8 K-Drama and Movie Writers In Korea

8 K-Drama and Movie Writers In Korea

Believe it or not, one of Korea’s most popular exports is its television dramas. Korean dramas have an outstanding behavioral and cultural impact on other countries. They are very popular and influential worldwide, with adaptations throughout the world. We have compiled a list of the top 8 K-Drama and Movie Writers In Korea.

1. Kim Eun-sook, born 1973, is a South Korean screenwriter. Her most popular television dramas include “Lovers In Paris” (2004), “On Air” (2008), “Secret Garden” (2010), “A Gentleman’s Dignity” (2012), “The Heirs” (2013), “Descendants Of The Sun” (2016), and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” (2016–2017).

2. Hong Jung-eun, born 1974, and Hong Mi-ran, born 1977, also known as the Hong Sisters, are remarkable South Korean television screenwriters. Together, they have written some very popular romantic-comedies. Their works include “My Girl” (2005), “You’re Beautiful” (2009), “My Girlfriend Is A Nine-Tailed Fox” (2010), “The Greatest Love” (2011) and “Master’s Sun” (2013).

3. Choi Dong-hoon, born 1971, is a South Korean film director, actor and screenwriter. Ranked as one of the most consistently successful directors working in contemporary Korean cinema, each of his four films became commercial hits. “The Big Swindle” attracted 2.12 million viewers, “Tazza: The High Rollers” had 5.68 million, “Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard” at 6.13 million, “The Thieves” at 12.9 million, and “Assassination” at 12.7 million!

4. Chung Ji-young, born November 19, 1946, is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. His most well known films include “North Korean Partisan in South Korea”, “White Badge”, “Life and Death of the Hollywood Kid”, “Unbowed” and “National Security.”

5. Lee Kyung-hee, born July 26, 1969, is a South Korean television screenwriter. Her works include “I’m Sorry, I Love You” and “Will It Snow for Christmas?”. Her work “A Love to Kill” (2005) was a critical misfire with disappointing ratings.

6. Ahn Byeong-ki, born November 5, 1966 or 1967, is a South Korean film director, producer, and screenwriter. He specializes in horror films, though he has other works as well. His main horror works are “Phone” and “Bunshinsaba”, while his non-horror produced movies include “Scandal Makers” and “Sunny”. Ahn Byeong-ki has had an interest in horror film since early college and aspires to continue making horror films.

7. Bong Joon-ho, born September 14, 1969, is a South Korean film director, actor and screenwriter. His films include South Korean hits “Memories of Murder”, based on a true-life serial murder case, sci-fi thriller “The Host”, and his first English-language film, sci-fi adventure “Snowpiercer.” His films are filled with humor and sudden mood shifts, making for an emotionally varied experience. Being able to combine these contrasting elements in such a smooth manner is a strength that Bong has as a filmmaker.

8. Choi Wan-Kyu, born August 8, 1964, is a South Korean screenwriter. His works include “The Flower in Prison” (2016), “Triangle” (2014), “Gu Am Heo Joon” (2013) “Lights and Shadows” (2011-2012) “Midas” (2011), “Swallow The Sun” (2009), and more!

Who is your favorite writer or director?

—-Denise Coley

South Korea isn’t just known for advanced technology systems, their entertainment industry also plays a big role. Even though Kpop had a huge era back in 1990’s to early 2000’s, it wasn’t until 2007 where they gained a lot of attention around the globe. With a start of early idol groups (H.O.T, g.o.d, S.E.S, Shinhwa, Baby V.O.X, Turbo, Fin.K.L, etc.), they have opened a lot of doors for the current idols we have today, and these groups are what the trainees looked up to during the training years. Many young teens were so inspired by these idols that they wanted to become one just like them, and those trainees are who we know as current idol groups today.  

After successful debut of groups- BIG BANG, SNSD, Wonder Girls, KARA, Super Junior, etc., this was definitely the peak year of all time. With all the love they received internationally, the TV producers finally decided to take action by producing an audition program. It all started roughly around 2009, an audition program called Superstar K aired on July 24, 2009. This show was so successful that this is what led to so many audition programs later on. The winner of Superstar K Season 1 was Seo In-Guk, who most of us now know as an actor, but he debuted as a singer.’

Only naming the bigger shows to follow Superstar K, they were KPOP Star, Show Me The Money, and Produce  101

Kpop Star

Before this show even started to have auditions, what made it so special was that instead of using professional singers as judges, they combined the top members from 3 agencies: YG, SM and JYP. To those who were seeking a good talent agency, this was an amazing opportunity for them because not only were they able to receive feedback from the judges, but it also gave them a chance to audition for these three agencies all-in-one. After Season 2, SM left the show to focus more on their trainees, and Antenna Music took over the spot. This show was so popular that it went on for 6 seasons, and some of the successful contestants included: AMKU, Lee Hi, Park Jimin, Sam Kim, Back Ahyeon, and more.

Show me the Money

First aired back in 2012, and although it wasn’t a huge hit at the time, the amount of viewers gradually increased. Hip hop was not ideal in Korea, and the show wasn’t popular until Season 3. In Season 3, the show gained a big interest due to a well-known idol’s audition. Bobby, who was a YG trainee at the time. He already had a large fandom due to another audition program prior to this one called WIN: Who is Next. Even though many other trainees auditioned for this show, Bobby was the one who took all the criticism, and many contestants at the time interviewed: “he’s already famous, why does he need to audition to take over someone’s spot?” This led to a huge controversial argument at the time between Bobby’s fans and the netizens. As the show went on, he proved to everyone that he deserved the win, but having a bit of fame prior to his audition definitely made it tough on him. Season 6 definitely had the most popularity, and the show was already full with interest before it even started because the legendary rapper in Korea, Tiger JK announced he will be attending the show as one of the judges. Not only the producers were on fire, but the contestants are what really brought the view. One of the contestants was a 13 year-old boy, and he made it to the Top 3, which has never happened before. Season 6 had the most diverse group of people, and that is what made it so unique. As of now, the show is currently getting ready for Season 7, and we can already tell it’s going to be intense.

   

Produce 101

This is the most successful audition show between the years of 2016-17. Everyone doubted this show. You could not find a single supporter when Mnet first announced this program. The idea of having 101 people audition eventually narrowing it down to just 11 was cruel enough, but people did not care for them. Before the show even aired, these 101 girls performed at a basketball halftime, and many were not pleased because having these many perform were “too messy” and “too distracting.” However, their debut song ‘Pick me’ was so catchy that soon people were singing along. When the first episode aired, it was a huge hit and it immediately took over the music chart. Normally it is very tough to gain enough views when it is an all girl audition, but the first season was such a big hit that they even made a second season, and it was even a bigger hit. The producers are now getting ready for Season 3, but in a completely different format, and the netizens are already bashing on them saying they will get nowhere with that kind of script, but we will have to wait until the season actually begins. 

Throughout the show they are still trainees, and for them to gain so much attention when they have not even debuted yet, is why people are dying to be on these shows. Becoming an idol is one of the wealthiest jobs in Korea too, so as a young teen, they often think this is the easier route, when in reality it is just as difficult to become successful.

