White Day

Have you heard of White Day? Maybe not. It is a day celebrated in Korea and Japan, icreasingly in trendy parts of China and Taiwan too, I believe. It is Valentine's Day, well another one of those. 14th of March, the White Day is when the boys give candy or chocolate to the girls. Basically that means, if you are dating you get candy anyways with some small gift. But, if you confessed on Valentine's Day, unlike in the west, you have to wait whole month to see if he gives you candy back or not.

For me it is just another reminder that I'm alone. But, thank you Korea! There is another day for us singles. Black Day in 14th of April when singles get together and eat delicious jjajangmyeong (noodles with black bean sause).

Co-workers were nice though and brough us girls some chocolate. <3

Oh fuck this

You know, I don't get annoyed that easily but being ignored and not having working internet really does things for me. No matter what I say, they don't care to fix the internet in my host family. Which means that I cannot call home (did I want or not), I cannot pay my bills or transfer money from Finland cos too afraid to use the online bank as the internet works on 3 minute intervals. Also, cannot watch anything online. It took me 4 days to try and watch one episode of Running Man until I finally gave up and never watched it. As the net keeps going off every fucking minute, I cannot even dl it.

I'm pretty much ignored in the office. New intern, who just got there received Infinite H and CN Blue albums. I've been there a month and never got anything. Hell, good that they say 'hello' to me during the whole 7h I am there. Good thing I'm working in 3 places now, at least the other two are friendly and have nice people who actually bother talking with me.

I just want to change the host family asap. One big reason is the internet. I really need it to do things. I cannot do secure online banking from public free wifi's on cafe. No way! But also I work 6pm/10pm on Friday nights so I cannot even return home after that. And on the funny side of this family, I has elastic wrap up on my whole forearm and partially on my palm for days and no one even asked what happened. While I had small pain batches on my wrist at work and everyone asked what is wrong with my hand. That's how much I'm cared about here. Just, I want to work again on the bus next Friday so get me that damn host family, okay?

Oooh fire!

Yeah, so what happened in past couple weeks. Last week my friend from Finland came to Seoul on her way back to Beijing to study. She's been staying with me in the hotel for a week as I was the only one who didn't get host family until now.

On Sunday (also her last day at the hotel due certain matters) there was this huge explosion and fire just next to the hotel we're staying at. We spent that night outside, first in a cafe and then got another hotel room close by that wasn't effected by the fire. The Koreans said it's okay to sleep in the hotel though and we were like, no at fucking way when there's smoke inside.

Here's some news photos of the fire.

And here is one with after the fire. 

The news articles said that 9 buildings were destroyed, 19 shops/restaurants that were in these buildings and those aside that had to be watered through. 7 people were moved to the hospital for inhaling the smoke but none of them died or had severe burns. That's just amazing, seeing the amount of fire and explosions there were. 

On other note, we went to the Trick Eye Museum with my friend. I'm just posting few photos here as referense so please do check more from my photo blog at http://neitoperhonen.kuvat.fi I totally recommend the museum to everyone who comes to Seoul

Some videos

Here's some vids that I took in Namsan park. Stumbled upon a performance so sat down to take some vids. Some cut off in the middle cos I was bored. Sorry about that. It was cold so my hand holding the camera was freezing

First, some traditional music

Some dance to strenghten the sword

And some pretty awesome fighters

Lunar New Year

I'm excited! There will be so much traditional stuff going on in the hanok villages and palaces. I have to charge my phone batteries and stand the cold! Super excited AND a radio show I took part as well is doing a live show on Monday from Namsan so might actually go and check that out. 

Friend from Finland is coming over for couple weeks. I'll probably spend a lot of time with her after my work. She arrives on 9am tomorrow so I have to leave EARLY to the Incheon airport to pick her up. But it's okay, I wake up early anyways for breakfast. 

Interviews, I already mentioned before I was interviewed for NatGeo some Kpop documentary but actually they keep interviewing me. For aquarium and then for the radio. Well, I got this amazing tea set from the radio interview on the streets. Isn't it pretty?

I searched about it and the maker is actually a rehabilitation center for disabled people. It is really beautiful and seeing as it is not just bought from market but it is actually made by those in needs makes it just that much more valuable! Even if it was a crappy, short interview to radio on a streets of Myeongdong

And as a note, if you reader live in Chinese speaking country that airs TVB's Viva spectacular New Year show. Keep and eye on me and my roommate! 

End of Orientation week!

Eugh, finally the orientation is finished. Honestly, I got a lot of free time cos Mr. Kim favors me for some reason but still. After studying 5 years of Korean, I still had to sit through the beginner's or more like extra beginner's lessons. 4 hours a day! Gosh.. but it's over now.

I have Korean phone! I start working on Wednesday. AND we went to clebration dinner today with all the guys staying in the hotel. We went to this Chicken and Beer place, got few buckets of chicken, some drinks and had fun. Honestly, my roommate and I discovered the place couple nights ago after coming home from that Spectacular tv filming. And the reason we went back was this one.. or well two extremely cute waiters in there. Adorable and they keep pushing him there to serve us :D LOL I don't mind. I think I go there later again, just cos he's so flustered when he has to serve us. Does he even understand I can speak Korean so he doesn't have to like force his English?

Ahh United Cube in Seoul tomorrow. I see if I can smuggle my camera in. probably not though but I'll try.

And I try to get my ass up the hotel room bed some night and go with the stand to take night view photos of the city

TVB Golden Viva Spectacular (TV Show)

Another TV show. Why I feel like I'm doing nothing else in Korea? Oh right, the volunteering hasn't started yet, that's why!

It was so short though, just one hour with all the artists -.-;; AND no photos of ZE:A or U-Kiss cos the security was being bitch and nearly took my camera. Which is weird cos they didn't care a shit when Sistar performed and I took photos. So what the fuck guys?!

But there was this hottiw Sistar fan in front of me and according the camera and lens he had, he's got money too. Then there was adorable cutie in chicken restaurant we went after this show. BUT that doesn't really make me feel better.. my ZE:A boys were so hot. Like damn.

Anyways, the TV show was some sort of New Year special (Lunar New Year on Feb. 10) and we did even new year countdown in there. So it's gonna air then on this TVB channel in Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan.. at least those, I think some other parts too.

On other note, roomate got like traditional rice cakes from a cafeteria guy who works in the hotel. She thinks he's cute and now he even handed her rice cakes! I'm getting kinda jealous here -.- he's totally hitting on her. And this is Korea so cute couples all around. I don't know what to do, find me a guy too.