Unnie's Wednesday Write Up: How to explain your addiKtion 101

It was just yesterday.....

{Uh...no, Unnie, actually it was over a year ago.  ~ Just be quiet & go with me here, okay?~   Fine.  Whatever.  Go on with your story.     ~ Thank you.- sheesh stinking voices in my head~}

FLASHBACK TIME:

{Setting the scene: Dongsaeng & Unnie are laughing & visiting on the telephone.... in other words they are having another awesome & profound conversation filled with giggling & uproarious laughter & 'oohs' & 'ahhs' over David Boreanaz's hotness on the TV show Bones...deep stuff.}

DS: I found this really cute show on Hulu the other day, you should check it out.  

U: Cool, what's it called?

DS: Ummm...well here's the thing.  It's called "My Princess".  And it's not in English.  It's actually a Korean soap opera.

U:  cricket....cricket....cricket.....uhhhhhh.....oooooo....kaaaaaaay.  {thinking to herself 'awwwkwaaard'}

DS: It's really cute & funny.  I know you'd like it!

U: But it's not in English?  What?  Does it have subtitles or something?

DS:  Yes, it has subtitles.  It's about this girl who thinks she's just a regular college student but then finds out she's actually the missing Princess of Korea.

U: I didn't know Korea had a Princess or any Royal Family anymore?  {Yes, Unnie was very un-edu-ma-cated, head hanging in shame}

DS: No they don't have a Royal Family.  It's more of a "WHAT IF Korea had a Royal Family?" kind of thing.  Just trust me, I think you'll really like it.

U: Ummm, ok.  {clicking on keyboard on the computer...types in hulu.com.  searching My Princess on Hulu.com}  Does it have a picture of a girl in a ball gown & tiara on the front page?  Cuz I think I found it.

DS: Yes!

U: okay.  {reads synopsis}  Hmmm...looks interesting.  Kind of like Princess Diaries.  I guess I can check it out...but I don't have time right now.  I'll watch it as soon as I can.  But I have to get going now.  

{conversation goes on a couple minutes more & then our leads hang up & go about their day.}

A couple of days later....Unnie finds herself once again caught up on her chores & after checking her email remembers her conversation with Dongsaeng & decides....What the heck?  I'll give it a try & then I can honestly say, it's just not my thing.  

{Sits at computer & loads 1st episode of My Princess....within minutes has stopped noticing she is reading subtitles & is loving the show.  An hour later, loads episode 2.  Then another hour later, loads episode 3.  Then it's time to get kids from school & get dinner made.  Hurrying through all tasks & chores so she can load episode 4.  Within a couple of days has surpassed Dongsaeng's progress on the show & is going crazy as this show is still airing in Korea & the next episode hasn't been put on to Hulu yet!  Oh the HUMANITY!!!!}  

{Primitive scream into the air....WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME SHANNEN!!!!!!!}

Now a year later & even after starting this blog w/ Dongsaeng I still find it awkward & slightly embarrassing to tell people about what it is I am doing.  I don't have to imagine how hard it had to have been for my bestie to admit she was watching this show to me, when it was her first foray into the world of K-Drama.  This last weekend, my family & I, went out of town for the long Memorial Day Weekend.  We headed south to St. Louis, Missouri.  We lived there for about 18 months.  So we headed down & stayed w/ friends & visited & laughed & had lots of fun.  While we were there one of my friends, who shall remain nameless, asked, "So Jessica, {she doesn't call me Unnie}, you've told me about the kids & CA, {She DOES call the husband CA}, have been up to, but you haven't told me what YOU'VE been up to?"  Uh-oh! I had started to respond,  'oh nothing much just same old same old', when CA piped up nice & loud, "She's just an international bloggess now.  That's all."  You have to understand this friend is an amazing friend & extraordinarily smart & active & busy & very impressive.  And I value her opinion of me, greatly.  And I was seriously intimidated to admit that I spend(t) a majority of my time watching Kpop music videos & K-dramas & then write reviews of each for no money, on my own blog, that I started w/ my best friend.  And was worried I would get that look.  You know that look that says, "Uhhhhhhh  why?!?!"  Or "What a waste of time".  That one is worse.  She seemed a little shocked but overall she was okay with it.  I think. LOL   

Each time I explain what I do, what I watch, what I listen to it gets easier.  But man oh man that initial "coming out of the k-drama/pop closet" thing regarding my addiKtion is painful.  And scary.  How are we supposed to come clean without feeling like people think we're losing our grip on reality?  I used to make so much fun of my friends that watched American soap operas, which are just more trash & the story line goes on for decades!  And there was, I will admit, a slight disdain, given to those who watched tele-novellas on the Spanish channel as well...I mean unless they were actually hispanic.   

