Perk of being Me in Korea

Hello!!

Its been a super long time. Sorry. Asalnya mau ngepost banyak, eh semua nyangkut di draft. Harap dimaafkan yah. Keadaan sekarang ini, gue lagi super excited, karena in less than 5 months, i am gonna go home, for good. Bye Korea hehe. Tapi sebelum balik, masih harus menyelesaikan semester terakhir ini. Insyaallah hasilnya baik dan bisa lulus Agustus ini. Mohon doanya.

Dikarenakan sudah ada rencana untuk back for good inilah, gue mulai dengan semena-mena pengen beli ini itu. Segala mau ngelengkapin CD Infinite (maafin yah, saya fangirl :p), pengen beli baju-baju aneh yang kayaknya ga ada di Indo (sekalian disuruh beli baju lebaran sama mami), make up yang beberapa lebih murah, tas, sepatu, pengen nonton konser sampe puas, makan ini itu, dan lain sebagainya. Tapi duitnya ga memungkinkan, kesian haha. Lalu karena banyak mau inilah, gue menyadari, ada banyak hal yang gue ga bisa dapetin disini hanya karena gue orang Asia Tenggara dengan darah Belanda. Kenapa Asia Tenggara dan darah Belanda mempengaruhi ini semua? Okay, akan gue jelaskan melalui beberapa yang gue ga bisa dapet dengan bebas disini.

Its hard to find a clothes and shoes

Okay, gue mengakui, ini mungkin hanya gue. Karena gue overweight (i am not shame of this tho, its the truth, so chill!) dan gue juga lagi diet ala ala tapi berat badan ya gini-gini aja, eh jadi curhat hahaha. Jadi bentukan gue itu seperti ini..

Selama 22 tahun gue tinggal di Indonesia, gue ga pernah menemukan kesulitan untuk beli pakaian. Oh iya in addition, selain gue emang gemuk, karena ada gen Belanda yang ngalir kentel di darah gue, postur badan gue pun, western. Bahu bidang, dada (ehem) ada, pantat (lagi-lagi) ada, but its okay, di Indonesia, mereka provide baju untuk orang seperti gue. Meanwhile disini..

Gue ga mau menyalahkan atau ngejudge culture yang ada di Korea ini. So no offense. Gue hanya akan membicarakan fakta apa yang gue tau dan gue liat. As we know, Korea is one of the most homogenous country in the world. Mereka hanya punya satu ras dan satu bahasa. Itu kenapa mereka terlihat sama. Orang Korea, memang postur badannya kecil dan disini ada pandangan (correct me if i am wrong) kalau orang yg overweight itu jelek dan berarti dia ga bisa jaga dirinya. Well, yeah. Jadi bisa dibilang being overweight here is kinda wrong and socially unaccepted. Dan kalau kalian tau ukuran overweight di Korea itu, well kalau di Indonesia untuk berat badan segitu itu normal, di Korea, kalian overweight.

So, karena menurut mereka punya badan 'besar' itu salah, jadi mereka ga provide banyak barang dan kebutuhan untuk orang dengan postur badan seperti gue. As for example, HnM dan toko-toko franchise lainnya pun, mereka ga order ukuran besar. Jadi ukuran yg kalian bisa temui di Eropa dan Indonesia dan Amerika, disini mostly ga sampe segitu ukurannya. Begitu juga dengan sepatu, dengan lucunya di HnM dan Forever21 sini ukuran cuma sampe 39-40, baru-baru ini aja kayaknya di HnM masuk nomor 41, tapi itu juga ga banyak dan cepet habis.

Buat contoh lagi, jadi tadi gue abis nyari baju summer sama temen gue ke Hongdae, dan kita mampir ke local shop. Gue memang bisa pake kaos-kaos free sizenya Korea, but not with the dress dengan bahan bukan kaos. Jadi ini dress baik, semua pas, tapi bagian dada, kayak mau meledak. Kaboom!

Korea is the home of cheap but high quality make up brand, but not for me

I am pretty much okay, until i find out that i can't find the right color for my foundation. Its either too white or become grey when i use Korean product. So does the powder. Disclaimer, i am not trying to make Korean make up brand looks bad, they aren't, i am using it tho, but its only because no Korean have a dark skin color like me. Oke, gue ga gelap-gelap amat kulitnya. Coklat, sawo matang. Bahkan untuk ukuran orang Indonesia gue sangat normal, gak gelap, gak juga terang. And i freaking love my skin color! Gak pernah pengen punya kulit lebih putih dari ini.

Gue akhirnya usaha beli western make up brand, but....

