When Four Guys Colored My Heart Blue (The 2013 Blue Moon World Tour -- CN Blue Live In Manila)

I admit. I must have gone crazy.

I did things which I thought I could not do, like buying a concert ticket, planning my way through LRT and MRT, planning all the other detailed stuff, just to get to Manila and watch CN Blue perform live. After all, I had never been to a real rock concert, as the "concerts" that I had been to were just school plays and benefit concerts. This, I thought, I should grab and experience. This is my first time watching a major concert, and this is my first time watching a rock concert.

Crazy? Yeah. But I did not regret it.

I already posted my "serious mode" blog entry, so this space is reserved mainly for spazzing. Are you ready to spazz with me? Come on!

Before I let you in with all the spazzing, I will tell you that I was not present during the press conference because I could not miss my salary for the world. I love my salary too! It meant that I had to go to work and fly all the way to Manila after my work hours. And it also means that the press conference trivia I will be placing here is information from my friends who were there. They told me about this hours before the concert.

June 14, 203, Friday. The day when CN Blue arrived in Manila. My friends who were there waited so early in order to get a glimpse of CN Blue's arrival. Unfortunately, they (my friends) were not able to see the band members. And so, they all rushed to SM Megamall to witness the free press conference.

As expected, SM Megamall was already riddled with swarms of fans hoping to witness that one press conference and see the band for real. My friends also told me that during the press conference, there were fans who shrieked excessively and started to scream a "name" of someone, most especially when Yong Hwa was asked who his inspiration is when writing songs. My friends even told me that later on, Yong Hwa seemed to be in a foul mood. How rude of these people to even feed Yong Hwa with the answers! I just hope that CN Blue will not have a bad impression of us.

Anyway, enough with that annoying stuff. Let's shift back to the exciting stuff as I promised: my thoughts on the boys. Here goes.

At six in the evening of June 15 (a Saturday), the people were already flocking to Green and Red Gates to get to their places. My friend and I held tickets that allowed us to have access to the Green Gate. Lo and behold! I saw two groups of CN Blue standees! What a blast it was taking pictures beside each of the boys! In a corner, there was a long table filled with CN Blue merchandise such as the Blue Moon t-shirt. Near that table was a box for the gifts to be given to CN Blue. In the next table was another set of merchandise, including the RE:Blue album. I could have bought such album in record bars, but my impulsive nature told me to buy it at SMART Araneta Coliseum. I have the penchant for writing my name, the date, day, and location of purchase, the price, and some special note as to why I bought an item in the first place. And that was what I placed on the album. In the future, should I look back at that memory, I can smile and say I bought one at Araneta during the CN Blue concert.

Before the concert started, a presentation regarding CN Blue's advocacy was aired on a screen. These guys are famous, but they also have their feet steadily planted on the ground. What is fame and money if you cannot share it to those in need? Really, CN Blue made me admire them even more, and I am proud to be Boice.

And finally, before our dear boys came out, a video oozing with too much blue awesomeness was flashed on the big middle screen. While the people screamed to their hearts' delight, I was stunned and speechless. There was a blue moon hovering around buildings, and then some holographic stairs... And finally, the members materialized, seen as climbing up the flight of stairs. Each member was also flashed on the screen in their most tantalizing performance mode.

What can I say? CN Blue is cool and hot at the same time. And the people behind that video are geniuses!

Sorry for beating around the bush, so let's start.


Our Dashing Goddess, Untouchable Lee Jung Shin.

My friends told me that Jung Shin looked so captivating in person. Girls whose bias is not Jung Shin found him charming and alluring, they could not help but fall in love with him. During the press conference, he was also seen raising his hand every time he wanted to speak. Oh, look how polite he was! I am greatly impressed! When my friend showed me a picture of Jung Shin at the press conference, I told her that he still looked the same to me: the same good-looking goddess who managed to shine though the youngest of the group. And I did not believe her.

Fortunately, I switched beliefs and believed my friend...when I finally saw Jung Shin in the flesh during the concert.

I could not remember the sequence, but I reckoned Jung Shin was the second person I saw on stage. Because my friend and I were seated at the Jung Shin side, I was able to perfectly get a good glance at him.

