Number One Korean

The picture was taken from the production booth while they were building the special stage for 2NE1. And the whole thing had to be taken down after we filmed their performance.

This week on Music Bank there was an act called "Number One Korean" and although it sounded familiar pretty much all Korean acts sound familiar by now so I didn't think much of it until they came up on stage and I was impressed to see everyone had instruments. Actually they had a lot of brass and when they started playing I realized this was the ska band I saw playing at Club FF a year ago in Hongdae. I have pictures of them somewhere on my hard drive...

It's pretty cool that this band made it out of the small clubs in Hongdae and onto the biggest stage, especially considering their music genre is very different from the bubblegum pop and ballads that are usually popular in Korea. But I have noticed a trend lately of "trot" (트로트) re-gaining popularity and I love it. Though trot it usually associated with ajumas and ajashis it's a lot of fun and a unique sound and it's always fun for 노래방.

Speaking of Hongdae I went out there last night with Ivan and a bunch of his friends, a couple of his friends came to visit from Scotland and Sweden and then the rest were Korean guys. One guy was on his vacation for one day off the army and was so happy. He was thrilled to be able to have freedom, I didn't realize people hated the army so much. He says he gets brainwashed by propaganda (esp. anti-communist) because he's a translator and he was so happy to be standing on the street with all his weight on one side of his body instead of having to stand straight up. I don't know, I personally like that all Korean guys have to go to the army it makes them 멋있어 because they can fight and be disciplined but if I were them I wouldn't like it either.

I was also very happy just to be there because since I got to Korea I haven't even had an opportunity to go to Hongdae which is pretty much my favorite part of Seoul.

Right now I'm listening to songs that I will pitch to the team tomorrow. On the 26th we're doing a special show with all the biggest acts of the year and we're having some team up and do covers, and I love covers so this is a fun assignment for me.

I finally got out and went shopping. I've been wanting to go and I've been needing some more clothes too but I've been tired or lazy. I went to Dongdaemun tonight and was dressed like a total bum and barely anyone bothered me to come look at their clothes that must be the secret. They were more like looking at me like, you wouldn't even fit into these clothes, or, you're so bummy I don't even want you buying my clothes. I will have to dress like a total bum every time I go so I don't get harassed.

4minutes

So I realized that since I have a lot of exclusive information and not a lot of time anymore I will just post little tidbits of info for y'all.

Like that the highly anticipated super group 4minutes will be debuting on Music Bank next week on the 515th episode. Holla.

Myoojik Baenk!

Um so last week started my internship at KBS pretty exciting. Friday was filming as always I was so excited to see SHINee, Super Junior, and everyone else. SHINee won and cried and it was the cutest/most disgusting thing ever. Those poor boys probably work so hard and it looks like they're not even being properly fed. If you think they look skinny on tv, well, the camera really does add ten pounds and in the case of Korea about 38023. I love the fat guy from Super Junior he always looks so happy and we figured it's because he probably gets to eat 13 portions at every meal kekeke.

After filming we went out for dinner and I already feel fat from the 삼겹살 and beer. And if you've ever been eating with older people in Korea you know they going to make you drink! haha but I love my team they are so cool and fortunately I explained to my producer how my name is Elise not Alice from Alice in Wonderland and now he explains to everyone so I don't have to.

After eating I took a taxi on over to Guro and went to Sam's. There is the most amazing 찜질방 at his apartment complex and so I think I will have to make an at least weekly trip there. Especially with how bad my skin is lately because I went from cold Michigan weather to hot humid polluted Seoul air.

Daniel and I planned on going hiking today and Sophie and Sam were going to come too but yesterday Sophie and I started watching 꽃보다남자 (Boys Over Flowers) which I resisted for this long and we were immediately hooked and could not stop watching. Sam and Mike have an awesome fuge tv and a sort of on-demand type of service so I can watch movies and tv and by the time I woke up Saturday the Music Bank episode was available for us to watch.