They didn't provide my skin color either. Same reasons with the clothes one, they didn't order it. MAC provide it, and some other expensive make up brand like channel and stilla, but only in the department store. Gue udah kepikiran mau beli MAC tapi berhubung itu mahal, gue mau dapet yg bener-bener warna kulit gue, masalahnya adalah, gue ga bisa komunikasi banyak sama mbaknya. Nyerah.

Its hard to find an affordable bag

The struggle is real guys its real!!!!! Ini kegalauan gue dan teman-teman gue selama 5 bulan belakangan. Kalau di Indonesia, toko baju mesti pada jualan tas, dan kita bisa nemuin tas dengan harga terjangkau dengan model dan kualitas yg oke. Nah disini?? Gue sampe pernah nanya sama temen-temen korea gue, mereka kalo beli tas dimana.

Yang jual tas tuh banyak, tas imitasi ala ala gitu. Banyak. Murah juga. But i don't want it. Nah dari si tas mure mure ini langsung lari ke harga tanggung semacam 50.000won dengan kualitas yang meeeh. Abis itu langsung ke level MCM. Mak uang aku mak.

Sebenernya ada tas dengan harga 20.000-30.000won tapi... sejuta umat. Kalo gue bilang sejuta umat, ini bener-bener sejuta umat. Begitu lo main ke Hongdae, lo bisa ketemu sama puluhan orang yg pake tas sama kayak lo. Deal with it!

I am a food slave, but i can't eat all of that

PORK PORK PORK PORK PORK EVERYWHERE EVERYBODY! Hahahahaha. Buat yang bisa makan pork, this is your place, move here fast! Okay gue ga makan babi. Habis pekara.

BEER AND SOJU AND MAKGOLI AND AND ALL ALCOHOL DRINKS! I am not drinking alcohol either. Lagi-lagi habis pekara.

Diluar ini sebenernya banyak makanan menggoda selera dan iman lainnya tapi terkadang kita ga boleh pesen satu porsi alias kudu makan rame-rame. Sedangkan, gue dan teman-teman gue susah banget untuk mencapai konsensus dalam memilih makanan. Contohnya, gue pengen banget makan Somakchang atau Sogopchang atau Nakji atau Seafood, dan ini semua harus beli minimal 2 porsi dan di resto ini ya jualnya inian-inian aja. Nah temen deket gue yang satu ga doyan seafood dan yang satu lagi ga doyan isi perut sapi. Nah bubar. Kita selalu makan ayam, atau marugame yang di Indonesia banyak.

Sama juga kayak mau makan bingsu atau kueh-kueh unyu. Ga bisa dimakan sendirian. Huhu huhu huhu.

Jadi ini yang begini ini yang bikin "kadang disini saya merasa sedih" ala anak Asia Tenggara yang hidup di korea (well, it might be only me who feels this way) but yeah..

I am really looking forward to go back home and enjoying everything. But still, its nice to get out from my comfort zone for a while huh? Hehehehehe..

Love yaaaa..

falenoo

I decided to go home after graduation

This is a really big issue for me nowadays. What i gonna do after graduation? Like what I really wanna do. 

One side of me wants to stay here and try to find a job, or at least an internship here. But my other parts wants to go back home directly and try to find it in Indonesia. 

One thing to be exact, i never have any intention to live here, in Seoul, South Korea for a long time. Even if i decided to searching for job and internship here, or even if i really get a job here, i will go back to Indonesia after 1 or 2 years. So i am gonna be back home no matter what. Just about the time.

But something really hit me. I find some difficulties after 2 years living in this beautiful country. I am a moslem, and i am trying hard to fulfill my responsibility as moslem. I eat no pork (as far as i know and i understand), drinks no alcohol, praying and everything. I really try my best, but living in the country as a minority make it really hard for me to really do what my religion told me to. This is the first point.

Second. I have a responsibility as the oldest daughter in my family to started to take care of my parents. They are getting old. And how can i take care of them if i am 7 hours away by airplane? I also need to give more opportunity to my lil brother. This is the time when my parents need to give their attention to my brother more. I never studying Confucianism nor believing it but i know for sure that i need to take care of my parents.

Third. I also think that i need to catch up with my whole big family and my closest friends. Let me tell you, its really sucks to miss the happy moments of your family and friends. While i live in Korea, some of closest friends getting marriage, giving birth, engaged, my nephew growing up really fast that he can walk and talk now, and i know nothing about this.

I am such a very very family oriented person. I can give up everything for my family. This is the main reason why i consider to go back home directly after graduation.

