J-Wednesdays 水曜日だ！: Summer Anime 2013

Anime time! It's summer (well, in Japan) and so the season for slice-of-life anime is here. I say that because summer time is usually the time when teenage anime girls go to the beach, open a watermelon blind-folded, and run around in their swim suits. In that case, the genre will most likely be slice-of-life and shoujo. However, that's just my opinion. This summer though, there are many new anime series that falls between slice-of-life and shoujo. 

~start rant~ I know, like what Tomoko (WataMote) said, only those with sh-tty tastes watch slice-of-life anime. I beg to disagree! I love slice-of-life anime (well some others I really don't like) and it does not mean that if I don't watch Naruto or Shingeki no Kyojin or Fumoffu, I already have "sh*tty" taste! How many of you related with Konata in Lucky Star? Well may I just inform you that Lucky Star is a slice-of-life anime/manga!! ~end rant~ (pathetically) 

I currently tested out four animes last week and I will continue on watching three of them. Now, let me talk about those wonderful finds for this summer.

First is Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club. At first I was like, "What. Is this what it's supposed to be?" But now I'm like, "Emegerd, ikemen!" So yeah, it's swimming anime full of guys with chiseled body. I watched this without much information and I didn't read any synopsis or whatever so I figured I should also refrain from telling any snippets.

The next one is Kimi no Iru Machi (A Town Where You Live). This is the anime that I decided to stop watching after the first episode. First reason is that the artwork is so.. heavy for me. I usually continue an anime even if it has an artwork that is not my type but has a good plot/synopsis but really, this is an exception. I may be just yearning for good Romance anime nowadays that's why I watched this but nope, it does not make sense to me so I dropped it.

I am pretty please with this one with the long title but can be shortened as WataMote. I mentioned in my rant about the main character of this anime, Tomoko. The girl is every awkward anime loving girl (like me) that I know, except she's weirder. She thinks too positively which results to her assuming that she was popular in middle school. And now, she's struggling in high school because no one seems to talk to her. But when someone does, she gets all nervous and in other times, she just not notice that someone is being nice to her. She's dense for heaven's sake, and that's what's funny about this anime.

Last is Servant x Service. This anime has a refreshing feel to it, being NOT set in high school and all, yet still able to capture my interest. Maybe because I'm getting old? I don't know about that. Anyways, this anime is set in a government agency with all your usual characters in a comedy anime. It's fun and very new to me and I love the artwork! This is the best summer 2013 anime that I've come across with which fits my taste.

So those are the four (three) summer 2013 anime series that I'm starting to watch. I hope that I will not be so busy and forget to bond with these funny and quite original anime from now on!

Tuesday Running Man: Episode 156, Attack of 2NE1!

Finally, 2NE1 comes to promote in a variety show, and in my favorite one! This is such a shock for all of us Blackjacks and yet we're also extremely happy about it, getting to see the girls run around and have fun. The episode is undoubtedly fun-filled, as expected of Running Man. It was a really creative episode, with all the unique missions that were just introduced. Also, not only did 2NE1 shine in this episode but our Running Man members as well. I find this episode particularly unusual, maybe because of the alien theme that they created to accommodate the out-of-this-world style of 2NE1. Having said that, I believe that I will talk about this episode in a different kind of way. I admit that it was hard for me picking particular scenes to include in this post because there were just too many scenes that are worthy to talk about and the missions are also abundant. So, in this post I shall talk about the Running Man members' and 2NE1's best moments in episode 156. I suggest that you watch the episode first in order to be able to relate with this post.

Ji Suk Jin's best moments

Ji Suk Jin attempts to intimidate Minzy during their one on one by "dancing." You see, he threw out his team mates just to be the main character. Oh hilarious wanko hyung.

Everyone trying to get Ji Suk Jin out because of his unruly behavior.

He's trying to collect water residue from everywhere on the table. Desperately.

And here he is, squeezing every drop of water he can to make his team win. Even though they didn't win, I still loved Suk Jin in this episode!

Lee Kwang Soo's best moments

It was quite hard to get a screen cap of Kwang Soo dancing his heart out because of his excessive moves. It was funny though how he looked so pabo while dancing "like a pro."

Haha's best moments

During the first game, he hid inside his Iron Man tent while getting some grandma and her grandchild to sit in front of the tent. I think it was a brilliant idea, and it definitely led his team to victory.

Haha was the first to find the UFO (their car), and so their team won.

Kim Jong Kook's best moment

Of course, Jong Kook showcases his Yang Hyun Suk dance once again. In YGE building, and in front of his artists! So freaking hilarious.

Yoo Jae Suk's best moments

Yoo Hyuk, as we Running Man fans know, is a great dancer and is the most popular kid in the block. Yoo Jae Suk has gone to Yoo Hyuk mode again when their mission is to dance! The funniest part was when he imitated Tae Yang's moves (hilariously).

Song Ji Hyo's best moments

I swear, like in episode 154 wherein Ji Hyo was madly nervous about her team members entering the football field, in this episode again, she was totally me. She just completely fangirl'd when she saw Tae Yang's "swag" moves.

Since the mission is about dancing, Ji Hyo's signature "Hot Issue" dance was present.

Sadly, Gary has no best moments (for me) in this episode. Don't get me wrong, Gary is my favorite Running Man member but in this episode, the other members had their own shining moments except for Gary. I'll look forward though to the next episode for me to see him all active and funny and weird again.

Now to 2NE1!

Best Dara moments

The signature Sandara Park hairstyle, made use of as a WiFi during the games. Haha

It's just so fun seeing Dara drive those two middle-aged guys at the back.