When there is a new audition program, netizens often think it won’t be successful because there are just so many similar shows. However Koreans seem to love the idea of “survival.” People always end up becoming a fan of the shows even if they don’t agree with the concept in the beginning. The show itself is entertaining enough, but since there are just so many members- each with different looks, styles, and talent, it gives the audience a variety of who to vote for. Usually teens and late 20’s will be the ones to vote throughout the season, and it can become so competitive that one thing can set off fights between the fandoms. People will go all out to make sure they get as many votes as possible, because they truly want their “pick” to win.

In schools, these shows are what the students talk about, and if you can impersonate the members, you can immediately gain popularity at school. One thing to mention is that Korea is really good at coming together. If one of the contestants is from let’s say, school A, then that entire student body at school A will vote for that contestant to support him/her.

Because Korea itself is kind of a “survival” country, I think that is one of the reasons why people love it so much. Seeing what it takes to reach the dream of an individual and actually achieving it, I think it brings hopes to those who are going through the same situation. Especially nowadays since we have so many young teens who are wanting to become an idol, these shows can at least start them off to the path where they want to go.

—-Juyeon Oh

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In 1997, my K-Pop journey began thanks to the one time I didn’t get to go on a field trip. Together, a Korean exchange student and I traded music from our countries and talked about who was popular at the time. From there, my 12-year-old self was addicted to the likes of Sechskies, S.E.S, Shinhwa, Cool, and 1TYM, an addiction that morphed years later to near obsessive proportions when Baby V.O.X, BoA, BIGBANG, and B.A.P became new loves with each passing K-Pop era. At 32, I still find enjoyment in K-Pop, but the mystique around it just isn’t what it was back when I was in middle school, high school, and college.

Today, in a market that’s currently—and constantly—oversaturated, it’s hard to keep up with the new “young guns” that are up-and-coming on the scene. As a K-Pop writer and a former K-Pop website owner, I try my best to keep up with the latest trendy group and newest viral dance craze, but the shouts of adulthood are louder and more prominent than keeping up with “K-Poppians.”

With adult responsibilities comes less money for merchandise and concerts, and buying the latest album is no longer a priority. Staying up late to catch the newest MV release has been replaced with long hours grading papers and tutoring students who need help creating PowerPoint presentations and putting ideas to paper. Money put aside for concert tickets now goes toward groceries and classroom supplies; all-the-while, familiar melodies bounce around in my head to remind me of simpler times.

Now, K-Pop is an old friend that visits on rainy days or on days when depression hits hard and I need be reminded that things aren’t as bad as they seem. B.A.P will always blast from my car stereo. Seungri’s “V.V.I.P” will always be the song of choice when spring gives way to summer as I drive down familiar Indiana roads, moonroof open, speakers blaring as loud as legally possible. Kim Hyun Joong’s “Unbreakable” and Baby V.O.X’s “Break It Up” will always be my motivators, while Berry Good’s “Don’t Believe” and BLACKPINK’s “Stay” will forever remind me of the year my heart got crushed. The music of my youth and adulthood will always echo in my head, but sometimes life dictates that certain friends aren’t meant to be forever no matter how hard you want to hang on. 

This past year, I’ve realized my K-Pop journey has been coming to an end as I found myself gravitating toward music I grew up with instead of checking out the fresh groups that have been penetrating the K-Scene. I contribute this to many groups being half my age and feeling weird stanning groups made up of starry-eyed children. While I support their dreams, we live in an age where people are quick to judge and quick to accuse people of being weirdos and perverts. Sometimes I wonder if my tastes have changed or if I’m allowing society’s neuroses to dictate what I enjoy, but the lines are too blurred at this point to tell which is the dominating factor. 

In addition to the age issues, the pettiness of the K-Pop world is too draining and tiring and not worth the grind. Fan wars, petty grievances, and “fans” determining who are “real fans” or fake ones based on if someone votes for a music show win has made the K-Pop world less fun. It’s time to channel energy toward constructive thought and action.

As I say goodbye to this phase in my life, I’ll always have the memories and experiences I had tucked in the corners of my mind ready to recall at any moment. I was lucky enough to have some experiences some fans only dream about, so my journey doesn’t end in jest. I’ve had the opportunity to meet my favorite group and hold my bias’ hand. I had chances to interview up-and-coming artists, and I even had a chance share insight on different projects involving the K-Pop world due to the crossover with my personal interests and career teaching media and culture. K-Pop has opened many doors for me in unexpected ways, and that is something for which I will always be grateful.

Everything in life is a phase and a gateway to a new journey. While the door is closing on K-Pop for me, the door to K-Rock has opened slightly, so perhaps my journey is taking a new road. Overall, the joy I once felt no longer exists. While it is sad, it is also completely normal and something we all must face eventually as we grow up and away from not only music, but from other things from what we once sought pleasure. 

—-Joelle Halon

Top Grossing Jackie Chan Movies

If you are one of those who are so fascinated with Chinese Kung Fu and the characters that fly around in Chinese movies, you must know Jackie Chan very well. This 63 year-old film star won an Honorary Oscar in 2016 for his lifetime achievements. Are you curious about, out of over 100 movies that he starred in, which are the top grossing ones that are worth watching again?

Rush Hour (1998) $244.4 million

When the daughter of a Chinese ambassador got kidnapped, a Hong Kong police officer (Jackie Chan) and an “useless” LAPD detective (Chris Tucker) went on a mission of rescue, during the time they experienced a series of misadventures and fought against criminal groups.

   

Rush Hour indicated the first biggest success for Jackie Chan in Hollywood. Rush Hour 2 and 3, released in 2001 and 2007, have collected a global box office of $347.3 and $258.0 million, which is even better than the first movie. The story extends from Los Angeles through Hong Kong and Paris, where they were involved in the biggest smuggle case of counterfeit currency and an international criminal conspiracy.

Kung Fu Yoga (2017) $254.2 million

Jack (Jackie Chan), professor of archaeology, was doubted by the university as he didn’t go on explorations for years. This kind of life came to an end when an Indian girl came and asked him to help looking for the long lost Magadha treasure in Tibet. As the hunting went further, more secrets got revealed. Jack and his group went through a series of adventures including drag racing in Dubai, escaping from an underground icy cavern and even fighting with Indian coyotes.

Kung Fu Yoga was a China-India cooperation and was released during the 2017 Chinese new year. This movie inherited Jackie Chan’s consistent Fung Fu comedy style and added Yoga as another key to the spirit of the movie. Kung Fu Yoga has received both praise and criticism but has definitely been Jackie Chan’s highest grossing movie in China.

The Karate Kid (2010) $359.1 million

12 year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) moved from US to China with his mother and had a hard time making friends in class. He became the enemy of the bully, Cheng, and became friends with the maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) who was the only one he can share his stories with. As a retired Kung Fu master, Han took Dre in and taught him the real spirit of Kung Fu.

Jaden’s parents, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, were both producers of the movie. Unlike the original movie in 1984, this movie set the background in Beijing, China. The beautiful scenes, the reflection of real Chinese life and the true spirit of Chinese philosophy led to favorable reviews from the audience. It was definitely one of Jackie Chan’s most successful movies.

