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mishane AND andromytta!!!!

*waves hysterically*

i'm missed you two!!! (ok, so that's just the girl crushes i have on you that you weren't supposed to find out about)

FOB, i'm ok w/ the word.. but i use it only in context of person that is new to the country.. around 5 yrs or so, i consider them no longer "new". i also considered myself "reverse fobby" when i went to thailand and didn't know the etiquette there..

and yes, i do see that Asian Americans (not all, but many) poke at the "old ways" but i don't think it's meant in an insulting kinda way... at least not when i'm doing it or i've heard the comments. but iono, could just be me.

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Here's my take on the "fob" usage, at least as it pertains to Koreans and Korean-Americans (I can't speak for other Asians). Sometimes it's harmless (like using the word "bitch" affectionately), and sometimes I feel think it's an issue of dual inferiority/superiority identity complexes.

By which I mean, as an American in Korea, even if you look and speak Korean well, you'll always be singled out as an other. They can smell you a mile away. The reaction of Korean natives is, I have found, usually twofold -- (1) cool, American!, I wish I could speak English as well as them, and (2) uh-oh, I feel threatened, therefore I will compensate by thinking it's much better to be me, therefore Pure Korean, therefore will look down on those aspects that differentiate the Korean-American from me, such as their inability to speak Korean like a native. So the Korean may mock the Korean-American's awkward Korean speaking skills partly because it's funny (sometimes cute), and partly because it makes them feel better about not being able to speak English perfectly.

When I was in Korea, I got yelled at multiple times for speaking English (hello, I was with non-Koreans!) and kicked out of a store once because a friend was ASKING FOR HELP choosing an item of clothing to buy. Needless to say, we couldn't buy it and the mean ajusshi lost a sale. My friends cautioned me to NEVER EVER EVER speak English in a taxi because you will offend the driver -- it is better to sit in complete silence. English has interesting ways of making otherwise content Koreans feel immediately inferior and they will lash out in response. (Note that I'm speaking about Korean-Americans and gyopos. Koreans may be nicer to non-Koreans, and this weird dynamic I'm describing is mostly for gyopos -- Koreans abroad -- because you look like them but are NOT like them, and that drives home the disparity.)

The fob thing is almost the exact thing in reverse. I think there's less envy at play (and sometimes just more snarkiness) when a K-A person calls a Korean person a fob, but sometimes the American may feel wistful that the Korean has access to this culture on a more complex, intimate level than the K-A ever will. So instead of admiring that, they may sniff at all things Korean and call them fobs and mock kpop (but secretly like it).

Defense mechanism manifesting as pre-emptive attack = SO the Korean way!

Is this universally true? Of course not. And maybe things are changing in the number of years since I was last in Korea. But reading what brief bits of the 2PM madness that I have, it seems like the attitude is still alive and well.

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@45 Mishane:

That's an interesting observation, and one I've often wondered about with any number of immigrant populations (ie: not just limited to "fob" and Asian-American populations). I know that I personally (I am not Asian) had never heard the term "fob" until I heard it from one of my Thai-Lao friends about a lady at the mall one day. After first noticing it I picked up on it more often around others and yes, it was always used by the second-generation (children of parents who had moved to America) and later generation Asian-Americans I knew, be they Thai, Lao, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. I've never once heard a first-generation Asian use the term, nor any non-Asian use it either. But again, these are just my experiences.

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@48
I don't think FOB usage is restricted to Asian-Americans. I'm Indian and I've heard other Indian-Americans use it to describe Indian students from India. I have also heard students "from the motherland" as you said use it describe themselves. I think it depends on context. Sometimes, as JB said, the use can almost be affectionate.

Off topic from the FOB usage -
RAIN's Rainism just started playing on my iTunes. Anyone know what his next project is? I remember something about a new drama at the end of the year? Updates?

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@ amhrancas

Yep. I met up with a Filipino friend and he constantly used the term to describe some of his own friends and I got kind of uncomfortable with it. He was so obviously making fun of them for something that they couldn't really control (their accents) and the fact that it came from a fellow Filipino made me even more uncomfortable.

BTW, did anyone read that Sandara Park interview? Where she talks about how she was kind of isolated when she moved to the Philippines? I find it interesting that she apparently speaks English with a Filipino accent (GOD, I really really dislike Filipino accents, my mom always says SHIT for SHEET, BITCH for BEACH and PENIS for PEONIES, aka "Oh, the neighbors PENIS look great this season!"). I also give her major props for being able to assimilate into Filipino culture. That sucks, to up and move when you're young, and to a completely different country with different food/culture and be able to become an entertainer there AND in your home country? PROPS girl!

