~Confessions of a WALLflower~

can we just take a moment to look at will’s and...

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:24:03 -0400

can we just take a moment to look at will’s and abigail’s BLUER THAN BLUE EYES??? DAYUM!

After that elegant and well-detailed explanation of the dish,...

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:10:58 -0400

After that elegant and well-detailed explanation of the dish, Will simply called it a ‘chicken soup’. LOL. Hannibal is NOT amused. XD

Kung di makuha sa pakiusap… kidnapin! Hahaha!

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:59:28 -0400

Kung di makuha sa pakiusap… kidnapin! Hahaha!

Park Sooha, the ‘Gum’ ~ ^^

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:31:08 -0400

Park Sooha, the ‘Gum’ ~ ^^

cr. miyaxdonghae

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:52:49 -0400

_{cr. miyaxdonghae}

Kyah!!! The bus scene~~~ <333

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:53:24 -0400

Kyah!!! The bus scene~~~ <333

When Sooha started reading Hyeseong’s mind and ending her...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:47:59 -0400

When Sooha started reading Hyeseong’s mind and ending her sentences for her… creepy but I just LOVE this scene! :D

♫ Manila Concert Scene ♫: CONCERT REVIEW: Araneta Painted In Blue

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:29:12 -0400

♫ Manila Concert Scene ♫: CONCERT REVIEW: Araneta Painted In Blue:

manilaconcertscene:

Written by Alexa Villano

Photography by Kris Rocha for Manila Concert Scene.

The Smart Araneta Coliseum was filled with the color blue last June 15, when Korean boy band CNBLUE performed before thousands of screaming Kpop fans.

The concert dubbed as the “Blue Moon Tour,” saw…

If the stalker is THIS gorgeous, I will let him in. Hahahaha!

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:24:46 -0400

If the stalker is THIS gorgeous, I will let him in. Hahahaha!

Awwww… I know the age gap is disturbing… but...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:38:27 -0400

Awwww… I know the age gap is disturbing… but it’s still CUTE!

BOOM! Hahaha! That burns… LOL! And he has a POINT. :D

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:34:02 -0400

BOOM! Hahaha! That burns… LOL! And he has a POINT. :D

If this guy would save my life every time, then I’d...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:26:42 -0400

If this guy would save my life every time, then I’d attempt suicide everyday. LOL. (not making light of suicide, okay… chill. XD)

How to practice your greetings, Park Sooha style.

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:23:10 -0400

How to practice your greetings, Park Sooha style.

Posting because Lee Jongsuk is <333

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:16:34 -0400

Posting because Lee Jongsuk is <333

I just love this scene! In your face Do Yeon’s appa!...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:14:05 -0400

I just love this scene! In your face Do Yeon’s appa! HUMPH!

I love love love Lee Jongsuk’s new drama ‘I hear...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:05:50 -0400

I love love love Lee Jongsuk’s new drama ‘I hear your voice’!!! I didn’t have any plans of watching another draggy and sappy Kdrama but I heard about the plot from my students… so I tried it. I was instantly hooked from ep 1!

So Lee Jongsuk plays Park Sooha, a high school student who had a terrible ‘accident’ when he was young (which claimed the life of his dear father). He has the ability to read other people’s minds just by looking at their eyes. She meets the feisty and conceited lawyer/public defender, Jang Hyeseong (Lee Boyoung) whom he seemed to have some sort of ‘past’ with. He’s so keen on ‘protecting’ her and kept on sticking to her like a gum… Hence his nickname, ‘Gum’. :)

I instantly liked the plot. It wasn’t fresh or unique, but there’s something compelling about it. I don’t like dramas about law or politics coz I find them boring. But this one is different. It has a twist of mystery and a sprinkle of suspense. There’s also a rom-com in between. It has just the right balance. Every episode kept me hooked and left me wanting MORE. The courtroom scenes are far from ho-hum too. I always feel a mix of tension, excitement, frustration and even giddiness whenever I watch them.

