#Shanghainese Pops | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

indigostudies · 11 months ago

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@princetofbone asked me to do a review of the mango languages app/programme, so here's my thoughts on it so far, having used it for a bit!

i've been using the app for korean, kazakh, and shanghainese, and i've also used the chinese and vietnamese courses as well. i have a full access account through my local library, so i don't pay anything for it. the pricing for if you want to purchase a subscription yourself is 7.99USD/mo for a single language, and 17.99USD/mo for a full access account.

so far, i've really found it very useful! while the shanghainese course doesn't have a ton of lessons (only one chapter and fourteen lessons), other languages have significantly more—mandarin chinese has seven chapters and almost 600 lessons, and korean has one chapter but 75 lessons.

it's a spoken, auditory, and reading-based system, with the emphasis being on listening to and reading phrases and words to learn them, and it has a specific exercise type for speaking a phrase or word aloud and recording it, and then being given a recording of the same phrase/word which can be played back in time or independently of your own recording to compare the two.

the speaking exercises are honestly the most useful to me, because i someone who really focuses on the pronunciation of words—for example, a lot of times the romanisation of hangul isn't very helpful for me, but i can pronounce a word perfectly after listening to the audio recording and adjusting my own pronunciation. in this way, it's somewhat similar to what duolingo used to be, but it hasn't been pared down and simplified the way that duolingo has—and, i think, considering that it's an entirely paid service, this is probably unlikely to happen.

additionally, for tonal languages, it actually includes the tones in the romanisation, and, for people who don't have any experience with tones, it includes explanations and recordings of tones to help, which i think is really useful. it also has a lot of languages that are harder to find resources for! as i mentioned it has shanghainese as i mentioned, but it also has armenian, thai, uzbek, and irish. as far as i can tell, all languages that use non-latin alphabets are taught in the app using the native script (though what script it is can vary, if there's multiple—kazakh uses the cyrillic alphabet used in kazakhstan rather than the arabic script used in china), though if you tap the word/phrase, the romanisation will pop up above it, which can help a lot, in my opinion, if you're unfamiliar with a writing system.

the only drawbacks, in my opinion, is that there's no writing exercises—but this is something that can be easily remedied by taking your own notes. there's exercises where you're asked to translate an english phrase or word into the target language, and you can pause the exercise and write down what you think it is, and then tap to show the answer and compare it to what you wrote down, and correct your answer if necessary. i use the mango app on my phone and take notes by hand in onenote on my laptop, which i've found to be a very efficient system.

personally, i would give it a solid 8.75/10—i've found it to be very useful, as someone who really likes and benefits from audio, reading, and speaking as methods to learn languages, and i've found that i retain far more information than if i only used a textbook for self-study. points are deducted for the lack of in-app writing exercises, and the fact that there's no option for a free account unless you have access through a library/other institution, but otherwise, i'd really recommend it!

#resources #langblr #langblr resources #post-it notes #indigo ink

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coq-courage · 1 year ago

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@lady-de-mon-coeur

Tldr, I'm aware the dialects of Chinese are different, that's not the point

Full rant below because you got me started, feel free to ignore the below

They speak both in Shanghai to the point there's effort to try and save Shanghainese

My point was that she had to be taught the word HELLO which even a non Chinese person would have learned casually when around even ONE Chinese influence (source: I learned that from a TV show when I was ten, Jackie Chan Adventures I think it was. Source: the Spanish version happened to me and others all the time)

It is the most basic of words and I am TIRED of Marinette’s culture being erased from her

To miss out on one of the most basic words of any language has implications

It implies that Marinette was either purposefully and willfully refusing to learn any Chinese since she was a baby

or that Xia Bing (Sabine), who we find out hosts an actual class about her culture and was actively hoping Marinette would show interest, was purposefully DEPRIVING her daughter of any sense of any Chinese culture

Which, I admit, is possible, but it is so unlikely with Xia Bing's characterization thus far that I am simply calling BS on the writer's room and assuming they didn't realize the implications of their decisions, like they have done every time something like this pops up

oh hey!

i finally got to actually watch the Action episode!

in terms of language, it's worse! :D

spoilers below cut

adrien teaches marinette how to say fucking HELLO in mandarin

this implies that her MOTHER never taught her a single word

#ml action #action spoilers #ml salt #ml criticism #specifically of the writer's room

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thevibraniumveterans · 3 years ago

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So I was watching Moon Knight Ep2 tonight, and out of everything that intrigued me, the fact that two characters spoke Chinese stood out to me.

On one hand, I do forgive the fact that neither Ethan Hawke nor Miriam Nyarko knew how to speak Chinese, since their intonations were off and I had to rewind a few times to fully get what they were saying. It does help somehow, that when Steven asks Harrow about him speaking Chinese, Harrow replies that yeah, it’s useful to learn more than one language. While I did not expect the Chinese language to be used in this episode, I had first thought that if those few lines were to be spoken, there should’ve been a speech/dialect coach on set to help with intonations and what not. But then after a while, I thought, perhaps the reason why their intonations were off was because of the in-universe reason of I’m-still-learning rather than the behind the scenes reason of we’re lazy about this. At least they got the sentences right, so I can’t gripe about that.

I was convinced that when Harrow first started speaking in Chinese, he spoke what I thought was Shanghainese (a Chinese dialect of which I understand a few words), and I got confused. He then proceeded to speak in Mandarin.

I put on the following subtitles

And here is what I got for each one. It helps that I’ve also provided an English translation down below.

On the other hand, all it says in the English subtitles is (speaking Mandarin) and I’m like ???

Either way, this could hold quite a bit of information. A background character, Jamila, who despite being a likely cult member of whatever Harrow is doing is unlikely to pop up again, has literally stated point blank to him that he will lose. “You will still lose,” she told him. With a sinister laugh, Harrow replies, “You’re dead [or done for], Jamila, you’re dead.”

How does Jamila know that Harrow will lose? Is she referring to the little game of soccer? Is she referring to something bigger? The fact that Harrow retorts with “You’re done for” is a pretty important thing to take note of. Why does he say that? Does what Jamila says to Harrow, and what he says in return, have a bigger impact on things moving forward? Will the scales judge Jamila to have a heart that’s heavier than the feather? Is something going to happen to her? What’s going to happen to Harrow?

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livingcorner · 3 years ago

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Meteor Garden | Netflix Official Site

Eighteen-year-old Shancai kicks off her first year at Ming De University with misadventures, drawing the ire of popular school heartthrob Daoming Si.

After Shancai turns down his condescending offer, Ah Si deals her friend Qinghe a Joker card. Ah Si and Huaze Lei come to blows over Shancai.

You're reading: Meteor Garden | Netflix Official Site

Shancai sees a different side of Ah Si when he visits her at her family home. In Sanya, she overhears Lei and Tengtang Jing discussing their past.

Shancai’s nosy classmate shows Ah Si a video recording and causes a heated confrontation, turning Ah Si into Shancai’s worst nightmare.

Jing makes a shocking announcement about her career at her 24th birthday celebration. Shancai decides to help reconcile Jing and Lei.

After Shancai loses a card challenge against the F4, she and Ah Si wind up on a date, where an elevator mishap brings them closer.