Kung Fu Panda (2008) $631.7 million

Po (Jack Black) is a clumsy panda. He works in a small noodle shop but always dreams about being a Kung Fu master. By accident he was chosen to defeat the evil warrior, who was going to escape the prison. With the help of Master Shifu and the Furious Five – Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis, Viper and Crane, Po became a true master. By understanding the meaning of “Inner Peace”, Po defeated the evil and saved the valley.

Kung Fu Panda set its background in ancient China and respected the culture as much as possible, for example the clothing, valley scenes and food. The Furious Five each referred to one of the most typical martial art styles as well. The second and the third movie, released 3 years and 8 years later, each collected a box office of $665.7 and $521.2 million. Po was having a peaceful life in the valley until evil came back. He needs to discover the mystery of his birth and saves his own species.

—-Lizzy Ren

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Launched in 1999, ‘MAMA’ is a major K-pop award ceremony that attracts performers from all over the world to this day. It aims to bring together international fans and musical artists of different cultures and languages on one great stage as well as bring Asia’s music to the world. The ‘2017 MAMA’ was held over 3 days, November 25 in Vietnam, November 29 in Japan, and December 1 in Hong Kong.

Let’s have a look back at the first day of MAMA 2017 in Hoa Binh Theater, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. On the evening of November 25th, Kpop fans in Vietnam had the opportunity to enjoy one of the most popular music awards in Asia – Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) in Vietnam.

In the first three divisions of MAMA, Mnet had selected Vietnam as the venue of the opening night. Millions of Kpop fans have gathered together at Hoa Binh Theater, Ho Chi Minh City, where they could meet a lot of Vietnamese and other stars on the red carpet as well as the three big names from Korea: Wanna One, SEVENTEEN and Samuel Kim.

During the two hours of the showin Vietnam, many awards were handed out, the names were announced and of course there was incredible performances from representatives of Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand Lan, Singapore as well as Korea.

MAMA 2017 in Vietnam started with v ibrant music theme “Coexistence”.

These are two MCs of the event: Duc Bao and Phan Le Ai Phuong.

The Host- Singer Thu Minh saying how thankful she is for being the host of the show.

Toc Tien- Beautiful Vietname’s singer started the show with her hits called” I’m Not The Only One”, I’m In Love” and “Tomorrow”.

She received “The Best Asian Artist in Vietnam” Award.

 

This is Agnez Mo-“The Best Asian Artist in Indonesia”.

The star from Thailand – Lula brought to MAMA in Vietnam the stage series entitled “Lulaland” inspired by the movie”La La Land” and she received “The Best Asian Artist in Thailand” award.

The show continued with the performance of the 23-year-old star from Singapore – Aisyah Aziz with the theme “World, Word”.

And she received  “The Best Asian Artist in Singapore” award.

To continue the show, 3 young and talented Vietnamese singers: Duc Phuc, Hoa Minzy and Erik performed a love song series: “Ánh Nắng Của Anh”, “Yêu”, “Anh Đang Nơi Đâu” and The Descendants of the Sun’s OST -“This Love”.

Next the very exciting performance from a very handsome and talented Korean singer – Samuel Kim.

Coming to MAMA 2017 in Vietnam, Wanna One had brought to the stage some incredible performances   “Energetic” and “Burn It Up.”  They are honored to receive the “ Best of Next” award.

Wanna One group leader saying thank you for receiving the “Best of Next” award.

Another big boy group from Korea- Seventeen came and performed at MAMA 2017 Vietnam.

Here Seventeen are receiving the “Worldwide Favorite Artist” award from the host singer Thu Minh.

After recei ving the award, Seventeen had performed 4 songs in a row as to say thank you to the fans for supporting them.

  

What a great night! The fist night of MAMA 2017 in Vietnam was a big success and Congratulations to all the winners!

—-Lucy Le

As someone who enjoys coloring her hair often, I’m always trying different hair color products that are non-damaging and rich. I had an opportunity to try April Skin’s Turn-Up Color Treatment recently. As pinks and purples are my favorite colors to use in my hair, I tried the peach-pink and pink shades on my hair. Unfortunately, this product was a colossal waste of money.

Packaging

The tube of hair dye arrives in a pretty pastel box. The colors are clearly displayed, so there’s no mistake in what you’re getting. The packaging is simple, so there’s no muss or fuss with opening either the box or the tube.

Ingredients

April Skin boasts that the product has over twenty herb extracts to help hair. There are ingredients like coconut, sage, lavender, citrus, and rosemary, but there are still a lot of chemicals. The chemical list (pictured) provides details of what’s included.

Use

The instructions are a bit conflicting at first. The package says to shampoo and towel dry hair, then apply the dye, wait the allotted time, and rinse. Don’t do this! Instead, wash your hair hours before you plan to dye it. Make sure your hair is thoroughly dry, then apply the product. If you have long hair, you will need more than one tube. Apply the dye to dry hair and let it set for the allotted time or a little bit longer. Then, rinse out the dye using water only. Once complete, dry your hair and hope your color turns out as vibrant as the product advertises. I recommend not getting your hopes up for solid color.

Impression

I tried two different colors with the same results: No color. At first, I tried peach-pink and thought that, perhaps, my hair was still too dark for the color to take even though it was recently lightened. Since peach-pink is supposed to be a subtle color, I thought that maybe it was just too subtle due to my hair’s hue. However, the pink—which is darker and looks like it would have some purple tones—also didn’t show with the first use. I tried both colors twice, first with leaving it in for the suggested 20 minutes. For peach-pink the second go-around, I left it in for 45 minutes, while I left the pink shade in for nearly an hour. For the latter, it was unclear if the color took at all. In some lights, my hair had a slightly reddish hue, but I can’t say for sure if it was the dye or the fact that my hair has some reddish tones.

Even though the color did not take as expected, the dye is surprisingly gentle. The condition of my hair felt better than it did pre-dying it, so it didn’t strip or harm my hair. My hair is thin and slightly wavy; it stayed that way after use. Even though everyone’s hair is different, it feels like this treatment may be gentle on different hair types.

One of the major concerns people have regarding hair dye and treatments is the scent. There are a lot of products out there that have a horrible, lingering smell. The fragrance with this dye is light, so it’s not bothersome by any means. However, there is still a chemical fragrance even though it’s not as bad as other products on the market.

Overall

This product seems to be hit or miss depending on your hair texture and color. While it isn’t harsh on hair, it doesn’t color as well as advertised if it colors at all. I did like the feel of my hair after using it, but their needs to be color, otherwise this is just glorified conditioner. Instead of this product, use Overtone, which really does color without stripping hair.

 

April Skin’s Turn-Up Color Treatment receives a score of 1/5.

 

—-Joelle Halon

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Vũ Thu Minh (born September 22, 1977) often known simply as Thu Minh, is a Vietnamese pop–singer. She is famous for pop ballads and dance-pop music and is referred to as the “Queen of Dance-pop in Vietnam”.

