Talk To Me In Korean

No, don't actually do it. I'm talking about the youtube channel and website. Basically, they're an organization who are trying to help non-native speakers learn Korean. I like that they teach things you don't often see in textbooks and their videos are really engaging. They sometimes also interview kpop stars =w= Anyway, they were hosting their first seminar at the bookstore just 15 minutes from my school so I seized the opportunity and attended it.

Ok so when I first walked into the seminar room, the lady passing out notepads totally mistook me as a staff member -___- How can she not even know who belongs in the staff or not! I was there to learn, not teach T____T Anyway, the room filled up quickly and a few awkward people ended up having to stand. The lecture was only 20~30 minutes or so and the rest of the hour was Q&A. Then it was meet and greet time for whoever had personal questions or wanted pictures.

I know they aren't super famous people, but it was cool (sorry for the lack of better words to use) seeing them up close and personal. Kyeongeun was just as gorgeous in person, but Hyunwoo and Hyojin were even better offscreen than on! Seokjin was just being the cameraman the whole time and Kyunghwa came in late :P

Anyway, I think the seminar actually was helpful and I learned a few new tips. Why can't all Korean teachers (especially the ones teaching in countries outside of Korea) teach like TTMIK?? The way we learn Korean in classrooms is so much harder to apply in real life and paper tests mean nothing when we forget everything afterwards.

I was browsing through their textbooks and they looked more helpful than the Ewha ones I am using now. If I had more money and motivation I totally would have bought them D: Says lazy me who is blogging instead of going to class because I woke up 2 and a half hours late wtf

Dream Concert, where dreams come true

As tacky as the title sounds, that's basically what happened. Not many people (okay, except for the thousands who were there with me) can say they saw 20+ kpop idols perform all in one night. The lineup went something like Rainbow, EXO (both K and M), B1A4, Girl's Day, U-Beat, U-KISS, INFINITE, Huh Gak, 2AM, ZE:A, BTOB, VIXX, Evol, Boyfriend, KARA, Secret, SPEED, SISTAR, 4minute, T-ara N4, B2ST, SHINee, SNSD, and a few rookie groups

Venue: Seoul World Cup Stadium

We are faceless; literally. 

Longest queue evar... of girls my sister's age

I was sad they missed B.A.P (they are in America wtf), Teen Top (they had their own concert on the same day), NU'EST (idk where they went), Ailee (also dunno), and D-Unit (too underrated). BUT WHO AM I TO COMPLAIN BECAUSE TICKETS WERE ONLY $5 WTF. Totally would have paid more even if I was a whole football (actually they don't play football here so idk an equivalent for this...) field away.

My wonderful view lololol

The MCs waving at us (SHINee's Onew, KARA's Goo Hara, B2ST's Doojoon)

Giant scaffolding blocking my entire view fml

I think 80% of the people there were at least 5 years younger than me -____-
In the pic is about 1/3 of the whole crowd 

B1A4 (conveniently standing without CNU) 

Scaffolding ft. INFINITE

I was seated in the B2ST fanseats, but I practically screamed for all the groups that came out. I never even expected the ballad singers like Huh Gak and 2AM to be so exciting. I also learned that Boyfriend have about the same amount of popularity as the unknown rookie groups. I would totally post the videos I recorded, but my screaming overpowers everything else *fail level 1000* ㅠㅠ I think I love each group even more now (except the ones that are already super popular like SNSD, B2ST, 4minute, etc).

Pearlescent sky blue sea of Shawols

Metal gold pearl sea of Inspirits & giant headblock

After this night, I lost my voice and totally sounded like a "dying whale" according to my sister... but it was totally worth it. 99% sure it's a one-time thing so I will treasure this night forever in my obsessive kpop loving heart <3

Missing The Most Important Event of Spring

So you know what sucks more than getting sick and staying in bed? Being stuck in bed and missing the sakura. Or in English it would be "cherry blossom"... and i actually don't know the Korean term for it (fail). They were supposed to bloom the week of our midterms, but it was so cold there was nothing when I went T___T The park was still filled with families and couples (TONS AND TONS OF THEM! THANKS FOR RUBBING MY LONELINESS IN MY FACE KOREA *bitter*) who were glad to finally be able to step outside without bundling up.

This is not the reality I wanted T_____T

If I had missed it while living here, I could say "there's always next year," but NO! Where I'm from there are no sakura!! So I could have killed my once in a blue moon chance! After midterms we went to Busan (where it was rainy, cold, and no flowers in sight), then when we got back to Seoul it was past full bloom, then when I finally managed to crawl out of my room it was just depressing petals everywhere but on the trees T____T

(consoles self with a nearby tree still miraculously in bloom)
All of this is gone now too of course

The pink carpet is nice right... RIGHT?! T^T

I might sound like I am exaggerating, but the inner Japanese in me is sobbing endlessly at the fact I missed Hanami. Well, one day I'll bring my kareshi to Japan and we can go to a real Hanami with cute obento's like all the other cute couples and take pictures and asdfghjkl I WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Useless Food Spam 4

More like useless dessert spam *O* No wonder I am getting so fat...

