Before Hometown Cha Cha Cha started streaming on Netflix, I got to attend a press con with the cast - yes, including our resident Good Boy and now Chief Hong, Kim Seon-ho. I hadn't watched the show yet when the press con happened but one thing that really stuck to me was when Seon-ho said, "I think it would be really nice if women who watch the drama think that it would be nice to have a boyfriend like Du-sik." I didn't understand what he meant at the time; but eight episodes in and I am utterly and crazily in love with his character. I WANT A DU-SIK. Here's why.
He has the perfect work-life balance.
There's no doubt about it: Hong Du-sik is a workaholic. And he can do everything! Naglabas pa siya ng licenses for proof. Haha. So whether you need home renovations, a cook, a barista, a real estate agent, or someone to just carry your heavy stuff (or even carry you hehe), Du-sik can get it done. And he'll do it with a smile on his face so you'll never feel like a burden. uwu
HOWEVER, he also knows when to step his foot down. On his days off, there's no way you can get him to do anything for you. He'll spend that time doing the things he loves, whether it's surfing, fishing, or defending your friend from sexual predators. double uwu
He is respectful and kind to people from all walks of life.
If there's one thing I can't tolerate, it's rudeness and disrespect. And we see this a lot in Hometown Cha Cha Cha from the chismosang kapitbahays to Hye-jin herself. But not from Du-sik. Du-sik respects everyone from the kids to the oldies, and he even calls out people to school them when he feels the need to. In fact, he shares a ton of words of wisdom in the show that many viewers will get to benefit from.
He goes the extra mile.
Not gonna lie: I cried at one point while watching HomeCha because I wanted a Du-sik in my life so badly. :p I was also PMS-ing and I actually blame my PMS for that moment of weakness. But the thing is: Du-sik isn't just helpful and kind. He actually goes the extra mile. When he found that shoe in the water, he could've just returned it; but no. This man Googled how to restore it to its former glory. And then a few episodes later, when Hye-jin told him about her herniated disc, he went and chopped up all of that whatever-that-was so she would have a remedy for it. Did he have to? No. But did he do it? Yes. I stan a man who makes an effort just because he wants to. :( GIVE ME A DU-SIK, LORD, PLEASE!
He isn't afraid to make a fool of himself.
Another thing I love about Du-sik is that he isn't afraid to make a fool of himself and have fun in the process. Remember that cute dentist song for the kids? And the talent show? He might not be the best dancer, but I love that he put himself out there anyway. And besides, his singing skills totally make up for it.
THOSE DIMPLES.
I mean..... COME ONNNNN.
Now, I'm gonna be honest. Hometown Cha Cha Cha isn't my usual kind of Korean drama. However, Kim Seon-ho was my wallpaper for a good year after Start-Up and I have been dying to see him in something again. It's a light, warm, and nakakakilig KDrama that will help you forget all of the crap we live with day to day - and if you love Seon-ho as much as I do, it's well worth it for him alone.
Have you seen it? What do you think of the KDrama so far? Do you think Du-sik will get the girl in the end? Please pray with me. :p
In case you haven't watched it yet (and you really should if you haven't yet - you have time before Season 2!!!), 'Love Alarm' is based on the popular webtoon of the same name. In the show, there is a mobile app that alerts people when someone within a 10-meter radius likes them... can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if that existed in real life? :p
Starring Kim So-hyun, Jung Ga-ram, and Song Kang, there’s no better time than now to watch (or re-watch) the first season as you wait for Season 2.
The new stills show Kim Jo-jo (Kim So-hyun) meeting Lee Hye-yeong (Jung Ga-ram) and Hwang Sun-oh (Song Kang) individually. While they have graduated from high school and have become adults, they still have unresolved worries and conflicts.
The second season takes place 4 years after the creation of the app which has recently released Love Alarm 2.0. The update comes with a new feature that shows users a list of people who are likely to like them in the future.
Kim Jo-jo, who still hides her feelings, will come across a variety of small and large changes in society influenced by the app. Most importantly, we'll get to see more tension between the main characters. Who are you rooting for?