@ javabeans

That's interesting, what you mention about your experience in Korea. So opposite my experience in the Philippines, where when I went to visit family in the mountain/village area, the fact that I spoke English fluently (and apparently I don't look like a Filipino, wtf? lol) was more a cause of admiration than admonition.

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I can't believe I forgot it's Friday: It's just this entire week has been so hectic, with all work and very little play. But once next week is over, I'll be home free again. We have a semi-formal for our university which I guess I'm going to... and lots of parties next weekend. Oh, and my friend's birthday next week!

For those who are interested, please visit my fashion blog: clichic.blogspot.com

LOL ^ shameless advertising. Hahaha.

I am so unbelievably behind on like all of my dramas. It makes me sad... and I can't read recaps because I usually watch then read, so I try to cover my eyes when someone mentions something about WUAS, WWSWTM, Chuno... AGH. So many things to do, so little time to accomplish all of this!!

On the "fob" thing, at least the ways I've heard it, it's either used "neutrally" or it's used "derogatively" - and I put both in quotes, because depending on how it's said, it can mean different things. Usually, with me and my friends, we use te word fob to designate, typically, the Asian international students: in fact, sometimes it's relatively easy to tell fobs apart. What I noticed, is that the Asian international students typically dress really really nicely - especially the Korean ones. There's a way they dress that I can identify immediately, almost. Derogatively, though, FOB can be used by some people as a despicable term for people, who I feel, are a bit annoyed/irritated by the "exclusiveness" of that group of international students: I also noticed that typically, these international students tend to stick together like glue. It's very difficult to break through. They'll always be speaking in their native language together.

(Hence, it is extremely difficult for me to break through to this really REALLY cute Korean international student here, who, btw, has like the nicest hair ever. I don't know how much conditioner he puts in there but it looks so soft...)

JB, your comment on your experiences in Korea are very interesting... At least in China, I find that when you're not speaking English, there's a very subtle interaction that natives will have with you: either they will take advantage of your supposedly non-speaking-Chinese ability or they'll give you a sort of "special privilege." Because for some reason, being American is sort of deemed upon as "superior." I don't know why, but I feel like that dynamic is changing slowly over the years with the development in China. But what you describe seems to be a much extreme response to what I have seen occur in China. Nobody will kick us out of stores for speaking English...

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@ lb_tmi

Heh, thanks! I've been avoiding OT for a while to avoid spoilers on any currently airing dramas but since I'm not really watching anything right now (although I do scroll REALLYFAST anytime anything about Chuno gets mentioned) I'm safe. I also wanted to see what people were saying about the 2PM drama. :)

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Happy Friday!!

Just got back from my first Pure Barre class in Norcal. I'll be signing up for regular classes in Socal when i get back next week. It's intense but a good solid one hour workout. I am already feeling the pain, but what a good pain it is!!

Excited to start my new job on Monday but also anxious as it's a completely new and different line of work and industry.

Also decided that I really want to go back to Korea next year for a bit of a longer trip so the planning process is starting once again!! I need something to look forward to :)

@ twin

haha yes, The Dinner with your fave on paper is tonight.. we'll see how it goes. The lazy part of me wants to stay home and watch dramas but I won't bail cuz that's mean :P

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

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@50

twins in at aspect! Besides g-mail, the subtitles status page is a permanent tab. I'm at work so I'm not constantly pressing F5.

and YES! YES! to the last moments of 15. totally not expecting that frank declaration. WOW!!

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speaking about being Asian American visiting the motherland.. when i went to Thailand, many Thais treated me very very well knowing that i was from the States. however, the extended family members from the cousins we were staying with/traveling with treated me w/ that defense mechanism/pre-emptive attack thing that JB mentioned. when i was in Bangkok, i didn't notice anyone staring at me cuz i wore shorts and tank tops.. but when i was in the smaller cities, EVERYONE (no really everyone) stared at me like i was some alien in those clothes, w/ my hairstyle, and makeup. maybe it was because i'm a the heavier side, so they were appalled i was wearing shorts! iono.. but i was a celebrity for a while, whether it was positive or negative.

@ mishane

i've missed your contributions to the discussions. so it's nice to see you back.

@ twin
i was typing as you were posting!! my step workout last nite was the worst!! i was seeing stars everytime i had to do an around the world. i hate those!! and i'm in pain too.. the girls were really cramping my style last nite.. :D
oooh... tonite.. make him take you someplace nice.. unless of course you're buying, then whereever is fine. lol!

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happy friday all!

btw, in Kor-Am speak, rather than Fresh Off the Boat, FOB might mean Fresh Off the Bi-Haeng-Gi (비행기)... with 비행기 meaning airplane. hehe.

In general, I really have mixed thoughts on Korea and Korean natives. My own experience in Korea was both fun and not-so-fun.

