#lotte world 2022 fall

[hueylengyong15]

The top five Amusement Parks that I planned to go to in the future:

Escape Theme Park in Paradigm Mall:

Two years ago, before the start of my Senior year, we wanted to plan a trip to Escape after finishing our final year exams. However, this idea failed because the other students from another campus had booked a trip earlier to enjoy the last day of the second term.

I was sad that we could not go on a field trip with our class due to the online classes that were conducted by the teachers in Canada. It was also a bummer as we were getting bored in class, we would always use our laptops to entertain ourselves.

I did not go to Escape last year because I had to finish many assignments and do the final exam before the deadline that my lecturer gave me. This made me super stressed out because I wanted to go out with my friends instead of being stuck at home doing nothing after finishing my assignment.

2. Genting Skyworlds:

This was another outdoor theme park outside of Selangor that I had not been there since almost fifteen years ago, ever since my first trip to Genting Highlands back in March of 2009. I initially wanted to plan another trip to my childhood place since they have Bluesky movie franchises such as Rio, Epic, and other attractions related to films and television shows.

In June of 2022, we wanted to go on a day trip to Genting, but some rides did not open yet due to the soft opening and some plans in the future. The date was pushed back to this year due to many assignments this year.

Before the second-semester break ends, I hope there won't be a long queue when I try out the attractions as planned. As for the indoor theme park, next time when one of the lecturers hosts a field trip, we could all have fun after the final exam ends.

3. Super Nintendo World in Osaka, Japan: As I heard about this place on Facebook, I researched their website online on what attractions would be there for me to try one day when I go on a holiday break to Japan. When I saw some pictures on the website, I found out that there was a real-life Mario Kart for me to ride on.

I heard this park would have a meet and greet session with Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach once you enter the park. As mentioned by the staff members, this place allows you to take pictures which allows me to keep them in my photo album or have them printed out in the souvenir shop. I also wanted to try all of the food at Nintendo World, so I could show my friends what I enjoyed the most.

4. Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast: This waterpark has five different themed areas ranging from Shipwreck Reef to Penawar Falls. In 2017, I asked my parents to bring me there to this place during the summer break after the exams were over. However, my dad said it was too far for us to go because we had to stay at the hotel overnight and this wasn't the right time for him to go out with me because he had work to do in the office then.

I dreamed of trying the Kraken's Revenge Water coaster as I have never ridden on a rollercoaster on the water before. Presumably, next year if the last day of the semester is over, then we could all take a trip there and have some fun in the sun to take away all of the assignment stress in all of our classes.

5. Lotte World:

I haven’t been to this popular indoor theme park since 2019 when I went on a short holiday to Seoul during my winter break, I wanted to try all the rides that were suitable for me to make memories of having a fun trip for me and my family to go there.

One of the attractions that I rode was the Conquistador, a pirate ship from Spain that rotates at a 360-degree angle which is similar to the Tomahawk ride from Sunway Lagoon where there were two cars instead of a single car. As I got on the ride, I yelled, "This was the best ride that I have ever ridden in my life!"

Another ride that I visited was the Fly Venture, a VR ride that featured 4D animation. When I entered the area, I was very impressed that they had a steampunk-themed attraction and a flying theater which made me feel that I was flying on an airplane in the sky. Overall, this attraction was the best theater ride in the world, and one day, I would try this five times over and over again.

I also tried the other rides such as the Balloon Race, Camelot Carousel, Desperado interactive shooting game, and many other rides which I rode by myself before the park closed for the night.

When I went to Lotte World, I tried my luck to get a prize from the hammer game. However, I won a free lollipop, and my parents told me I did not need every toy from the amusement park because I had too many toys on my bed as it would be too crowded for me.

The park has a variety of food and beverages ranging from Korean to Western cuisine. Although the food was not that expensive, I managed to get Spaghetti Carbonara and their castle pizza from TGI Friday's Lakeview restaurant which was okay compared to the food from the Malaysian TGI Friday's.

I wanted to plan a trip for myself including my old school friends when we have time. When I get a job after graduating from college, I will go for an internship first to see if they can accept me working there. Once this idea is done, I can start my first day at work and earn some money for my basic necessities before I can go on holiday alone or with some good friends.

I hope some of our plans work out this year and next year. If not, it's okay, there's always next time when things don't work out the way we plan with our friends.

[staytheb]

Just A Little Bit; Falling For You - Chapter One: lotte world

Word Count: 6,674 Summary: The cousins spends their first Christmas in Seoul as well as the last day of 2022 at Lotte World with friends. masterlist || next chapter

updated: 6.1.24

Four cousins made up of two sets of sisters, Serena and Melanie, and Kierra and Linna, were currently on winter break from their university and working part-time at a cafe. While living in Seoul, the four went by their Korean names out of convenience. Park Minseo and Park Youngseo and Jung Hayoun and Jung Jiyeon, respectively, but sometimes amongst just the four of them and away from others they would end up using their English names, having been born and raised mainly in the States.

"So there's an order of seaweed rice ball, a loaded mochi waffle, a lemon cloud ade, and a cherry blossom ice cream." Melanie read back the order before announcing the overall total.

"That'll be a total of thirteen thousand and five hundred won."

Melanie ran the register while Kierra, Linna, and Serena made the orders as two others ran out the orders and even cleaned the area while doing so, too.

"Here's your number and your order should be out with you shortly." Melanie informed the customers.

The cafe, Simplistic, sold various yet simple items and if you came in during the last half an hour before closing, all items were discounted, so that the shop could start afresh the next day.

"Less than fifteen minutes left and I can actually snack to my heart's content." Serena muttered to herself, but the others clearly heard her.

"I know right." Kierra agreed with a sheepish laugh.

"I mean, it's easy to take a drink and then work, but snacking is a bit harder."

"True that." The others chimed in with a laugh.

"Go ahead and eat a rice ball and mochi waffle or whatever you want." One of the two males co-workers said as the other nodded in agreement.

"Yes, go ahead."

The cousins happily cheered at being given the small treat.

"Thank you, Chanran and Eunchan!" They thanked the pair as they each made their own rice ball and mochi waffle.

"Welcome."

The male duo laughed at their co-workers' behavior before walking to the back of the store to double check products and others things for tomorrow. The cousins had finished making their own rice balls and taken a satisfied bite out of it when a group of seven young men entered soon after.

"Oh, it's kids and friends." Serena commented with a chuckle upon recognizing three of them right away.

Despite knowing all seven of the males, she was much closer with the three younger ones as they bothered her the most.

"Um, we'll be in the back." Linna said as she and Melanie ran off with only Kierra hearing them while Serena didn't.

Serena took noticed and leaned closer to Kierra to ask her about it.

"Why'd they leave?"

"You're so clueless despite making fun of them and using their situations as inspiration for your story plots." Kierra commented as it finally dawned on Serena.

"Ah, right, right. I never really thought about it though."

However, Serena cast her cousin a playful look.

"But you're my favorite muse of them all."

Kierra scowled with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah, I know, but I hope that you'll get your own karma with one of the other four."

Serena scoffed.

"Ni-Ki, Jungwon, and Sunoo are babies." She reasoned, seeming offended.

Kierra chuckled, amused.

"Then that leaves you with the obvious answer, cousin."

"No way."

"Yes, way!" She cheered.

"And so you get with Heeseung as the other three are off limits since you shipped them with the three of us."

"Obviously as those three fits y'all as I already used the three of you as my muses."

Serena grinned before frowning.

"However, yeah, right. Heeseung and I aren't compatible at all."

She tsked.

"If I didn't like him back in high school, then what makes you think I would like him now?"

"You never know though." Kierra remarked, shrugging.

"Things change and so do people."

She eyed her cousin.

"Besides, this isn't high school and we're in university now."