I first watched 'Dawson's Creek' when I was 10 years old. That was pre-teen me. Innocent, clueless, and with a lust to experience the teenage world. I remember falling madly in love with Pacey Witter - manly, caring, and cute - and wishing I would grow up to be just like Jen Lindley - effortlessly beautiful, fashionable, and wise beyond her years. I was so obsessed with the show, I even took notes while watching it, typed the script in our clunky new computer on MS-DOS, and saved it into diskettes. I even bought the original soundtrack and the books, and I remember reading them to my sister on our bunk bed at night.
I hadn't watched 'Dawson's Creek' again since then, though. I never got the DVDs. I never made an effort to stream it. I never even thought about it much. In fact, I completely forgot the show existed until I saw it on the 'Coming Soon' section on Netflix. The nostalgia sank in, the butterflies fluttered in my stomach, and I watched it the minute it came out. Here's what I discovered:
They didn't sound the way that I remembered.
When Dawson Leery first spoke, I was a little shocked. I didn't remember him having that kind of voice. And then I realized we lived in Germany when I was 10 and we watched it dubbed in German. That's right. I never watched 'Dawson's Creek' in English. Lol. It took me a while to get used to how whiny everybody sounded; and to be honest, I was a bit surprised by how whiny everybody in the show was, in general. Was Dawson always that annoying? Was Joey? I remember my sister loving Joey back in the day... but why?
I grew up to be nothing like Jen Lindley.
As much as I adored Jen, I didn't grow up to be like her. You'd think that if you idolize someone, you'll do your best to be more like them... but that clearly isn't what happened. In fact, I didn't even grow up to Joey. I grew up to be... Andie McPhee.
It's sad to admit that while watching her on the screen now, but she is me. I am her. I can't find a single thing about Andie that I cannot relate to. I was a nerd. I was obsessed with getting good grades and I applied to a gazillion colleges... not because I wanted to go there, but just because I wanted to see if I could get in (this is a toxic trait I still have to this day). I even have a gay brother!
And then there's the mental illness. 'Dawson's Creek' sucked at portraying mental illness (and homosexuality while we're at it) to be honest, but the fact that she had one hit far too close to me. I just wish I had someone like Pacey, too. Though the way Andie ended up handling that... I can already see how things might've panned out for me if I had a Pacey of my own.
I would probably date Dawson in real life.
I loved Pacey and I still do now that I'm rewatching it. But let's be honest: a geeky Spielberg-loving filmmaker with a room that looks like all of the rooms I've ever had? Dawson is the geek of my dreams. He just needs a new haircut.
'Dawson's Creek' touched on so many issues.
All I really remember about 'Dawson's Creek' - the title song aside - is that it was fun to watch. I never remembered it as a "serious" show. In fact, whenever I talk to people about coming-of-age series, I always talk about how much I miss 'The OC' and 'One Tree Hill' because they portrayed the sad realities of teenage life well. It turns out 'Dawson's Creek' did that, too. They've got everything in there: wild sex lives, peer pressure, divorce, scandals with teachers (lol), suicide, homosexuality, mental illness... though I am still just on Season 2 at the moment and that's when I realized...
I never finished the show.
This makes sense, really. We left Germany a mere year after 'Dawson's Creek' first aired. I was 12 and on the verge of experiencing real teenage life for myself. By the time we moved to the Philippines for my first couple of high school years, I was so immersed in the transition to teenagehood and discovering boys and first kisses and first heartbreaks that I didn't make time to watch shows on TV anymore. I am in the second half of Season 2 at the moment and have no idea how this show is going to pan out.
I hope Pacey doesn't get back together with Andie, though. He deserves better.
Are you a fan of 'The Umbrella Academy'? I've been a fan of the comics since I was in college. I had soft copies, a hardbound version, and even a figurine of The White Violin. I loved her so much - as much as I loved Death in 'The Sandman'. Add to that the fact that I loved Gerard Way, and absolutely everything about 'The Umbrella Academy' simply fit so nicely into my college life. Fast forward to 2019. I was given the opportunity to watch the very first episode of 'The Umbrella Academy' on Netflix before anyone else. It was the un-finalized version, but I already found myself falling in love with the action, the music, and the cast that when I got to meet, interview, and hang out with Robert Sheehan and David Castañeda in Singapore; it was the highlight of my year.
