Hangukdrama & Korean

It’s okay to have no time

Blogging on the go now and after a blissful couple of days of studying Thai, I’m back to having barely enough time. It was a much needed break to energise, to immerse and I came out of it somewhat more invigorated to get back to normal programming, albeit still not sleeping that well. But baby steps 🙂

I’m actually plagued by a bout of self-doubt these days, which I’m trying to work through. The past few days spent learning Thai was a much-welcomed respite from that abyss and now I feel more ready to face it head on again 🙂

It’s a little sad that I cannot continue the streak of studying, but it’s okay, I don’t need to berate myself. Instead, I’m going to try to watch a bit of The Gifted everyday. Hahaha. Nothing better than fangirling. It’s amazing that with every drama, I understand a little more:) I think that euphoria is what makes me come back for more (language learning)!

Anyway, that show’s amazing!! And there’s Nanon, whom I absolutely adore after Bad Buddy. I was thinking that the teacher in the show looks familiar, and he’s the actor playing Minton in Ugly Duckling: Don’t. OMG. Hahaha he’s become such a hottie. He’s such an enigma in the show, actually all the characters are. I have no idea where the show is going to bring us, but I’m just going to enjoy the ride!

I’m addicted to Bad Buddy’s OST. Ahhhh just friends 🙂 Nanon has such a great voice!

7 March, 2022

0 In Thai Learning Journey :)

It’s okay to do things at our own pace

I’m studying Thai now, but taking a moment out to blog because I was learning the word ตั้งแต่, which means “from” (time). So I made the sentence:

ฉันเริ่มเรียนภาษาไทยตั้งแต่เดือนเมษายนปี ๒๐๒๐

(I started learning Thai in April 2020)

And it got me thinking. It’s been almost two years since I started learning Thai. I’d be honest and say that part of me doesn’t like to say that I started almost two years ago, because there was a long period in between where I didn’t touch Thai at all, and honestly, it’s only at the start of the year (I think) that I started to be a lot more serious about it. *pauses*

Then I ask myself, why should I be so insistent on giving this whole spiel, and not being able to simply say I started learning “two years ago”? I think it’s because part of me thinks that I could have been faster if I had spent more time on it, and that it feels like I’m not making much progress despite it being two years. And I start to compare it against past me who did a lot more within two years for Korean and Japanese.

But nah. That’s just me being competitive with myself and for a moment, I forgot that I just want to enjoying studying the language and not quite care about how fast / slow I am. I should care more about how much I enjoy the process.

It’s human nature to be competitive, whether it’s with ourselves or with others. It’s great to hold ourselves to high standards and expectations, but it’s just really sad if we do that for everything in our lives. Discipline is great, but society has placed too much importance on it. We’re just too caught up in the idea that we need to be productive. For what? Sure, there will be areas where it’s great to be productive, but there must always be balance in life. And I hope that learning Thai is the activity where I can just relax and be myself.

So, from now on, I’ll just say that I started learning Thai in April 2020! 🙂

3 March, 2022

6 In Thai Learning Journey :)

Enthusiasm vs Stamina

These days, I’m very much reminded my past self 14 years ago, when I first started learning Korean. I’ve been pretty much obsessed with learning Thai and try to spend most of my free time on the language, to the extent that I’m procrastinating on other things that I *should* do. Or maybe even using Thai as a ‘legitimate’ excuse to do postpone the dread of facing other stuff. Haha it’s okay, overall it’s still a very healthy relationship with the language.

I haven’t felt this level of enthusiasm for languages for a long time, and I’m just thankful that Thai makes me feel this way. Sometimes I wonder if I can consider myself as a ‘language lover’ in the sense that I enjoy learning languages in general, or I’m a specific-language lover haha. It’s okay, we can do what we want.

I keep thinking back of 14 years ago where I was totally immersed in Korean. It helped to heal some of the hurt I was feeling back then, and anchored me to something. It’s also the calming anchor for me now, although I need to stop myself from literally wanting to ignore every non-necessary thing in my life now to focus on it lol. Balance, girl, balance. But I’m extreme like this and have always been so.

