Korean Food: How it helped me lose 100 lbs.

Stir fried kimchi (left) and my favorite ramen

I started on my current weight loss journey in about 2019.  Something that has always been a challenge for me is getting more veggies into my diet.  I'm just not a fan.  Or at least I wasn't.  Korean food has changed my view on vegetables and helped me change the entire way I eat. And while there are still some vegetables that I just don't enjoy (I'm looking at you tomato and any color pepper), there are many more that I have learned how to eat and enjoy on a regular basis.  How did that happen?  Well, let me try to explain...

Cabbage and tofu jeon

It began with watching people cook and eat on Korean television shows.  If you've ever seen a Korean variety show, you know that they make nearly every food they eat look delicious.  Whether it's ramen, soup, rice, kimchi, pizza, chicken or whatever, it looks like it's the most delicious food they've ever had.  And because they are so excited about the way it tastes, it made me curious about it myself.  As I watched shows like "Chef and My Fridge" or "Delicious Rendezvous", foods that I never had any interest in trying, like kimchi or seafood, all of the sudden looked too tasty to pass up.  Since Korean restaurants are not plentiful where I live, I started learning how to cook the foods I had seen on tv and sure enough...they were delicious.  

Slowly things that had never been a part of my diet before, (like cabbage, kimchi, riced cauliflower, spinach, carrots, green onion and more) started entering my diet on a daily basis. Spices that I'd never used were also introduced. Spices like gochugaru (red pepper powder), gochujang (red pepper paste), and sesame oil. On Weight Watchers, vegetables are 0 point foods so that means you can basically eat as much of them as you like.  So these foods not only were introducing more nutrients to my body, but keeping me from getting hungry as well.  

I learned how to make kimchi jiggae (a jiggae is a stew), jeon (a savory vegetable pancake), stir fry dishes, and lots of other things that easily filled me up, but were low in points.  The more Korean cooking shows and YouTube channels I watched, the more things I wanted to try.  Don't get me wrong.  Not all Korean food is diet friendly.  Some of it is very high is calories.  But, as I would work out the recipes, I'd exchange higher point items for lower point ones and eventually found a host of Korean or Korean inspired foods that I could make for myself that would be delicious, but also fit into my diet plan. 

Here is just one example. Gimbap is a Korean staple...along the same lines as Americans would think of a sandwich. The ingredients inside can vary, but the main one is rice.  Rice is high in points but you need a lot of it to make gimbap properly.  So, I use part rice and part cauliflower rice.  When it is seasoned together it works great. Then it's just a matter of adding other ingredients. For the version pictured below, I used baked chicken and stir fried kimchi. You roll it up in a seaweed wrap and voila!  

Gimbap after it's rolled.

Gimbap before it's rolled.

 

This change in eating wasn't something that happened quickly.  It took me a couple years to totally change my eating habits and I also include exercise, but I did eventually lose 100lbs.  I gained a little when I took my trip to Korea and over the holidays, but I'm in process of getting that back off and headed toward my goal weight once again.  I still have about 60lbs to lose before I hit my final goal.  But I'll do it.  I've already come a long way.  You can see the change in my face story below.  If you have questions or want some more fun lower point Korean food tips, let me know.  I'm always glad to share what I've learned.  

Hooray!!! SHINee and SUPER JUNIOR are back!!!

 The last few weeks have brought some really fun comebacks and I'm loving it.  

First can I just say I was SO EXCITED to see SHINee back with a new album after them being on hiatus while Key, Onew, and Minho completed their military service.  Of course Taemin was busy and it was great to see him perform solo or with SuperM, but there is nothing as awesome as seeing them all back together.  When I first heard the new song "Don't Call Me" I wished so much that I still had ringback tones on my phone.  What a perfect song for that.  LOL.  I was so curious to know if anyone would actually hang up if they called and heard "Don't call me, Don't call me, Don't call me" being played in their ear.  LOL!!!  Makes me smile just to think about it.  

Along with the rest of the songs on the album, it's been a blast seeing SHINee on various variety shows and Youtube channels.  This particular video was just too adorable and I must admit that I watched it more than once.  :-) You can watch it here with English Subtitles: Kids Review K-Pop Star's Career (Feat. SHINee)  Plus Key seems to have started a new trend as the ending prince during the KPop Music shows.  If you don't know what that is, it's basically the final shot of a group after their performance and the camera does a close up on one member.  Key started doing these comical things when the cameras came to him and it seems to have caught on a bit with other groups too.  It's awesome. 

Next up was SUPER JUNIOR.  They are my favorite Kpop group and it's always fun to see them perform together or even individually.  The 9 members are active in tons of various types of programs both as guests and/or hosts, but it's extra special to see them together.  And the fact that HeeChul is actually performing on stage with them just warms my heart.  Though he was a part of the videos, he had stepped out of live performances because of a leg injury that never healed properly after a bad car accident, but it seems they've found a way for him to participate live and it's just amazing to see them all on stage together again in their live performances.  Though, it's not the title song, I feel I must bring attention to their performance of Burn the Floor.  This is may be the most unique performance I've seen in ages and I love it.  Sadly, it doesn't have English subs, but you can check it out here: Burn The Floor
Also, the same YouTube channel I mentioned above, also did a Kids Review of Super Junior that was a hoot.  

Seeing these groups who have been together so long (SUPER JUNIOR debuted in 2005, and SHINee debuted in 2008) and have stayed active and popular is a feat in itself.  I am proud to be a fan.  :-) 

How a KDrama Changed My Life

About 4 years ago, I lost both my Grandparents unexpectedly within weeks of each other.  One was of natural causes, but the other was not and to say that my world was in chaos would be an extreme understatement. During this time of grief, anger, sadness and confusion, my mind was often overwhelmed and in the evenings, when I would go home from work to the now empty home that I had shared with my Grandma, it could be a bit more than I could handle at times.  

One night during all this, I turned on Netflix and it recommended the Korean Drama (KDrama) "Boys Over Flowers." It had been recommended to me several times before, but I'd been uninterested in watching anything with subtitles.  However, this night, it occurred to me that I would have to focus on the subtitles to watch the show which would keep my mind occupied so I decided to give it a try.  I had no idea how pressing "play" would change my life.