She was the one who came up with the idea of squeezing their shirts for residual water because the water that they found was spilled on the way to their container.

Best CL moments

There were many mind boggling missions in this episode. CL showed her intellectual prowess, which was amazing, btw. She figured out two of the missions given to them.

Best Minzy moments

The Minzy vs Wanko hyung battle in which Minzy won!

Wanko hyung lost terribly to a girl with a parent who's the same age as him.

Strong girl Minzy not only uses her strength, but strategizes as well. It's so funny that they compared her to Yoon Eun Hye, because during the X-Man days, Eun Hye was basically Minzy because she'd always won during the games.

Best Bom moment

This was when Bom told Kwang Soo off for "hitting on" Minzy, by saying that she (Minzy) has nice eyes.

As Bom is the "noona" for Kwang Soo (Bom is older than Kwang Soo by a year), it was so funny that he got told off for apparently flirting with a much younger junior. Bom is such a protective unni (in a funny way).

I have shared my best moments in this episode by members. Do you have any more funny/awesome moments in this episode that you want to share? Just comment and we'll talk about it. Heeheee. One last thing though, this episode also features Akdong Musician and Lee Hi, who were contestants from K-pop Star (SBS) and now are signed with YG Entertainment. Tae Yang also provided his working knowledge of the YGE headquarters to the green team members (Kim Jong Kook, Song Ji Hyo, and Ji Suk Jin) which was one of the locations in this episode. Seeing Tae Yang appear in Running Man again makes me miss Bigbang more! I need a comeback people! Yang-sajangnim!!

K-Mondays: Reminiscing My Trip to South Korea 2011

It has been almost two years since my visit to South Korea and I'm still hung up about it. I have planned since then that I would come back and visit some of the places that we didn't have the chance (or willpower) to go to, that winter in 2011. It was so cold then, and it was my first time to experience winter since my home country is a tropical country and my second home country is basically a desert. The basis of our itinerary was my eagerness to revisit moments from my favorite K-dramas and so we went to shooting locations of those K-dramas. We went to Full House, 63 Building, Nami Island, and 1st Shop of Coffee Prince.

Second Floor of Full House.

Come inside my home.

Gallery at the top of 63 Building.

63 Building. Look at that traffic.

Frozen Fountain at Nami Island.

The iconic trees.

Statue of the Winter Sonata main leads.

At Coffee Prince shop.

After doing my research and finding out which places are near and worthy of visiting based on our desires such as shopping and sight-seeing, I patched up a schedule which was not followed accordingly (well, just a bit).

Myeongdong. See the cosmetics shops?

Our first meal in Seoul. Right after leaving our stuff from the hotel. (It wasn't time for check-in yet) Look at me holding a cider.

SPAO! Right above is Every Sing, a must go for SM Town fans. (Still in Myeongdong)

The hotel we stayed at in Insa-dong.

Our meal in 63 Building. Bibimbap with soup and banchan (side dish).

Me all happy eating small Bungeoppang (Korean Taiyaki).

Buying our midnight snack just after eating Noche Buena at a BBQ shop (with soju & beer of course).

Our ruined Christmas cake for Christmas eve! (From Paris Baguette)

On Christmas day, we went to Lotte World! (Yep, we rode that)

A girl Santa inside Lotte World ready for Christmas.

Jamsil, where Lotte World is located. And Kang Gary's hometown. hahaha

We also went to COEX Mall in Gangnam! Bought stuff for my Instax mini and books.

An apparently popular restaurant that we just happen to eat in because we were so hungry and it's Christmas.

Oohh look at that smoke.

Gwang Jang Market in Seoul. While waiting for a tour in Jongmyo Shrine, we ate here.

Pig everythings.

Ttukbeokki and boiled pork somethings (feet I think).

I guess this is Bindaetteok.

After visiting Jongmyo Shrine we went to Gyeongbokgung and had to wait again for the English tour so we went to Coco Bruni (coffee shop).

In Gyeongbokgung.

Deoksugung Royal Guard Changing Ceremony.

This is the yummiest meal that we had in Korea. Kalbi-jjim, Doenjang-jjigae, Jang uh gui (grilled eel), and some glorious banchan & rice with beans.

We visited almost all the palaces in Seoul except Changdeokgung. I still wasn't a fan of historical Korean dramas then but I still found their palaces amazing. However, after visiting Gyeongbokgung (the largest one), we gave up and didn't get to visit Changdeokgung anymore. Why is it important to me now? It is the palace wherein my favorite historical K-dramas took place, during Joseon era. Yet another reason for me to go back there. Moving on..

Friendly bear statues in the bear museum at Namsan Tower.

The love locks in Namsan Tower. And a jealous single woman.

N Seoul Tower/Namsan Tower.

It has been my desire to eat at these places at night. And we did!

What we ate there. Octopus & Clam soup. We were somewhat ripped-off at this place since we paid a LOT than we had expected. (Let's just say that the bill was larger than that Korean restaurant wherein we ate the glorious food in gold dishes)

Kimbap, made in front of me, and satisfied my midnight hungriness. 

Morning barbecue, abundant banchan, and kalbi tang at a restaurant near our hotel.

The last place that we went to: Myeongdong. We went there first and we went there (again) last. Just to complete our shopping.

It has been great reminiscing these moments in 2013, now that my life has gone a complete 360 degree turn from how my life is back then. I was privileged and so blessed to have experienced those last 2011. I hope that my memories will make me more strong and strive hard in order for me to go back there again, and live the life.