But the one huge thing that’s different? Stamina. Lol. Sorry, 14 years later, I feel it hard to sit in front of the desk for hours and I’m constantly feeling like I should retire to bed lol. I should do something about it, but alas, my enthusiasm has all gone into languages. See? I need balance. *sigh*

I’m watching two absolute Thai drama gems in a row and I’m just super scared that I can’t find the next drama to keep up that level of euphoria I’m feeling. I’m still not over Remember You and my favourite Tanwa—who’s very close to my ideal type, although I can’t quite tell if it’s my ideal fictional type or not. You know, the ultra smart, brooding, logical, aloof, onlynicetohislove type of guys. LOL. But yeah, his half-smiles, half-smirks are killing me. 😂

Then I moved to watching Bad Buddy, which has the best, most wholesome couple ever. I know how everyone is saying this drama tops the BL genre, but I think omg it tops the romance genre. Like woah. Pat and Pran are relationship goals. I love how there’s so much respect for each other and they try to work things out together. And omg the way they look at each other and all. My heart can’t take it. Yeah my fiction type is the cold aloof type, but PatPran is totally what a wholesome and warm relationship is about. Pat is my favourite. He loves wholeheartedly and isn’t afraid to show it, yet he’s so respectful when it comes to boundaries and he waits for Pran to be ready, nudging him gently at times, but never forcing himself on him. Where do we get a partner like him? 😭😭😭😭

I’m super jaded when it comes to people, but I’m so happy to see such an amazing couple, which is rare even in the fictional world. Pat and Pran will stay with me for a long while, and it’s definitely a drama I would love to rewatch, again and again. And can we talk about Korn being the cutest friend and how Ink and Pa needs their own series????

It’s going to be a show that I’m rewatching every year 🙂 Hopefully one day, I’ll understand a lot more without subs!

1 March, 2022

5 In Thai Learning Journey :)

Small milestones to celebrate

I can type in Thai on the computer keyboard without reference yay (only the non-caps board lolol)
I can read much better in Thai without romanisation
I can recognize more words and am a lot faster in reading basic stuff
I just started on my third Thai notebook!

I just started using this free online series of beginner Thai texts and I’m LOVING IT. There’s no romanisation, so it’s great practice and revision for me.

I did 3 at one go and now my brain and eyes are dying, so tired. There’s just something brain-intensive about language learning. I always feel like I can sleep very well after studying lol.

I’m also on my third Thai notebook and the paper is AMAZING. I’m terrible but I love good (expensive) paper. But it does make a difference and it makes me very happy. 🙂 Actually, I still have a couple of pages left for my previous notebook but I was in the middle of a chapter of another book there, so I thought I’ll just start on a new one for this new series of reading.

Sorry if I’m spamming too many photos of language notes, but it’s one of my small joys in life. It’s amazing to think that I’ve been posting language notebook pics for more than 10 years omg. Across a couple of languages.

It’s been a long time since I’m so motivated to study languages. So thankful to Thai lakorns.

I’m reminded of how I used to blog regularly years ago and basically just fangirl and write random things about language learning <3 Those were the days.

21 February, 2022

0 In Thai Learning Journey :)

Nothing like fangirl-ing to…

I haven’t been updating this space because in between life, commitments, language study and dramas, I barely had time. But I need to come here to talk about the drama I’ve just finished watching.

Remember You (คือเธอ)

It’s like SO GOOOD?!!

And it’s providing so much motivation for me to study Thai. I didn’t know it’s still possible that I fangirl so much, when I thought that I’ve mostly mellowed out with age lolol. Gone were the days (I thought) where I could have so much feels for a show and character.

But this is it. I’ve found my all-time favorite Thai drama now!! Something that I’ll want to rewatch again and again and again.

Remember You (2021) is actually a Thai remake of Korean drama Hello Monster (2015), but I love the Thai show soooo much that unfortunately I’m unwilling to watch the Korean source anytime soon. I’ll also like to see them as separate shows, so no comparisons please!