As I watched the show, I was intrigued by the storytelling and the fact that there was so much happening in each episode. I also found it interesting that the soundtrack was repeated throughout the show.  Each character seemed to have their own song that would play in various parts of the story.  Plus, the drama was clean. Though Netflix often likes to add swear words that are not there, the reality is Kdramas are generally very clean and family friendly.  What a breath of fresh air to my weary wholesome entertainment parched soul.

From that drama, I branched out to other Asian Dramas and began to watch shows first from Japan and Taiwan then eventually including China, Thailand, and other countries. As I watched I became curious about Asian culture and wanted to know more. Because I am quite conservative, it was so cool to FINALLY be seeing my lifestyle and values reflected in the shows I was watching.  I had not seen that in American television in ages and it was so pleasant to see my world reflected in those shows.  

The soundtracks led me to Kpop which I love and now listen to all the time.  As a former music business major, I am intrigued not only by the phenomenal talent showcased by the groups, but also in the way it is marketed and promoted. When KPop got popular here in the USA all of the sudden, it was the first time I ever felt ahead of the cultural curve.  When young people mention their favorite artists they are usually shocked that I'm already quite familiar with that group and generally know more than they do about them.  LOL.  

A few weeks into my drama watching, it occurred to me that my church was going to have a massive convention before long and that there would be delegates who spoke Chinese, Korean, and Japanese there.  I thought it would be so cool if I could greet them in their own languages.  So, I downloaded beginner lessons audiobooks for all three languages.  I started with Chinese and the tonal aspect was too scary for me, so I set it aside. When I started the Korean lesson, one of the first things it said was that if you learn Korean, it would make learning Chinese and Japanese easier.  I am very much an audio learner when it comes to language, so since it seemed like there was more Korean language content available online to watch and listen to, I decided to focus there.  So my language learning journey began and continues to this day.  Now about 4 years later, I'm still not great since I rarely get to practice, but I do understand quite a bit and can speak more than people realize.  I'm taking one-on-one tutoring from time to time now and that is helping too.

As I continued to learn about the culture, study the language, and watch television from South Korea, there began to stir in me a desire to see the country for myself.  To see the places that I'd seen only in pictures and video and try the foods and activities I'd only heard about up to then.  After doing some research I discovered that though, it would take some time for me to be able to afford it, that a trip to South Korea was not terribly expensive and if I planned well, I'd be able to go in a few years.  However, another issue was my size.  I've had weight issues all my life and I knew that if I wanted to go overseas, I'd need to lose a lot of weight.  First so that I'd be able to comfortably sit in the plane seat for the trip and 2nd so that I could do all the things I wanted to do while I was there.  So, that began my weight loss journey.  

As I learned about the food in South Korea, I started changing my way of eating so that I'd be comfortable eating the foods I'd find there.  I've been a very picky eater most of my life, but I knew that would not work.  Korean food tends to be spicy and full of veggies...two things I'd always avoided.  I needed to get used to those things.  For about 2 years I worked on learning to like vegetables as well as increasing my spicy food tolerance.  Then in October of 2019, I joined Weight Watchers and continued my weight loss journey in earnest. I have recently also added more exercise in my life as well and that too is helping with the weight loss.  I'm now down around 83 pounds (with much more to go) and have lost 71 inches. I've lost 5ft 11 inches off my 5ft 7 inch frame, but I've got more to lose, so I press on.

One of my biggest goals for my trip to South Korea was to be able to hike Mt. Hallasan (pictured below).  I want to see the beautiful scenery in the photos for myself.  When I began my planning, that would not have been possible.  My size would not have allowed it.  Now, I am encouraged that I will be able to do it.  When I go and take a picture from the top...I may just burst into tears from excitement of finally reaching my goal...one more than 4 years in the making (by the time I go).

People often ask me, "Why are you learning Korean?" It feels so inadequate to say that I became interested through a drama, even though it's the truth.  With the exception of my Faith, nothing else has caused so much positive change in my life as pressing "play" on that Kdrama. I started learning a new language, am studying new cultures, changed my bad eating habits, and am on my way to a healthy weight and lifestyle...and the reality is, it all started with "Boys Over Flowers."  I'm so glad I watched it. 

Some Fun New K-Variety

Hey Everyone!

One genre of Korean Entertainment that I really enjoy is the Variety/Reality shows.  They are so funny and I've "met" so many entertainers that I was unaware of before through them.  In fact, most of my favorite Kpop groups I became aware of because of their appearances on these shows. Whether they are short shows or full length episodes, KVariety is my Go-To when I want to smile, laugh, and relax. There are a few new shows that have begun recently and, so far, they are just a hoot! If you need a smile, I highly recommend checking out one of these:

GOT2DAY 2019  - This is the 4th Season of GOT7's GOT2DAY series and it's great to be able to watch the group just chat one on one with each other.  The episodes are short (around 10-12 minutes) and you get to see the fun personalities that all iGot7's know and love. You can find it on VLive and YouTube.


Matching Survival 1+1 - This is a dating game show and it seems to be constantly evolving since the first two episodes are quite different from that latter episodes. The current format is that several men and women enter a grocery store in the hopes of finding their love.  There are several rounds of games where partners are chosen based on choices made in the store.  At the end, they choose the person they want to be a couple with by asking if that person will "scan their barcode."  It's super cute and I'm enjoying it a lot.  You can find it on both Kocowa and Viki.

The Barber of Seville - Ok, honestly, this is not a show that I thought I'd like at first, but I am enjoying it so much.  Basically it follows 5 Korean Celebrities and a Master Hairstylist, and Master Barber as they set up shops in Seville, Spain.  The men run a barber shop and the women run a beauty salon, but they all share a large home as a living quarters.  As much as most Korean television makes me hungry...this show does the same for making me want to get my hair done.  For real...every time I watch I'm like, "I want to get a haircut!" So far there are only 2 episodes out and I'm looking forward to more.  This show can also be found on both Kocowa and Viki.


That's all for now. Till next time!!!

Why Do You Like K-Pop?

