Jang Keun Suk in Singapore: JKS Autograph Signing Event

Jang Keun Suk Autograph Signing Event

April 23, 2010
Garden Plaza, IMM Mall

We arrived at IMM Mall around 3pm. There were already a lot of Eels queuing and waiting for the Fan Signing. I am so happy since the venue is an open space so we will get to see the whole action. We met Clara, a fellow Filipino Eel, there. She was already sitting in front, around 4-5 rows behind the front row of the non-VIP section.

While waiting for the event to start, there were Jang Keun Suk FM merchandise sold in the entrance of Garden Plaza. Of course, we bought JKS stuffs as possibly we can (without being impulsive). I bought a JKS Cheering Set (inclusive of cheering towel, 3 button pins, and light stick), Photo Cards, and a Janggeo Paper Bag, worth SGD 55 for all items. Ate bought a unique flash drive (which we don't know how to use until now!) with JKS printed on it worth SGD 70.

Jang Keun Suk Singapore Fan Meet Merchandise

Anyhoo, before we bought all these, we happen to see a sophisticated woman roaming around the JKS merchandise table. And I remembered her as.... Jang Keun Suk's omoni!!! Thanks to Soompi where I saw a picture of her. I really don't know what to do when I saw her. I would like to have a picture with her but I don't have the courage to just barge in and invade her privacy. I was thinking that the fans might crowd her when they realize its JKS' mom. Until I realized, heck, I went this far from Philippines and this is only a once in a lifetime opportunity to have a picture with JKS' mom (at least his mom) so I have to go and ask! But... she already left for the escalator. *sigh* Our paths crossed twice and for those two brief moments she was always smiling and really looks very nice.

Let's go on with the Fan Signing event. It was already several minutes past 5pm and JKS isn't coming out yet. Worst of all, heavy rain poured breaking the lines!  Hmmmp. The venue was covered but not entirely, so those fans outside the roof are crampping us, those inside the shed. My view should have been nice but thanks to the rain! >.< Weren't able to get good pictures tuloy. O_o

At last around 5:30-5:45pm, I think, JKS arrived and the crowd went wild (including us)! OMG! He's really so handsome! Complexion is really white and his skin looks so smooth and soft. He has some gestures which are really girly but my Ate said, it's kinda normal to Korean guys. I second the motion. But that makes him look more classy and cute! ♥ ♥ ♥ Anyway, there was a small interview done, then he went on to the Fan Sign. He was trying his best to speak in English, thankfully. Apparently, it was kind of hard for me to understand because of the loud rain and the cheering of fans plus the diction. I captured some good parts, though. Haha! Such as, "Kiss my ass!" Haha.. He said that jokingly to the gay-ish host that said something pervert. There were only 100 fans who got the VIP tickets and were allowed to have an authograph of JKS, the lucky, lucky, lucky people! The whole event lasted for about an hour or so with subdued rain showers.

Dwaejigogi Kimchijjigae at Seoul, Seoul Restaurant

I was craving for Korean food and so I ate at Seoul, Seoul in Alabang with a friend last week. We ordered Ojinguh Bokkeum or Stir-fried Squid and Dwaejigogi Kimchijjigae or Pork and Kimchi Stew. Ojinguh Bokkeum is 90% present whenever I am eating at a Korean restaurant and I say that Seoul, Seoul's version is not the best but passable enough. For the Kimchijjigae, it's my second time to eat this dish and I somewhat like this one better since the Kimchi is not dominating the taste but there is still room for improvement for it to be tastier. The price in Seoul, Seoul is a bit expensive compared to the restaurants in BF Homes, Parañaque and the taste is not even better as well.

Restaurant Review

Seoul, Seoul Korean Restaurant

Casa Susana, ATC, Alabang-Zapote Road

Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila

Philippines

Food:  ♨♨

Price: ♨♨
Service: ♨♨♨♨ 

*Five plates being the highest.

 

Dwaejigogi Kimchijjigae from www.seoulselection.com

Kimchijjigae tastes like Sinigang (Filipino sour soup), at least for me -- Sinigang with a twist. So I guess, that's why I like it. The sourness and spiciness blend very well and the taste is just right. Although, my Korean sonsaengnim said that most of his Filipino friends do not like this. Well, I am not one of them. 

So, now I am craving for kimchijjigae. I stumbled upon a recipe of it in My Korean Kitchen so I will try this out as soon as payday comes. Haha!

tvN Korean Channel

With the penetration of Hallyu Wave, especially the Korean entertainment, all over the world, Fox International Channel has come up with a channel that will bring us closer to our kStars, kPop, and kDrama. A channel exclusive in showing full blast Korean entertainment -- tvN.

I first heard about this on Channel V since early 2010. They kept on showing teasers for this new channel and the idea of a channel dedicated to Hallyu wave is just irresistible! Just last week I found that our cable provider, Destiny Cable, is carrying tvN on Channel 40. Yahoooo! Lovin' it! :) Aside from Arirang, I have a new Korean Channel to watch with English subtitles! Although, for now, the dramas being aired in tvN is not super updated. But, at least in terms of music, the new releases are being played. There's also a music show called tvN Music Show Newton which is similar to Music Bank and Music Core. :)

Goodbye, Momo.