There are so many things absolutely adore about this show that I don’t even know where to begin. (You can begin watching the show on Netflix LOL). I’m not sure how to describe the show without spoiling it, but there are elements of procedural crime / mystery / a strong backstory / a very complex and interesting villain / compelling main and side characters.

I don’t think there’s anything I don’t love about the show.

But I’m very very very much drawn to Tanwa, our male lead. He’s absolutely my ideal type (on screen), both in terms of looks and character.

[Some spoilers (?) ahead - highlight to read]

The loveline in the story is not the focus but this makes it even more precious when we get a couple of sweet scenes. And I absolutely love how the girl is active in expressing her feelings and she takes actions hahaha.

And omg Tanwa and his half-smiles/half-smirks. My heart cannot.

I’m completely a fangirl.

[End of spoilers]

Fangirling aside, I truly loved the whole execution of the drama and every single scene was just so perfect and good. If you are looking for a Thai drama, I highly recommend this!!

And yes, I’ve been very much into the Thai language these days. But hahaha like what my friend astutely observed, I always focus on another language when I’m going to take a language test LOL.

TOPIK is in less than 2 months, so somehow my brain is steering me away from studying Korean lol.

I’m hoping to spend more time on Thai 🙂 Truly loving the language!

I’m slowly working my way through the Thai drama selection on Netflix.

Please send more recommendations!!

20 February, 2022

0 In Japanese learning journey (:/ Japanese Textbook Reviews

[Review] Japanese Made Easy

When I review textbooks for beginners, many times I think about how great it would be if I had access to these resources years ago. But it’s great that I get to share these books with people who are just starting their journey. These days, there are so many books, and the issue is finding the right book, rather than lamenting the lack of them.

Japanese Made Easy from Tuttle is a great beginner textbook, especially if you prefer your textbook to contain more English explanations and would like a book with both the romanization and Japanese.

In general, I find Tuttle books to be relatively well structured and I like how this book is focused on sentence patterns, which aims to get learners speaking right from the start. It’s very focused on application / usage, which is great.

Each chapter is made up of about 4 lessons, and right from the start, we are introduced to a list of sentence patterns covered, along with a dialogue and vocabulary notes. More vocabulary and grammar patterns are covered in subsequent chapters, along with culture notes.

I like that they presents conjugations very clearly in such tables and it just makes it so much easier.

There’s quite a bit of vocabulary introduced and I love it.

I’m not a fan of romanization and I have been vocal about it. But over the years, I am less ‘critical’ of Korean and Japanese textbooks who keep them throughout, and I acknowledge that no two learners are the same and for some, the romanization is indeed helpful in provide more guidance until they are ready to read the script. But I find it curious why Tuttle books choose to bold and prioritize the romanization, putting it before the script. I would have thought that romanization is a tool, and hence should go after/below the script. I mean, they are still side by side, but somehow, with the bolding of the romanization, you just tend to focus on it more. That’s probably one of the biggest gripes I have with their books.

I’m learning Thai right now and the script is hard, so I do appreciate having the romanisation at times. But it just distracts me when the romanization is put in bold and comes first, my eyes keep going to that instead of the Thai script )):

On a related note, I also don’t understand why the answer key (great on having one!) is entirely in romanization. I really… don’t understand.

Another thing is that the book doesn’t seem to come with MP3 files. Which is really strange for a beginner book. I had to flip through the books several times and even now, I am still doubting my conclusion that there appears to be no audio for the book. Which is such a pity.

It is a decent beginner textbook and I would have recommended it as a possible choice for the first Japanese textbook for self-study—if there is audio.

Buy it at Tuttle.

10 February, 2022

0 In Korean learning journey (:

The Hangeul Game I’ve Always Wanted

I love language games and Scrabble is one of my favorites, both as a child and now. I’ve always wanted something similar in Hangeul and I’m so stoked about Yangmalgame.

It’s actually just tiles of Korean consonants and vowels, and there are a couple of ways to play it, as explained on their site. You can also get creative and make up your own game, there’s so much flexibility.