So, full disclosure, I am not anywhere near the demographic that the K-Pop Music World is trying to appeal to. I am a 43 year old American woman living in the middle of farm country. But I LOVE K-Pop.  I listen to very little in English anymore of any genre.  This is a bit odd for me because I've always been a huge fan of most kinds of music.  I've enjoyed Country, Pop, Classical, Blues, Disco, Rock and more over the years.  I was a Music Business major in college so I've even studied the production/advertising/legal side of the industry.  But KPop, for me, is the most fascinating genre of music I've ever seen. (I'm putting screen shots from my iTunes library throughout this post so you can get a sense of a few of the groups I listen to regularly. I'm sorry I couldn't put them all in, but there are at least some.)


Why?  That is the question I get most often.  Not always in words.  Most of the time is comes in the form of raised eyebrows and a confused look on the face of the person I'm talking to.  If you're a kid or teenager, people just nod and think, "What a cute phase they are in." But when you're a grown adult, somehow now you need to be able to defend what you like when what you like is different from what those around you enjoy.  So, What makes it not a just a phase I'm going through?  Here are a few reasons that I find it so appealing. Maybe you feel the same way. Let's find out.



1) SO MUCH TALENT
     I was talking to a friend the other day and I told them, I don't think it's possible to find an untalented Kpop group.  It simply doesn't exist.  Before they debut most of these artists have trained for years in their craft.  On top of singing, dancing, and rapping (which is the mandatory talent needed within every group), it's not at all uncommon to find out that various members also act, choreograph, direct, write, compose, and/or play other instruments.  When they perform, the precision is incredible and the fact that they can sing and dance such complex choreographies LIVE...well that's just beyond my comprehension. They are just THAT good.



2) POSITIVITY
     Now, I can't say that every single Kpop song is this way, but the majority of the songs that I listen to and the groups that I follow are very positive upbeat songs.  They make you feel happy.  They lift your spirit and make your feet want to dance.  It's quite literally music that makes me smile.  Even when the messages are deeper, more thought provoking, of a powerful ballad, I am often left in a better mood than when I turned on the music.



3) GOOD ROLE MODELS
     There are bad apples everywhere and in fact, there are some incredibly upsetting scandals right now in the Kpop world.  BUT, by and large, the members of K-Pop groups are good role models. Now granted, these groups are very often contracted to be good influences.  As in, it seems that it is in their contract that they are to be people that others can look up to. That being said, as we are seeing through the scandals, for some it might be an act...but I appreciate that MOST of them seem to be genuinely good people. People who care about their fans and take seriously that others are watching them and want to be like them.  It's a heavy burden for them to carry, but they do it well.

     As someone who has worked with children for around 20 years, I would look for artists here in the States who could be held up as good examples for the kids and when I would find one, I'd be thrilled and do all I could to promote them...only to often have that same artist decide a little down the road that they didn't want to be a role model and actively choose to be someone or make choices that the children SHOULDN'T emulate. It was heartbreaking...and it happened more than once.


     I love that if I recommend a group to a teenager or child, that if they (or their parents) look up that group, they are generally going to find people that show respect to elders, take care of those younger than themselves, look out for the modesty of the people around them, show kindness to everyone and appreciate the celebrity that they have, but continue to be humble. It's such a breath of fresh air.


Finally, let me say that I know the world of     K-Pop is far from perfect.  There are industry issues, issues with how artists are treated...just all sorts of issues.  No one is saying that it is a perfect place.  There is room for improvement...lots of room.  But even so, it's a world that brings joy to so many of us and one that we are so glad others are beginning to notice as well.

   

The BBMA's, FORESTELLA & The New Podcast from Eric Nam

Hey Everyone!
I'm sorry that it has been forever since I posted anything.  Will try and do better from now on.  I promise!

There is so much going on that I want to talk about.  First up is the Billboard Music Awards. Let me start of by saying that I literally have not listened American pop music in ages, so I have had zero reason to pay attention to the award shows...UNTIL RECENTLY.  Since shows like the AMA's, BBMA's, and even the Grammy's are giving notice to the amazing talent that K-pop has to offer, I am so much more interested.  I even watch the red carpet shows now (which I never used to care about).  This year, what makes me most excited is the Top Social Artist Award.  There are 3 K-pop groups nominated.  GOT7, EXO, and BTS were nominated along with two other artists (Ariana Grande, Louis Tomlinson).  How fantastic is that?  The nominees for that category are literally a MAJORITY Korean.  That's huge for the USA.  As a whole, Non-English music is not always as popular here, but K-Pop is so addictive that we just can't get enough.  I'm so glad so many others are finding these groups and I hope EXO, GOT7 and many other K-pop groups get just as popular as BTS is here.

Side note:  I've never seen anything like the BTS phenomenon...and I was around when the insane popularity surrounding NSYNC was happening. This seems way bigger. Case in point:  I live in a very rural area.  In fact, though they are not the majority, there are tons of Amish people here. (Amish are a religious community that does not participate in many modern ways of life like electricity or motor vehicles...they travel mostly be foot, bicycle, or horse and buggy. They are known for their amazing wood craftsmanship, quilts, and incredible cooking among many other things). And yet even in this area, where it is as common to see a horse and buggy on the road as a semi truck, a high schooler told me that you could find BTS all over her school.  I was chatting with a teenager at a local hospital who turned out to be a BTS fan.  It's incredible how they seem to show up everywhere.  WOW!

Secondly, I recently came across a Crossover Group called FORESTELLA and they have changed my world.  Seriously...there are not words enough to express how incredible the voices are in this group.  There are four members, but somehow they blend as one.  I have heard a lot of quartets over the years (seriously...a lot), but I have never heard a blend like this.  It gives you goosebumps whether you understand the language or not.  And they are so versatile that they can sing an aria type song one minute and then turn around an do a version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" that would make Queen proud (and maybe a bit jealous?)   I scoured the internet looking for their music and since iTunes only carries one of their songs, I bought the physical copy of their album "Evolution" (see photo). To say that it's a great album would be a massive understatement. They sing songs in English, Italian and Korean throughout the CD.  If you have not heard them, check out this video and then look up their "Bohemian Rhapsody on YouTube.  You won't regret it!   I played this video for an elderly lady who does not speak Korean and she was so impressed, she said, "How can there be a group like this?"  I totally understand her feeling. 