I hope everything will be okay. I hope. And i will see you guys in Indonesia during this summer vacation and i'll be move to Indonesia this September.

I can't wait to be back!


Kangen!

Its March, its freezing

Hey, its March already. The end of March to be exact. But whats with the weather??

We have a sarcastic jokes here..

Wow, its Spring!!! (But the smoke comes out from our mouth)

This might be one of the side effect of global warming, climate change, environmental destruction issues.
But seriously, where is my warm sunshine?? I miss you :'(

 

I am back, i still alive~

ITS BEEN A LONG TIME!!
Kemarin sempet ada wacana gitu kan mau nulis banyak during Summer break, but guess who is the lazy girl?? ME! Bahkan Winter break udah lewat and Spring semester already begin but still no post hahahahahaha.

My last post was.... November? Damn its already 3 months ago.
I am gonna post now. Yes i will.

Wait for me!

Official Fanclub??

Double post!
Hehehehehe...

I am thinking about making a post about an official fan club since a long time ago, but because this is also a new thing to me, so i will try to explain this to you now. I actually just apply and become an official fanclub of some of my bias group recently, so yeah, i also new about this.

When i was still in Indonesia, i don't freaking care about this. I don't even know what Cafe Daum is. For you who still don't know what Cafe Daum is, go and google it! Just kidding. Basically, all entertainment company share the information about their idol in Cafe Daum. Or Daum Cafe? Oh what ever it is. This place is kinda blog, where company and fans can communicate and share an information. To make it simple, cafe daum is my life saver. But, its all in Korean. Except for JYP entertainment, i followed Got7 and 2PM cafe daum, and they have a very good bilingual information. But for VIXX and Infinite... em, don't even hope.

So, to be able to open your idol bias cafe daum you need to first of all create a Daum ID. Search for some tutorial in google, cause i am not gonna provide that. I am only gonna explain the official fan club.

If you following the idol cafe daum, its not automatically you become an official fanclub member (just like what i thought at the beginning). This official fanclub membership application period only will be open in some certain period so you need to be aware of it. The information about when you can apply will be posted in the cafe daum, or you can wait until fanbased master-nim provide an information about it.

What is the benefit then?
Well, if you are living in Korea, you have so many benefit, like a first priority to the music show, access to the all information in fancafe, sometimes, free showcase ticket. They also conduct some special events only for the official fanclub member. You also will have some priority to buy a concert ticket in Korea.

But if you live overseas, its only a great card with your name on it, also some merchandise, but, if you a real fans, you will feel proud to be the official one wherever you are, right?

How to buy it?

Some huge company like JYP entertainment, Cube entertainment, and Woollim Entertainment (this is what i know, but maybe the other do it to) use interpark. This is the easiest one, because we have a global interpark for international fans, or foreigner living in Korea who are not speaking any Korean. But for VIXX official fanclub, they are using Auction, which are a bit confusing and become a pain in the ass for some international fans.

How much is it cost?

Mostly around 18.000 to 25.000 KRW, never know any official fanclub which more expensive than 25.000 KRW.

So, thats it! I hope this post can help you understand what is the official fanclub really is. Because for me its also a bit confusing and complicated at first, why some people are official and some not. So if you have a question, just ask me. In English or Indonesian, either is fine for me.

Pyeong!!

Falling in Love with Autumn Ever Again

Hello,

Super freezing winter is finally come to Seoul and take away my super beautiful Autumn. Its kinda sad, but earth need to rotating and the season need to change. Time to let it go.

I am falling in love with Autumn at the first sight. My first Autumn last year was a blast. As an Indonesian, i never know that the trees can change its color and be this beautiful. I never know that the wind can be so cold but it makes me calm. I never know that the falling leaves can heal your soul. I never know.

BUT! Autumn in Korea is not just about the changing weather and trees color for me. Its about the time to explore.

I will list some reasons why i really freaking love Autumn in Korea.

Its the Time to Visit Nami Island

You don't know about Nami Island? Oh really? Go and search it! This island is not practically island. Its located in the middle of the lake in Chuncheon Province. Not even Seoul. Its about an hour or two from Seoul. This island is getting popular because of the Winter Sonata. The drama filming in this island, i didn't watched the drama tho, but they said, they said. 

If you want to see the Korean version of Autumn, go to Nami Island. This place have every trees color, have a beautiful scenery. You can rent a bicycle and cycling around the island. To tired? Bring your own mat and food, do picnic. Forgot to bring a food? Just buy it there or get lucky enough (like me) to have some random people sharing their food with you.

 

Red color trees~

 

Look at those beautiful falling leaves :)

  

Yellow~

 

I can't asked more, the yellow leaves just the gorgeous one!