O-M-G! Though Jong Hyun is my ultimate bias, I could not help but stare at Jung Shin's face. For me, the aura he radiated in photos is nothing compared to the aura he radiated in person. He is such a pretty young man! I could not help but gush at his prettiness. He's pretty, pretty, pretty, and my heart was greatly thumping and jumping and fluttering to see his pretty face. He even had this facial expression which looked like that of a demure young lass, and it added to Jung Shin's prettiness. He exuded a charm that made me enticed to him. Yeah, sure, I did miss his long hair, the reason why he was nicknamed "Goddess." However, his sweet charming face made me believe that he deserved the nickname after all.

One thing that no one could miss was Jung Shin's sunny personality on stage. Though Yong Hwa is the lead vocalist, with the voice of the bass maybe only audible to the musically gifted, Jung Shin wowed the crowd, and especially the girls in front when he played his bass guitar like the cool guy that he really is. I could see that Jung Shin was extremely enjoying himself, "flirting" with the girls, and making hearts scream with his bass playing and walking around as he pleased.

Have I ever shared that Jung Shin was extremely funny? When he spoke his sentences in Tagalog (the unofficial term for the Filipino language), the crowd went wild. He really was fond of fillers like "so" and "yeah," and he could really engage with his viewers. He could really be a good master of ceremony (MC). I really cracked up during the time when Yong Hwa started the "left and right" charade, and Jung Shinnie was super frustrated and insisted with the ubiquitous "Noooo, noooo, noooo!" How cute could that be?

Anway, he sounded so cute with his Tagalog, though I had to ask myself who taught them the sentences in the first place. I was shocked when he said, "Ako ay Jung Shin (I am Jung Shin)" when he and the guys introduced themselves. In fact, all the guys introduced themselves that way. OMG! It was cute but it was totally grammatically incorrect. Whatever happened to the pre-noun particle "si" to denote that the next noun is a name? And also, during the encore, the other three guys (including him) were reading some cheat sheets (to Yong Hwa's dismay because he did not understand a thing, and he did not understand what was going on), Jung Shin said, "Kantahin natin siya (Let's sing for him)." Again, who was the one who taught him that? To sing a song for someone is different from singing a song. It should have been kantahan (to sing to someone), not kantahin (to sing a song). Anyway, enough with the stiff girl in me...

So there, I have presented my case on the ever-pretty goddess, Lee Jung Shin.


Mr. Eye Smile, Lovely Kang Min Hyuk

My friend shared that Min Hyuk was considered to be the most popular personality during the press conference, more popular than Yong Hwa himself. Whoa! Hyukkie does have a large following too! Fans have different impressions of him, but he is the epitome of cuteness. Anything cute and cuddly like cats, squirrels, rabbits, hamsters, teddy bears, Pikachu, Elmo, Hamtaro, Doraemon, Maru (Maru the Japanese cat of YouTube, not Song Joong Ki Kang Maru), Shunsuke (the Twitter wonder Japanese dog of pomeranian breed), Pusheen, et al, all spell out Kang Min Hyuk to me. Even though Min Hyuk is now sporting handsome muscles on his arms, he still exudes cuteness. Eye smile, anyone?

Min Hyuk was the first person I noticed when the guys entered the stage during the concert. I don't know how others saw him, but he looked matured compared to those in the pictures. But then, oozing out of him was unparalleled professionalism. Yeah, it radiated so much that I could feel it. Hey, playing the drums required extreme patience because of all the guys, it was him just situated in one place. When he banged his drums, he played it with so much power that it was heart-stopping. Unfortunately, I could not get a good shot of him though I was at the VIP area because my cellphone cam could not zoom any further. But then, I am still proud of my phone and will not trade it for any high-end camera. Anyways...

Despite being located at the back, Min Hyuk still managed to make his presence known. I have a feeling that Min Hyuk is good with languages. Cha Segwang mode, hmmm? He spoke his Tagalog lines without too much effort even though the speech was long. And among the guys who spoke their Tagalog lines, I understood Min Hyuk better. I kept on giggling when he spoke because it was cute, but then, sometimes, he reminded me of Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Teen's fame Ryan Bang (방현성). However, during the encore when the guys were surprising Yong Hwa with the birthday charade, Hyukkie was reading a script. Maybe he was pressed for time to memorize it. Forgiven, Hyukkie, forgiven. But then, how come no one remembered that Hyukkie was born on June too? How come Yong Hwa only received the songs and the surprises?