And finally, my week was made when I discovered that the amazing Eric Nam has started his own podcast called "K-Pop Daebak With Eric Nam" (you can find it listed as @DaebakShow on Twitter). I love listening to podcasts and even with only three episodes currently out, I think this one is going to be one of my favorites.  Why? Well, full disclosure, I've been a fan for awhile. The pic to the right is a peek at my iTunes collection.  But also, because this podcast is real.  Eric Nam is an incredibly talented and popular artist in his own right and he brings his love and knowledge of music as well as insider thoughts and stories that no other podcast I've found can compete with.  He's funny and he banters with two other people who seem like they are sitting in the background so not really always on the mic, but you can still easily hear them.  One of them is consistently asked to make up jingles on the spot...which he does. Seems like it should be awkward, but it totally works.  I highly recommend it!  You can find the podcast on iTunes here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/k-pop-daebak-with-eric-nam/id1458858435  or it's available in other places too like Spotify and SoundCloud.

That's it for now people! If you want to follow my daily thoughts about Kdrama and K-pop, follow me on Twitter at kdramakpoptalkfest. I hope you have an amazing week and I'll be back soon!

Standing Up for Abuse Victims...Three Things Literally Anyone Can Do.

I have been working with children and teenagers in some capacity for more than 20 years.  Though abuse in any form is horrifying, there is nothing, in my opinion, more vile that the abuse of a child.  I have worked with children from all kinds of abusive situations over the years and while the abuse affected each one somewhat differently, the one thing they all have in common is that they were forever changed by what happened to them.  They would never be able to go back to the way they looked at the world before.

Sadly no country is immune to this issue.  No culture has figured out how to eradicate this problem.  So, when we hear of abuse we want to stand up for those who can not stand up for themselves.  Here in the United States, if you have certain jobs (such as a teacher or pastor) you are what is called a "mandatory reporter" and if we even suspect that a child or teenager is being abused we are required to report our suspicions.  So we try very hard to watch out for those who are in our care.  But even so, the problem is still there and shows no signs of going away. It can feel like a losing battle. But then you hear a story that is so heinous that you simply can't look away from it and you realize that you MUST find a way to do something.  For me, the story of what has happened to The East Light was one of those moments.

If you are unfamiliar with The East Light, they are a Korean Pop Group that debuted in 2016.  The members currently range in age from 15-18.   Last week it came out that the group had been verbally and physically abused by their producer and CEO for nearly 4 years.  That means that when the abuse started the ages of the group ranged from around 11-14 years old.  They were children!  According to Korean culture you are not an adult until you are 20 so even now they are all STILL minors.  The leader of the group, Lee Seok Cheol (18 years old), held a press conference where he told in detail about some of the abuse they had received.  The video is hard to watch, but I urge you to watch it.  It has English subtitles and we need to hear his story.  Abuse victims feel they will not be heard or believed, this is one way we can show him that we hear him.  This young man is so brave in the face of what has to be overwhelming fear.  He talks about how he and the members were beaten with microphones, baseball bats and other things.  He personally had a guitar string wrapped around his neck for four hours and if he messed up, it would be pulled so as to strangle him.  They were threatened that they would be killed if they told their parents.  Remember this started 4 years ago when they were very young teens so it's no wonder they believed the threats.

Their company has denied the charges in some respects, but even in their denials they talk about how they knew that abuse had happened, so I'm not sure that can actually be called a denial. In their own words they found out about the abuse well over a year ago and yet the Producer in question was not fired.  He resigned recently (if I'm understanding the news correctly).  Fortunately The East Light members have photographic, audio, and text evidence of the abuse that happened.  Plus this video, which came out from The East Light themselves in 2017 is, in my opinion, video evidence as well. Starting at the 27 second mark, you can clearly hear one of the members being beaten in the background while he says (in Korean) "It was a mistake!" and "It hurts!" and you can hear him crying out in pain.  This is not something that can easily be swept under the rug.  Maybe more disturbing is that if you keep watching you see that this young man now has to join the rest of the group for the video and act as if nothing had happened.

So, you might be wondering why am I telling you this.  Many of you who will read this blog, don't listen to Korean Pop.  Here is why.  When we hear of abuse in the world, we MUST shine a light on it.  Evil thrives in darkness.  It's not about the fact that these are K-pop musicians.  It's the fact that they are children who have been abused brutally and their lives threatened.  And they are not the only ones.  This happens all over the world in all sorts of circumstances to people of all ages, races, and stages of life.  WE MUST STAND UP FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES.

How?  I'm glad you asked.  Here are three things literally anyone can do.

1) Listen!  As I mentioned earlier, people who have been abused feel that they won't be heard and won't be believed.  We must listen to them.  If you are with a person who wants to share their story with you, Listen.  Don't judge.  Don't give advice.  Listen.  Those who have been abused MUST first be heard.  If you can listen in person, of course that is the best way.  But if that is not possible, if you can, find another way to listen.  For example, in The East Light situation, we can watch the press conference.  Seeing the number of views go up on YouTube would be encouraging to The East Light and frightening to the abusers. Even a small gesture like that shows that people cared enough to listen.

2) Show your Support!  In all parts of the world there are ways to show support for abuse victims.  It could be taking part in a walk-a-thon.  It could be volunteering at a center that helps abuse victims.  It could be as simple as using a hashtag like the one for the situation above (#JusticefortheEastLight) to raise awareness or signing a petition in support of anti-abuse legislature.  In whatever part of the world you are in, find out how you are able to show support, and then show it.  You might feel uncomfortable, but this is not about our comfort.  This is bigger than that.  

3) Educate yourself!  Do you know that signs of abuse?  Do you know who to call if you see those signs?  Do you know the places near you that provide services for those who have been abused?  If you answered "No" to any of those questions, then you need to educate yourself.  Because if you don't know what to look for, you may be missing signs around you that someone NEEDS you to see.  It's not hard to find this information.  Literally type in "Signs of abuse" into any search engine and you will be given multiple resources.  Sit down and read some of them.  All it will cost you is a little time.  

These are just a few small things that anyone can easily do to help #EndViolence.  If one person does these three things, it is helpful.  However, if EVERYONE did just these three things, I believe we could make an immense and lasting impact.  Why?  Because can you imagine what would happen if everyone was showing their support for those who have been abused in some small way?  How much abuse would go unnoticed, if everyone knew the signs of abuse and were actively looking for them?  What change in society there would be if abuse victims felt they could share their stories because people were taking the time to actually listen?  If we each do our part, there is no way that the world doesn't change. #DO3THINGS  

Will you join me and #DO3THINGS?  Let's change the world! 

