Kdrama Review: Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

You must have heard of Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo; the online world is buzzing over this drama. I watched it last year but I still can't get over with it. Why? I'll be sharing my personal review of Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo below.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo is a series based on the Chinese novel Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua (according to Wikipedia).

Here are some of the stuff I like about Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo.

1. The story is new.

The story is new, well at least for me who's from a foreign country. I guess that's one of the beauty of historical dramas. 

This kdrama includes time traveling which is not very new. Though this kdrama is mostly historical (which is I'm not very fond of), I was not bored as each episode has something in store for me to anticipate.

2. The Wang princes - a visual feast.

Who would not love these handome princes? 😍 Seeing Lee Joon Gi, Kang Ha Neul, Nam Joo Hyuk, Ji Soo and Baek Hyun in one kdrama is such a visual feast.🙊 I couldn't ask for more.

But putting the visuals aside, I love the mix and variety of each character. Each character was just remarkable and played an important role that made the story interesting. .

Lee Joon Gi as 4th Prince Wang So

Kang Ha Neul as 8th Prince Wang Wook

Nam Joo Hyuk as 13th Prince Baek-ah

Ji Soo as 14th Prince Wang Jung

Byun Baek Hyun as 10th Prince Wang Eun

Yoon Sun Woo as 9th Prince Wang Won

Hong Jong Hyun as 3rd Prince Wang Yo

Each prince had a special relationship with Hae Soo. You'll probably want to be in Hae Soo's place because of these handsome princes. 

The Drinking Buddies - Hae Soo and Baek ah

3. Complicated Wang So and Simple Hae Soo

I didn't see myself loving the So-Soo couple but I did. Wang So and Hae Soo's character is so contrasting; Wang So is complicated, dangerous, cold and serious but Hae Soo is simple, happy virus, bubbly and caring. I guess that contradicting characters made their chemistry adorable and cute. 🙊

 The way Wang So looked Hae Soo is to die for.

4. The puzzle.

Who sides with who.. is the question in my mind while watching the drama. The twists and turns in each character's fate kept the plot moving and kept me from watching.

The greatest mystery to me is Ji Mong's character. He was from the present but he seemed to have childhood memories with the princes.

5. The Tearjerking, Funny and Cute Scenes.

Yes, there are few heartbreaking and dreadful scenes 

in this kdrama that are quite heavy but there are funny and cute scenes too that lighten the mood.

I love it when the princes just play and fool around. Its also cute seeing them learning modern words and expressions. 

6. Lee Joon Gi's superb acting

Each actor from the lead down to the supporting actors portrayed their characters very well however Lee Joon Gi's acting is just commendable. His anger, happiness, sadness, longing, love and all his emotions are realistic and convincing. His eyes say it all.

But of course, there are loopholes in this kdrama; nothing's perfect right?😂 I'm not sure if they explained why Hae Soo was transported back to Goryeo; I know it was because of the eclipse but it was not clearly explained. It was just so ambiguous and random. 😅

The queen's relationship with Wang So was vague too. I just don't understand why she despise Wang So so much! Poor Wang So. 😭

There were insane close ups which I'm not sure if  necessary.

I can't get over this kdrama because of its controversial ending. I won't spoil you. 😂 But the ending is just so heartbreaking that's why everyone's raving for season 2 and I am one of them! 

 My verdict. 8.5/10. I watched it for the second time and I'm still crying. 😭 I highly recommend this drama, so please do watch it and join the craze. Hahahah! This is a must see. I promise!

The throne makes you scared and lonely. ~King Gwangjong

Day 4: Dongdaemun Design Plaza

To cap off our lazy day, we decided to go to the nearest tourist spot from Myeongdong which is the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

Operating Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00AM-7PM

*Every Wednesday, Friday: extended til 9PM

How to get there? By subway, get off at Dongdaemun History & Cultute Park Station (Line 2, 4, 5) and Exit 1.

Looks familiar? Yes! It is one of the filming locations of the famous kdramas like "My Love from the Star", "She Was Pretty", and "The Producer". As soon as we arrived, it felt like we were transported to the future due to its spaceship-like design which makes it the most iconic landmark in Dongdaemun. Daebak!!! 😮 There is so much to explore in this enormous and unique structure - it has art halls, design shops, museums etc. Unfortunately, we came at night so we were not able to wander inside. Instead, we just decided to do these things..

Capture the stunning curves of the building. Instagrammable isn't it? 📸

Visit the most-talked LED rose garden. Trust me it's more beautiful at night! ✨

Eat at the nearby street stalls. It is cheaper than those in Myeongdong. 😋

Shop 'til you drop at the nearby high rise shopping malls and design market. 👗👠🎒

Tips:

• We have seen more choices of socks here than in Myeongdong and Namdaemun.

• If you are planning to visit during daytime, the greyish tone of the building makes a perfect background so be ready to strike a pose. 💃

Dongdaemun is very accessible and a must visit place so make sure to put it on your list! 👍🏻

For those who have been here already, can you suggest other things to do in Dongdaemun? Comment down below!

