January-February 2014 Hit Listers: Hallyu

Hi guys! It's been a long long while. I'm sorry for not being able to update this blog as often as I used to. I can't believe I missed two hit listers already! Anyway, to try and make up for my, well, inability to post on-time hit listers, I'll try to piece everything in with a few separate entries.

And of course I'll start with my dramas. :P

These past three months have really been interesting to me, drama-wise. The dramas I follow are usually up to my neck that I don't know how to squeeze everything in with the little free time I have. Thank God and genius people for TV-ish phones. 

I sort of strayed from my usual K-drama channels like MBC and SBS and actually started watching something from Chosun TV, which is actually a pretty good drama. It's a less known channel (apparently) but the drama I'm following is daebak.

Anyhoo, since I missed two months (and I'm hoping it won't be three) here's the two awesome dramas that really made me happy.

hallyuuk.com

 The Suspicious Housekeeper - I last watched Choi Ji Woo in Stairway to Heaven and I remember that the show was so damn dramatic that all that got stuck in my head is the crying. I didn't quite give her a chance in Can't Lose since I wasn't quite sure how'd she'd fare in the "comedy" department but seeing how she transformed in The Suspicious Housekeeper, I might just give her other shows a whirl.

The Suspicious Housekeeper is a remake of the hit Japanese show, I am Mita, Your Housekeeper. Choi Ji Woo plays the stoic Housekeeper, Bok Nyeo who does everything she's told, without much questions. I mean she does ask things, just not your usual questions. For example, and this is a spoiler so don't read anymore if you can't take it. Soo Gyul, the eldest son, asked her to blow up their neighbor's house. Her question: Where do you keep the dynamite. Pretty whacky and witty. She actually reminded me a little of Nanny McPhee. I mean that film was a little weird, but this show is a little weirder.

She has quite a backstory that would keep you glued to your seats and want to watch more episodes. The growth of acceptance and love throughout the show was just so heartwarming that I actually cried as I watched the last episode. Choi Ji Woo just does a great job of being an  expressionless yet very warm character.

Definitely not your usual drama, not that predictable, and incredibly funny. At times when Bok Nyeo's not being creepy.

ask4kimch.wordpress.com

 Bride of the Century - When it was announced that idol group FT Island's Lee Hong Ki is the male lead for a K-drama, all hell broke loose. Fangirls screamed. Including me. Kidding. But seriously though. One of the most awaited moments of fans is to see their idol as the lead of a show. I'll always remember Lee Hong Ki as Jeremy, but I think I'll remember him more now as Choi Kang Ju.

Bride of the Century is basically about a family curse that kills the first bride of the heir. What's so interesting about this show is that it feels like a smorgasbord of every cliche known to dramas -- like accidents and kidnapping and the evil parents and the makeovers and believe me, a whole lot more. The show still have 4 episodes to go and the story is progressing quite nicely. Still full of drama cliches but they're nicely woven and incorporated to the whole curse arc that they don't destroy the story.

As for the acting, I commend Lee Hong Ki. He's actually good. And I've seen bad acting, like really bad acting, so I'd know. Yang JIn-sung, who plays both Yi Kyung (the bad one) and Doo Rim (the good one), is also worth mentioning. I think I've watched her somewhere but I can't quite remember. Anyway, she is really a great actress, at least seeing her role, well roles, in BoTC. It's not easy to play a role much more two completely different roles in one show. And she does such a great job that fans are both hating her and loving her (that is, hating Yi Kyung and cheering on Doo Rim).

So that's it. Do check this dramas out if you find the time or if you find any of these two interesting. Cheerio!

Tony Moly Double Needs Mascara in Brown

Hi. This is just going to be a quick entry since I'm barely awake. ^^ One of the items in the make up loot bag my friend (Thanks Nickkybels :P) gave me is this Double Needs Mascara from Tony Moly. I was actually pretty stoked because I love brown mascaras just as much as black ones. They work perfectly with soft smokey eyes.

Pros:
1. Multi-purpose! I actually have no clue as to its "double needs" capability but I'm taking a guess that it means it can be used for like, two things? :P You can use this as a brow mascara, a typical mascara, and even an eyeliner.

2. Although it has quite some metallic sheen to it, it actually works well for the brows. My mom has pretty non-existent, light-colored brows and this looks natural on her.

3. Long lasting. I wear this as an eyeliner (just grab that eyeliner brush and go for it) and it stays on the whole day.

4. The mascara wand separates the eyelashes well.

Cons (Well, con?):
It lasts long but it's not waterproof.

I can't vouch for the affordability of this mascara but I think Tony Moly's mascaras range from 350 to about 400+, so I'm guessing this mascara is also along that price range.

This is a pretty neat mascara to try if you would want to soften your look. The pigmentation is not that strong and the color is not that dark so it works well.

Have you tried any of Tony Moly's mascaras? Lemme know. Cheerio!
 

Certified Movie Buff: The Cat

Hey guys! It's been a while since I posted a movie review.It's been really busy that I usually just plop right onto my bed the minute I get home. :p But I have squeezed in taking a few new pictures of some of the products that I haven't reviewed yet over the weekend so, I hope, fingers crossed and everything, that I'd get a day off and do a review.

