Back To School

Hello there! So I've gone back to school.. what a bummer. The holidays are over and it's time for me to study again and get back to work basically. The modules this semester are actually quite fun although I don't have any confidence that I'll do well >< One of the modules that I think is pretty fun is photography! Although I'm not the best at things related to technology, I believe that I will be able to learn! So here are some shots I took whilst I was out taking photos around my school!

Oh! And I got my friend to take some goofy photos of me to post on instagram (PS FOLLOW ME @chaaarmander) And well, this happened.

Just in case you wanted to know what I'm wearing here:

 Striped Top: @ladyjayco (on carousel)

               Denim Button Up: Levi's 

Origami Skorts: Carousell (you can find them all over carousell or blogshops)

Shoes: Scape Underground

Ok well, there really isn't that much left to update so, SEEYA IN MY NEXT POST :)

Addressing The Issue Of Kris Leaving SM (FINALLY)

Now, as some of you may or may not know I happen to be a fan of EXO, and a Kris stan at that. This post is way overdue, i know. However, I simply could not bring myself to talk about the issue since it hurt me so much and whenever I even thought about it and how much I miss Yifan, tears just roll down uncontrollably.
BUT! Today, or rather yesterday, something really unfortunate happened and that is that Jessica, a member of Girls' Generation was kicked out of the group. Now, I would not be addressing this issue of Jessica's departure because I know little about it and I do not want to start a controversy. However, this post is just to share my thoughts about Kris leaving SM and EXO and just to share my experience with you guys. Especially to Jessica fans or SONEs out there.
I remembered clearly on the day the news came out, I thought that some stupid fan was spreading some dumb rumour once again because this is a regular occurrence after all . But when I found out it was true, I burst into tears. Why? Because Kris was my everything really. He was dorky, annoying, trying so hard to act cool but deep down he's just a loser, funny, did I mention annoying? And just plain weird, I simply adored him. The way he treated his fans was also admirable and it was my dream to meet him during the EXO concert and love him truly, madly and deeply while he rocks the stage.
Unfortunately, that couldn't happen because he chose to leave SM, and EXO. How did I feel? I felt betrayed. Yes, I said it. Many sympathised with him and I understand why. He was experiencing health problems and SM was restricting him of his dreams basically. Despite that, what I found strange was that he took up an acting role shortly after without waiting for official results whether or not he could be excused from activities. He just irresponsibly vanished. Is acting not as physically draining? It is just as tough no? What makes acting different than promotions with EXO. That really made me question him.
As my thoughts developed further, I thought to myself if this could have been what Kris wanted to do from the start? Possibly debut with the hottest boy band in Korea and then move on to something else which he actually has interests in. If being an idol was truly his dream (which it was not, apparently it was being a basketball player), he would have bit his tongue and carried on. Take Kai for example. He has so many health problems, he's always hurt, he's always in pain and barely has time to rest to recover from his injuries. But because this is his dream, he puts all of that aside and does his best on stage. Now, just compare the two and ponder about their differences and if this could be the reason why everything happened? Selfishness? Greed for money? All of that we will never know for sure.
Although I may sound like I'm attacking Kris, I still do wish him the best in whatever he does. Because there is no point in doing something you don't like right? If this makes him happier, then I'm happy. I know that it must suck to be controlled like a puppet in SM and I really don't blame him from trying to break free from the chains. (Das right boy unleash your inner hood self ) After all, you can bring a horse to the river, but you can never force him to drink water form the river right?However, I just felt that he could be a little more responsible about it.
Today, I saw some Kris or should I say Yifan updates and saw him smiling so sweetly. Something I had never seen in a while. And that was when I truly felt happy for him. That he escaped the deadly claws of SM.

Jessica alike may grow to enjoy the freedom of being away from SM. Even though I feel that it is such a waste that she spent 14 dreadfully long years of her youth being a trainee and sticking with SM.
I really don't know what happened behind the scenes for these two events and as fans I guess we never will. It might remain a secret forever. I all we can do is to simply pray and hope for the best for these two individuals no matter what their future holds.
SONEs, just know that as of right now, we are here for you. And well, screw SM right? :)

Obsessed With Korean Dramas?!

Hello there guys! So as many of you may or may not know, it's currently my holidays now :)) I'm about a week into my holidays already and boy am I enjoying it! Although many students are finding part time jobs right now, I decided not to because I really want to take a break at this point of time >< Hence, I tend to get bored ALL THE TIME! Which is why I decided to watch a few Korean Dramas.

Now, I'm someone you can regard as a KDRAMA ADDICT! I need to watch multiple episodes at once and well... I tend to finish an entire drama (usually consisting of 20 episodes each lasting about an hour long) in under 2 days... I know, I clearly have a problem xD No wonder people call me a potato girl.