Aoki Remixed, and TV Notes

photo by the cobrasnake

So last Friday was the Aoki show at the W Hotel. I'd never been there but Ivan had and I was worried it would sell out. Well Ivan, Josh, and I went to Cheonho (천호역) nearby, met a few of Ivan's friends and heard the show was probably going to sell out. So Josh and I went to the hotel and saw a fuge line and were freaking out but in the end I think they were lying to hype it up and I'm sure there were plenty of tickets. Just the presale sold out because they were 10,000 won cheaper. In the photo you can see Ivan about to get crushed by Steve and me there under his leg afraid of getting crushed.

Saturday Sam and Sophie and I went to check out the 찜질방 (jjimjilbang) at his new place, both are very nice by the way. The 찜질방 even has a 숯가마 (I will have to do a whole jjimjilbang podcast episode one of these days). The place was huge, and there were even cubby holes all over to sleep in with reading lights. Didn't get to try them out, as Sam lives in the apartment complex so I just slept in his living room. Unfortunately for me one really determined mosquito made it up to the 7th floor and in through his window and bit me on the face 234083 times also my finger and ear and leg and who knows where else.

Loving my new place. The location is great and the kitchen is really convenient. Love having a tv. I don't really watch tv but it's nice to have one in Korea. I can keep up with pop culture stuff as well as watch random crappy movies late at night when I can't sleep.

Today I met up with with Nahee in Jamsil. We ate at Marche (I believe that's what it's called - there's also one at the COEX Mall) and there was a ton of food it was kind of confusing though because you have to go around and order stuff then get a stamp then go pick it up. Then we wandered around the shopping areas and acted girly and stuff. I think my Korean actually is getting better. I mean, I can understand Nahee. She needs to help me learn Korean and I need to help her learn English.

Tomorrow I start my internship I'm very excited. Who knows what will happen in the next two months? Maybe I will finally get a boyfriend and turn into a lame Korean couple -- the ones that make me feel lonely and bitter on a daily basis. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Maybe not. John is coming at the end of this month should be cool all the Yoon kids in Korea at the same time for the first time in like over 10 years.

So since I've been watching so much tv lately let me just make a few comments about the commercials:

- The Rush Cash commercial series with the talking 무 (radish) is really creepy. I still don't get what 무 has to do with Rush Cash. Korean commercials will never make any sense to me. Which is partly why I want to be in one. Preferably a non-alcoholic drink commercial because those are the best.

- The banana milk (바나나우유) commercial with 소녀시대 (Girls Generation) is dumb because they are all like, "I'm hungry" "I'm hungry" "I'm hungry boo hoo" of course you bitches are hungry you think banana milk is a freaking meal.

- Seungri (승리) is in fact not in the Hite beer commercial because he's a baby and not legally old enough to drink alcohol even in this country LOL. Speaking of Seungri the other night at my brother's I watched the movie 우리집에왜왔니? (Why Did You Come To My House?) because Seungri is in it, though his character is important to the plot he doesn't come out a lot which is understandable because he's probably not like the best actor. The movie is kind of weird (which can be expected when watching any Korean movie, seriously) but is actually good. The girl from Old Boy (올드보이) is the main character and she does a really good job, though she looks different because apparently she got surgery.

- And on the subway line 2 they made a new video this one is awareness for women about creepy men (yes this is not correct grammar I don't really care) and there is a creepy guy trying to like look up her skirt then the creepy guy next to her is like trying to look down her shirt and like rub his leg against hers it's pretty hilarious. but nothing beats the one about suspicious objects in the subway I hope they are still showing that where the suspicious guy throws something suspicious in the trash and then some good citizen sees this suspicious behavior and calls the correct authorities. the next scene involves what appears to be a maxi pad on the train tracks and another good citizen reports the suspicious object yet in the video a number to call if such suspicious activities occur is never given.

Moving Soon!