I just hope this won’t turn into one of those dramas that started off with a bang but ended with a miserable pop.

I’m so proud of Lee Jongsuk. His acting really got better. WAY BETTER than I expected it to be. :)

Blue Moon in Manila: A dream come true

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:37:10 -0400

I’m proud to say that I have seen CN BLUE perform live before I die. Or before they disband. Whichever comes first. XD One of my dreams finally came true. I was one of the first few people who actually ‘noticed’ and liked this band way before. My blog over at Multiply is a strong proof of that. At that time, a certain Jung Yonghwa joined the cast of the Korean drama ‘You’re Beautiful’ and I immediately Googled him. I found out that he was in this indie band called CN BLUE, who was under FNC - FT Island’s entertainment agency. I watched a fancam of them performing Now Or Never in Japan and I instantly liked it. I love bands so it was only a matter of time before I got obsessed with them. I searched every nook and cranny of the world wide web for pictures, info and videos of them, which, at that time was sort of like an EXTRA CHALLENGE. Since they haven’t debuted in Korea yet, and they were just performing on the streets of Shibuya or Shinjuku, it was not that easy to find stuff about them. I was a fan back when their bassist was not yet Jungshin - it was a cute, effeminate dude named Kwon Kwangjin. That’s why I never liked Jungshin coz Kwangjin was my fave member and how would you feel if your fave member gets replaced all of a sudden? Just when they finally debuted in Korea… :(

Anyway, I watched these guys grow into what they are now. Haha! That sounds like I’m their mom or manager or sth. But, really. I liked them during those times that they were still lacking and they were not perfect. The times when they all had longish hair and they all looked like the striving rock band that they were… I liked them when nobody paid that much attention to them as a BAND. Because I know that people started noticing Yonghwa ever since his drama. I liked the BAND more than Yonghwa. I invested time and effort for them. I would diligently listen to their songs, watch their performances, read articles about them.

I admit though, that a year or so after they debuted in Korea - when they became main stream — I kinda lost track of everything. Of course I still saw them perform in music shows, watched their radio and variety show guesting. I still downloaded their singles and albums (yeah, I know that a true fan should BUY the original copy, whatever XP)… I watched Yonghwa’s We Got Married and fell in love with the YONGSEO couple… I still supported them in any way that I can… but something changed…. I dunno if it’s just me. Their music changed. I mean, of course it did. When they became main stream, they lost the “spark”. They lost the “fire”… IMO. I still liked them but I didn’t like ALL of their songs na. :( It made me feel bad coz I’m supposed to be a SUPER FAN or whatever. I just lost interest eventually…

I was still aware of their hit songs and I still listened to their albums. But I wasn’t that hooked anymore. It was just NOT the same. :( I felt guilty when my friends started knowing MORE about them than I did. I was not updated anymore… But then the news of their concert in the Philippines started floating around. That’s when the SPARK came back. It has always been my dream to see them perform LIVE. I already saw FT ISLAND in a concert before and that was just PRICELESS. Seeing CN BLUE is another dream come true for me. Never in a million years did I think that I would get to see them in the flesh.

UNFORTUNATELY, a week before the concert, I went on a 4-day trip to Singapore with my friends. So my plan of buying the MOST EXPENSIVE tickets for the BLUE MOON concert was thwarted. :( BUT, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I told myself that no matter what happens - even if I don’t have anything to eat anymore, even if I go broke, I would NEVER miss this concert. I bought the cheapest concert, which was the UPPERBOX B section - not bad actually… at least it wasn’t GEN AD. They didn’t open the GEN AD section, for some reason… but on the day of the concert, at around 12 noon, I think, they finally opened it coz more fans wanted to see them. :)

Originally, a handful of my friends told me they’re gonna watch it too. But as the concert date came, they all backed out, one by one… until only ONE friend was left to watch it with me. I don’t really care. I watched the FT ISLAND concert by myself so I think I can survive the CN BLUE concert alone too. ^_^ But it was still great that my friend decided to come with me. :)