"I do know and feelings don't change so fast."

Serena rolled her eyes as Kierra grinned.

"Some times they do and life is unpredictable."

"Whatever."

"C'mon. Don't you believe in the invisible string theory and the red string of fate, too?"

Kierra nudged her cousin.

"I know you do because you write such things that you have to do some research on them, too, for realness of sorts."

"Yeah, and so?"

Serena rolled her eyes in good-nature.

"Those are things I write for fun."

She smiled.

"Besides, I enjoy reading other people's stories and the myths, too." She reasoned.

Kierra scoffed.

"Yeah, I know."

Serena ignored her.

"Mainly, it's just something I don't really think of much happening in real life, Hayoun." Serena commented while nudging her cousin back, slightly annoyed.

"Also, get off my back and go do something else."

"No. I feel like this is just deserved and the three of us are tired of being your muse some times."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever and besides, Heeseung's too tall."

"You're just short."

Kierra laughed as Serena scoffed.

"I'm considered slightly tall for an Asian girl and so are you. It's our sisters that are tall for an average Asian girl."

'Yeah, that's pretty true. People always think you and I are the younger sister."

"I know right."

Serena chuckled before casting her cousin with a Cheshire smile.

"By the way, does that mean you accept your fate with you-know-who?"

"No. Now shut up." Kierra declined with a sharp look.

The two nudged one another playfully while awaiting for what the seven wanted to order. Anyway, Linna had a crush on the one named Park Sunghoon. Melanie is friends and was tutored by another named Sim Jaeyun, who also went by Jake. Kierra has this weird relationship of sorts with a third named Park Jongseong, who also went by Jay. As for Serena, well she had had classes in the past with Heeseung, but their paths hardly crossed and didn't interact much out of school where all eleven attended the same same school, Hyebi University. However, they were all friends with a lot of mutuals between them, especially when the cousins were also friends with Sunoo and Jungwon's sisters.

"Now it's your turn."

Kierra nudged Serena to work the cash register. Serena shot her cousin an annoy look before facing the young men with a polite smile.

"What can we make fresh for you tonight?"

Ni-Ki leaned closer with a lovable smile.

"You think you could add in a bit of service for us, Minseo?"

"Not for you."

The others busted out laughing at the unexpected interaction while Ni-Ki rolled his eyes in good-nature as Serena smiled.

"Is Youngseo and Jiyeon around?" Jungwon inquired, curiously.

"Yeah, they're in the back."

Serena pointed to behind her.

"Do you want to talk to them instead?"

"Nah, I'll talk to them later," A Cheshire-like smile graced his features, "But I can talk to you, too."

"No."

"Wow."

Jungwon scoffed, eyeing Serena as she chuckled before turning her gaze over to Sunoo.

"How about you, Sunoo?"

"Do you have any mint choco related items?" Sunoo asked, looking around the menu and the display.

"I don't see any listed."

"Because not many are fond of it, but yes, we do, Mint Choco Lover." Serena cooed playfully with Sunoo chuckling.

"Yeah, yeah. So, what do you got?"

"We have a mint syrup we can use to make some stuff like putting it on the mochi waffles and ice cream. We could try blending some as a shake if you like."

"Oh, perfect. Yeah, I'll think about it."

Sunoo flashed her smile as Serena did the same thing while inputting more than the half-off discount before glancing at the others as it was nearing closing time.

"Alright..." She trailed off upon connecting eyes with Heeseung as he flashed her a warm smile.

Soon, Kierra's words immediately came to mind and she got distracted of what she was gonna say next.

"Uh..."

She instantly avoided eye-contact and looked to behind the group and at the wall instead.

"Okay, yeah, so what would you like to get started with?" She asked, hoping he and the others didn't catch that awkward moment just now.

"Do you still have a lot of protein options available this late?" Sunghoon asked a second later as Serena nodded.

"Yes, we do."

She slight tilted her head.

"Anything in particular you'll like to order?"

"Uh, pyeonyuk?" Sunghoon said in a questioning tone. as Serena nodded.

"Yeah, we got plenty of that."

"Okay, thanks."

"Welcome."

She glanced around at the others.

"So, what can we get started for the rest of y'all?"

Some spoke at the same time while the others glanced at one another wondering what the other was gonna order. Serena heard a few items, but did not input any of it into the register, wondering if this was gonna end well.

"Yeah, we'll take one of everything."

She glanced over at Jay who had spoken with Kierra shooting him a disbelief look.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, Hayoun, seriously."

Jay shot her a wide smile as Kierra scowled, but still spoke in a polite tone.

"Let me double-check on the ice bars."

"Okay."

The smile remained on Jay's face as Kierra's scowl shifted to a netural expression while she crouched down to double-check on the ice bars. Serena hadn't noticed as she continued inputting one of every menu item into the system after hearing each of them order.

"Um, anything else while she checks that?"

They once again spoke over one another before they got their order in control. Serena inputted all the other additional orders into the system while preparing all the bottled and can drinks as they continued to order. Serena re-confirmed the group's order as it got bigger once all seven mentioned in detail what they wanted for sure.

"Alright, your total will be ninety-eight thousand and seven hundred and seventy won."

"Wow. Really?"

"Mmhmm."

They were surprised of the total, expecting it to cost more. Serena refrained from chuckling at their reaction before hearing one of them speak. Suddenly four cards were offered to Serena by the oldest four although she wasn't sure which one to take. Each one insisted that he would be paying for all of them with neither of them backing down. Serena did the only thing she knew that would settled it faster

"Hey, Hayoun."

"Hmm?" Kierra hummed while grabbing all the ice bars after getting the rest of the bottled and can drinks.

"Left or right?"

"Left."

"One through four."

"three."

"Me or them?"

"You."

"Thanks."

"Mmhmm."

The seven were confused about what had just happened, but realized what it was for as Serena tapped the card of the third person, counting from the left side of her which was Heeseung. Serena gave him a polite smile after indicating for him to swipe, remaining calm, cool, and collect.

"Your order should be out with you shortly and your number is five."

She flashed him a quick smile while motioning to the tables.

"Please have a seat anywhere you like."

"Thank you." The group thanked her as Heeseung shot her a smile while he took the number tent.

"Thanks, Minseo."

"Welcome, Heeseung."

He lingered around and she watched him, curiously.

"Did you need something else?"

Heeseung smiled, shaking his head.

"Not really, but weren't you working at that Gong Food place earlier this year?"

"Ah, that. Not anymore. I quit."

Serena wasn't aware that Heeseung knew that. Before Heeseung could comment, Jake interrupted him and Serena's focus went towards him.

"Hi. Sorry, but could we push like three of the tables together?"

"Yes, Jake, you can." Serena replied.

Jake smiled as he and the others pushed two small tables to make an even bigger one together while thanking them.

"Thanks, Minseo."

"Welcome."

Heeseung shot her another smile before walking away as Ni-Ki lingered at the counter this time around while he pointed behind Serena.

"Can I have one of those first?"

She glanced over her shoulder to see the jars of lollipops she and the others had brought for themselves before focusing back on him.

"No."

"Not even one?"

"Nope. They're mine."

"There's like a lot, Minseo."

Ni-Ki pouted as Serena shook her head still.

"And your point is, Ni-Ki?"

"You're mean."

"I know."

"Please?"

"Not uh."

"Fine."

Ni-Ki made a face before changing topics.

"Anyway, what are y'all doing on Christmas day?"

"Working." Serena responded, not missing a beat.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"All day?"

"No. Just the day time."

"Hmm, interesting."

"How so?"

"Just is."

She eyed him.

"Why?"

"No reason."

"Liar."

Ni-Ki cast her with an amused look as Serena eyed him.

"Why are you asking, Nishimura Riki?"

He chuckled upon hearing his full name.

