Friday Music Favourites, 2 December - MAMA 2016

My dear O.!

It's Friday again and I must confess that I have been wondering what kind of music to write about for several weeks. Apart from the many songs of the Bangtan Boys, there weren't many new additions and I didn't want to bore you with (many) old pieces. 

But today is different, today is a day for the MAMA Awards. The event is really fresh and finished before a couple of hours (I was still at work and decided to log on to Twitter to see the trends, news and photos - big mistake!), so I am not going to give a very detailed summary of it. It will be a brief and biased glorification of some of my favourite artists and my joy of the awards they took. (Update: Or simply a post to celebrate BTS' existence, as it turned out to be). If I have time the next days, I will look for more videos and, maybe, write again. [Update from Christmas: Since I didn't have the time, I didn't write more, so I hope that you will forgive me for that.]

First, I have to mention that the artists from YG Ent didn't take part due to being busy preparing for comebacks (no Big Bang or iKON, for example). And, from what I have seen, not many of the SM Ent groups were there as a whole (no SNSD or SHINEe, just Taemin, but I am grateful!). Although EXO was there and I think that they were regarded as one of the big stars of the event - something like VIP among VIPs (no relation to the Big Bang fanbase). Anyway, I think that the absence of heavy popular singers, so to say, gave a little more space for other artists to be seen and heard - some fresh air and new, lighter energy. 

Okay, so let's start the fangirling... BANGTAAAN! Yay! They won a daesang (grand prize)! Artist of the year! They also won Best Dance Performance (for a male group) before winning the grand prize mentioned just now. And their producer also won an award! I'm really proud of them! Their performances are the ones I am going to post here tonight. Really energetic and passionate! I hope that they will be like this for many years! 

I am really sad that I can't find the exact beginning of their first performance, where, as I saw for a brief moment, Jungkook was hanging from above with hologram-like feathers floating around him and it looked stunning, but the other part of the video won't disappoint you also. J-hope's solo, combined with Jimin's light voice and both of them dancing amazingly... In perfect harmony. Lovely! And, of course, followed by Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Aah, Fire! My ringtone when granny calls me, hahaha! The prelude of the video is something that many fans were delightfully shocked to watch, as Twitter was literally burning this afternoon with comments and photos of Tae's well-done make-up of broken (or should I say torn or ripped out?) wings on his naked (oh, my!) back. I must say that his face was no joke. He will make his acting debut in a drama I am excitingly expecting this month and, from what I have seen from him during the past weeks, this guy has a lot of potential. I hope that my expectations won't be destroyed, as they were (partially) ruined when I saw EXO's Baekhyun in the first episodes of Scarlet Heart. So, yes, apart from the (typical) fanservice, they took the concept to a deeper, yet safe and aesthetic level. The rest of the video is history - energy and fun and you can see that they are really enjoying themselves. Fire is a song they really like to perform and you can feel it - despite the sweat and the exhausting dance moves, they are going crazy about it. Bonus: GOT7's Jackson and BamBam's reaction around the second minute is priceless!

Also, this:

Hahaaa, Tae-Tae! :D

[Update from Christmas: Here is the full version of their performance where you can see the exact beginning. Awesome!]
I will continue with another favourite boy band - EXO. Well, since I am too old to participate in any kind of fan wars, the whole complaining I saw in some tweets - about who does deserve more each award - was new to me. Even if I was younger, the society we grew up didn't teach us to be so fierce... Maybe we have other ways to show our love. But that's another topic. I always read about the consequences of the constant arguing and wars among the different fandoms, but never I have experienced it first hand and I hope that I will never have to. 

Anyway, back to EXO.