It's been a long time since I owned a pet, again. More than a decade, if I remember it right. So Momoruru, or Momo for short, is such a dear pet dog to me. I got him from Dai after I graduated college and Momo is my dog ever since I started working. My pet for almost three years.

Momo

Momo when he was less than 1 year old.

Momo is not a pure bred dog. He's just a mixture of "askal" and some unknown bred dog. But his stature and built is big and macho so he doesn't look like any typical askal.

Since I am already earning my own money, I used to buy him Alpo dog food every payday. I also bought him dog bones and dog collars and even gave him part of my own childhood towel embroidered with my name to use. He can come inside our house at his own freewill. Sleep inside the house, go inside our rooms, even sleep in the sofa! Momo is the only dog who got this treatment and endearment from the family.

It has been about five days of sickness then he died. He really lost a lot of weight during those five days. He used to be botchog fat before that sickness. We thought he will recover after drinking Domoxicillin since he showed little signs of improvement. He was already wagging his tail and eating little by little although the heavy panting and lethargy are still there. We weren't able to have a Vet looked at him since my parents have no time and I have work. I just really thought back then that he will still recover from the illness (just like before). But then I thought wrong, on his last night, I saw the phlegm coming out from his nose -- thick densed phlegm. I got scared that moment and I asked Mama to REALLY bring him to the Vet the next day. But it was Momo's last night. Momo was found lying and hard in our garage at dawn.

I did not cry when I heard the breaking news (Papa only told me when I was about to go to the office). Crying is really not innate in me when hearing the news for the first time. Maybe it didn't just sink in to me. But it was HEARTBREAKING. The mere thought of going home without Momo is really depressing.

I will miss you Momo. I will miss patting your head. I will miss scolding you whenever you get jumpy and running like a cheetah inside the house. I will miss you peeping at the gate when you hear the broom of the trike when I arrive. I will miss you hunting for the mouse. I will miss you sitting by my side waiting for a bone or food. I will miss you barking and going up just to ask us to open the door for you because you want to get out. I will miss the elegance on how you sit and relax. And I will miss everything about you Momo.

Now, the incident really just sank to me now and the tears already shed. Momo will forever be in my heart. I love you Momo!

Buying HKD for your HongKong Vacation

The downside of Filipinos when it comes to travelling is that Philippine Peso is very weak compared to other countries currencies. For Hongkong, 1 HKD = 6.3 PhP on the average. But as I write this blog, PhP is getting stronger where 1 HKD = 5.8 PhP. Not much difference, but with ForEx, this 0.5 difference is something already.

Anyway, some Filipinos usually take the hassle of buying USD rather than HKD when going to Hongkong. Then, they will buy HKD in Hongkong using their USD. Cross-rates. Hmmmm. Really not appealing to me, if HKD is the subject. Moreover, there is an insignificant difference on PhP to USD to HKD and PhP to HKD.

HKD is readily available in Banks (HSBC, BPI, and BDO) and money changers here in the Philippines. So, engaging to cross-rates would really just be a hassle on your vacation. Instead of roaming around and getting on with your itinerary, you'll be looking for money changers, eh? You wouldn't even know if the money changer has good rates or not. So, why take the inconvenience?

So, here are my proven and tested suggestions when buying your HKD.

1. MB Aguirre (recommended by BPI) - It has better rates than the banks by a few cents. It has several branches over the metro. The one I have tried is their South Center Branch, Alabang. Call them up first before going to there to ensure there is HKD reserved for you.

MB Aguirre
Contact No: 8094251 and 8504617

2. HSBC Savings Bank / BPI / BDO - The problem with HSBC is you have to have an account with them in order to buy HKD with them. As for BPI and BDO, I believe they sell HKD to non-account holders. Although, for all banks, you have to reserve first at least 3 days prior.

3. If you really cannot buy HKD in Philippines, you can bring your PHP in Hongkong and buy your HKD at Frank's in World Wide House, Central. They really have good rates there, even better rates when you buy HKD in Philippines. You can just buy a minimal amount of HKD at the Hongkong Airport for your transpo costs. If you are in Tsim Sha Tsui Area, Wing Hoi Money Changer are mostly recommended by the Filipino Hongkong Enthusiasts but I think you need USD to buy your HKD here.



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Always remember DO NOT BUY HKD WITH ALL YOUR MONEY AT THE AIRPORT. Just buy enough until you can have your money changed at decent money changers. Airport Rates are rip-offs!

Note: Don't be baffled when you see your HKD. They really do not have uniformity with their bills and coins. The design of the paper bills depends on the issuer of the money, i.e., HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, etc.

Planning Your Hongkong Vacation

from http://www.abercrombiekent.co.uk/china/hongkong/

It ain't no easy feat to plan your vacay, especially when you are considering the likes and dislikes of your travel buddies. Hongkong is a city bustling with night life, good food, tourist spots, and shopping. And putting it all together in your constraint trip is the challenge.

