안녕하세요! It's Hangeul learning time again! I am really getting serious into learning Korean (which I should have actually started a long time ago when I was still really addicted to KPOP/KDramas). Well I am proud of myself that I am doing great progress with this goal, which is actually part of my original goals for this blog (which I wrote 6 years ago 😅). But it's better late than never, right?

• finished (and passed!) Korean 1 @ the University of the Philippines, Diliman ~ I returned to my alma mater and became a student again for a few months.
• bought books from TalkToMeInKorean ~ I am planning to self-study for now, then return again to actual formal classes later.
• learned how to type in Korean ~ I am planning to post more on this blog in Hangeul and I figured I needed to memorize the Hangeul keyboard layout. 😀
• finished Level 1 lessons at TalkToMeInKorean ~ This is my refresher before starting to study the books I bought.

This was our last day in Seoul. ｡･ﾟﾟ･(>д<)･ﾟﾟ･｡ The past four days passed by so fast. We yearned for a year to finally land in Seoul, and now, it's time to leave.

Our flight home is still in the early evening, and so we still had time to do all our last-minute stuff. We went to Myeongdong in the morning to do shopping.

We spotted this poster of Kim Junsu's Flower album promotion!

Bought Gifts for Home
Our first task on the list was to buy pasalubong to give away to people back home. We went to a shop with all those cute stuff and bought souvenirs. I bought socks and some keychains.

And because it was Myeongdong, we were not able to resist buying more cosmetics! We passed by a lot of them and heard that they have some items for sale, which we did not notice before. We bought items from Skinfood, Faceshop, Tony Moly, and Laneige.

We were actually searching for a grocery store to buy food items so we headed to the Lotte mall nearby. There were no grocery stores there, just clothing departments. That's where we saw these cute LINE merchandise items!




While walking back to the main streets of Myeongdong, we spotted this - a Kim Soo Hyun museum!

He's really popular here!

Had Lunch at Yoogane (유가네)
Since day one, we were craving to eat at this restaurant. My sister had researched that this is quite a popular dining place here and one of their must-try dishes is their marinated chicken galbi fried rice!

Last meal in Seoul #봄in오빠land

A video posted by Kathleen R (@katalinarosario) on Apr 5, 2015 at 10:26pm PDT

We also ordered this cold spicy vegetable soup. It was my first time to try something like this (cold on first bite, then a spicy aftertaste!). It was really good too. However it was too heavy for us, we were not able to finish it all. (>_<。)

Yoogane's menu. If only there was enough time, I want to try them all!

Visited Kim Jaejoong's Cafe JHolic
We cannot leave Seoul without dropping by our beloved Jaejoong's cafe, most especially that it's just within Myeongdong! After that hearty lunch at Yoogane, we went our way and searched for his shop. Only relying on directions posted by fellow fans online, we made our way and fortunately, arrived at the right place!

There it is!

The cafe is located on the third floor of a building, and you have to enter the MAG & MAG store to get inside the cafe. It's understandable to hesitate entering at first, but the signs outside encourage fans to just enter the store. There's a stair in the middle of the store and it will lead up to JHolic cafe!



There were just a handful of people when we went inside the cafe. The atmosphere was kinda gloomy, because Jaejoong just entered the military a few days ago (on March 30, this was on April 6).


Jaejoong conceptualized this cafe with his loving fans in mind. You can see that in the dedication messages around the cafe.


Fans are well familiar that Jaejoong owns a cat, named Jiji. These toys show how Jaejoong is such a cat lover. :D


There are also these "cartoonized Jaejoong cut-outs" on display at the store. (´∀｀)♡





Jaejoong really knows fans would be coming to visit his cafe. The cashier provides a plastic with Jaejoong's signature printed on it. It's meant to be as a holder of the receipt, coz we know fans will keep it as a souvenir!

