30 posts tagged “holiday”
We went to do more sightseeing yesterday, with a new tour guide. She's much better I feel, in terms of smiling, friendliness, English, knowledge of good places to go and initiative. Aniwaes, we went to Lotte World, which I absolutely loved but didn't get to ride anything except for the pharoah 3D virtual show. =( It's a place to go with friends, not family. Not a family who's afraid of the smallest things. Aniwaes, I also saw the hot air balloon ride featured in Creating Destiny. XP I think it's really destiny coz on the previous tour, I walked past this shop in Insadong that was used as Yeo Jun siter's pastry shop in the show.
After Lotte World, we went to this precius stone workshop where gm bought some jewelry. Then it was to 63 Building to view the nightscape!
Pretty ne? Looks like Christmas lightings.
Not when you look properly what it's made of. Or when you're in the middle of it.
We wentto the Wax Museum next!
I'd be happier if it was Yong Ha's role instead of Yon-sama's. I didn't even watch Winter Sonata lah! But, just for fun!
=====================================================================================
Today is our last day in Seoul. And being very very afraid of the weather outside My face is starting to peel and turn into a pimples hotspot), we decided to stay indoors and shop at COEX mall. Surprisingly, I bought very little even at Seoul! Just bought two tops and some hair accessories. I tried to speak in Korean, and I think Agnes sunsaengnim would have been proud. We ended the day at the convenience store, and I wanted to buy some drinks. There, I experienced the power of celeb endorsements. I totally have no interest in the drinks offered by the store, and decided to jsut grab some orange juice and random sodas. And then, I saw it. HJL on a bottle! It was a soda, and so I decided to buy it. When the product itself makes little difference, celeb advertising comes to play. Aniwaes, it was a good choice because the soda tasted quite good. Even my non-fangirl gm says so.
The purchase I was most happy with was the YB Novel part 2 and the Comic part 2. They were both released 18th Dec, just a day ago! Lucky me!! If they had released it tomorrow, I wouldn't have been able to get it at such a cheap price. I haven't really read them (no time) but I browsed through it and realised that the Comic comprises 3 parts, and the third book will be out in Jan. T.T Below are some photos I took of the BTS pictures attached at the back of the Novel part 2.
Please credit karened.vox.com if reposted!
I guess I'm one of the minority who loved his hairstyle at the start of the drama.
It's the YB International Fan Project Message Book JGS is holding yo!
This was after the first forced kiss scene ne?
JGS at top, Park Shin Hye bottom.
Hong Gi top, Yong Hwa bottom.
I'm so gonna scan the chibi images into HQ and print them out!
Another thing...I was rewatching YB when I realised this tidbit about the star talk scene. Read the following dialogue:
고미남: 그 별은 아주 많은 사람이 좋아해주는 별입니다. 그 많은 사람 중에 저도 끼어서 그 별을 좋아해도 죄가 되지 않겠죠?
Go Mi Nam: That star is a star that many people likes. It won't be a transgression even if I join those people in liking the star, right?
황태경: 넌 그런 것도 허락 받고 좋아하냐? 별한테 물어봐. 넌 지금 보일 거 아니야.
Hwang Tae Kyung: You want to get consent even for such a thing? Ask the star. Aren't you looking at it now?
Doesn't this echo the later episode where Tae Kyung said he consents to Mi Nam liking him?
황태경:고미남, 앞으로 네가 날 좋아하는 걸 허락해준다.
Hwang Tae Kyung: Go Mi Nam, in the future, to your liking me, I give my consent.
I know how that scene of him giving consent, by itself, is a classic scene. Maybe it's just me, but seems like there weren't much discussion of the link between the above two scenes. It's like TK remembered their time together and gave MN the answer she needed.
Also, this link made the part where MN thanked TK for accepting her as a fan more logical. Actually I had a bit of an issue as to why MN thought that TK was giving her consent to become his fan. How could anyone be so dumb with regards to a confession? But with this link, I could see why. MN had heard TK's words as an answer to her previous question at her father's hometown. And when she asked that question, she had framed it as her joining TK's fans in liking him, as a fan.
I'm like super duper tired, so this is gonna be short.
I went to Yonsei University today to have a look at my potential exchange school, and gosh the place is so beautiful! The campus looks like a Hogswarts castle with English-style buildings and rich greenary, complete with a maze-like garden. The only complaint I have is that the campus is situated on slopes and the Biz school is right at the top, so by the time I reached the building, I was panting hard.
The weather was really cold today. I wore like, four layers! The worst part were my hands...I bought gloves, but it wasn't enough. Sometimes I had to take my hands out from the gloves and within that few seconds, I can feel the chill already!
Samantha had told me that the Uni was at Sincheon station. So I took a train there, but when I looked at the neighbourhood map at the station, I couldn't find the Uni. It turned out that the station was Shinchon station instead! Fortunately, it was on the same line so I just continued taking the train along the line.