"I'm just asking, Park Minseo."

"Hmm, then I ain't gonna give you my lollipops."

"C'mon. There's like so many."

"Yeah, I know."

"You're mean."

"I know. Didn't we just go through this earlier?"

"Yes, but I thought you would change your answer."

"Not with you."

Serena chuckled as Ni-Ki made a face, but relented.

"Fine."

Serena flashed him a smile as he walked away, sulking.

"Alright, so Eunchan and Chanran are busy with manager duties so it's just me and you as our sisters preferred to keep their distance at the moment." Kierra informed Serena as the latter's brows furrowed.

"Wait, why do they wanna do that?"

"You know why, but anyway, we'll just take it out per set to make it easier."

"Okay, cool."

Serena lifted the tray of canned and bottled drinks with two hands before remembering something. She set the tray back down before grabbing a handful of lollipops and placing them onto the tray with a knowing smile. The rest of the night went fine despite Melanie and Linna staying out of sight until the group had left, not wanting to interact as they preferred to do it on school grounds instead of outside of it, especially during breaks from school, despite their sisters teasing them afterwards.

"Let's turn back." Kierra suggested, whispering for only the three to hear.

Come Christmas evening a couple of days later, Kierra and Serena eventually found themselves at Lotte World alongside their sisters, close friends, mutual friends, and several others they attended school alongside with. Ni-Ki and friends were also present and were casually conversing with their other mutual friends, too. Still, Serena and Kierra were a bit apprehensive as they preferred a smaller outing due to not socializing as much as their sisters. Then again, Melanie and Linna weren't looking forward to the nightly outing either upon seeing Jake and Sunghoon, respectively, within the crowd.

"They did not say that he would be here and so I don't want to be here." Kierra continued.

By 'he', Kierra meant Jay.

"I'm with Kierra on this though. I thought it would just be a girls' night out and not like a classmate slash friend trip." Linna agreed with a slight nervous tone.

"I didn't think he would be joining us, too."

For Linna, 'he' was Sunghoon. Despite how she found him cute and all, that didn't mean she wanted to be around him like this. She was okay at keeping her distance.

"Maybe it won't be that bad. I mean, Woojoo and Sujin would've told us." Melanie reasoned with a calm demeanor.

Woojoo was Sunoo's sister and Sujin was Jungwon's sister. Serena shot her sister a weird look.

"Didn't you like run away last time from Jake when the others came to Simplistic?"

"I didn't run away from Jake. The dishes needed to get cleared up."

"Right."

"Anyway," Kierra interjected, "Melanie actually gets along with Jake though."

Linna nodded.

"Yeah. They're a lot closer compare to me and Kierra."

Melanie rolled her eyes.

"He's just a classmate and my math tutor."

"Again, why did you run away when he came in that night with the others, hmm?" Serena inquired with a quirk brow, not dropping the matter.

Melanie nonchalantly gave her sister a vague answer.

"Because I can."

Melanie dimissed the issue.

"Besides, I mean, if you actually think about it, we all don't have to do the same thing as them since there's so many of us and it's not like they would notice."

"Yeah, that's true." Serena agreed with a nod.

"Like we can hang out in different areas and even do different things, too."

Melanie cast the others with a knowing look.

"Besides, it's not like Ni-Ki, Jungwon, Sunoo, and the others are just gonna hang out with only us for the night, too, when there are all the others around for them to play with as well." Melanie reasoned.

"Besides, I'm pretty sure there's a few of them that just wanna get this chance to hang out with some people in particular, too."

"True, but that depends if we can do anything since it's super crowded tonight." Kierra commented with a sigh as Serena agreed.

"Yeah. I forget that a lot of couples and families come to these places during special days and what not."

Their friends and several other voices loudly called out for the quartet, realizing they'd fallen behind and hurried on over to the rather large group just outside the major recreation complex with polite smiles.

"Hi." The quartet politely greeted the party.

"Okay, cool, y'all are finally here." Ni-Ki said with an excited tone.

"Let's go on the Atlantis."

He immediately hooked arms with Serena and Kierra while pulling them along in the direction of the building.

"Can't we do a different one? I would prefer if we did something else before the Atlantis." Serena complained with Kierra agreeing.

"Yeah. Something like the World Monorail or the Fantasy Dream at least?"

"Ooh, if so, then I vote for the Gyro Drop, Gyro Spin, or even the Gyro Swing!" Ni-Ki suggested instead with a laugh.

Serena continued to complain.

"Nah, not yet. Let's do a simplier ride before doing the big ones."

She turned to look over her shoulders and connected eyes with Sunoo.

"Sunoo, please help me."

"What do you want me to do, Minseo?" Sunoo responded back as Serena chuckle.

"Take me away from him."

"Nah."

"Oh, c'mon. We can even do the Studio Slick."

"Oh, yeah! Let's go!"

Sunoo ran to catch up with the trio as Serena broke free from Ni-Ki's grasp and hooked arms with Sunoo as the pair ran away, giggling.

"Yah! Minseo! Sunoo! What about me?!" Kierra called after them, but the pair ignored her.

Ni-Ki grinned as he pulled Kierra closer.

"You still got me."

Kierra eyed him before a thought came to her.

"Let's race. Whoever wins gets to choose the first ride, yeah?"

"Okay."

"1, 2, an-"

Kierra ran off first, leaving Ni-Ki behind.

"Don't cheat!" Ni-Ki screamed after her, his long legs catching up.

"I have to!" Kierra yelled, not looking back and running as fast as she could to ditch the younger man while laughing.

The rest of the party stared after their friends either amused or confused before following after them, discussing their own plans.

"Alright, who allowed Ni-Ki to take us on the Jungle Adventure in this weather?"

Both Kierra and Serena asked their sisters as the quartet were in the restroom drying themselves off after going on the ride through the rapids inside a dark cave a few minutes ago.

"The both of you did."

Both Melanie and Linna confirmed, annoyed.

"Oh, yeah."

At first it was just the older pair that hung out with Ni-Ki, but the younger two joined them for awhile as the group went around Magic Island before finding themselves at Adventure. Anyway, the four continued to pat themselves dry as best as possible, knowing how cold it was inside the theme park itself as well as the cold weather outside of it, too.

"Let's get some hot chocolate after this." Melanie suggested as Linna agreed.

"Oh, yes, please. We need that for sure."

The cousins hoped they wouldn't get sick because of it just to give their friend some fun memories.

"Y'all can get hot chocolate, but we're get something else." Kierra said, pointing to herself and Serena.

"Since we don't lik hot chocolate at all."

"Yeah, yeah."

The other two agreed.

"Definitely need it."

Once they exited the restroom, Ni-Ki patiently waited for them while playing on his phone. He looked up when they neared as he smiled, playfully.

"The others are at the skating rink and they're waiting for us to join them."

The quartet looked at one another, tiredly, but mustered up the energy to nod and appear fine.

"Sure."

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"Alright."

Neither of them knew how to ice skate or have ever bothered with the sport, but decided that they would get hot chocolate later.

"Can't yall just stop hugging the side?"

Ni-Ki carefully skated alongside both Serena and Kierra as the two were using the rink's ledge to keep their balance.

"At least move away from the ledge like Jiyeon and Youngseo."

"You're not that good yourself." Serena countered with a laugh as Kierra eyed Ni-Ki.

"Actually, why not go and pester the other two?"

She was too focused to keep her balance to not fall.

"They're not that fun like you two, but okay. Fine."

Ni-Ki just rolled his eyes before slowly, but clumsily skating away. Kierra glanced behind her to look at her cousin.

"How about we just ditch our sisters and go home once we circle back to the entrance?"

"Sounds good, but we can't ditch them like that. Besides, it would look bad on the others if we just left, too."