 

Oh i also met this little fellows in Nami Island :D

Second, Its a Good Time for Walking

I love love love walking! But i can't walk a lot when i was in Indonesia, its too hot, and i will all sweaty after just 10mins walk, and the pollution is no joke either. Right? But in Autumn, you can walking alone with your ipod playing your fave music while enjoying the cool breeze and beautiful scenery around. Why not? 

I used to walk to school in Autumn, cause my school is the best during Autumn. Also try to walk in Children's Grand Park. BEST! 

And its the beginning of the new semester!

New semester, new friends, new activities. Actually in every beginning of semester Indonesian student organization here also have a meet up. Its always fun to meet my fellow Indonesian friends. Also we have MT and opening party and IR party hoaaaaah who can resist a free food?!

Festival, once again FESTIVAL! Comeback! Concert!

Em, well, this might be a good reason for all KPOP fans out there to love Autumn in Korea. Festival my friends, what i mean here is the FREE festival. Oh yeah! Autumn is the right time for some free university festival, free regional festival, even free even festival with idols everywhere~

How about the comeback? Well, major huge idol made their comeback at the end of Summer to Autumn, they are freaking everywhere! There is a time when i was walking from cityhall and about to go to Cheonggyecheon river to read some books, and at that time i saw 4 stages. Not even one, and not two, its four! And it ends up i watched BTS, BTOB, T-Ara, IU, and more at that day.

 

JYJ at Gangnam Festival

 

JYJ for free sis!

Concert, hmmm... 

I miss almost every concert this Autumn tho, due to my packed schedule and crazy school. But still, Summer to Autumn, heaven of concert!

Rather of all those things above, there are still a lot of good reasons to fall in love with Autumn in Korea. For me, its mostly because of the very friendly temperature (about 10-18c) that makes your mood very good and your body very light.

Whats your opinion about Autumn in Korea?

Me?

LOVE IT!

[super late post] One Great Step Returns Seoul

I know..

Its been a really long time since One Great Step Return. I was watched the last day concert with my friends, i think its early March. March 1 if i am not mistaken. What i want to share here is the system and everything. Because this is the first time ever for me to watch a concert in standing area in Korea, so the system is a little bit different with what i experienced before in VIXX Milky Way Showcase.

So, lets the story begin.

A day before the concert, my friends and i visit the venue to 'hunt' a fans merchandise from the fanbased. The venue located in Olympic Park, and from the subway station exit, i can already seen the crowd. At first i was confused because the venue building is still quite far from the subway station, but why so many people there. It turns out that people are waiting for fanbased merchandise. The line was no joke. More than hundred people waiting in one line for one fanbased and there are more than 10 fanbased, so yeah you can imagine. 

 

Fanbased merchandise line!

 

 So, i got this! Thanks to all fanbased master-nim :)

  

At the concert day, i come just in time. Not early. Because from what i saw in our ticket, they already give us the line number. But actually i am still a little bit confused about this system. I was curious about how the system works. Because in Indonesia, we don't use this system. We use first come first serve basis which cause people to wait from early in the morning or even spending night in the line.

 

My gate

I check the gate and there still no people there. My friends and i got confused until we asked the staff with our broken and limited korean. The staff was really nice, she told me that i should get my bracelet in the counter first and then waiting until the time when the staff there will raise the line number. So okay. First step, show your ticket to the counter and asked for bracelet. Done. After that we are waiting for the staff until at the certain time they raise the board with the line number (you can see from the photo below). 

 

I hope you can see the board with line number there~

Basically, what we have to do is waiting in the line, in front of our board number line. You need to asked people which number they have to know where you should stand. My friends and i are not in the same place, so we got separated, but we still in the same section. 

I wait in the line for about 15 minutes (yes that fast) and the they let us in, we get in still in the line. And i am really adore how staff manage the audience even until we get into our place inside the venue. Its daebak! I don't know how to explain this, but they set up the line from the rope and make people fill the front side first and then they will move the line slowly to the back so that people can fill the space. How cool is that? Well, Indonesian concert management, you'd better learn from them.

 

I am this close to the main stage (its not zoom mode)

 

 

And this close to the walkway stage (only one person in front of me)

Actually i can't take a pic in the venue, but they let me go this time cause the show was not start yet haha. So, i am this close to the stage. And the stage is quite low compare to more-than-2m-stage in Indonesia. So yeaaah, when hoya sit on the stage in front of me, i can see his face clearly hahaha.

How about the show?