The times I were in Korea, when I was out and about in Korea by myself or with friends, I was basically treated like a mentally challenged person because of my inability to speak smoothly and with the correct pronunciation and grammar / diction / vocabulary. There was a lot of snickering behind my back (and in to my face) when I tried to speak.

What's interesting is that I had (past tense) a speech impediment when I was a wee lad. I would stutter. A lot. I had so many things I wanted to say, they would all get trapped in my brain and I would gasp like a fish out of water as I tried to force out my thoughts. Plus, I was a hyperactive kid anyway, and so that made everything harder anyway.

So I had a speech therapist which had me do tempo exercises. You know, like tapping your hand against your leg as you speak, so that you aren't rushing what you say. That, plus other exercises like taking a breath before speaking, fomulating your thoughts first, etc., helped me to overcome stuttering. So I stopped stuttering.... IN ENGLISH! See, I never had a Korean speech therapist! LOL!!! So I still stutter in Korean, which is part of my miserable Korean speaking ability.

So there I was, a Kor-American in Korea... with limited Korean ability, and the ability that he does have, can't come out smooth cuz he stutters... sigh.

Still, I don't blame Koreans who had supercillious attitudes toward me and my miserable speaking ability. It is part of the Korean culture to see Kor-Ams (gyopos) as being a little less than fully Korean, if I were born and raised in Korea, I'd probably think the same thing. The question is whether I would still stutter in Korean, is the question, hehe.

:D

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@ fob-usage,

When I first heard my Asian-Canadian friends use the word years ago, I had no idea that it had a negative connotation to it. They used the word freely, and I never knew that it could be taken negatively until I entered university. In my small group of friends, "fob" meant the typical Korean/Chinese haircuts, liking Asian music, and having a foreign accent. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing - since a few of my friends, who grew up in Canada, went through a "fob" phase (which sometimes became a lifestyle choice) in late-high school/university, where they would 're-connect' with their mother-culture and do a total one-eighty in wardrobe, looks, style, and interests.

Anyways, after I found out that it could be taken negatively... I stopped using the word.

The whole 2pm international vs. Korean fans is rather amusing, after you get off the superiority-inferiority complexes which surround the whole topic. I've been really intent on the whole 2pm/Jay issue, but for the last week, I've been taking a step back and just watching the drama unfold (and sometimes enjoying it).

Drama-wise, I'm loving Still, Marry Me and Pasta. Usually characters like Yoo Kyung in Pasta annoy me to no end, but I'm loving her innocence and spunk. I'm slowly watching Autumn's Concerto and the ANGSTTTTT is awful and melodramatic and I'm enjoying every second of it. bwa!

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@ meh

that's EXACTLY how i'm handling the 2PM stuff myself.. i can totally relate to you. i'm reading everything i can whereever i can, but i'm not really commenting anywhere. i wanna soak in as much about the situation and then go from there.

regarding Autumns concerto.. my twin and i had this discussion.. i mean, the story is SO cliched, full of flaws, the dialogue not the best, but it's SO ADDICTIVE!!! i think we've pin pointed it to the acting. which isn't even all that great by everyone, but where it matters most, the acting is good.

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Okies, I'm posting some thoughts on epis 9 & 10 of OB-GYN, in the vain hope there's some other follower of this site who is also as obsessed with it as badly as me.

No? OK... here goes anyway...

In episode 9, this show lost its mojo, like seriously, it was both alien AND mundane, almost like it was a completely different drama - WTF was the writer thinking?
Maybe others liked it? That patient had some skill on the piano, yes, but the rest of the episode dragged.
There were some AhnKim moments, but they weren't exactly newsflash material. So his face fell as she walked out of the restaurant, he secretly didn't want her to leave? Erm, it became concrete episode no. FIVE ago that he likes her, just that he won't admit it!
Come on, get creative, writers! Enough of the marriage meeting bulls**t!
Yaargh!
If there was anything nice about episode 9, it was that little flash of childish shyness that Dr Seo can't hide during the umbrella scene. How cute did she look? I kind of love her and Dr Lee together now. Miss prissypants-pickled-gherkin may have sweetheart potential after all - yays!

Episode 10,
Hallelujah!! The show returned to us, like it picked up where it'd left us at episode 8.
Dr Ahn was just hilarious here! I just love all the immature, funny stuff these guys get up to, off-duty. (We would NEVER see any of this stuff on an American show, they're kind of bland in comparison.)
Poor Dr Wang though, seriously, I didn't feel bad for him during the canteen brawl, as at that time I was unfamiliar with his character and felt his ego needed some chafing down, but this one delivered a very deep blow, poor guy. Sniff.