A photo of Shancai surfaces online, making her the target of public humiliation. Ximen Yan and Feng Meizuo track down the origin of the posting.

Lei returns from France a changed person and confesses to Shancai he’s heartbroken about Jing. Shancai realizes she’s not over Lei.

Ah Si is determined to shut Lei out of the F4. Shancai is deeply moved by Daoming Zhuang’s stories about Ah Si as a child.

A heated game of bridge pits Shancai and Lei against Ah Si and Meizuo, but Ah Si forfeits at the last minute. Shancai’s dad makes a bold career move.

Before going to London, Ah Si makes a scene at Shancai’s workplace. Tian Ye is about to lose his shot at becoming head chef, but Shancai saves the day.

Shancai learns Tian Ye’s real identity. With Ah Si’s encouragement, Shancai joins a culinary competition to win a cash prize and help out her family.

Under Zhuang and Ah Si’s guidance and encouragement, Shancai refines her cooking skills for the competition — but she faces a formidable opponent.

Read more: How to deter cats from your garden

When Shancai panics in the final round, Ah Si gives her motivation to make a Shanghainese dish with a creative touch that impresses the judges.

Business soars at the tea shop, thanks to Lei, Ximen and Meizuo, giving Shancai a chance to holiday in Canada, where she and Ah Si continue to bicker.

Ah Si braves the storm in search of Shancai. Despite their wrongdoing, Shancai comes to Xinhui and Baihe’s aid when they face expulsion from the lodge.

Jing calls Lei with unexpected news. Jealous Ah Si sabotages Shancai’s reunion with friends and scuffles with her old classmate’s brother, Yan Shunping.

Shunping’s ulterior motives come to light. Shancai taunts her abusers, praying that Ah Si doesn’t come to her rescue and put himself in danger.

Shancai arrives at Ah Si’s upper-crust birthday celebration, where an incident pits Ah Si against his mom, who’s keen on humiliating Shancai.

Daoming Feng arranges a date for Ah Si and invites Shancai to watch, but her antics backfire, and prospective match He Yuanzi befriends Shancai.

Ah Si reluctantly agrees to meet with Xiao Zi, but his heart still belongs to Shancai. During an incident at the spa, Lei rushes to Shancai’s aid.

A misunderstanding leads Shancai to believe Ah Si and Xiao Zi are an item. Daoming Feng and Shancai engage in another heated confrontation.

Shancai fulfills her cleaning duties as Ms. Yu lays down the law around the house. Ah Si asks Shancai to give their relationship a chance for one month.

Jiang Xiaoyou’s boyfriend shows his true colors, and Ah Si storms out of the double date in anger. Ximen offers to help Xiaoyou get back at her ex.

To ward off Terence, Zhou Caina calls Meizuo for a date. Arriving home unannounced, Daoming Feng spars with Ms. Yu, who firmly defends Shancai.

Meizuo runs into Terence at Caina’s house. Lei warns Shancai that Daoming Feng will resort to malicious maneuvers to strike at her closest friends.

Daoming Feng leaves Shancai no choice but to cave into her demands. Caina finds the architect her father seeks — and it’s someone she knows.

As Shancai’s whereabouts remain unknown to her friends, Ah Si shuts himself in. Shancai considers a business proposal from her family’s landlord.

When Ye Mingchuan accepts a globe-trotting job offer, Caina faces a dilemma. Lei stumbles upon a video of Shancai selling squid at her bustling stand.

Meizuo confesses his selfless, unrequited love for Caina and urges her to go after Ye Mingchuan. Ah Si confronts Shancai, who gives back his necklace.

Shancai confesses to Ms. Yu her true feelings toward Ah Si. With his violin, Lei makes a public display of his affections for Shancai.

After Ah Si announces he won’t give up on Shancai after all, Lei tests Ah Si’s resolve and asks Shancai to turn off her phone for 48 hours.

Ah Si and Shancai decide to turn over a new leaf. A band of suited men follow Shancai home, and Meizuo suspects they’re linked to Daoming Feng.

Ms. Yu tells Ah Si how Daoming Feng tore apart Zhuang’s love life. Xiaoyou confesses her feelings to Ximen, but he responds with mixed messages.

Read more: The Epic History of Garden Gnomes From Ancient Rome to Today

Despite Ximen’s efforts to keep her at arm’s length, Xiaoyou refuses to give up. Shancai notices someone has rented out the flat next door to her.

Faced with strict surveillance from Daoming Feng’s guards, Ah Si and Shancai come up with various schemes to outwit them, and Zhuang lends a hand.

Ximen opens up to Xiaoyou about the cause of his commitment issues. Zhuang bribes the guards to keep mum about Ah Si’s whereabouts.

Xiaoyou shows Ximen what Xiao Geng once wanted to him to see. Ah Si realizes he and Shancai can’t keep things under wraps for much longer.

Daoming Feng cuts off Ah Si’s bank account access and sends guards after him. Shancai winds up in London in search of Ah Si.

The Daoming family’s fortune rests on a deal with Xiao Zi’s dad, and Ah Si is forced to make a difficult decision about his relationship with Shancai.

After Xiao Zi urges Ah Si to get in touch with Shancai, the couple spend a bittersweet day together in London before bidding each other farewell.

As Daoming Feng scrambles to track down the abductors, Shancai and Ah Si find themselves on a deserted island — and at the center of a friendly ruse.

Ah Si wakes up in the hospital, claiming to have no memory of Shancai. Shancai’s mom begins to doubt her daughter’s relationship with Ah Si.

Xiaoyou asks Ximen to give a workshop to the students at her tea society, only to discover that Geng Yifen is Xiao Geng from Ximen’s past.

Ah Si pops the question at a wonton shop, but Shancai’s mom advises him to obtain Daoming Feng’s permission before proceeding any further.

Ximen tries to pull off a special surprise on his first official date with Xiaoyou. Daoming Feng’s sleight of hand jeopardizes the engagement.

Xiao Zi asks Shancai to convince Ah Si to give up his hunger strike. Ximen, Meizuo and Lei recall Ah Si’s secret business plan for the Daoming Group.

Xiao Zi announces her final decision regarding her marriage to Ah Si. The Daoming Group draws funding from investors, thanks to Ah Si’s business plan.

Meizuo, Ximen and Lei present themselves to Shancai as potential grooms, but it turns out to be a ploy — and Ah Si makes a surprise appearance.

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

source https://livingcorner.com.au/meteor-garden-netflix-official-site/

#livingcornernews

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rayliur · 5 years ago

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Little Fires Everywhere; Everything I Never Told You

“To say that Celeste Ng’s novels have changed my life is an understatement; her works have saved my life.”

by Ray Liu

Follow me on Twitter for more: https://twitter.com/rayliur

No, I’m not being dramatic. They really did.

I first discovered Miss Celeste Ng through Twitter. I believe one of my friends had retweeted her and her tweet made it to my feed. At the time, I wasn’t an avid reader; I barely picked up a book (and this was in 2016). Fast-forward three years, Ng had inspired me--through her two amazing novels--to write my own novel. But my novel isn’t the focus of this blog post.