This time I got Oreo and Original

Strawberry cream cheese pie that I had been drooling over

ever since I saw it in the display case

Korean strawberries >>> American strawberries

Yogurt smoothies from Cube Cafe

I love how food actually look like how it's shown in the pictures here

Caramel cheesecake & strawberry with dark chocolate bits

Beard Papa "cookie chou" that I devoured in like 5 seconds

Frozen tiramisu from CNN cafe

Ok here's some real food in case you're overwhelmed by all the sweets already >x<

Most hoddeok places have just sugar inside the deep fried batter,

but this one had japjae! Sooo delicious, especially in the cold.

Somewhat resembles a panini... from Dunkin Donut :P

Karaage donnnn

I think this bento was like $3 and super delicious too

My noodles... in a cup. Tasted like mac&cheese :O

"Shrimp pasta" aka let's-just-throw-imitation-crab-on-top-of-spaghetti

Disappointing bowl of tonkotsu :(

But actually, I wasn't done with the sweets...

Green tea frappe from Green Station

Mint Oreo Chocolate Latte

This place just opened, but there's always a line out the door now!

"Anipang" is a game for your phone, but "bbang" also means "bread" in Korean. Word play :3

Ok, going to die from diabetes now, bye~

Busan Day 2 ft. Real Aquarium, Freezing In The Cold, & Melting In The Heat

So on the second day, my friend took us to the Busan Aquarium, and no we did not eat the fish there. We were actually planning to ride a tour bus, but it was raining. And the bus was full. And we didn't want to wait 30 minutes for the next one. Sooo my friend just busted out his car out of nowhere and drove us instead.

I don't even think the nation has that many aquariums lol

Ugly catfish-esque thing that can't decide if it wants to stay in or out of water

Ugly, horn-y, thing

So ugly long neck

I think it was being bullied

Mommy and baby kinda cute (actually dunno if they're even related)

Looks like a pokemon or something

Snake? Eel?

So gross, that little fish is messed up @___@

Super big octopus that could strangle you

Lazy

Stingray

Aquarium is not complete w/o a shark

MAMBO
idk English name for it. That's just what it's called in Japanese

Dolphin? I'm not really sure

A real frozen hammerhead. Must stink so bad inside that feezer

Aquariums are just... aquariums. I don't know what else to say about it :P They are relatively similar wherever you go although each one has something others don't (but I've seen better ones in Japan, sorry Korea!). It did reinforce my desire to have a jellyfish tank in my house though... even though I've been stung at least 3 times by them -____- But they're so calming to watch!

Right outside the aquarium is the beach...
First time wearing a coat and walking on sand...

After the aquarium we went to the biggest department store in the world! Not that I could afford most of the things in there BUT there's an ice skating rink and spa inside as well *O* DO ALL THE ACTIVITIES! *fist pump* No, really. First we ate lunch, then we ice skated (it's mandatory to wear helmets and gloves wtf), then we went to the spa (sorry no pictures), then we browsed around. The spa was much, much classier than the sauna I went to 2 years ago but my roommate still received quite a culture shock. I guess I'm used to naked old ladies walking around because I've been to hot springs in Japan multiple times, but my roommate looked petrified lololol. She was so lost the whole time whether it be putting her stuff in the lockers, changing into the clothes they provide you, or going into the different sauna rooms :P

Ignore the couple, I just wanted to show you that the ice rink
is INSIDE THE FOOD COURT wtf

Reminded me of my rollerblades from when I was 8

Inside the dome is the saunas

The heat felt so nice, but we had to go back out into the freezing cold T^T Dunno why but Busan was so rainy and cold that weekend! It didn't stop us from venturing into a creepy ass "amusement park" though. This was on the way to edible aquarium round 2 (because roommate said "I'm good with sashimi" which anyone with English as a second language would take it as "Yes I want sashimi" when she actually meant she doesn't want anymore... So terrible at communicating omg D: &she wants to become a teacher... 헐)

Yeah, look how inviting this looks

Crazy flip... OF DEATH

If this isn't creepy idk what is

GUNNA EAT YOUR BRAINS

First time I had macaroni as a side dish here
It was so good I ate another plate of it...

That night, there was supposed to be a gathering with a bunch of my friends that I met last summer BUT IT WAS CANCELED. But a few of them still wanted to see me (yay they didn't forget who I am >w<) so we went to a bar (? idk what these casual drinking places are called...) to socialize. Yay met new people and it was extremely awkward!

Some weird fruit+cereal+milk mixture thing...

Spicy cheesy goodness

Aaaand that's it for this trip because the next day I felt so terrible I couldn't even get out of bed and I ate absolutely nothing and slept until it was time to catch the KTX back to Seoul on Monday morning x__x BUSAN Y U SO CRUEL TO ME