getting back in the game, let's talk fandom

Hi there, sort of boring...err...Sunday.

Lately, I find myself amassing a lot of things fandom (asian pop music, mostly) so this alone, I feel, warranted a post of it's own. This still has something to do with Taipei's trip last year, October 5-7, 2019. One of the groups mentioned here was the one I went to Taipei for.

A word of warning? This post is photo heavy although most of them aren't high quality...much.

1. Pentagon - Thumbs Up Mini-Album 
I purchased this one two years ago but it came early last year. I think it kept getting delayed. 
I'm not a huge fan of the main single, Naughty Boy, but the B-sides like Thumbs Up among others, are what make this album more full and satisfying for me. This came with a Jinho photocard and an invitation to a Pentagon event with Universe that I couldn't go to because, well...I'm in the Philippines. Maybe next time. I'll definitely try to make it to the Cube Ent. cafe when I am there around Seoul though. Hopefully soon. I've been hearing news that it's more difficult now to go to Seoul. :( They've tightened up some or so.

My favorite track from this album? Thumbs up, currently. I have it on eternal repeat. Kind of.

I am amazed by the all around-ness of Kpop albums granted this is my first Kpop-related purchase. I love the Japanese ones more considering I have lol's Fire! single, Miura Daichi's Right Now single and more (my Da-iCE purchases are also coming in this year so...) but the South Korean pop music stuff are definitely in a league of their own with album booklets that double as photo books. Meanwhile, I have to spend separately for Da-iCE's photobooks and more. RIP wallet, when it comes to Jpop. But Kpop also just about kills the monthly salary/wage as well. Life of an eternal fangirl...

2. Sunggyu's Post Cards and Photocards 
I got these from Shopee thanks to the bff and someone who likely went to Gyu's last concert, Shine, way way back before he went away to serve at the SK military/army forces. (He's back now after 18 months of being away from us so YAAYYYY!!!) Anyway, these are, like, DIVINE because I currently have an obsession with platinum-haired Kim Sunggyu. If only I could rock the same hair color as well as he does. /lesigh.

Infinite's Kim Sunggyu is a current and still ongoing obsession of mine because of not only his full album, Shine, but also because of his variety TV work. The Genius, for one, is one show I will keep on repeat because of how smart he is on there. And of course, many others.

As of this writing, one of the photocards is at the back of my phone and on a wallet I sometimes take with me on whatever trips out. Hmn...

3. Pentagon - Genie:Us
2019 was the year when I amassed everything Pentagon and this was the second purchase I had since the previous one, Thumbs Up! They rarely let me down music-wise hence why I've been constantly getting their mini-albums or so.
Shalala is likely my favorite from here along with the music video for it. And I love, LOVE Round 1 as well though just a bit lukewarm with Spring Snow. I love the stages for the latter though.
As per usual, this came with cool stuff plus an invitation to an event with Universes (their fans' collective name) but alas, as I am in the Philippines...no way can I ever get to that one. Also, it comes with a post card of, I think, Shinwon's arm in a raincoat or so. Hmn...

It also came with some sort of bookmark. I think this one's Kino or...someone else. Hui? I'm not sure. It could also be Yuto though. I'm amazed by the inside of the booklet slash photobook. It's pop-up style and so cute and pretty!

I'm not sure who I got as a photocard for this one. I forgot...I'll unearth it somewhere later.

4. Pentagon - SUM(ME:R)

Hands down, my current favorite of the bunch and therefore the one Pentagon album on eternal repeat for me on a daily-ish basis.

The contents of this one is the best and even my friend/s confirm so. If there's anything I'm devoted to, it's finding gems like this mini-album that's summery and sunshiney and warm. (I actually became a fan of Golden Child because of this...if that's any sort of help or indication of...stuff...) I love everything in this album from 접근금지 (Humph!) to Round 2. But my favorite will have to be 판타지스틱 (Fantasystic, I think?) as it is the best BOP in there~

And whoopy yay! That's a Yuto photocard, yes, and a Yanan post card. I kind of miss him, yes.

5. Pentagon - Happiness

Not pictured but this came to me from Japan. And to anyone interested in getting Japan releases from Pentagon among others, you can go here and request it: @kg_0917. 

