mostly known for its dokbokki, a kind of Korean rice cake. It is actually situated near my house, but I didn't really notice it until some friend of mine asked me if I have been there. So out of curiosity, me and my friends tried to research more about it, the exact location, the service, the menu, the price most especially. We wanted to know if we could afford the foods even with our tiiiiiiight budget. Fortunately, their foods are all budget-friendly, ranging from P15-300, ain't that cool? 

Their interior is nothing fancy, the usual Korean-style walls painted with pastel colors, cute decorations and doodles and polaroid photos hanging everywhere. Too bad, I forgot to take pictures of the place. Anyways, it also got mini bookshelf, and Korean books are stacked in properly. I just don't know if it's purely for decoration purposes or what. Maybe customers can read those while waiting for their orders? Though I prefer they get me Korean magazines of droolicious Korean stars, ha. 

We ordered dokbokki topped with cheese (ofc, we can't miss trying their specialty), ramen topped with rice cakes, Dakangjung, fried sweet potatoes and fish cake. If you think we ordered too many, yes we did. We end up bringing home the leftovers since we were already too full.

[!!!] The Dokbokki. We craved for it, we got it. Ahhhh, I haven't tasted dokbokki as good as this one. Seriously! And with its melted cheeeeeeese on top... simply daebakkkk! With my first bite, I was disappointed because I didn't feel its spicyness, and dokbokki is supposed to be hot and so spicy. But the more I chewed, the more it became spicy. Sooo gooood!

Side Dishes: Kimchi and Pickled Radish. The side dishes always come first before anything else in every Korean restaurant I've been to. You got to taste them before anything else, which is not really a bad thing. I always enjoy pickled radish, it's my favorite side dish! Meanwhile, I didn't really enjoy the kimchi.

Dakangjung. This tasted so good as well but we regretted ordering this one. We actually ordered it because it was cheap. Little did we know, we were looking at the wrong price and was actually cost twice of what we thought. But if you're not on a tight budget, make sure to taste this chicken meat balls or dakangjung.

Ramen Topped with Rice Cake. Yum, ramen is always yum. And their serving was huge. We couldn't take in the whole bowl of ramen even though there were three of us.

Fish cake. I always see this in kdramas, when the leads are out to eat some street-food. It's a kind of rice cake, only it's served with broth and on stick.

Fried Sweet Potatoes. We actually wondered if these are potatoes that are sweet or really sweet potatoes. We had the answer when we ate the last one... sweet potatoes. Nomnom. 

Try all these and more at Topokki Man. Happy eating! 

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Film Review: [2013] About Time

I can't remember downloading this movie but it's been saved on my laptop (Surprise! Maybe my brother did?) so viola, I got the chance to watch it.

'About Time' is about a man (Domhnall Gleeson) who can travel through time, go back to his past, like that. This came a blessing as he is the kind of guy who's never good the first time. He is able to rewind time, and slightly changes what happens next. Soon, he finds himself a girl, thanks to his time-travel prowess. He gets married and learns the true value of each moment, regardless whether he can relive it or not.

I didn't expect a heartwarming movie actually. I didn't read the synopsis, I just thought it would be all about romance, basing on the movie's poster. And it's Rachel McAdams! I haven't seen the girl in any other genre other than romance.

I was giggling watching the couple during the early stages of their relationship. They are adorable. Their dialogues were super funny. It's been a long time since I've laughed that much over a movie. I'm even giggling right now. Anyway, so their story was pretty engaging because I didn't know where the movie was heading to. I didn't read the synopsis, remember? I'm glad it wasn't all about romance, though I'm sure I would still love it if it was. The movie is deep and tear-jerking for me and totally warms my heart.

Many lessons to learn from this movie! A must-watch.

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Joo Won, back to Dramaland with 'Nodame Cantabile'

Well, well, well. Look who's back to dramaland!

Joo Won just confirmed his participation in the Korean remake of the award winning Japanese drama, Nodame Cantabile. The drama was actually based on a hit manga and Joo Won will be playing the lead character, Chiaki Shinichi, who is a college dude and a musical genius. Ha, so another genius Joo Won, eh?

To be honest, I am skeptical about this one. The J-drama is so much loved that it will sure be hard to create a new version of it that can surpass or even equal the original one. Plus, Koreans tend to mess up their Japanese drama adaptations. It doesn't help that the production company behind this remake, which is Group8, was also the one that produced Boys Over Flowers, Playful Kiss, and the recent tragedy that was Pretty Man.