Guess what? If during the press conference, the boys shared that they want to visit Cebu should time allow them, and that they want to try out balut (hard-boiled duck egg with an embryo in it), Min Hyuk shared during the concert that he wanted to try lechon because he was hungry (he stated it in Tagalog). Living the life of Yeo Joon Hee again, Hyukkie? For those who do not know what lechon is, it is a carcass of a pig skewered whole through a bamboo pole, roasted over charcoal, and basted with oil and marinade to add flavor to the skin and prevent the food from drying. Lechon is a staple food in big celebrations in the Philippines, and one can never miss lechon in the middle of a table. All over the Philippines, people (except for the Muslims and those denominations where pork isn't allowed) eat lechon, but I had heard some people claiming that the best lechon happens to be in Cebu.

All the more why CN Blue should visit Cebu so Min Hyuk can indulge in lechon. And by the way, a new trend of lechon is available--boneless lechon.

Min Hyuk also stated that he saw the jeepney, which is the public utility transport in the country. If Park Bom, Dara, and Vin Diesel had pictures of them posing inside the jeepney, Min Hyuk should have one too!

So there, I have presented my case on the cute and cuddly Kang Min Hyuk.


Mysterious Milky Vampire Boy, Burning Lee Jong Hyun

My friends related that Hyunnie was silent most of the time during the press conference, and he usually just smiled. He was also seen discreetly covering his ears when he felt that the noise was unbearable. Uhmmm... no comment. Maybe, Hyunnie must be the type to not like it when outside forces break down his stream of thoughts. And yeah, why is Hyunnie silent? Such a mystery, and it is why I am proud to say he is my bias.

Actually, he is not my first bias. It was Yong Hwa (though I still like Yong Hwa). Hyunnie was the third member I remembered because I could not remember his name, and I kept mixing him up with Jung Shin. As to why Hyunnie became my bias is such a long story, and I might write an explanation like a novel longer than John Grisham's legal masterpieces.

Before the concert began, when the video of CN Blue's advocacy was flashed on the screen, my friend and I were chuckling because we predicted correctly that Hyunnie won't speak. How much does it cost for him to speak? What a mysterious guy... As mysterious as his Collin Black role in "A Gentleman's Dignity" during the first few episodes.

As he was the third person I remembered when I got to like CN Blue way back in 2010, Hyunnie was also the third person I saw on stage during the concert. After being captivated by Jung Shin's alluring face, my heart skipped a beat when I saw Jong Hyun for the first time.

You remember the scene in "Heartstrings" when Lee Gyu Won was speechless when she saw Lee Shin performing at Catharsis for the first time? It was the same feeling I had when I saw Jong Hyun.

Here was how I saw him: super milky white skin, lean and hunky, handsome, elusive. No wonder he was compared to Edward Cullen of "Twilight" saga. And really, the sobriquet "Vampire Boy" described him perfectly. If he showed off that cool aura of a handsome vampire in the pictures, he showed more of that aura in the flesh. That smile of his blended beautifully with his mysterious eyes that he looked all the more gorgeous. And suddenly, Taylor Swift's "Superstar" came to mind.

Sure, it was a concert, and many people were flashing glow sticks and banners, but it was unfortunate of me not to be able to get a good view of Hyunnie due to a pesky banner hoisted by a fan in front. I remembered she was situated near that person with the round fan-like thing with "thank you" written in hiragana (so, the content read "arigatou"). My consolation was that, despite my vision being blocked, and despite the fact that Hyunnie was distant from my view, I still managed to get a glimpse of him. Those elusive moments were priceless, and I cherished them. And while my heart was thumping to Min Hyuk's drums, Jong Hyun was making me speechless.

There were also times, especially during Yong Hwa's presentations, that Jong Hyun seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye. Where was he, by the way? I later learned from some people on Facebook that there was a time when the other guys were busy entertaining us fans while Jong Hyun was at one side, busy playing with the stuffed toys or picking up guitar picks thrown at him by fans. Ooohhh, Hyunnie has his own world sometimes... How cute! I could not imagine the hunky Hyunnie going mushy over cuddly stuffed toys. He deserves a giant Hello Kitty in his room. And by the way, I envied the Jollibee stuffed toy for being near Jong Hyun.

