I know, I've used lemon grass in my own cooking and I've grown up with my mom cooking it and my dad growing it. It seems that it could be a different variety that grows to be very long. Just looking at the bottom portion of those stalks it definitely looks like lemon grass.

you're spot on, izzie, hahaha! gokusen/koreandramalover is making our symphony a bit tad out of tune ;-) when she's not around...

now let's sing: "we feel gooooood!tadadada...so good, so good! "

It's really not that. I absolutely realize that aesthetically Yoo Ah In is squee-worthy. but other than as Guhro, images of my teenage students being teenagers just take over. And I find myself thinking, oy, headache, kids. Kids who are so young and blessed/cursed with the blissful ignorance of youth, who make me by turns laugh with them and want to wring their necks.

Total killjoy.

The only one young un who doesn't have that effect is Lee Minho, primarily because he looks older than his age.

Thanks, though, very sweet of you.

Oh! Yes, kids can be a delightful nuisance sometimes but adorable nonetheless :-)

Sounds like you really enjoy being a teacher :-) and is responsible enough to rein in your fascination for YAI so as not to cloud your judgement with the kids. That's admirable!

Lee Min Ho sure looks older than his age maybe because of his general demeanor,his height/built and how he carries himself but mentally I'd guess that Yoo Ah In may be the more mature. Just a guess! ;-) I ve not read an interview yet of LMH so I would not know for sure...

I'm not sure if there's any conscious, admirable reining in on my part. It just is. Although he's in the process of physically emerging out of teenhood into adulthood, he still looks too much like my kids. Just nothing there.

Lee Minho - you're absolutely right. Totally his height, build, and reserved demeanor. YAI has a bit more youthful exuberance, insouciance, and slightness of build. (I think Song Joongki actually has broader shoulders/frame than YAI does.)

As for maturity, YAI obviously approaches life with a seriousness that I can only describe as a deep commitment to life. But even his wrestling with existential questions, though it shows a particular kind of intellectual maturity, also gives away that he's very young, absolutely imbued with idealistic fervor of youth, which is good and admirable. When my friends and I were in college, we claimed so fervently that we forever wanted to remain idealistic, angry (in a productive way) young women who questioned and challenged life and society. As we ought to have, but one thing I appreciate about having left behind my 20s is the ability to see and live life without zealous urgency, in other words to be able to be idealistic without all that furiousness.

That said, I really am impressed by so many of the 86-87ers, their thoughtfulness, maturity, professionalism, etc. It's inspirational, frankly.

Your comment, anais, about YAI's intellectual maturity based on his existential questions indicating a youthful perspective might be spot on. I notice that as someone grows older the fervor dies down. But it might also show a hunger for truth and deeper questions in life that he is dealing with and age may not be the reason. Anyways, it is rare for somebody so young and in the field he is in to espouse such lofty/deep thoughts. You are right, it shows his deeper commitment to life. I hope that he will find the answers to those questions from sources that would truly lead him to the right path.

Im curious...if you dont mind, what age group of kids do you teach? Is it college level? And which country is this? Thank you for yr reply to this...

eureka!!!!

koreandramalover, you are a genius, that's what you are!!!! cos that's what we should do: clone him, clone him, clone HIM!!! hahaha! (do i sound delirious? hehehe!!!)

I'm actually a tutor. I say teacher as a shorthand. Most of my students are junior high and high school. In the US. As for my knowledge of Korean history, I was in an East Asian PhD program but left. It would be great to go back to academia at some point to do some teaching (hopefully more grad rather than undergraduate) and research.

izzie, koreandramalover!!! hahaha!

frustrating and exasperating, that's what age differences can do :-)

told anais he might have an older brother...what do you think??? :-)

Can't keep my hopes up on that. What if it's a William-Harry situation? (my votes are for harry btw)

lock them in the basement and tie them back to back in a chair....oh no! the directions where this vision is going...hahaha! :-)

@samgetang......YAI's the only son with two older sister.....

rats! now we're left with CLONING! :P

OyyO....that's sad news...huhuhu! :-) now we're back to cloning as kdl and izzie suggested :-) sumee, any other alternative??? :-)

Im not so into MSOAN although Im trying to watch it now. I hope the flow of the story gets better. The style? Fashion-wise I love how they don the bohemian-indie rocker look on JGS. He is too beautiful though for the look to get the edge it needed compared to lets say somebody with a more manly look. All those hair!!!! On JGS and MGY!!! I dont know why MGY had to have all that hair. She looks adorable but I was thinking what if she carried a more tame look... even a pixie hair-do? Would it be a more matching look that will foil the already long hairstyle on JGS? Just a personal experiment. Her clothes though are cute and matches the crazy lifestyle of her Mary role. :-)

Thanks, anais, for asking that question...made me think more about it :-)

I absolutely was ready to give up on MSOAN after the episode 1 but stuck with it because I am just so impressed with JGS. The story gets absolutely better, fortunately. Just wait til you get to the end of Ep 3. Squee time.