I find it interesting that people turn up their noses without even checking it out first.  When Dongsaeng suggested it to me, I thought she was nuts I admit it!  I thought she had lost her marbles!  BUT then I remembered this is my bestest friend in the whole world!  I can totally take 5 minutes of my time & give it a shot.  With an open mind & a lot of trust.  And what did I find?  She was 100% right.  The show was cute & funny & totally addiKtive!  And absolutely NOTHING like American Soap Operas!  It's still makes me nervous admitting my addiKtion out loud.  For example, I haven't officially told my family or my husband's family what I do or am doing yet.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not keeping it a secret, I'm just not telling every person I meet.  That, it would seem is CA's job. ^^  In fact, I've posted on my family blog about this new adventure a lot.  And I am pretty open on my personal FB page, about it as well.  And if they ask me directly, I'll tell them as well.  But as yet no one has asked & I am not offering.  

My name is Jessica, I go by the nom de plume "Unnie" on my "All Things Korean Blog".  I am a K-Drama addiKt.  I am a K-Pop addiKt.  In fact, I'm a K addiKt!

And I, one of your addiKtion specialists has come up with a few good ways to explain your addiKtion to your loved ones.  They are in no particular order...

How To Officially Explain your addiKtion to your loved ones:

1.) It's really fun to think 'outside the box' & what better way to do that than by watching another country's TV shows?  

2.) The shows are really clean, I don't have to watch it in my room with a blanket over my head & my ear buds in so that my kids can't see it.

{I still do that but only because these are MY shows, MY people & I am not ready to share them with my kids yet!}  

3.) The shows are really funny, exciting, romantic, well written, acted.  Way better than our country's TV.  

4.) It's really nice to be able to see the world from a different perspective.

5.) I'm learning about other cultures & other ways of doing things, it's fascinating.

{Because TV gives an honest, unscripted/un-choreographed view of foreign countries.  TV never lies or misleads!  ^.^}

6.) The guys(girls) are really hot!  {MY favorite reason}

7.) I decided to try to learn a foreign language & I chose Korean, so I figured what better way to get a handle on "Conversational Korean" than by watching Korean TV.

{Daebak, right?!?!}  

8.) I love the imagination in the K-Pop Music videos & when I'm a music video director, this music video's concept will help to inspire my creativity & imagination.

{No this is not one that I can use....no desire to be a MV director but it might work for someone}

9.) The K-Pop Idols are really hot too! {MY 2nd favorite reason!}

10.) I'm just a homebody but daytime TV is filled w/ junk so I found  way to watch quality shows that show me the world!

{I was looking for a really great way to kill my brain cells, turn me into an agoraphobic who'd rather spend the day inside, in my jammies, ignoring my husband & children but worried to death over the 2 romantic leads in my favorite foreign TV show.  Plus, I never could relate to real people as well as I can the fictional foreigners who live in my computer screen.}  

Of course if you are admitting your addiKtion to your family & friends then you have already accepted you have a problem.  Admitting the problem is the first step in any addiction.  But just in case you are not sure that you do, in fact, have a problem, your unnie has compiled a "You might be a K AddiKt if..." list to help you decide for yourself.

How to know if you are a K AddiKt:

1.) You check out your favorite show hosting websites at least 5 times a day to see if there is anything new out to watch or for something to watch WHILE your latest favorite K-Drama show finishes subbing.  

2.) You find you can't remember what you did with your day but you now know every drama that your current favorite K-Drama actor has been in & have already added them to your Netflix/HuluPlus Queues.

3.) Your homepage is no longer your email or FB but your favorite drama hosting website or a K dedicated website.

