Friday, October 31, 2014

Dessert Twice a Day?

Here in my homeland America. I grew up on deliciously sweet breakfasts. I'm talking about pancakes, waffles, french toast, cereals that are made out of cookies, crepes, and all other sorts of delicious sweets. Even protein, sweet and spicy chicken sausage, or a classic old favorite brown-sugar baked bacon, where you lay a package of bacon out on a pan and cover it in butter and brown sugar and bake it. You get a delicious, crispy, sweet bacon to eat with your morning breakfast. It's quite perfect actually. Personally, I love it, and I believe that if you eat sweets early in the morning, its best because you will work it off through the day. As I delve into Asian culture, I noticed that they eat breakfast a bit differently. Rather than sweet delicious desserts for breakfast, they would eat soups, and rice, even fish. These foods give you energy throughout the day and are really good protein based foods. So I have decided to compare the breakfast of American's to Korean breakfast.

So a typical American breakfast is a sweet bread, like pancakes, or waffles a meat, usually sausage or bacon, potatoes, like hash browns or home fries, eggs, scrambled or over easy, coffee, and juice, usually orange. It is a particularly hearty breakfast because it is considered the most important meal of the day. It takes a while to eat and most families will eat this meal together. We like sweet foods so if our food isn't very sweet, our coffee and juice will be.

Source: Hostell Bookers

A traditional Korean breakfast usually consists of rice, a couple of soups, meat and banchan (side dishes) which are usually pickled vegetables, kimchi and beans. However, Koreans also like simple things for breakfast, just like others. One common breakfast is fruit, toast and jam, and eggs. They also eat egg sandwiches on the go and eggs and tofu which is usually served with vegetables, fruit, and kimchi.

Source: flikr


While I love American food, it seems exciting to eat almost dinner foods for breakfast, for a while I would eat Japanese breakfast, usually miso soup rice, and vegetables, so I could feel more connected to the culture when I studied the language. But nothing beats my mom's brown sugar bacon. Yum yum!


Neomu Sarahaeyo!


Asha
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Sunday, October 26, 2014

KPOPALYPSE: The KPop World is Falling Apart

Source: tumblr
The KPop fandom is in currently in a state of chaos. Why? Because the KPop world is in a state of chaos. Between lawsuits, death, concert tragedies, and more, the KPop fandom is not sure what to do with themselves right now. I am not sure what to do with myself right now. This has been the worst year to be a KPop fan. So much has happened that I can't wrap my head around. I am literally losing it. 

For starters, Park Bom, from 2NE1 could be going to jail at some point for "accidentally" smuggling narcotics from the US into Korea. Okay, I know how that sounds. The official story is that she didn't know the drugs were illegal when she brought them, she grew up in America and her family lives there and the medication was prescribed to her in the States. The official statement from her entertainment company, YG, is as follows:

“As fans may already know, 2NE1’s Park Bom grew up in the United States before her debut and had dreams of becoming a soccer player. During one soccer match, she witnessed the death of a teammate on the field, after which she fell in a slump, with the extreme trauma and the depression that followed. For several years afterward, she received counseling and treatment, taking medication prescribed to her by a university hospital in the States."


She was caught at the airport nearly 2 years ago, however, this information was released to the public in June and now Bom has been in a sticky situation leaving 2NE1 fans in an awkward position. Now there are rumors of 2NE1 breaking up. And to add fuel to the fire, it was announced on Friday that 2NE1 will not be participating in any year activities. If 2NE1 breaks up, I am not sure what I will be able to do with myself.

After that incident, things just got worse. Sulli from f(x), my second favorite member after Krystal, decided to go on a "temporary hiatus" because of negative reactions from her fans after her romantic relationship with Choiza, member of Dynamic Duo.

Then early this September, up and coming idol group Ladies' Code was thrown for a loop when a bus accident took the lives of 2/5 members, EunB and RiSe. It is unclear what their management company Polaris Ent plans to do with the members after the accident, but my heart still goes out the the families that lost the talented girls. May they rest in peace.

As if that wasn't enough, Dahee from GLAM and Korean model Jiyeon blackmailed Lee Byunghun, Lee Min Jung's husband because he didn't buy them a new house for each of them. They released footage of them "speaking on intimate subjects". They even told him that they wanted $5 million! Dahee planned on taking the money and fleeing out of the country. Once the video was released, the girls were both arrested for blackmail and Byunghun's marriage with Lee Min Jung is falling apart. She is currently living with her parents.

Then another scandal famously appears. Kim Hyun Joong became a woman beater! KHJ is Kpop band member of SS501, and more famously known as Yoon Ji Hoo from Boys Over Flowers. But here's the kicker: there was not one, not two but four. Four assault allegations against him! He only admitted to one, but who knows. I am sorely disappointed, as are the other kpop fans right now. Even if his girlfriend drops the charges against him, I am not sure how his image will recover from this.