It’s suitable for Korean learners at all levels. Even absolute beginners can use them to recognize Hangeul and as an interactive activity to make up words and learn pronunciation. Useful as a teaching tool too!

The tiles are lightweight and yet of quality, and I love how they come in a zipped pouch and it’s so easily to bring it around to play with friends.

Thanks to Austin and Yangmalgame for gifting me a set 🙂

Get yours here (양말장난)

6 January, 2022

4 In Japanese learning journey (:

A new Japanese novel for the new year

Despite having a number of half-read (or more like a few pages-read) Japanese novels lying around, I chose to start the new year with a new Japanese novel. There’s something intoxicating about a fresh start and it’s okay to indulge ourselves in small pleasures like this.

I’ve been trying to find motivation to read in Japanese again and I would very much love to go back to my peak Japanese reading period where I actually finish reading novels. I hope to increase my reading speed for Japanese, as well as for Korean.

Higashino Keigo remains to date one of my favourite Japanese authors, although I don’t read enough of his work. Decided to start on ナミヤ雑貨店の奇蹟, a 2012 novel. The English translation, The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, was released in July last year (still can’t get used to saying last year).

I’m just a few pages in but already intrigued by the premise of three delinquents holing up in an abandoned general store and getting a shock when an unaddressed letter drops through the mail slot. Opening the letter, they found an anonymous request for advice…

Doing my double-reading method because I want to learn new words, but I can kinda guess from the context and read the text without difficulty.

As you can possibly tell, I’m trying to keep up the productivity and motivation of the new year and hopefully it’ll last as long as … possible 🙂

The COVID situation has made me more of an introvert than I already am, not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. These days, I get exhausted too easily by being among humans, unless they are kindred spirits on the same wavelength.

If you are reading this, leave me a note 🙂

Till the next post.

2 January, 2022

5 In Others / General

Happy 2022

A new year, a new start. 2021 has been an interesting year, and there are many things and people that I’m thankful for 🙂 I tried to blog a little more frequently. While I’m nowhere near my heyday record of blogging almost everyday (how did I do that?!), it’s slightly better.

Blogging more also means that I’m studying more, which is a great thing.

At the end of the year, I found myself having a lot of motivation to study Thai. I have no idea why, sometimes life is just unexplainable 🙂 In any case, I’m glad to find that motivation and enthusiasm for language learning again 🙂

After many on and off attempts, I can finally type in Thai on the computer keyboard!! Or at least the more common half of the characters hahaha. It’s a huge milestone cos I’m adamant not to rely on keyboard stickers or an online image. I want to be able to type Thai no matter which computer I use. I’m still a little slow, but at least I’m comfortable enough to look up words on the dictionary without feeling like I’m taking eons.

I’m also learning more vocabulary, and there’s more that I can understand from Thai dramas! I look forward to the day in the future when I can watch Thai dramas unsubbed. 🙂

Spent the first day of the year studying, reading and cooking.

只闻花香不谈悲喜喝茶读书不争朝夕。

This is how I’m going to live 2022!

1 January, 2022

2 In Others / General

I bought 6 black pens in different shades

One of the most intriguing things I bought the other day is a set of black pens.

Why do I need so many black pens, you ask. Because they are all in different shades of black.

Or rather, black with a hint of colors.

That still doesn’t explain why I need 6 black pens at one go, but it’s one of those things where you bought and asked yourself why you bought it but still you are happy that you bought it.

The pens look, feel and write gorgeous.

Posted it on Instagram the other day and got some DMs on wanting to see the colors, so here’s a video!

Love the sleek design and the smooth finish of the pens.

This is how it looks like in somewhat low lighting. The crimson black ink is the most differentiated one (in my opinion), but there’s still subtle differences. The differences are bigger in good lighting!

Happy with my purchase!

Now I need to decide how to incorporate them into my notes, because I usually have a fixed color scheme / coding.

In any case, time to study MOREEE.

To a great and productive 2022!!!

30 December, 2021

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Category Korean Textbook Reviews

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Remember You (คือเธอ)