I was disappointed, O. They look very tired and lifeless. I know that they try to look tough, but that's too much. I don't know, that's what I feel. I think that they need a break for a while. The remix of Transformer was good - the background sounds sound better than the original ones, but their voices... sound bored. Monster was more filled with life, but, again, nothing can excite me in their performance. Even Baek's solo dance at the end wasn't so surprising. I may look like I have lost my interest in them, but if you look at their previous MAMA performances, you will see the difference. I hope that it won't last long. I am glad that they also won a daesang and that they are now approved as big stars and are not rookies anymore, but I hope that they won't lose their charm and energy. 

Taemin! He won the Best Solo Dance Performance award and his performance was epic! As I said above, he was the only member of SHINEe to attend the ceremony, which was pretty sad. And, I must say, that even there are new bands such as BTS (which I now adore), SHINEe will be forever my first k-pop love. They have this special place in my heart and seeing even one of them winning an award is something that makes me really happy and proud. Taemin deserves his award, for he is such a great dancer and singer and I know that he works really hard and continues to do so.

Well...This publication is meant to be a Friday post, but it is already Saturday. So I will stop here, with the plan to write again. Two more things: 

1. BTS reaction to Gallant (I hope that this video won't be deleted; you can search for it with these key words).

This is one of those songs I sent to you as a link to listen to via Skype a couple of weeks ago. I watched an interview of BTS and they were asked about their favourite singer in the US. V (Taehyung) mentioned Gallant and when I heard Weight in Gold, I was immediately drawn to it. I have never imagined that they will meet their favourite singer (especially Tae), so it's very interesting and funny to watch them. Actually, him, Taehyung. Watch him. He knows every single word and sings it, even the more improvised parts. His solo, Stigma, which I mentioned in my second post about them, has the similar vibe of Weight in Gold, although his voice is much milder. The other members are too ashamed to fully admit they enjoy Gallant's performance, although you can see that they like it. Haha, pure fanboys!

2. BTS Daesang Artist of the Year MAMA 2016.

This. Their speech, their emotions. Their pure hearts. They deserve it! Thank you, BTS, for bringing so much joy and positivism in my life!

"Let's fly with our beautiful wings in 2017 as well."

Monday Blues and Happy Halloween!

 My dear,

How are you today? I feel very tired! Yesterday I couldn’t fall asleep, even though we changed the clocks to winter time. How did your surprising weekend trip go? I am waiting for photos!

Since yesterday I couldn’t post anything, today will be the day to say some words that were intended for Sunday.

After the long post on Friday, which I must confess, was written for several days, I felt exhausted. I consider making the Neverending Sunday posts optional, because it’s difficult to write something (even personal stuff) after such long music Friday publications.

So, a little bit of what I have been doing lately… Not so many great things happen to me, except that we were preparing ourselves for the upcoming winter. Last week we had the firewood delivered to our home and the weekend before I had to help granny with the flowers – we usually put them in the basement, when the weather becomes really cold.

Petals from cascading geranium

Photo made by my cousin

So, you can see that, apart from writing about music and wise quotes, I couldn’t find some time to write about other things. Even now I am writing from work and I will finish the post at home (I wrote most of my latest posts during  breaks, because at home the only thing I can do is to edit them).  And recently I have a lot of work to do in my daily job, which is very tiring.  Anyway, I will stop complaining now.

Speaking about flowers, there is a new addition to my collection of orchids! The fifth one (I call it the maknae, meaning “the youngest” in Korean) is a mini-orchid with a deep purple colour, accompanied with some leopard pattern in the middle.

You can’t see clearly the purple colour, because my phone cannot catch it, as many cameras can’t as well. It is so tiny and sweet! How could you resist this charm?! I hope that our home is not so cold for the little one, because its petals will fall off.

Apart from the (mindless for some) flower shopping, I found Korean cosmetics! I have long heard that there are some masks in the DM store, but recently I found spare time (and money) to look for them. And I must say, there are plenty to choose from!

As you can see, I bought two types – a sheet mask with Korean red ginseng and under-eye mini sheet masks with green tea. The ginseng mask, which is a bit expensive, is only one in the package and I haven’t used it yet, but the under-eye treatment turned out to be very good! There are 30 sheets, 15 for each eye and they are very easy to use.