Literally one day later, the KPop fandon was thrown another curve ball at the end of Septemeber when, the all famous Girls' Generation lost a member. SMEnt dropped Jessica, one of their most popular members from the group! Jessica was the main vocalist for the group. She and her sister Krystal (from f(x)), were born in San Francisco and travelled all the way to Korea to be KPop idols. SMEnt fired her without notice as well and now Sunny has taken over all of Jessica's lines. Losing a GG member really hit me hard, I'm just glad it wasn't YoonA that was fired. My faith in SM still wavers though.

Not even a week after Jessica was fired, KARA members Nicole and Jiyoung announced they will be leaving the group pending the expiration of their contracts.

As if things hadn't gotten worse, MBLAQ's Lee Joon is leaving the group to pursue acting, Thunder is leaving after his contract expires and the rest of MBLAQ are rumoured to be going to the army after their concert ends. So there is a big chance that MBLAQ will be disbanding at the end of November.

Then the KPopalypse continued when EXO has started to have problems...AGAIN. First Kris left the group in May after suing SMEntentertainment for mistreatment, and now Luhan has also sued SMEnt and left the group due to what was reported as "health issues"

Early last week another incident happened. At a 4Minute concert in Seongnam, a ventilation gate collapsed from people standing on it and 16 people died after falling 20 meters to their deaths. Now, we can't even go to concerts without getting hurt. Okay, so this accident was not 4Minute's fault, but netizens are not reacting to all this well. Has an omen been placed on the KPop world? We are trying to stay strong through this but what can we do when our idols are struggling so much? I think the worst part of this is that there are still 2 months left in 2014. I don't think I can take anymore! KPop and JPop were literally my only escape from reality. If I cannot got to KPop in my dark times, where am I supposed to go? KPop got me through high school! ): These are dark times, very dark times.


Neomu sarahaeyo,

Asha 









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Friday, October 24, 2014

Ramyun: KDrama's Best Companion

Source: tumblr

So you plan on watching a few KDramas today eh? Well, the best way to binge on drama is to eat well while you do it. So this post will be dedicated to teaching you how to make this delicious meal (:
Source: tumblr


Source: mbc/tumblr

Ramyun is best paired with KDrama because in KDrama the most popular meals are ramyun, ddukboki, or grilled pork belly and soju. All the actors in the show eat these cheap delicious meals and when you are watching you will become so hungry while they are eating it!

Source: KBS/tumblr


Let's start with what ramyun to choose. The best instant Ramyun is Shin Ramyun, but sometimes that maybe a bit out of your budget. My second pick, obviously, is Maruchan. There are plent of brands of ramyun that you can pick from, especially if you go to an Asian market or International Superstore.

Source: thrillist.com


Cup & Bowl Ramyun
If you bought the bowl ramyun, then all you have to do is boil some water, pour the package of soup base and vegetables int the bowl, crack an egg on top, then pour the boiling water onto the ramyun and gently over the egg.
Source: rameniac.com
Cover with a plate or something so the steam will cook the noodles and egg. This takes about 3.5 minutes. Any longer and your ramyun will be soggy! Mix your soup base well but he careful not to burst the egg, you have to save that part for later. Throw a bowl of rice into the microwave and set aside. You will need this momentarily.
Source: rameniac.com
Once your ramyun is all ready, cuddle into your covers, turn on your kdrama and burst that egg! The yolk and the ramyun have such a delicious taste! Remember the rice you warmed up? Once you finish eating your ramyun, take the rice and pour it into the bowl or cup ramyun. The soup base and the rice is a delicious way to finish all that soup and fill you up completely! You could even have some kimchi if you are still hungry.


Pot Ramyun
So generally when making ramyun from a pot (my favorite way) you need a few more things. So I made another list:

  1. Package of Ramyun 
  2. Egg
  3. Scallions
  4. Soy sauce
  5. Chili paste 

Ramyun is typically eaten out of a small pot. It saves dishes!
Source: eBay

Boil a small pot of 2 cups of water. Add the soup base, a little soy, some chili paste and some scallions. Once it has a nice mix, add the ramyun brick. After two minutes turn and an egg on top and cook for one more minute. Then turn the pot off and put the top on. The steam will cook the egg more but dont wait too long or your ramyun will be soggy!
Source: tumblr

Once you are cozy in bed open your top and bust the yolk. Mix it up and watch your favorite kdrama while you eat! Also, make sure you use the top to hold your ramyun as you eat! Amazing no drip method! Happy eating!