How about his Tagalog? He sometimes pronounced his words the way actor Sam Milby does. Well, well, well. As usual, Jong Hyun spoke less. If memory served me right, Jong Hyun spoke twice: during the introduction and during the "Yong Hwa's birthday" charade.

As for his presentation on stage, he definitely deserved "Burning," because he played his guitar with so much passion. His melodious (and sometimes, melancholic) voice blended beautifully with Yong Hwa's husky voice. These two Busan boys sure knew how to make hearts scream.

Enough of my discourse for my bias. So there, I have presented my case on the silent milky boy, Lee Jong Hyun.


Dark, Sexy, Metal, Emotional Jung Yong Hwa

Yong Hwa was elated at the fans' response during the press conference, so said my friends and according to news. He even encouraged fans to "make some noise." However, aside from Yong Hwa getting into a foul mood and being handsome, most of my friends' comments were about Baby Jung Shin. I was thinking if he really looked the same as he does on TV or in videos, or if he will show off charms that will make me fall for him. And I thought, I can answer that question during the concert.

The last person I saw on stage was Yong Hwa. I knew my glasses were clear, but I tried so hard to stare at Yong Hwa. He looked handsome on photos and videos, but he looked even more dashing in person. What had the Coffee Prince done to my poor unknown heart?

Yong Hwa was wearing his uber cool jacket the moment he and the guys entered the stage, but in a while, he took off his jacket. The weather forecast by the weather bureau was a rainy day and rainy night, but it was totally hot and warm the whole day that I suffered from sunburn. And because of the heat of the night, Yong Hwa was left with no choice but to remove his jacket and perform on stage without it.

That's what I like about him and the guys. They don't need makeup, guyliners and such to look good. And they do not have to strip or show abs to show how hot they were. In short, even with decent clothing and their smiles, they still managed to look so handsome. From my seat, I could see sweat dripping off Yong Hwa's temples. Sure, for a hot day, one really needed to drink lots of water. Despite the sweat, he was still hot!

Yong Hwa proved that he is more than just looks. He also wowed the crowd with his keyboard skills, which he showed during "Y, Why" and "Feeling." "Feeling" did give me a good feeling, but "Y, Why" made me fall in love with Yong Hwa all the more. I had liked other songs before that, but that was the first Yong Hwa song that I liked... like one girl we happen to know who also liked the said song. What else can this guy do? I mean, he can act, sing, play musical instruments, compose songs, pen lyrics, do beatbox... What else can he do?

Yong Hwa can bust some moves!

Okey, CN Blue is not a dancing band, but Yong Hwa proved he can dance like all the other guys in K-pop world...though his dance steps were just the simple ones. Nevertheless, the crowd went wild and shrieked at his cuteness.

For me, Yong Hwa showed two sides like that of a coin. First, his confidence and hotness made fans scream, including my heart--but not my voice, of course. He was that "dark, sexy, metal" that lured girls closer to him. He was that star that rocked the stage and made the girls swoon all over him. Well, I still prefer him and the guys over the rock stars with tattoos, body piercings, goatees, and wasted looks. The second side of Yong Hwa was him showing off those cute charms especially when he got embarrassed over a mistake during the encore. His signature snaggle-tooth could not be beat. I'm glad he did not undergo dental procedures to correct his teeth. He looked fine that way.

Do you know that Yong Hwa can be fun on stage? He started out this "left" and "right" charade that made Jung Shin frustrated over the people. It was hilarious! And what about that time that he did some beatbox, with Jung Shin doing a lame attempt? Every Boice, I am sure, will never, ever forget that.

I had mentioned about the mistake that Yong Hwa committed during the presentation, and that was during the encore. Most of the time, he would ask, "Do you know 'Heartstrings?'" But here in the Philippines, he asked, "Do you know 'Neon Naege Banhaesseo?'" Of course, the crowd went wild and screamed out an audible "yes." Who would not?

Yong Hwa was singing it as if a prelude to the song, until he sang, "I love Singapore." He realized his mistake, and picked up the pieces by rejoining an "I love Philippines." Laughter between him, the other guys, and the crowd followed.

