Malaysian Film, Korean Setting

Blog Contest

by Korea Plaza KL

Come up with a Malaysian musical film in a Korean setting, and what do we get?  A movie that I must check out!  Even in the midst of preparing for my university's final examination, I can't help but to take some time to watch the movie and write a blog post for a contest based on that movie.  It is always nice to see our local producers or directors embarking on a setting outside of our own country but maintaining the Malaysian aspects of a movie.  So, what is 'Aku Ada, Kau Ada??' all about?  Here is the trailer for those who did not get to watch it yet.  The main characters are played by actress Yana Samsudin (playing Tina) and actor Shaheizy Sam (playing Nordin), and this film was directed by Rahila Ali.

Now, onto the contest questions...

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1) Name two places in the movie where Tina and Nordin constantly clash with each other in Korea.

Even though a number of places are featured in the movie, the two places that I found to be the "meeting points" where Tina and Nordin often bump into each other are Kyung Hee University (Seoul campus) and Nami Island.

Kyung Hee University (Seoul campus)

Nordin is a second-year student at this university.  He made it his "resolution" to be seen as a cool guy but whenever the spotlight is on him, he starts to feel giddy and eventually throws up.  Tina is placed at the same university under an anger management programme called "99 Hari Senyum" (Smile for 99 Days).  Starting from the first moment that the two clash with each other when Nordin's reckless driving almost hits Tina who happens to be in the way, it can be seen that they often clash at the area near the water fountain in front of Kyung Hee University's administration building.

Nami Island

Have you ever watched a 2002 Korean drama entitled 'Winter Sonata'?  If you have, you would notice that some scenes in this movie were filmed at the same place.  The place is Nami Island, an islet with a very eye-catching scenery.  For those who have watched the movie ('Aku Ada, Kau Ada???'), I am sure a lot of you will agree that the most meaningful meetings between Tina and Nordin happen at the tree lanes of Nami Island.  Who wouldn't be mesmerised by the ever breathtaking view of pathways with trees and shrubs on both sides?  Purely beautiful (and romantic)~

2) If I have a flight ticket to Korea, I will...

... do the following in order to utilise the chance that I've been waiting for.

i - Polish my Korean language
I've always enjoyed learning about Asian cultures.  Learning languages other than my country's is part of it.  I haven't got the chance to join any Korean language classes but I've been learning the language on my own with the help of online communities, books, and dictionaries.  I can say that I'm gradually improving at my own pace.  My effort in learning this beautiful language shall continue.  As long as I don't give up, I'll be fluent enough someday.

ii - Visit Kyung Hee University

Thanks to the movie, I've become interested to know more about Kyung Hee University.  It seems like the university is a panoramic place to visit.  As a university student, I know for a fact that "university life" is very much different from "school life" or "working life".  It is a phase in one's life that needs to be seized and cherished.  Seeing from the movie and from posts by other individuals, Kyung Hee University indeed has a surrounding that is unique and captivating.  It is a private university that offers quite a wide range of courses for undergraduates and graduates, both domestic and international.

It's a pretty cool university, isn't it?

Click here and you'll be directed to the official website of the university.

iii - Explore Lotte World

Of course, I won't miss the chance to go to Lotte World!  I'm excited just thinking about it.  This place is perfect for entertainment, sightseeing, and shopping.  Going with your family or friends will multiple the fun and satisfaction.

This photo of Lotte World is courtesy of TripAdvisor (NatL3)

This photo of Lotte World is courtesy of TripAdvisor (missjess85)

This photo of Lotte World is courtesy of TripAdvisor (kisetsu)

This photo of Lotte World is courtesy of TripAdvisor (kisetsu)

This photo of Lotte World is courtesy of TripAdvisor (Lynne000)

This photo of Lotte World is courtesy of TripAdvisor (Lynne000)

This photo of Lotte World is courtesy of TripAdvisor (SETYADARMA)

So, who wants to visit Lotte World with me?!  Raise your hands!

Click here to see the official website of Lotte World.

iv - Stop by at cool cafes

I've heard and read that there are pretty cool cafes in Korea, particularly around Seoul.  The cafes are not only known for their beverages or meals but also their ambience.  It would be a pleasure to step my feet in some of the cafes that the people around me have been talking about.  The cafes that I would love to go to are Coffee of Dream (가베 두림), Coffee Smith, Star Cafe Miss Lee (별다방 미스리), Hello Kitty Cafe, and Cube Studio Cafe.