Infinite is always something on the stage! Their fan service, their singing ability (oh all the sing was live tho, they don't use AR and MR, they use live band and it was DOPE!), and of course their dancing. D A E B A K!

I can't complain anything about the show. It was dope dope dope. The lighting, the costume, the stage, anything, it was great. But, if i have to complain, it will be about the crowd. The crowd was CRAZY!! I swear with my friends that we will never ever watch Infinite concert in standing area ever again. My body was sore after the concert. My friends directly fall to the ground because of she have no energy left. 

People are extremely pushing around and it really hurts me. They are pushing me to the front until i push the cage, i don't know how i end up in the really front row, i don't even know where the hell is the girl who was in front of me before. They hit people, the crowd, some girl use my shoulder to support their body and its freaking hurt. After the concert i found that some part of my hands and shoulder turn blue. Shit.

But still, i enjoy the concert from the beginning till the end. D O P E!

Soooooo, thats it my OGS Return experience. I will update my blog again in the near time soon about the Dream Concert, VIXX MNet Open Studio, Got7 showcase, and Infinite MBC pre-recording and mini fan meeting. Wait for it, arachi?

Love from Seoul,

falenoo

Because Summer Break is Finally Here

Maybe i will flood my blog with lots of post since i have nothing to do for 2 or 3 weeks until i back home. So prepare hahahahaha~

Video Tour of My New One Room Studio

Hello guys, 

Finally Summer break is coming and i am really exited yeaaaay!!

So, i made a small video tour of my oneroom studio, because i really want to show you guys how one room studio in Korea looks a like.

Actually this is not the only type of one room studio. Mine is medium size, with kitchen and bathroom on it. I have to pay for electricity and gas separately but the monthly rent include the internet, water, and maintenance bill. So i don't have to pay it by my self. This room come with small amount of deposit money cause i really don't want to put lots of money there.

This room is located just in front of my school and yeah, a bit expensive because of the location and also this place is just in front of the bus stop and 5mins walk to subway station, so yeah you know why this room is quite pricey.

Enjoy the video guys. Oh i am really sorry its kinda blurry cause i film it just now in the night and it lack of light i guess. 

  

I hope this video can help to bring a little bit of picture about what one room in Korea look a like. If you have any questions or confused of something, don't hesitate to put your questions and comments down below and i will be very happy to help you.

Love from Seoul,
Falenoo.

My Spring KPOP Playlist

Spring is finally, FINALLY coming here to Seoul. After all the suffering from minus degree, Spring is here everyone!!

Well, Spring is always the time for sweet and romantic song, everywhere, even in KPOP industries. So, here is my playlist to accompany me through the cold and warm spring day. Some of it are not a new song, but still, it give a Spring vibe on it (well at least for me).

BTS (Bangtan Boys) - Just One Day (Haruman)

This song........ You guys can check the translation of this song at google, and its damn sweet. Never be a fans of BTS before this song, but now... i don't know, maybe, who knows hahaha.

Royal Pirates - Drawing The Line (English Version)

Besides CNBlue and FTIsland, there is a new band not an idol group in KPOP industry, here they are, The Royal Pirates yuhuuuuuuu~

This song comes out early this year, still in winter, but i really really love this song. You should check the english version of this song, its perfects. Three of them can speak in English fluently sooooo, yeah their English lyrics 100% make sense.

Akdong Musician (AKMU) - 200%

You should SHOULD listen to this song, the melody, the rap part, the vocal, the lyrics, everything is perfects! And the fact that they produce their album by themselves and they are really young just makes me proud. Go go AKMU :)

Eric Nam (ft. Hoya of Infinite) - Ooh Ooh

No, its not because there is Hoya on it, no. But this song... perfect for walking. Its something new for Eric Nam i think, he suppose to be sing a ballad song in the past right??

2NE1 - Happy

You can see from the title hahahaha, its happy! The song is not really 2NE1 for me, but still its sweet and good to hear such a sweet song in Spring time.

Toheart - Delicious

Besides two of them are my favorite from two of my favorite group, the song it self is very fresh and really easy listening. And you should check out the funny yet adorable MV of this song. Love it!

Soyou and Jung Gigo - Some

This song is really something in Korea. This song is literally everywhere, in every store, every cafe, every restaurant, and even in my school radio. The sweet sweet tunes of Spring indeed.

There is some other songs in my playlist actually such as VIXX Love Letter, and Thank You for Being Born, and GOT7 I Like You, but yeaaaaaah if i continue this, the list will going on and on hehehe.

Soooooo, i hope you enjoy your Spring with the lovely song. Chaoooooo~

Ps: All of the video are not mine, credits to youtube and their company.