The next thing we knew, when Yong Hwa tweeted after the concert, he was saying "I love Philippines" a lot of times.

Check out this cute fancam below.


(Thank you to my friend DJ for the "You've Fallen For Me" fancam. Yeah, I was beside her, and I told her when the song was going to be played, as I researched the playlist beforehand.)

During the encore, Min Hyuk and the rest of the guys began to grab their cheat sheets, with Min Hyuk leading the way. Check out this video below and watch at how Yong Hwa looked cute when he got confused and all.


(Video credit to glady828. Thank you for sharing this cute video.)

For the benefit of those who wanted to know what the guys were saying, here is the translation:

Minmin: Guys, this Saturday is a special day for one of our members. Do you know that? Do not state the name. Do not state the name, okey?

Here, the crowd laughed and buzzed, but Yong Hwa looked confused. He did not know what Hyukkie was saying, nor did he know what the heck was going on.

Shinnie: I know that you know what we are saying. Shall we sing for him? Let's sing for him.

The crowd was still buzzing, but Yong Hwa was still looking perplexed and lost.

Hyunnie: Let's sing it (here, the crowd went wild at his handsome voice because he finally spoke). As was said earlier, let's do it together, okey?

Shinnie: Together!

Hyunnie: Together, okey?

Yong Hwa still sported a confused look, and only began to laugh and dance when the other guys and the crowd sang a birthday song to him.

Get what I mean with his two sides? So there, I have presented my case on the sexy, cute, and boyish leader, Jung Yong Hwa.


After the concert, the guys went from one portion of the stage to the next to bow and thank the audience for enjoying, and, just like in their other performances, they had that customary picture on stage, with the fans at the background.

What a night! It was a great experience, and I did not regret it. I like CN Blue not only because they are hot and handsome, but their greatness was absorbed inside of me. Like they and their music had a very positive influence on me which transcended more than just the shrieking fangirl mode.

If I explain any further, this blog is going to get longer, but all in all, the concert was a big hit. Everyone enjoyed and had their dreams coming true that night. Even I had a dream come true that night.

I was crazy, but I did not regret it.

I am proud to be Boice, I love CN Blue, and I am proud of them. Thank you, CN Blue, for such a memorable performance. This performance might seem like once in a blue moon, but I hope to see you all again soon.


UPDATE:

Finally, the playlist for the Blue Moon concert here in the Philippines is finally out! Thanks a bunch, Wikipedia!

Main Set

1. "Opening"
2. "Where You Are"
3. "Get Away"
4. "One Time"
5. "Man like Me"
6. "Coffee Shop"
7. "Have A Good Night"
8. "Wake Up"
9. "Love Light"
10. "Feeling"
11. "These Days"
12. "Y,Why"
13. "La La La"
14. "Just Please"
15. "Tattoo"
16. "In My Head"
17. "Intuition"
18. "I'm A Loner"
19. "I'm Sorry"

Encore

1. "Hey You"
2. "Love Girl"
3. "Adlib song"
4. "You've Fallen For Me"
5. "Love"
6. "Try Again, Smile again"

좋은 하루 되세요!

When The Philippines Turned Blue (The 2013 Blue Moon World Tour -- CN Blue Live In Manila)

(This post is written not in spazz form, if you know what I mean. For the press conference, this blogger got her information from Philippine Star, Allkpop, from friends and other people who were there. She will also place some bits of information from Wikipedia. As for the concert, she will chronicle what she had witnessed the night CN Blue shook Manila.)

Define Blue Moon:

A. It is the occurrence of two full moons in a given calendar month, with the phenomenon occurring every two to three years.

B. It is a 2006 romantic drama movie in the Philippines starring Eddie Garcia, Boots Anson-Roa, Jennylyn Mercado, and Mark Herras. 

C. It is South Korean rock band CN Blue's 2013 World Tour to promote their fourth mini-album, "RE: Blue."

This year, the answer is letter C.

And this time, it's the Philippines' turn to experience the BLUE MOON awesomeness!

Last Friday, June 14, 2013, CN Blue arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Terminal 1 before noontime. Fans who waited for hours showered the band with love and support by welcoming them at the airport.