Thu Minh is also called “Vietnam’s Celine Dion” and “The wind chime of Vietnamese music” due to her famous and rare soprano C or Spinto soprano singing voice that has a range from D3 (low) to C7 (high) with the highest belt note B5, headvoice C#6, and some whistle. She originally trained to be a ballet dancer, and, before the age of 30, she had never taken officially any professional music school.

Owning a high and powerful soprano C voice, in the intermittent low notes Thu Minh presented without recognizable specialty. After her efforts to learn from many international singers and especially inspired by Whitney Houston, she gradually overcame this drawback. She always believed: “fame is not what makes me happiest, but artistic differences and uniqueness”, thus, she always tries to cultivate and train herself for her own ‘Thu Minh style’, vocal technique and performance style. Thu Minh also genuinely said that the “frugal”, “straight-forwarded, critical and perfectionism” in her music career, inherited from her mother, is such a good element for her job because it helps bring the audience her best music performances, regardless of how long it costs in execution time. For example, the album Body Language took two years to complete. Thus, in 2007, Thu Minh had shifted to Boston, Massachusetts, in the US to pursue an international education on music and graduated from Berklee College of Music.

From 2012, she has become one of four judges for the current hot show in Vietnam The Voice of Vietnam

Thu Minh truly found her explosive fame and success through her talented mentoring, a sane judgment and a sensible art instinct. Through each round, she proved strongly to be more brilliant with her mentoring position since Thu Minh’s team is still anticipated to be at the top at the end of each year. She is claimed to be the most favorite judge by contestants and audiences due to her strong voice and notable experiences throughout the show.

On 13 January 2013, Huong Tram was officially crowned as the champion of The Voice in Vietnam for the first season with outstanding performances with a great contribution of Thu Minh in clever song choices, creative and bold move of modifying the performance.  (The top 4 of contestants on The Voice of Vietnam from Thu Minh’s team)

On 21 Dec 2012, after numerous rumors on whether she had tied the knot in an interview with the press, she declared that now it can be said that she is married and has worn a wedding ring for two months. Some paparazzi pointed out that this can be easily recognized when she started wearing a more plain ring which matches the ring on Otto’s (her husband) left hand though she may have intended to wear it on her right hand (yet, wearing a ring on the right hand is actually a tradition in some Europe countries including the Netherlands). It is also expected that Thu Minh would never hold a big wedding celebration involving the public and the press in Vietnam since she is well known for being quite secretive in her love life. This could be a reason that she may have chosen to celebrate her 2012 wedding only with some close friends and family − to avoid the public attention. Besides, because Thu Minh only has contact regularly with very few co-workers at a personal level, the news, hence, was not widespread and was under cover for a while. Till now, the public only acknowledges her husband’s face and he is a Dutch businessman (Her husband’s name has recently been revealed as Otto). Her husband appeared on the event she held on 21 December 2012 as an event to introduce her husband and celebrate the ended year 2012. In this event, he also spoke sincerely in Vietnamese though not much, to thank the press, but expressed his willingness to keep their relationship secretive. He also called Thu Minh his wife and teased her for being talkative.

Thu Minh was glad to be the host announcement of MAMA 2017 awards show in Vietnam on Nov 25. The main host position is chosen based on the criteria of the top stars, music icons, influencers in their country’s entertainment industry. The stars who took over the m ain host site of MAMA are Asia’s biggest names such as Bi Rain, Lee Byung Hyun, Lee Seung Ri and this year’s Song Joong Ki in Hong Kong and Thu Minh in Vietnam. Yes, no-one else but Thu Minh. She sure did a great job and she deserves to be where she is today.

—-Lucy Le

 

Bananas are a pretty common fruit in Malaysia seeing as the trees thrive in the hot and humid climate. Unsurprisingly, Malaysians have come up with a variety of ways to consume this humble fruit as it seems eating it just on its own isn’t enough to satisfy the local palate.

In fact, there are even some (like me *cough cough*) who prefer these alternate variants to the plain old raw banana.

To start with, there’s the ever reliable and frequently seen in roadside hawker stall offerings – fried banana or banana fritters. Also known as ‘pisang goreng’ in Malay, these hot, crispy slices of deliciousness are simply sliced ripe bananas dipped in batter and deep fried to perfection.

As any Malaysian will tell you, this delicacy is a favourite tea time snack as evidenced by the abundance of roadside stalls selling them.

Lately, this traditional snack has also been modernised with some stalls providing the increasingly popular option of adding grated cheese, chocolate sauce or chocolate sprinkles on the piping hot fried bananas.

Next on the list is the ‘cekodok pisang’ which are basically a concoction of mashed bananas, flour, sugar, water and salt scooped or shaped by hand into rough mini ball shaped snacks and deep fried until a dark brown color.

I’ve also tasted some with baking soda added which gives them an airier or lighter texture and are more crispy to boot but personally still prefer the ones without baking soda better. More importantly, these taste best when they’re banana rich instead of flour rich as some like to make them.

For the more health conscious, the ‘lempeng pisang’ or banana pancake may be more to your liking as these are pan-fried with minimal oil instead of deep-fried. Also a mixture of mashed banana, flour, grated coconut, sugar and salt, what makes it different is the proportions of the ingredients and the addition of the grated coconut in the mixture.

This pancake-like delicacy also has more banana in it and the thick, lumpy mixture is spread out on a flat pan to cook before it is served on a banana leaf. Less commonly found outside in restaurants, these remain a favourite breakfast or afternoon tea selection for some households especially in the northern states of Malaysia.

Last but not least is the ‘pengat pisang’, a sort of broth or sweet porridge made with bananas, coconut milk, brown sugar and sago.This flavourful dessert has a rich broth which is infused in the pieces of soft cooked banana so you’ll get a lovely full taste in every bite. The addition of pandan leaves also gives it a delectable fragrance you won’t soon forget. Generally served hot, this dish is also delicious when eaten cold after being stored in the fridge.

In fact, other than these very traditional ways of cooking banana, there’s also some modern varieties such as the banana cake, banana filled donuts and others.

You may even be surprised to walk into a local McDonald’s to see a banana pie as these are served from time to time, usually during festive seasons in Malaysia in place of their usual apple pie.

Now that you know about some of the best ways banana is served in Malaysia, all I can say is, if you’re ever in Malaysia, get ready to go bananas!

—-Fie Fed

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The new K-pop girl group, HASHTAG has successfully made their long-awaited debut on October 11, 2017. They especially caught the public’s interest since Kan Mi-youn, a member of the veteran Korean girl group Baby V.O.X has been revealed to be the one who produced them.

HASHTAG consists of seven members, Hyunji, Sua, Dajeong, Seungmin, Subin, Sojij and Aeji who are all thoroughly trained and they are said to meet the standard of a top-notch girl group in terms of their ability to perform and engage with the audience.

Hashtag as a group will focus to showcase coordinated team work as they interpret the feelings and emotions of what young girls deal with in everyday life, through their vibrant music and performance. 

We would like to express a big thank you to the members of HASHTAG for this great interview with KCRUSH America Magazine.

 

Would you introduce yourselves to our readers?

Hyunji: Hello! This is Hyunji, HASHTAG’s oldest member but I have a young appearance. I am the vocalist! It’s nice meeting you all! Thank you!