So! Enough about my history with CN BLUE… let’s talk about the concert.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to see them properly since my seat was the farthest (without the Gen Ad) and it was on the Jungshin side, meaning the right side - as in FAR right. Surprisingly, when I got there, it was okay. I mean, I could only see their faces properly on the huge LCD screen but they were NOT that tiny on stage. I could make out their movements and gestures :)

The moment they stepped on stage, the whole stadium went gaga! Of course, I screamed my lungs out. By the end of the concert I actually LOST my voice and that’s a feat since I had never lost my voice in my entire life. Haha! I had to stay up throughout most of the concert coz the two girls in front of me were too perky and enthusiastic - they never sat down. I couldn’t see properly if I just sit down since they were blocking the view of the stage. Ugh. Anyway, can’t really blame them… they were just overzealous fans. XD

130615 CNBLUE BLUE MOON in Manila set list:

1. Where You Are - It was a fantastic opening song. It totally pumped up the crowd. I couldn’t sing along that much though, coz I forgot the lyrics. Haha!

2. Get Away - I think I heard this song from their album but I couldn’t quite remember it at that time. ^^ It was catchy and very upbeat though, that I had no problems banging my head to it.

3. One Time - Ah ha! Finally! A song that I actually listened to more than enough times. I still have it on my phone too. One of their better songs.

4. 나란 남자 (Naran namja) - Another vaguely familiar song. Haha. Can’t remember which album though… but I know that I’ve heard it before. :)

5. Coffee shop - One of my fave performances! This was where Yonghwa’s FAMOUS SHOULDER DANCE started! Hahaha! It was just hilarious! He was so hyperactive in this perf and he was really ‘feeling’ it. XD

6. Have A Good Night - I have no idea. Haha. I guess I only listened to this once so I couldn’t remember that much. ^^;;

7. Wake Up - I like this one! It was my first time hearing it but I instantly liked it. During the perf, they showed the lyrics on the screen so we could sing along. The lyrics were good too.

8. Love Light - THIS!!! It reminds me so much of the YongSeo couple!!! T_T And OMG Jonghyun’s voice here… so lovely and heart melting!!!

9. Feeling - I think I finally sat down during this perf. Haha. I tried to calm myself down a bit and just enjoyed listening to the music. :)

10. These Days (Kor. version) - Familiar… but I can’t say I’ve listened to it more than once.

11. Y, Why (Korean Version) - I love Jungshin’s powerful rap here! Okay, so he is kinda cool when he raps. :)

12. 라라라 (LaLaLa) - The start of what Yonghwa called ‘DSM’ - Dark Sexy Metal… I have no idea what he was talking about. Hahaha! I love this one. It was hardcore rock! Jonghyun was like, banging his beautiful, soft hair around and everyone was going wild. Minhyuk was hitting his drums like there’s no tomorrow… Yonghwa and Jungshin were having a cool guitar face-off. Haha!

^ Jonghyun’s yummy, milky white biceps~~~

13. Just Please (Korean Version) - Another one of my faves. I like the English version and I memorized that one so I was singing along, in English. LOL.

14. Tattoo - Yonghwa’s vocals were just AMAZING!!! Like, WOW.

15. In My Head (Korean Version) - Another head-banging, rock on perf! I think this was where I lost my voice. Hahaha!

16. Intuition - MY FAVORITE SONG EVER!!!!!!!! I was looking forward to their performance of this! I just love everything about this song - the beat, melody, lyrics, rhythm — everything! I was practically jumping up and down while they were playing this!

17. I’m A Loner - Classic. Of course everyone sang along to this. I mean, who doesn’t know the lyrics to this song? Like, seriously. My throat really hurt from all the screaming but I still sang along to this.

18. I’m Sorry - This was another one of those hilarious performances. Yonghwa was just doing his crazy shoulder dance and we were cracking up so much. He was dancing like there’s no tomorrow! Hahaha! And he even told us that he IS the best dancer in CN Blue. LOL. Okay, fine, Yonghwa. Your shoulder dance is the best. Hahahaha!