See, my whole life as an Asian American was atypically strange. I thought it was just me, an individual who didn’t know how to navigate through life. Somewhere inside me longed to see someone--a successful someone--who represented me in this country. I was born in Manhattan, lived in Brooklyn throughout my childhood and early adulthood, and only recently moved to Queens. But I was born here. In America.

But I never read a single book in all my twelve years of school that was written by an Asian American. And as a Chinese-American boy in his teens, I thought that I could never write a book or even be part of the English/literary realm--because no one would want to listen to my stories. Because I am Chinese.

Of course, after high school, and during my journey of self-discovery, I came across works like Joy Luck Club ... that was it. So scratch off that s after “work.” Just work. I was young at the time, so that was not a book I paid attention to or spent time trying to read it or understand it.

There just wasn’t enough authors who looked like me or understood stories like mine.

Over the years, I’ve dealt with issues--personal issues. And they all stemmed from my oddly dysfunctional family. I’ve tried so many ways to express my feelings toward them and about them, but none of them worked. At least not to the extent I thought they would. And I couldn’t just tell them how I felt at the time because, in Chinese households, you just don’t talk about feelings. In fact, therapy is taboo. I screamed inside every day and night--they just didn’t understand what I was going through; that my identity here in this country felt diminished, on the brink of disappearing.

To say that I never thought about death is a lie.

Then I came across Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng.

“Ng,” I thought. “Interesting. An Asian-American author. Wow.”

It was at the Amazon Bookstore on 34th that I picked up the book. I was so excited. I had heard of Celeste Ng on Twitter, but never put two and two together until I googled her on my phone that day at the bookstore, and sure enough her bio popped up, including her Twitter page which I had already followed. I read the back cover. “Death!” I was immediately hooked.

The book opens with Lydia, who is dead. It’s not even a spoiler, because the whole story surrounds this incident--how Lydia’s family deals with her death and how her death reveals all the secrets that, in time, consume the family until everything falls apart. The title is elegantly designed. The choice of “I” instead of “She” or “They” had me thinking about the overarching frame of the novel. “I” applies to every character--not just one. Soon, I was swept into the seventies, where Ng takes me through a conservative society that frowned upon interracial couples, marriages, and relationships.

The first scene in this novel that stood out to me--made me rage and cry in joy--is the pool scene where Nathan (the oldest son) is bullied by white kids in a game of Marco Polo. “Chink can’t find China,” says one of the white kids at the pool (Ng 90). Ng unapologetically exposes racism in her novel by using Nathan as a target for these bleach-blond, ignorant white kids. I was Nathan. I had been in his shoes and reading this scene made me cry--not because it triggered horrific memories, but because I’ve finally found an author who gets it--who isn’t afraid to tell the whole truth, raw and with zero sugar coating.

Then there was the theme of death and suicide. Just to be clear, I’ve only thought about death--never did I ever try to harm myself in any way. Just like Lydia. SPOILER ALERT! Skip this paragraph if you haven’t read this book and are planning to read it in the near future. Lydia hates her life; she was always the quiet girl who got good grades (the stereotypical Asian) simply because she was afraid her mother would run away from her family, again. Of course, Lydia had nothing to do with Marilyn leaving. Needless to say, Lydia’s parents really fucked her up, mentally. Relatable? Fuck yes! Reading proses and passages from Lydia’s POV felt so real to me, like I had somehow channeled myself into her head. At the end, when she decides to challenge herself--rowing herself out to the middle of the lake--by swimming back ashore, she gave me hope. That, shit happens but you just have to choose to live and know that things will get better. Lydia dies of course, because she couldn’t swim and thinking you can swim is very different from knowing you can swim.

Not only does Ng break stereotypes in this novel, she bends the old narrative of Chinese Americans in the U.S. and points the fingers back at trashy white folks--all the while doing it with grace and perfection.

Little Fires Everywhere, however, had little takes on the Asian narrative. But that doesn’t mean she didn’t make a powerful statement through the lens of Asian Americans and racism toward Asian Americans. I’ll get to that very soon. This novel opens up with the Richardsons’ house burning down. And yes, this story focuses on a (presumably) white family--very privileged and very perfect in white standards. It takes place in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a town that was built on order and strict city-community planning. The streets are always clean and the color of houses all share one Home Depot swatch palette. Then comes the wild card character Mia Warren with her young daughter Pearl. Ng doesn’t specify Mia and Pearl’s race or ethnicity--but photos of the cast had been released by Hulu (due to the novel being picked up as an original series on the platform--congrats, Celeste!)--and I believe Kerry Washington is going to play Mia. With that little tidbit in my head, I read through the novel picturing Mia Warren as a black woman with a mixed-race daughter. It’s a great dynamic, actually. Mia inadvertently becomes the mirror that reflects all of Mrs. Richardson’s (and her family’s) pretentiousness and overly saturated life. That’s the synopsis.

SPOILER ALERT (again)! Skip this paragraph if you wish to read this book in the near future. Like I said earlier, there’s an Asian-American component to this novel. While drama ensues between the Richardsons and the Warrens, a subplot underlines the novel. Bebe Chow, a Chinese woman from Hong Kong (I believe it was HK), abandons her few-month-old child May Ling in front of a fire station. The city claims the orphan and hands her over to the McCulloughs, who could not have children because of infertility. Bebe puts her life back together again and decides she wants May Ling back--who now goes by Mirabelle, a white name given to her by a white family. Toward the end of the novel, a large chunk of it is dedicated to the court case that decided May Ling’s fate: to go with the McCulloughs or be returned to her biological mother. During that legal battle, Ed Lim comes in (Bebe’s attorney). Ed Lim is my favorite character, so my review here is clearly a little biased. Ng creates Ed Lim to be someone who breaks the stereotype of Asian men. Ed Lim is “six feet” tall, “lean and rangy” (Ng 258). Wow. Ng is a literary god. As Bebe’s attorney, Ed’s job is to win the case of course. He questions Mrs. McCullough regarding how she plans to raise a Chinese baby girl. McCullough replies that she would learn Chinese herself: but she doesn’t even know the difference between the variety of Chinese dialects (Shanghainese, Toisan, Mandarin, just to name a few). Then, McCullough shoots herself in the foot by telling him that she buys Mirabelle a lot of toys--namely a teddy bear. Oh, no--not just any bear. Because Mirabelle is Chinese, McCullough got her Chinese baby a fucking panda bear. I laughed so hard at this point. Ng is a genius. But what’s most important and to be taken seriously in this scene is when Ed Lim asks if Mirabelle has any dolls, you know, because most girls in the nineties had wanted to play with Barbie dolls. McCullough, confident and chest-puffed, answers him. “We buy her dolls ... one of them closes her eyes when you lay her down...” (Ng 261). This was when I knew exactly where Ng is going with this: the eyes. Ed Lim asks McCullough what the color of that doll’s eyes is and she says, “Blue” (Ng 261). He proceeds to lecture her, telling her that the Barbie company does not manufacture Chinese or Asian dolls. There is no doll that represents May Ling. Ah, America. Fucking up children of color since 1776. And Mirabelle would lose touch with her heritage as she grows older. A young impressionable girl without any understanding (real understanding) of her identity is dangerous. Just when I thought Ng was planning on drilling through her novel with the focus on a white and black family, she crashes through the fabric of her story with THIS! Only a true legend and storytelling extraordinaire can do things like this.