MSOAN's styling both visually and sound-wise, I just have to let it go. Some commenter elsewhere had observed aptly that s/he'd never heard so many power chords in supposed indie songs. I don't know whether the aesthetic missteps are production's or if they indeed aren't missteps but rather genuinely reflective of the scene in Hongdae. I'm inclined to believe the former, but I'm not in Korea so can only admit to having a skewed understanding.

I saw episode 3 of MSOAN already and yes, I would have to agree, the ending part was really hilarious! a classic!

I agree with you on the musical scoring -- a lot to be desired, considering that the backdrop of the drama is the indie rock scene. they could have done a lot better! so much potential, i was thinking...even though i am not musically inclined i would say many of the scenes could use more musical elaboration that could've helped create/increase the tension/drama. hope they will improve on this aspect...they should learn a lesson or two from SKKS with just the right music at the right moment, i felt that they did an amazing job on that one!

"All those hair!!!! On JGS and MGY!!! I dont know why MGY had to have all that hair."

- reminds of Glee's hairography.

I haven't seen an episode of MSOAN, although I read recaps her (seen their photos). I, also, am disturbed by the amount of hair MGY has on for the drama. Any more strands and she will have a stunning resemblance to Cousin Itt.

As for JGS (aka The Actor Whom I Formerly Pine For), I get hair insecurity whenever I see his luscious locks. I can't say any more. Thoughts of long haired guys automatically leads me back to Gur-oh.

Maybe I should start watching MSOAN.

hahaha! izzie, yes i loved JGS in YAB...his luscious locks are indeed to die for ;-) and yes, they remind me of Guh-ro no less...all good things just bring us back to YAI no less, hahahahaha! delightful! :-)

and i, you, sumee :-) already having so much fun reading all yr posts and comments here together w/ koreandramalover, izzie, anais and everyone...

same here samgetang I am having a blast ..sharing my thoughts with the all of you ;-)

@koreandramalover: forgive for thinking about an ass-kicking teacher when I chat with you. I can't help it. :)

haha! I can't imagine remotely resembling any of the actresses you mentioned. (thinks) maybe... if they don't get a year's bath. :P

oops doopsy..i missed soooooooooooooooo much ..
.....@izzie ....Han Chae Young is absolutely nothing i look like !!!!!!!!!!! but she sure is pretty :-)

i am a total Indian blood & kinda 50% Korean by heart ! I have been living on & off in Seoul from past 15 yrs !!!!!!!!!
I have absolutely no idea how beautiful you look..i lurked your post about how many authenticity incorporates the insanely funny izzie ! :-)

izzie, WOW! you are so visually gifted...thanks but im nothing close to that beauty in Full House :-) more of ugly betty hahaha!

yes, i can also imagine koreandramalover as gokusen -- kickass teacher! cool!

sumee and han chae young...she's the girl in "only you', right? so pretty...

anais? wow! another kick-ass teacher? :-)

and you, izzie, i think you are a park min young! witty writer and street-smart scholar...if you say yes to this then you are oh so close to getting our YAI's heart ;-) how about that? :-)

OMG. This post has exploded, hasn't it!

i’m yet to come up with one for anais…
I'm hard to pin down that way, ;)

ahaha! you're right, anais!
talk about things you unintentionally cause and backfire at ya. :D

"I’m hard to pin down that way"

we'll see... :) I'm sure our dear friends here will come up with one for you. :)

i know me & koreandramalover were like commenting on Yoo ah in's posts is what we do for a living ;-)
...i will be off from work in an hour or so ..I am waiting for the other 2 partners now as u are already here ! izzie and koreandramalover enlighten us soon with your soonworth thoughts !
@ samgetang serious how can you survive 2 days with 2 sassy looking posts of this HOTTTTTTTTTTTTT Guy !
Jb sure has left me sweating/steaming in this cold weather from seeing all this HOT HOT HOT-NESS !

it's 30 dec C here already and this YAI picture post just upped the thermometer to almost boiling point!