After Yonsei, I went to Myeongdong. It took me two transfers (once at City Hall station and once at Seoul station). I'm glad that it was relatively easy to understand the train lines and figure out where and how to transfer. This is one thing I prefer over Tokyo. The subway lines at Tokyo are too complicated, and as there are more than 1 operator, sometimes the transfer requires you to get out of the station and walk quite a bit to the station for the other operator. Here in Seoul, you just walk inside the station itself. However, it's quite strange that for some stations where the tracks for both directions are next to each other instead of separated by the platform, passengers have to pass through the ticket gantry on the correct side or they'll be unable to get onto the train towards the correct direction. Or maybe I just didn't look carefully for a passageway across. Also, the train map at the ticketing machines was so small! There was only one, and attached to a stan by the side of the machines. So, you have to crowd around that tiny map and squint to see the transfer stations etc.
I bought quite a lot of things at Myeongdong, and went into this idol shop. There were Japanese tourists inside and I heard the shopkeeper talking to them in Japanese. XD Demo, I couldn't find anything YB-related. Not even JGS-related! Not popular enough?
I had a few interesting encounters today:
1) I was buying train tickets at Samseung station to the Uni when this man at the machine next to mine asked me how to buy tickets to this particular station. In Korean. I guess it was because I was using the Korean interface for the machine that he mistook me as local. So, I just told him I can't speak Korean (in Korean, ironically) and decided to purchase tickets using the English interface in the future.
2) I was walking around Yonsei Uni when this student asked for directions. Again, I said I couldn't speak Korean.
3) The third incident happened at Myeongdong where I was browsing in this shop and the shopkeeper was really 'friendly'. He kept recommending me clothes that he feels match my style. I understood him, but I got tongue-tied for a response. So, when I made payment, he asked if I was a Korean. I said no, and he asked where I was from. Gosh, this is like the basics in Korean class, yet I got tongue-tied and just managed a weak "Singapore". Haha, he then smoothed my ego saying that I understood Korean good enough when I told him I could only understoof a bit of Korean. XD Nice shopkeeper! And when I paid him using the old 10k won notes, he was so amazed. O.O he was like "These are old money!" Are those very rare right now?
4) This totally dampened my mood. The last shop I visited was this shop selling Korean souvenirs and idol stuff. I grabbed two copies of this Korean magazines featuring SS501, and the shopkeeper immediately came with a basket and said, "You can put them in here." In Mandarin. I haven't even spoke a word! Does my appearance betray my ethnicity? And she had to follow me really closely throughout my stay in the shop! Argh!
Overall, Myeongdong is definitely worthed the hype. It's at least 3 times as huge an area as HK's Mongkok, and the human traffic flow at least 3 times as well. As most shops are selling winter goods, I didn't buy too much. But, imagine it being summer. With that large an area, it must be shopping paradise!
Off-topic, but I just finished watching Liar Game Season 2 ep 5. Hate the cliffhanger a the end! I have a feeling that that bespectacled guy betrayed Akiyama and Kanzaki. T.T
Cold!
Seriously, that's all I can remember from today.
It was a -9 ~ -4 degress celcius, and we spent much of the day walking outdoors, visiting Gyeong Bok Gung and Myeong Dong.
My gosh. I wore like two stockings and knee length boots, three layer of clothes and an outer coat, and yet that wasn't enough. I felt cold! Me! Me, who never ever complained about coldness! I guess it was mainly because of my hands and my cheeks. I didn't bring a pair of gloves and had made the wrong decision to leave my cap at the hotel. I never understood the need to buy those ear mufflers. But now I do. My ears and cheeks were freezing!
Then, I recall about the various kdramas I watched recently, meaning those that were filmed recently, under such cold weather. From ILPK, we have the scenes of On Dal being drenched by the sprinklers at the golf course, of On Dal and Pyung Kang being drenched by the heavy rain, and of On Dal being chased by the hooligans into the stream, from which he came out topless. And then from WISOC, we have young Kang Jin and Ji Wan jumping into the river to retrieve Kang Jin's pendant, and grownup Ji Wan being drenched by the rain. Lastly, from Creating Destiny, the scene where Yeo Jun sat in the cold at night after getting drunk at Sang Eun's house.
Poor actors and actresses.
Aniwaes, today, I came back to the hotel with many complaints to make stories to tell.
So here's round 2 of Japan v Korea.
- Toilets in Japan v Korea
Basic standards for a toilet: toilet paper, clean/dry floors, soap for washing hands.
Japan's typical toilet: toilet paper, clean/dry floors, soap for washing hands, special toilet bowls.
What I experienced in Korea: toilet paper, soap for washing hands.
Two complaints I have regarding toilets today, though not representative of every other toilet, are
1) This toilet at the Zara building at Myeong Dong had a really dirty floor with footprints all over.
2) This other toilet at a restaurant at Insadong had graffiti scribbled all over the cubicles. Well, since it was a small restaurant, maybe this isn't really unexpected. But...