In conclusion, Celeste Ng is my hero. Her powerful proses articulate the issues of racism and cultural stereotypes in America, and the [inner] human psyche--all through the telling of interpersonal and small-scale stories--that majorly impacts the world we live in.

I hope you all get a chance to read both of her books. I would definitely recommend starting with Everything I Never Told You. I love her writing style in both novels. The debut novel interchanges between past- and present-tenses, which is refreshing. And Little Fires Everywhere is written in all past-tense, which helps the reader focus more on the story.

So like I said. These books saved my life. Ng gave me relatable characters that I absolutely cannot find elsewhere and plots that had me white-knuckle through both books. I truly hope that schools across the country add at least one of her works into their curriculum because it is THAT IMPORTANT.

Below is an excerpt from Little Fires that I tweeted earlier. It’s pretty self-explanatory. It entirely captured my current situation with my familial issues. And thank you Penguin Books for retweeting it!

(p. 294, 2019 ed.)

(From Twitter)

Thank you, Celeste! Thank you, Penguin, for picking up her works to publish.

Thank you for reading my thoughts on these two works.

Now, off I go, back to writing my own novel.

Ray

#celeste ng #little fires everywhere #everything i never told you #penguin books #asian american #chinese american

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victorl0 · 3 years ago

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davidjjohnston3 · 3 years ago

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/ first love / things of first love / looking on my parents as my first love / who looked on me as her first love / (but) "My Greatest Love' / commitment to truth about love / minjung theology / "total christology" - / returning love to the first love and greatest love (john 3:16) / "The Roommate" - Westfield (NJ) Snow - the Kim brothers - Trader Joe's - Zegna shirtmaker(?) - Tracy Espiritu - "The Faces on the Heights" (2008) - from social media, my governor's school friends, Mona (Monna?) Yao I never met, who made Chingwen stop hating Shanghainese, ECE girl from RU GSE (Graduate School of Education not Governor's School of Environment) - very black eyes - She wanted to buy the Minnie Mouse dress from the Disney Store - Jessie Lee, he drinks a diet coke then goes running - "California" is a frisbee play I thought only I know - Jessie wanted to be my friend or so b/c my brother is excellent - "That play is called California [dumb----] - Always California is a Law School Discussion person whose essay I told her what she meant / where she was going with her past-future but nowadays Millennials etc. can actually form a face-intent without finding themselves first and go forward forever instead of "whatever shrapnel in my back pocket could afford" or people who try to base their plans on available resources instead of aiming then looking for resources / materials. Jessie told Lydia Han "Take care of yourself" - She was playing DDR at Fusion Ti and not talking to me - I don't remember her last words to me - They were making noodles in Edison - / what did i ever do that was not writing about my friends / alden's vanilla bean ice cream (maria / change mind), 2 everything bagels davidovich, earlier a few ginger coconut candies from h-mart but made in china, coconut oil for brain, MiO energy thing Acai Berry and Ginseng, earlier 8th continent soy milk thing, almond silk, spanish mixed nuts, 7 almonds (obama?) - i had more - avocado butter - drinking canola oil - californian olive oil burns - i have a cold sore - i can't have canned tomatoes anymore - 183 pounds AHC "All His Children" / my password used to be for tassadaromega... canisexmachina... then I changed to impluveam impluveam11 impluveam11et - jaeyoung's son "fullness" - a glass of white wine at centraal the full measure of god's spirit (sauvignon) - mushroom soup i didn't touch - Why did I not follow through on what was demanded not to talk a word with him - the beginning of "Stepfather" - It is clean at the Food Court at Mayfair Mall - I feel powerless and pure - I will read the paper with you and explain why you should not take "Parasite" as a Gospel message about what has to happen, or... but it is easy for me to promise 'strong benevolence' is better than immediate economic justice or - In my first dream of "Searching For Towards the Eastern Empire" "lily Sarah" moved with her baby wrapped swaddled in light dove gray right to left through the woods to the field / meadow, in a cool spring or so, now past a frozen lake through the colors of "Elizabeth's Nightgown" or the summer colors of 2012 2021 left to right, the whole procession, carrying lanterns too, a bit like Caspar David Friedrich colors and a bit like that frozen lake out in the suburbs of Madison where Nikki called me and the phone vibrated on my heart to tell me Chi Hye tried to call me on Valentine's Day night - I called her - I forget - someone's phone ran out of batteries - the next day we got (?) at (?) Japanese "I really want to eat rice" - and a bit like "Fantasia Night on Bald Mountain" - the procession of the Saints with the lanterns, "we all of us." The rainy cliff, the Korean refugees(?). The image from "The Admiral" where the civilians flag Yi Sunshin from the cliffside shore. In my 645 rendition they are walking, the notes are like babies on their heads. But the image of the peasants signalling to YSS in another vision are chained together and being gatling gunned which is why I say some people want to kill all Koreans. Maybe it is because of that short from Apocalypse Now or maybe it is because of and why I named Segalchik "Danilov" from "Enemy at the Gates" the Commissar who wants to build a new world and man and whose dying words are "There will always be rich in love and poor in love," then allowed Koenig to shoot him in the head to draw him out for his "teacher only friend" because I guess enemies are enemies and friends are friends and Russians are loyal, even in failure, like how Nabokov synaesthete said "loyal is like a gold fork," and Putin doesn't forgive traitors. Putin reminds me of Houellebecq's voice from the end of Particulaires "This book is dedicated to the human race who saw beyond themselves" - as and with the poem from the beginning, "Now that we dwell in the eternal afternoon we can revisit the end of the old world order" - and in the end "the medieval grace and sin" - "ontology of states not space" - I still remember the bruised skin on the cover, which would come from limited beatings or a certain kind of holding sex - My favorite Houellecq poem is "Liquid Birth" from "Art of Struggle" - "This world has never been written of" - It makes me cry like thinking about Kendi's beauty - "It's there, at least possible." - What's Macron up to - He married his teacher(?) - "My thoughts are too complicated" - Putin's too - Russian elementary piano teachers hold the student's hand and split the fingers for toward cantabile - I learned the Goldbergs and the only book I'll touch anymore is Kempff's organ transcriptions with his precise description of pedaling like a certain kind of chapel organ - "Kempff played better than he could (Liszt's Saint Francis preaching to the birds) - and when he played "Berceuse" in 1946 it's like saying to Germany "Dream for a while" defeated in WW2 - He lived to be 95 - father-like. Wilhelm Kempff is "saenggi(?)" - "Oh [Dave]." He doesn't try to give, or make. He just "says." Like "the wave said what the sea broken once laboriously spoken." That's why I say he's the best; he's one of the best pianists ever. "Sospiro" final fioritura - I wrote "sospira" where the piano-teacher is mandatorily retired and euthanised after his best student - Arrau said relax use your soul - I drove through Indiana corn fields listening to his "Emperor Concerto" 1st movement - "Beethoven America power" - but Kempff does'nt rely on his own soul, he "waits for the Spirit of God" or "waits on the Lord' - "asks the sky." This is why I like Stritch University Francis statue with the birds as well and Francis PP. St Francis of Assisi from whom Michelangeli claimed to be descended and I bought Michelangeli's op 111 DVD at Seoul Arts Center at the Liszt Society concert actually married his secretary in secret or something and "loaded" pieces whereas Kempff loaded nothing, ABM offered to teach Martha Argerich who is my favorite Andante Spianato like Josephine Park but I don't think she took him up on it, he smoked, he practiced at night, his head exploded(?), he died in Lugano. A pianist is a pianist (not a brand, franchise, go into teaching). Jenny / Jaein said I want to be a pianist. My first "Lullaby" was Idil Biret, IDK if the clock motif left hand is 1 2 3 4 5 6 or 1 2 3 4 5 (). A steady lake lapping, not a clock. In "Being Kim Poor" Krystal Jung fell asleep in the rowboat on the lake in Switzerland after the wedding in the chateau and trying to eat / hang out with the caterers. KP is an ex-soldier, her bodyguard, his friend is a Southerner like those Blackwater / Academi types who got rich quitting SF gov't to do contracting but Paul / Poor won't really. I thought about Sunny something something cyber stalkers in Whitefish Bay walking up the hill where I also listened to Fifth Season SSWFL later and in the neighborhood of the Obergefell blackout. "Free firewood" a chopped-up desk - am I an "afterburner" for having a desk and "free."