Given those reasons, I am supposed to be sad about Joo Won's casting but I missed Joo Won so much that any drama will do now. I want my oppa back on screen!

Good thing, Group8 seems to be taking the casting seriously. According to the news, actress Shim Eun Kyung has been offered to be the female lead, Noda Megumi. It actually took me some googling to recognize the name. I was actually shocked to see her filmography and her age! The girl is just 20 but has been acting since forever. It turns out, she's a child actress and has been in numerous movies and dramas. And she was in Sunny! I watched that movie, and it was very fun, mainly because of her character. However, although SEK has been successful in chungmuro, she has yet to prove that in dramaland. She has never led a drama before, at least not with a romance genre. She's a good actress though and can do comedy and melo flawlessly. She's also one of the few who doesn't care about image. She goes all out with her wacky expressions. She's basically fun which I think best suits for the Nodame role.

So now, I like both of them, I'm pretty sure they will nail their respective roles. One problem though: I can't seem to see these two as a couple! I don't know if it's the 7-year age gap or that I still see SEK as a child. Hmm, let's just see when this drama airs on October.

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Film Review: [China, 2013] So Young

I read somewhere that this is a good movie, somewhat like the Taiwanese film, Apple Of My Eye and I loved that film! So of course, that alone convinced me to watch So Young. It's a Chinese movie and God knows how ignorant I am when it comes to China films. Aside from the the films that were telecast in our local channels in my country, I really have no idea with the Chinese style of film making. But there are movies from China that I like, such as Shaolin Soccer, CJ7, and I know Jackie Chan too. Who doesn't know the guy? Though I am not really a big fan of wuxia films.

This one isn't wuxia. It's just a simple coming of age story, just like the Apple. Although this one isn't based on a true story but on a novel. The story is about a girl from the countryside who went to the city for college and for her childhood sweetheart. Only to find out, the love of her life went abroad. She then found new friends, new romance and the story goes on.

Do I like this movie than Apple? I am not sure. But this one is more realistic and has more depth than Apple. If Apple is pure romance, this one digs deeper within each character in the story. Everyone has his own story to tell and a lesson to teach to the viewers. Although I love the friendship and bond in the story, it was the romance that kept me watching. The lead guy is so charming and is like, my ideal type! Ha-ha, not really visually but the characteristics he has. I like guys who are determined, capable and quiet... fine, introverted! I don't really care if he's poor or rich. Meanwhile, the girl is your frank, straightforward, rich spoiled brat. Their romance is too cute, though I wish the movie explored their romance more because, yeah, they are just too cute together!

I love the setting in the story, like I always say, I have a thing for period films/dramas, especially 60's to 90's. I always wonder why is the past waaaay more fun than today? It was so simple back then! Not to mention, their fashion and music were like 10,000x better!

Official Movie Trailer: 

Anyway, I'm currently watching this Taiwanese drama, In A Good Way. It is somewhat the same story as this film except the first love didn't go to abroad and the new guy isn't dirty poor. It's a nice watch if you want to pass the time.

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Film Review: [Korea, 2013] Catch Me/Steal My Heart

As all of you know, I am a huge Joo Won fan so this is one movie I just couldn't miss. Although this is Joo Won's third movie already, this is the first time he's playing a lead role on the big screen. He had horror with Park Bo Young and Kang Byul and a thriller with Uhm Tae Woong. In this one, he is romancing with Kim Ah Joong (200 Pounds Beauty, My PS Partner) in a chase-romcom genre. 

"Can you catch me?"

"Can you run from me?" 

Catch Me/Steal My Heart is a story of old lovers reunited under, err, dangerous circumstances. Lee Ho Tae (Joo Won) is an elite profiler who hunts for Yoo Jin Suk (Kim Ah Joong), a notorious thief and coincidentally, his unforgotten first love from 10 years ago whom he knew as Lee Suk Ja.

See the trailer:

This is like the nth time Joo Won is playing someone associated with police/criminals, really. Not that I'm complaining, the man looks soooo good, being serious and badass and with guns, keke. 

I saw the movie as soon as I found a torrent download file of it. I was so happy at that time because I really thought it would take a longer time for it to be released and besides, I missed Joo Won so much! I even watched it with no english subs at all! I was really that excited.

Some released photo stills from the movie.