It kinda feels sad being here in his cafe. We all miss him, right? #봄in오빠land #kimjaejoong #cafejholic

A photo posted by Kathleen R (@katalinarosario) on Apr 5, 2015 at 11:18pm PDT

Bought Groceries at Lotte Mart @ Seoul Station
I did not capture any photo of our wonderful adventure to this department store. It was one of the most stressful moments we had in Seoul. From Myeongdong, we rode the subway to Seoul Station because we knew there's where the main Lotte Mart is located. We were happily hoarding Korean snacks onto our grocery basket. We couldn't really choose which one to get. After finishing with the cashier, we realized that we need to box all of those items ourselves! Lotte does not provide plastic bags. Instead, there's a huge boxing area in front of the cashier, where all the shoppers were busy grabbing boxes and placing all their purchased items in it.

We actually had the option of availing eco bags, but it cost too much (₩7,000!). Me and sister almost fought because she wanted to get the eco bags, but I insisted to just place them all in the box. Pressed also in time, we stressfully tried to get all the items onto the used Lotte storage boxes. Thankfully we were able to make it. There's no way we'd be able to carry these back through the subway so we decided to just hail a taxi to go back to our hostel.

It really helped that I knew a bit of Korean. The taxi driver thought we just wanted to be dropped off at the Myeongdong subway station. Our hostel was still a bit of a walking distance from the station so we told him (mostly through hand signals lol) that we wanted to get off in front of the hostel itself. He asked "어디에서?" which means "Where?" and so I started giving him driving directions. Good thing we also knew the driving route to our hostel, even though we used to walk on the other side of the road to our hostel from the subway station. In a few minutes, we were already in front of the hostel. *whew!*


Hurriedly Traveled to the Airport
Our stressful adventure did not end there. We have not packed properly and we needed to leave ASAP or else we'd be late to the airport. T^T The next hour was full of chaos. we packed up as fast as we could. We also cleaned our room. It's a guesthouse, not a hotel, so we needed to throw out our own trash outside the hostel. Good thing the owner of the hostel was kind, he did not charge us extra for checking out late. (thank you oppa!) 

The travel to the station was another challenge. The road from the hostel to the subway is a downhill road, so we needed to hold onto our luggages. Good thing foreigners struggling to carry luggages is a common sight in Myeongdong. We spotted several of them on previous days actually. Today was our turn to shine. LOL. The number of our luggages were multiplied by two! One of our bags just contained all of the things we bought (mostly cosmetics). This is not even counting the other things we bought. But wait, there's more! We had to carry our luggages down the narrow escalator and up the stairs to cross to the street where the airport bus stop is.

One of my luggage weighed more than 30 kg, and I had to carry it up several flights of stairs! I had to do all the carrying up in batches, because there's no way I would be able to carry them up in one go. It's disappointing that no one even cared to help, even though I was walking up the stairs with other people. Oh well. (Those gentlemen in Korean dramas are not true!!! Screw them!!)

We were just able to relax (at last) when we were already inside the bus and traveling to Incheon airport.

aboard the airport bus!

It was a long travel. I slept along the way. It was already sunset when we arrived at the airport.


We were not able to see the exterior of the airport when we first arrived (because it was during the night). It was beautiful. :D

Inside Incheon aiport. We still did not see any celebrities T.T

We did the usual business at the airport  (there were still a few mishaps with our luggage hahaha). It was a really tiring day. We mostly slept during the flight. It was already 5AM when we landed in Manila. Our parents met us at the airport.

Thankfully we were able to arrive home safe and sound. Yey! Our cosmetics were all in good shape . Wohoo! (Always remember to ask the airport staff to label them as fragile!)

all the goodies we got from Seoul!

In August of this year, JYJ (the Korean group that I have been loving since the beginning of time,) released their album Just Us in Korea which contained 13 tracks. One of the songs that I really liked in the album is the song entitled So So.