Sua: Hello, everyone! This is Sua who gives out happiness to the group ~ I am responsible for being an innocent visual and I promise to give out my happy vibes to you all…!

Dajeong: Hi! My name is Dajeong and I am the leader of this team! My position in the HASHTAG is the choreographer and rapper. I hope you all like my girlish image.

Seungmin: Hello! I am the main vocalist of HASHTAG…it’s so very good to meet you all!

Subin: Hi!! This is Subin from HASHTAG! I am the sub-vocalist and dancer from this team! Thank you!

Sojin: Hello! I am the most talkative member of HASHTAG…I am the sub-rapper in the group. It’s very nice to see you all!

Aeji: How are you all? I am the youngest of the group, the lovable Aeji! I am the one who does the ”killing parts” and the beautiful dancing in the group! Please show us some love!!

 

Please explain how you became the members of HASHTAG.

Hyunji: I was one of the last members to be added to this group. I became a HASHTAG member after working many times as hard by training and sweating with the members. That is how the seven members of HASTAG, who all have different attractive characteristics was formed.

Sua: I was the last person to join HASHTAG! I was casted last, and was picked because my image matched with the group well. After spending a long time as a trainee, we have now made our debut as HASHTAG! We’ll be showing what we can do, so please watch out for us!

Dajeong: I’ve been a trainee for the longest at this company, since it was first founded. As I was working hard and training; talented and skilled friends began to join the scene. We were able to debut after many hours training and spending time together.

Seungmin: I was introduced to take an audition at this company, by a teacher I admire very much. I passed the audition and after training with other trainee friends and developing myself; I was given the chance to join HASHTAG as the main vocalist. It’s still unbelievable to me and I am so looking forward to what’s ahead of us!

Subin: I was attending a music academy in Ulsan and a teacher asked me if I wanted to take an audition. I became a trainee after Dajung and Aeji had joined. I still remember clearly how I came to live in Seoul at the age of 19, and I am so thankful that I’ve now fulfilled a dream by becoming a HASHTAG member.

Sojin: I’ve been a trainee for the shortest period in this band. I became a HASHTAG member after I was asked to join while I was performing at an academy in Busan.

I was still underage when I came to live in Seoul, without any of family or friends here. I am very proud of myself for having endured it all so well.

Aeji: I’ve been a trainee as long as Dajeong! I remember when I came to Seoul from Daegu and lived in a spare room of my relatives! I trained so hard with one will in mind and now the seven-member group, HASHTAG is formed!

 

What is the first thing you do when you get up?

Hyunji: I begin each day with a prayer! ^^

Sua: I weigh myself on an empty stomach and have a glass of water in order to start the day afresh!

Dajeong: I drink lukewarm water and do morning stretching.

Seungmin: I drink a glass of water and weigh myself.

Subin: I use the blender to make some fruit juice to drink and do morning yoga. ^^!

Sujin: I wake myself up from the state of sleepiness by taking a shower then get ready to go out!

Aeji: I look into the mirror and tell myself, “I can do it” three times before I start the day!!

 

Do you have any hobbies or special skills?

Hyunji: I love listening to music and also love to sing. I always have the music on, if I don’t…then I feel empty and extremely bored. I have speakers set in my room.

As soon as I get home, I connect the speakers and play music. Because my position in the group is a vocalist, I want to enhance my singing ability and since I want to showcase my skills more, I tend to focus on listening to a lot of music.

I love searching for rare songs and make my own playlists. There are so many gems when you look hard enough. I get this tingly feeling of satisfaction when I add great tunes to my playlist.

I love fashion as well, so I enjoy shopping so much! I search for photos online and if I like anything I capture clothes, fashion gadgets or anything I like. And I make sure I purchase the ones I really like, so my style of dressing has become very diverse.

Sua: I’m really into cute things like rabbit characters and cute ornaments in pink.

My current bedroom wall is pink and I have a lot of stuffed toys on the bed of our dormitory. I also like cosmetics a lot, so I enjoy collecting blushers and lip products.

And I really enjoy eating as well. Ha ha.

Dajeong: I think my special skills lie in Hip Hop and urban dancing! I love to dance a lot so I am very good at copying or memorizing a dance routine.

I am also very interested in clothes and fashion, so I like to surf for fashion photos and dance videos on the internet.

Seungmin: My skills are in singing. I’ve been extremely absorbed in singing since I was young, and it was my dream to preform my song on stage. So naturally, music has become a part of my life!

I listen to diverse genre of music, and I wish to write songs with the members in the future.

Subin: Ever since I was young, I’ve loved to sing and dance. My skills are all related to singing and dancing. It may seem boring to say it, but it’s the truth.

I also love to sit at home all day and watch dramas or movies for my own healing.

I spend time shopping for fashion or beauty products and usually the time flies when I go to shop.

Sojin: My hobby is collecting cute things like Kidult toys. I tend to buy them if they are pink, and I’m very obsessed with collecting limited editions of mini figures and such.

I’m very interested in decorating my room since I consider visuals very important.

After I work hard on a decoration, I become really proud of my work and people around me all give me a word of praise when they see it.

I love cosmetics as well so I shop around for them often. I can guess what kind of products my friends have got on and I recommend them what to use as well. The make-up artists already call me a “Cosmetic fanatic”.  Ha ha.

I like to take time to read and watch movies…I am also learning a language. I’m currently focused on learning Japanese, so I look forward to revealing my skillful Japanese soon!

Aeji: I think I’m skilled at dancing. I majored in dancing since I was young and would hear frequently that my bodyline looks great while I’m dancing.

I enjoy myself when I’m dancing and my skills have improved vastly, which I am very proud to say.

I am also very interested in all different kinds of things including, perfumes, clothes, beauty and etc. I like to watch Mukbang videos when I get the time…I am very interested in acting as well, I also like to practice and research by monitoring.

 

What is your favorite HASHTAG song that you’re the most attached to?

Hyunji: I am the most attached to the song, “When It Rains” on our album.

The lyrics and the melody take us back to the days we spent training hard as trainees. The song kind of makes us not lose our initial determination.

Our members have already promised that we would sing this as the final song when we hold a concert.

Sua: Since this album is our first, I’m attached to all the songs. But if I had to choose one track, I’d choose, “Like That” because the quote that goes, “The things like that which have traces of love…” left a really impactful impression on me and the sentence I think is pretty. I think the song shows the style and the direction HASHTAG will be pursuing in the future very well.

Dajeong: I am very attached to “Like That” from our album. I managed to write the lyrics to the rap parts on this album; this song has the longest rap and I find the beat really my style. I spent four hours in a café writing those lyrics so I am especially attached to it!

Seungmin: I like “When It Rains” from the album the most!! It was the first track we recorded and it reminds me of the trainee friends I used to with be and the times we spent together, as well as the memories I made with the current members. This is the only ballad song on the album, so I feel a special attachment to it. Ha ha.

Subin: I love all the songs on our album but if I had to pick one song, it would have to be “Like That” because there is something about the song that puts you in a great mood!! Everyone, please listen to it!