Also, I'm convinced Dr Ahn was abandoned as a baby, and this witch who calls himself his mother isn't really his mother, why else does he feel so indebted to her? Marriage stuff aside, I'm sure he got into OB-GYN because of this woman aswell. I don't think it was really his dream but someone else's. Last time there was only a brief hint of how much hurt he's hiding inside, this time they kind of expanded on that.

I've realised, all the men, no matter how big or small the role, rock! And aside from Nurse Kim and maybe Dr Seo, all other females in the drama range from mediocre to plain useless. I REALLY hate Seo's mum, she's not even funny. She's a useless prop who is being overused, especially in episode 9!
Good job she didn't appear in 10, I would've karate-chopped some... thing.. the nearest living anything...

Oh and the schoolgirl, isn't she from WISFC? The one who steals teen JW's boyfriend and then dates teen KJ? Anyone know?

Three more weeks to go, soon it'll be over, nooo! I love it too much, even though it frustrates me a teeny weeny bit! :(

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@ fob usage

I've noticed a LOT of Vietnamese Americans use the term here, and it's always affectionally and directed at their parents. Most of them moved to the US when they were young, or were born here, so they're incredibly American, but their parents are trying to hold onto their culture. One of my friends had a graduation party last year, and she wanted American food; hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches...you know. Typical picnic and barbeque stuff. She arrived at her house, and her mom Vietnamesed everything. She made crab and bamboo soup with chunks of hot dogs. My friend just shook her head and said that it was a fobby thing to do, and her mom smiled.

I've also heard some of my European American friends use the term in full (fresh off the boat) to describe the wacky things their foreign parents do. Like roasting a pig over a spit.

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She made crab and bamboo soup with chunks of hot dogs.

OH that's cute!

That reminds me of my 16th birthday when, instead of a normal chocolate/vanilla cake, my mom bought a red bean cake and a taro cake. My friends were. . . concerned.

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@ 29 *waves to fellow Yen* ...it's weird that I've never met any other Yens in real life..but I meet 2 others here. lol Looks like you're also an accounting major right..but MBA? Brave soul...I've been trying to studying for my CPA for the past 6 months..but my study guide has amazing hypnotic sleep-inducing powers

@lb_tmi - *smiles* I'm glad to give back a smile or two after having received so much stomach-cramp enducing laughter from here. Not that I'm encouraging office un-productivity...but...there's a mydadisafob.com too...tehe^^

@FOB discussion – I think I’m somewhat of an anomaly because I came to the US when I was 2 and yet I still get called a fob sometimes by my friends. The times I’ve heard it used, it was more like an affectionate term…like when I do dorky things ( so maybe fob=asian dork?) So as an Asian-American, I don’t find the word offensive….unless the person saying it means for it to be.

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@ 67 yenchen

you do realize that if i get caught on these sites at work, i'm totally throwing you under the bus.

lb_tmi's boss: lb_tmi, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? why are you not working? what is that site you're on?
lb_tmi: it's not my fault! it's yenchen's fault!! she posted the link!
boss: WHO is this yenchen?
lb_tmi: some person that posts on the DB site.
boss: WHAT is this DB site you speak of?
lb_tmi: dramabeans is a blog. there's news and drama recaps. there's this thing called "open thread" on fridays where everyone that visits the site can post anything. if yenchen hadn't posted that link, i would just been on OT and not on that site.
boss: WHY are you on DB WHILE you're supposed to be working?
lb_tmi: o_O

i'm SO throwing you under the bus.

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regarding the word, fob.... I use that word in its adjective form as a shortcut to describe people/actions. It's one-two syllables and can often fit the bill for something that would otherwise need to be described in 3-4 sentences and still won't be able to get the point across. I don't use the term maliciously, but I do try to be more aware who I use that term around because some people don't like it.

the inferiority thing abt speaking english in a foreign country....i think part of the reason is that some people consider it rude in general to speak in a different language in front of people who can't understand. I remember something like this issue had come up in a conversation (can't remember if it was online or in person) and that's what some people's take is (here in the US regarding people who speak other languages on the subway). They feel excluded and they're suspicious that you're talking abt them...making fun of them......which really is sometimes the case

I've never been to China/HK/Taiwan, but I hear that the general rule there is to not speak in English or else you'd get ripped off. The merchants/sellers jack up the prices once they find out you're not from there and people from America aren't as great at bargaining as the Asians. If you're walking in poorer areas, it's like saying "I'm from the US and I have money". You're just asking to be ripped off or bugged for money...or even robbed. But I hear they're friendly and more willing to let you bargain the price low if you speak Chinese.