{Might I suggest our blog TCA for this role of home page?}

4.) You Pinterest Board(s) are loaded with more pictures of Korean stars (mostly hot men) than they are w/ any other kind of man on earth.

5.) You have at least 20 of those, "K-Pop Fans Can Relate" buttons/signs/boxes on your Pinterest Board.  

6.) You have Drama-wiki &/or K-Pop Wiki as a Bookmark(s) or on your Bookmark Bar. You also follow any or all of the following K Dedicated websites or have them on your Bookmark bar as well;  American K Pop Fans Blog, Allkpop, Drama Fever Blog, KPop Stars, Eat Your Kimchi Blog, & The Crazy Ahjummas Blog on your Bookmark Bar as well.

{Did ya notice that last website?  I hear they are awesome!}.  

7.) You have had to employ Unnie's K-DD Cure more than once since she wrote that post just a few weeks ago.  

8.) You know your favorite K-Idols blood type &/or zodiac sign &/or animal year they were born in but you can't remember your significant other's.

{Or that you were supposed to be at your kid's school 20 minutes ago for parent teacher conference.} 

9.) You have more K-Pop music on your iPod than your own country's pop music.

{And you sing along to the K-Pop music after having studied the romanization lyrics off the subbed MV on Youtube. At least to YOUR ears it sounds like you are singing along correctly.}

10.) You actually dream in Korean now.  You can't understand anything anyone is saying, except key phrases like; "Ottoke?, Bichosso?, Anyeong, Komawo, Saranghae, Bienhae-yo, Ne, Anni, Omo!, Aigoo!, Aish!, Yah!, Arisso, Nuna, Unnie, O-ma!, A-ba!, Halmoni, Hyung, Agassi, Ajhussi, Ahjumma, Chingu, Chincha, & Oppaaaa!!".  But that's ok because it's all in Korean now.

{Daebak!}

If someone you know meets even 5 of those 10 signs of K addiKtion you need to get them here to our blog right away!  I figure if you are already here, then you already know you have "issues" & are here for support & help.  Just in the nick of time too.  All are welcome at TCA.  However, I feel I should explain that we are here to help you EMBRACE your addiKtion not to overcome it.

{For that kind of help I mumble something about seeking professional help or some blah blah blah stuff like that. } 

Now I turn the time over to you fellow addiKts?  How do/did you come clean with your friends & family about your addiKtion.  It's time for a little group therapy.  Leave your story in the comments section or send us an email on FB.  We'll keep your name out of it, if you haven't officially gone public with your closet addiKtion.  And on this here blog we allow anonymous commenters too.  Just keep it clean.  Our one request.  

I think I can honestly say I am having the time of my life as one of your addiKtion specialists.  I LOVE this blog.  This has been so much fun & so exciting for me.  I am so grateful to my dongsaeng for contributing to my delinquency.  Through this experience I am learning about lots of different cultures & peoples & DIMPLES!!  Cannot forget the importance of the Dimple!  Sigh.  Now I'm sad because I just remembered the Dimple won't be visiting me this week.  :(  

Guess this calls for a little K-DD Cure, right?  Bring on the Dimple!!

{And yes by suggesting the cure for you I am only trying to make your addiKtion worse...shhh...it's an evil plot!  BWAHAHAHAHAHA...}

Sending all my love out to you fellow addiKts.  Unnie & Dongsaeng have your back.  Only the best support groups can make you feel as safe & normal, as we do.  ;)  

As usual, you can Like us on FB.  Follow us on Twitter.  Become an official Follower of this here blog, down there, at the bottom of this here blog.  Watch our Crazy Ahjummas Pinboard.  Google + us.  Share us, share our blog, share the support!  Its been really slow on here lately & we're honestly starting to get nervous that you don't like us, after all.  Yes, we are that insecure & needy.  

And to those of you that wished me a Happy Birthday?  Thank you.  That meant a lot.  I appreciate it, you, your sentiments & your love.  And I thank my dongsaeng.  The bestest bestie in the whole world.  Even though it's her fault I'm an addiKt now.  :)  I heart you bestie!  MUAH!!  

Saranghabnida,