Interesting Article

My dear, last week I happened upon a very interesting photo article on the BBC site. It shows some very old photos from Shanghai. I personally liked the one with the wheelbarrow taxi driver who disassembles his rig to avoid paying taxes for crossing the bridge with his wheel.  Clever trick, haha!

Movies and Dramas

There is not so much to say about new dramas at the moment. Recently granny and I concluded Coffee Prince, which is a very sweet (and old) 2007 drama. The main actress, playing a girl disguised as a young man, was very impressive. From all clichés that I have seen, this role felt very suitable for her.  The drama is very light and funny and makes you feel comfortable. It is perfect to watch when you have some time during the cold and rainy days.

Recently I began watching Scarlet Heart, which will end this week. Maybe I will write a review after completing it, but for now I can only say that the music in the drama is the one thing that still excites me the most. The story was interesting at first, but now the plot is diluted and chaotic, weakening the whole concept, I think. Apart from the good acting of some of the princes and older actors/actresses, it feels like a teen – oriented drama, filled with famous idols (some who are still learning how to act) just for the fan-service – a fact that can easily disappoint, even though everyone seems so beautiful. Beauty is not always the main point after all. 

Speaking of dramas, there is a movie I watched recently. It’s called Hot Young Bloods and it is very energetic to watch. I personally wanted to see it, because of Lee Jong Suk at first, but the whole acting team did an amazing job. The vibes I get remind me a lot of Punch – another coming-of-age movie, with another favourite actor, Yoo Ah-in. Well, I began writing about one movie, but ended up praising two. Of course, I am not going to compare these films; I will just recommend you to watch them both. You will like the energy, the humour and the simple wisdom and truths about life, especially in Punch.

Photo taken from hancinema.net

Destination for Motivation

Dear, there are so many places I want to visit in this world! Apart from my dream to celebrate my birthday in Australia (not only because it matches Australia day, but it is also summertime in January there), my eagerness exceeds to making travel my way of life! I feel so alone some days; like a person with no connections and no companion to share the same interests, like a person that lives in another country. I sometimes feel more connected to things that happen abroad, than in Bulgaria. I am not even a real patriot in my own country….

Anyway, today’s destination is a place in South Korea that I saw in the first episode of the drama mentioned above (Scarlet Heart). The place is Cheonjuho Lake in Pocheon and, from what I have seen in the drama and Google, the view is very beautiful!

Photo taken from visitkorea.or.kr

Some Monday Music…

Dear, I think that my admiration for BTS is growing with the speed of light! They turned out to be very interesting and fun! The excitement I have for them these days reminds me a lot of my first SHINee days. As an unofficial Shawol, now I can say that I am turning also into an ARMY. (Although I am using these labels only to express my fondness and support for the groups, but I distinguish from both fandoms’ behavior.)

Here is a song, released in 2015, which is sooo good to listen to! I also like the choreography, the dance made me watch the whole video several times, can you imagine that, haha! There is this sound in the chorus that reminds of Flo Rida’s G.D.F.R. song, (which I know you didn’t like so much), but Dope has a lighter feeling that you will definitely enjoy more!

[MV] BTS(방탄소년단) _ DOPE(쩔어)

          So, that was my Monday post. I am currently at home, finishing and editing this post and I will probably read s few documents for tomorrow, because I have a lot of work to do these days. It was a very long Monday…

         Tomorrow my aunt and little cousin will come for one night and two days to stay with us. No more K-pop for me, only My Little Pony, hahaha!

Till Wednesday, my dear!

Hugs,

R.

My ears at work today. This is really embarrassing, haha! I hate selfies! I am only doing this for you. Happy Halloween! Meow!

Friday Music Favourites – 14 October

Dear O.,

As promised, today I am going to write about my favourite K-pop group – SHINee!I told you a couple of weeks ago that they were coming back. And they did! With their newest album, called 1 of 1. The album quickly topped the charts and was very well accepted by the audience. Famous for their unique style and diverse concepts, Shinee did it again, this time betting on the 90s theme.