I was at the Korea Folk Museum at the palace when I overheard some people complaining in the toilet about how someone had relieved herself in such a way that left the toilet seat in an unsightly manner. T.T Where is my Japan toilet??? - Tour guide in Japan v Korea
I'm usually on free-and-easy for trips to Japan, but occassionally, we got a tour guide to show us around. I remember two, one for Tokyo and one for Osaka. The one in Osaka was full of smiles and he said that Tokyo ones aren't so lively. Which turned out to be true after we went over to Tokyo. The Tokyo one wasn't as warm and friendly.
However, today, in Seoul, we met an even less frienly tour guide. It's not that she was rude or anything. She was just....cold...maybe it's because of the weather? She didn't smile at all, throughout the trip! In fact, there were a few times where I thought she was frowning. In addition to that, service standards. She was always sms-ing and walking around by herself. There was once where we had dinner at BK, and she just disappeared for a whole 5~10 mins, without telling us where she went. Basically, she's not as good as those we had in Japan.
- Driving in Japan v Korea
We experienced our share of traffic jams in Japan, but everything went on very smoothly, in an orderly manner. Today, we experienced jams throughout the day and those jams changed my mind about driving should I get to go on exchange to Yonsei. The driving here is crazy. Cars and buses (buses especially) cut into our lane very abruptly, and it was always a matter of inches before they knocked into the side of our van. Horns, which seemed to serve little prupose in Tokyo, could be heard everytens of minutes. Very seldom do I see people giving way. As reflected in the 'pushpushpush' incident, it seems that Singaporeans' unique kiasuness can be found here. Really, if you gave way, most likely you'll find yourself stuck at the same spot for a long while. - Food in Japan v Korea
If seafood can be found at almost every table in Japan, beef can found at almost every food item in Korea. Ok, this may be a little exaggerated, but really, beefs everywhere! Although I have nothing against beef, the rest of my family can't eat beef...and so we always had to check before we enter a restaurant.
I didn't really like Korean food because I had the impression that it was all spicy. Well, many Korean food are spicy, but we ate bibimbup today and requested for the spicy sauce to be removed. And so, that became my very first Korean dish! It was quite delicious, surprisingly. =D
I'm on my very own free-and-easy tomorrow, and so I'm planning to return to Myeong Dong tomorrow! Will prepare myself for the extreme coldness and wear a few more layers. Gosh, that means 4/5 layers! I saw alt of things there yo, something like HK's Mongkok. And then I saw like 3 Hallyu stores which I must go, to search for YB stuff!
To end off, the most irritating thing that happened today didn't involve a local. It involved a bunch of Mainland Chinese. We were at the Korean Folk Museum when this group of Chinese tourist started pushing their way towards the exhibits to take photos. It was really irritating because I was standing quite at the front when someon puhed past me to stand in front of me. So, I moved a step back. And then another pushed past me again. And again. And again. In the end I decided to just stand by the side till the group left and to continue after them. Rude. Pure rudeness. Are they rushing to get reborned?
I'm in Seoul now!
Here's an update of my last few days in Tokyo! For the last day on Sunday, I was suddenly tasked, out of the blue, to babysit this person. What does that mean? That means that I wass practically stuck to the game centers with video games and such. No shopping, no muncing, no walking around sightseeing. Not that I was very very keen to do those, but I'd prefer my last day there to be spent in leisure...
Aniwaes, so we went to the game arcade at Shinjuku to play this 3 Kingdom card game that he loves. However, there was a tournament at 2pm so that game machine was only for public use till then. Well, with the great memory I'm so proud of, we decided to make a bet on my memory about having seen a sign indicating that there are such game machines at the 4th floor at Palette Town. So, we headed for there...and found it. XD I'm amazing!! I only saw the sign once, and like many days before, yet I remembered! muahaha...
Aniwaes, we were looking around the area for the machines (hiden at a corner) when the song above came on.
ARASHI's My Girl! i was fumbling for my mp3 player as I recognised the start, so he front part is cut off...and because the speakers were above the bowling lanes, you can here sounds of dropped rolled bowling balls!
And I finally go to know driver-san's name..because gf gave me his namecard in case we needed to call him.
上村 一二三 (Kamimura Kazufumi)
Very interesting name deshou!
I've always thought that 上村 was read Uemura. Asked him about it and he said that it can be read both ways.
And for 一二三, I remember it as Kindaichi's cousin (?)'s name, demo have never found out how to read it. Now I know!
Aniwaes, the day ended with putting together boxes and packing things to be sent back home. I'm quite pleased, and surprised, by how much shopping I managed to cut down to...previously, I needed about 1.5-2 boxes for all my shopping. This time round, just half a box, of which half are worn clothes, a quarter magazines and just a quarter new stuff!