For the USA, the national domestic abuse hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

Product Placement...Everywhere

One of the best parts about watching dramas and movies online is that, when you subscribe to a streaming service like Netflix, DramaFever, or Viki, you don't have to watch commercials.  HOWEVER, Asian Dramas are the kings of product placement so you see all sorts of commercials all the time without ever leaving the show.  Below are a few examples.

Restaurants:
If you are watching a drama from the past 5 years, it is absolutely inevitable that at least two of the characters will have some sort of a meeting or date in either Subway or Dunkin' Donuts.  If they order pizza it will be from Dominoes and if chicken is on the menu, more than likely it is coming from Kentucky Fried Chicken (unless of course one of the characters owns a chicken restaurant).

Now don't get me wrong, I like the food from all of these establishments from time to time, however, if I were going to a big date, I'm not sure Subway would be my choice.  Nor would I probably choose Dunkin' Donuts as my venue of choice if I need to have a showdown with an evil mother-in-law.  Or maybe it would be...I mean you could throw donuts which would allow you to let off steam without actually hurting anyone.   Am I right?  (Side note, I'm not sure I have ever seen anyone in an Asian drama eat a donut in Dunkin' Donuts...just coffee.  Sad because their donuts are awesome!)

At any rate, these places show up ALL THE TIME and I am sure I have seen promos for them more frequently in the dramas I've watched than I ever saw through their commercials here in the States.  At least, I remember them more this way, so in that respect...I guess congratulations are deserved!

Bottled Water and Cans of Coffee
Since I don't live where I see these water bottles in real life, I generally don't recognize the brand (the exception being the Vitamin Water from the USA that is everywhere in "The Greatest Love"), but I feel pretty sure that if I ever saw them in real life I would recognize them.  Most dramas seem to have one beverage of choice that is drunk by EVERYONE.  So you see that bottle of water, or possibly can of coffee all over the place.  I will admit that I am super curious to try the cans of coffee that somehow are warm when you open them.  I've never seen any like that here.


Makeup and Skin Care Products
The final thing that you see a lot in Asian Drama is skin care and make up product placement.  The camera will have a close up of whatever product the character is using and make sure you see the name of it.  Sometimes that characters will even discuss the product with dialog along the lines of, "You're skin seems dry.  You should try this __________ lotion.  It's great. I've got an extra, just keep this one."  In the most recent version of Itazura Na Kiss called "Miss in Kiss" the skin care from Dr. Wu is practically a character in the show...in fact, Dr. Wu is a very very very minor character.

Where watching commercials can often be boring, it's rather fun to look for the product placements in dramas.  Sometimes it's even humorous to see how the products are put into the show.  If you haven't noticed before, I hope you'll enjoy seeing them from now on.  

Until next time!  

Let's talk about Podcasts...

I tend to have to travel quite a bit as a part of my job.  There are often errands that need to be run that may include spending a few hours on the road.  I'm not a big fan of listening to the radio, but I love listening to podcasts.  And when I find one that is centered around K-Drama and K-Pop, I have found my happy place indeed.  There are basically three things I look for when I listen to a podcast:

1: The hosts are enjoying doing the podcast.  
When I find a podcast where it sounds like the hosts are laughing, having a good time and it seems like they have simply let us in on the conversation that they would have had even without the podcast, those are the best.

2: I can listen even if kids are in the room.
Anyone who has known me for very long would tell you that I am really not a fan of swearing.  It's something that makes me uncomfortable and really just bugs me.  So, the podcasts I enjoy the most are the ones that choose to be profanity free...at least for the most part. 

3: The Audio sounds good. 
Here's the thing, I have been involved with music my entire life, and was even a Music Business major in college.  I have used all sorts of microphones and recorded in studios.  That being said, there is nothing more annoying to me than someone who is talking (or singing) on a microphone and you can hear all the "popping" from their mouths or the audio is ringing because it's too loud or not mixed quite right.  I know that those might seem like little things, but I have turned off more than one podcast because I simply couldn't concentrate for all the "extra" noises like that heard through the microphone.  

Knowing that those are my three biggest draws for a podcast, here are a couple that I have been really enjoying as of late.  

Dramas Over Flowers - This podcast was until recently called "Stars in my Pocket" and is hosted by three women, Anisa, Saya, and Paroma, who are living in different parts of the world and come together to chat together during the show about all manner of things involving K-Drama and Korean Entertainment news. Sometimes when one of the hosts is "calling in" from somewhere outside the studio where the podcast is being recorded it can be difficult to understand all that is being said, but this podcast does a good job of making each person heard well.  These hosts don't focus solely on Korean drama though, they also discuss dramas from other countries. Since I am a fan of dramas and movies from China, Japan, and Taiwan as well as Korea, I enjoy hearing their thoughts on those shows as well.  These ladies are great fun to listen to and because they don't always have the same opinion of things, you get to hear different perspectives on shows and music. And it can be fun to hear them justify why one likes a drama the others don't or hear the parts of shows that they found especially good or bad. 




Noona Ya Business - First of all, I absolutely LOVE the play on words in the name of this podcast. The word "Noona" is a word in Korean that means older sister and would be used by a younger male. The hosts, Megan and Becca, are two women in their 30's and it is so much fun to listen to them talk to each other about K-Pop and K-Drama.  They crack each other up (often to the point of tears) and you can't help laughing along with them.  When I listen, I often feel like I am sitting with "my people" because I have a very similar sense of humor to these women.  It feels like we are friends even though we have never met...except through email.  They get excited about getting to see concerts and fangirl over all the things I would probably fangirl over if I had the opportunity.  And I get a kick out of the games they play on the show too.  Often times they involve the members of Got7 or BTS and they never fail to make me smile.  Games like "Got7 as days of the week" where they match up each member of the group with the day of the week they most remind them of.  If you are not a fan of the group, it probably doesn't sound funny, but trust me...these two women had me in stitches as they placed Mark on Sunday, Jinyoung is Monday, and so on. 

Information, Laughter, Friendships, K-Drama, K-Pop...these podcasts provide all that and more. in fact, with both of these podcasts I find myself watching for new episodes and looking forward to what they might say.  Listening to their discussions make my time spent traveling much more enjoyable and bring me many many smiles along the way.   You should check them out and let me know what you think!  