Unboxing and Mini-Haul: Stylekorean

안녕 beauts, today I'll be doing a short review of Stylekorean. Stylekorean is an online store that sells korean skincare and makeup products. It offers a wide range of brands and products which are shipped directly from Korea. 

This is the second online store that I tried after Althea Philippines. If you haven't read my review yet, here's the link - Althea Philippines Review.

Price. This store offers affordable korean skincare and makeup products specially those that are under the clearance section. They also give out coupon discounts that makes it more affordable.

Shipping. They ship worldwide but it is not free which I think is the downside of this store. Shipping fee is calculated according to the weight of the products, the shipping destination and the shipping method. Mine costs $8.45 for the 4 products I bought (from Korea to Philippines). For more information about their shipping rates, check out their link (http://www.stylekorean.com).

Delivery Time. It took 20 days before I got my order - which I think is a bit long. I placed the order 2/28 and received it 3/20. You can track the delivery using the tracking number they sent.

Package. If you have tried purchasing products in Althea, you'll be disappointed when you receive the package from Stylekorean, well maybe it's just me. Hahaha! The products were bubble wrapped to protect the products from breaking or anything so I guess I am okay with that as long as the products are safe.

Verdict. Will I purchase again? Probably, if they offer free shipping. Happy shopping! 안녕!

BTW, here are some of the products I bought (nothing much).

I mentioned on my Althea review that this works wonders. I already used up the pack I first purchased so I restock! :)

Ugh well, I just want to try a new cleanser.

Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel soothes dry or sensitive skin - according to its claim. Well I totally agree as it is already my second purchase and definitely not the last. I love this product!

I've been reading a lot of good reviews about this OST Original Pure Vitamin C20 serum. This is the reason why I tried Stylekorean; this product is not available in Althea.

The claims: will deliver energy to your tired skin. Will whiten and tighten your skin like you were reborn as a new person (hahaha this is funny, I am not kidding - saw it on the site) and will shred the older and uglier skin. Promising, eh? Will it live up to its promise? Let's see if I will be reborn as a new person. Hahahaha!

Kdrama Review: Cheese in the Trap

Cheese in the Trap is one of the must-watch korean drama of 2016, well according to my google search. I honestly don't have any plan of watching this drama inspite of the hype surrounding it until I saw Seo Kang Joon as guest in The Return of Superman. I googled him right away (google is such a great help! 😂) and found out that he is on Cheese in the Trap. I gave this drama a try and now sharing a short review.

Cheese in the Trap casts

The story is quite ordinary. It revolves around Hong Seol - a university student living a life full of struggles; from school down to her family and Yoo Jung - a rich, handsome sunbae who has almost everything, who is loved by everyone. Familiar plot, eh? There is nothing special on the plot itself but nevertheless, I like how it showcased the main characters' slice of life - in school, family, friends and even their inner self and did not just focus on romance.

The characters set this drama apart. Why?  

1. Creepy male lead. Yes, he is so weird and mysterious. At times, I find him bipolar. Hahaha! He's the weirdest male lead I saw (so far). His character is disturbing but I think that piqued my curiousity enough that I had to watch until the last episode just to see how his character is revealed. Hands down to his acting though! It was realistic and believable.😱

I personally don't like Seol and Jung together, they are so shy and awkward (well maybe because Seol is Shy and awkward! hahaha) with each other. All throughout the drama, I was doubtful of Jung's love for Seol.

2. Introvert Female Lead Seol. I was surpised when she eventually gave in to Jung. I don't ship them, but I loved how her character was used to reveal Jung's identity. She wasn't the typical female lead who will have a huge makeover at the end (well physically) but she grew from that introvert girl to a girl who speaks her mind. Despite that, she proved that she is beautiful just the way she is which explains why the three men (Jung, In Ho, Young Gon) went crazy over her.

3. 2nd lead Baek In Ho. Of course I am bias here. I love Baek In Ho; his rugged yet yielding personality. Seol is more comfortable and carefree with him around unlike the awkwardness when he's with Yoo Jung. 😍

How I wish they end up together. Lol. 2nd lead syndrome here after Gong Tae Kwang. 

4. Seol's Cute stalker. Young Gon's acting was plausible! He is really scary and annoying, but isn't he too cute to be a stalker? 🙊Agree? 

5. Beautiful In Ha. She's undoubtedly pretty even with those strange outfits. I guess she's the only one who can pull it off. I love her fashion sense! 👧💄

Her acting as a crazy sister and lover is a bit over the top but she is totally convincing. I just love Lee Sung Kyung. 

6.Eun Tek and Bora. Seol is very blessed to have these two as her closest friends - uplifting her when she's sad and protecting her against weirdos. In spite of the fact that they were always with Seol, I am glad that they were able to expressed their feelings and had their own small romantic scenes.