We got onto the 2pm flight on Korea Air towards Seoul the next day. Having flown only SingAir for the past few years, I was not really used to Korean Air (Jst as was the case with Japan Air), but it was a short 2 hours flight so it wasn't that bad.
Yes! Just 2 hours and...18 mins? So convenient ne! I really hope I get to go for the exchange...then Arashiland would be just 3 hours away!
I went to get something books (YB photobook and novel!) as well as dvds (Park Yong Ha's The Slingshot!) at COEX today...and from the day of shopping, below are what I have to say with regards to J v K. You have the right to disagree, but I too have my right to voice what I like or dislike. Since this is a comparison between Japan and Korea, I'm using Japan as the standard and will judge Korea based on that standard.
- Service standards in Japan v Korea
Although I can't say that service everywhere is Japan is perfect, those that I encountered, from my numerous visits there, have continuously surpassed expectations. And it's not just the big labels, but even the small pushcart at the corner.
In contrast, within just a day in Seoul, I've been disappointed numerous times by the service standards. Here are some complaints, amongst others:
- I was at Etude House (Cosmetics and skincare) and two salesgirls were there chatting and chatting, when the shop is really really packed - the contents of their chat would most likely be overheard by a customer or two. I'm not asking them to be attentive to customers just as Japanese salespersons are, but just not to chat before the customers as that makes them seems nonchalent and unprofessional.
- Again at Etude House, when I was paying, the cashier handed me the change without a word or a smile, with one hand. Well, if this was back in Singapore, I wouldn't care a hoot about this. But too bad, I just came from Japan, where I always received my change with both hands and usually with a smile and a thank you.
- Social grace in Japan v Korea
Ok this title is misleading. It's not as serious as it sounds, and I'm sure this single incident is not representative of the whole society and that the part of society I've interacted with in both countries is just a small part. But, I just have to vent it out.
I've never experienced being pushed around in Japan, except when I'm in a train. Sometimes, in a very small shop, when people want to get past me, they will go "Sumimasen, torimasu" or something along those lines. And when they knock into me accidentally, they will apologise again. Everytime.
Today, I was in this extremely packed shop. And people kept pushing behind me to get past me. No sorrys, no excuse mes. Just pushes. I was so bothered about that. But, the next incident happened at a pushcart. I went up to the pushcart to look at the displayed items, and there were two people at the pushcart, on my left. I kept a comfortable distance from them. But, I soon felt someone pushing towards me. =/ They were looking from the left towards the right and so was shifting towards me. Push, push, push. I was so pissed off, I just stayed rooted. Yet, they continued to subtly push towards me. Argh.
Another thing is that they keep shouting! It's not as bad as in kdramas, but it's not difficult to hear someone shouting or talking loudly. - Fashion in Japan v Korea
This came to mind while I was sitting on a bench, waiting for my gm to finish her round at a shop. I was observing passer-bys...and perhaps it's just my taste, but I feel that the Japanese are better at dressing up and layering than the Koreans. This applies to both guys and girls, young (schooling) and old (non-schooling). It's not just the dressing but also the way they style their hair. - Shopping in Japan v Korea
When you shop, you need money, right? Well I'm so used to Japan currency that I'm having problems using Korean currency. Korean currency is denominated in really big numbers. ₩1,000 is about SGD1.10, ₩10,000 about SGD11. ￥1,000 is about SGD16, ￥10,000 about SGD160. So, I got a bit confused when I paid for my stuff in won. Especially when there are so many zeros! I had to stop and count the number of zeros to make sure I had enough cash to pay for the stuff. Mind-boogling.
Another thing is the signages. Back in Japan, even if I can't pronounce a particular kanji, I can at least understand the meaning because I know Chinese. However, here in Korea, I realised that I haven't been reading the signbaords at all. In contrast to signboards in Japanese wher I can read the hiragana/katakana very quickly, and understand the kanji within seconds, I have to stop and slowly read the Hangul in Korea. That's tiring and so I've decided not to do that anymore. =S
It may sound like I totally dislike Korea, but well, I am enjoying myself, mainly because I have a tv show to look forward to everyday! Mon-Tues Invicible Lee Pyung Gang, Wed-Thurs Will It Snow At Christmas? Sat-Sun Creating Destiny.
When we went to Asakusa on Wednesday, I saw this group of Japanese school girls squealing "Kawaii~~~" as they took photos with this caucasian baby. "Look here!" "One more!"
Today, at Venus Fort, I spoted this two Hindu woman requesting for a photograph to be taken with this Japanese lady in kimono.
lol.
Aniwaes, tomorrow's the last day I'll be in Tokyo, and then it's next stop Seoul! Somehow, I didn't buy so much at Tokyo this time round, perhaps because this doesn't feel like a holiday to me (and I usually spree only on holidays). I've been here so many times, there's a strange feeling of ease when I come here, somewhat like a second home. I hope to buy more at Seoul. XD Hopefully, I can find some YB merchandises! Oh, and I just want to mention that I really appreciate how meticulous our driver-san is. I noticed that he didn't wear glasses yesterday, and because of that, I nearly couldn't recognise him. I asked him about it today and he said that he wore contact lenses yesterday because it was a rainy day (gosh, Japan's weather forecasts are so very accurate!) and his glasses will get misty when he open doors. That's our dear driver-san!