Until next time! 

Favorite Actors and Actresses - Part 2

As promised, here is Part Two of my list of favorite Asian Actors and Actresses.  There are so many amazing actors and actresses in the world of Asian Drama, that it's very difficult to choose favorites.  However, while this list isn't exhaustive, here are a few more that I really enjoy watching.


Park Shin Hye -  While there can be no doubt that she is a great actress, it's hard to differentiate if I like her because of her acting or because she starred in so many of the dramas that I watched early on.  Because of her roles in You're Beautiful, Heartstrings, Goong S and more she will always have a special place on my list of favorite actresses.  Though her range is bigger than this, I will always associate her with the spunky female lead who will work hard to achieve her goals no matter her circumstances.  


Aaron Yan -  From his early roles on dramas like It Started With a Kiss, where he was a support character, to dramas where he was the main lead (Fall in Love with Me, Refresh Man, Just You and so many more), this Taiwanese actor is just fun to watch.  He is the kind of actor that you find yourself watching even if he isn't the lead.  For example, I didn't know who he was when I first watched It Started with a Kiss and They Kiss Again, but even though his role is small in those dramas, it was one that stood out to me and his character was one of my favorite side characters in that series.  Later on, when I saw him in Fall in Love with Me, I was again impressed at how good he was but this time in a leading role.  And a rather complex role at that.  He is definitely an actor who I think we will continue to see grow and show even more range over the years.


Im Ye Jin -  This woman is an amazing actress.  She has been in the industry for more that 40 years and is a fixture in Korean Drama.  I can't tell you how many shows I've seen her in where she plays the mother of one of the leads, but she has played many many roles in her career.  Any time I see her on the screen, I know I'm in for a treat because no matter what role she plays she embodies it and makes it her own.  She's truly inspiring!



So Ji Sub - He is a veteran actor, having been in the industry more than 20 years and his experience shows in his work.  Of his many dramas where he has been the male lead, my personal favorites are The Master's Sun (which was much funnier than I expected) and Oh My Venus (which is just awesome all the way around).  His way of taking on a role and becoming that character is interesting to watch and though sometimes his way of acting makes roles in various dramas have some similarities, he does each role in unique way as well. I always enjoy watching him. 

Yamamoto Maika  - I will admit that I have not seen a ton of her work, but what I have seen I have really enjoyed.  I much prefer her in a "good person" role as opposed to the "villain", but she seems to be able to fit either role.  I loved her in Minami-kun no Koibito: My Little Lover, which was the first role I ever saw her in.  It was such a cute show that I just adored both the main leads (see the next actor on my list).  Maika will no doubt continue to shine in the roles she is given and I look forward to watching them.  

Nakagawa Taishi - I first saw Taishi in Minami-kun no Koibito: My Little Lover, and he was great in that drama.  However since then, I have seen him in several other roles and I am continually impressed with him.  He is still quite young (only 20 years old), but he is talented.  Given his age, it's not surprising that most of the roles I have seen him in thus far are school age characters, but in the years to come, I look forward to seeing him branch out to more types of roles in the future.  I think we will continue to see him grow as an actor for many many years to come.   

 

Kim So Eun - My first Korean Drama was Boys over Flowers and it was Kim So Eun who very quickly became my favorite female character in that show.  Her portrayal of the best friend to the female lead (played by the also very talented Gu Hye Seon) was probably the most realistic role in the entire series and I loved it.  Since then, I have seen her in lots of other roles and every time, whether it's a mini-drama, a web series, or a regular length drama, she always brings a truthfulness to her characters that makes you just want to sit down and hang out with each one.  And that, in itself, is a talent all it's own.  

Park Hyung Shik -  This young man is rapidly becoming one of my favorite actors from any country and genre.  Why?  Because I have now seen him in multiple projects and every time he has taken on a role, he embodies that role in a way that amazes me and each character is very different than the one before it.  Many people seem to excel in certain types of roles, but he does a fantastic job whether it is a sidekick character (like in Heirs), royalty (like in Hwarang), a CEO (like in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon) or visually impaired piano tuner (like in Two Lights: Relumino).  His acting ability continually puts me in awe and to top it all off, he's got a fantastic singing voice too.  Indeed, Hyung Shik is going to be a force to be reckoned with for many many years to come.

There are so many more actors and actresses that I would like to list, but I'll stop for now.  Do you have a favorite you'd like to add?  Drop me a note in the comments and let me know.  

Until next time...

Favorite Actors and Actresses...Part 1

I've been watching Asian Dramas and Movies now for about two years.  I have come across many actors and actresses that I really enjoy watching.  This blog and the next one will shine a light on a few of  the actors and actresses I've enjoyed watching.  This is all just my opinion, so yours might be different, but I'd enjoy hearing your picks as well. So here are six of my favorites...in no particular order.


Park Seo Joon - This actor has real acting skills.  I have not seen everything he's been in, but I have seen several of his dramas and, in my opinion, he totally encompassed each the roles no matter how different they were from other roles he had.  Whether it's a fighter, a CEO, or a part timer, he seems to just fit into the roles and become the characters. Besides his acting skills, he's a really good singer (I love when he has a song on the OST) AND he's incredibly good looking to boot! 



Song Hye Kyo - I love watching this actress.  She brings such fun to her roles and just becomes the character she is portraying.  I first saw her in Full House and I thought she was a cute and playful character, but then when I saw her in Descendants of the Sun, I was blown away by the power as well as the vulnerability she brought to the role.  Plus, this woman has to be one of the most beautiful people on the planet.  Seriously...she is just stunning.   



Kim Min Suk - This actor is usually one of the supporting characters in dramas, but he always stands out to me.  He portrays the side characters in a way that draws attention to them and moves the story along, but doesn't overshadow the lead characters.  I am a person that gets easily bored when I watch dramas and often fast forward through some of the side character story arcs, but I find that when Kim Min Suk is playing a side character, I don't want to fast forward that part of the story.  I want to see what he does and how he portrays his character.




Ha Ji Won - I first saw this actress in Secret Garden and she was amazing in it.  Then later I saw her in Hospital Ship and once again, she was awesome.  The roles were so different, but she did them so well.  She can be feisty, she can be sweet, she can be vulnerable...her acting range is quiet vast.  She's been in a ton of other dramas as well and her experience shows.  She is great!