After this, they went for a break and I was able to rest my legs and my voice. Haha! I have to say that I was impressed because they did not require a translator. Yonghwa and Jungshin both entertained the crowd and tried their best to communicate with the few English phrases and sentences that they know. They even made an effort of memorizing some Filipino sentences and words like ‘Kumusta kayo?’, ‘Masaya ba kayo?’, ‘Mahal kita’, ‘Sabay sabay’,’Nagugutom ako’. LOL. Moreover, their English might be broken but it was tolerable and understandable. Especially for an ESL Tutor like me. ^^ Minhyuk talked a bit too but he was the one that I did not understand that much. The crowd was too noisy and he was speaking a bit softly.

As a fan, I think it’s very important that these K-POP groups try to communicate in English, no matter how difficult it is. The concert went smoothly and without delay because they handled the crowd pretty well. I bet it would’ve went on longer and kinda draggy if they brought in a translator. Besides, it was funnier if they say it themselves. I read and heard that some thought Yonghwa and Jungshin hogged the show and gave too much FAN SERVICE. Come on people. They ARE idols. That’s what they do - that’s what they get paid for - to provide fan service. It’s not like you didn’t like it. So Yonghwa kept on saying ‘Mahal kita Philippine!’, it’s just part of the show. It might not come straight from the heart or whatever but at least he tried his best to express his feelings.

Jungshin, on the other hand… He talked a lot and I think he was able to entertain the crowd better than anyone in the group. He was just hilarious. I never really liked him but after the concert, I now understand why a lot of fans like him. Once you see him perform, you will know. This kid got personality. He knew how to tease the crowd. He interacted with the crowd. He provided great fan service. So yeah, I was pretty impressed. Although he just kept on saying ‘FANTASTIC’ and ‘THIS IS ROCKING’ XD He was able to entertain me. :)

Jonghyun WAS ONE HELL OF A SEXY GUITAR GOD!!! I swear! Every time he appeared on the screen we all lost our minds. Hahaha! His hair was so soft and shiny and every time he flipped it, I just melted. He was often shown on screen whenever he did his solo guitar moments, which, btw, totally ROCKED!!! Even from afar, we could totally see his MILKY WHITE skin!!! He was glowing under those lights! And those biceps!!! Damn! Sadly, he didn’t talk that much. Not sure if he was just shy, if he can’t speak English as well as the others or if he’s just not in the mood. I could barely remember anything memorable that he said. :( A friend of my friend told me he was also like that during the Press Conference at Megamall. He was awfully quiet. He was actually my second fave member, next to Minhyuk… Some of his fans were disheartened and frustrated that he didn’t speak that much. I think that’s just his ‘image’. He’s always been the quiet, brooding, man-of-few-words type ever since. And when he’s on stage, he’s a ROCKER. The only thing that exists when he’s on stage is his guitar. ^^

As for Minhyuk, I was quite disappointed coz I couldn’t see his “physical body” from my seat. :( He was blocked by those huge LCD screens… so I only got to see him on that screen. Still, he was better than Jonghyun coz he actually talked. He talked about lechon and jeepneys. Haha! He was the one who said ‘Nagugutom ako’. Haha! This kid is so adorable!!! My heart skipped a beat every time he bangs on those drums. It was just soooo cool!

Encore

1. Hey You - Another song that got the crowd dancing and grooving. I can’t remember the lyrics to this one so I just nodded along with a goofy smile on my face. Hahaha!