XP
After a long battle in the afternoon fighting for class vacancies, I joined gm in her shopping at Venusfort, where there was a new opening for the 3rd level stores. And then, after some shopping (her more than me), we walked out of a store only to be approached by this man wearing a name tag around his neck.
He asked if he could ask us some questions.
My reaction was "Sorry but we are not Japanese."
Yet he persisted and asked if he could ask us just 2 questions, and that it was for Japanese tv.
I thought it would be fun to do a survey and agreed to it.
To my surprise, he did an ok sign to some people a distance away, and within seconds, a crew of like...5 people surrounded us. O.O So, it wasn't a survey but more of an interview, with a camera crew, mics and even a translator. The translator asked if we could speak Chinese, and so, from then she started to translate questions from the MC into Chinese. Though her Chinese isn't very good, but it's definitely good enough for her to be understood. I could also make sense of most of the questions the MC asked, so everything went on quite smooth.
Basically the questions are about where we were from, how long and why we came to Japan, what we bought today, how much they costed and why we bought them. And then, we had to pose for a super long shot with all the stuff we bought in our hands. I'm glad that they caught us when we were early in our shopping, because we only had one bag then. If they had came to us later...
When the filming ended, we started to converse randomly and they asked if I understood Japanese. Apparently, they think it's amazing to know more than one language. We ended off with them being super surprised that me and my gm aren't siblings; they had thought that I was her younger sister!!! OMG...do I look so old? I mean, this isn't the first time someone said that. T.T
It was a fun experience, though I won't get to watch the program as I've got no idea what it's called and which tv station they worked for. But oh well, if one of my Japanese neighbours see someone awkward looking from Singapore on a fashion show shot in Venus Fort, that's most probably me!
Photos from Day 2, on the way down from the onsen ryoukan, we saw the beautiful Mt Fuji up close! Our dear driver (omg I totally like him! He's quite cute, in a boy-next-door kind of way too!) stopped by the roadside so we could take a photo (the first one). The second one was taken in the car.
I had a greta time today, because it was day-off and I managed to explore Tokyo by myself! The first destination is the JE shop at Harajuku, of course. I had planned to leave the hotel at 9 so that I can reach the shop at 10 latest. However, I was too tired and overslept, so I left the hotel at 10 instead, worried that I'll have to wait for a long time before I can enter the shop. However, when I reached the place, I saw some construction work going on at the area where the lengendary queue was supposed to be at. So, I looked around for the queue somewhere else. Demo, I found none! "No gosh, could they be closeed!? Isn't it supposed to be opened all year round?" I wondered. It's quite amusing, really, that having a long queue is expected as the norm for a visit to the JE shop. I mean, every single time I went there, I had to take a ticket and wait for 30min~1hr, and that was when I reached at around 9.30~10. So, since I eached at 1030 today, I should have to get into the queue too ne?
I wandered into the alley leading up to the JEshop, and found it open!
NO QUEUE!
And the inside was quite empty, with only about 10 people scattered around.
It started to get a bit crowded at around 11 but I managed to get out of the shop in an hr's time, and mainly because I was lingering around for more photos, not because I had to struggle to have a look at the walls and to reach the cashier.
So, how many did I buy this time round?
Just 68!
Compare that to the hundreds that I usually leave the shop with.
I think it's because only one new photoshoot had been released since my last trip there, and that one (My Girl) isn't really flattering. So, I just bought a few of My Girl's and bought some older ones for friends...Also bought YamaP's for wina, our dear dear friend who never forgotten us, and a few of Ryo's. XD I think majority that I bought are for friends! And some for donation to the Arashi concert screening next Jan.
Took this from the JE shop. No Arashi? Someone once told me that JE groups only release calendars up to their 10th year, as in the case of Kinki. Could it be true?!
Following that, I went to unofficial idol shops. I've seen them many times before but was also too intimidated by the huge faces plastered all over the entrance. I was afraid of the fangirl stigma! Demo this time round, I saw fanboys of female talents browsing too (one was even browsing posters of Oguri Shun!) so I just mustered my courage and went in.