The original love-truth-faith-promise. The Minjung Theology book is "whiteness-words," holiness.

I feel like I almost arrived all in one piece for a while. I put on my white shirt. I weighed 160(?). The caseworker said she couldn't imagine me another weight. Pop was writing letters to the caseworker. I recommended "Whisper of the Heart" to for her son.

Now I feel like Hananim / God will let 300 saints die young so one sinner can be saved. "I was born in 1970" - I thought she meant "I became an angel in 1970" maybe.

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rfung8 · 3 years ago

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Finally tried the last of the trifecta featured in SF Chronicle’s article about Taiwanese food: fan tuan! . Fan tuan or sticky rice rolls are a breakfast food I grew up loving . It’s hard to find in the Bay Area and even harder to find done well . It’s one reason pop-up spots have been popular in the Bay Area to fill the niche . I stopped by Xiaoman Riceburrito to pick up their version at their ghost kitchen in San Jose . Their unique take has purple rice (like SoCal’s Huge Tree Pastry) and a very crispy Chinese donut but also has a braised egg (I’ve never seen before in fan tuan) . When I lived for a short period in Shanghai, I subsisted on dumplings and ci fan (the Shanghainese version of sticky rice rolls) and had only plain rice rolls because of the language barrier and because that’s what I saw many locals order . It wasn’t until I had a fluent translator that I realized they offered all the fillings including my favorite pork floss and pickled vegetables . Xiaoman’s version is solid although smaller than I expected and the rice is not as chewy (due to the sushi rice addition probably) and the Chinese donut is crunchier than I’m used to. I’m undecided on the braised egg though flavors are excellent . 📷 Original Purple Riceburrito $7.99 ~ 非基改紫米混加州壽司米 / Purple Rice (non-based reformed) & Sushi Rice 美國在地製造肉鬆 / Pork Floss (U.S. made), 台灣進口酸菜 / Sauerkraut (Taiwan imported), 台灣進口菜脯 / Pickled Radish (Taiwan imported), 香酥油條 / Shortbread Fritter (deep-fried breadstick), 特製滷蛋 / Braised Egg (marinated with soy sauce & Cajun seasoning) / Original Riceburrito ~ $6.99 ~ • / Sushi Rice & Glutinous Rice, Pork Floss (U.S. made), Sauerkraut (Taiwan imported), Pickled Radish (Taiwan imported), Shortbread Fritter (deep-fried breadstick), Braised Egg (marinated with soy sauce & Cajun seasoning) / Soymilk $4.50 ~ Soymilk, Non-GMO soybean, (30%) / Less Sweet (30% Sweetness) . 📍Xiaoman Riceburrito SV (San Jose, CA) . #instafood #foodstagram #yelpbayarea #yelpsiliconvalley #taiwanesefood #chinesefood #breakfastfood #sjeats #eatersf #topcitybites #sffoodie #foodie #nomnom #feedfeed #eeeeeats #foodpics #eeeeeats #foodgasm #dailyfoodfeed #foodphotography https://www.instagram.com/p/CS2qt_bvwDS/?utm_medium=tumblr

#instafood #foodstagram #yelpbayarea #yelpsiliconvalley #taiwanesefood #chinesefood #breakfastfood #sjeats #eatersf #topcitybites #sffoodie #foodie #nomnom #feedfeed #eeeeeats #foodpics #foodgasm #dailyfoodfeed #foodphotography

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correspondances-chan · 2 years ago

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Corresponding

#pop music #shanghainese #1950s music #1960s music #Chinese female singer

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kpopfanfictrash · 7 years ago

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GOT7 Introduction Post

ALRIGHT. You requested, I have written! In honor of the upcoming THOT7 comeback - may our souls be stolen and wallets be emptied.

Member by Member introduction, from oldest to youngest.

Mark Tuan, stage name: Mark. ‘93 line, rapper. Also in charge of acrobatics / fly boy stunts. From LA, USA. Quiet, very intelligent. ISTJ personality. The only one who can pull the hyung card on Jaebum and BOY, WHEN HE DOES. Sometimes pegged as the ‘bad boy’ but lol. Mark’s laugh cures evil and creates butterflies. Deep ass rap, will make you shake in your boots. I know you want me, so stop fronting.

Im Jaebum, stage name: JB. ‘94 line, vocal and leader. Korean. Also writes / releases music under Def (used to be Def Soul, soundcloud here). A tsundere hoe, to quote myself. INFJ personality. Very intelligent, typically takes a more subdued role in the group but DAMN, MEMEBUM. Don’t let the rude exterior fool you, Jaebum is a straight up meme. There are hours of footage on Youtube to prove it. Owns like, a billion cats and they all sleep in his room. OG cat is Nora.

Jackson Wang, stage name: Jackson. (Chinese name, Wang Jia Er). From Hong Kong, China. ‘94 line, rapper. ENFJ personality. Was a nationally ranked / world class fencer until he was 17. Convinced his parents to let him audition for JYP, moved to Korea and followed his dreams of music. Speaks English, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese and Shanghainese. Jackson is pure sunshine in addition to being the most extra variety star in existence. Will do a forward flip every chance he can. Is a gigantic mama’s boy. Would never hurt a fly.

Park Jinyoung, stage name: Jinyoung (IF YOU CALL HIM JR OR JUNIOR, HE WILL FITE U). ‘94 line, vocal and dancer. ISFJ personality. Korean. Before debuting as part of GOT7, debuted in a duo with Jaebum called JJ Project. Tied with Jaebum for first place at 2009 JYP auditions. Has melodious, beautiful falsetto. Is an actor, appeared in multiple web dramas and was the young main for Legend of the Blue Sea, in addition to the lead in the independent film, Nunbal. Writes fucking bops. Is basically good at everything, the boy to bring home to your parents. Also the man who may take over the world. Idk. I’m not biased.