I haven't listened much to it but know that I enjoy the music video/pv for Happiness a lot. It's sooo mood for me along with Da-iCE's Damn It. The freebie is a poster and it is immaculate. I'd like it framed, by the by along with other things.

6. Miscellaneous everything from Japan including Da-iCE's Fake Show single (also got Da-iCE's Best album...)

Da-iCE. When it comes to them, I'm usually Hanamura Sota-biased so most I got were Sota everything including a clear file or two I have no idea what to use for. I thought they were big-sized bromides. Hmn...

Also, some fashion magazines, err, well, a Vivi because I love Vivi. And finally, a Junon! Yay! Another one is coming in the mail yet along with a secondhand but still functioning Instax cam I got at a good deal. Er...low price of 3000 JPY! A seriously good deal, like...seriously. 

Not pictured, Da-iCE's Best album that came after. It's a 2-4 CDs in one sort of thing safely nestled now in my music fandom corner nook of the bedroom self with the others.

7. Golden Child's Re:Boot full-length album

My first Woollim Entertainment purchase. Yay! This is also the most recent purchase of mine that was just delivered in early this month.

It's not the whole thing and these are just pages of the booklet plus that Jaehyun photocard but I was awestruck by how tall this one was. It literally took up my shelf dedicated to the fandom stuff and...it also towered over three of my Pentagon albums that were...comparatively just a tad bit smaller.

Anyway, these are just pages showing my favorites: Bomin looking regal, there's also Joochan in pretty pink hair (congratulations on him rejoining Golden Child after recovering from injury! this is late but yeah...it still stands), and Sungyoon/Y.

What I liked about this one? It came with a 2020 calendar so this pretty much stopped me from buying or looking for one of Takeuchi Ryoma's or some other as I have already retired Pentagon's Season's Greetings from 2019. Problem? The calendar doesn't have anything I can use to hang it somewhere to unlike Pentagon's Season's Greetings. I'm too afraid to ruin it so it's just sitting at a desk as of this moment, still unopened.

Still others I got for fandom's sake and being a random fangirl, Infinite Kim Sunggyu's platinum haired 20cm doll I have yet to find clothes for. It came with freebies so, yay~

Others to come soon: the Produce 101 Japan fanbook, Da-iCE's Back to Back single, JO1's (from Produce 101 Japan) single/s I haven't ordered yet. I also have yet to get Produce 101 Japan's Fanbook plus or volume 2. And JO1's single, Protostar. It's for pre-order yet and comes in three types so RIP money. Hmn...I'll pre-order this one, maybe next month. 

Yep, I've been spending so much on fandom lately that I need to get a higher paying job so, yeah, I'm going to toil on this one tomorrow. I have somewhere to be after the work shift tomorrow so wish me luck? It's for the future of myself I have in mind...yet.

playing sarah bailey the natural born witch for halloween 2018

white t, h&m. vest, vintage. skirt, mixed berry in dumaguete city (old). random knee highs from 2016-2017 trip to California, USA. heels, zalora (sold out on the site, unfortunately). backpack, seocndhand gucci from dumaguete city.

It's been a very long time since I posted a random slew of self-taken photos for this personal space of mine. I miss it so. Anyway, yes! Halloween!!! It's my favorite time of the year. Christmas feels like such a draining season for me. It drains one of money (because it's gifting season, yeah...) and well...energy. I do like the celebrations that come with Christmas but they wreck a ton of things so...I'm NOT at all that fond of this time of the year, to be really honest. At the back of my mind, I'm aware that I really do hate the Christmas season but I'm becoming more aware of how much I really do so now.

Sarah Bailey from the Craft will always be my aesthetic for Halloween. Classic American school girl looks like hers and Serena van der Woodsen's on Gossip Girl season 1 are those I have been fixating on for a while now. The Craft is a cult classic witch movie of the 90s and I'm not kidding when I say I still remember every scene of it in my head. My favorite is when the four went on an excursion to the fields to cast spells and of course, the last part, Nancy vs. Sarah. Sarah...I've always loved her effortless style and her natural-ness as a witch the same way I love Serena Van Der Woodsen on Gossip Girl season 1 for her carefree character so...well...that figures a lot of things that's me and about me. Also, for reference on where I got the idea to dress up as Sarah as, there is this photo below of the 4 on The Craft:

photo taken from here

I think Sarah is the easiest to dress up as on Halloween. All you really need is a skirt that's pleated---it can be a plaid skirt or a plain one will do as well---and heaps of necklaces of different sizes (I am admittedly a huge stan of layering one necklace after another) and a vest and you're done! Knee high socks are, of course, mandatory as well. And the wedges...well, they were scored from Zalora Philippines on one of their sales.
And speaking of Zalora Philippines and sales, I currently am waiting for their 11.11 sale for something I've been keeping my my on, on for a while now.