Even before the official store hours of SM Megamall, fans waited and flocked for long in order to witness the free press conference, which was held on that same day. However, despite the two o'clock schedule, the press conference was delayed, thus fans joined games while waiting to see the band for real.

After the two-hour delay, CN Blue arrived, earning them the cheers and shrieks from Boices, the name of CN Blue fans. Seeing the overwhelming support from fans, CN Blue voiced out their gratitude, and even shared that they are excited to perform for their Filipino fans. Frontman Jung Yong Hwa, who will be celebrating his birthday on June 22, received a cake and a birthday song from fans who duly prepared the surprises for him.

And finally, CN Blue rocked SMART Araneta at eight in the evening of June 15, 2013, with their hot performance setting the stage on fire and bringing the house down. Araneta was jam-packed with fans who had long waited for this concert since the day it was confirmed.

CN Blue, consisting of leader/vocalist/rhythm guitarist Jung Yong Hwa, lead guitarist/vocalist Lee Jong Hyun, drummer Kang Min Hyuk, and bassist Lee Jung Shin, performed songs from the "RE: Blue" album, such as "La La La," "Coffee Shop," "Naran Namja," and the hit single, "I'm Sorry." They also performed songs from their other albums, such as "Y, Why" (Bluetory), "Tattoo" (Blue Love), "Hey You" (Ear Fun), and "You've Fallen For Me," OST from Yong Hwa's second drama, "Heartstrings."

Boices who attended the concert sang along, jumped to the beat of rock songs, flashed blue glow sticks, and shrieked to their hearts' content. They also cheered on and mused at the cuteness as the band members impressed the crowd with their Tagalog.

This is the first time that CN Blue had performed on the Philippine shores. With a concert like this happening once in a Blue Moon, it is an experience worth taking for every Boice.


좋은 하루 되세요!

Topokki Man is Heaven! (떡복이맨은 하늘입니다!)

안녕하세요?

I need to clarify something. Nobody asked me to write this. I wrote this because I want to. I wanted to write something that interests me, and I wanted to write something that will be interesting to people out there who want to go on a food trip, most especially trying out Korean cuisine. I want to write this because I am just wanting to share my very good experience.

My romance with the Korean culture "officially" started when I watched "Tale Of The Gumiho," also known as "Forbidden Love." I know that there were many others before that, but I really was not attentive to the other K-dramas which were shown because I was busy with studies. After "Gumiho" came "My Girl."

For Korean songs, I remembered "Answer The Phone" by Mina in the early part of the 2000s, but I did not pay much attention to it either. The one song that got me loving it was Howl and J's "사랑인가요 (Perhaps Love)" from the K-drama "Princess Hours." But the highlight of my love for K-pop songs happened when 2NE1 came to the scene back in 2009, and for me, officially, they were the first group that I knew. Many K-pop and K-rock songs and groups came after that, and I got more familiarized with them as time went by.

Immersing into Korean culture would not be sufficient if you do not learn how to speak and write their language. I had been doing self-study using online materials, but honestly, my learning as of the present is a bit scarce. Sorry for the comparison, but if the Korean language is like patbingsu, my learning of the language is about 0.00001% of a tteok, if I can help comparing it like that.

Of course, appreciation for the Korean culture would not be complete if you have not tried eating their food. My fascination with Korean food went back to some episodes in the 2010 K-drama, "God of Study," wherein the students were eating with their teachers inside the classroom. I think it was it.

I had been trying to find some Korean restaurants here in the district, but because I was either out of budget or too lazy to get off the public transportation, I had not had my chance of getting inside big restaurants. There were instances of eating Korean food back in 2011, with my sister. But after that, I contented myself to going to Koreana convenient store or at Assi Mart.

One day, I met with an elementary/high school/up-to-know friend, and we were chatting. I told her that I wanted to try eating Korean food again, and she suggested going to Topokki Man. At first, I was no familiar as to the location, and she told me it was at Rosedale near University of San Carlos. I am familiar with the place because I live near the vicinity.

When I had the chance, I finally went there on a Saturday, at ten in the morning. Topokki Man is a small resto unlike the ones you see in other parts of the district. It has a cute ambiance filled with cute glass stickers of houses and buildings. There are also a lot of pictures inside the resto, and lots of "footprints" from customers who had fallen in love with the place and the food. I myself had fallen in love with the place because I can say it is cozy and homey.