Sojin: I will definitely choose “Like That” because the genre is really what I like and I got to do the intro part that I wanted in the song. We really loved the recording process of the song, and it was the last one to get complete so I feel a strong attachment to it.

Aeji: Uhm…I think all the members are in unison that our fav song from the album is “Like That” for sure. It has such pretty lyrics and the song describes a normal everyday relationship that our members aren’t currently able to have!! I feel content when I hear the song. Yay!

 

Do you have any colors you like or dislike?

Hyunji: They say that every color under the sun is different. I don’t have any colors I dislike and I like all colors.

Sua: I have a nickname which is “Pink Princess” because I love pink so much!!

Dajeong: I love all colors. There aren’t any I don’t like.

Seungmin: I like purple, black, yellow, pink and blue! I don’t have colors I dislike.

Subin: I don’t have a color preference but I like all types of pink.

Sojin: Pink is always my favorite! I love it!!!

Aeji: Uhm…I don’t think I have any colors I dislike or like in particular.

 

What is your favorite food or beverage?

Hyunji: I like jelly, chocolates, Pepero and any kind of food! ^^ For beverages, I like smoothies.

Sua: It’s hard to pick one type of food. I really like eating meat and Mozzarella cheese!! And Korean food!! I love jelly, chocolates, ice Americano and fresh yoghurt smoothies…

Dajeong: I like Korean food the best! And my fav beverage is definitely ice Americano!

Seungmin: I love sushi, tteokbbokki, jelly and chocolates! Also, ice Americano for drinks.

Subin: I really eat all kinds of food extremely well! I love desserts, so cakes, chocolates, macaroons, ice cream, smoothies and every type of desserts! I love to drink fresh beverages like strawberry smoothies!

Sojin: I used to visit various different coffee shops because I love desserts, most of all, macaroons and tarts! I like to drink customized latte or cappuccino to suit my taste.

Aeji: Food! I like chicken, spicy tteokbbokki, chicken feet and everything else!!! My favorite drink depends on the situation but most of the time, I like Americano the most!!

 

Tell us about any movies, books musicals you’ve seen recently.

Hyunji: The High School Musical the movie series! I keep the DVDs inside my notebook and watch them whenever I get the chance!! The movie showcases perfect songs, choreography, script and etc. I love watching movies for High School teenagers and that movie expresses the sentiment and the youthfulness of teens very well!

Sua: I recently watched a movie called, “Collateral Beauty” that left a great impression on me. The storyline is about people who have been through tough times and healing from their pain. I hope you all get to watch it. Ha ha.

Dajeong: I was able to watch the movie, “Titanic” just recently. I was watching it, it made me think what a classic movie it is and the audience feel the same back when it was released and nowadays as well. I recommend anyone who hasn’t seen it, to watch it.

Seungmin: I recommend movies, “High School Musical” and “Nanny McPhee.”

I watched “High School Musical” when I was younger and absorbed in the world of Disney; I used to think I wanted to sing and act like the characters.

“Nanny McPhee” is another movie that I enjoyed watching so much that I didn’t know the time was passing by.

Subin: I recently watched a Korean movie called, “Midnight Runners” which I

watched with great interest. I would like to recommend you to watch the “Twilight

Series.” I’ve seen the four movies multiple times and I’ve become a fan of Robert

Pattinson and Kristen Stewart so I searched to watch other movies featuring them.

Sojin: I can’t choose just one movie, so I have a few movies of diverse genres I want

to mention. I love the “Mean Girls” the most, out of all the movies for teens.

I remember thinking that the actress, Rachel McAdams was so pretty in that movie,

so for a while I collected her photos.

I tend to enjoy watching depressing movies and “All About Lily Chou Chou” stays in

my memory the most.

If you want something like a musical with a storyline, I recommend that you to

watch “The Great Gatsby.” It even has perfect original soundtracks.

“The Hunger games” is also great and I also read the whole series of the novels.

I love the main character, Katniss and wish there would be more strong-willed

female characters like her in any kind of productions.

Aeji: I got to watch the Twilight series recently and I regret the fact I hadn’t watched

them before.

 

What is your favorite song?

Hyunji: Since it’s coming onto winter, I frequently listen to “I’m Still” by Eden (Feat. Kwon Jina) and “When Night Falls” by Eddy Kim!

Even though the weather is now chilly, those songs make me warm when I listen to them! Really recommend them for you to listen!

Sua: I recommend you to listen to Sweden Laundry’s “Voice” (Feat. Junggigo), Brother Su’s “Arm Pillow” and Standing Egg’s “Little Star.”

Dajeong: I think I listen to “SAAY” by CIRCLE (Feat. Tish Hyman) about five times a day.

Seungmin: The song I’m listening to often is “Kim Na-young’s “We Could Only Have Broken Up” – this song has these lyrics that make me emotional!

Baek Ye-rin’s “Zero” is another great song that makes you happy and hopeful when you listen to it after a long hard day. You must all take the time to listen to these songs!

Subin: I love “I Would” by Bobby sunbaemin! I can’t get bored with the song even when I listen to it over and over again. The melody is so great and the lyrics really capture the female heart, plus his voice sounds so good!!

Sojin: There are countless songs I love, but I recommend Glen Check’s “60’s Cardin” and I also love Lucia sunbaenim’s “The Moon and Six pence.”

Aeji: “Just One Day” by NU’EST! The lyrics are very touching and so great!!

 

Have you experienced any interesting or awkward situations when you were broadcasting?

Hyunji: During a rehearsal for a music show, there was a part in the choreography where we had to hold hands and my ring got stuck in Dajeong’s outfit!

We tried to take it out but it wouldn’t come off and I had to move to the front since it was my part next. After a struggle, we could detach from each other.

But the camera had caught it all! It was a relief that it was only the rehearsal.

And when we first made our debut, I remember the audience telling us we are pretty and wished us well, which kept us really energized and encouraged. We really enjoyed the experience and we’re going to try harder and enhance in order to meet people’s expectations.

Sua: When we first did rehearsals for our first ever music show, because we didn’t know which way to get off the stage after the performance and just came off the same route we came in from. I remember the staff was surprised and he told us to get off the stage from the other side.

I recall everything was new and strange for me, the first time.

I remember when our fans first made a chant for us, when we didn’t have one…so when they did the chant when we were performing, we really got so emotional. Thank you all very much!!

Dajeong: Since we’ve only recently hit our debut, there are many incidences during rehearsals. We didn’t know whether to get off the stage right after performing, which way we had to go when we had to exit, what “run through” means and etc…

We’re still at the stage of gradually learning one by one.

Seungmin: I recall being very confused because I had to monitor the song but I couldn’t hear from my inner ear and it kept going on and off…there has also been times when we were confused about what to do after we finished our performance on stage. I am now used to it all and performing on stage is just awesome!

Subin: I recall an awkward situation when a ring got stuck on an outfit on a music show. The show was live and because my hands were tied down, I couldn’t do my choreography for that moment…I got the ring off as fast as I could and luckily, when I checked the aired broadcast, it didn’t seem like anything was wrong.