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@34 isabelh

It's going to be topped with ketchup, because demiglace sauce is a pain to make (seriously, not worth it at all) and I didn't plan ahead enough to buy it premade. (I'm not even sure our local grocery stores carry it.. I'd have to order it online.) I'll definitely let you know how it goes. :)

@ the "fob" issue

I'm not sure I want to comment on this, because I didn't have any experience with the term growing up (I knew only one Asian family, and only a couple of immigrants or 2nd-gens). I have noticed, though, that it's not only my AA friends who really use the term. I've known a few KorAms from the 1.5 generation (they all moved here at around age 7, so while they're not completely American, they're definitely not completely Korean either) who use the term freely. They tend to use the term sarcastically to apply to AAs who try too hard to get in touch with their mother culture. (One of them even used it to refer to me as the "Korean-speaking white girl," which is weird since my Korean-speaking ability was the reason he had a crush on me in the first place. I always felt uncomfortable when he called me a "fob" or "fobby," since I don't go out of my way to try to be Asian or anything.) They all also seem to get offended if anyone else says it. (Kind of like the term "nigger," I think--you can't use it if you don't belong to that social group, even if you wanted to.) Has anyone else noticed this?

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Ahem, re: the PM debacle. I don't know the details, I got the bigger picture, but what's happening between PM Korean fans and the international fans?

@55 mishane

Re: English in the Philippines. One of my best friends is Filipino, born and bred, and she lives there. I think English is like a second language there and I've been told most people speak it quite well. The more fluent you are, the better. My friend's English is pretty much flawless and most of her friends' are just as good, if their interactions on facebook is anything to go by.

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For my 14th birthday, my parents unveiled a durian cake. Needless to say, my friends left without dessert. :)

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@ Sere

Yeah, mostly everyone speaks it. My extended family lives in the mountain regions so the accent is definitely thick. I've only been to Manila once and I was really young so I don't know how it is there.

I don't mind jokes on what I like to call 'motherland asians' (is that term bad?) because I think it's a sort of bonding thing. I can bond with fellow asians by telling stories/jokes about things our parents do. It's just, the only time I hear the word 'fob' used is in a not-nice way. I've only ever heard it used as an insult, never as a fun 'casual' thing among friends.

And maybe because at one point I might have been fobby, at least when I was 6 years old and let my mom dress me and the result were a lot of photos of me wearing hello kitty shirts and jeans with keroppi stitched all over the legs and bangs straight across and suspenders and fringe bags. GOD why can't asian parents dress their kids normally?!?! I cringe anytime I look at my kid pictures.

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@71 Sere

you don't want to know, but basically Korean fans are saying that international fans don't understand korean/korean culture and therefore don't fully understand the situation. Since we are only going from translations of transcripts, we don't fully understand.
For example, international fans are saying that the fans at the conference were rude to the members while the members seemed rational and pretty respectful. They are going off of audio recordings as well as translated transcripts.
Korean fans are saying that the members were really rude to the fans at the conference. And that translations don't show that.

There was a letter from a korean fan to international fans which set off the whole korean v international thing. Here:
http://community.livejournal.com/omonatheydidnt/2853636.html

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@ BBFan

OH GOD DURIAN. I've never tasted it in my life but my mom sucks those candies down all the time and my (white) dad just scrunches his nose up. Apparently it smells but I've never touched it, lol.

@ Sere

Re the 2PM thing, oh man there's this huge debacle because the Korean 2PM fans are apparently upset at the International 2PM fans and sent out a letter which basically said 'we are korean, we know our artists better, please step off'.

That's a very basic explanation, that's the gist I got when I skimmed through the drama filled post on omona.

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@ twin

i have not been NEAR a gym or workout class in months.. MONTHS i say. what's wonderful about this class is that though it's structured, you go at your own pace. if you need a breather, you do it. the instructor will never point you out or make you feel like you're not good enough. 10 minutes into this class my body was already shaking... it was GREAT haha. i can't wait to start going regularly. summer is coming and i am NOT ready. As for AC, i feel the same as you. i'm glad it ended how it did and with everyone with the right person, but i do feel like they missed a step somewhere. I needed more explanation (EXPLAIN THE RING AND THE PAWN SHOP PLEAAAASE!!) and maybe just a lil more with tuo ye and ci xin. Re: The Dinner - i told him it's my treat but his choice... we're getting sushi :P

Question: Has anyone here watched the jdorama Jotei from like.. 2007? I was recently watching a fanvid of it and though i've heard the story is kind of silly, Matsuda Shota looks amazing. I'm thinking of giving it a go... any thoughts from fellow DBers?

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@ 76 lovenyc52

Jotei: typical fare for a later-schedule J-drama (as in, later in the evening schedule). Kato Rosa was enjoyable, I liked the slightly more serious (non-high school, hearts and sparkles) aspect of it, and yes, Matsuda Shota is quite to-die-for in it.