So anyway, the purpose of this post would be to review some recent KDramas to you guys who are bored out of your wits like I am :) I'll only be talking about the recent dramas I've watched this past week but if you would like me to do a full on review of all the dramas I've watched I'll make another post! My reviews aren't summaries of the drama btw! If you would like to know more about what it's about I would suggest that you go to asianwiki.com to check out the plots and casts :) Without any further ado, LEGGO!

Firstly, Good Doctor! This drama is an example of a doctor show done right! This was my favourite medical drama I've watched out of the three (the other two being Emergency Couple and Doctor Stranger) I found the drama really touching and taught a really valuable lesson. This drama honestly melted my heart and it was just a really sweet drama overall. May I add that Park Si On is the most adorable person EVER >< His character that is (not just the fact that he's Joo Won :))))) The drama could be a little gory for some though as there's definitely tons of blood and organs shown. The love line was also really believable and FEELS EVERYWHEREEEEEEEE! All in all, an amazing drama and all my friends whom I've recommended the drama to loved it as well! :)

Fav Character: PARK SHI ON OF COURSE!! AND DOCTOR HAN JIN WOOK! <3
Personal Rating: 9.5/10

Next would be Emergency Couple! This was honestly my least favourite medical drama out of the three because I felt like the love line wasn't that believable and the plot was not that interesting I guess? It also felt really draggy at times although it was quite funny. I felt like it was stuck in the middle, not enough romance nor were there enough medical scenes involved in my opinion as compared to Good Doctor. The pros of the drama would probably just be Song Ji Hyo (member of running man) Although I felt that her acting was rather awkward since I'm so used to her just being on Running Man >< I felt that this drama could have been better tbh..

Fav Character: Oh Chang Min :)
Personal Rating: 7/10

Next up on the list would be Doctor Stranger! This drama really isn't half bad, one of the only problems I had was that there was so much political matters going on I was just really distracted and confused! But that was kinda important for the story though >< One thing to note is that THIS DRAMA COULD MAKE YOU SUPER ANGRY I WAS SO SO SO SO PISSED AT CHA JIN SOO I CANNOT EVEN! He is really pitiful though if you think about it... such an asshole though :( Some of the parts were really messed up and I felt so sorry for the characters ( I won't mention who hehe) The character's chemistry wasn't half bad and the storyline was quite interesting and kept me on my toes :) Quite a feel good drama. Tons of eye candies in this drama ladies and gentlemen included! :) Once again, it is gory.

Fav Character: HAN JAE JOON!
Personal Rating: 8.5/10

I also watched Reply 1997! I honestly didn't want to watch the drama because Hoya (my bias from INFINITE) was well..... not straight in the drama and that was like a stab to my heart (at least he wasn't going around kissing other girls) However! I'm really glad that I decided to watch it because it was AMAZING! It was such a perfect show for me because.. I too am a fangirl.. HAHA! It was really really really FUNNY too! This is the show for you if you love romantic comedy :) The sound effects and all were just so in sync it was GREAT! The love lines were also AMAZING! TONS AND TONS OF EYE CANDIES IN THIS DRAMA LADIES! This drama definitely kept me on my toes the whole time (WARNING SUPER ADDICTIVE) I had such a good laugh and overall a very feel good drama.

Fav Character: Everyone was such a darling T^T but if i really had to choose... no I can't! Love them all HAHA!
Personal Rating: 9/10

Last but definitely not the least, It's Okay It's Love! It was somewhat a medical drama but more about psychology. The plot was amazing in my opinion and the acting was SO GREAT! I found the love lines extremely cute and believable. In this drama, the romance isn't as sweet and innocent like the ones we're used to. It's definitely more mature but still I found it to be AWESOME! Another thing is that D.O from EXO acted in the drama as well and I'm so proud of him! He acted so well, BRAVO! Kwang Soo (from Running Man) was hilarious as well and needless to say,  Jo In Sung is just the hottest thing I've ever seen. I think that what sets this drama apart from others is that this drama actually has a good ending! Many of times drama endings are so cliche and cheesy or too sudden, but this one was so cute and I was satisfied really :) Overall, an amazing drama. Short and sweet, no dragging of time, no politics, it was easy to understand and made me smile and cry loads. Definitely a must watch! LOVE IT!

Fav Character: Jang Jae Yul (DUH)
Personal Rating: 9.5

What I Like About Being A Kpop Fangirl

Hey there! So today I was just staring into space and just thinking about all sorts of things (as usual). And I thought, why not list out 10 things that I love about being a kpop fangirl since this is like a part of me. It isn't all about the looks (although it plays a huge factor), but you'll see that theres so much more to loving kpop.
Here it goes:

1. Staring at hot/super attractive/ovary exploding young men.
-most kpop artistes are immensely good looking and its hard to find such people around in your everyday life so this is a total score!
-if guys aren't your thing, the ladies are pretty damn fine too.