Lee Jong Suk - Ok, literally every role I have seen this actor in, has totally captivated me.  From the teenage roles to the adult characters, he plays them with a finesse and charisma that pulls you into the role.  Even when I didn't like the drama all that well, I would finish it because I liked his role.  He is another person who seems to melt into whatever character he portrays and you find yourself cheering for him.




Gong Hyo Jin - I enjoy watching this actress.  There is just something fun about her acting.  Don't get me wrong...she's a really good actress who plays her roles well, but there is something about her that makes watching her a treat.  I'm not sure I can put it into words, but it's there.  I have only seen a few of her dramas and of those, honestly, some of them don't rank that high on my list of shows I like, but I like her, so I will be watching more of her work in the future.  The fact that I can see more than one drama she's in and not particularly love it, but still love watching her says something about her acting ability.  One show I did love was The Master's Sun.  She is fantastic in that drama and I will probably be rewatching that drama many times.  She is coming out with a new drama in the near future and I'm looking forward to seeing it. 


As I was writing this, other actors and actresses kept coming to mind because there are dozens that I could put on a list like this.  But this is a start.  What are your thoughts? 

Until next time!  :-)

My Least Favorite Trope...

There are lots of drama tropes in Asian Dramas.  There's the one where the rich guy falls for the poor girl, the one where the main leads fight until they fall in love, the trope of someone getting hurt, sick, or drunk and MUST be piggybacked to some location, the wrist grab, and lots more.  Most of time I enjoy watching these tropes play out and lots of them really do move the story along.

But there is one that I absolutely hate.  I hate it to the point that I will often fast forward through the majority of the episodes that are necessary for it to play out.  That is the trope of one character breaking up with their significant other "for their own good".  Oh My Stars!!!!  It has to be the worst reason ever for breaking up.  Why?  Because it always entails someone not actually sharing the reason for the breakup with the other one. 

For example:

Female Lead is threatened that if they don't leave the Male Lead something awful will happen the Male Lead.  Female Lead breaks up with Male Lead without actually telling him about the threat.  Male Lead is crushed.  Female Lead is crushed.  Emotional Trauma ensues until the Bad guy gets caught and the Leads get back together anyway.

Literally the entire thing could have been dealt with with a conversation if everyone would just talk to one another.  It's not always a "villain" that's the cause. Sometimes it's an illness, or a truth that one person is trying to hide.  But it's some variation of the idea of "you'd be better off without me...but I'm not going to tell you that, I'm just going to leave." 

Why does this trope bug me so much?  I think it's is because it is the most unrealistic trope of them all.  In real life, people who care about each other talk to each other.  They go through the good and the bad together and only those who are wildly immature (like young teenagers) would ever think that simply giving in to a bad guy/girl or hiding from the one they love is going to fix an issue.  So when it is supposed to be adults doing this very thing, it's really hard to swallow.  Honestly, I don't think it would bug me as much if the characters had a real conversation about the situation before the break up.  But they don't.  It's usually one of them just drops out of sight leaving the other to be totally confused as to what happened.

Now, I can hear you saying, "Toni, it's a tv show...it's not real!!!"  That's true, and I get that, but here's the thing...most tropes have at least enough basis in reality that you can wrap your head around why it's there.  This one simply flies in the face of anything real so I find it beyond frustrating. 

I was going to list some shows that have this trope, but in the effort to not give away spoilers, I won't.  However, there are a BUNCH of them.  I was looking through my "completed" list of shows on the My Drama List site and I hadn't even gotten halfway through my list and I'd already come across 37 shows that had some variation of this trope.  *Sigh*  I said it frustrates me, I didn't say I didn't watch the shows that uses it.

So that's my most hated drama trope.  What's yours? 

Until next time...
 

Learning Korean is a Challenge...but I love it.

I'll be honest...when I first stared learning Korean, I never dreamed it would change my life the way it has.  I mean, I had taken French in High School and I enjoyed it, but it was nothing like what has happened through this language learning process.

When I first started, it was basically just trying to sing along with some K-Pop songs.  Then it turned into really trying to learn the language.  At first I was watching Korean television and movies for entertainment, then it also became a way to hear pronunciation and learn new words. I started searching for Korean Restaurants, Korean Grocery Stores, Korean books and now it's to the point that I am always on the lookout for things connecting to my Korean language and cultural studies.  Even my friends have started looking out for me.  People in my previous churches send me Korean food recipes and stories that they find.  It's amazing.  Next to my walk with the Lord, this has indeed been the most life altering experience of the life.  But why?  Here are my thoughts on that.

1)  This journey is difficult and unlike anything I've ever done before...and I am determined to succeed.  I want to be a decent Korean speaker.  I want to be able to talk with someone who's native language is Korean and be able to hold up my end of the conversation.  This can be accomplished without major financial costs, and I have the necessary tools for the job.  That means that the only thing that can keep me from accomplishing that goal is my own laziness, so I refuse to lose.  I remember a teacher telling us in one of my choral classes in college that the pieces that we had to work the hardest on to perform well, would become our favorites.  That teacher was correct and the same is true of language learning.  I have to work hard to learn and that makes the learning all the more satisfying.

2)  The language and culture is fascinating to learn.   The Korean language looks nothing like English and even it's creation is an interesting story.  (It was created by a King back many many many years ago).  The culture is full of interesting things that I find so intriguing.  Even ages are calculated differently in
Korea.  (Not sure that I like knowing that I'm even older in Korean age, but let's not think about that.)  I am constantly coming across some piece of tradition or cultural etiquette that I just love learning about.  I am still not good at Hangul (the written language), but I continue working on it and I will get it eventually.

3) I've given myself a goal.  In the fall of 2020, I will be taking a trip to Seoul, South Korea with a few friends.  As of now, I'm the only one learning Korean, so I need to be at least semi fluent before we leave.  As a part of this trip, I'm also working to lose about 100 pounds.  That's another goal that is difficult to reach, but I am determined to succeed.