Coffee of Dream

345-13, Gasan-dong, Geumcheon-gu

02 562 8268

Click to go to the website.

Coffee Smith

541-7, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu

02 3446 9383

Click to go to the website.

Star Cafe Miss Lee

144, Gwanghun-dong, Jongno-gu

02 739 0939

1-74, Dongsung-dong, Jongno-gu

02 747 0939

199-1, Euljiro 2-ga, Jung-gu

02 755 0939

Click to go to the website.

Hello Kitty Cafe

358-112, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu

02 6326 6500

Click to go to the website.

Cube Studio Cafe

Cheongdam-dong

I'm a huge supporter of Cube Entertainment, the agency that manages BEAST, 4Minute, G.NA, and BTOB.  So, going to the cafe that Cube Entertainment came up with would be more than just a normal cafe visit to me.

v - Go to Kwangjang Market
Why would I miss the chance to go to 광장 시장 (Kwangjang Market)?  To me, it's one of the places that a visitor must go to in order to experience how it's like being in a Korean market.  I want to try the food sold there and probably buy some souvenirs to bring back home.  I might even have a chat with one of the 아줌마 (aunt) or 아주씨 (uncle) at any of the stalls there.  Even with my broken Korean skills, I can still start a casual conversation, can't I?

6-1, Yeji-dong, Jongno-gu

02 2267 0291

Click to go to the website.

vi - Blog about my awesome trip

What good is a great trip if it isn't shared, right?  Especially since I have a blog, I'll be more than happy to tell others about what I have experienced in Korea.  Through accounts on the places I have visited and food I have tried, accompanied by related pictures, I hope that others will be able to be part of my trip through reading my post.  Blogging about it can also be a way for me to preserve the wonderful memories I've made.  I can always look back and reminisce the joyful days.

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Thank you for reading this!  Best wishes!

When Katie and Kristi were Little Girls

SPOILER!
Paranormal Activity 3

yes, i've watched Paranormal Activity 3 at the cinema.  i was so stressed out by the assignments and tutorials that i had to deal with, that i HAD to put those things aside for a while.  it's not so much the toughness or difficulty level that makes those tasks feel like some sort of a burden (sorry, dear educators! :/), it's the abundance of the workload.  *sigh*  be strong, be strong!  so, i took a break from my assignments and tutorials.  my younger sister (not the youngest) and cousin tagged along.

as some of you might have already known, the three Paranormal Activity movies make use of first-person view and home video-like theme.  i see that this theme is getting more popular these days.  the rationale behind this is due to the fact that watching a movie from a first-person view makes the movie that much more believable and relatable.  before watching Paranormal Activity 3, i've read some reviews and comments about the movie.  some people like it ("like", not "love") and some dislike it.  they have their reasons, i'm sure.  despite whatever review i've read, i was still so determined to watch that movie!  i've been watching Paranormal Activity series since the first one came out.  i got hooked!  nang ngam bah movie ya ngan dirik, kali.  walaupun sebenarnya penakut!

for me, these are the top 4 scary bits in the third movie:

1) as Lisa, the babysitter, sat in the dining area after putting Katie and Kristi to sleep while Julie (Katie and Kristi's mom) and Dennis (Julie's boyfriend - Julie and her husband, who is Katie and Kristi's real dad, got a divorce or probably just a separation) went out, there was a white bed sheet in the figure of a child standing right behind her.  the reasonable thing to think of at that time was perhaps either Katie or Kristi was under the bed sheet and the girls just wanted to scare Lisa for fun.  then...the bed sheet got out of shape and fell flat on the floor, as if there was just air under it.  how did it stay in shape for so long, then??  and how did it manage to go behind Lisa at the dining area??  creepy~

2) Katie's, the older sister, blanket vigorously flew away from her towards the camera.  the poor girl was so scared and wanted to run to their mom downstairs, but that wasn't enough for the demon named Toby (which was claimed as Kristi's imaginary friend).  soon after that, Katie was dragged from her bed to the mini store in their room, feet first.  anyone would be petrified if that happens to oneself, right?  the poor girl tried to crawl back towards her younger sister.  we could hear Katie asking Kristie to help her, "Kristi, help me!!!" but Kristi could just watch her from her own bed, shocked.  as Katie almost reached her sister's bed, the demon dragged her again but Katie kept crawling away from the store.  along with some other things in the room, Katie's empty bed moved and rotated about 90 degrees.