I would recommend it, if for nothing other than him. lol.

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@ sere

here's an article at allkpop. there's some arguments about the interpretations and translations of the khottests actions/reactions from/of the fan conference.

for the sake of argument, i'm totally generalizing these stances. i know not all international and not all korean fans think this way: international fans are supporting the remaining 6 members of 2PM and are against boycotting. they feel the korean fans were rude and disrespectful to the members at the fan conference. korean fans are boycotting and believe that the 6 members betrayed Jaebum with their statements and disrespectful actions/comments during the fan conference.

http://www.allkpop.com/2010/03/major-hottest-fancafe-asks-for-international-fans-understanding

i'm still just taking everything in. i have not put my opinion in any of this. what i have and will comment on is that this all sucks. Jaebum out of 2PM sucks. that is all.

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@ 76 lovency52

I watched probably 2/3 of Jotei. Matsuda was pretty awesome, but the storyline kept punching Rosa down. It became a pattern. Every time she would make one inch of progress in her life, her boss/her customer/her friend/her boyfriend would do something and OMG it was SO DRAMATIC and THE END OF THE WORLD, and I just got fed up. If you can deal with lots of drama for the sake of drama you might enjoy it :)

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@74 hpn88

Woah, how did I miss that post? That's some serious drama going on there.

Oh fanwank. Please to be stopping now kthx.

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My very amateur opinion on this whole 2PM thing (amateur because I am a virtual newbie at k-pop) is that:

(1) JYPE is shady as hell. That was one shady ass statement. Worst PR move ever. (On another note, the Vanessa Hudgens nude pic was probably best PR move ever, I thought shit would storm after that but it basically disappeared into thin air. Kudos!)

(2) The members seem a bit shady as well. They/JYPE are playing victim and it makes me suspicious.

(3) GOD IT'S A POP GROUP! Yeah it sucks and yeah Jaebum probably got shafted but no one died. New pop groups will come out, people will go on with their lives.

(4) ONCE AGAIN, SHADIEST STATEMENT EVER. Seriously. Whoever wrote it should be fired.

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re: durian

it was one of the fruits on my list that i wanted to try on my trip to Thailand. i was warned before hand that ppl either LOVE it or HATE it. and it smells. REALLY.BAD. i thought i'd be so brave and try it so i could say i've done so... which i did

this is my experience: durian smells like poop. really. it smells like some really REALLY NASTY POOP. i don't know how many of you have actually had to wipe a 6-9 month old baby who drinks baby formula, but that's what this fruit FEELS and LOOKS like. and it SMELLS like POOP. combine that with the soft texture of the least firm tofu that melts in your mouth when you bite into it.. it SMELLS like poop, FEELS like poop, LOOKS like poop. combine that together, and it TASTES like poop. i gagged the whole time i was trying to swallow it. i did eventually swallow the nasty bite. it took me like 3 mins. and i downed 3 bottles of water right away.
then, my husband and his cousin's wife ate the remaining fruit and I gagged the whole time even NOT looking at them.

not.a.good.experience. i'm of the group that HATES durian. at least i can say that now that i've actually tried it.

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I think the term FOB can carry lots of meaning depending on context and the intent of the user: ie. to poke fun gently, to demean and ridicule, or to use affectionately. Now that I'm past the high school, college, and even grad school days, a word like FOB just doesn't appear in anyone's vocabulary anymore, bc what conversations between friends and colleagues involve work, family, the occasional gossip. For whatever reason, race, cultural identifiers and upbringing have fallen wayside while occupation, income levels, and residency become the identifying markers of social interaction. C'est la vie, I neither embrace nor condemn, merely finding myself curiously always observing what people care about in different years of their lives.

Btw, growing up, I've been called the following and always as an insult bc the user intended it as such and I can surmise intent quite readily in the context of the situation, and excuse the language, "Chink", "Nerd", "FOB", "Twinkie" (now how can I be both a FOB and a Twinkie baffles me), "Teacher's Pet", "Brown-noser", "Valley Girl", and most recently, this one also is patently offensive but I no longer give a shit when I hear insulting terminologies, but "MILF".

Anyways, I suggest users of FOB think about why you are using that word before saying it, and the listener will glean whether it was intended as a affectionate or demeaning term.

@ hjkomo

(under my breath) *cough* congrats on leading the Pac-10, see you in march madness *cough*.