The first one didn't have photos, but more of goods. And I left with the above, in multiple copies. Those are metallic, opo-up stickers. I really like the top right sticker from the top piece. You can't see it but it reads, in small font, 'Don't give up, and your chance will come'. I think this is really encouraging, and also reflects Arashi's road to fame. There was a period after their debut that didn't work out too well, but they made it through. I was reading Nikkei Entertainment and here are some interesting points:
- "Arashi 5x10 All The Best! 1999-2009" is a mega hit with 1.36 mil copies sold
- Starting from "Believe", every single release entered into Top 5 ranking
- The Disney campaign had an economic impact of about ¥4,500mil (about SGD70,827,612)
- Auction prices for a pair of the tickets to the event reached ¥450,000 (about SGD7,000)
The second idol shop I went todidn't have much photos, so I bought some mini posters instead. Which is stupid because I don't really put up posters. I have like 10 Arashi con posters still rolled up and lying at the bottom of my wardrobe. Demo, those are really too nice!! Maybe I'll donate them. Will see how later. I'm kind of odd but although I love Jun smiling, I also dig his melancholic look.
From there, I started to get normal stuff instead. Like accessories, clothes, socks yada yada..."No more idol goods!" I said. And I managed to stop myself from entering into the few idol shops I saw on the way. Demo, I gave in after a while and went into this one that was located on the 2nd floor. There were some renovation works going on at the store next to it, and as I walked past it, there was a loud sound that frightened the wits out of me. T.T The scare was worthed it though. Because, I bought a lot of unofficial photos!! I remember the first time I went to Harajuku with a fellow fan living there, and she brought me into one idol shop. We were wondering how such shops can survive because the photo quality is not as sharp at the official ones although they are selling for the same price. However, the ones I bought today were surprisingly clear! I bought like...60 plus, and there was a promotion whereby you get one free large photo for every 10 small regular ones you buy. So I got 6, and they are so so so clear!!!
I think I'm odd but I like photos of odd Arashi just as much as I like photos of cool Arashi.
Well, you know there is something very wrong with you when you proclaim yourself to be fans of idols who do this:
Oh, that's just playful member love?
How about the following?
Remember, they are IDOLS, as Nino always reminds.
Like the costume aren't enough, they had to get touchy on stage, in front of thousands of people and hidden cameras that will ensure this moment gets captured and stays on for a long while.
No, this is not just to relive that historical moment, but also to act as a wet weather plan!
And, they are all PROUD OF IT.
Ok, if you still think I'm normal, what about this:
Yeah, they are bakas, they are gay. But they are also the most kakkoii dudes that worked to where they are now.
I went to Shibuya following that and was surprised that the advertisement panel that previous showcased Arsahi's AU posters now had Maki's Docomo poster instead. T.T Was sorely disappointed, but when I finished my shopping at Tsutaya and headed back to the station, I saw it! Can you spot it?
They got "promoted"!
I bought Park Yong Ha's new single at Tsutaya, as well as Mao-chan's 「僕の初恋をキミに捧ぐ」, novelised. There was this promotion for Arashi photobooks there. There was the A to Z photobook, the 365 Days with Arashi photobook, AAA photobook, Arashi Is Alive photobook, Kiiroi Namida photobook and the out-of-stock Freestyle and Yatterman photobooks. O.O It's so crazy how popular they are now. I remember someone in the neighbour emailing publishers to republish one of the older photobooks in 2008, and received a reply that it's not possible for them to do so. Demo, 3 years later, along with Arashi's boom, our wish has come true. =)
[ADD ON]
HAHA, finished this post just in time to watch Himitsu no Arashi-chan!! YAY!
Just as I thought that there's nothing about Japanese toilets that can surprise me any further, IT did it again! We went to Akihabara after visiting Asakusa today. Our favourite IT departmental store, Yodabashi Camera (I think that's the name because they keep playing that on the broadcast system), was packed, as usual, but we went in nontheless because I wanted to get some electronic stuff and magazines! We paid a visit to the toilet, where the surprise came upon me.
What do we have so far?
- Auto heat up toilet seats
- Bidet and other stuff
- Auto toilet seat covers that gets automatically changes after each use
- Flush buttons activated by heat/movement detection
- Sounds of nature
And now, toilet seat covers that shut (when one leaves the cubicle) and open (when one enters) by itself!
Amazing!
I bought a whole lot of electronic items there, and quite a few magazines. I didn't get the 5 idol magazines though...although they're considered quite cheap. Somehow, they've lost their attraction. I bought 2 mags with Arashi on cover, I forgot which, but one of them had this very interesting chart showing the duration each Arashi single stayed on the sales rankings and analysed Arashi's 10 years by breaking them in 4 phases: Fresh phase, Searching (for own style) phase, Returning phase, and now the spurt phase. There were a lot of interesting tidbits as well, but I can't remember them off-hand.
And then, I bought photobooks! I bought a movie one for Inoue Mao's "Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu" because she looked so pretty! If only the movie's still airing now! I nearly bought Mukai Osamu's first photobook, because he looked delicious =P But then, I saw another photobook that was so ehavy, I decided to choose the latter over that.
What photobook is that? MY GIRL!! ok, I admit that I haven't watched past ep 1 and in fact I didn't really get excited watching ep 1. Demo ne, the photobook is really too beautiful not to buy. Plus, it's really big and value for money. I bought one for a friend as well, so that makes it double heavy. Had wanted to get this Arashi photobook that was called "The world is waiting for the Arashi" or something...Jun looked extremely gorgeous in most of the photos, but I didn't buy it since Jolie seemed to have ordered that for us. *shrugs* I hope that's correct because....I really want that photobook!!
