rainbows & lollies

There seems to be a type of Lolita Syndrome going around specifically amongst the Korean community.

The stars these days, or maybe just in the K-pop realm, seem to be getting scarily younger and younger. Or maybe it just seems that way bc I'm just getting older? Pretty soon, anyone born in the 80's will seem prehistoric... (Can you believe high school kids these days have no idea what "Saved by the Bell" is?)

Anyway, I guess the U.S. has its Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, & the Jonas Bros., but do they have 40+ year olds feening/lusting over them? Okay, maybe they do, but I'm sure the majority of their fanbase is pubescent tweens and it'd be considered somewhat taboo for older, middle-aged men & women to admit to being in their fandom. But in Korea, people are pretty shameless about their pedophilic desires. My friend once told me that one of his friends worked at those Korean bars/clubs frequented by older women, seeking a jolly, good time with younger male waiters and that these kind of joints are pretty popular. In Japan, they even have "menus" hanging outside of the clubs, displaying all the photos of the young, pretty lads and lasses you can choose from. It made me feel kind of gross. Do we have anything of its equivalent in the U.S.?

I remember when there was that public uproar over Miley Cyrus' Vanity Fair shoot, where she was posing topless (though she was fully covered by a bedsheet). See, Koreans are a bit craftier with their methods of marketing their young 'uns. They brand them with the overly-innocent, prized-virgin appeal. Though they're 16, make them act/look like they're 10. Ah~ but don't forget to put them in shortass skirts so that they still have sex appeal, leaving audiences rather conflicted... "Am I supposed to find this hot? And if I do, am I going to jail/hell?" It's all kinds of wrong, but that's the entertainment industry for you...





my boys... how they've exploited you~


Even If you asked me a year ago, I would say that I would only date older guys, preferably by 3+ years. But now, I would say I wouldn't mind dating a younger guy. After all, they'd probably smell nicer, be more agile, less hard-headed, and more fun, right?

Ick... what am I saying... I don't ever want to be a "madame."

mourning

yesterday's game felt like it was straight out of a sports movie... except it didn't have the the happy, david-beats-goliath ending that I wanted it to have. i am still heartbroken over the loss. boo-hoo.

but nonetheless, good job team korea. you've done me proud.



t.k. kim looks like my daddy:

Even though Korea and Japan are both East-Asian countries with little people & cute stationary, there's a completely different vibe I get from both cultures. And though I only visited Tokyo for just a few days, it felt drastically different from Seoul. The weird thing is I can't quite put into words how they are so different. Maybe when I figure it out, I can write some type of thesis on it. The analogy that comes to mind right now is korea: japan as cactus cooler: fanta. or Magic Mountain: Disneyland? No that's not it... maybe, Carls Jr.: McDonalds? mm that's not quite it either. i'll think of a better one.

the winter of our discontent

I feel I have reached the ultimate apex of pathetic-ness (does that sound paradoxical?) in all areas of my life. But what gives me solace is knowing that one day, far from today, this period of my life will seem really funny to me.

But instead of enjoying it then, I might as well start laughing now.

Wow... I think my sense of humor is developing quite nicely.


On a sidenote: I'm really excited to see this movie...


It's a hipster movie dream come true. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt, indie soundtrack, two allusions to 80's rock in the trailer alone, "Enchanted" references," Sundance written all over it. The whole film looks like it shot from a Diana camera.

It's the Garden State of 2009. And c'mon now...admit it, you know you liked Garden State at that time of your life... you know, that time when it was cool to like Garden State. Now, that movie is "oh-so-passé." Please. Don't be so full of yourselves!

On a side-note of a side-note:

attack of the 꽃미남s!

Ever since going to Korea, I think I've grown a love/appreciation for 꽃미남s (trans: flower boys, pretty boys). It used to boggle my mind how girls could be attracted to males that are skinnier, prettier, and more delicate than they are, but I've sadly found myself victim of this plague as well. I don't know what it is, but I feel as though Korea (even moreso than America) has this power of brainwashing people into liking something/someone that you probably wouldn't like on your mind. And as much as I get sucked into it, I fear for my well-being.







save me from this nonsense!

the inheritance of loss

"Could fulfillment ever be felt as deeply as loss? Romantically she decided that love must surely reside in the gap between desire and fulfillment, in the lack, not the contentment. Love as the ache, the anticipation, the retreat, everything around it but the emotion itself."
-Kiran Desai

2008 in a nutshell

overplayed til my ears bled, but will always remind me of moments of the yesteryear.

asobi seksu- thursday
the kinks- strangers
she & him- i should have known better
thao- big kid table
thao- fear and inconvenience
beatles- if i fell
camera obscura- a sister's social agony
css- air painter
lykke li- little bit
lykke li- hanging high
black kids- i'm not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance you
radiohead- bodysnatchers
clazziquai- romeo & juliet
rilo kiley- pull me in tighter
rilo kiley- capturing moods
MGMT- kids
bang gang- stop in the name of love
jason mraz- if it kills me
ting tings- be the one
chairlift- bruises
goldfrapp- happiness
M.I.A.- pretty much anything
jon brion- little person

there's a method to our madness

"Hot Date 2008" didn't really go as planned.

I'm not going to waste my breath and make all kinds of lofty goals that I could never possibly reach. Instead, I will make some tangible and wonderfully vague goals that I can pretty much attain if I put enough heart into (or if I twist the wording enough).

1. I'm going to get something published.
Doesn't matter if it's in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune or the UCLA Student Journal or anything... I will let my voice be heard, damnit! As much as I like to fool myself into thinking that writing for me is a purely self-benefitting exercise for releasing the creative juices, journaling my thoughts, making sense of my life- I need some validation sometimes.

2. I'm going to learn the trick of the trades.
I need to learn/study something this year. Whether it be a new language, a new knitting pattern, a musical instrument, or graphic design of some sort, I need to put this ol' noggin of mine to work. No more lounging around the ol' telly getting fat like Gilbert Grape's mama. I'm almost tempted to invest in a xylophone so roomie & I can start our two-woman band.

3. I'm going to be shameless. I think was I'm starting to age, I am starting to get less and less inhibited, which for me, is kind of a good thing. Of course I'm not "ajoomah" status yet, farting around and wearing outright tacky (though that's questionable) attire. I'm going to care less about what people think, cause when you really get down to the nitty gritty, they don't really care. 2009- NO SHAME, NO CRIME.