Since I've given myself this goal, I found that I needed a better way to practice what I was learning as well as keep a record of what was happening, so I started a YouTube Channel called "Learning Korean, Losing Weight, and Loving Life."  Here is the thing about me...Strange and often funny stuff just happens to me, so I figured those things would be fun to share and I could practice the Korean I'm learning at the same time.  So if you are interested, feel free to check out the channel.  Most of the videos are only a few minutes long so.  I'm hoping that if any Korean speakers happen to watch the videos they will correct me when I'm wrong.

Well, that's it for now.  I'll be back with a more "entertainment centered" blog next time.  :-) 

Wait, What? A K-Pop Group without any Koreans?

Today is my day off and I decided to do a bit of internet surfing to see who the new artists are in the world of Korean Entertainment.  I came across something totally unexpected.  It's a K-Pop group that originated in the USA and has zero Korean members.  WHAT!?!?  I needed to investigate this a bit more.  So I did and what I found was fascinating and honestly a bit inspiring.

Photo Credit to EXP Edition FB Page

The name of this K-Pop group is EXP EDITION and it is made up of four young men from the USA.  As I understand it, Frankie, Hunter, Koki, and Sime all auditioned to be a part of this group in New York.  The group was a part of a documentary and thesis project for Bora Kim that was specifically to see what would happen if you formed a K-Pop group without any Koreans in it.  So, it basically started as an experiment and ended up a real thing.  How cool and interesting is that?  It sounds like a strange way to start a music group, but actually it's not that far off from how other groups started that became HUGE.  Ever heard of a little band called THE MONKEES?  Seriously...that was a band put together specifically to be the cast of a television show and they became enormously popular.  So, this way of starting a group isn't so wildly strange.

However, what makes this group so very different and interesting to me, is that while these guys are from varied places and backgrounds (Sime was born and raised in Croatia, Frankie is Portuguese raised in the USA, and Koki is Japanese who was born in Hong Kong), NONE of them spoke Korean to begin with and yet they chose to sing K-pop. AND they decided to move to Korea to do so.  That is incredibly impressive to me.  It's not easy to learn Korean (trust me, I've been working on it for quite a while now), and throwing yourself into a totally different culture, language, and country simply to follow your dream is a level of dedication that you don't often see in any part of the entertainment industry.  And the world of K-pop is not an easy world either.  It is full of people who expect and attain near perfection in their dance routines and performances.  It entails crazy schedules and demanding hours of practice.  If you simply wanted to be a singer, there are easier genres to tackle, but these guys chose to walk this demanding road and that is inspiring to me.

So, I'm going to keep an eye on this group.  I'm impressed with them so far and I look forward to seeing how they continue to grow as they blaze trails that can inspire those who follow after them.  Keep up the good work EXP EDITION!  FIGHTING!!!

Great Shows For K-Drama Beginners...

If you are new to watching Korean Dramas, it can seem a bit odd at first.  Just getting adjusted to reading the subtitles is something that can take a couple episodes to get
used to.  Plus, there are cultural differences to adjust to as well.  So in this blog, I want to give you a few things to be aware of when watching Korean Dramas and then I will give you short list of a few that you might enjoy to get started.

First, physical contact is a big deal.  It's not unusual for the main characters in a romance to not even hold hands until a few episodes into the series.  In fact, there is a term for physical contact.  It's called skinship and this refers to literally any kind of physical contact.  From hand holding to putting your arm around someone to kissing...it's all skinship.

Second, we are used to there being lots of special effects or cgi in the shows that are popular in the USA, but those are not as common in Korean Dramas.  That's not to say it never happens, but its not the norm. It is my understanding that most Korean Dramas are airing even as they are being filmed so not a lot of time is allotted for editing and special effects.

Lastly, there is often bullying of some form in the shows.  Sometimes it's in a school, sometimes it's a parent to the girlfriend/boyfriend of their child, and sometimes it's someone else.  But bullying is awful in Korean shows.  It can be cruel and sometimes hard to watch because the people are so mean...though it is rather satisfying to see them get their comeuppance in the end.  So, fair warning...

Ok, now to introduce you to a few Dramas that are good for the beginner to K-drama.  These are all available through Netflix, Dramafever.com, or Viki.com if you are looking for a place to watch them.

Let's start with a mini-drama.  These are usually only a few minutes long and are a great way to begin your viewing.  Dream Knight (available on Netflix and Dramafever) is an idol drama starring the members of the K-Pop group GOT7.  This is truly a bubblegum type show.  Somewhat silly, somewhat funny, somewhat cheesy, but that being said, I like it.  In fact, I am currently watching it for the 3rd time.  Why?  Why not!  First it is short.  There are only 12 episodes and each one is around 10-12 minutes long.  Plus, I like the music in it and the story is cute.  It reminds me of the kind of shows I watched as a teenager like "Saved by the Bell" and "California Dreams".  Just fun and easy to follow.

I loved the drama Something about One Percent.  This is a remake of one called 1% of Anything (Both can be found on Dramafever), but I like the new version much better than the original.  It's a fun and sometimes funny show about two people who get thrown together through very strange circumstances and end up falling in love.  It's such a cute show.

As for classics in the K-Drama world, I really enjoyed Boys over Flowers, Goong, and Full House. All of them are romantic comedies and all are fun.  Boys over Flowers has literally every drama trope there is within it's 25 episodes, but it will always hold a special place in my heart because it was the first K-Drama I ever saw.  Goong and Full House are both dramas that follow semi-forced marriages between couples who either don't know each other well (Goong) or don't like each other (Full House).  Goong is about a prince who must marry and the non-royal girl who it was arranged he would marry when he was born.  She has to adjust to both marriage and being royalty all at the same time.  Full House follows a woman whose goes out of town and finds that her home has been sold when she returns.  She makes a deal with the man who bought her home and all sorts of craziness ensues.   I liked both of the shows and, personally I find them all re-watchable as well.  All three of these can be found on Dramafever and Viki.

If you are looking for something with a bit more action, may I suggest Descendants of the Sun. I loved this drama and have watched it twice.  It has action, romance, humor, disasters, heroic events and more.  The four main characters are all great fun to watch...especially when they interact together, but the extended cast is top notch as well.  It was a super popular drama when it aired and I can easily understand why.  This show can be found on Netflix,  Dramafever, and Viki.

So, that's my intro to Korean Drama.  I'd love to hear what you think if you are just starting your journey to Dramaland or if you've seen these shows. 

Until, next time...