2. Listening to great songs.
-what I like about kpop is that one particular group doesn't just stick to one genre of music, they have a whole range. From electro-pop to ballads, they have it all.
-A group may have a distinct sound, but they still have a wide variety of songs to choose from.

3. I don't need a boyfriend.
-many people my age are going through all that "i need a bf" or "i need a man" hormonal stages or whatever. And I'm just here like, "Kris is my boyfriend .___________." Yeah, some people may call it delusional and stuff but hey, at least I'm not wasting my time with all the heart break.

4. It is a great conversational starter
- i used to be the most shy person you would ever meet in your entire life, an awkward turtle in other words. But now, I can just go up to someone and be like "hey, you like kpop?" and if they do, we will be talking all night long man because there is just so much to talk about.

5. Idols are inspirational.
- i can't say this for all idols, but most idols are very inspirational. Why? Because many of these kpop idols have been trapped in their practice rooms for hours a day, waiting to debut. And who knows how long that will take. Many have been trapped in there for years, and its really just a vicious cycle of dance lessons, singing lessons, rap lessons, people skills, language skills, intense diets and sleep. There was this one idol who said "it was really scary going through the same routine everyday, not knowing when your time to shine will come."
-Because of them, it really taught me the valuable lesson of not giving up no matter what life throws at you.

6. You get to meet awesome people.
-especially if you have a fan account be it on twitter, tumblr, instagram or whatever, you may meet some awesome people with the same interests and even become great friends.
-ps: you can follow me on twitter: @WUJJANGNIM (mostly exo and infinite but i do talk about other stuff too :))
-many kpop fans are also really friendly. Sure, if you offend them or their fandom, they will be the meanest bitches you will ever meet but hey you asked for it, no one asked you to be a hater. But overall, fandoms are all still connected one way or another. If something tragic happens to your fandom, they will comfort you and pass around fandom hugs :)

7. Idols are ALWAYS AROUND.
-many other groups and bands aren't as active as kpop bands, hence many fans may feel sad? Lonely? Lost? Well, NOT KPOP IDOLS. Whenever idols release a new single, they would promote it on music shows for weeks, months even. And there are multiple music shows in a week! If they aren't releasing new songs, they'll probably be actively taking part in variety shows or even starring in their own variety shows or even holding a concert. They are usually rarely on hiatus.
-Although i really wished that they would have more rest and take a chill pill because they're human too, they need to have their own fun and private lives. Entertainment companies out there, please give our idols more rest! Don't overdo it with their schedules :(

8. You will never be bored.
-There is always something new in the kpop scene. Be it a new kpop group, song or even a scandal. They are always updates to keep you occupied.

9.They make the best dramas.
-Oh, kpop isn't just about the songs and idols, kdramas are included in this list as well! In my opinion, kdramas are the cringiest and mushiest and I LOVE IT. Its my holidays now so I've been watching tons of dramas, my favourite one I've seen recently is "Good Doctor", ITS AMAZING!!!! Some others that i really like are "Secret Garden", "My Love From Another Star" and "Master's Sun" . If you have any recommendations, feel free to let me know :)

10. You can't help but love them ok
- no words are needed for this. Once you hop onto the kpop train you're never getting off! ( unless your favourite group disbands or something) There are so many options too. You like pretty boys? Rockers? Bad ass guys? They got it all! There is definitely something for everyone

OK THATS IT I'M FINALLY DONE WITH THIS I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS POST :)

End Of The Holidays?

This is so tragic, the time has come for the holidays to end and for school to resume. Am I upset? Devastated? YOU BET! Like like most normal kids out there, I love the holidays, I love feeling free and well ALIVE!

Don't you feel like a bird trapped in a cage? A fish stuck in a fish tank? There's so much more in this world that we haven't seen or experienced? Is life just all about studying in order to get a job? And then after that, simply working and undergoing the same routine everyday just so that you can get by? Is that all that life has to offer? Our lives can't simply be like a fish tank or a cage. We're supposed to soar through the skies, to swim across the oceans, no we're not supposed to be trapped here.

All of us say "You Only Live Once". Teenagers these days are are using this phrase wrongly though. By doing stupid things, or consuming drugs and just all the dumb shit that teens do and what's their excuse? "YOLO". NO! It's exactly because that we only live once that you have to cherish every moment of life. Some people just take their own lives because they're struggling with school, or due to work. Do people not realise how precious our lives are? Has society driven us into the corner just in order to "improve themselves"?