So, went 집 hunting with Sam yesterday and we were really lucky. We decided on the second place we looked at, really it's ideal. I get my own bathroom, a shared kitchen with the rest of the girls on my floor, a shoe locker, mini fridge, free ramen & rice & kimchee & fake coffee, LAUNDRY, and the best part is it's only like a block from the Grand Mart and Sinchon Station. Which is totally necessary because walking in the Korean summer heat and rain and humidity is miserable.

There's an interesting blog written by an English teacher who was put under quarantine. If you've been keeping up with the news a bunch of them are stuck in some building. It's a fun read over at http://underquarantine.tumblr.com

Hopefully I'll get all settled in this week into my tiny closet of a room -- fortunately the walls are packed with shelving units and I have a closet of sorts -- and next week I can start my internship at KBS. SO EXCITED. I wonder which show I will be put with and which future husband celebs I get to meet kekeke hopefully my fav 이승기 I think he's working on a new drama but I'm pretty sure that's over at SBS. Oh well.

Got to hang with Eun Soo for a while yesterday and fortunately she was being nice. I took her to the playground next to the building and she made a new friend who is only like a couple months younger than her. They were adorable. Of course, Eun Soo is more adorable. I was suprised Eun Soo was like a foot taller than this baby so I thought it was really a baby but it could run and talk much better than her.

So excited for STEVE AOKI and the Cobrasnake dance party this Friday. Unfortunately Daniel is lame and has to be a lame architecture major and this has ruined our party plans many a time so I'm kind of used to him having lame teachers that make him freaking have class THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS or on NEW YEARS DAY or STAY FREAKING OVERNIGHT at the studio. Ugh. Well any ways, I think that's it for now.

Oh right, Sam and I got our hairs cut yesterday too. I look really fobby now and have bangs again. But it's nice and somewhat shorter.

KU Spring Festival & Hiking

Last week was Korea University's spring festival also known as Ipselenti (입셀렌티) which I think is supposed to be Greek and mean something but who knows. Wednesday night I met Daniel in Anam for some delicious Indian cuisine at Otsal and the waiters remembered us, I guess Daniel hadn't been there all semester and so they thought he went back to "America" too, because they don't know he's Australian. Any way, the main street and Gaeun-sa-gil (the street of the temple/the street going all the way up the mountain to the dorm we used to live in) had a bunch of banners up for the festival it was very cool, but also kind of sad. I kind of felt like an outsider.

In campus, especially Democracy Square there were tons of tents set up and even a stage for performers. Various student groups were drinking in the tents with makeshift tables and chairs made from cardboard boxes and styrofoam blocks. I was totally jealous. American college would be so much better if the school funded drinking on campus. Well, I guess that would never happen because American students are too freaking irresponsible and stupid.

Any way, Friday I met up with Sam and saw his place that he and Mike moved into just after I left this past winter, but now he's in his new place. Then I went back to Anam, had to walk up that stupid mountain again even though I thought I'd never have to after I moved out of CJ, and in the rain too. Oh well. I caught the last bit of Drunken Tiger's performance which was awesome, and Baek Ji Young came too.

Super Junior came! They did "Sorry, Sorry" of course and that was a lot of fun to dance to especially in the pouring rain. The last performer was Lee Moon Se (이문세) who I personally think is lame and he only confirmed my feelings when he was up there on stage barely singing. Like, I understand you're old but you're getting paid so at least try to entertain us man. OK, so we left early to avoid the huge rush/not stand around in soggy shoes/eat.

Let me just say I am surprised I survived Thursday night. We went to 노래방 which is always great. Then we went to eat some more, then Ivan found us and I missed that guy he is crazy. We all went to Abbey Road for one drink and then found ourselves at this one bar (which I do not know the name of) I used to always walk by the place and want to go in but we never did. We drank too many 3000 cc containers of beer then went to 노래방 and ended up going home at around 6am. The sun was blinding but we knew it was going to be a beautiful day so we had to go through with our plans for trekking at 북한산.

