ANSWER ME, MY YOUTH

A few years ago, i stumbled upon a show called Reply 1997. It ended up as one of my favourite shows of all time. Reply was a big hit and since then it had spawned 2 other series under its name: Reply 1994 and Reply 1988. Concept is the same. A heartwarming nolstagic drama about youth and friendship set in a certain time period while keeping you on the fence on which male lead the female character ended up with. I've watched all 3 series (didn't finish 1994 because it simply couldn't live up to the standards of the first series but was still a good show nevertheless) and my favourite has to be Reply 1988 - which is the latest instalment. Which i had just finished like 30 mins ago, haha.

I really like 1988 a lot. At first i thought i wouldn't make it through because every episode was about 90min long (omg!) and the beginning was quite slow. But i ended up loving it more than 1994 and 1997 because of them feels.

The only irritating part is the love story of the main characters. Honestly, the development was so sucky that i felt unsatisfied even though the pair i was rooting for ended up together. For the past 2 series, the love story was the biggest selling point of the show. The whole keeping-you-on-your-toes on who the husband is, giving you clues but making you confused... it was a great ploy. But it failed on Reply 1988 mainly because the adult male character didn't get his character correct which misled me and made me mad because it felt like my emotions were being played with grrr. Just thinking about it makes me mad.

But what made up for it was the friendship and kinship stories. Unlike the previous series, 1988 focused on the stories of the side characters as well. Every episode was an insight to a certain character and his/her story and about the relationship between each and every character... The friendship of the neighbourhood ajummas, the support group between the fathers, the mother and child relationship, the community etc... it truly was a neighbourhood drama. There were so many scenes where i teared up that has nothing to do with the love story (in fact i didn't cry during the love story scenes lol) - when Il Hwa ran in the rain with her bleeding stubbed toe just to protect her daughter, when Bora bought her father a shirt that was way too small and yet her father insisted on wearing it everyday, when Bora bought a pair of shoes for her father to wear during her wedding but it was too big this time round so he had to stuff it with tissues to walk her down the aisle and Bora just cried uncontrollably when she noticed it (so did i T_T), when Jung Bong and Jung Hwan realised that their mom could not read romanised alphabets at all because she was only a elementary school grad (she was portrayed as a superwoman who could do everything in the show)...

And there were also many small moments like how DongRyong ran away from home because of the lack of love in his family, or how Mi Ran went through her menopause and her family supported her through it, I felt as though i journeyed through their lives and it was so heartwarming. Words can't describe how much i am in love with Reply 1988 so I'm just gonna slap in some videos (hahahaha i love that the sheep's bleh during awkward moments).









There were so many funny moments, i wished i could show them all! It makes me warm and fuzzy looking back at past episodes. And even though all the characters are superb and awesome, this woman is the bomb.

Someone give this lady an Oscar please.

Nostalgia plays a big factor to the popularity of the Reply series because who doesn't have fond childhood memories that they can think back on? I met up with my primary school friends a few days ago and since most of us watch the Reply series (thanks to my recommendation ;D), we started to talk about the show. And as per every meet up, we talked about the old times as well. And you know what? As we were chatting and laughing over our lives (and the characters'), it hit me that everyone has their own Reply series. Within the 4 of us, our Reply lies in the days where we always gathered at YL's house after school to eat fishballs, heading over to SH's house to play Sims, the red brief hanging on gate of our room in camp, the nights in camp that i comforted SH as she cried for her mother, the mornings that i braided her hair because she doesn't know how to tie, the moment when i wanted to call home from camp one morning but ended up dialling XY's house number due to fatigue and familiarity....

So grateful for this bunch of girls whom has walked with me for more than a decade. So thankful for this friendship that has survived time, separation, life and arguments. We are going to continue this through the next decade and the decade after that and the decade after that and i am excited to go through the rest of my life with them.

This is my Reply 2006: the last year of my primary school days and the year our friendship cemented forever.

Tim Ho Wan

I was forcing my sister to take photo with me yesterday, so i coiled my arm around her neck. Today, when i was browsing through old photos, i saw this:

HAHAHA look at her helpless expression. Lording over my sis since 1996. (Happy belated birthday btw!)

Now the memories are on the wall

31st Dec 2012. The last day of 2012. This demands a special post... which i unfortunately do not have. Nothing special going on in my dull life so you cant really blame me. Usually when it comes to the last day of the year, i would blog about my "favourites" for that particular year. If im not wrong, i blogged about my favourite songs/manga/anime/shows back in 2011. (Please do not check my archive. My past posts are undoubtedly embarrassing). I honestly wanted to do a Favourite Products of 2012 but then i also wanted to do a post on unpublished photos that i have collected in my phone. Not to mention, i have yet to blog about my Christmas week and my MFTS (music for the soul, if anyone still remembers. I doubt since the last time i did it was the beginning of Dec). The list of songs is just growing because i discover new music ALL THE TIME.

Eventually, i decided to do publish unpublished photos of 2012 so that i can have a ball of time looking back on what i did. Oh, photos only starts at around August because that was when i changed my phone to one with good quality camera haha.

In random order:

I think i was fascinated that i can see my reflection on my macbook because it means my phone's camera is quite good haha. As you can tell, my computer's screen is really dirty. I dont know why i looked so weird though.

 Fake blood which tastes super sweet.

I spotted this girl with cool hair while queuing in the interchange.

 Hmm, i dont know why XY's finger appeared and why i pretended to eat her finger hehe.

Hehehe so cute!

 Anginn's tumbled over Red Velvet from Twelve Cupcakes.

 Looking suspicious haha.

 Everyone trying to get a photo of our PM.

Mouldy cake.

Joy being as cute as usual.

Seyong's hand filled with superglue because my shoe heel came off and needed some immediate rescue session heh.

I dont know who that was wrapped under the toilet paper haha.

Bored at work. Why is one of my eye smaller than the other?

This is the most recent photo in my phone. Took this with XX only a few days ago. My phone's front camera has a "halo" effect because the screen protector covered a bit of the lens hehe.

Going out to countdown with my LG mates! ^^ Really excited :D

Have a happy new year everyone! May 2013 be filled with peace and joy! 

Fashion

I am sorry that you had to read through the really long and antsy post below. I dont know what came over me. The behaviour was unacceptable and i offer you my sincerest apology.

HAHAHA.

I am not sorry but i just pitied those who actually went through the previous post. It was so long and stupid and filled with frustration ):

So... to compensate, I shall introduce one of my favourite fashion blog. Actually i have quite a few favourites but i recommend this because 1) she's singaporean 2) she's a friend. I am not trying to promote her - she probably doesnt know that im doing this and honestly, not a lot of people read my blog so its not considered a promotion - but HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE COOL AND FASHIONABLE FRIENDS? HUH HUH HUH?

Although my style, errr that is if i even have one to begin with, is very different from hers, she is so edgy and unique. And i just think that fashion is about being you, being original as you already are (:

Suddenly remember the time where i accidentally saw her in Tampines library while both of us were studying for O's. I had my September (or was it November?) Seventeen issue with me. Nina Dobrev sported the front cover. Both of us were just browsing through the magazine. Lol random~

 She made the accessories herself. How cute!

That's her best friend, Elyse. Actually, i know the both of them. We used to be in the same 'O' level music class. Ahh, good ol' times. I recently saw Claudia and both of us were giggling about the fun times we had! HAHAHAHAHA i swear!!!

Anyway, visit her at http://theodoralorene.wordpress.com