Btw, I need to made a virtual Jagger for you to defend yourself. :-)

@ nycgrl

Yup, I'm married to Dorian Gray v.2 as well. Thankfully my guy is 5 yrs older than me, so whew, a few more years of me still looking younger than him. It's so not fair though, *runs off to pout and slather on face cream made from goat placenta*
_____________________________________________________

And I can't finish without a shoutout to a drama I marathoned in 2 days by sheer accident, She is Nineteen/My 19 year old Sister-in-Law. Suffice to say, I was addicted beyond belief bc of three factors in this order (3) interesting melodrama storyline interspersed with believable characters, (2) a truly, truly kickass sountrack that harkens back to Beautiful Days, and (1) YOON KYE-SANG. I never thought he was anything special, and now I eat my thoughts. He's special all right, he singlehandedly made an okay drama into a VERY GOOD drama that I couldn't stop watching. That's all.

I'm officially onboard for Road #1. Initially SJS and KHN was not enough for me to risk seppuku-ing myself to watch a war drama (I'm sorry, but I cannot stomach war dramas bc dramas are supposed to be entertainment, and damn it, war is not entertaining!). But SJS + KHN + YKS = I will watch until my eyes rot off from crying too much, bc ITS A WAR DRAMA. If the first 4 episodes of Fashion 70s taught me anything, it's that WAR DRAMAS will rip your guts out and then stomp on it and then you have to shove it back inside so you can finish watching the rest of the show. Sigh, what I am willing to suffer bc YKS just charmed my socks off the last 2 days.

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@80 Kender

Seriously so much drama.
"whatever, just buy me ice-cream" - best 2PM meme generated

@81 mishane

agreed JYPE is shady, but for some reason reading that statement after a week and after reading multiple accounts of the conference, they have gotten infinitely less shady.
and YES! YES! to the fact they are a boyband - lol

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@81 mishane

I'm not a die-hard 2PM fan, but I do enjoy them, and I was sad when Jay left. Most of what saddened me was HOW he left, though, not the reason for it. Everything just got blown out of proportion by butthurt Korean fans. And then that letter was released, and it's like WWIII started, centered in Korea.

Right now the thing that annoys me most is the reaction of KHottests to Jay's permanent removal. They've started sharing all sorts of photos and information that they'd been hiding to protect the boys (Chansung drinking while he was still underage, a couple of the guys out at some host club, etc), as well as more violent attacks like demonstrations and breaking their 2PM CDs (I hear JYPE had to hire guards for the headquarters because the fans were getting violent).

But yeah, SHADY. I've never liked JYP--he may churn out stars, but I always get the sense that there's something really off about it all. Also, I agree that whoever wrote that statement should be fired. Seriously bad PR work.

Personally, although I miss Jay (he was such an attention-seeking dork haha), I'm not going to pine for him. He's gone, he's not coming back, and I'm going to keep supporting the rest of the boys because I really don't think it's their fault. (I am, however, holding a slight hope that Jay will appear on ABDC or something. I'd totally call in a vote for that. :3)

Ugh. The drama needs to end. I don't know how these fans (who I guess are becoming anti-fans now) can invest so much time and energy on this. Don't they have lives?

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@ hpn88

What the heck is that ice cream meme? I keep seeing it in all the comments and I don't get it!

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@ 25 yenchan
Thank you for you stories! They made me laugh so much. :) And I badly needed to laugh.

I am having the semester from hell. It's gotten to the point that I am afraid to leave my bed because I am wondering what fresh atrocities await me.

After a long series of bad luck I bet my dad last night that something even worse will happen tomorrow. And lo and behold something has!

I just found out that the bursar had made a mistake and when they advanced me money from my scholarship, They forgot to Cover my TUITION! If I don't pay the differnce by Sunday the 7th they will drop all my classes.

I found this out today at 2 pm, the bursar's office closed at 12 noon and it will remain closed through out the weekend. There is no way I can pay before the 7th. God only knows what awful things will happen tomorrow.

*Sigh* Sorry for pity party guys and Happy ot. I will go watch Picking the Stars now, that drama is the only thing that is kepping me sane :)

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@ lb_tmi

LOL @ your description at durian. So I had to go to the wiki to read more on it and they've said:

Travel and food writer Richard Sterling says:
“ ... its odor is best described as pig-shit, turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock. It can be smelled from yards away. Despite its great local popularity, the raw fruit is forbidden from some establishments such as hotels, subways and airports, including public transportation in Southeast Asia.

Anthony Bourdain, while a lover of durian, relates his encounter with the fruit as thus: "Its taste can only be described as...indescribable, something you will either love or despise. ...Your breath will smell as if you'd been French-kissing your dead grandmother."

LOL.

I am a really bad Filipino since I've never eaten it before. I've also never eaten 1000 year old eggs (??) or whole pigs on stick or chicken feet. I'm a VERY bad Asian, according to my mom, 'a shame to our race'. HAH. I think she means it lovingly. I hope.