Source: KBS/giphy



Neomu saranghaeyo!

Asha 
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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Why Korean Dramas are Better than American Soap Operas



American TV is great. The shows are funny and dramatic, and it never ends. This is good but often times American TV shows are ruined because they are way to drawn out and I don't believe that I should be happy for a TV show to end. This doesn't happen all the time, but with my favorite American TV shows it just doesn't stop. For example, Grey's Anatomy. I was 11 or 12 when the first season came out and I watch it faithfully every Thursday with my mom. I cried when George, Henry, Mark, Lexi, and many others perished. I was there when Izzie got cancer went crazy and disappeared and when Derek got shot and Merideth had a miscarriage. I WAS THERE. 10 seasons later, I am still here. But I am disappointed, and I can't wait for the show to end. But Grey's and GLEE and many other shows are just one reason KDramas are better than American TV. So I have made a list. Lists are good because they are to the point and I like that. I compiled this list with my KDrama twin, Brittany N. She is also a KDrama vet, so she knows her stuff. I asked her to compare American TV to KDrama and this is what we came up with:

Why KDramas are Better than American TV Shows

  1. They are short and to the point. KDramas are not very often over 25 episodes. Typically, they run for one season and only have 16 episodes. I know, it sounds short but it makes the writer throw in all the plot twists and drama and chaos into the series. Every episode has you laughing, crying, and even biting your fingernails in anticipation but, it doesn't feel rushed and definitely not drawn out. Even 16 episodes can seem long sometimes. But they ALWAYS have you on your toes! PS More Lee Min Ho love
    Source: KBS/tumblr

    Source: SBS/tumblr

    Source: SBS/giphy

  2. Two episodes per week! Yes guys, KDramas release two episodes a week. So if there is an episode on Monday you can be sure there will be an episode on Tuesday, every week. What more could you ask for?! Two is always better than one, except two heads, I'm watching American Horror Story and that is just straight up creeeeeeepy!
    Source: MTVK/tumblr
  3. It's good romance. Nowadays, in American TV every show is so over sexualized that the relationship doesn't even seem real. It's just sex. And while we are all adults, I get tired of only seeing sex, sex, and more sex. In KDramas, the relationships aren't like that. The relationship is real and it isn't defined by sex. It's genuine love and watching the couple fall in love is so much better than watching them have sex all the time, just saying. 
    Source; SBS/tumblr
     
    Source: SBS/tumblr

    tvN/tumblr

    Source: SBS/tunblr
  4. BROMANCE. You don't really come by many bromances in American TV but they are abundant in Korean drama and sometimes I will even find myself shipping the bromance more than the actual leads. KDrama bromances are just good friendships between the leads. They are fun to watch and see their relationships develop or in some cases, diminish. You can always, always get a good laugh out of it though.
    Source: SBS/tumblr
    Two photos because we love KDrama Bromances 
    Source: KBS/giphy
  5. The Feels! You just don't get feels like you used to in American TV. But in KDrama you are always feeling, even after the drama ends. Sometimes you have to watch the drama over or your favorite drama just to counteract some of the feels you will feel when watching drama. This is the cure to drama depression, by the way, trade secrets! I have included this informative diagram for you to understand the difference in feels between American TV and KDramas #thefeelsarereal 
  6. Second Lead Syndrome. Remember how I said that KDramas will always have you on your toes? Well this is one of the reasons. SLS is what happens when you fall for the guy or gal that is second. You pray and pray and pray that they will get their chance at love because the first lead is making ALL the wrong moves. And sometimes they do, sometimes they don't, it all depends on how much the writer wants to spite you.  
    Source: DramaFever.com

    Source: tumblr
If I haven't convinced you to at least try an episode of a KDrama, then I have let you down, if I have, then great! Here are a few of my personal favorites (This year):

  1. Heirs 
    Source: DramaWiki
  2. My Love From Another Star (Being adapted into American TV show!) 
    Source: DramaWiki
  3. Bride of the Century 
    Source: DramaFever



And here are a couple classics you must watch:
  1. Boys Over Flowers (BEST DRAMA EVER CREATED)
    Source: DramaWiki
  2. Lie to Me 
    Source: DramaWiki
  3. You're Beautiful 
    Source: DramaWiki
  4. Rooftop Prince 
    Source: DramaWiki
  5. Secret Garden 
    Source: DramaWiki

You can watch all these shows on DramaFever.com


Neomu saranghaeyo,

Asha & Brittany 
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How to Watch an Entire Korean Drama in One Weekend

Source: DramaFever


As a seasoned veteran of asian dramas, I can say that I am kind of a pro at binging on a series. Over the 7 years that I have been watching jdramas and kdramas, I have watched over 200 dramas. I enjoy them more than American television and with good reason. One of the great things about KDramas is that there are generally 16-25 episodes in one series, usually 16. Each episode is exactly one hour more or less. This is good for multiple reasons. For one thing, all the drama and chaos that would be dragged out into 10 seasons of an American TV show, all the plot twists and juicy drama are packed into these episodes. It makes each episode more exciting to watch. Next, it is easier to binge on a kdrama and finish before the weekend is out with more than a few extra hours to study. But how do you binge on an entire series in one weekend? I'm going to teach you!