Choi Youngjae, stage name: Youngjae. ‘96 line, main vocal. ISFJ personality. Korean. Only trained for 7 months before debut, POWERHOUSE vocal. Composes under the name of Ars. Often compared to an otter bc SMILEY and ADORABLE and just actual sunshine. Anyone who hurts Youngjae answers to Jaebum. Hates cucumbers. Co-owns a puppy named Coco with Mark. Constantly damaging Jackson’s hearing with his yelling.

Bambam, stage name: Bambam. ‘97 line, rapper. ESTJ personality. From Thailand, trained with JYP for three and a half years. Legal Thai name is Kunpimook Bhuwakul but is rarely used except in legal circumstances. Bambam is his name lol. ANYWAYS. Bambam has rapidly switched from adorable maknae line to fly-ass fashion mogul. Loves memes, all things pop culture and fashion. Speaks Thai, Korean and English. Loves to interact with fans, especially through Twitter. Constantly calling fans girlfriends at fanmeets, WILL DAB WHENEVER HE WANTS TO DAB.

Kim Yugyeom, stage name: Yugyeom. ‘97 line, singer and main dancer. INFP personality. Korean. Maknae. Main dancer in GOT7, performed twice on Hit the Stage and won first place the second time. Like Bambam, has transformed from adorable maknae to champion of sexy dance. Yugyeom is coming for us all. Is quiet and sweet but also loves to troll hyung line. Specifically Jinyoung and Jaebum. Is the biggest JJ Project fan in the world. One day, Jinyoung might actually kill him.

MORE UNDER THE CUT.

So. Eras.

Their debut single was 2014 with Girls, Girls, Girls. As you can tell, the styling is excellent. Jackson’s small piece of hair popping out of his hat is a personal fave. Thus introduced the boys to the scene though (BONUS POINTS if you spot all the future Twice members LOL)

Next GOT7 released A, which is one of my personal favorites. Yes, that is Sana. LOL ALSO THE DANCE PRACTICES FOR A ARE ADORABLE. This has been a PSA.

GOT7′s first full album, Identify was released at the end of the year with a lead single Stop, Stop It. Otherwise known as those minions outfits. This song will get stuck in your head. THIS ALBUM IS A BOP, THO. Girl Magnetic and Moonlight are two personal favorites.

The next summer GOT7 came back with Just Right. Actually, this is GOT7′s most watched MV on YouTube. It was also featured in the Try Guys (Buzzfeed) watch Kpop video. Famous quotes to know about JB: “While this guy doesn’t look like my wife, he makes me feel the way that my wife makes me feel.” Truth, Ned.

That fall, GOT7 came back with If You Do, a darker concept. Just... watch every single live stage of this. You won’t regret it. Here’s a favorite, though. In December of that year, the released yet ANOTHER EP, which included the holiday single - Confession Song. EVERYDAY from this album is amazing, thank you JB.

In March of 2016, GOT7 came back with the Flight Log Trilogy (Departure, Turbulence and Arrival). The first album, Departure was released in March. The lead single was Fly, and it was bomb af. That’s just fact. The dance practice for this was also freaking adorable. Fave tracks from this album of mine are Can’t by PARK JINYOUNG. Also Rewind.

That fall, GOT7 came back with Turbulence. The lead single for this was Hard Carry, a heavier beat than previous GOT7 songs. Crazy dance, prompted much concern by fans that Jinyoung died in the MV. Favorite songs of mine here are Prove it, Mayday, No Jam and Who’s That.

The next spring, 2017 GOT7 completed their Flight Log Trilogy with Flight Log: Arrival. The lead single for this was Never Ever. Favorite songs are Paradise, Q.

THEN JJ PROJECT CAME BACK. SUMMER 2017, FIVE YEARS AFTER THEIR FIRST EP. Jinyoung and Jaebum teamed up yet again to put out a beautiful album called Verse 2. If you haven’t listened yet, save yourself. Go listen now. The title track was Tomorrow Today, and it was amazing. Truly.

Now GOT7 are coming back once more - GET READY FOR FOR 7FOR7

FAVORITE FANCAMS / PERFORMANCES

My personal fave is this Jinyoung fancam of Can’t. Bless yourself.

Jaebum is also a favorite performer lol bc when JB dances, he dances for JB. This performance of Who’s Your Mama? is excellent, as is this mix. So is this performance of Honey.

The cover of SHINHWA’s This Love is truly amazing. (JB was hurt at this time and couldn’t perform.)

Never forget baby GOT7 performing I Was Made for Dancing for an audience of middle aged women. LOOK HOW HAPPY THEY ARE.

Also the time they collaborated with BTS at the MAMAs.

All the performances of Q (side single to Never Ever) are adorable.

GAH, okay. That should start you off.

Variety. Holy shit. Okay, so GOT7 are kings of variety. Honestly, it’s why I adore them so much. Watch their YouTube shows, it’s GOT7 Canon.

Real GOT7 season 1 / Real GOT7 season 2 / Real GOT7 season 3 / Real GOT7 season 4

GOT7 Hard Carry, from the fall of 2016 is also excellent.

GOT7 has a truly awe-inspiring mini-drama series called Dream Knight, available on Netflix. I highly suggest you start with this. And then stare at your screen for several days in confusion.

JB and Jinyoung have a reality series from their days as JJ Project called JJP Diaries, here.

ALL OF THE WEEKLY IDOL EPISODES ARE HILARIOUS AF. First appearance - 2014. Second appearance - 2015. Third appearance (multi-group) - 2016. Fourth appearance - 2016. Fifth appearance - 2017. Er, it’s entirely possible I left some off. Oh, well. You’ll find them. LOL

Also watch all of their ASC episodes. It’s pure chaos.

OKAY. THAT’S ENOUGH FOR NOW *falls down on the floor*

... here is a compilation of jinyoung being savage. here is jaebum being a meme for the duration of an entire interview in japan. here is bambam, king of girl group dances.

OKAY, NOW I AM REALLY DONE.

#GOT7 #got7 introduction #got7 info #jaebum #jinyoung #jackson wang #mark tuan #youngjae #yugyeom #bambam

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wisepowderposts · 4 years ago

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SHANGHAI TASTE SPECIALIZES IN TRADITIONAL SOUP DUMPLINGS

Since opening in January, Shanghai Taste has quickly become one of the most popular spots in Chinatown, with many diners gushing about the eatery’s marquee dish, xiao long bao.To get more news about shanghai Chinese cuisine, you can visit shine news official website. The handmade soup dumplings feature pork meatballs and savory broth ($10) sealed inside delicate dumpling wrappers. (A crab version costs $14.) Some technique is required to eat them. The advice here: Place a single dumpling in a soup spoon, bite a small opening at the top, then slowly slurp up the broth (but be careful—it’s hot!). Then grab the nibbled dumpling with chopsticks and pop it in your mouth. It’s a satisfying bite that you’ll quickly want to replicate. Luckily, each order comes with eight delightful packets, so you’ll get plenty of practice. Located in Shanghai Plaza, Shanghai Taste is the creation of Jimmy Li and Joe Muscaglione, restaurateurs who drew fervent fans at their previous Vegas venture, the now-shuttered Niu-Gu. In their new enterprise, the business partners continue to plate some of the finest Chinese cuisine in town.Sheng jian ($8), the pan-fried version of xiao long bao, available in shrimp, mahi-mahi and veggie styles, is another highlight. Demo windows give guests a look at how the dumplings are assembled, an involved process that displays an impressive level of dexterity. Other Shanghainese specialties include appetizers like scallion pancakes ($4) and stacks of sweet-and-sour pork ribs ($8). (It’s worth noting that the ribs are prepared the traditional Shanghainese way, meaning they’re served at room temperature.) Noodles are a big draw, too, like the spicy Shanghai beef soup with abundant cabbage ($13) and the pan-fried fat noodles ($13), served in mushroom, chicken, pork or beef versions, plus a shrimp upgrade. The delectably lacquered thick strings are enhanced with fragrant Shaoxing wine—a fermented rice beverage—and first-timers expecting overtly umami soy notes might be surprised by the entree’s piquant, vinegar-forward flavor profile.  They’re excellent introductions to Shanghai Taste, where even more wonders—like cold-sliced ox tongue ($8), steamed wheat gluten ($7), braised duck ($13) and sausage-and-greens fried rice ($11)—await.