Anyway, yes, Halloween. What did I do last night's All Souls' Day night and last weekend? Last weekend, I went out with 2 girl pals to Lifestyle District. It's where the workplace, that I currently work at, is located. The place has a lot of bars, restaurants and cafes and it's, probably like, one of the best places to be in the city during Halloween. There's always something going on there like the Halloween Costume Party we originally planned to join when we passed by the notices for it. It's only because their registration for the contest ended early that we didn't make it into the contest. Memorable part of the night is Jigsaw from a movie franchise, Saw, I following us around and my friend hugging him not once or twice but thrice. For the record, I am never a fan of Saw and the rest of its movies and I do not plan on touching this one either...in this lifetime. I like really horror movies with ghosts and maybe some monsters of the South East Asian and Asian Lore in general. I'm not a huge fan of gore movies that to me, are pointless anyway. I would watch 90s trashy slasher films, however. Those are my thing as the amount of blood there isn't as much as when you compare it to Saw movies and even, maybe, hmn..., say Texas Chainsaw Massacre. 
At the end of the night of fun, I've decided that as Lifestyle District is such a good, good place to eat and drink in, I would say 31st Bistro's hot chocolate is high up there among drinks and food I've tried. I would go and visit 31st Bistro again probably on another weekend after work if only to get their hot chocolate again. The pina colada at this other bar closest to the office building is...well...err, their tequila sunrise is better. The alcohol content on the pina colada was just too high. I haven't been much of a drinker since long ago, in the dim dark past as a Master's degree student and even in undergraduate college. I am, however, happy to report that after one glass of that awful pina colada, I still had the tolerance to liquor in me that keeps myself from getting too drunk towards the middle of the night. I now know what to avoid on their cocktails menu. All in all, October 27 was a fun night with the two gal pals.

Last night, as I was alone and still am alone and being my hermit self at home, I had the South Korean cable channel, TVN on, on TV while I watched about two episodes of The Guest, a kdrama recommendation for the Halloween I found on a Soompi article I stumbled on early this week. I fell asleep in the middle of the third episode so I was never able to finish the thing but it sure is an interesting watch. It's about evil spirit possession and the tag team of a lady police officer, a rebel-y shaman and a very serious exorcist priest makes it all the more interesting. I wonder how it's going to play out in the end...? It has 15 episodes and I'm down to finishing the whole thing this weekend along with other creepy, Halloween appropriate tv shows and films I like to watch this time of the year. Yes, I watched it while I was alone at home with just 8 to 9 dogs outside and an indoor pet cat. The mum is in Jasaan, at the grandparents with the cousin; the dad, with his high school friend, is in Zamboanga City until Sunday since around Thursday this week; and the sister-figure went home to Medina for stuff... I survived a night of fright as I always, regularly do. I'm someone who can handle scary stuff well even at night but I'd probably freak out in a haunted house attraction in amusement parks... Hmn... Well, we'll see...
By the way, The Guest is an OCN drama and OCN never really disappoints me with their thriller, action police dramas so it's worth the watch for mystery lovers like myself. The supernatural twist is just as good, I guess. I don't mind it and I like supernatural twists anyway. Or this could just really be me. Haha.