Shinee is known as a group that always experiments and tries new concepts, although, as I read in some news, they weren’t so sure for this particular album. The reaction of the fans is very important, especially when you release something in a month such as October. And this month is filled with comebacks and lots of competition even between label mates.

Photo source: dramafever.com

Anyway, here is a quick review of some of my favourite songs in no particular order. 

1 of 1 – The main promotional song. I really enjoy listening to it! It’s not burdensome and you can dance to it freely. Each member’s voice can be heard in a light and joyful melody that gets better after every listening.

Don’t let me Go – It is perfect for a warm September night, when the earth hasn’t discovered the intentions of the upcoming autumn. The end of it feels like the rain has just remembered about the dry earth after a long and very warm summer.

Feel Good is one of my favorite songs (I think it is the best of all!) from the album. It combines much of Shinee’s style with the current concept. You can sense the 90s in the chorus that just makes you feel good and you want to dance! It brings summer vibes to me! They could easily do a MV for this song and it would have been a hit!

Prism – just like those disco songs we used to listen when we were children playing outside. A little bit chaotic for my style, but still refreshing.

Shift is another song that I really enjoy listening to. The reason is the same as in Feel Good. The well-synchronized mixture of the retro concept with their voices can be felt even more. I dare to say that this song could be very popular in the 90s if released then. A very suitable song for disco clubs for that period, indeed.

The album is and interesting fusion between their uniqueness and the concept. It is a fresh addition among the big competition that is raging in the Korean music market at the moment. To be honest, not all of the songs were super enjoyable to me, but I must say that their retro attempt is a success.

As I read, the album was supposed to be released in September, but due to Onew’s injury they postponed it for October. Of course the delay wasn’t hurtful for their popularity and the release was, after all, successful, but I think that September is much more suitable for this album to be shown to the wolrd. It is just the feeling I get from listening to these songs. Songs for September - the month we used to go back to school and brag about the new music we have just found; the days of the the portable cassette players and  high-waist jeans that were thicker than their softer descendants now. And many more things from the 90s.

Ahhh, the nostalgia and lots of memories… I miss the 90s so much! I am sure that you miss them, too, although you are much younger than me. Still, it was a very good period. Not so hasty, not so boring. I feel like each innovation could be sensed in a very comfortable way. Nowadays you have to be always updated, always open to new things. And at the end you feel exhausted and empty. But the 90s… were magical!

Sending my love to you,

R.

Friday Music Favourites - 30 September

Dear,

I am currently deciding what to write about on Friday, because there is a lot to tell. I have so many ideas for topics to discuss, but it must be put in a systematic way and that makes me a little confused.

Last time we decided to make sections (rubrics) we couldn’t keep posting them regularly, so I am reorganizing the way in which some of my letters will look like. My first idea was to write each Friday about my favorite things from the week (not very original, since lots of blogs have it); I even have a lot of stuff to write about this theme.  But music – something that has a huge part in our lives, deserves more than just one little rubrique.

So, I guess this Friday the post will be called Friday Music Favourites. Sounds simple, but I hope that you will like it anyway. Note: Wednesday Wisdom also wasn’t something newly discovered or original as a title, but I decided to use it. More interesting was that when I came back from work on Wednesday, I saw the same name as a trend on Twitter. Destiny or just a coincidence?

Well, let’s continue… With my favorite genre – K-pop!

INFINITE’s new album

Photo source: Wikipedia

Initially this band wasn’t something I was attracted to in the first place. Bands with more than five members exhausted me during my first k-pop days and I also was super distracted and obsessed with my first K-pop love, SHINee. But as Key (member of the latter) and Woohyun (member of INFINITE) debuted together as ToHeart, plus the acting ventures of Hoya and L (Woohyun’s bandmates), I decided to try the infinite taste of their music. And Back was my most favorite piece of the cake on my first try.  