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chronicfangirling · 7 years ago

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Crystal Snow (Hoseok ver.) - Heart Crystal

Pairing: Hoseok x OC Genre: Romance, encounters with beautiful idols, impromptu dates, Christmas kisses--no mistletoe necessary, koi no yokan, love and its possibilities Words: 2499 Summary: Taking a flight to Shanghai as a chance passenger and risking deportation to attend an unlicensed party for the sake of dancing with one Jung Hoseok? Totally worth it.

Crystal Snow (Christmas with hyung line) Seokjin ver. | Yoongi ver. | Hoseok ver. | Namjoon ver.

(2017 December 24)

"I can't believe you let Kim Seokjin go to that ice princess! You know how the Shanghainese would say his name? 'Zhen'--for treasure--meaning you let the grand prize slip out of your hands."

"Nuh-uh!" Hyejoon wagged a finger at her supervisor's face then traipsed down the street, ahead of their group. "Seokjin-oppa was meant to go with her, and I'm meant to come here. He may be a prince, but he's not my prince. My grand prize is out there somewhere, I can feel it."

Ducking into the dark maze of back alleys after Hyejoon, her long-suffering supervisor winced. "Is that why we're heading to that unlicensed night club with a bunch of teens instead of celebrating like proper adults?"

"I guess I'm just nostalgic..." Hyejoon mused. "You know, when I was in school, I once went to this rave--"

"And it was dispersed by the police and you were nearly booked as a juvenile delinquent, but some dude saved you." Her supervisor sighed. "You've told this story many times."

"It's my favorite story after all," she giggled.

The rest of her co-workers all sighed as well, saying that she should've gotten rid of all her rebellious impulses as a child, rather than drag them into a dodgy party in Shanghai and get them all deported. Hyejoon imagined that flight attendants always had such wild adventures on their trips, but they were ground staff after all... still, she wanted to do something crazy for Christmas Eve 2017. She waved her phone containing alert of the party--she just had a good feeling about it.

When they finally found the place, it was at the height of an impromptu couple dance contest. Hyejoon clapped for the current performer, but her hands went still and silent when she caught sight of the man across the dance floor. Bopping his head to the song, even his little graceful gestures seemed timed to the beat. The dance ended with an insane death drop, and he smiled in appreciation--not even the bucket hat obscuring his face could hide the radiance of that smile... like a ray of sunshine in the dim club.

"Hey, want to dare me to enter the contest with that guy?" Hyejoon suggested.

Her supervisor goggled at her. "Umm, no--"

"Well, if you insist!" She fluffed up her hair, free of its usual work-regulation bun for once, and checked that her sequined dress clung at all the right places before she sashayed towards him.

"We totally didn't!" her coworkers yelled after her.

Slipping past the next couple taking their places on the dance floor, Hyejoon smirked at them over her shoulder. "I'm not someone who'll ever back down of a challenge!"

She reached the man, belatedly noticing that he was surrounded by a bunch of suited companions. He himself wore sweater and jeans for a more casual look--but she could tell that they were rather expensive. "Hi!" Waving with both hands and bowing at the same time, Hyejoon greeted the man.

"Oh, hello!" he replied. Up close, he was almost literally shining--beyond his good looks, it was his bright aura that attracted her, like a moth to a flame.

I think I know now... why I ended up here in Shanghai.

"Why don't you enter the contest with me?" she asked.

He tugged the bucket hat lower on his head. "I don't know..."

"Oh, come on!" She winked. "Don't worry so much about it, I won't bring you down."

His companions snickered about him being popular anywhere, and he shushed them before turning back to her. "Uh... I'd much rather just watch right now."

"Aww, but--" Hyejoon patted his hand and he snatched it away. He was slouching in his seat now, as if in hiding, and she realized now that his demurring wasn't out of hesitation, but an actual rejection. "Oh... okay. I'm so sorry. I just... thought there would be good results if the two of us worked at it together." She forced herself to simper cheerfully as she bowed in apology and tiptoed on the edge of the dance floor to rejoin her coworkers.

But they were nowhere to be found in their previous spot, and a couple more performances passed before they tottered back to her, red-cheeked and giddy. Clearly, they each had a shot--or five--to loosen up. "Where were you?" She pouted, unhappy that she was now the only sober one.

"We got some liquid courage for you, crazy girl, not that you need it!" Her supervisor pushed two cocktails in her hands. "And we told the DJ to play that song you're always dancing to."

Hyejoon choked on her drink. "Wait, what? But I'm not dancing--"

To her chagrin, the host was already announcing her as the final entry: "Kim Hyejoon and her partner!"

Sufficiently buzzed, her coworkers whooped and tossed her out into the dance floor. The crowd cheered--then groaned when she attempted to leave, motioning to the glasses still in her hands. Someone relieved her of her drinks and shoved her out again.

The first strains of 'If you leave' floated from the speakers and Hyejoon gawked at the crowd, which was first hushed, then grumbling in discontent as she remained frozen. One partygoer booed and while she was still mentally debating fight versus flight, someone tugged at her hand.

She gasped and found herself pressed against the chest of the shining young man from earlier. "There will be good results if we work at it together." He gave her a small smile as her eyes widened; in shock, in realization, then in hope. He nodded at her. "Ready?"

He twirled her into place beside him, and Hyejoon surrendered to muscle memory to take her to the correct stance. They danced in unison, with the exact same moves, as if they had practiced together hundreds of times before. She let the music take her over, arms popping and feet sliding across the floor. Her partner danced at a level far above hers, but she didn't let that worry her, and enjoyed moving to the rhythm.

The song wound down, and instead of moving to the last stance, he took her hand again--she had felt it coming and was ready for him, and half-dipped, supported by his arms. The crowd went wild but they hardly heard it as they beamed at each other, basking in the rush of the dance.

The host stopped them from leaving and called back all the other couples. Despite the enthusiastic response to their dance, the death drop couple took the win.

"It's okay, Hyejoon, you did great!" her coworkers cheered. "You too, Hyejoon's partner! You were awesome!"

The host distributed participation prizes for all the ladies. Excited, Hyejoon opened the little red velvet box and found a pair of earrings, adorned with heart-shaped crystals. "How pretty!" she exclaimed. Grinning coyly at her partner, she leaned close enough for him to breathe in her perfume. "Could you put it on for me?"