Serena cast her cousin with a pointed look as Kierra sighed.

"Well, it was worth a try."

Just then, Kierra wobbled as she tried to look ahead of her again, but out of reflex her hand went out to grab a hold of Serena's arm or body. Serena noticed and tried to move out of the way, but couldn't in time.

"Wait. No. Hayoun. Yah, Jung Hayoun, don't gr-"

Both of them went crashing to the icy ground. Serena slightly smacked Kierra while groaning and just resting on the cold floor as other skaters passed on by them.

"This is why we're not supposed to reach out to one another when learning how to skate and that we might fall."

"My bad."

"Did you not pay attention to what Sunghoon said earlier?"

"Not really."

Kierra sheepishly laughed as Serena barely smacked her, feeling tired. Serena sighed a second later.

"I seriously did not want to spend my Christmas this way."

"You and me both."

The pair chuckled more at their current feelings and predicament than anything else.

"Do you need help?"

Kierra and Serena immediately quit laughing as they gaze up to see Jay and Heeseung hovering above them with concerned looks while holding out their hands for them to grab on to, respectively.

"No thanks, Jay. You're just as bad as I am."

Kierra pushed Jay's hands away, but he insisted.

"No, I'm not."

"Yeah, you are."

"I'm a little better than you, Hayoun."

"Yeah, right. I've watched you skate earlier and you're so bad."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Shut up."

"C'mon, Hayoun. Just take my hand."

"No, Jay."

The two argued for a while longer while Serena cast Heeseung with a polite look.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Serena accepted Heeseung's assistance as he pulled her to her feet whereas Kierra reluctantly accepted Jay's help. However, both ended up struggling themselves, causing a domino effect. Kierra fell against Jay, Jay then knocked into the back of Serena's legs, and she ungracioiusly fell on top of Heeseung, causing them to all fall against the cold floor. The four groaned in slight pain with Serena quickly rolling off of Heeseung, apologizing, and Kierra hitting Jay on his upper body, annoyed.

"I told you that you were just as bad as me."

"I didn't think it was that bad."

Kierra smack him once again as Jay flinched upon being hit.

"I'm sorry."

She gave him one more smack before rolling away from him with a huff. Jay groaned once more, but stayed quiet not wanting to be hit by the female a fourth time. The group of four slowly got up on their own accord while some of their friends watched from a distance. Melanie chuckled at the scene while standing still, wondering if it wasn't so bad to come out tonight.

"What are you laughing about, Youngseo?"

She turned her attention to see Jake as he stood beside her, wondering why he was standing beside her. He, too, gazed in the direction she faced.

"Did something happen?"

"Yeah, something like that."

His gaze focused onto her a moment later as his lips quirked up.

"Hmm, make sure you don't end up like those four over there. Safety comes first."

"Noted."

She cast him with a small smile before slowly skating off a bit clumsily. Jake strided alongside her just a bit better although he stole glances at her figure to make sure she was skating along fine on her own.

"By the way, this new school term coming up, will you still need my help with math again?"

She totally forgot about that and knew that she'll need more help once school started up again. Math was never her strongest subject since young and she hated the continuation of it even into her university years. She nodded, not looking at him as she focused all of her attention on keeping steady and ahead of her.

"Yes, please. I look forward to our tutoring sessions again along with your patience."

A smile graced his face with a simple nod, looking ahead of him as well.

"Me, too."

Meanwhile, Linna minded her own business and moved along fine at her own pace, getting used to the ice. Somehow Sunghoon assumed Linna needed assistance due to her cautious movements while making another go around of the skating rink. Still, of all the others he could be concern with, why did he have to come on over and check in on her.

"Take my hand, Jiyeon."

Sunghoon offered his hands out for Linna to take, but she ended up just latching her hands onto his forearms instead after his persistence.

"You're doing much better than before, Jiyeon." He praised, but her attention focused more on their situation than of her own skating.

Sunghoon carefully skated backwards, leading Linna along as she skated foreward while each held onto the other's forearms. Yet she faced their pair of skates than of the person leading her. Despite his encouragement, she didn't respond. He watched her a bit longer as a teasing thought crossed his mind. He made the movement of letting go of her forearms, causing her to slightly panicked and became alert. She reached to grab his forearms again, but in the process she ended up wobbling and missing his arms. This caused her to tumbled onto her butt as she swung back to counteract from falling forward.

"Are you okay?" Sunghoon immediately asked as Linna nodded, not looking up at him.

"Yeah, Sunghoon, I'm fine."

Linna couldn't looked at him as her attention looked around her instead, feeling embarrassed and awkward. Sunghoon observed her while backing away a bit to give her room to stand on her own again.

"You're not hurt anywhere, right?"

"I'm not, but thanks."

Linna cast him with a soft smile before slowly getting back to her feet. She wobbled and he almost reached out to assist, but backed off once she steadied herself.

"Um, thanks though."

"Um, yeah, you're welcome."

Just as Sunghoon opened his mouth to say something else, Woojoo popped up and took a hold of Linna's arm.

"Hey, sorry, Sunghoon, but us girls are gonna ride the carousel."

Woojoo dragged Linna away as they gathered with the others, exiting the ice rink to head to the Camelot Carousel while Linna let out a relieved breath.

"Why are we here at Lotte World again?" Kierra questioned with a disbelief look and tone as the quartet arrived at the recreation complex a couple days later.

"Especially on the last day of the year. Y'all know how it gets, right?"

She eyed Melanie and Linna.

"Couldn't we have gone to Lotte World Tower or COEX to see fireworks instead?"

Kierra looked around them at the large crowd coming and going about the theme park.

"I mean, we've already been here and don't really need to check it out further."

"Yeah. Did y'all forget how some people have said it gets super crowded here around December, right?" Serena added, mirroring Kierra's expression.

"Heck, even SEOULIGHT would have been better to see a cool light display than Lotte World's rides and such. It's kind of a hassle."

The duo still continued to slightly complained about having to spend their last hours out and about on the last day of 2022.

"Also," Serena began, "I'm sure the two of you didn't forget that I clearly told y'all that I was gonna sleep in on the new year, too."

"That doesn't sound so bad because I really don't have time for this, but I do got the time to sleep though." Kierra added with a laugh.

"Oh, we'll be fine." The younger two dismissed their sisters' words.

"Let's just have a little fun before the year ends since we always went home for the holidays." Linna reasoned.

"It is our first time to spend it like this in general?"

"Yeah, it is and we should make the most of it since we couldn't go back home like usual." Melanie agreed while shooting the older two a look.

"Even if it's crowded, it's not like we do this all the time. So, let's just have some fun for tonight, yeah?"

The younger two convinced the older two to spend their last hours at the popular theme park again since everyone else had already made their own plans for the last day of the twenty-twenty-two year. Although the cousins couldn't return back home for winter holidays due to some miscommunication on their part and not wanting to book expensive flights at the last minute had decided to just stay in Seoul for the winter vacation. Unknown to Kierra and Serena, but Linna and Melanie had planned ahead of time with Woojoo, Sujin, and others, to spend the last day of the year with one another despite the heavy traffic.

"Hi!" Woojoo and Sujin greeted the cousins as they hugged one another.

"So glad to see y'all!"

"Now that we're all here, let's go inside." Sujin said as Woojoo pointed a thumb over her shoulders.

"Also, we're sorry for not notifying y'all earlier about the others tagging along."

"Huh?"

The quartet titled their heads upon hearing that.

"What do you mean?" Kierra questioned.

The four looked to where Woojoo had pointed to an even larger party than last time. They all waved and greeted one another out of politeness and friendliness.

"Yeah, well," Sujin began, "Woojoo and I were talking about it the other day and our brothers overheard us."

"But we were talking quietly yet they still heard us somehow." Woojoo reasoned with an apologetic look.