My friend suggested baby rolls because it was her favorite. It was my first order, and of course, I really liked it. It is good news to me because this dish is affordable. Php50 anyone? ^_^

잘 먹겠습니다! (I will eat well.)

Baby rolls (꼬마김밥) [Picture c/o me ^_^]

I had also been curious as to what tteokbokki is, because during the first Korean day which was held last October 1, 2011, one ajumma in a colorful hanbok gave me tteok on a toothpick. At first, I did not know what it was, but she gave me the English term: rice cake. It was chewy, and I love it.

I think it was in the third visit to Topokki Man when I tried tteokbokki. And I tried the cheese tteokbokki. I don't know if this is true to some people who were born in the year of the Rat, but I am also born in the year of the Rat, and I love cheese. Hmmm... The taste got to me, and the memory of it stayed in my consciousness. Tteokbokki is addicting! I also love the odeng (fish cakes) with it, ah, just so perfect! By the way, tteokbokki is made of the tteok (tubular-shaped rice cakes), thin slices of fish cakes (odeng), veggies, gochujang (the pepper paste), and others. Of course, I will not tell you the other ingredients because the ones I enumerated are the basic ingredients that I see and have researched in the internet. As to what the "others" are, that is prerogative of the restaurant to keep it a secret. I don't know it either. This is all I can tell you. Tteokbokki is truly, truly delicious! 너무 너무 맛있어요! 

There are also a lot of variety of the tteokbokki, but much as I want to try the seafood variety, I am not able to because of my food allergies. If it were not for these allergies, I will not have problem with food.  

Cheese tteokbokki (치즈 떡볶이) [Picture c/o me ^_^]

I updated myself with the happenings and stuff at the Facebook page of Topokki Man when I began commenting on the page. Later on, the administrator of the page added me as friend. And of course, later on, Sajangnim posted a picture of patbingsu (팥빙수), which is shaved ice with lots of sweet red beans and other yummy ingredients such as assorted fruit bits, corn flakes, tteok bits, and ice cream. When I saw patbingsu for the first time, I realized that it looked like our halo-halo, but the owner of the resto and his staff told me that patbingsu is less sweeter than halo-halo.

Just a trivia though. Halo-halo comes from the Filipino term "halo," which means, "to mix." If you take it literally, it may mean "mix-mix," but it is actually shaved ice with the yummy ingredients. Yes, our halo-halo is indeed sweeter, must be because of the leche flan.

As to Topokki Man's patbingsu, I will not tell what other ingredients I see in the bowl. It would take out the surprise, of course. You can research what patbingsu is made of, but as to the patbingsu of this cute resto, you have to go out and try for yourself.

정말 정말 팥빙수를 좋아해요! (I really really like patbingsu) ^_^

Patbingsu (팥빙수) [Picture c/o me ^_^]

One night, that friend who introduced me to Topokki Man met with me for dinner. She is the one in the picture, hehe. Anyway, because the two of us love to eat, we ordered the food that we loved. We did not regret because it was worth it.

Original tteokbokki, kimchi, and bibimbap [Picture c/o me ^_^]

I had been telling my cousin about this cute resto, but because of her time, she was unable to go visit. One Saturday evening, however, I was talking to her about bringing some tteokbokki and yummy Topokki Man treats over to her boarding house when she suggested going there "now." I agreed to go with her and her brother because I was soooo looking for tteokbokki. See? Tteokbokki is so addicting! ^_^

My cousin told me that her Korean students suggested her about eating the fish cakes. By the way, there are times when the resto is so busy that Sajangnim himself serves the guests. At that time that my cousins and I went, it was a very hectic day, so Sajangnim served us the fish cakes. My cousin asked for the Korean term, and Sajangnim told us that it is called "odeng," as it was derived from the Japanese. When I researched, the Korean odeng was derived from the Japanese oden. When I saw the fish cake on sticks, I suddenly remembered Lee Min Ho's role as Go Jun Pyo eating fish cakes with Geum Jan Di's appa and namdongsaeng in "Boys Over Flowers." Ah~~~ another great and memorable K-drama.