Step 1: Create a cot
Whether its on your bed, on your couch or on your floor, use lots of blankets and pillows to make the comfiest cot you can attain. Make sure you include your laptop board so your laptop doesn't overheat and a place for your snacks and drinks

Source: giphy


Step 2: Gather food for the long weekend
So you will need food and drinks to survive the long weekend. In my stash I usually have pocky, swedish fish, salt and vinegar lays, vitamin water and cup ramyun. Shin Ramyun is the best ramyun you will ever eat out of a package. After cooking the ramyun, it is customary to eat it with a boiled egg (That you crack on your head) or top the ramyun with a raw egg that cooks from the steam of the ramyun. Both ways are absolutely delicious! Keep a jug of water close to you too so that you don't dry up over the weekend. Chapstick and comfy pajamas are perfect too. And never ever go without your phone, unless you are going through drama depression in which you will need to spend time alone.

Source: tumblr

Step 3: Start early!
KDrama binges are perfect to start at around 9 on Friday night. You most likely won't be doing much on Friday if you want to binge on KDrama all weekend.

Step 4: Follow a schedule
If you start at 9 and sleep at 4, you will have gotten through at least 5 or 6 episodes. Then you sleep until 11 or 12 on Saturday. After showering and getting whatever you need done, you will probably be back on your schedule at 1 in the afternoon. You will probably watch another 4 or 5 episodes before your mom tells you to eat dinner or something. After dinner, you will only have 6 or 7 episodes left. Determination and late night ramyun will help you to succeed.

Step 5: Finish your drama
On your last episode you will think "Oh my god, it's almost over! What will I do?" Well, young one, you will sleep. And you will love your sleep as your dreams will be filled with the usual happy ending or surprise twist of your drama. Don't worry, its a good feeling to finish a drama although you will probably look like this:

Source: tumblr

You did it! You completed your first kdrama binge. Now you can tumblr all the tags, ship your OTPs, and write fanfics about the ever after life of your couple. It will be a long road full of Second Lead Syndrome, evil umma-nims, spoiled chaebols falling in love with poor girls, and much more. But once you start, you won't be able to stop! I guarantee it!

Source: DramaFever



Neomu saranghaeyo,

Asha 








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Lee Min Ho Can Wear a Suit!


20 Korean male celebrities looking stylish in suits

http://www.dramafever.com/news/20-korean-male-celebrities-looking-stylish-in-suits/

For men, there aren't many ways that you can dress up and look fashionable. Well, there aren't as many ways as there are for women. However, sometimes it seems like guys can still dress better than women despite all of our options. This is because of one thing that guys have that ladies will never be able to dominate: Suits. If a homeless man puts on a $400 suit, he will look amazing. All he has to do is trim up a bit and throw on a suit and  he will look like a chaebol (Heir to a conglomerate) instantly.



The power of a suit has taken over the fashion world, particularly in Korea. This post by DramaFever gives direct evidence that Korean guys do it best, my personal favorite is the Almighty Lee Min Ho. He looks magnificent in a suit, but then again, he would look magnificent as bum too (Not that we'd ever see him dressed as one).

Others that placed on the list are Ok Taecyon, Micky Yoo Chun, Kim Woo Bin, Jung Yong Hwa, and Kim Soo Hyun. These guys are all very popular actors in the KFandom who typically play the role of the chaebol or chaebol's best friend (Who's also a chaebol).


There were a few people that I believe should have made the list that didn’t and honestly, I was a little disappointed. So what better way to represent them by putting them in my own list? First up, the stunning Gong Yoo. He’s been out of the limelight for a while, but that doesn’t mean he doesn't deserve to be represented. Especially, when he is one of the only guys I’ve seen that can rock a tan suit as well as he can. Lee Hong Ki is another great suit model. I am not the biggest fan of Modern Farmer but he looks fabulous in a suit.


Lee Dong Wook is a classic when it comes to wearing suits, outside of Roommate, I hardly ever see him not wearing one and trust me, I am not complaining.


So I guess my point is, Korean celebrities in suits are DAEBAK!


Neomu saranghaeyo,

Asha 

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