"And so they told several others, who in turned told several others, and now there's a huge party."

"It's all good." The quartet dismissed as they made their way towards them.

Usually they weren't fond of such large crowds in general, but it couldn't be helped. Also, they didn't have to hang out with every single one of them either. So, the others continued on with Serena and Kierra trailing behind just a bit slower than the four, not all that excited to spend their last day at an amusement park.

"Now that Jay's also here, are you and him gonna have more couple moments before this year ends?" Serena inquired, amused.

Kierra scowled upon remembering her last photography assignment before winter break started.

"Ugh. I rather not."

"But like you can totally make a small photobook, especially with my words included on all the photographs you have."

"Yeah, I know you would think so. Besides, I told you not to bring that up."

"I have to since you promised to give Jay copies."

"Oh, shit. I forgot about that."

"Wow and here I thought you and Jay would become official."

"Shut up. You're a jerk."

"Takes one to know one."

"Touche."

The two shared a giggle or two amongst them.

"What are you two talking about?" Sujin asked, coming up to the two and interlocking her arms with each of them.

"On how much sweets we're gonna buy for ourselves." They chimed at the same time.

The two glanced at one another, impressed, as how scary it is at times when they reply at the same time with the same things.

"Ooh, yeah. They have some nice selections." Sujin commented with a smile.

"Let's go."

She dragged the other two along with her to follow after the others to meet up with the rest of the much larger group before they entered the amusement park with several of them splitting into smaller groups soon afterwards to do whatever is that they wanted to do first.

"Sunghoon is really good at ice skating." Melanie commented as she and Linna watched the male gliding around the ice rink, effortlessly.

"Yeah, he is." Linna agreed, slightly in awe.

"I heard that he's been skating since he was younger and even wanted to be a figure skater, too."

"Oh, nice. He has the form and skills for it."

"Mmhmm."

The pair were taking a break from other activities after returning their skates while watching their other friends either on the ice or around the place. Their sisters went off with Sunoo, Jungwon, and a few others to buy some headbands and other merchandises.

"You should confess." Melanie commented after a moment of silence.

She noticed how her cousin was watching Sunghoon's figure throughout the ice rink despite many others being on ice with him.

"Yeah, right."

"I mean, you would rather admit your feelings instead of having regrets, right. Yeah?"

"I guess, but I dunno."

Linna sighed while watching Sunghoon skate with the others.

"I feel like he likes someone else."

"Who?"

"I dunno. Just a feeling."

"Well, it could still be you." Melanie suggested in a matter-of-fact tone as Linna scoffed.

"Yeah, right."

Linna redirected the conversation elsewhere.

"Anyway, enough about me."

She chast her cousin a look.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

Melanie cast Linna with a puzzled look.

"Are you gonna confess to Jake any time soon" 

Melanie rolled her eyes with a scoff.

"We're not even like that."

"But you never know."

"But I do know."

"How so?"

Melanie let out a huff before lifting two fingers while speaking.

"One, he and I are just school mates. Nothing more. Two, Jake also just tutors me in math. Again, nothing more than that."

She cast her cousin with a pointed look.

"There's really nothing else there and I honestly don't really see him like that despite him being attractive and is a fun guy to be around, but we don't really hang out though outside of all that."

"Why not though? I mean, he's been your tutor for like three years and y'all never thought to hang out?"

Melanie shrugged.

"Dunno, but other than that, unlike you and Sunghoon, I don't really have a crush on the guy."

Linna really doesn't believe her cousin's words.

"Nah. There has got to be something going on between the two of you."

"Honestly, there isn't."

"I feel like there is."

"That's just you then."

Before Linna could counter, Woojoo and Sujin suddenly joined the two and sat next to them.

"Hey, so what are you two talking about?" Sujin inquired with a michievous look.

"Something interesting?"

"Nothing." The pair responded as Woojoo rolled her eyes before speaking.

"Yeah, right. I saw Jiyeon staring intensely at Sunghoon earlier."

The quartet's eyes focused on the ice rink, locating the said male with Jake, Ni-Ki, and several others.

"Jiyeon has a major crush, but won't act upon it." Sujin teased her as Linna nudged her playfully back.

"And I won't."

"I think you should." Woojoo suggested with an encouraging smile.

"I mean, nobody wants to get rejected, but isn't that better than not knowing?"

"I'm okay with not knowing though." Linna answered, although not too confident.

"Right."

Woojoo and Sujin cast their eyes onto Melanie as she looked between them.

"What?"

"You and Jake." They replied as Melanie rolled her eyes.

"There's nothing between us."

However, their conversation was cut short when Serena appeared before them.

"Hey, so I'm gonna go home." Serena informed, having come upon them.

"Why?" They questioned.

"I did something to Jungwon earlier just now."

A giggle escaped from Serena's lips as she held something behind her back. 

"Does it have something to do with what you got behind you?" Sujin inquired as Serena grinned mischievously.

"Maybe, maybe not."

They laughed as Serena's name was yelled out by said person.

"Yah! Park Minseo!"

Serena didn't turn to face the person, but the other four did.

"Ah, so yeah, gotta go."

She giggled.

"Buh-bye!"

Serena ran off with Jungwon running by a moment later, trying to catch up to Serena. Kierra stopped by having spotted the trio, running after her cousin and friend.

"If Sunoo comes by, denied that you saw me and Minseo going this way."

"Why?" Woojoo asked, but Kierra didn't answer her question.

"Just because."

"But weren't y'all with him and the others to buy headbands?"

"Yeah, we were."

Kierra tentatively touched the sparkly and large orange bow headband on her head.

"This is so not my style, but Sunoo insisted."

She flashed them a smile.

"Anyway, we agreed to get them to take pictures and during that time, Minseo wanted to do something and I followed through."

A chuckle left her lips.

"So, we may or may not have caused some trouble for Jungwon and Sunoo."

"That's cute." They commented as Kierra nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, but um, yeah, okay, thanks, and bye!"

She ran off in the same direction as the other two before giving the trio any time to respond. A few seconds later Sunoo appeared before the trio.

"Hayoun and the other two ran past you guys, right?"

"Yeah." They responded automatically.

"I knew it."

"What did she do?" Woojoo inquired, curiously.

"Yeah, what did she and Minseo do?" Sujin chimed in a second later.

Melanie and Linna had a feeling of what it was, but didn't say anything.

"Minseo stole our chocolates and candies while Hayoun distracted us." Sunoo explained with a light laugh.

"Jungwon's also upset that Minseo made him lose focus when he was trying to win a plush toy and later ate all of his jellies while doing so."

The quartet laughed with a nod.

"Sounds about right."

"Anyway, gotta go before something happens."

Sunoo cast the four with a salute before running off after the other three.

"Wow, those two really attract trouble, don't they?" Sujin commented.

"Pretty much." The duo agreed with a laugh.

"Hey, let's watch the fireworks." Woojoo suggested a second later.

"Are you gonna confess to Sunghoon when they shoot off?" Sujin teased Linna as she just nudged her playfully, not commenting.

Of course, Linna made no confession that night, but Woojoo and Sujin got Melanie to admit that she thought Jake was cute as the four enjoyed Lotte World's fireworks alongside with their friends. Meanwhile, Kierra and Serena were caught by Sunoo and Jungwon while being forced to pay back the snacks. The two also had to try and win a random plush doll, too, until the area closed for the night. Neither Serena or Kierra were able to do so, either out of spite or due to Jungwon messing with them. Still, the night ended well as they all watched the night sky light up and they wished one another a happy new year into 2023 alongside a stronger friendship.