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@ mishane

i LOVE chicken feet!!! but i HATE the bones! there was one yum salad i found in at a food stall in Tak Province that had all the bones of the chicken feet taken out, and only left the meaty parts. it was like someone answered my prayers! i can't wait til my next trip to Thailand!!! i'm planning another one next year (why it took me 30 years to go is beyond me!)

yeah, that description fits durian too. i just kept thinking i was eating poop the whole time. i still can't believe i swallowed it. ironic thing is that the smell didn't even bother me as much as the texture of the fruit.

re: ice cream meme
i believe it stems from the Wild Bunny days, where Wooyoung was eating his ice cream cone and shoved the WHOLE ice creamy part in his mouth, then PULLED it out and licked it!!! the grossest most adorkable hilarious moment ever!!! i wish someone could put up the gif!!!

i found it!!! http://babelpop.com/files/images/wooyoung-icecream.gif

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@80 Kender

"Oh fanwank. Please to be stopping now kthx."

That made me LOL! Fortunately I wasn't drinking soda at the time.

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@ lb_tmi

That gif has me mesmerized. Can't stop staring.

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@ 86 mishane

ice-cream meme! haha there were some ridic trolls on soompi who were the inspiration for it. The story is that after 2PM had decided to kick Jay out Woo young and Jo Kwon were together. Woo young dissed Jay's personal life and Kwon asked him to watch his words and not say mean stuff, then Woo apparently said "whatever, just buy me ice-cream". It was just perfect because Woo apparently has a love for ice-cream. It kind of also sums up my feelings toward the entirety of the drama because I also have a deep love of ice-cream :p

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@lb_tmi

LOLS. Agreed, the ice cream meme is the best.

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@ hpn88, lb_tmi and Mishane

Re: the PM thing. Thanks and OMG! o__o No wonder one of my LJ friends, who loves PM and Jay, was in a funk.

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Hello all and Happy Friday! It's 2pm now in California and am looking forward to the weekend. I am all caught up on the K-dramas that I am currently watching and am patiently waiting on the english subs to come out so that I can continue to watch them: Smile, You (Ep 44) and The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry (Ep 12). The site that I'm watch TWWSWTM has Episodes 12-14 but they are not yet subbed so I'm hoping that Episode 12 will be subbed so I'll have something to watch this weekend. I hesitate starting a new drama. I guess I can always re-watch my favorite episodes of You're Beautiful for a quick hit! LOL!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

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After reading some of the scandals from the past year or two, I seriously believe that the kentertainmnet agencies need to hire professionally trained PR people.

I'm so disgusted with the whole 2PM thing - I still think JYPE shafted Jae and forced him out-how the fans are treating it is a direct reflection of how POORLY it was handled by JYPE. Thinking about 2PM just brings bad taste to my mind and mouth. I'll move my attention elsewhere - MBLAQ looks promising.

Why why why am I going through a kdrama slump? Outside of WUAS, there is nothing that compells me to watch anything. Even jdramas don't seem interesting to me right now! Grrrr

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LOL @ yenchan's mom.
So I have a question and I'm hoping one of you enlightened folks will have the answer. Why, unless it's the super-expensive official boxset, do Korean drama DVDs always have horrible subtitles on the last few episodes? I remember borrowing Hong Gil Dong from a friend last year. The subs were great for the first 20 eps. Then all of a sudden they were referring to Gil Dong as "Argentina Child" or something, and he was going off to fight in the Peruvian Revolution. Awful!
I've been wondering about this phenomenon for a while. It would be great if someone could alleviate my confusion!
Anyhow, hope everyone has a great weekend! Maybe I'll use the free time to start watching Woman Who Still Wants To Marry.

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Greeting from South Korea!!!! I've been here about a week and have been doing orientation in Yongin. Leaving for Seoul today to move into my apartment and meet my co-teacher and other school staff. It is Saturday morning my time:)

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@ michelle

i have only encountered this once, and i don't know if it's common practice of ppl that "create" the box sets for sale or not. i borrowed a friend's boxset of Coffee Prince and the subs for the first 10 eps were amazing! then the last few eps were really really crappy. i re-watched some parts of my fave eps, and noticed something very VERY fishy... the subs were the fansubs from WITHS2!!! i was mortified (not by the subs) that these were used FOR PROFIT!! but that was the only time i've come across this.

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OK my earlier rant (to myself) about episode 9 (OB-GYN) goes to pot, I just re-watched it and kind of like it this time around. Must have been in a prissy mood on Weds or something.
Even the AhnKim moment, which I was frustrated with at the time had me giggling this time around. (Scratches head.) Still, it's a weak episode overall.

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