I just enjoy myself so much on stage and get excited even when I am not doing anything! I think I’m the happiest when I am singing and dancing on stage and communicating with fans. >-<

Sojin: I enjoyed every moment we’ve performed so far and haven’t yet experienced any difficult incidence. We had to perform outside one time and we had the biggest crowd we ever had. My hometown is Busan so performing in front of the audience was very memorable and fun.

Aeji: Because we’ve only just debuted, I didn’t know how to adjust the volume on the inner ear and mic, so I made many blunders while broadcasting and had to be assisted a lot. I am now quite capable of handling stuff like that myself.

 

Where would you most want to perform?

Hyunji: We would love to perform anywhere!!! We’ll travel to perform wherever we are asked to.

Sua: I would really like to go anywhere abroad where people want HASHTAG to perform. I think we’d be so pleased just to be asked to perform. We would also love to do a tour around Korea and visit each members’ hometowns to perform!

Dajeong: I really would love to do a performance in Japan! I went there last year for a trip and would love to revisit. If we were to do a performance there, that would really mean a lot!

Seungmin: We would very much love to go wherever we are asked to perform.

In the future, we want to do a HASHTAG world tour and would love to spend great times in every country we visit. Performing in front of our dear fans would be so thrilling!!

Subin: Anywhere would be wonderful!!! If possible, we would love to communicate with our fans by doing a tour all over Korea!! Just thinking of it really excites me and we’d love to see that day come soon!!

Sojin: I would also love to do a tour! I want to introduce myself while we’re out travelling abroad…Ha ha. If we get to do a performance in Japan, I can manage to speak in fluent Japanese anytime!

Aeji: We would love to have a tour oversees, if it’s possible.
There are many countries we would love to visit and there are lots of activities we’d like to do while we tour!!

 

What can we expect from HASHTAG in the coming future?

Hyunji: HASHTAG’s debut album is finally released as we hit our debut!

We are rookies but hope that we as a group will be known to more people. There are so many goals we want to achieve, we want to be in the top 100 chart, hold a fan meeting to get more intimate and close to our fans!!!

We’ve got so much to show you and will be showing our charm bit by bit!!! This is getting long so I’d better make this short.

HASHTAG will be coming back with great music, will be enhancing ourselves, not lose the attitude we’ve had from the start, we will be always humble and thankful.

Please stick around with us and please show love and support! Love you!

Sua: HASHTAG is finally released to the world…we have so much to show you all and because there are seven of us, please stay around and show us your love and support! ♥♥ We’ll always stay the same and work hard to bring you awesome unique music that only HASHTAG can offer.

I also wish that there’ll be more chance for us to communicate more with our fans. Please stay with us! ♥♥♥

Dajeong: I really wish that HASHTAG will be known to many people out there and we have so much we haven’t been able to show yet, so please keep your interest in us! Really love you all!

Seungmin: We’ve just recently made our debut, so we want to let the public know more about us and make diverse music for them.

We want to showcase our unknown sides the world hasn’t yet seen and would also love to hold a fan meeting soon! Please keep an eye out for us, HASHTAG and thank you! ♥

Subin: HASHTAG has only just made debut, so we still have so much to show!!!

We’ll come back with music that will connect with the public and we want people to be elevated when they listen to our music!! I’m getting quite excited just by thinking about it, please show us a lot of love and interest because we’re going to be working ever so hard on our activities!! Thank you and I love you all! ♥

Sojin: This is the beginning for HASHTAG! We will enhance and prepare for better performances stage, so please join in and share happy memories with us.

I will show you a brighter side of myself in the future!

Aeji: I want to make HASHTAG more know to the public as we will work to become more developed and mature as a group! Please watch out for us and send us your love!! Thank you!

 

—J. Chung.

B A P 2018학년도 수능 응원 메시지

With B.A.P always being concerned with their fans, they took time for those taking their college entrance exams to wish them well. Unfortunately, the exams were postponed when a 5.4 quake hit Korea on exam day.

Even though there are some changes in society and even in the traditions of Vietnamese people nowadays, the wedding is still one of the most important events in one’s life. Fortunately, I’ve had the chance to attend weddings in Vietnam and in America, so I’ve noticed some differences in the way each start a relationship and the way they prepare for a happy ending-the wedding.

In Vietnam when you are dating a girl and you are thinking about having a serious relationship with this girl, what you need to do is to ask for her parent’s permission first then if they say yes, good for you, but when they say no, you will have a really hard time proving your love for their daughter. The wedding is planned about 6 months to 1 year ahead. During that time they will have the engagement ceremony which is about a few months before the wedding ceremony. They pick out the outfit for the wedding and will take a beautiful wedding album, pick out the rings and they do everything together. This is a huge difference compared to Western culture that the groom is not going to see the bride in her dress until the wedding day as well as taking wedding photos.

Vietnamese Engagement Ceremony

Traditionally, the groom’s parents will lead a procession to the bride’s family home where the groom and his family will ask for the bride’s hand in marriage.

Gifts are carried by family members in odd numbers and stored in a Mâm Quả, or red tin baskets, and covered with a traditional red cloth (They believe that odd numbers and red color will bring good luck to the bride and groom).

The gifts are different but basically here are some things that would appear in any engagement ceremony. They are a special kind of wedding cake (Bánh phu thê), betel and areca, fruits, a roasted pig.

After receiving approval, the groom and his family are invited inside to exchange gifts and proceed with the wedding ceremony. After a few formal introductions, the groom will present his gifts to the bride’s family before receiving permission to see his bride-to-be. The bride will be escorted, often by her mother, where she will meet her groom who will be ready to greet her with a bouquet in hand. The two will then make their way to the Vietnamese alter to begin the Tea and Candle Ceremony.

Vietnamese Wedding Dress

One of the most iconic symbols of the Vietnamese Wedding is the Vietnamese Wedding Dress or the Ao Dai. The Ao Dai is often in red color and worn by both the bride and groom during the Vietnamese Wedding Ceremony and/or during the reception as the couple makes their rounds to greet and thank their guests. In modern weddings, the bride can wear the Western white wedding gown if she wants to but Ao Dai is still the best choice because they are very simple, comfortable and easy for them to move around during the wedding. The Ao Dai has a fitted top with floor length panels and a pair of accompanying pants. With Ao Dai, the bride and groom will often wear a circular headdress called a Khan Dong.

The Reception

They serve all kind of different foods in the reception. Many couples choose to have the reception at a nice restaurant but some of them still want to have the reception at their house with the help of their family members.

Boiled chicken, steam sticky rice with green beans or our traditional cake Banh chung, salad, soup, spring rolls, Vietnamese ham are the main dishes of the reception. The drinks for the receptions are various too. They do serve alcohol like beers and wine for adults and soft drinks for kids. Another tradition that happens at most Vietnamese weddings receptions is the table visits. As a thank you and sign of respect, the bride and groom will make their way to each table and greet their wedding guests. The most significant family and friends will be visit  ed first and a toast will be given acknowledging the most important person of each table. It is traditional for guests to give the bride and groom envelopes filled with money at this time. Once the bride and groom have made their rounds, the party officially begins!

Wedding gifts

Traditionally, gifting is made in the form of money or gold, a symbol of prosperity, health, and happiness, in a card/envelope. The money is referred to as “money warding off evil spirits” and is believed to protect the person of younger generations from sickness and death.