Anyhoo, I have been lucky enough to travel outside the Philippines for four times already since I started working. And this November, I will be availing of our Company perk for a trip for two to HongKong. Yahooooooo! And this will be my second time there but with different companions this time.

First things first.

1. Budget. Moolah, moolah, and moolah. Set your budget. Decide for how long your vacation will be given the budget you have and how long you can leave your work. Here are the basic things you need to account for:

• Air Fare Ticket
• Travel Tax (PhP 1,620) + Terminal Fee (PhP 750)
• Accomodation for __ Days
• Food for __ Days
• Transportation for __ Days
• Entrance Fee on spots you want to go
• Shopping and Pasalubong Money

2. Book your plane tickets! If you are not constrained with a budget, booking your tickets anytime wouldn't be a problem. But since I am following a budget, checking airline promos everyday is a must. Being a fan on Facebook and a follower in Twitter of Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines are the best way to know of their promos. The downside, on the other hand, of availing the promo fares is that the travel period is months ahead so there is a risk that something may occur on your flight sched. I booked my Roundtrip ticket to HK for PhP 4,200 on promo. Not bad, right? The earlier you book, the cheaper the tickets you can get.

3. Reserve your Accommodation. It's best to look for an accommodation in a central location, i.e., transport and tourist places accessible. For me, it would be Tsim Sha Tsui in Hongkong. Next, choose whether you want to stay in a Hotel or Hostel, then again, your budget comes. In my opinion, Hostel will do (especially I am on budget) since you are mostly out and will just be there to sleep. So a decent and clean sleeping bed and private bathroom are  more than enough for me. Hence, I booked to Golden Crown Hostel where I got the room for HKD 350 a night!

4. Itinerary. Hmmm the hard part especially if you are not only considering what you like but also the others' and if you're with Senior Citizens who are not into too much walking and need rest time. I'll be travelling in a pack of 7 and with seniors. A-huh. Good thing, I have the liberty to choose where to go since I am in charge with the Iti and they don't know much about HK so they can't comment much. Haha! But of course, I took into consideration where they want to go and all.

My vacation will be on November and our Iti is 95% done already. Haha! Excited much? It was hard at first to organize this trip where you want to cramp so many places in a few days. But you just have to set your priorities and where you really want to go and all will be well.

Here are some helpful links to plan your Hongkong Trip:

1. Pinoy Exchange Forum for HK Dummies - super helpful site especially Page 1. Everything you need to know is there already. You can also ask other forummers if you have further questions about HK. Kudos to those who made this thread!

2. Official Hongkong Tourism Site

3. MTR Fare and Journey Planner - You can play on this so you'll know the exact transportation costs and travel time you will incur during the course of your travel.

4. Google Map and Street View - I just discovered the Street View recently, and this is the best thing ever! You can actually see the streets of Hongkong at 360 degrees view! Just drag the Human in the zoom panel to the street you want to view and voila. In the map, you can also calculate the distance and how much time you need to walk or to drive from point A to point B. Fabulous, isn't?

The Boyfriend Series: Boyfriend Blazers

The fashion scene is really getting androgynous these days. After the popular Boyfriend Polos, come Boyfriend Blazers! It's really nice how you can turn your man's closet to your own! Haha! But hey, these BF Blazers are really stylish and a chic accent to your ensemble.

Liv Tyler in a Burberry BF Blazer
www.instyle.com

 

www.shopstyle.com

Vince Ponte Boyfriend Blazer in Navy
www.singer22.com

Happy Birthday Jang Keun Suk!

생일 축하합니다 , 장근석 !


It's August 4, and it's the day Jang Keun Suk was born. 
 
" Thank you for being born." 
                      -Go Mi Nam 

Saeng-il chukha-hamnida Jang Keun Suk! 

I am hoping to see you again someday, my precious star!

Annyeong! Let's Learn Korean Part 2

I blogged about shortlisting two institutions offering Korean Classes last time. Apparently, I found another school to attend to since my schedule did not synced with those two schools.

Anyhoo, if everything goes well with my soon-to-be classmates, I'd be starting my Korean classes this August 7, at KLC (Korean Language Culture) Traning Center. Yay! Finally, starting to accomplish one of my goals. Aja aja! Fighting ~

KLC Traning Center, according to my research, is also recognized for teaching Korean. I am not sure but I think KLC is the one handling the Korean course in UP Diliman or at least they are related to UP-D somehow.  One of their instructors is a UP-D professor pala. Tuition fee is also very cheap considering the number of class hours relative to the other schools I considered before.

Fee: PhP 7,000
Schedule: starting August 7, 2010. every Saturday and Sunday at 8am - 1pm
Course Inclusions:

• 70 Hours session
• Textbook
• Audio CD
• Certificate of Completion

KLC (Korean Language Culture) Traning Center
Unit 904, Parc House II, 21 EDSA Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City
882-1602

Note: Here's a helpful site for those who want to learn the language: http://hanguladay.wordpress.com/