So So
JYJ

Hangul lyrics
[literal meaning of words]
English translation


변해버렸던 First day 익숙함에   난   지쳤고
[had been changed] First day [as familiar]  [I have] [exhausted]
It changed on the first day and I got tired of the familiarity

무료했던 그 Next day
[free was] Next day
The next day was just for free

그저  그런  맘으로   널   안았고
[just] [then] [by heart] [you] [not flew]
With that kind of heart, I held you

비틀거리던 Third Day
[?] Third Day
As I swayed on the third day

술에  취한 채로    아무렇지   않게   꺼냈던   그 말
[drunk] [in one take] [bother] [do] [you left off] [that means]
While drunk, I said those words as if it was nothing

나에게 넌 I just feel you So So
[to me you are] I just feel you So So
For me, you’re just so so

Don't be afraid 내가 더 아파야 해
Don't be afraid [I] [more] [hurt]
Don’t be afraid, I should hurt even more

And pray again 다시 널 찾을 수 있게
And pray again [again] [you] [found][be able]
And pray again, so I can find you again

시간이   흐를수록   가슴이   아파와 I need you
[time] [the flow][the heart] [sick and] I need you
The more time passes, the more it hurts, I need you

Go back in time 단 한번 만이라도
Go back in time [stage] [once] [?]
Go back in time, just one time

Forgive my sins 워~


되돌릴 수만 있다면 이 고통 따윈 내겐 So So
[return] [only] [if the] [pain] [me] [me] So So
If only I could turn things back, this pain would be so so


Sloth! Lust! Gluttony! Stupid way to love
Wrath! Pride! Envy!
and Greed! Didn’t realize my mistake


많이 다투던 Fourth day 괜한 니 탓만 했었고
[a lot of]  Fourth day [you useless] [?]
 We fought a lot on the fourth day, I kept blaming you

너를 보냈던 Next day
[thee] [sent] Next day
Then I let you go on the next day

의미 없는 자존심 뿐이었고
[meaning] [no] [pride] [was only]
It was just all useless pride

침묵 속의 그 Sixth Day
[silence] [conversation] Sixth Day
I spent the sixth day in silence

다른 사람 곁에 울며 서있던 니가 생각나고
[other] [person] [aside] [stood] [you were] [sheds thought]
I thought of you, crying as you stood next to someone else

그렇게 우린 Love you no more So So
[so] [we are] Love you no more So So
That’s how we were, love you no more so so

Don't be afraid 내가 더 슬퍼야 해
Don't be afraid [I] [shouldn't be sad]
Don’t be afraid, I should be sadder

And pray again 다시 널 찾을 수 있게
And pray again [again] [you] [found][be able]
And pray again, so I can find you again

시간이 흐를수록 자꾸 눈물이 나 I need you
[time] [the flow] [repeatedly] [tears] I need you
The more time passes, the more I cry, I need you

Go back in time 단 한번 만이라도 워~
Go back in time [stage] [once] [?]
Go back in time, just one time

Forgive my sins 워~

되돌릴 수만 있다면 이 눈물 따윈 내겐 So So
[return] [only] [if the] [teardrop] [me] me]
If only I could turn things back, these tears would be so so

It was last day

모든 게 과한 내  욕심이었나 봐
[everything] [excessive]  [was it greed look]
It was all because I was too greedy

(No no no no I was wrong)

사랑도 미움도 이젠 끝인가 봐
[love] [even hatred] [now] [end sugar]
Love and hate is all over now

우~워~ No more no more

Don't be afraid 하늘이 무너져도
Don't be afraid [heaven] [?]
Don’t be afraid, even if the sky falls down

And pray again 세상이 나를 벌해도
And pray again [the world] [me] [?]
And pray again, even if the world punishes me

그까짓 것 괜찮아 제발 돌아와 줘 I miss you
[?] [it's okay, please come to me*] I miss you
It doesn’t matter, please come back, I miss you

Go back in time 단 한번 만이라도
Go back in time [once] [?]
Go back in time, just one time

Forgive my sins 워~

되돌릴 수만 있다면 이 괴로움도 내겐 So So
[return] [only] [if the] [suffering also]
If only I could turn things back, this misery would be so so

Don't be afraid (Let it go, Let it go)

And pray again (Let it rain, Let it rain)

하루하루 갈수록 니가 그리워져
[day by day*] [increasing] [you were] [miss you]
Day by day, I miss you even more

I love you 우~ 워~

(Oh! Show me the way of me,

Oh! Please hold me now)

Go back in time

(Let it go, Let it go, Sins 워)

Forgive my sins 워~

되돌릴 수만 있다면 이 괴로움도 내겐 So So
[return] [only] [if the] [suffering also] [me]
If only I could turn things back, this misery would be so so

Don't be afraid

My seven deadly sins
* lines I understood!