Verdict: yummy! ^_^

Fish cake or odeng (오뎅) [Picture c/o me ^_^]

Ramyeon is also part of Korean cuisine, so we ordered it as well. The serving is worth sharing with three to four people. So you see, Korean dining is also all about fellowship. With dishes served like that, it can really be shared with friends and family. Sharing is loving. ^_^

Ramyeon （라면）[Picture c/o me ^_^]

There are a lot of dishes that I need to try when I have the time. Maybe my next agendum is to eat mango float, Topokki Man style!

Other things that endear me to Topokki Man are the politeness, smiles, and friendliness flowing out from Sajangnim and his staff.

"Annyeonghaseyo?"

This is the first thing that they will greet you when you come in, whether you are a Korean customer or not. When you are comfortably seated, the staff will give hand you the menu. If you are not familiar with the food, you can ask the staff for recommendation. I suggest you should try the food without hesitation.

When you are in Rome, be like a Roman.

Just like that. Do not come to this place if you are not willing to adapt to the culture. If you are not willing to learn new stuff, no one is forcing you. So, if you take the recommendation that the staff gives you, take it wholeheartedly. Eating new food is a learning experience. 

Music videos, anyone? There was one afternoon last July when I went in the resto to eat the half-serving of ramyeon, but I ended up ordering curry. By the way, the curry is delicious too, but I had not taken some photos of it. Speaking of music videos, the first MV I saw on the television screen in the restaurant was that of DBSK. Though I am not a fan of SM Entertainment, I like DBSK. Later on, "Pinocchio" and "Hot Summer" by f(x) was shown. I so so so love "Pinocchio." I was also happy to see Park Bom's "Please Don't Cry." You see, I really love Park Bom, and I love 2NE1. My happiness was complete that day when I saw IU's "You and I" and "Good Day." In another occasion, the first video I saw was Jung Jin Woon's "You Walking Towards Me," from "Dream High 2" soundtrack. If my sister had watched it at that time, she would be screaming for joy. The other videos I saw were from KARA, Secret, Sistar, and Miss A, my other favorite.

I also got acquainted with the owner of the resto, but I call him Sajangnim. That is a polite way to address someone who holds a big position in a large company, or someone who runs a business. Sajangnim is also helpful and very friendly. One time, when I was eating tteokbokki while reading an English book (which was found in the bookshelf), Sajangnim handed me a rolled-up lettuce. He explained to me that it is samgyupsal. When I bit into it, I found out that inside the lettuce was some rice and the piece of meat. As to the whole coverage of what samgyupsal actually is, you can lean on to Mr. Google. But on my ocular inspection, those were the ingredients I saw. What can I say about samgyupsal? Delicious!

잘 먹었습니다! (I ate well/ I had eaten well.)

My aunt once suggested that I post a picture of myself having a good time at Topokki Man. Not that I am afraid of cameras. I want others but myself to be subjects in a photo. And since many people were leaving their marks at Topokki Man, I thought it would also be nice to leave a note of appreciation. I left this note on the day when Sajangnim gave me samgyupsal.

Picture c/o Sajangnim ^_^

For the benefit of those who do not know how to read in Korean, I will explain what I have written thus (the body of the note only):

Ah~~ The food is so good... And affordable!!! ^_^ My heart is happy!!!! Topokki Man is heaven... Thank you very much!


All my experiences can really tell that for me, Topokki Man is heaven. Even the younger friends of my sister asked me for directions. Even another cousin wanted me to take her and her husband some other time. Sure! Why not?

It is always my pleasure to accommodate friends and family members if they want to eat. For me, there are ways to bond with people, but hearts bind together when people eat together. While eating Korean food, you not only bond with the people whom you are with, you are also learning another culture.

It's great, is it not?

네, 맞아요. (Yes, that's right.)

Finally, when you leave the store, they will give another greeting.

"Annyeonghigaseyo."

At first, it confused me with another greeting, but as I tried to make a mind map, it was no longer confusing. And in a polite society, of course, you always thank the services of people who served you.

"Kamsahamnida. Annyeonghigeseyo." 


So that ends one day of encounter in Topokki Man. But rest assured, I will go back when I have time and try the other dishes.

Indeed, Topokki Man is heaven! ^_^





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