[anewswire]

Lydia Ko Net Worth, Biography, Career, Income, Home & Age

What Is Lydia Ko's Net Worth? Lydia Ko is a pro golfer from New Zealand, and she is worth $25 million. Lydia Ko has been the best woman professional golfer in the world at different times in her career. She first held this title in February 2015, when she was only 17 years old. Lydia was the 2014 LPGA Rookie of the Year and the 2015 and 2022 LPGA Player of the Year. She has also been a player director on the LPGA Board. Ko won a silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and a bronze medal in Tokyo in 2020. She was named one of the 100 most influential people by "Time" magazine in 2014. In 2014 and 2015, she was also on the EspnW Impact25 list. In the 2019 New Year Honours, she was named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Early Life Bo-Gyung Ko was born in Seoul, South Korea, on April 24, 1997. Lydia was 4 years old when her family moved to New Zealand, and she became a citizen of the country when she was 12. Ko started playing golf when she was 5 years old. Her mother took her to a pro shop at the Pupuke Golf Club that was owned by professional golfer Guy Wilson. Wilson ended up coaching Lydia until the end of 2013. At the age of 7, Ko began to get attention from the media when he competed in New Zealand's national amateur championships. Lydia went to Mairangi Bay Primary School and Pinehurst School. When she was on professional golf tours, she took courses from Pinehurst by mail. She studied psychology outside of school with Korea University, Seoul, beginning in 2015. Career In January 2012, Ko, who was only 14 years old, won the Bing Lee/Samsung Women's NSW Open on the ALPG Tour. This made her the youngest player to ever win an event on a professional golf tour. In the fall of that year, Canadian golfer Brooke Henderson broke the record. Lydia won the CN Canadian Women's Open in 2012, 2013, and 2015. In November 2013, she played in the CME Group Titleholders, which was her first professional tournament. The LPGA usually requires its members to be at least 18 years old, but they made an exception for Ko. Tour commissioner Mike Whan said, "It's not often that the LPGA welcomes a rookie who has already won back-to-back LPGA Tour titles." Before she turned pro, Lydia had been the best female amateur golfer in the world for 130 weeks. In 2014, Ko won the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic, the Marathon Classic, and the CME Group Tour Championship. In 2015, she won the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open, the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic, the Canadian Pacific Women's Open, The Evian Championship, and the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship. Ko got sponsored by Parson's Xtreme Golf in 2016 and won the Kia Classic, the ANA Inspiration, the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, and the Marathon Classic. She competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal. She was the youngest player to win an Olympic medal in women's golf in Rio de Janeiro. She was also New Zealand's youngest individual female Olympic medalist. Lydia won the LPGA Mediheal Championship in 2018 and the Lotte Championship in 2021. She also got a bronze medal at the rescheduled 2020 Summer Olympics. In 2022, Ko won the CME Group Tour Championship, the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, and the BMW Ladies Championship. Lydia was the best woman golfer in the world in 2015, 2016, and 2022. Career Earnings As of this writing, Lydia Ko has earned a little under $17 million from tournament winnings. She has earned tens of millions more from endorsements. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) Personal Life Lydia and Chung Jun got engaged in August 2022. Chung Jun is the son of Chung Tae-young, who is the CEO and vice chairman of both Hyundai Card and Hyundai Commercial. Ko said about her boyfriend, "I was so young when I joined the tour, and all I knew was golf. If I had a bad day on the golf course, I thought I was a bad person, and if I had a good day, I thought I was a better person. But now I don't think that affects me as much, because I have my family and the people I love, and this one special new person has come into my life, and I think through him I've just been able to enjoy life, enjoy the process." Lydia added, "He has helped me love the game again. It's not just work anymore. I think it will take a very special person to show me that." Records, Achievements, and Awards Ko is the youngest golfer to win a professional golf tour event (2012), an LPGA Tour event (2012), a Ladies European Tour event (2013), two LPGA Tour events (2013), five events on a major tour (2014), the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open (2015), and 10 events on a major tour (2015). In 2014, Lydia was the youngest person to win an LPGA Rookie of the Year award. She was also the youngest player to set an LPGA record for the most money earned by a rookie ($2,089,033), and as a 17-year-old, she won the largest payout in LPGA history ($1.5 million). In 2015, she was the youngest golfer to be ranked #1 by both the Rolex World Golf Ranking and the Official World Golf Ranking. She was also the youngest player to be named LPGA Player of the Year. As of October 2016, Lydia Ko had won more than $7.3 million from 70 tournaments. This put her at #25 on the Career Money List. She has been nominated for three ESPY Awards. In 2015 and 2016, she won Best Female Golfer and Best Female Golf Player. In 2015, she was also up for Best International Athlete. Lydia has also won the Mark H. McCormack Medal (in 2011, 2012, and 2013), the Halberg Supreme Award (2013), and the LPGA Vare Trophy (in 2021 and 2022). She was named New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year in 2013, 2014, and 2015, LPGA Player of the Year in 2015 and 2022, and GWAA Female Player of the Year in 2015. Information from public sources is used to figure out everyone's net worth. When they give it to us, we also use private tips and feedback from celebrities or their reps. Even though we work hard to make sure our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless it says otherwise, they are just estimates. Use the button below to let us know about any changes or comments. Read the full article

[whateveritsmyshed]

롯데월드 & 에버랜드 모두 이번 할로윈 시즌은 9월 2일 동시 시작!

대신 롯데월드가 제일 먼저 끝남...

[cryinginblaseball]

2022 recap

2022 is almost over, and I wanted to highlight the blaseball stuff I did this year!

First, my fics:

Hold Tightly, Hold Tightly

Everyone has that one Blaseball player that's their Blorbo. Jasper Coven is mine. I set a lot of his lore, and also contributed a lot to the Talkers' short circuit 2, Valhalifax. I really miss that team, and I really love Jasper. This is how he got the Valhalifax, and how he came to get Kiki Familia as his mentor.

Not The One That's Punishing You

Hobbs Cain talking to Greer Lott after she didn't make the Hall of Fame. I think these two could have been really good friends.

EUGENIA GARBAGE FINDS SOME CAT EARS IN A DUMPSTER AND DECIDES TO MAKE IT EVERYONE'S PROBLEM

This is not the best fic I've written, but it is my favorite. Eugenia running around and getting everyone to be a kitty cat is so much fun. This is also part of my York Silk is a furry agenda.

Drawing Moistly

My zine from the Blaseball Zine Jam, Drawing Moistly is a lot of sketches and doodles and art that didn't necessarily made it out of Orb Corner into the fanworks channel. Lots of Talkers blorbos in this one.

Bigger things:

I had the best lucky falling in with @polkadotpatterson and @mossy-kit and getting to build an amazing world together (and tricking them into being my friends). The Salt is lost short circuit that takes place in a Halifax where all the water has disappeared, leaving a vast salt flat behind, and a coven works in secret to try to bring the water back.

We're really proud of this thing we've made, and we'd love for you to read it. You can find The Salt on AO3 and downloadable on itch.io.

That other thing:

(Thanks to Spuntamatite for helping with the cover)

I finished a book this year, and it's a book that wouldn't have happened without Blaseball. I wanted to give my Blaseball OC, Oliver Trashcat, a story of his own, and what I got out of it is basically a love letter to Blaseball. There's nods to the fan culture, entire goddamn Garages lyrics, Talker arch types, and even a couple of cameos. I'm hosting it on Itch, and also posting it here one chapter at a time. It's pay what you want on Itch, which mean if you want to just download it for free, please do! I love these people and I want to share them with you all.

Thank you all for continuing to be an amazing fandom. I am all love you and I can't wait to see what we do in the new era.

[antonlaub]

The photo book “LAST CHRISTMAS (of Ceaușescu)” is available as a bilingual edition (De/En) at Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg, edited by Frizzi Krella, with texts by Frizzi Krella and Lotte Laub. The monograph came in 2020 on the shortlist at the Athens Photo Festival, on the longlist of the German Photo Book Prize in 2021, and on the shortlist for the Photo-Book Award at the Belfast Photo Festival in 2022.