Now, continuing on the topic – their newest mini album, called Infinite Only, was released ten days ago and the promotional song The Eye peaked the charts. Since I am not always interested or have no time to pay full attention to MVs, I started to listen it while I was busy reading news. Of course the dramatic notes, so typical for the group, grabbed my attention. The song is really good! Those high notes are very well sung. It’s one of those songs that you like even more after listening to them several times.

I am not going to write about each one of the tracks. Instead I will choose several that I liked the most in no specific order (which is really difficult, trust me!).

Another song that I much enjoyed from the first listening is Air. It’s a strange mixture - it feels like I am listening to a song from SHINee’ s Misconceptions album, making love to a Justice’s song. I can even hear the parts of Key and Jonghyun while listening to it while remembering the funk sounds from Justice’s D.A.N.C.E, for example. Of course, a little pinch of high-notes drama is always desired and at the end you have this awesome, very well synchronized combination of voices of the Infinite boys. I like the way they sing together. Each group has its own style, but they seem like they are equal in some way when I listen to them, even if only one of them sings a part at some point of the track. The rap part is not so intrusive and with the electronic elements and high notes the song definitely wins the listener with its energizing melody.

One day and Thank you are your songs to listen when you are coming back from work in a sunny, but cooler afternoon, when the last rays of the autumn sun caress your back. True Love is a catchy song that doesn't burden the listener with heavy melodies. Zero is a song that deserves a dance! It sounds really fresh, making even my ears want to explode from enjoyment. There is this light infinite feeling that can be sensed - the melodic and rhythmic tune, combined with wonderful vocals. Indeed a fresh ending for Infinite Only.

I promised you not to write about each song from the album, but I couldn't keep my promise. I only forgot the intro song, Eternity, but what can I say, doesn't it resume everything I wanted to say above? This album is definitely something I want to indulge for a long time, especially when autumn is here now. 

SHINee's back!

Having mentioned SHINee, they will be having a comeback!!! October definitely is going to be insane with so many bands that will present their newest albums! I am most excited for Shinee! Their campaign is quite interesting - they have opened an official Instagram page, pretending it to be like a radio program and they post those photos that are like a puzzle - you need to post several in order to see the whole picture (I have seen this trick before). And the final photo is actually a track with each member presenting a song from the upcoming album. Very nice ad campaign indeed! I'm soooo looking forward to it!

Photo source: Soompi

Well, I guess I need to stop right here, because I could write a novel - music is so exciting and inspiring that words are not enough to express my love for it!

Till next Music Friday!

Hugs,

R.

Well, we have Part 4... Summertime, yay!

My dear!

The last post was really long so I decided to split the final paragraphs into another publication, which I hope, will be more interesting for you.
The weather these days have been really hot and I can finally say that it's summer! But let me continue...

Music

Okay, here are my music suggestions for May, June and the beginning of July!

First it's my favourite Korean voice Zion. T! Ahh, I heard this song in the drama we watched with granny but more details about it later! It's a very sweet ballad - Zion. T - Kiss Me .

I don't think that I have mentioned BIGBANG to you before but they are finally back! Not that I am among the others who have waited for them to make a comeback for the last... three years (or something like that), simply because I have known about their existence since last year. But they are already among my favourite groups. (But I DON'T like Fantastic Baby )

I was really impressed by Taeyang's solo album Rise which came out last summer. It's rare for me to like all the songs in an album and I am sure that this applies to you, too. So, basically Taeyang won my heart with his voice (not with the muscles, dear fangirls, I watched the video of Eyes, Nose, Lips  at least two months after I discovered his awesome music). Usually I don't have the time to watch a music video (MV) so if the song pleases me, I put it on my playlist and listen to it... Well, summer 2014 was marked with Taeyang's Rise songs and among them some of G-Dragon's crazy pieces of music. I actually wanted to see the videos after I heard some of GD's songs. This man doesn't know decency, haha! (Of course I mean this in a good way.)

