K-Street Festival | For the Love of All Things Korean!

Back when K-pop and K-dramas weren't as popular as they are today, I had to go to great lengths just to purchase an album of my favorite K-pop group and I had to scour the internet to watch properly-subbed episodes of K-dramas. These days, with the continuous rise and the growing dominance of Hallyu around the world, one can easily stream K-pop songs and currently airing Korean dramas through smartphone and smart TV apps. Fangirling has definitely become easier through the years!

But wait - it gets better.

For the first time ever, the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) of the Philippines will be hosting the K-Street Festival, a celebration of all things Korean - from the culture itself, to food, fashion, and beauty. The event will be held at Bonifacio High Street’s C1 Park from May 31 to June 1, and at the BGC Amphitheater from June 1 - June 2.

K-Street Festival!

As part of BGC’s Summer on the Street series, K-Street Festival promises awesome offerings such as performances from Pinoy K-pop Star winners, Korean street food & pop up shops, k-merchandise, all-day fun & games, and so much more. This one-of-a-kind festival promises to delight everyone with traditional and contemporary Korean activities that showcase the wonderful culture of this country.

Celebrating the depth and breadth of Korea’s rich culture, K-Street Festival will have seven zones at the C1 park, plus a whole lot more activities at the BGC Amphitheater that will make you feel like you’ve been transported to Korea. Get ready to check all these out for must-try experiences!

What's your fandom?

Music, merchandise and more
Crazy about BTS, Blackpink, or EXO? Then head over to the K-Pop zone, the first of seven zones at Bonifacio High Street’s C1 Park, where you can listen to your favorite K-pop artists and play exciting games to win different freebies. This zone, organized with the Philippine K-Pop Convention, Inc. (PKCI), will also offer an assortment of K-pop merchandise to kickstart (or complete!) your collection.

For fans who are unable to attend the festival in person, online stores and dedicated fan platforms have become popular alternatives for finding albums, photocards, apparel, and concert accessories. Many international fans now prefer to buy K Pop official merchandise at this site or through trusted online marketplaces that offer access to official releases, limited-edition collectibles, and exclusive fan items from their favorite groups.

Hansik - traditional Korean food.

Savor the flavors
Treat your taste buds over at the K-Food Zone, where you can enjoy authentic Korean food and eat to your heart's content. Whether it’s kimchi, bibimbap, kalbi-jim, or good ol' ramyeon, you’re sure to find mouthwatering delights that will get you burping in no time.

Plan your (next) trip
If you can’t wait to visit Seoul’s spectacular sights, head over to the K-Tour Zone, where you can check out the various tours and travel options available. Organized by the Korea Tourism Organization which has promoted diplomatic relations between the Philippines and South Korea over the past 70 years, this zone will give you a sneak peek of why Korea is visited by over 10 million tourists every year, and why my son and I keep coming back to Korea.

Wear a hanbok
There's also the K-Fashion and Beauty Zone, organized in partnership with Hanbok Palace. Here, you can try out some Korean traditional clothing and take selfies while you're at it. 

Gadgets galore
If you want some high-tech fun, head over to the K-Tech Zone, which promises to enthrall you with cutting-edge Korean innovations. Enjoy the ultimate VR experience with Samsung, allowing you to enjoy movies and video games on a whole new level. You can also get your hands on Coreon Mobile, an innovative mobile postpaid service from IT Corea that lets you enjoy 3 numbers in one SIM card.

Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team in action.

Taekwondo like you've never seen before
Finally, at the the K-Sport Zone, you'll be able to witness a one-of-a-kind taekwondo demonstration  by the world-renowned Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team. With their high-flying, gravity defying martial arts skills, you'll see taekwondo moves like you've never seen before.

Indulge in the K-mmunity K-POP Madness 
As an added treat, head over to the other side of the festivities at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater where BGC in partnership with Globe Prepaid, Globe at Home and Pulp have lined up huge surprises for fans of K-pop heavy weights TWICE and TVXQ! Attendees can get first dibs on concert tickets, win exciting freebies, and participate in themed booths and activities.