good thing it's cold there where you reside.... ;-) but i guess it did not matter one iota...since you're sweating cornbits anyway :-)

seriously samgetang I do not even require a heater ....roar.... ;-)
But how did YAI manage to shoot in Bangkok when all these clothes on ...
when-ever I am in Thailand i am hardly wearing any ..just the minimal bits which are mandatory to say the least ! kudos to him ..such hard Work ..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

being in the fashion biz, i know its not all glamour. far from it. modelling especially for a magazine photoshoot like this requires a lot of patience and hardwork from the models. all the hours and being exposed to the elements (sun, cold, etc..) require a lot of discipline and tenacity. that's why some models have the reputation of being not so cooperative and some become bitchy, to say the least. but the true blue professional models are yet another kind altogether -- they know what is required of their job and display grace and maturity despite all the challenges. im sure YAI had his share of such in these shoots...

totally agreed samgetang I have faced models being all furious & totally Bitchy ** when they are asked to do something they don't like even though you are getting PAID ! that gets really nasty for people like me who are the stylists ..moreover yoo ah in being a star will surely have had a tantrum or 2 ..but i totally will never mind that in this case ! ;-)

sumee, you are a stylist! that's so cool! :-)

Yoo Ah In having a petty tantrum? :-) like wanting his photo taken with you instead at all costs???? how delicious is that? hahaha! :-)

@ samgetang oh now my wild thought bus has left the station !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@ samgetang oh now my wild thought bus has left the station !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so outta control !

hahaha, sumeee! sorry! get a hold of yourself! rein in those wild horses...step on the brakes of that speeding bus! :-)

@ samgetang i sure need to ...... i posted the same comment twice ! i just realized !

@samgetang: "that’s why some models have the reputation of being not so cooperative and some become bitchy, to say the least."

this is why i resolved not to get into fashion photography! :) I don't have much patience to deal with divas. I only do nature and macro - mother nature rarely throws a fit, and when she does you have reasons to respect her.

@sumee: "moreover yoo ah in being a star will surely have had a tantrum or 2 ..but i totally will never mind that in this case !"

hehe... the one reason I will force myself to do a fashion shoot! if he throws tantrums, I will continue shooting and make it all look artistic like a rage-themed series. :P (is there a cure for this obsession?)

Haha! Koreandramalover, ur right! I might get that cure alright, but will never ingest it! :)

izzie! knew it! you are definitely in the arts...photography, right? or just a hobby? ;-) curioser and curioser....

sumee, we were not disappointed with the swoon-worthy posts of koreandramalover and izzie today plus big bonus of anais and all the other beautiful ppl here...all because of 2 YAI photos...one playfully and the other like a baby...such lengths we go to, to clear us from (or endear us more in? ) this addiction...

koreandramalover, you are right: we love being tortured to this pathetic stage, hahaha!

haha! yep, into photography, travel blogging, and video editing - all in amateur level, though. :) professionally, I'm a media archivist for a teevee network. (talk about being a nerd.)

wow! media archivist for TV! how cool is that, izzie! i knew it -- you are definitely into the arts! :-) explains why you are so lovely- crazy and funny- imaginative! but we hope you will write more of what you love to write :-) you are a wordsmith of the highest level!

@samgetang: you're too sweet! I'm sure there are tons of far better people who wield the pen (err, keyboard) out there. they just don't go crazy over the Moon. :) mine's merely from too much exposure to scripts, transcripts, marketing materials, audio-video materials, etc. I just pick up from what I see. and then I drink too much coffee. :P and then SKKS came along. caffeine + Geol-Oh = verbal diarrhea

actually, I envy you being in the fashion industry. you must be constantly surrounded by beautiful people. :) that, and having better control of your time. :)

@kdl (the noona formerly known as koreandramalover):
aren't we nerds of the same feather... :) we flock on the Moon together.

it's really awesome meeting you all here. i'm getting the feeling of being in a JGQuartet - we're all coming from different backgrounds and having the same... obsession. :P

ooohhhhhh! more delicious fun happening here while i was away!!! :-)

see, izzie? "verbal diarrhea" who would've thought of those things but only crazy wordsmiths? you are definitely in that league ;-)

i'm a fan, i'm a fan! aren't we, sumee and kdl? ;-)

your fangirly noonas :-) the Jalgeum Quartet Noonas, hahaha! :-)

sorry to burst the bubble, but it's not my original. :)
i guess what draws all of us together here is not just common obsession with the Moon, but admiration for one another as well. :) you guys do things in your lives I can only dream of. and your regard of people goes incredibly beyond what you see/read about.

in all honesty, in YAI's case, I'm too distracted with his beauty to even go on further exploring and analyzing his personality or what goes on in his mind. i had to re-read some of his answers to his Q&A before i got a good sense of what he meant. he's deep. and you dig what he means. i envy that in people. :) so I'm enlisting! I'm out to learn a lot of things from this "fellowship of the moon."

ahem ahem ................. we all need reality check ;-)

really? you're still hoping for a lucid interval? :D