Anyway, this year they are having their moment of spotlight with an album called MADE. Actually the full-length album will be out in September but until then they will release singles from it at the beginning of each month (starting from May), like mini-projects, using the letters from their album (M, A, D, E). So far they have released... five videos and six songs. I like almost all of them but I will recommend only three of them to you. What can I say? Originality at its finest meaning. At least in my opinion. As far as I know, this kind of promotions hasn't been done in the western show business. Several months of concerts, new songs and enough presence under the spotlight. Their fans must be thrilled! Take notes from South Korea, people! 

So, starting from M: Loser. "Loser" is a song that you want to listen to while walking under the cool rain, so typical for the beginning of May. There is this sweet, almost childlike tune which you hear while listening to the song. Their voices combine perfectly during the chorus and everything escalates smoothly in Taeyang's part. Not to mention that the lyrics contribute perfectly to the pain that wants to be sung. Beautiful. Just beautiful. I really hope that you will like it!

The next song is BANG BANG BANG. It's literally a crazy three-in-one kind of a song. At first you feel the fast and juicy dance rhythm while Taeyang, T. O. P. and Seungri are singing and then G -Dragon comes and... "spoils" everything with a dramatic turn - BANG x3. 

After the initial shock you begin to like the song during the second part, even though (if you have the chance to watch it) at this moment GD is holding a woman with a chain (like a dog). Imagine my shock, when I decided to see what's going on during this part (because I really enjoyed listening to it) and end up seeing this... Red pants and glitter. Ouch! 

And finally, let's not forget the final mad part where they are all dancing. If you have already not jumping around screaming, I am not sure what can make you do so. The song is hilariously good! (BANYA, BANYA, BANYA!*) And its pure complexity cannot bore you. Pure, because you hear clear sounds. Complex, because, you listen to a deliciously made mixture of three songs. Nice job!

(*Banya= баня - bathroom in Bulgarian)

Third song: If You. Ahhh, such a beautiful song! Masterpiece! You have this feeling that their voices pour from the deepest corners of their souls.
I finally understood why they didn't make a MV for it (after checking on Wikipedia, out of curiosity) - they wanted their listeners to focus on the music and lyrics, not the video. Smart. And necessary, after all those crazy videos, haha!

The other three songs from MADE project I didn't mention are also good, but I think I needed more time to get used to them. I still need some time for Sober actually, but Bae Bae and We Like to Party are already on my playlist. If you like the songs I already recommended, you can check these, too. Especially Bae Bae, it is closer to your preferences. But don't expect a good MV. ;)

View from SHINee is like the perfect song for a summer road trip. Fresh and youthful, it can even be your autumn song reminding you of some of the best nights from this summer. Sadly, it's one of the few songs I enjoyed from their new album Odd. The vibes which I get from the album are really mixed. Not bad, but I get this feeling that it's made from leftovers which couldn't make it in the albums from the Misconceptions Era. Well, you can't expect them to be always the same. But still I really dislike that SMEnt. tries to apply the same pinky concept to almost all their artists. Girl groups like Red Velvet and SNSD are okay, but SHINee... weeeeell, not so much. (Although Minho's eyes are really cool!) Anyway, I am really happy that they are back. They looked really relaxed and had fun promoting. It's good that their company didn't put so much pressure on them during these promotions.