Around 10:30am I made Daniel get ready so we could go to the mountain. We were both like hungover and exhausted but I am determined to not be such a fatty this summer plus I love mountains and Michigan has no mountains. We ate a fuge delicious breakfast and took the extra long route (not on purpose) on the subway to 독비위 station, stopped for sunscreen and snacks and finally made our way up the mountain. We were only planning on 2-3 hours trekking/climbing but suddenly realized we were exhausted and asked some ajashi how to get down the mountain the quickest way.

He pointed us in some direction and said he and his friend were going that way and he took off and we never saw him again. In fact we never saw any people for a while after that and were really lost for a couple of hours and the "trails" we were on were getting increasingly wild/bushy and we were tired and I wanted to cry/throw up/die. I would actually get excited to see a candy wrapper or glass shard and hoped there were people nearby. On the way we found a cool creek/waterfall thing that went all the way down the mountain; it was really refreshing.

Finally we saw a couple spare people, and then signs, and then a more legit path. We then found a little park with the exercise equipment and a bunch of old people hanging out, and I wondered how the f they go there, and Daniel said "because they're f-ing fit." We eventually made our way past a temple and then found paved road, and then the town and the subway station. I thought I would die walking down the 248308 flights of stairs in the subway because my toenails already felt like they were going to fall off. That's what happens when you buy $10 hiking boots. That's what I get for being cheap.

I was exhausted but hey it's really good exercise and the few pictures I did take do not do the views justice. Which is why I didn't even really feel like taking pictures. It was such a clear day that we could see clear across the river and point out landmarks of the city like the 63 Building (육삼), the World Cup Stadium, etc.

Elise [Back] In Korea

I'm already back in Korea and I can't believe it. I came back and my aunt and uncle and Eunjin unnie and EunSoo were eating dinner. My 큰엄마 said it feels more like I just was at the dorm and came back not like I went back to America. It's true I am so comfortable here and I feel like I just left.

Any way I'm so glad to be back in Korea. I can't even describe the feeling I just feel like at home, excited, happy, comfortable, etc. My dad P-Yo + his travel agent are the coolest they arranged it so I got to stop in California and see Peter, Cece, and Jason. It was great seeing them; we went to Disneyland and the beach. I love California especially after being in cloudy, damp Michigan. So that's the picture above, it's the It's A Small World ride at Disneyland.

I'm overwhelmed and busy and not doing anything all at once. I have a lot to do in the next couple of weeks like find a place to live -- though fortunately my big bro Sam will be helping out a lot with that -- move, meet a ton of people, clean up and organize my crap (brought too much as always), and stop being so fat, at least compared to Koreans. I actually just went for a walk/run/exercise behind the apartments here there's a walkway. All the ajummas with their ridiculous clothes and huge visors were out walking too. I love Korea because there's public exercise equipment in pretty much every park and people actually use it.

Today I'm going to meet Daniel 오빠 for dinner I miss him! I wish he could stay for the whole summer, though. Australia is so far away. This week is Korea University's spring festival which is basically a big party; last week was Yonsei's. I'm going to the big event tomorrow and will probably die because I'm an old lady but whatever.

Also can't wait for Steve Aoki at the end of the month; I'm going to go with Ivan my favorite Russian/Swede/crazy person. I just read something about Lady Gaga coming next month. If it's not ridiculously expensive I'll probably go to that too. I can't wait to go to the Prada Transformer; it looks very cool and I never get to see things like this living in the suburbs of Michigan. One of the many reasons I love Seoul/Korea.

Oh, and for the podcast listeners (all two of you) I got a new microphone so hopefully once I get a little more settled in I can do a new podcast! If you have stuff you want me to address just leave a comment here.

End of the Semester

Been so busy lately. And by busy I mean lazy and kind of stressing about dumb things. Fortunately the postal service found my passport and I will be able to get a visa in time for my flight to Korea in less than a few more weeks here.