The ending. I felt like it did not end properly. I was left hanging. Probably the writers chose that mysterious and artistic ending wherein the audience get to create their own ending. The limit is the audience's imagination. LOL! Season 2? Nah.. It's better left that way. 

Have you watched this drama? What are your thoughts on the ending?

Verdict. 6.6/10 I enjoyed the first half of this drama but it started to get boring. I was waiting for the climax until the last episode but I was disappointed. 이게 뭐야!! This drama could have been better if we saw development of the story.

Other reviews:
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
The Heirs
Legend of the Blue Sea

Photos are from the following links:
http://asianwiki.com/images/f/ff/Cheese_in_the_Trap-p2.jpg

Kdrama Review: Legend of the Blue Sea

You have probably heard about Legend of the Blue Sea already. With top Hallyu stars Lee Min Ho and Jun Ji Hyun as the main cast, this fantasy romance series has been at the center of attention. Since it is both their acting comeback, it was highly anticipated by many.

The story is pretty simple and predictable. A modern-day fairytale about a mermaid who fell in love with a human. A twist was added through flashback scenes to the Joseon counterparts which made me lose interest sometimes as I am not a fan of historical things. 😴 There were also few inconsistencies, but above all I still loved watching it. Wanna know why? Scroll down and find out!

main characters of LOTBS

1. Jun Ji Hyun as the funniest and prettiest Mermaid

I would definitely give the top spot to Jun Ji Hyun as she gave life to this drama. I can't get enough of her character as Sim Cheong. She made me laugh out loud so many times. 😂Aside from her excellent portrayal as a goofy mermaid, she also stunned many fans with her beauty even before wearing those fashionable clothes. She is still as gorgeous as before in her other shows - My Sassy Girl and My Love From The Star. I must say she is the epitome of beauty! 👑

Sim Cheong imitating the stop sign

Why is she still pretty even if she's eating like that?

She must like the cake a lot

Her first trip to Seoul

2. Lee Min Ho as Heo Joon Jae, a con artist 

He pulled it off effortlessly and won my heart on this K-drama. 💘 No wonder why girls all over the world (even the not K-drama fan) fall head-over-heels in love with him. I was addicted to him enough to find another drama (The Heirs) of his to watch while waiting for the new episode.

Oh my heart!

3. Sim Cheong and Heo Joon Jae moments

They are visually stunning together but sometimes they lack connection. However, this does not stop them from making their viewers kilig. I like the fact that Cheong is all over Joon Jae yet unaware that he already has feelings for her. Love it when Joon Jae stalks Cheong and ended up being caught! Also, the scene at the sauna when Joon Jae became overprotective. Sometimes secret love is much more fun!

4. Handsome Oppas

Tae Ho - Shin Won Ho is so adorable, plus points with his amazing hacker skills! His gestures are so cute especially when around Sim Cheong.

Who wouldn't notice this cute guy?

Fascinated by Cheong's beauty

Young Hoo Joon Jae - Jin Young can also pass as young Kim Soo Hyun. Omo omo! I think I found a new Oppa. ❤

Eyebrows on fleek!

Heo Chi Yun - Lee Ji Hoon is the good turned evil step brother of Joon Jae (Good looks run in the family). He may be a villian but he captured my sympathy and understanding of why he turned out like that.

Don't look at me like that!

Yoo Jung Hoon - Cheo Jung Suk plays a merman who taught Cheong on how to survive in the world of humans from earning quick cash to bringing out the possessive and jealous Joon Jae.

Cheong and Jung Hoon watching a sad movie to cry a pearl

5.  Cheong's unusual friends

Beggar - Hong Jin Kyung is Cheong's first human friend. She also played as her friend before in "My Love From the Star". I love their tandem! The fact that she is in denial that she is homeless makes her more funny. Aside from her fashion tips, she also has her words of wisdom when it comes to love.

Yoo Na - Shin Rin Ah played as an elementary friend of Cheong. They are quite opposite as Yoo Na acts like an adult and often gave her life lessons.

6. Bromance - I love Joon Jae, Tae Oh, and Nam Do together. They are just too cute especially when teasing each other.

brotherly love

7. Cheong getiing sucked into the overused K-drama plots

I bet we all could relate to what Cheong have learned after watching K-dramas. The male lead's father is always the CEO. His family is always against his relationship. With this, they will call her attention and try to bribe her with money. If she refuses, the glass of water at the table will be thrown at her. All of these were remembered by Cheong and by the time she met Chi Hyun (Joon Jae's stepbrother), she immediately refused to cut the ties with Joon Jae and continuously drank the glass of water on the table just to avoid it being thrown at her. HAHAHA 🤣

Rating: 8/10

Overall, LOTBS did live up to its hype. It has a beautiful cast which made it worth watching and it hit the right notes of the viewers. Although the ending was good, I felt like it still could have been better. I was a hoping for a potential reconciliation with his father and stepbrother. However, they still did a good job at wrapping up the story.

What are you waiting for? Grab your earphones and start watching!

Other reviews:
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
The Heirs
Cheese in the Trap