This song exudes such sad melody, and looking at the lyrics, it made me feel even sadder. It's about this heart-aching feeling of losing someone you really treasure, and there's nothing could be done to undo the situation. :(

Here are some worlds from the song that's added to my Hangul vocabulary. :D


눈물          /nunmul/
teardrop

고통          /gotong/
pain

자존심      /jajonshim/
pride

모든게      /modeun/
all

이젠          /ijen/
now/yet

나를         /nareul/
me

한번       /hanbeon/
once



Now I appreciate this song even more. Not for this case though, but there are songs out there that sounds happy, but actually has a sad message.

I think I need to do this more often - analyzing Korean songs and understanding the lyrics. :D

As part of the appreciation of this exchange of culture, the 23rd Filipino-Korean Cultural Festival was celebrated last Saturday at the Aliw Theater in Pasay City.





The event was hosted by Sam Oh and Jojo A.

Bayanihan Dance Company performing some of the country's traditional dances

Molgae (몰개) performing at the 23rd FilKor Cultural Fest @KTOManila #WowKoreaSupporters

A video posted by Kathleen Rosario (@katalinarosario) on Nov 11, 2014 at 5:38am PST

Finalists of the talent contest also performed on stage.

Students from the Cainta Korean school performed with traditional Korean drums

Good Tree International School singing 'Arirang'

There were also balladeers who performed Korean and Filipino songs.



One performance that I got really entertained was the one from the Manila Hankuk Academy. They were a group of students that did skits while dancing to iconic Pinoy dance tracks.

This handsome kid was a crowd favorite. 😆 @ktomanila #WowKoreaSupporters #FilKorFestival2014

A video posted by Kathleen Rosario (@katalinarosario) on Nov 11, 2014 at 5:59am PST

It was the Dance Movers Crew who bagged the prize and was crowned winner with their powerful dance on the beat of kpop dance remixes.


It was nice to see how the culture of the Philippines and Korea were performed and appreciated throughout the show. As a Filipino, it makes me proud to see our traditional dances being performed on stage, Also as a KPOP fan, I got to relate and connect more with the culture of Korea.

It's nice to see that the bond between the two countries are getting stronger.

대박! Mabuhay tayong lahat! :D

I have been exposed to the Korean language for years now through watching kdramas and listening to kpop. Because it's quite some time already, my ears have began to catch some familiar words/phrases from the lines of the actors and singers.

As part of my goal in learning Hangul (especially now that my trip has been officially set!), I am listing here some of the words that I have learned through the years. :)




Random Words

행복하다 /haengbokhada/
to be happy

우리 가족은 항상 행복합니다.
Uri gajog-eun hangsang haengbokhamnida.
Our family is always happy.

Another leap towards this goal!

So I am still here on the process of self-learning reading hangul. Actually there are lots of websites out there that teach different languages for you to acquire and learn, and one of them that I've found is Memrise.

I have learned this site through Lifehacker (as always!) and I am on to taking my first course.

It's been one of those days wherein I just stayed at home for so long that I got bored and just surfed the internet for random stuff. While I was doing that, I was also listening to my player with the playlist on random. That's when I got to learn Ailee.


I heard a song from Ailee on my player then I got curious about her because I have heard that she was bestowed the title of The Beyonce of Korea. I searched videos of her from Youtube and I found her doing covers (unsuprisingly) of Beyonce's songs. I particularly found her version of "Love On Top" very fascinating because this just shows how powerful a singer she is. With the song's incrementing high notes, it would be obvious if your vocal range is beyond the demands of the song. That's why when I saw that she did a cover of it, I was curious on how she performed. 





