Happy White Day from TCA

Woot Woot!!!

It's Officially White Day in South Korea {& other Asian countries as well}.  So to all our friends in Asia that celebrate this day we just want to say....  

The day when the men of Asia give back to their women.

On Valentine's Day in the US, I can only talk about the US because that is where I live but I understand that there are other countries celebrate it like we do, men & women give each other gifts to celebrate their relationship.  Now I have to give my own disclaimer here....

I am not a fan of Valentine's Day.  I know I know, you're all, "Gasp! Unnie!!  Say it isn't so!"  But I prefer it when the man in my life treats me to something special on a regular day, out of the blue, not just because the rest of the country tells him he has to, in order to be considered romantic.  Romance, REAL romance, is not something you schedule, it just is; besides to me it means more when it's his own idea.  We call them, "Just Because Days" in our house.  I love a random day when he comes home & brings me flowers, jewelry, chocolate, a movie &/or some music.  When he takes me out to dinner just the heck of it.  It's more romantic, to me, that he thought it up all on his own, without the world reminding him of what day it is.  Although this year he surprised me w flowers, candy AND balloons on V Day.  The stink.  {^_~}

Okay back to the difference between V Day & White Day, in South Korea.  Valentine's Day is the day when the females all give gifts of chocolate, treats etc to the man they like, admire or are actively dating.  Typically it's a homemade box of chocolates, simply because it means more that they took the time to actually make the candies for their guys.

White Day on the other hand, is not celebrated in the US at all, that I know.  It is the day that the men give back to the women.  Usually a White gift. White chocolate, white flowers, I've heard marshmallows are a good gift idea too. I think that's actually quite cute.  Now were I to live in South Korea, again I am not sure I would be a fan of the man in my life gifting me something white on Mar 14th, just because the rest of the country is doing it.  My husband thinks this is very cool of me btw.  That's right, I'm a cool wife.

He also has a picture of a famous female celebrity as the background on his computer.  It was his response to my KHJ pictures & "Closet Shrine". Giggle.  He was very excited to show me, to try & get a jealous response, I think.  What was my response?  hehehehe... I told him I approved & that she is hot & he made a good choice.  Which is a true statement, she is gorgeous.  What famous female celeb did he choose?  Kaley Cuoco "Penny" of The Big Bang Theory.  Not exactly the response he was hoping for but what can I say?  I'm a cool wife. LOL

Anyway, I just wanted to take a minute & wish all of our, living in Asia female readers, (there must be at least one of you, right?), a Happy White Day.  May the man of your dreams provide you with a lovely present today & lots of romance. Hubba-Hubba, Rowr!

Now my question is this...

If you could pick one, JUST ONE, of your favorite K Idols/Biases to give you a White Day Gift, who would it be?  AND   What would he give you?

I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.  Okay I'll tell you mine anyway.

Mine would be....

KHJ...DUH!!!

Yeah like that's a shock, right?!?!  ^.^

And he would give me a variety of White Flowers.  And a really, really, really good hug.

Okay it's your turn now....  Leave your answer in the comments....you know....down there...in the comments section.  Or Tweet it to US / ME / Dongsaeng OR post a picture of your bias on our FB page or just tell us in the comment thread for "White Day".  See you Friday for more Dramatic Friday Reviews of I Miss You.

Saranghabnida,


&

New Year Wishes from TCA

The end of the year is upon us.  Well it's upon me.  Only 3.5 hours to go until I say goodbye to 2012 & welcome in 2013.  I sit here in my home, next to the fireplace while my kids watch movies & CA plays on the PC, not a surprise really.  By midnight I expect to be the only one still awake.  Meanwhile Dongsaeng is in the northern parts of AZ w/ her family (immediate & extended) to play in the snow & have fun.  Although mostly she just sends me texts that she's cold & thinks she was crazy for agreeing to go to the snow. {^_-}

I don't know about you guys but this has been an amazing year for me.  I became even more enamored w the K World.  So much so that I agreed to start a blog dedicated to my new found addiKtion w my very bestest friend.  A blog we thought for sure would end up just being the two of us talking to each other.  Color us extremely happy & surprised to discover other people like us wanted to dish as well.  I am happy to report that before Christmas TCA officially hit the 100K mark.  In less than 8 months we had over 100K views on TCA.  That boggles our minds & leaves us full of squishy & happy feels!  We love you guys so much for supporting us as we try to figure out what to talk about.  For squeeeing alongside us as we fangirl vehemently over oppas that are younger & older than us.  {{Granted the older ones were far less than the younger ones, but whose counting, right? kekeke...}}

Our little blog is not full of breaking news of K idols.  It doesn't do a million different recaps or reviews like Dramabeans, mostly because its just the 2 of us & even we can't watch that many dramas.  We don't do interviews w famous people.  We are just 2 stay at home moms dishing on a shared interest.  We aren't professional writers & are not as pithy & articulate as so many others are on their respective blogs.  Yet you guys seem to really like us.  {{pssst...the checks are in the mail}}  So this year of discovery & stepping outside the box seems to have paid off.  Thank you so much.  Whatever it is you like about us we hope we can keep you coming back to read more.  We just wish more of you would talk to us on the blog.  You're so quiet!