On the other hand, Love Me Right (K's version and M's version) was like a second EXO comeback for this year. In "comeback" I mean hard and tiring promotions which exhaust the singers completely. The song comes from the repackage Exodus album, called Love Me Right. Hmmm.
I just can't understand the whole point of repackaged albums, especially when they are released almost exactly after the original ones. For me it is a way for the company to earn more money using 2-3 new songs (+ some new photos) from the blinded fangirls who are ready to go bankrupt just to buy everything connected to their favorite band.
Anyway, the song is likeable. I think I prefer the Chinese version, because Yixing's voice can be heard in many parts and it is amazing. SMEnt., please let that boy sing more! It's a kind of Western-style type of music and maybe that distinguishes it from Call Me Baby which smells like Kpop. They say that "Call Me Baby" had to be sexier, while "Love Me Right" has more happier feeling, but I think it is the opposite. The MV is awful and not appropriate for people who suffer from epilepsy, though. I think they tried to mix and stuff several concepts in a 4-minute video which turned like a mess (thank you, Tumblr users for the separated GIFs of the MV!).

Movies and dramas

As I mentioned above, I started watching an interesting drama, called Pinocchio. I must say that this is the most dynamic Kdrama I have ever watched. Even "Gap Gong" had some of those boring filling moments. But this one is different. A lot of drama at the beginning, but after that you are thrown into the hectic life of reporters who strive to catch the news and present it in the best possible way. Themes like being honest and responsible for watch you say are implied deeply in these series, but at one point you begin to wonder which way is the better - to lie or tell the truth?... I highly recommend this drama to you, you won't be disapointed! 

Fashion and other stuff

Recently I happened upon some interesting fashion blogs. Style Scrapbook is my favorite of them all. Song of Style, Le Happy and Fashionsquad are the others. Check those stylish ladies, they are gorgeous!

I am posting two photos from Urban Outfitters' facebook page. Beige sandals and black shoes - what more do you need?

 

Next week I will show you photos of my manicure which I made with the gift you gave me back in April! I hope that you will have some time to answer me. I know that you are in Paris now so make some photos for me, girllll! Haha!
Enjoy your summertime, darling! Kisses!

R.

It’s finally spring time!

 

Dear Oli,

The photos are amazing! Barcelona is indeed a magical city! You’ve been to so many places there! I wish we could revisit it together some day! And we will! :)

It seems that these days we don’t have much time to write to each other here. I know that you are busy now-tests and assignments and your days must be really hectic. I can’t wait to see you in a few weeks!!! Remember when we decided to start this blog several months ago? Wooow, can you realize that it has been like… two and a half seasons since then?! Spring is finally (and officially) here! And we have a lot to catch up!

So, what’s new… I HAVE A RICE COOKER! Hahaha! My father made me a present for the International Women’s Day! It was such a surprise! 

 

 

My granny wasn't so impressed, haha! For her it is “another thing that takes so much space”.

You can see the steamed veggies I also made. They were really delicious!

Work

So, apparently there was a job offer last week which was kind of interesting, but I decided not to apply. The reason-well, the position could not grant me the stability and the kind of development I want to pursue. Anyway, I keep looking for new and tempting offers, yet I am not sure in all my abilities anymore, but that’s another topic (probably some day I will get really drunk and confess everything here).

 The job must be something really creative and (most of the time) fun, but also something that can ensure a kind of stability. Sounds VERY confusing, right? Some may say that creative people can’t be sure about their nearest future and it’s really difficult to land a job that’s creative and at the same time can grant you the next five years. Yes, that’s true. And no, I don’t want to stay forever in one job position. But these days it is really hard for young people to find something that’s worth it for more than six or nine months. Usually young people get kicked out after a short period, simply because of multiple reasons. I won’t continue writing on this topic, because it’s long and boring. I like my current job, it’s not so stressful and the money I get is good, but I am a young person and I want to keep developing and keep learning new things. After all, we spend most of the time working, right?

Bonus photo: Can you believe that they still use audio tapes during meetings?! I know, it's so old school and vintage, but you can see  they are new. Apparently there are some manufacturers who still produce them. Nice touch of the past.

Fashion

I recently got interested in gradient nails. It’s my new obsession although I have done them like this only two times. I am putting a photo of my first (and more successful) attempt to do gradient nails.