The wedding cake

You will see wedding cake in every wedding nowadays. Wedding cakes come in a variety of sizes, depending on the number of guests the cake will serve. Cake designers use various ingredients and tools to create a cake that usually reflects the personalities of the couple. They are decorated beautifully with flowers and messages that couples want written on their cakes.

There will be differences in different areas of Vietnam but they all share something in common in the wedding day. I hope those above information would help you understand more about Vietnamese Wedding traditions and Vietnamese tradition in general.

—-Lucy Le

ALIIFE ”Rumpum” Clip Officiel – English Subbed

Vietnamese food is my favorite food in the whole world! They are so famous for being fresh, healthy and delicious. Today I am going to show you how to make a super simple but awesome Vietnamese dish- Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls!

Ingredients:

• 200 grams of meat of your choice (pork belly or beef tenderloin).
• 100 grams of prawn
• 50 grams of fresh or dried noodle.
• 1 big carrot, 1/3 pineapple and 1 cucumber, cut into very thin and small stripes.
• Lettuces, fresh mints, cilantro: Wash and rinse, set aside.
• 1 Avocado- remove the seed and skin, slice into small pieces.  (This is optional but avocado will help enhancing the flavor of your rolls so much. Plus it’s supposed to be really good for your heart and your health so why not add avocado into your recipe!! )
• Fresh or dried rice paper

-Bean sprouts (optional)

• Crushed peanuts

Serving: 2-4 people

Preparation:

– Meat:

• Pork belly: Boil with water until the meat is no longer pink. You can use the meat thermometer to check. If the temperature reaches between 145° and 160° F, the meat is done cooking. Slice the meat into very thin slices, set aside.
• Beef tenderloin: Slice the beef in to very thin slices. Marinate with some soy sauce, ginger and black pepper (please do not add any salt now as it will make the beef very chewy). Brown some garlic and stir the beef for about 3 minutes, set aside when it’s done.

• Prawn: Remove the heads, boil about 2 cups of water, bring it to a boil, add the prawn with the shell on and cook until then turn to pink. Remove the shell and the vein from the prawn, set aside
• Noodles: For the dried noodles, boil them in water for about 6-8 minutes until they are cooked through and soft.

Let’s roll!

– If you are using dried rice paper, pour some drinking water in to a big bowl, before you start rolling, dip the dry rice paper into the water for about 3 seconds to make it wet. If you are using fresh rice paper, please skip this step.

  

– Use your cutting board or a big flat plate to roll your spring rolls. Basically yo u just need to toss everything together then roll them up in the following order:

Here are the final results of the Fresh spring rolls: 

Making the sauce:

Apparently, people have different versions of the dipping sauce. My favorite one is peanut-hoisin dipping sauce. In a sauce pan, heat up one can of coconut water (it’s optional so don’t worry if you can’t find this). Add about 3 tablespoons of cr  eamy peanut butter, and about 6 tablespoons of hoisin sauce. Whisk until all the peanut butter melts. Let it simmer to your desired consistency – the sauce should have a consistency like gravy.. (Taste it & add more hoisin or peanut butter to suite your tastebuds). Cool before serving. Top with crushed peanuts and we are ready to roll! Enjoy!

—-Lucy Le

TRCNG TRACKING EP 2 ‘Spectrum’ M V Making Film Part 1

This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.

Korean singer, Park Hyo Shin was born on December 1, 1981 in Chungcheongnam-Do, South Korea.

Park was a gifted singer from an early age and as a youngster, he used to frequently perform foxtrot music at his family’s restaurant, where people would visit the restaurant just to hear him sing.

Being an introvert, Park never considered becoming a professional singer but one of his friends talked him into competing at his school’s song contest; Park competed and was awarded first prize. This paved a way for him to win numerous Grand Prizes in other singing competitions.

As he enrolled into High school, Park became a trainee at a certain entertainment company and started recording his first album. Within a few months, the company had to shut down due to lack of funds. Park took an audition and relocated to another agency where he was faced with more disturbing issues.

It was revealed that his new company was a scam and Park was pressured into paying all the expenses incurred from recording his demo, rooming fee and the various.

The company demanded a large sum. Park asked to be let off from the contract because he had never even signed a deal with them. His parents had just divorced and he wasn’t in a good place financially.

This unfair incident caused injury to Park’s feelings and made him reconsider pursuing his dream of being a singer.

Then his friend introduced him to composer, Hwang Yoon-min and Park resumed recording again under Hwang’s guidance.

Park trained for almost a year until his debut on November 4, 1999, through a radio program. Later in the same month, his first album, “Things I Cannot Do For You” was released.

He received a mass of media attention, after appearing on a popular music show, Lee Sora’s “Propose” on KBS.

Approximately, 440,000 copies of his debut album were sold and placed 15th on 2000’s Music Sales.

Park was honored to be awarded the Rookie of the Year award at the 15th Golden Disk Awards. By this time, he was already settled down as a great talent to be reckoned with by the Korean public and critics.

The album “Second Story” was released in February 2001, its first single, “Longing” became another massive commercial success.

This album was specially produced by prolific producers in Korea, Yoon Sang, Kim Dong Ryul, Jo Kyu Man and Yoo Hee Yeol.

The next album, “Time Honored Voice” was released in September 2002 with 470,000 copies sold. Its title song “A Good Man” ranked top of the charts for two weeks in SBS Inkigayo and he was given Main Prize from the 17th Golden Disk and Seoul Music Award.

His fourth album, “Soul Tree” was released in 2004, which was extremely well-received. In November, Park sang “Snow Flower” which became the original track to K-drama, “I Am Sorry, I Love You.”

This song for the K-drama, is thought to be the piece that brought Park the most fame. “Snow Flower” was originally sung by Japanese singer, Mika Nakshima and since has been covered by many others.

But it is of popular opinion that Park’s version is the most critically acclaimed due to the song delivery.

Park released his 5th full studio album, “The Breeze of Sea” in 2007 and for the next few years, he had to deal with several intricate lawsuits regarding his agencies.

In October 2009, to celebrate the 10th anniversary, Park held a series of concerts at the Olympic Fencing Gymnasium.

For years, he has been famous for bringing his A-game to every one of his concerts.

On September 15, 2009, Park released his 6th album, Gift-Part 1.”After Love” also made it to the top of the charts.

From 2010, Park began his mandatory service at the Korean military and was discharged on September 24, 2012.

In 2014, Park released a song called, “Wild Flower” which became a great comeback song for him.

The same year, Park released a digital single, “Shine Your Light” where he utilized a very mellow singing technique that he rarely used before.

Since 2000, Park took leading roles in several musicals, including Mozart! and Phantom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3JWree2dJk

Park’s trademark would be his husky voice.

Park’s singing technique has vastly improved and altered over the years; he is also known to have the ability to project different moods and feelings depending on the song.

This unique style of sound he projects has made him one of the most loved ballad singers; as well as being one of the most highly praised performers in Korea. This is evident as he was asked by the Blue House to perform in front of the U.S. President during his visit on November 7^th.

-J. Chung.