2. Love Girl - Eeeehhh~ Another song that is reminiscent of the YongSeo couple!!! It was so cute coz the camera caught a handful of YONGSEO placards and fan signs in the crowd… ^^

3. Impromptu song - This cracked me up so much! It showed how versatile Yonghwa is. He could just make up lyrics or sing whatever he wants to say - in English and it still sounded awesome. He introduced the next song and he said something about it being the OST of the drama Heartstrings. Then he started cracking up. I guess he realized how hilarious he was. XD

4. You’ve Fallen Into Me - NEON NAEGE BAN HAESSO, BAN HAESSO!!! Of course everyone sang along to this! Heartstrings was one of my fave dramas and it has one of the best OST too! :)

5. Love - This was where the confusion started. Before the song, Jungshin and Yonghwa were saying something like ‘Put your hands up LEFT!’ and ‘Put your hands up RIGHT!’ So we all raised our left and right hands simultaneously. But they said ‘NO’. We were doing it wrong. Haha! What they meant was, the left side should put their hands up when YOnghwa gives the signal and the right side should do the same when Jungshin gives the signal. But it was still confusing so when the right side, OUR SIDE, raised our hands together with the left side, Jungshin mocked anger and was like, ‘NO, NO, NO! We are RIGHT. Okay?’ Hahaha! It was so cute! When we finally understood what they want, Yonghwa proceeded to making us look like fools by repeating whatever he said. Hahaha! He made some combination of LOVE LOVE LOVE and CLAP CLAP CLAP and we had to repeat it fast. Hahaha! It was so fun! In the end, he just laughed and he couldn’t stop. I swear he was so amused.

6. Try Again, Smile again - This was just the PERFECT ENDING SONG. I love this song because it’s very encouraging. I listen to it when I feel down. It’s very uplifting and it tells you never to give up on your dreams. Never stop trying AND smiling. :) I guess it’s the song that signifies CN BLUE’s career - all the hardships, the ups and downs and the success.

(Set List Credit: @HannahCa9989)

It was the kind of concert that left me wanting more by the end of it. I still couldn’t believe I actually saw them perform. Maybe next time I would even get a chance to see them UP CLOSE. :) I just need to prepare for that. Of course I would love to see them again. I would never stop being a fan. After that concert, I can now proudly say that I AM A CN BLUE FAN. I don’t just like one or two members, I don’t just like their music, I LIKE THEM AS CN BLUE - as a band. That would never ever change. :)

These guys are very talented - there’s no doubt about that. They are not just good-looking or funny, they can PLAY their instruments and they can perform well - LIVE. They really worked hard to get where they are. They did not take any shortcuts. They were thrown in a foreign country, which tested their survival skills and ability to adapt to the music scene. They studied the Japanese language, they risked getting incarcerated (and I think they did get thrown in jail once XD) by performing out in the streets of Japan, they lived in a small dormitory and they left their families and friends in Korea. So for all the haters and those who still don’t believe in their talent (saying that they are NOT a band, etc.) - you should see them live, in a concert, before you judge them.

Of course I took a picture with the standees afterwards. The fans surrounding the Jonghyun and Junshin standees were RABID. It was so difficult to get a chance to take a picture coz some of them seemed to be deliberating on kidnapping the standees. Hahaha!

The Minhyuk fans were better coz they were behaved and they did not have their claws on the standee. They gave each other some space while taking pics too. XD It was also difficult to take a pic of JS too. We had to do it in two secs or else, someone might drag him away from us XD

My friend and I couldn’t get anywhere NEAR Yonghwa. The fans were like forming a barricade around him. LOL. But my friend was able to take a picture of Minhyuk with Yonghwa photo bombing him XD

CREDITS: The clear and good shots were NOT MINE of course. I only own the blurred and far far away shots. LOL. Credits go to all the owners, I got it from CNBLUE FB

A couple of pics were from santayo.ph

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:47:08 -0400

This book has the most realistic characters ever. I like how imperfect Eleanor and Park are individually, and yet they are so perfect for each other. From the start, I already got so hooked that I kept on reading when I should be doing other things - like eating or sleeping. LOL. I just couldn’t get enough of them! I wanted to know what would happen next. It’s like every chapter is a cliff-hanger so you have to turn the next page immediately coz you’re dying to find out more.