LAST CHRISTMAS (of Ceaușescu) poses questions about the justice discourse in Romania and examines the dysfunctional dynamics and the institutional memory of the Romanian revolution three decades later. I visited museums that bear witness to the events of that time and questioned their transparency, or to what extent it is merely claimed. The focus is directed at the agency of things, at what they reveal or conceal, investigating constructions of power and the latency of controversy related to injustice and disorientation.

Dealing with the fall of the Romanian dictator Ceaușescu on Christmas Day 1989, three places are at the fore: Ceaușescu’s private house in Bucharest, the execution site in Târgoviște, and Casa Poporului, the never inaugurated ruler’s palace, for which an entire historical neighbourhood was demolished. How do they look back on us today? All three are ‘traumatised’ places, silent witnesses of an undead past, in which the echo of the personality cult still resonates today. During the 1980s there were rumours of a bathroom of pure gold that was supposedly to be found in Ceaușescu’s home. When I first entered it, I was immediately reminded of Lee Miller’s photograph. From the empty bathroom, that can now be visited, the banality of evil looks back at the viewer.

Every year in the 1980s around Christmastime, my father had to register his typewriter and the imprints of each key to submit them to the police (miliția), who archived the profiles of every single typewriter in the country. But not at Christmas 1989. On December 22, Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu are arrested at Târgoviște, of all places, the city where Vlad the Impaler alias Dracula once resided. On Christmas Day, the couple is sentenced to death in a brief show trial. The death sentence is carried out immediately. On December 26, the Christmas mass was broadcast live on Romanian TV for the first time. On the same day, the images of the execution go around the world.30 years after the system change, an EU resolution was passed, calling on the Romanian state to officially process the past events. 

While the overthrow of the other East European dictatorships in 1989 was mostly peaceful, Romania’s Revolution ended in a bloodbath. Leaders called upon civilians to fight against nameless “terrorists”, leading to a great deal of friendly fire. The events of those violent days remain shrouded in mystery and intrigue, leaving the question: was it a people’s uprising or a staged coup d’état? 

“Romania’s failure to address the unatoned crimes of 1989 in a legal process weighs on the state like a curse. […] The unexplained crimes still rumble underground. Perpetrators who have not been called to account remain a threat, like the undead, sucking the blood and thus the life-force of the living, as the vampire myth puts it.“ (from the essay In the Forest of the Impaled by Lotte Laub)

Exhibition view: DEUTSCHER FOTOBUCHPREIS 2021/2022, travelling exhibition, Forum für Fotografie, Cologne; Photo: Ursula Fasshauer 

[shaqibakram]

Ice Cream Market Forecast Report 2020 – 2027 – Top Key Players Analysis

The increasing consumption of take-home ice cream products and the introduction of a wide range of products such as exotic colors, natural flavors, and organic herbal filling are the significant factors that are contributing to the growth of the ice cream market.

The major key drivers that are boosting the growth of the ice cream market include the growing consumption of take-home ice cream products, increasing disposable income, and the easy availability of different flavored ice creams. It has been observed that customers often prefer to buy various varieties of ice creams. Thus, the leading manufacturers are emphasizing on bringing innovations in their product range, including exotic colors, natural flavors, organic herbal filling, and others to capture the growing demand of the market. Additionally, the increasing health-consciousness among the consumers have inclined them toward low-fat health products. This is promoting the manufacturers to develop new ice cream product range with low sugar content. For example, Halo Top an ice cream company, offers ice creams, natural ingredients and flavors, low calories, low sugar, and high in protein. Thus, the availability of flavored ice creams according to the changing demand of customers is another factor that is responsible for the growth of the ice cream market share in terms of revenue.

According to the ice cream market analysis, the purchase of premium ice creams is one of the key trends witnessed in the ice cream market. Consumers around the world are actively looking for high quality and unique ice cream flavors and are willing to pay more for better quality products. Hence, ice cream manufacturers are launching premium brands and variations on established products to meet the new and changing preferences of the target audience. However, on the other hand, ice cream is a seasonal product that is likely to act as a challenge for the continuous growth of the ice cream market throughout the year.

The widespread outbreak of the coronavirus has adversely impacted the demand of the ice cream market, especially in 2020. The overall sales of ice cream have witnessed a sharp fall due to the rising fear or misconception that ice cream makes one susceptible to COVID-19 because one can catch a cold. Furthermore, the rapid disruption in the supply chain and the temporary shutdown of the ice cream parlors and restaurants due to the strict lockdown will further restrain the growth of the market. However, the global ice cream market is expected to bounce back in 2021 while growing at a significant rate from 2022 onwards.

On the basis of product, the artisanal ice cream segment exhibits substantial growth potential and is projected to gain traction over the forecast period. The artisanal ice creams are natural products with high nutritional value and are often consumed as a small and pleasant snack. These ice creams do not have artificial flavors or added sugar and are made up of natural ingredients. The growing health concerns will further strengthen the demand of the segment during the forecast period. The impulse segment is projected to dominate the market in the next six years. Impulse ice cream comprises cones, cups, bars, and candies, which are ready to eat. Additionally, during the summer season, the customer prefers to have chilled candies and lollies to reduce heat, which further surges market growth.

On the basis of the region, the Asia-pacific region is anticipated to dominate the ice cream market in the next six years. This is due to the rapid urbanization and rising disposable income of individuals across the region. Furthermore, the supermarkets and hypermarkets in the region are boosting the sales of ice creams during the favorable season, which will further accelerate the market growth in this region.

The key players of the ice cream market include Mars Incorporated, Mihan Dairy & Ice cream Group, Blue Bell Creameries, L.P, Lotte Confectionery Co. Ltd, General Mills Inc., Nestle S.A., Wells Enterprises, Turkey Hill Dairy, and Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd., among others.

The research report on the ice cream market provides an in-depth analysis of the market revenue based on product and region for the forecast period from 2020 to 2027. The report highlights the major market drivers propelling the growth as well as challenges faced by the market participants. The research report also provides market size and forecast for the market. The report also analyses the competitive landscape, major players, and their strategies in 2019. The competitive landscape section of the report captures and highlights the recent developments in the market.

[antonlaub]

Solo exhibition at Goethe-Institut Bucharest,  Dec 2021–Jan 2022, curated by Frizzi Krella. With the kind support of Goethe-Institut Bukarest, thanks to Institute Director Dr. Joachim Umlauf & team.

LAST CHRISTMAS (of Ceaușescu) poses questions about the justice discourse in Romania and examines the dysfunctional dynamics and the institutional memory of the Romanian revolution three decades later. I visited museums that bear witness to the events of that time and questioned their transparency, or to what extent it is merely claimed. The focus is directed at the agency of things, at what they reveal or conceal, investigating constructions of power and the latency of controversy related to injustice and disorientation.

Dealing with the fall of the Romanian dictator Ceaușescu on Christmas Day 1989, three places are at the fore: Ceaușescu’s private house in Bucharest, the execution site in Târgoviște, and Casa Poporului, the never inaugurated ruler’s palace, for which an entire historical neighbourhood was demolished. How do they look back on us today? All three are ‘traumatised’ places, silent witnesses of an undead past, in which the echo of the personality cult still resonates today. During the 1980s there were rumours of a bathroom of pure gold that was supposedly to be found in Ceaușescu’s home. When I first entered it, I was immediately reminded of Lee Miller's photograph. From the empty bathroom, that can now be visited, the banality of evil looks back at the viewer.