Anyhoo. You remember that time when I really got into watching all those subtitled films? Well, this was also one of those films that I gave a whirl. I actually just picked it up because I saw Park Min-young on the CD cover *fangirling*. :P

en.wikipedia.org

The Cat tells the story of the reclusive So Yeon, a pet groomer who became entangled with the twisted story of the creepy creepy creepy cat, Bidanyi, whose owner suddenly ended up dead inside an elevator. (See? This is why I hate elevators with those creepy blinking freaky lights, which we have by the way...you know, where I work). When she ended up having to "cat-sit" Bidanyi, the claustrophobic So Yeon starts seeing weird ghostly stuff and the little girl with the cat-like eyes. Together with a rookie cop, So Yeon starts to dig around about the story of the girl and the scary dead-ish cats (aside from Bidanyi) following her around--before, of course, everyone around her turns up dead.

Okaaay. That was way creepier than I expected and I hope I didn't spoil the flick for you. Do check out The Cat when you come across a copy. It's not the strongest and scariest Asian horror film that I've watched (given that I had a good night sleep after watching this) but it does give you a little fright that might make you, you know, take a step back and rewire your brain before touching kitties.

Cheerio!

Color Collection LIpstick in Rose Dune

Hey guys! I owe you the Hit Listers for the month of January and I was actually thinking about just doing it together with the list for February or not. Anyhow. This lipstick was given to me by one of my greatest friends in college (check out Nickky's blog here), together with some more make-up items. She knows my ultimate weakness.:p (Thank you Nickkybels).

Color Collection is actually a make-up brand under Tupperware, at least that's how I know it.

 

 

 

 

The Verdict:

I'm all for sleek and sturdy packaging because I'm such a klutz so thankfully, this lipstick is in a "hard shell." This is actually one of the few pink lippies I have in my stash because I'm more drawn to corals and most pinks look weird on me. So I was actually happy that this wasn't as muted as most of the pink lipsticks I've tried. The deep rose color is awesome and the color is very pigmented so a swipe is all you need to get the color.

It is creamy but it's not that moisturizing. But it doesn't dry your lips either but since it has no moisturizing capabilities, a balm is a must before putting it on. Lasting power is like most run-of-the-mill lippies. Unfortunately, it can't survive a glass of water, much less a meal. You're gonna have to reapply.

I'm not sure how much it costs, but I do know that Color Collection's items are quite affordable so I'm gonna put this lippie in the 150-200 Php bracket.

It's the lipstick that I've been carrying with me since I got it because it looks very nice on. ^^ And, I'm taking a rest with the orange lippies.

Have you tried Color Collection's lipsticks? Lemme know about them. Cheerio!
 

Special Food Talk: Charlieee!

Hey guys! A little after we opened The 2nd Shoppe, I got into baking. I don't know if I have really nailed it yet but.... I'm actually selling the stuff I make. ^^ Like these cuppies.

I haven't quite officially opened Charlieee! yet but most of my customers are my sister's classmates ^^ I sell each regular cupcake at 45 Php and the "special ones" at 60 Php (like the Strawberry one and the triple chocolate one). I'm still experimenting on new flavors so...this list can actually grow. ^^

If you're interested in trying out my cupcakes, you can send me an email at charlieandthemirror@gmail.com or shoot me a message at 09228361086.

Have a good Sunday. Cheerio!

Etude House & Rose Flowering Eyes Palette

Hey guys! I've been checking out the photos we have saved, and there are a whole lot. So, I also saw a bunch of pictures of products that I haven't reviewed yet but has been with me for quite some time, like this Etude House palette.

This palette is from the "Rose" collection of Etude House and it was actually looked out for, for quite a while, because Etude rarely releases a palette that has a lot of colors. A regular palette in Etude has like 3-4 colors, tops. I think their Aloha line had a huge palette too but I can never remember seeing that one. Anyhow.

The Verdict:

Probably the best palette I've ever owned. Although the quality of the shadows vary a lot, (some are chalky and not that pigmented) the palette as a whole is a great buy. The colors are gorgeous. Staying power of the shadows also vary. The colors that can stay on the longest are Falling, Blossom, and Poison.

Since the palette also has neutral shades like browns and peaches, it can easily be used for your daytime eye makeup. I love it mostly because I have never had a palette that had a deep red color which looks totally awesome when used as an eyeliner.

The palette though is a little pricey at 1, 148 Php. The cutel-ly packed palette has two dual ended sponge applicators and a hugggggeee mirror.

This is probably my favorite palette as of the moment and I loooovee Pure because it can double as a shimmery eye highlighter.

Have you tried any of Etude House's palettes? Which one's the best? Lemme know. Cheerio!

Banila Co. Color Change Tint in Poppy Rose

Hey guys! Happy Chinese New Year! ^^ It's been a while since I posted a makeup review. I bought this lip tint late last year. I think it was around my birthday. I wanted to try a product from a different Korean brand. My go-to store? Well, it's more of an online shop, Kkochipida. Ms. Charm of Kkochipida carries such a variety of Korean cosmetics at very good prices so I always make sure to check out her website. ^^

I bought the Banila Co. Color Change Tint in Poppy Rose. It looked very cool and a color-changing tint is always awesome.

 

Pros:
1. Very cute packaging. I don't usually see big tube packaging for tints. ^^
2. Good color pigmentation.
3. Beautiful plum-ish color that turns a little pinkish
4. There are other colors to choose from

en.paperblog.com

Cons:
1. Sticky consistency. It's more like a gloss than a tint.
2. Doesn't leave much of a stain
3. A little pricey at 295.00 Php and not locally available (unless you consider online shops)

I like the color of this tint but I wish it had more of a liquid consistency like most tints I've used, so it could also double as a blusher. It requires constant reapplication but it is a good tint.

Have you tried anything from Banila Co.? Lemme know. Cheerio!