Actually, I could relate a bit to their love story. And I think everyone could. We all had that cute, innocent, young love back then. That boy that sits next to you or in front of you in class. Or, in my case, that boy who rode the same tricycle service as me back in elementary. That boy who lives in your neighborhood and steals glances at you as you pass him by. That boy who would pass a letter for you to your little brother… It was the kind of love that alerts the butterflies in your stomach - making them flutter around wildly. The kind of love that is pure and bittersweet. The kind of love that makes you smile for no reason and keeps you awake at night…

Eleanor is nothing like all those female protagonists in YA novels. I imagined her to be this ordinary-looking, chubby girl with wild, curly hair and sulky face. She’s no Bella Swan or America Singer. She’s not someone whom you’d see on the cover of a magazine… or the cover of anything, for that matter. She’s like that girl that you would have classes with but you would never really talk to, unless you needed to. Park Sheridan might have his cool circle of friends and he might’ve dated the ‘hottest’ girl in school, but I don’t think he’s ‘all that’. I think he was just lucky to have been included in that circle of friends. If he was not with them, he’d just be a typical Asian kid who would get bullied all the time. I do think he is charming, in a way, but not THAT handsome.

I just loved how their love story progressed. It was slow but not draggy. It was quick but not rushed. It was just right. Everything had just the right timing. Everything happened smoothly, albeit awkwardly. ^^ It leaves you hanging this time and then gives you so much the next.

My fave moment was when Park finally decided to let Eleanor read his comic books and listen to his music. I had an enjoyable time imagining that scene, Eleanor stealing glances at the comic book and Park deliberately reading slowly to let her finish first. It was so adorable how they never really ‘talked’ to each other during the first few weeks. They just had this unspoken connection that helped them realize how much they like each other. And OMG when they first held hands —- that made me kick and punch the air in delight!!! Their first kiss was even BETTER. I was so ecstatic with joy. Young love is so precious~

Every chapter has just the right amount of thrill, romance, drama, excitement and humor. The last few chapters were sprinkled with a moderate amount of ‘teenage hormones’, which is just normal and very realistic, I think. ^^ I mean, they might have liked the person inside the facade but you cannot dismiss the physical attraction. With teenagers, something is bound to happen of course…

Anyway, I just have to say I LOVE PARK’s mom! Hahaha! She is like the typical Korean mom. The way she talks, the way she acts and even her humor is so Korean. Hahaha! I also love the songs mentioned in the novel. I didn’t know much about them so I Googled and downloaded some. I fell in love with Joy Division’s “Love will tear us apart” instantly!

All in all, I guess it was just a simple story - they met, they fell in love, they faced some difficulties, they fight, they make up and then they break up in the end… It was genuine and simply heartrending. I said it before and I’ll say it again - it was so real, and that’s what got me so hooked. This book made me reminisce the old times… it helped me remember how it felt like to be truly in LOVE~ *sighs*

credits: to whoever owns those adorable pictures… i love you guys ^^

“The opportunity for friendship…” ~...

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:55:02 -0400

“The opportunity for friendship…”

~ awwww…. :(

Photo

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:51:41 -0400

*~Confessions of a WALLflower~*

can we just take a moment to look at will’s and...

After that elegant and well-detailed explanation of the dish,...

Kung di makuha sa pakiusap… kidnapin! Hahaha!

Park Sooha, the ‘Gum’ ~ ^^

cr. miyaxdonghae

Kyah!!! The bus scene~~~ <333

When Sooha started reading Hyeseong’s mind and ending her...

♫ Manila Concert Scene ♫: CONCERT REVIEW: Araneta Painted In Blue

If the stalker is THIS gorgeous, I will let him in. Hahahaha!

Awwww… I know the age gap is disturbing… but...

BOOM! Hahaha! That burns… LOL! And he has a POINT. :D

If this guy would save my life every time, then I’d...

How to practice your greetings, Park Sooha style.

Posting because Lee Jongsuk is <333

I just love this scene! In your face Do Yeon’s appa!...

I love love love Lee Jongsuk’s new drama ‘I hear...

Blue Moon in Manila: A dream come true

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

“The opportunity for friendship…” ~...

Photo

~Confessions of a WALLflower~