This week I went to the hairdresser. My hair is officially well cut, yay! I will have to wait until summer to make it even shorter, but now it is fine. No trace of the princess-like length which is a bit sad but after the disaster last year I think that I got used to the idea that I will have to wait again for longer hair. But it’s nothing to worry about. ;)

My new shoes are still in the box because of the cold weather but I think that the upcoming week I will have the chance to put them on. I don’t have a photo of them maybe I will post of I don’t forget. They are black Oxford-style velour shoes with some patent leather. Nice, huh? :)

It’s Seoul Fashion Week! Actually I am more interested in Seoul Street Style during SFW, hahaha! I found really good images of interesting combinations of clothes on Tumblr, but there’s no point to post them here when they are not mine. The point is that people in Korea for example are more innovative and bold when it comes to combination of clothes. And even though we all think that the West influences the East, I dare to say that in many cases it is the opposite. Of course this is my personal oppinion. ;) 

Music and Drrraaamaaaas

Granny and I are currently watching Gap-dong. This, my dear, is a very dangerous k-drama to watch! Not because it’s a crime story, but because it’s addicting! Awesome cast, awesome acting and, as of episode 6, a very good storyline. I strongly recommend this drama to you if you have some free time in the nearest future!

This is the BG poster I found in the Eastern Spirit forum

Another series that caught my attention last summer was It's Okay, That's Love. We managed to  watch it last month and we were really impressed by it. The drama may look like another love story – two people fighting at the beginning and then falling in love, but this time you have more serious topics in it. You end up crying and laughing almost at the same time. It’s a good drama, watch it! You will also see some familiar faces there. 

The soundtrack is also a sweet thing to listen to. There are several songs that are on my playlist but there is this one that makes me burst into laughter everytime I listen to it. It may not be a song for you to put in your playlist but it reminds of so many funny moments of the drama that at the end you fall into it’s rhytm. It also has that Balkan feeling in it, althought it’s made by Canadians (as I remember). It's my alarm. Can you imagine something like this to wake you up every morning? Funny and sunny. :D :D :D

Little Suns - Sunboat 

Of course, not to forget Chen-Chen’s awesome contribution to the soundtrack:  Chen - Best Luck

Speaking of Jongdae’s magical voice abilities (Chen from EXO) and, of course, mentioning EXO… Last weekend was insane for some K-pop fans. Even I was about to explode at some point.

Actually, the thing I was the most excited about was SHINee’s Tokyo Dome concerts. Two days. So many people. Live performances, lots of sweat and tears… I am so proud of them! 

The image is taken from Tumblr :)

They also said that there will be a new album in Korea untill the end of 2015. As I know SM Entertainment I’m pretty sure that the boys are already halfway done with the album. Can’t wait for their new concept!

Also, for some reason, SM Entertainment decided to hold the two remaining concerts of EXO at the same time…in Seoul. There you go-our sweet Baozi showed his fresh (and sexy, damn it!) abs, Jongin (Kai) cried, all the boys were literally stripping behind see-through tent (not sure of the word here) and many other things that shocked the hearts of schoolgirls and crazy fans in Korea (and abroad). 

Whose idea was this???

For me it was funny and at the same time sad, because SM uses this tactic for money (of course). Taemin form SHINee also performed half-naked in Tokyo, even Key wore some kind of S&M leather...things on him (ironically enough I mean sado-m... but it looks almost like the name of their company). Almost all of the boys usually are very shy and to see them like this may be exciting but I am pretty sure they do not do this because they really want to do it.

Anyway, I’m not the type to analyze or criticise, this is show business after all.

Their comeback is expected at the end of March and the company already began showing some mystery teasers which put the fandom in some crazy-calculating state. 

There are so many things I want to tell you about but it's really late and tomorrow is Monday so... I should write here more, even if it's about something small. 

I can't wait to see you soon! Good luck with all tests, assignments and exams! Have faith in your abilities! You can do it! 

P. S. I am posting two photos of the cookies we made with granny with the stamp you gave me as s present. Sorry for the delay!!! 

Hugs, 

R.