Channeling my inner Numbers 1, 7, and 4.
Photo by Mimai Cabugnason.
When I finally watched the entire Season 1, though, I was a little disappointed... Granted, I was comparing it to the comics far too much. Rumor didn't look the way I had imagined and wanted her to look. Number 7, when she finally became the White Violin, was nothing like the figurine I had had on display for more than a decade. And there were moments in the show that I was unsure how to feel. But I have learned to separate the comics from the series since then. And with that mindset, having been given the opportunity to watch Season 2 before anyone else, I finished it on an ultra high note. IT WAS AMAZING. (That's all I can say for now, but wait for my review when we're finally given permission to publish it. :p) For now, here's a throwback to a Netflix event I attended last year for the launch of Season 1. The event gave us the chance to delve into the rooms of The Umbrella Academy and what those rooms might look like:
The Common Room
Special thanks to Netflix, PLDT, and Smart for this awesome experience!
I got to take home one of these masks from the Singapore press con.
Pick a door. Any door.
Number 1
As you might know, Number 1 spent a lot of time on the moon. As such, the entire room is pretty much space-related with some workout equipment lying around. Number 1 is ripped for a reason, after all.
Gear for moon living.
I'm not entirely sure why everything was kind of... tiny. Was it to make us feel as big as Number 1? :p
Number 2
I have a special place in my heart for Dave, but for his character in the show... not so much. :p
Being the bitter justice-seeking guy that he is, the room has cut-out cardboards of people for target practice.
Photos of Hazel and Cha Cha can be found in the room, too - also for target practice?
Number 3
The main character I was a bit disappointed by in Season 1, Number 3 is a famous star.
Records adorn the walls for this reason.
She also has a beauty corner for all of her prettifying needs.
My face pretty much shows how I felt when I saw her in the show.
Me, still unsure about how I feel about Allison. :p
Number 4
This is probably MY FAVORITE ROOM OF ALL TIME. Hahaha. In true Klaus fashion, the entire room looks like a bar.
With the ability to talk to the dead, it really isn't no wonder why his room is a bar, though.
The poor guy needs this.
Add to that everything he went through during the war, and it really isn't no wonder why he needs booze so much.
I feel you, Klaus. I really do.
I also feel the need to point out that Robert is the nicest and most humble celebrity I have ever met and hung out with so far. Love. Him.
Number 5
My general love for baby boys aside, Aidan Gallagher is my favorite actor in 'The Umbrella Academy' series. He is such a great actor. His character is amazing (especially in Season 2). And if you follow him on social media, you'll see all of the causes he supports and speaks out about. I love people with values.
Since Number Five is actually much older in age, the room is a mixture of his intelligence and his young looks.
Gamer and movie posters are on the walls alongside skateboards. Different time zones are on the clocks, as well, to signify his time-traveling abilities.
The blackboard is filled with scientific calculations (for space-time manipulation, perhaps?)
Shoes on the bed. Oops!
Of course, Dolores is here, too!
Number 6
I don't think this is really a spoiler, but Ben is dead in the show, so I guess that's why the room looks like this. I wish they had put more of Ben's actual personality into it instead. :(
Number 7
And now for my dream room! Vanya is a bit of a loner, having been isolated from the rest of her siblings. Thus the very loner, very me vibes.
Books everywhere! And spot the violin!
A typewriter! (I swear this room feels like it was built for me.)
I love how Netflix reused their set for their 'You' event for this. :p
I also spotted a photo of her siblings, which made me tear up a bit.
In my element.
Mimai and I walked up a very dark, very sketchy set of stairs to get this photo. :p
But we also got to drink unlimited wine, which I took complete advantage of. :p
Which room is your favorite? :)
'The Umbrella Academy' Season 2 starts streaming on Netflix on July 31, 2020. And trust me when I say that it's even better than Season 1.
And if you haven't read the comics yet, PLEASE DO IT NOW AND THEN GEEK OUT WITH ME. :D