There was also this guideline that gives directions, complete with photos, to filming locations that hld great significance in Arashi dramas, like the bookshop where Jun met Gakki in Smile... The presence of such a book means that there is a market for it and that people do go on such trips!
Alright, that's all for today, because I'm dead beat and wish to catch up on tv before going to bed. It's Harajuku tomorrow!
I don't usually download/watch real-time Japanese tv shows, so I have no idea what is on when.
Can someone help me out by listing the different Arashi shows (dramas, variety shows etc) and when they air in Japan time and on what channel? Onegaishimasu!!!!!!
This time round, the plane ride was toooo fabulous.
Not just because there was a really ikemen guy sitting right at the end of the aisle just before the toilet, which got me going to the toilet for a record 4 times during the plane ride. XP
There was never a lack of movie to watch aboard Singapore Airline, but never once did I feel so excited about watching a movie aboard. As I flipped through the entertainment catalogue, I saw quite a few interesting English films. And then, I flipped a little more and found myself looking at GOKUSEN!! I wasn't able to catch it when it aired in the cinemas because it fell right during my exam period. So, that was a MUST WATCH ne! A page after, I saw Jang Geun Suk's face. The title of the movie was odd, something like 'The truth of sth sth'. So, I read the Korean title and it was Itaewon Salinsageon (Itaewon Murder Case)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've read about this movie, but have not watched it yet. So, that was on my list too! Given the relatively short journey, that was all I could watch. Besides, i was really very sleepy by the end of Itaewon! Below is are the thoughts I randomly scribbled on my notebook while watching Gokusen The Movie.
Gokusen The Movie should really be Gokusen SP: The Final. I mean, they kept the background musics, the tv episode filming and cutting style, which didn't meet my expectations for a movie.
The first scene in the new Class 3D, where one of the students threw a tennis ball at Yankumi, who steps out of way to avoid being hit, is a shameless replica of the manga as well as Gokusen 1, which I disliked. Next, we are given an introduction to our new 3D. I didn't know that the old 3D from Gokseun 3 had graduated, having failed for all 3 attempts to watch that season, so I actually thought that the guy in a red shirt was haruma. Hey, he does resemble Haruma a little k!? But not exactly the same, and hence I was really confused until the scene where the Season 3 3D main clique appeared at Kuma's restaurant. I go back to that later.
Of course, next up is Kame as Odagiri Ryu. Ok, Ryu IS good looking. But, being the Shin fan I am, I just couldn't help but view his actions within Shin in mind. So it was like "this seems like something Shin would do" all the way. Even when the Season 3 3D clique exclaimed, upon seeing Yankumi walking around with a young, ikemen guy, "Yankumi can never find such a handsome boyfriend!", I was all "NO! YOU ARE WRONG! Yankumi has a secret lover in Shin, the smart ass who got into Waseda. And he is a total ikemen!" And when Yankumi got worked up at the restaurant, Kame managed to shut her up just by pulling the back of her coat. Again, it is something Shin would do ne.
At the restaurant, we also had Yankumi sitting down with students from all three seasons. When they discussed about how they had once bet about Yankumi quiting after tasting how bad they are, Yankumi sniffed sadly. Strangely, I did too, a sourness overtook my chest. This is the last time I'll get to watch dear Yankumi! With this thought in mind, I made myself enjoy the movie and forget about Shin. T.T
Kame helped out too, because there was a scene in Yankumi's house where Tetsu got angry at Ryu or something. Ryu seemed to be frightened by Tetsu and went "Kowaii!"; this was something Shin had never did! =)
I was pleasantly surprised when Teppei (Takeda Keita) and Koide Keisuke (Hyuuga Kosuke) appeared out of the blue on the streets. I actually didn't notice it at all when Yankumi knocked into them. Haha...And then, to bring it further, the policeman Shinohara made a comeback in the form of a politician! When I first saw him, I was like "OMG! Shinohara moved up the political ladder to run for election!?". But they then introduced him as a totally new character, and at first I suspected that I had recognised the wrong person. It was only when Yankumi said that he resembles someone she liked in the past that I realised I wasn't wrong. hehe, I'm pleased with this scene because FINALLY, it shows that what happened in the past seasons aren't 'erased'. The only issue I had with this scene, at that point in time, was that the scene seemed to serve no purpose.