It's also a year that found me flying across the country to visit my old homes in AZ & Calif.  And being able to squee & hug my dongsaeng in person for the first time in 3 years!!!  A year that found me at my first ever K Pop concert live for my absolute favorite band of yummies, more widely known as Big Bang.  A year that found me new amazing chingus across the country & around the globe.  So many blessings this year.  So many wonderful new experiences.  So much growing & changing.  As the year comes to an end many of us like to set those pesky New Year's resolutions.  I don't.  I never have.  Okay I did when I was younger but I never saw them through.  Everything from the shallow: I want to lose weight & look good this year.  To the deep: I am going to be a better mom.  A better friend.  A better wife.  I am going to volunteer more.  Pray more.  Spend more time w my family, friends.  Less time stressing.  More time laughing.

This year I just want to make memories & be able to look back at the good & bad & remember I tried.  I loved.  I laughed.  I smiled.  I forgave.  I served.  I hugged.  I comforted.  I made others feel better about life, about themselves.

Of course I want to lose weight & feel pretty too!  LOL See?  Still shallow.  ;)  What?!?!  At least I'm dependable.  Besides that was last year's resolution & I actually stuck to it pretty well.  It was very slow going as I have some health issues but I did manage to go down one whole size in everything.  Now that I am starting to enjoy the feeling you get from working out I think this year will be a little easier.  {{At least I hope will}}  And I have a few really awesome friends that are doing this with me.  And its always easier to lose weight & get healthy w/ a group.

Did you make resolutions?  What were they?  Do you have any K related resolutions?  A trip to Seoul?  A move to South Korea?  Leaning Hangeul?  Find a Korean boyfriend or girlfriend?  Watch more K Dramas?  Buy more K Pop?  Go to a fanmeeting for your bias?   Going to your first KPop Concert?  Learn to cook Korean food?  We'd love to know.  You can comment on this post or on TCA FB or TCA Twitter or email us or our individual Twitter Profiles.

Jess Unnie                         Shannen Dongsaeng 

Oh & of course; hypnotize KHJ into falling in love w/ an ahjumma named Jess who lives in Kenowhere, WI & has 4 kids...  But I think all of his fans wish for something similar.  Now that I think about it I think we're cancelling each other's wishes out!!  o.O  Can someone explain to KHJ MY wish is the only one to which he should be paying attention?  Thanks.  {{giggle}}

My wish is that this blog post finds you all healthy, happy, surrounded by your loved ones.  That 2013 brings you joy, satisfaction, success, true happiness health & love.  I look forward to another year as your Unnie & hope you find as much joy in reading our posts & TCA Blog as we have writing it for you.

Saranghabnida,

Happy Chuseok

For you newbies this is what Chuseok is all about.

Chuseok (or Korean Thanksgiving Day ) is one of the 3 BIG South Korean Holidays, it lasts 3 days (this year it falls on Sept 29 - Oct 1) & celebrates the coming of fall.  Each year it's celebrated on a different day in the months of Sept & even October, depending on the fall of the lunar calendar.  This year it fell on the 30th, but starting on the 29th & ending on the 1st.

How do South Koreans celebrate Chuseok?  Family, food & fun of course just like any country & it's people celebrating a holiday.  It also includes many, many people/families heading to their hometowns, to pay respect to their ancestors.  Performing ancestral worship ceremonies early in the morning, followed by  visiting the tombs of their immediate ancestors to trim plants and clean the area around the tomb,  and offer food, drink & other gifts.  

And just like any country celebrating a major holiday there are traditional foods that are made & served.  For Chuseok a favorite food is songpyeon (rice cake), I'm including a how to video for anyone that might want to give making it a try...

They also eat Jopchae & Bulgogi.  I had planned on making some Jopchae myself, which I have already managed to make a passing sample of, but alas my daughter thought it would be a good idea to share her cold with me.  Instead of making Jopchae, & my first attempt at making songpyeon, I spent the day in bed w/ orange juice & cold medicine.  Yay me. {{Hear the sarcasm?}}  We also weren't able to travel home but flights to Arizona for a family of 6 it would cost roughly $2000.  Not exactly within out budget.  

Basically these 2 Crazy Ahjummas wanted to wish all of you & all those wonderful people in South Korea a Happy Chuseok .   ^.^

Saranghamnida,



P.S.

For more in depth details all about Chuseok go Here.