3) Katie was chasing after Kristi, or maybe the girls were just running around playfully.  Kristi ran to the washroom in their bedroom and Katie was right behind her.  however, Katie bumped into something like an invisible wall.  that must be Toby, judging from Katie's fearful expression and action of slowly moving backward.  she tried to call out their mom but Julie was too busy having an argument with Dennis.  then, Katie stood still.  gosh, that part was suspenseful since we knew something would happen.  guess what happened?  Katie's long hair was pulled upward!  kowai~~!!

4) after talking to her mother through the phone in the kitchen, Julie (Katie and Kristi's mom) went to the door because she heard a knock.  no one was outside when she opened the door.  then, when she went back in, she noticed something strange in the kitchen.  all of the furniture and items that were supposed to be there (except for the cemented cabinets, sink, etc., that were attached to the floor) weren't there.  a few seconds later, all of those things crashed down from the ceiling!  weird and spooky!!!  she right away ran off and shouted, "Dennis!!  get the girls!  we're getting out of here!".  the four of them then went to Julie's mother's house.

some movie-goers complained that there were some parts in the trailer that weren't shown in the movie.  here's an article about it -- click me! --  there might be reasons to this.  trailers are trailers.  movies are movies.  yes, a trailer is supposed to give audience a clue on what's in the movie but let's not be feel so bumped if some parts in the trailer aren't in the finished and edited movie.  filmmakers must have their reasons.

Meet...the Fangirl

according to urbandictionary.com, a fangirl/ fanboy is defined as "a person who has a compulsive dedication to a video game series, anime series, and/ or music artist".  here, i would like to introduce to you, a fangirl that i happen to be close with.  ^^  i paid her a visit recently and snapped some photos of her possessions that give clear hints that she's such a fan.  i'm kind of a fangirl too, just so you know.


let the photos tell the story:

OMG..brilliant choice of K-pop group!  ;)  i love this group too!  is this fate~?? xD

she carries this picture in her clear file whenever she attends her classes.   yes, she's still a student.

this is another picture in another clear file.  same group..

a handfan ordered from hyun-seung.com, a South Korean fanclub for one of BEAST's members.

 

Yong Jun Hyung and Jang Hyun Seung~

BEAST (Korean pop) and Arashi (Japanese pop) button badges 

even her wallet has 'B2ST (BEAST)' on it! 

 before you enter her room, you'll be greeted by this 'Welcome to B2ST Airline' poster.

i guess this is kind of like a warning sign for non-fans or those sitting on fences.  like "enter at your own risk".  no biggy, though!

as you enter the room and close the door, there's another poster!

the poster has BEAST on it whereas the 2 little pictures on the right have Arashi on them. 

she's a fan of the CUBE family too!  no wonder we're such good friends!  like..seriously~ 

what a motivating study area! 

Arashi section~ (LOL...section?) 

ow...tok nya beli masa DiGi Live K-pop Party in KL Januari lepas.  aku pun ada tok. 

AMNOS section~

(AMNOS ya akronim surname sidak members dalam Arashi - Aiba-Matsumoto-Ninomiya-Ohno-Sakurai.  harap maklum.) 

members of Arashi.
BTW, 'arashi' literally means 'storm' in Japanese language.  ya la dalam sigek lagu sidak tok ada line "rollin' rollin' goin' rollin'.. we make storm!".  lagu 'Attack It!'.

her drama and movie DVDs/ VCDs collection...mostly Asian dramas or movies.

another box containing DVDs/ VCDs~ 

this box (bigger than the ones shown before) contains CDs/ DVDs/ VCDs of the artistes she supports.  some are actually imported items from Japan and South Korea, and others are Malaysian or Asian version of the albums.

she's also a huge fan of a British pop group, Westlife.  she has been a fan since she was 12, if i'm not mistaken.

okay okay.....so that 'fangirl friend' of mine is really me.  i knew it would be tough to fool some of my friends or family members/ relatives who already know my fandoms. :)  just wanted to fool around a little.  no harm done, right?  ^^v 


more pictures can be found at my So BEAST~~~! and "rollin' rollin' goin' rollin' we make storm.." photo albums on Facebook.

to whom it concerns, i still keep this UniFruit button badge too! ^^