Honestly, I don't know where I'm going with this post and yes I know that I have to appreciate that at least I'm sheltered, gaining more knowledge everyday and also enjoying life unlike some out there who have nothing. But I'm sure that many people have thought about this before and I just wanted to share my version. I guess that all I'm trying to say here is just to think about your future, don't just go with the flow. We're not robots, we have a living brain to think for our best interests. Live your lives to the fullest guys.

What can I do to change this? I myself don't even know. So until then, just like all of us, I'll be stuck here just mugging around for the sake of my future. But I'm sure one day, I'll figure things out, and you will too.

Until next time, take care :)

xoxo,
Charmaine

Happy Fathers' Day

Hello all! Its Fathers' Day today so go give your dad a huge hug, make him a card, or make him breakfast or something. Appreciate your dad, your grandfather, or any fatherly figure you have in your life today :)

I just wanted to dedicate a post to my one and only dad because why not?!

I've always been a daddy's girl and being the youngest in the family, I was definitely the clingiest and the eternal "baby". I remember my mum always threatening to hit me and my dad would then defend me, saving me from lots of hurt and pain :') ps: this isn't child abuse, all asian parents are just like this xD

My dad was never expressive though, he was your typical tough Chinese dad, the head of the household, the pillar everyone relied on. Despite that, I know that he cares for all of us and everything that he does is for the sake of the family.

All these years, my dad was always struggling with work and barely had time to rest. His dark circles were well, down to his knees. Still, he didn't complain and worked immensely hard to provide for the family. This year, he finally got a break from work and what did he do first? He planned our way overdue family vacation to Japan.

Our family had an AMAZING time there. It was really SUGOI! We even got to see cherry blossoms and experience the cool weather which was AWESOME as compared to the dry spell we were experiencing back in Singapore. I wouldn't mind dedicating an entire post to that in the future as that truly was the best holiday I have ever experienced.

That was really when I saw my dad's genuine smile.

All in all, my dad is really an awesome dad and I love him so much. We will never know what may happen tomorrow. So treat everyone around you, including your dad with tons of love and care. I know it may be hard with all their nagging and scolding but just bear with it because we only have one dad, and we don't ever want to live our lives with regrets now do we?

Once again, HAPPY FATHERS' DAY TO ALL DADS IN THE WORLD!

Schwarzkopf Palette Hair Dye Review

Hello everyone! :)

So today I was just browsing through the super market when i stumbled upon the hair dye section. 

I've been wanting red hair for THE LONGEST TIME and I've actually tried 2 other maroon/mahogany box dyes, one from Liese and the other from some other korean box dye brand which I can't remember its name but BOTH OF WHICH LEFT MY HAIR MORE BROWN THAN RED :( So I decided to give this one a go in the colour "Smooth Red Violet" because why the heck not? 

This box dye cost me around $8, which is cheaper than most of the ones I saw, hence I felt a little uneasy about the result. HOWEVER, NEVER BELITTLE AN INEXPENSIVE PRODUCT because in my opinion, this product worked out AMAZING FOR THE PRICE! 

I have shoulder length hair and 1 box was enough for me, if you have longer hair I would strongly suggest you buy 2 or more. 

The steps were really simple to follow as you simply had to add the colourant cream into the applicator bottle and shake it to your heart's content. Unlike the Liese one where you had to be really careful when mixing, you could be as rough as you wanted with this one and it would actually make the application even better as the product is much more well mixed.

I have to admit that it was rather messy during application but come on, WHICH BOX DYE ISN'T? Even the Liese one which is in a foam form was messy too, but less messy than the Schwarzkopf one.

TIP: Apply some vaseline/olive oil(?) to the sides of your face (aka your sideburns etc) and your ears and neck so that if dye gets on it, it can be removed easily. Also, PLEASE PROTECT YOUR FURNITURE/FLOOR WITH PLASTIC OR SOMETHING BEFORE SELF DYEING YOUR HAIR! (I've learnt it the hard way..)

It was pretty quick to apply too, I took around 15 minutes? I then left it on for an additional 30 minutes before hopping into the shower and rinsing it all off. There was also a hair treatment you would apply after rinsing and it smelled AMAZING! Grape scented maybe? It was a sweet scent HAHA! It definitely did leave my hair a lot softer and smoother too. 

Now the moment you have been waiting for, the results right? 

This is how it looks like indoors, but when the sun hits it, the colour is MUCH MORE VIBRANT.

ps: No makeup guys, and no photoshop either cause I'm far too lazy. OOPS

Here's a closer look.

All in all I would rate this about an 8.5/10 because the results are quite good for the price, the only issue I have is that the ammonia smell is quite strong so definitely take that into consideration. 

I guess that's it for today, thanks for reading and until next time, take care :)

xoxo,

Charmaine