CANNOT WAIT. My dad and grandma are there now because Jonggeul just got married. Miss my family and definitely miss Korea that goes without saying. I am beyond excited. Not that I hate America (sometimes I do) but I totally left my heart in Korea.

Lots of excitement I guess because the semester is ending so everything's quite chaotic. I got to interview My Brightest Diamond (Shara Worden) which was awesome she was really nice and I'm glad to see her getting a lot more publicity now.

I also did a thing with fellow blogger Sahar. It's finally airing tomorrow on the Impact after a lot of technical difficulties and frustration. Plenty of K-pop goodness. The episode is called "My Life is a Korean Drama" and it's for a show I'm producing called the Guest List.

listen/download here

and in K-Pop news:

Daniel Henney everyone's favorite handsome half-Korean bad actor who is going to be in the X-Men movie is apparently turning into an ajumma just like the other really popular guy Bae Yeong Joon (배영준), hence the picture above. Apparently that's what happens when you are famous in Korea and have a lot of ajumma fans; you turn into one.

Kara's label Playdis is totally ghetto as I've always thought. This has been confirmed by the A-ST1 (yeah apparently that makes out to be "A-STYLE" because 1(일)=il) video that cost ummm probably 45000 won.

Girls Generation (소녀시대) were caught lip-syncing when the cd started skipping during a performance. TOTALLY HILARIOUS. What is awesome is that in America this is a career-ender but in Korea it's totally forgivable because everyone knows that all the singers don't actually sing.

all dolled up

today(ish) in the korean entertainment industry

lee min-ho puts on his own make-up at a shoot for a beer commercial. i must say, he does it better than i do. i'm bouta go get some tips from him. and does anyone else think he has luscious lips?



also, 2NE1's offical photos are out and about. they have an edginess thats awesome. not trying too hard to be sexy or cutesy. basically, they're the female big bang, as advertised. i love big bang enough to love anything connected to them, of course - but these girls do look pretty fantastic. CL especially looks fierce!

and to gloat about how awesome big bang is again - they've generated about $26 million in profits in 2008. this is awesome because it beats the measly $13 million that se7en, wheesung, big mama and gummy raked in for YG entertainment combined. after bringing in all that money, the boys definitely deserve a break.

by the way. kim jong kook is looking a bit chubby these days. he sang at an outdoor concert (which was also featuring ft island). it was for some sort of save nature campaign.

and -i knew this was coming- yet another boys before flower fainting spell occurred. t-max rapper, kim joon (aka woobin), fainted a music bank performance. the doctor said that exhaustion was (duh) the reason.

flower power

boys before flowers has ended its 25 episode run, making us all sad with nothing to do on monday and tuesday nights. and, so far, the actors havent had any time to rest. they've all been drowning in a sea of CF's (CF=commercial film btw). kim hyun joong (aka ji hoo), for example, has only been getting 2-3 hours of sleep a night - causing him to faint during a CF shoot. this isnt the first time the boy has fainted (its probably more like the 3rd or 4th) so i think someone needs to sneak him a sleeping pill or two. in a non-roofie, non-harassing sorta way.

other castmates kim bum (aka yi jung) and kim so eun (aka ga eul) did a "spin-off" CF for anycall's new phone bodyguard. the CF was based off of boys over flowers and was released in its entirety this past weekend. to be a total fangirl totally honest, it was cute and entertaining. and cheesily funny.

speaking of cheesy funny entertaining -- 2NE1 officially released their full lollipop MV. it's not too far off from the CF for the phone that inspired the song. but seriously. did g-dragon dress these girls from his own wardrobe? and do their hair??? cus they all look like female or just regular versions of g-dragon. especially the girl in the polka dots with the peppero stick hair. i bet he did her hair that way because he wishes his hair was long enough to defile style like that.



oh. and in case anyone cares, se7en is doing more promotion for his US debut. but really. no one cares.