Anyway, music recommendation because I kind of miss doing so lately:

I'm still waiting for Pentagon mini album to arrive... I'm getting kind of tired of waiting but I'm keeping the patience in. I think I ordered it about a month ago or so...
Yes, I'm stuck on both songs and especially on Just Do It Yo that I have on repeat with this one:

I'm currently conflicted with whether I'm getting Golden Child's Wish mini album or Infinite's Kim Sunggyu's Shine live album he released, as a farewell gift to fans, before enlisting in the military. I'll probably not get Golden Child's album yet and will stick to Sunggyu's granted I've been falling in deeper with him sine stumbling upon The Genius season 1 where he displayed his savageness and top notch strategist skills in. 
At first, I found it difficult to get into Golden Child's Genie because it felt not as bop-y as their Let Me that they released before this. But this impression was probably because I was listening to it without the headphones or earphones. It became a quality bop, characteristic of every Golden Child release so far since their debut, when I ended up playing it on eternal repeat with the headphones and/or earphones on. Yep. Never really shoot down a track as boring and bland before getting a closer look at it using the appropriate audio tools---lesson learned at that time. 
Also, Produce 48's I*Zone's La Vie En Rose is the best debut so far among all three Produce 101 franchise groups (including season 1 and 2). If you haven't gotten into it yet, now's the best time to get into it so GO! But yes, I'm still not much a fan of female groups...so...yeah.

Bonus, two things I find useful nowadays that they hardly live my bag now:

Australian make-up brand is climbing up the top of my favorite make-up brands list with these two lip liners. I don't really use the cream lipstick and other lipstick variants as much these days so I'm living with lip liners and tinted lip balms and cheek and lips stuff lately. I find them the most convenient to use in the office and out.
I got these when with the 1000 Php gift checks I got from SM Supermalls' 60th anniversary twitter contest a while back so, like, double yay! I didn't spend as much on make-up among others then. 

Ah yes, until the next post then and in which case, I don't know when that will be but hopefully soon. In the meantime, you can follow me on instagram for some timely updates here and there. I'm not a very consistent instagrammer either.

sweater weather and messy hair

sweater, forever21. slipdress, urbanoutfitters. boots, rubi by cotton on via zalora (similar). clutch, diy from a bag gifted by aunt.

Typhoon Basyang (local Philippine name thanks to PAG-ASA), please go away. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of sweater weather but it's here, we're here, at least until the typhoon goes away, that is. Needless to say, I spent it drinking a large mug of milk tea and some iced (decaf is usually all I can manage) coffee.

Today's music:

Something sunny to ward the gloominess of the day/night away. Golden Child has released two of the most solid mini-albums in the kpop industry so far. I'd recommend getting it if you can. Everything in the two mini-albums, from the bops to the mid-tempo tracks to the ballads are superb and flows so well from one track to another they're both just a treat to the ears. I've been playing both mini-albums on itunes on repeat as of late. 

red for the month of hearts

top, mixed berry dumaguete city. skirt, vintage/thrifted. boots, something borrowed via zalora ph. bag, giani bernini via macy's.

A lot of red is coming out so you could say I'm in the mood for the month of hearts. February 14 is Valentines' day. The irony is, I don't really care for that much commercialized day although I like the idea of the Japanese and South Korean females giving their fellow female and male friends and significant others chocolates on that said day. Valentines' day is only really fun for me when I read about it in manga (Japanese comics) and watch it on high school-themed jdramas and animes. Otherwise, it's really just a normal day for me.

What do you have planned for this month of hearts? I have a ton. 1: Pyeongchang Winter Olympics is here and everyone's arriving at the Olympics' venue and I just saw clip earlier on Twitter that my favorite male figure skater from Japan, Uno Shoma, has just made it to South Korea. Yay! Go Japan for figure skating, males! 2: Highlight's Yang Yoseob is releasing a solo mini album this month...sometime the middle of this month. I. AM. ECSTATIC. Just like your regular music otaku (music geek but I'm really more of a pop music trash especially in the East Asian region so it goes wherever...) and male idol groups otaku...er...fangirl...well, let's just say this excitement is quite normal in my case, especially. 3: it's the Chinese New Year next week, I'm wishing we'd had moon cake or some other at home. We're not really full Chinese, however. Just a very, very small part Chinese. Lastly, 4: Men's volleyball tourney is ongoing on UAAP season 80 as of this time and I'm looking forward to how my school/university's team, Ateneo de Manila men's volleyball team will fare there. I'd like for them to make it to the finals and win it all again this UAAP sporting season. I have a pretty full February 2018 that I'm currently looking forward to I don't really have any need for someone to go on a date with on the 14th. Yang Yoseob will be the stand in for that for me although I'm not much a fan of ballads from him and winter (a lot of his photos for the mini album are winter-themed so I suppose all of it will be about winter...ugh). Doesn't matter, we'll be getting good music from him anyway. And of course, his adorable, rather adorkable self on everywhere. I'm looking forward to how he will fare in the music shows and their accompanying music charts more, to be quite honest. I hope he does well.