I haven't googled it up yet, but I suspect that the leader of the current 3D, the one who got into trouble with the biker gang, is actually the leader of AAA. *shrugs* I'm not that familiar with AAA aniwaes... Oh, I think it was really awkward to have the subplot of 3D getting into trouble with the bikers gang because it totally didn't connect with the main one of Kazama getting invovled in the drug ring. It was like there just for the purpose of Yankumi delivering her typical lecture (and a copied one about not letting your friends go alone even if following means sure 'death') and I think non-Gokusen fans won't really get the point. It may look detached and even cliched. Plus, even for Gokusen fans like me, the scene lacks originality. In fact, the part where banging sounds echo in the warehouse prior to Yankumi breaking down a wall resembles the one in ep 1 of Gokusen 1, where she broke down the door to a warehouse.
Another Gokusen traditional cliche is Yankumi's "let's run towards the sun!". Fortunately, the scene in the movie is set in the streets and not by the riverbank, as was the case for the drama ones. Unfortunately, that robs the movie of the beautiful scenery.
Next, we move to the main plot. At first I had suspected that Kazama was framed for the drug deal, where someone threw his wallet at the scene just as was the case for Ryu in Gokusen 2. But surprise surprise, it wasn't! And my previous comment about the election scene being of no purpose was proved wrong when it was revealed that the politician-in-running was in fact head of the drug ring!
So, the final scene had Yankumi seeking justice for Kazama at the election talk, where our next Gokusen cameo appeared.
Mocomichi was Tsuchiya Hikaru!!!!!!! I couldn't recognise him when he first appeared. Funny thing is, I found him cute when his face appeared on the screen. And 4 seconds later, after Yankumi bumped into him, I realised who he really was. I like that they made Mocomichi's cameo serve a substantial purpose by having him report on the hidden drugs. I like that they made him whip out his trademark fan at the end, no matter how silly and out-of-place it may be. Of course, to non-Gokusen fan, it will just look out-of-place. But for us fans, we understand what that was for!
Of course, there were some parts that even I cannot accept. Like how Class 3D managed to catch the live broadcast through the hp of one of the students. In the first place, why is a student from 3D watching an election talk!?! Shouldn't he be more interested in porn sites, or music videos, or Youtube even? And then the final fight on the stage, on live broadcast. Which idiot would do that? Besides, having been exposed of his involvement in drugs, the most logical thing to do is not to stay and fight on LIVE BROADCAST in front of the whole nation, but to escape before the police find their way to him. O.O That's why the final fight, which is supposed to be the highlight of the movie, seemed too contrived.
I was happy with the very last part of the movie. Throughout the movie, we had many past season students returning, but none for Gokusen 1, except for Kuma. So, when Minami returned, I was really shocked and excited. (off-topic but it was only then that I realised that he was one of the dorm heads in Hanakimi!) In fact, I was more excited there then any other scenes in the movie! I was thinking, "Anyone else?" when Noda, my dear dear dear Narimiya-kun, appeared, with a portfolio bag! So, he really is a fashion designer now? XP It kind reminded me of his role in Honey And Clover. Next up was Uchiyama, by dear Oguri Shun. And he did that tap-shoulder-finger-cheek action again! I'm really so happy that all these trademark actions were brought back too. Then I realised that the trend was to start from the less important student upwards...so...Shin?
=( Demo, he didn't appear.
WHY!?!?!? JUN, doushite?????
Hey, at least talk a little about him with Uchiyama! =(
Overall, while I'm glad that Gokusen The Movie came to Singapore's shores, I would rather that it didn't for it could have damaged Gokusen's name a little. It makes a good SP, one which Gokusen fans can enjoy. However, as a movie, it has too much flaws that a non fan may not be able to accept and the frequent reference, both subtle and obvious, to past seasons make little sense and meaning to them as well.
Finally, I started on Itaewon, which gave me a huge shock by showing me a gruesome death 5 mins after the start of the movie. It is a wonderful movie because it kept me thinking about the truth of the murder throughout its length. Everytime enough evidence is established to make a conclusion on the real murderer, something else will pop up to point to the other direction. In fact, the prosecutor himself got confused in the middle of the court hearings. When Alex got sentenced, the movie-goer in me started thinking, "Hey this is too easy! There's bound to be a twist so Pearson has to be the murderer." But I forgot that this isn't a movie. It's based on a true case and so in real life, we won't know. Sadly. I'm thinking that both of them had a part in the murder, and perhaps plotted together to pretend to accuse the other party so that they can get off more easily. In fact they did get away with the crime, since one got sentenced to 2 years for withholding evidence and the other to life-sentence, but that sentence was later nullified due to procedural issues. So, maybe they did. No one knows. I just have to admire Jang Geun Suk for his English, which although isn't perfect, is good enough for the big screen.
We went to stay at an onsen at Hakone the first day we landed. The place was beautiful and the service superb. I watched Hey!Hey!Hey! for fun and was surprised when Arashi made up majority of the program. They are really amazing. When KT made it for 2 positions on the top 10 singles ranking, I was like "Wow, they did quite well!" But then, Arashi came and took away 5th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st. O.O And 1st for Top 10 albums. If this is not THE arashi year, I don't know what this is...Can't type more for I need to go sleep already!