Every year in the 1980s around Christmastime, my father had to register his typewriter and the imprints of each key to submit them to the police (miliția), who archived the profiles of every single typewriter in the country. But not at Christmas 1989. On December 22, Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu are arrested at Târgoviște, of all places, the city where Vlad the Impaler alias Dracula once resided. On Christmas Day, the couple is sentenced to death in a brief show trial. The death sentence is carried out immediately. On December 26, the Christmas mass was broadcast live on Romanian TV for the first time. On the same day, the images of the execution go around the world.

30 years after the system change, an EU resolution was passed, calling on the Romanian state to officially process the past events. While the overthrow of the other East European dictatorships in 1989 was mostly peaceful, Romania’s Revolution ended in a bloodbath. Leaders called upon civilians to fight against nameless “terrorists”, leading to a great deal of friendly fire. The events of those violent days remain shrouded in mystery and intrigue, leaving the question: was it a people’s uprising or a staged coup d’état? “Romania’s failure to address the unatoned crimes of 1989 in a legal process weighs on the state like a curse. [...] The unexplained crimes still rumble underground. Perpetrators who have not been called to account remain a threat, like the undead, sucking the blood and thus the life-force of the living, as the vampire myth puts it." (from the essay In the Forest of the Impaled by Lotte Laub)

The eponymous photo book was published as a bilingual edition (De/En) at Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg, edited by Frizzi Krella, with texts by Frizzi Krella and Lotte Laub. The monograph came in 2020 on the shortlist at the Athens Photo Festival, on the longlist of the German Photo Book Prize in 2021, and on the shortlist for the Photo-Book Award at the Belfast Photo Festival in 2022.

Poster Design: Marius Weber

[antonlaub]

LAST CHRISTMAS (of Ceaușescu), solo exhibition, Galeria Aparte, Iași, curated by Matei Bejenaru, artist and professor at Facultatea de Arte vizuale si Design. With the collaboration and kind support of: Universitatea Națională de Arte George Enescu, Centrul Cultural German and Goethe-Institut. Thanks to: Matei Bejenaru, Madalina Spinaru, Catalin Soreanu, Lavinia German, Vlad Onescu, Ana Maria Palimariu, Frizzi Krella, Lotte Laub

LAST CHRISTMAS (of Ceaușescu) poses questions about the justice discourse in Romania and examines the dysfunctional dynamics and the institutional memory of the Romanian revolution three decades later. I visited museums that bear witness to the events of that time and questioned their transparency, or to what extent it is merely claimed. The focus is directed at the agency of things, at what they reveal or conceal, investigating constructions of power and the latency of controversy related to injustice and disorientation.

Dealing with the fall of the Romanian dictator Ceaușescu on Christmas Day 1989, three places are at the fore: Ceaușescu’s private house in Bucharest, the execution site in Târgoviște, and Casa Poporului, the never inaugurated ruler’s palace, for which an entire historical neighbourhood was demolished. How do they look back on us today? All three are ‘traumatised’ places, silent witnesses of an undead past, in which the echo of the personality cult still resonates today. During the 1980s there were rumours of a bathroom of pure gold that was supposedly to be found in Ceaușescu’s home. When I first entered it, I was immediately reminded of Lee Miller’s photograph. From the empty bathroom, that can now be visited, the banality of evil looks back at the viewer.

Every year in the 1980s around Christmastime, my father had to register his typewriter and the imprints of each key to submit them to the police (miliția), who archived the profiles of every single typewriter in the country. But not at Christmas 1989. On December 22, Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu are arrested at Târgoviște, of all places, the city where Vlad the Impaler alias Dracula once resided. On Christmas Day, the couple is sentenced to death in a brief show trial. The death sentence is carried out immediately. On December 26, the Christmas mass was broadcast live on Romanian TV for the first time. On the same day, the images of the execution go around the world.

30 years after the system change, an EU resolution was passed, calling on the Romanian state to officially process the past events. While the overthrow of the other East European dictatorships in 1989 was mostly peaceful, Romania’s Revolution ended in a bloodbath. Leaders called upon civilians to fight against nameless “terrorists”, leading to a great deal of friendly fire. The events of those violent days remain shrouded in mystery and intrigue, leaving the question: was it a people’s uprising or a staged coup d’état? “Romania’s failure to address the unatoned crimes of 1989 in a legal process weighs on the state like a curse. […] The unexplained crimes still rumble underground. Perpetrators who have not been called to account remain a threat, like the undead, sucking the blood and thus the life-force of the living, as the vampire myth puts it.“ (from the essay In the Forest of the Impaled by Lotte Laub)

The eponymous photo book was published as a bilingual edition (De/En) at Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg, edited by Frizzi Krella, with texts by Frizzi Krella and Lotte Laub. The monograph came in 2020 on the shortlist at the Athens Photo Festival, on the longlist of the German Photo Book Prize in 2021, and on the shortlist for the Photo-Book Award at the Belfast Photo Festival in 2022.

[antonlaub]

Exhibition views, “LAST CHRISTMAS (of Ceaușescu)”, curated by Frizzi Krella at the Romanian Cultural Institute in Berlin (November 27, 2020 – March 31, 2021). According to the pandemic regulations the show could be visited by appointment only.

With the support of the Romanian Cultural Institute.

LAST CHRISTMAS (of Ceaușescu) poses questions about the justice discourse in Romania and examines the dysfunctional dynamics and the institutional memory of the Romanian revolution three decades later. I visited museums that bear witness to the events of that time and questioned their transparency, or to what extent it is merely claimed. The focus is directed at the agency of things, at what they reveal or conceal, investigating constructions of power and the latency of controversy related to injustice and disorientation.

Dealing with the fall of the Romanian dictator Ceaușescu on Christmas Day 1989, three places are at the fore: Ceaușescu’s private house in Bucharest, the execution site in Târgoviște, and Casa Poporului, the never inaugurated ruler’s palace, for which an entire historical neighbourhood was demolished. How do they look back on us today? All three are ‘traumatised’ places, silent witnesses of an undead past, in which the echo of the personality cult still resonates today. During the 1980s there were rumours of a bathroom of pure gold that was supposedly to be found in Ceaușescu’s home. When I first entered it, I was immediately reminded of Lee Miller’s photograph. From the empty bathroom, that can now be visited, the banality of evil looks back at the viewer.

Every year in the 1980s around Christmastime, my father had to register his typewriter and the imprints of each key to submit them to the police (miliția), who archived the profiles of every single typewriter in the country. But not at Christmas 1989. On December 22, Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu are arrested at Târgoviște, of all places, the city where Vlad the Impaler alias Dracula once resided. On Christmas Day, the couple is sentenced to death in a brief show trial. The death sentence is carried out immediately. On December 26, the Christmas mass was broadcast live on Romanian TV for the first time. On the same day, the images of the execution go around the world.

30 years after the system change, an EU resolution was passed, calling on the Romanian state to officially process the past events. While the overthrow of the other East European dictatorships in 1989 was mostly peaceful, Romania’s Revolution ended in a bloodbath. Leaders called upon civilians to fight against nameless “terrorists”, leading to a great deal of friendly fire. The events of those violent days remain shrouded in mystery and intrigue, leaving the question: was it a people’s uprising or a staged coup d’état? “Romania’s failure to address the unatoned crimes of 1989 in a legal process weighs on the state like a curse. […] The unexplained crimes still rumble underground. Perpetrators who have not been called to account remain a threat, like the undead, sucking the blood and thus the life-force of the living, as the vampire myth puts it.“ (from the essay In the Forest of the Impaled by Lotte Laub)

The eponymous photo book was published as a bilingual edition (De/En) at Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg, edited by Frizzi Krella, with texts by Frizzi Krella and Lotte Laub. The monograph came in 2020 on the shortlist at the Athens Photo Festival, on the longlist of the German Photo Book Prize in 2021, and on the shortlist for the Photo-Book Award at the Belfast Photo Festival in 2022.