Today's music is:

Have I shared this on here yet? No? Was it just the same group's Sea I did so? Right? Okay, then. Golden Child. Golden Child. Golden Child. They're also known as GNCD or my favorite, GolCha/Gol-Cha. I'm currently very much loving every mini album that comes from them. They've just released two since they debuted late last year-ish but those two mini-albums are quite solid and consistent to their own style of easy going tropical/chill deep house-backed pop music bops and really solid, still groovy mid-tempo and ballad tracks. Needless to say, both mini-albums from these very young baby boys (in kpop idol and kpop music fandom, to me, because I'm waaayyy older than these boys/men are...) are worth checking out. Very worth checking out. I was able to read a tweet in passing they had reached the top of the chart/s of Tower Records in Japan and it's, in my opinion, an honor they so deserve for releasing such good pop music. The thing is, about Golden Child, they have yet to debut in Japan. Should they debut there soon this year, I'm sure they'll be quite popular considering their the feel and uber good contents of their first mini-album, Gol-Cha! and second mini-album, Miracle.

for the weary and everything, I bring something cute and fun in the music section, yes. yay!

tank, bench ph. skirt, vintage. boots, rubi by cotton on (they're gusset boots long gone from last season or two but this is similar. bag, giani bernini (via macy's). cat ear ring & arrow necklace, f21.

It's been a crazy few weeks at home and out and thus the reason for not much updates since the 9th of this month or so. Personal and family life are insane right now. This, I won't go indepth with. I want to keep real life drama as far away from this escape pod/space of mine as much as I can to keep my sanity in check.

Anyway, a couple of things I've been playing non-stop via youtube:

Yes, I'm aware I've been blogging one too many things on kpop. I've been trying to avoid this one but in the end, I couldn't. Now, I find myself addicted to anything cute from Infinite (Man In Love is old being from 2013...), cute and sunny and cheery from their younger boy group siblings Golden Child (Sea fits the bill! I could lose myself in this for quite a long time...putting it on loop. lol.) and all things cute, positive and fun from Highlight as well as their really pretty ballads. I also like some of Infinite's Sunggyu's solos. I've been a casual Nell fan since stumbling on Ocean of Light from a favorite actor's trip to Hawaii music video thing. Nell is right up my alley as I am a fan of american bands with a similar vibe, OneRepublic and The Fray, as well as a lot of European (mostly UK?) alternative rock. 

The past couple of weeks have been so crazy these two music videos or songs have been my respite from it. Gotta keep oneself sane and happy somehow with everything gloomy happening left and right. This is one of those times in life where I'm really thankful for being a kpop and jpop fan. Pop music is life and love! *insert heart everything/emojis here...*

As for everything Jpop: Da-iCE is releasing a single in January 2018 (yaaayyy!!! It's so close already!) and lol's Nanana is about to be released early next month. Avex Japan never fails to give me something to look forward to when the year comes to an end. This was the case last year and 2017 stayed pretty bright for me despite well, my personal issues here and there among others.

Also, AAA's New Year Party will be done jointly with Da-iCE this year. YEEEEEESSSSSSS!!! I'm PSYCHED FOR THIS! It's things like this that I'm still basically alive and breathing for~

On a rather different note (but still connected to j- and k-pop), Infinite's Man In Love is a reminder to myself that my sunny, cheery, fashionisto(?) type of guy is quite a very rare pokemon to find. I might as well marry a k- or j-pop male idol star...haha. I can only wish...

I'm not going to lie, I'm not really fond of the time when a year is about to come to a close. Something about it is always gloomy although ideally, it should be pretty festive. Also, fall and winter in places around the world with four seasons...ugh...nope. No, thank you.  I need sun 24/7, 365 days a year. This amoeba needs life under the sun to thrive or else dim things happen... (also, the hotter, the better. I can live, then. Haha.) Then again, I also need pools and the really beautiful beaches and island paradises like plants need water and sun so...yep.