He didn't respond to her blatant flirting, but he took the earrings and carefully put them on her ears, not poking her unnecessarily even once.

Hyejoon tilted her head, feeling the crystals swinging. "How do they look?"

Her partner's smile evaporated and he winced. "Sorry..."

She cringed. "Oh no, does it look that bad?"

"No, you're pretty," he clarified. "But you only got the consolation prize because of me."

"Nuh-uh. I wasn't sure earlier but..." She gripped the rim of his bucket hat, giving him a chance to protest, before pulling it off to fully reveal his handsome face. "You're Jung Hoseok. I'm right, right?"

"Uh, yeah." Seemingly bashful, he scratched at the nape of his neck. "How...?"

"I'd know those moves anywhere--bursting with power but flowing seamlessly." she gushed. In a quieter voice, she revealed: "I've always wanted to dance with you."

"I see," he chuckled.

"And I did. You--" She tapped his chest, right upon his heart. "--are my grand prize." She gazed into his eyes, wondering if she had enough courage left over to kiss him, but her reverie was interrupted by the entire club thrown into a commotion.

"Ack, it's the police!" people screamed.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Hyejoon shrieked. She watched her coworkers rush off and turned to Hoseok, who was waving for his companions to go while they can.

She was clutching at his sleeve and he peeled her hand off--she thought he would slap it away and make his escape--but he grasped it securely. "Can you trust me?"

She nodded. "Of course!'

Walking, Hoseok led her into the street, and she was about to ask why he wasn't hurrying, but he pressed a finger upon his lips for silence. Hoseok walked right into a bunch of policemen who all yelled for them to halt.

"Oh, thank God!" He shouted in English. "We're lost, me and my girlfriend, please help!" He crowded them, loudly asking for directions to the nearest McDonald's until the annoyed policemen finally waved for them to leave. It was only when they were rounding the corner that one of the policemen brought up their fancy clothing and how they had smelled of cigarette smoke and alcohol, and chased after them. But Hoseok led her into a niche between two buildings and they crouched in the shadows as the policemen ran past.

They had barely gone when Hyejoon gave way to emotions bursting in her chest: nervousness, shock, and above all, mirth. "Hah... hahahah!" she cackled.

He gaped at her, as if she had lost her mind. "I don't mean to offend you, but this isn't an appropriate time to be laughing." He shook his head. "What terrible luck to lose a contest and then get caught in a raid."

"No, it's the best luck!" she insisted. "I mean, some people might say, that it's bad luck that the two times I've gone to an illegal party, they both got busted by the police--"

"I hate to tell you this and ruin your good mood, but that is pretty bad luck, yeah." Hoseok wrinkled his nose.

"However!" She bopped the end of his chiseled nose. "Both times I got saved by someone truly amazing."

Leaning against the cruddy wall with no care for her party dress, Hyejoon closed her eyes, as the memories came flooding back. "Gwangju, summer of 2009, there was a party hosted by the most popular dance groups in town." She watched his face for any signs of listlessness, but when he cocked his head to listen, she continued. "At that time, I fought a lot with my parents because no matter how hard I tried, I always ended up as average and that wasn't good enough for them. For once, I wanted to rebel. So I went there."

She snorted at the mental image of her awkward teenage self. "In my average way, I could follow a rhythm but the very best dancer there--he encouraged everyone to let go and pour their feelings into dance."

"And that was when you discovered how much you liked it?" he prompted.

"Yes! It didn't matter that I wasn't a talented dancing star, it was fun." she affirmed. "But then the police came because of reports of underage drinking. I nearly got caught but that same dancer rescued me."

"While we were hiding, just like this, I cried and cried... saying that my parents would never let me back home then, and that I should let the police catch me because it's not like I'll amount to anything--I'll always be the unspecial, ordinary, average me." She shuffled closer to him. "But do you know what he said?"

Hoseok blinked at her, and ventured: "'If you don't work hard, there won't be good results...' was it?"

"You remember?" Giggling, she pointed at herself. "It's me, Kim Hyejoon... I was the girl you saved that time."

His face fell. "... Sorry. I don't remember," he murmured, wringing his hands and looking down at them. "It's just something I say to people all the time."

"It's okay." She caressed his arm and when he glanced up, she smiled. "It doesn't matter that you've forgotten, that I'm only one of the many people you said it to. Because it was what I really needed to hear at that time, so I kept those words in my heart."

"You ended up making your parents proud?" he asked.

"No way!" she pealed in laughter. Noticing Hoseok's confused, slightly horrified frown, she added: "But I also realized that my 'good results' could be different from someone else's good results. Some days, just surviving is good enough. And if I can be happy for that day, then I've also done well."

He stared at her for long moments, pondering her words. Finally, he chuckled. "Then, you're wiser than I could ever be."

"That's why, I want to thank you." she said. Her hand moved down his arm, patting his hand.

"I should be the one to thank you." He took her hesitating hand and squeezed it. "Thank you. Those words that I scattered like seeds in the wind... thank you for letting them root in your heart."

"No matter how many times you forget... I'll always remember," she promised.

Shaking his head, he graced her with that sunny smile, all for her this time. "I don't think I could ever forget you now, Kim Hyejoon."

"Keep me here," she commanded, with an impish flick of her finger against his beating heart.

"This moment will crystallize in my heart." Holding her hand, he crossed his heart with her finger. "Preserved as one of my precious memories."

"And I... I'll keep you here." She pressed the fingers of her free hand against her lips. As she inched closer, he guided the hand he was still holding on his shoulder. They kissed in that blind alley like two teenagers, fulfilling the promise of that interrupted connection from eight years ago.

When they parted, Hoseok blinked at her, as if in a daze. She was about to tease him, but her ears perked up. "Hey, do you hear that?"

"I don't hear anything," he mumbled, still sneaking peeks at her mouth as she talked.

"Exactly. The coast is clear." She grabbed his hand and stepped out of their hiding place.

But her coworkers popped out of another alley, now sober from the shock. "Hyejoon!"

"Hoseok!" His companions had been standing watch and rushed over to him.

"You crazy girl, we thought you were a goner!" her supervisor screamed.

"Hey, let go--!" Protesting when her coworkers tugged at her arm, she struggled to keep hold of Hoseok.

"This is dangerous, if you got caught here it would be very, very bad!" One of Hoseok's companions--his manager, it seemed--seized him by the shoulders and started leading him away.

"Hyung, wait!" Hoseok's hand unlinked with Hyejoon's and he grasped at air in an attempt to maintain the connection, but their respective companions pulled them their separate ways.

"There's no time!" the manager cried and marched him down the alley.

Hyejoon looked over her shoulder, searching for Hoseok and met his eyes--she knew his frantic look was reflected on her own face. To calm him, she quirked her lips in a grin. He grinned back, just he was walked out of the alley and out of sight.

"What happened to you?" her coworkers all asked in concern as they hurried to their hotel.

"Just... making more precious memories," she answered dreamily.

And she would've thought that it were just a Christmas dream, if not for the weight of the heart earrings dangling from her ears, their crystalline coolness brushing against her skin with every step.

One day, I know, our paths will cross again.

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