I (actually we), spent 8 days in South Korea last November, hoping to see the lovely autumn colors and the first snow. We didn't get to experience both, but still its an experience of a lifetime. I don't know if I'll get to visit South Korea again, but it will not hurt if I will! Darn the thought itself makes me feel giddy. It is rather a sad thought that I'll not be visiting the websites catering to tourist who wished to visit Korea because it will not have a use for me for the moment. Every blog entry that I'll post about my recent trip in Korea will be bittersweet. I'll try not to be nostalgic sniff..sniff.. I hope I'll get to finish all before anyone starts to plan a tour to Korea next fall and I hope that my blog entries will be a little helpful, just like the other blog posts that I relied as I plan our trip to Korea.
The planning stage was not that long compared to our first trip. We are not that excited or maybe its mixed with stress. I didn't get to check thoroughly our itinerary especially the last 2-3 days, thus we got to pay being lost and spending an awful time walking on the streets of Seoul with less than 10 degrees Celsius brrrrrr... its a big deal for a couple of tourists from a tropical country and living in the Middle East for more than 5 years.
We arrived at around 8pm at Incheon International Airport. This time we did not look around the airport, we head straight to the convenience store to reload our T-Money. Ugh! I remember losing my old T-Money on our 7th day with more than 20USD still stored. You know that moment you know that when you put it there it will get lost but you put it there anyway, and then it got really lost and you ended up hating yourself for getting that warning but ignored it. Silly me. As usual, I exceeded my trip budget that's excluding airfare and hotel, which I've already paid in advance. Its funny that on the first few days we are splurging and on our last night counting our won (Korean currency) down to the last coin. hehe!
After the huge success of You From Another Star or Man from the Star in the Kdramaverse and of course in my heart, my Kdramaverse was not occupied with a good drama as YFAS. Although I enjoyed, Marriage not Dating, Bride of the Century and Plus Nine Boys, the fall Kdramas are good!
Let me start with Misaeng. How do I love thee? Wasn't that excited for this drama even if Im Si-wan is here and Kang Ha-neul. I know that Kang So-ra is there as well but I haven't seen her on a drama so... Misaeng is an adaptation of a highly successful webtoon. Which made me remember "reading" Flower Boy Next Door webtoon. All I know about Misaeng is that its from a webtoon and most likely to be an office drama, based on the wacky teaser. By the way this post contains spoilers.
Episode 1 opens to a familiar view of Petra in Jordan and a guy that seems to be finding a way out. Then came a chasing scene. Boy, I really love those kinds of movies where they run from building to building and jumping from one roof top to another. Our hero -- Jang Geu-rae is chasing someone and as he jumps from a roof top to a window to catch the guy and then we were sent back to 2012. That chase is enough to catch my attention.
But as we were sent back to 2012, we'll see way different Geu-rae, a loser so to speak. He was doing different part time jobs to make the ends meet. The scene on how hardworking Geu-rae is and only to be told that his services on the sauna is not anymore needed is heartbreaking. His mom told him that she called someone and got a job for him. I expected Geu-rae to object, but he obliged. I'm not sure whether his mom has been telling him to get that job for a long time and that he just agreed now. Come the next day when we see him on his dad's old suite. Of course its ill-fitting but we don't hear any complaints.
Geu-rae's character was really painted as an underdog loser. Ill-fitting suit, check! Did not even have a college degree, check! Did not have office related experience, check! and not that young? check! The only thing is he has is a computer application certificate and GED. Oh he's done with military service. So what he did with his life? Dong-shik asked, he played baduk. He devoted his life to baduk but he didn't reach pro.
If you've worked in an office all your life, we can easily relate to Geu-rae. That first day when you don't know where to sit or stand and that everybody is busy, even the person that was supposed to train you is busy on his work and that you can't blame them in seeing how annoyed they are with a newbie that knows nothing and probably be a burden to you. Poor Geu-rae. Adding to his no college degree and no experience issues, he got in because of connections. And we all hate that right? Up until episode 6, we still don't know how he is connected with the executive director. I'm guessing that his father used to work with executive director-nim. Right now as he successfully became a full time employee and learning hard.
Misaeng, How do I love thee? I love that our hero did not become a superhero overnight. He is learning bit by bit, episode by episode. I even like the attitude of Geu-rae working hard and not blaming how poor they are, how life isn't fair. He is not stupid but not overly smart. The casts are great especially Siwan. He is so perfect for the role, his looks, his physique. I first saw in Moon that Embraces the Sun and was surprise to learn that he is part of ZE:A, a Kpop boy group that I tried to like but no avail. ZE:A really I tried. Now I have to start with The Equator Man and Triangle. But I wonder where will I get the time.
Lee Sung-min is great as ever. I'm surprise with Kang So-ra, I was so impressed with her English and Russian accent. Though I don't know Russian but to my ears its believable. I love how the top interns were not doing much on their actual jobs now and Bae-ki's character is intriguing. I can't wait for him to join the pack.
I just hope that this show will end or will show how Geu-rae ended up in Jordan chasing a person to death. I'm disappointed with High School Savvy that it failed to continue with what it showed on the first episode when noona was helping him change to his uniform after a successful meeting in Singapore or did I miss it?
As I am watching Korean dramas, I can’t take my eyes off how beautiful the background is! The landscape that comprises of yellow, orange, crimson, brown and green trees that reminds me of how wonderful and great God is. And I can’t wait to see it for myself. I just hope I’ll be not lazy in taking pictures because I am most of the time and I usually regret it when I will write a blog and not to have a picture. Hehe!
Having
been born in a country where there are only 2 seasons, my fascination over snow
and the changing colors of the leaves during fall is always there in fact,
experiencing the two other seasons are on my bucket list. The only thing that I
can relate with countries having 4 seasons is summer so I’ll skip that. Summer
is more fun in the Philippines!
Last
2013, I’ve experienced spring and sakura,
though not in Japan but in Seoul. The cherry blossoms are lovely. I really like that its not that hot and not that cold. Although some trees are still yet to show some life (leaves). And so as we board the plane to Manila, we
vowed to comeback. I can’t remember if we talk about going back during fall,
but I guess we did! In Dubai, I’m not quite sure why they coined the colder months as
winter. But I guess relatively to the months where the temperature gets as high
as 50 degrees Celsius, I’ll take it. I’m grinning right now because I realized
that there are hundreds of stores here in Dubai selling mink coats that I’m
dying to have one and yes with especially the one with a fox’s tail ok, I
actually want the one with the head! Thanks to SHINee’s “Dazzling Girl” promo
pics! But of course it will be downright silly because it doesn’t snow to where
I live.
image credits: dramabeans.com, kjtamusings.wordpress.com and seoulbeats.com