I found the movie fun but not so much. Besides Joo Won, there's nothing to it really, though I admit, I cried at the almost end part. But that's still thanks to the actors' skills. It's also obvious that the movie was badly directed and heavily edited.

Anyway, Joo Won looks so seeeeeexy here, would you believe me if I say he was actually still shooting the movie while doing the drama, Good Doctor? Ha, the contrast, really. That's Joo Won. He sings in the movie too, why am I not surprised? He sang his version of Kim Dong Ryul's 'Should I Say I Love You Again?' and it became my jam for one whole month. I love that scene the most, actually.

So if you want to watch something light and fun and more Joo Won, then watch this but I can't promise a quality work from the movie... except the acting.

Bonus! More of the HOT profiler, Lee Ho Tae ❤️

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Foodgasm: Krua Thai: Authentic Thai Cuisine

Too bad I was so busy last semester with school. I only had limited time to explore other things not related to my studies. Nevertheless, I was able to try some foreign food.

Together with my girls, we went hunting for an exotic restaurant when one of our classes got suspended for the day. We originally wanted to try Japanese foods. You know, sushi, teriyaki, sashimi, those kinds. But instead of going Jap, we ended up with Krua Thai Cuisine. The resto was Thai-themed. Everything was Thai. From the greetings to foods to interior design to its music. It helped that we were looking for something unusual, or something that we haven't tried before.

We took a long time just to order foods. Everything in the menu was foreign and I didn't know which best suits our taste buds. Good thing, the kind waiter helped us pick and suggested us to have their best-selling menu. We settled with his suggestion and add some more for variety. 

While waiting patiently for our orders, we enjoyed ourselves by chatting and appreciating the place. The place got beautiful wall designs and paintings, mostly representing Thai's culture. There were lots of elephants in the place. I don't know what its meaning though but from what I know, elephants are rare to find these days but in Thailand, they still got plenty of them. Maybe elephants are their some kind of symbol, I don't know.

They also got Thai music playing. Although we didn't know the songs, but still we sang along with the tune. Thai songs are mostly fun to listen to, especially their ballads. I hear some of those in the Thai movies I have watched like Hello Stranger, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Suckseed. To be honest, I'm not fond with the Thai language but when it comes to their songs, especially ballads, I fall for it.

I don't know but Thai foods really got an interesting taste. It's like a mixture of everything: sweet, sour, spicy, all in one but still comes together just right for my liking. I love their strips of green mangoes mixed with the rice and bagoong the most. 

After we got our tummies filled, I realized Thai foods are no foreign to us Filipinos; in a way that we use just the same ingredients for our authentic Filipino cuisine. We just got a different way of presenting it. 

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You've Been Facebooked! The Musical

Thank God the musical production had shows in our university, otherwise I wouldn't even know this musical exist.

The new musical had series of shows in our school for two days and I was lucky enough to watch it on its first day. Since I had the ticket as a requirement from one of my classes, might as well make use of it, and watch the musical, right? So I went there, not expecting anything.

You've Been Facebooked! The Musical is about the love relationship between two young people via Facebook, the most popular social networking site at the moment. Here's the teaser:

Woah. Right at the moment it started, I know it's gonna be a good show. Their lights are so awesome, it made me envious. Every act became alive, thanks to the ever-changing colors of the lights. A really big round of applause to the light directors. There's no boring scene because everything was in sync with everyone. The lights, the music, the movements, very smooth flow of the musical. There were funny lines, as well as characters, especially the guy in cape and mask, just like Zorro. I like that his character is someone who doesn't have a Facebook account (maybe because it's too mainstream) and still believes that Friendster is the best social networking site, everrrrrr. He made me laugh with his jokes and antics.

The music. The actors were all good in their singing. No one went out of pitch, at least for my un-trained ears. The lead girl's vocals were very smooth to hear, I really liked it. I remember my Theatre Arts prof showed to us the music video of one of the musical's official soundtrack one time. It is entitled 'Whenever I'm With You' and it was sang during the Act 1 of the show when the couple were all doing these lovey-dovey scenes together. It's a nice song, you can check it out on youtube.

Sadly, I wasn't able to watch until the end. I was only up to the beginning of Act 2 because I still had classes. And isn't it funny that my class to attend that time was Theatre Arts? We are supposed to watch it since it is related to our class! But nah, we were to rehearse for our own musical adaptation so we couldn't be excused.

* The pictures aren't mine. Credits to the owners.

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