Track: Love on Top
Original Artist: Beyonce Knowles
Cover by Ailee
KBS Immortal Song 2











The first time I watched it, I was really blown away because she is good. Boy, she can really sing. I love the quality of her voice. It is very powerful. However the second time I played the video, I noticed that she was actually straining her voice a little bit (especially on the latter parts) to reach the high notes. It was evident in her face that she was breathless at the end of the performance. Also, I wished she tweaked the song a little bit to mix with her own singing style. Comparing her performance with the original would be inevitable, so here below is a live version of the song performed by no other than Beyonce herself.



You can see (and feel at the sound of her voice) that it was effortless for her to reach the high notes of the song. She even did an extra higher octave part at the end of the song, which hyped the energy of the crowd even more! Beyonce truly is a performer. :D

Going back to Ailee, I also discovered that she can speak English very well because apparently she grew up in New Jersey.

I am really fascinated with KPOP stars who can converse in English well. The likes of Tiffany, Jessica, Krystal, CL are very fascinating for me to watch because for once, the language barrier is gone and I can directly understand the artists' expressions and messages.

  With Ailee, yet again, I have found another KPOP artist with amazing talent. :)

~o~

sources:
officiallykmusic.com | youtube.com

Hi guys! This is a new section I'm making on the blog. Whenever I find the inspiration, I will post certain songs that have touched my heart. There have been lots of songs that have done this to me, and I just wanted to document them all here. Maybe we share the same emotions for the song, right? :)

In the recent months I have Daylight (Maroon 5), Found (Phillip Larue), Falling In Love (2NE1), and October Rain (Roy Kim) in the list of songs that were on loop on my player. 

~ o ~

A friend (who is a die-hard kpop fan) happened to copy various kpop songs to me. I asked her to recommend me some because I mostly listen to my favorite groups only and I wanted to explore other artists too. This is how I got to know Lee Hi.






Track: Dream
Album: First Love
Artist: Lee Hi (이하이)

This is my first step in learning Hangul (at least for this blog) since I cancelled the previous language that I wanted to learn.

---

I've stated in my previous posts that I'm into kpop. I listen to songs and (try to) sing along with some of them. Even if I don't really understand most of the lyrics, the melody of the songs catches me together with the heartfelt emotions of the singer's voice. I also watch some korean dramas and movies. I prefer watching them with the original Korean audio because hearing the actors' actual voices makes me feel their raw emotions. Through these exposures that I get of the foreign language, I got to learn some basic phrases  like annyeong haseyo and saranghae. Compared to Japanese, Hangul is a little challenging to pronounce. The romanisation has lots of vowels involved. Though I could just read Hangul sentences in roman letters, I realized that it would be better to study the Korean characters themselves because it would make pronouncing the words easier.

I can identify Hangul from Kanji characters through small circles that accompany the letters. Actually, Hangul and Kanji have some similarities. Each Hangul character equates to one syllable. They are just grouped together to create words. The tricky part here is the arrangement of the symbols to create one syllable. 

Practice, Practice, Practice!
Every skill is mastered through consistent honing and exercise. As for this, frequent reading of Hangul would really help you improve. At first, it was difficult to associate the symbol to its corresponding sound but the more you practice, the more things would go easier for you. Actually whenever I'm on the road and I see a Hangul sign, I automatically read it. I find it satisfying if I finished reading it before it escapes my view.

One of the most confusing part for me is identifying ㅗ /o/ from ㅜ /u/, which I always tend to interchange with each other. I just really got the hang of it after some time. I practiced reading Hangul by singing along with Korean songs while reading lyrics. This could become a little frustrating, especially if the song has a fast beat (because of course the words would be spoken very fast too) but that's a start. And with that, you can move on and improve with reading.

Hangul Translation of English Phrases
I find this really amusing. Some English words when translated to Korean follows the same pronunciation patterns, with just a little difference in the spelling. It's like with Filipino words. For the English word contribution, the Filipino translation is kontribusyon. Other English-Filipino examples are helicopter-helikapter, jeep-dyip, piano-piyano, reality-realidad, and practice-praktis. 

Can you read this one*? If you are a fan of accessories and you say this is for you, then you read it right! :D

You'll never go wrong that this is actually that Skinfood product**.