Save the date!

So for all you K-pop and K-drama fans and K-culture enthusiasts (like me), make sure you free up your weekend schedule for these exciting activities. For twice the fun, bring your family, friends, and fellow stans along! :)

For more details, you may check out Bonifacio High Street’s official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BoniHighStreet/

Sneak Peek | Laneige x PLAYNOMORE My Darling, Shygirl Collection.

I just realized I have not updated my blog in almost two weeks!
The little man and I got sick two Saturdays ago (nasty combination of cough, colds, and fever) and last week we were pretty busy with lots of things - his first summative exams, Intramurals at school, and his karate training. I've been too out and about these days that I don't even have the time to watch my Kdramas! (And you know how my day can never be complete without watching an episode or two of them Korean dramas.)

Speaking of Korean dramas, I've got some exciting news for all the Kdrama/Kpop/Kbeauty fans out there! Laneige Meets Fashion - a yearly collaboration between Laneige and an up-and-coming fashion brand - is back, and this year they're teaming up with PLAYNOMORE, a Korean label that's all about 'having fun with fashion'.

Launched in 2014, PLAYNOMORE illustrates contrasting concepts such as luxury versus affordability, and masculinity versus femininity with contemporary wit. The brand gained recognition with the release of the SHYGIRL bag, now an iconic 'it' bag in Korean fashion. A minimal square tote bag, the SHYGIRL is decorated with cute comic book style eyes in sequins and comes in various bright colours.

For this collaboration, the signature SHYGIRL logo was given a makeover, adding a pink heart to the eyes of SHYGIRL. Hence, the birth of the My Darling, Shygirl - a makeup collection that screams of cuteness and femininity.

Laneige x PLAYNOMORE.

Let's take a look at what this collection has to offer.

Sneak peek after the jump! :)

Wordless Wednesday #69 | The Perfect Pullip.

Pullip x The Bride.

Wordless Wednesday #55 | Happy Chuseok!

It's that time of the year again! It's Chuseok (추석) - Thanksgiving Day in Korea, and the most important holiday in the Land of the Morning Calm.

Chuseok falls on September 19 this year, but the holiday is actually observed for three days (September 18-20). We're joining in the festivities by letting the little man wear his hanbok - the traditional Korean clothes.

To our Hanguk chingu (Korean friends) and to everyone in Korea... 

Happy Thanksgiving! 추석 잘 보내세요!

Four Eyes | Nerd Glasses, KPop, and my Frozen Yoghurt.

If you're a fan of Korean pop music, Korean dramas, or just about anything that has to do with Korea (like me, lol), then you're probably aware that eyeglasses are big in Korea. Not big in terms of size, mind you. Rather, they've become part and parcel of Korean fashion. It's a trend that will remain huge, and stay for years to come.

I know right? :)

I must admit, I have a penchant for eyewear. But that has nothing to do with my Kpop fangirling or addiction to Korean dramas. You see, I wear prescriptive contact lenses and I need to have some sort of protection for my eyes (sunglasses, nerd glasses, or whatever) whenever I go out. Why not just wear my prescriptive glasses, you ask? Well, I have really bad eyesight, and my eye grade is -8.00. So you can just imagine how inconveniently thick those lenses are even if they're already of the 'air wear' kind.

Now let me show the latest addition to my growing collection of eyeglasses. It's a simple yet stylish pair from Four Eyes - the first online optical store in the Philippines. Launched in May 2013, Four Eyes aims to revolutionize eyewear in the country - by making it more affordable and accessible to every Filipino.

When shopping for glasses from the Four Eyes website, buyers will simply need to choose their desired frame, (they have an array of styles that I'm sure KPop fans will love) upload the doctor’s prescription (for prescriptive glasses) and pick the lens type (multi-coated, bifocal, polycarbonate, or transitions).  Four Eyes even allows buyers to try the glasses at home because they understand that 'people like to touch, feel and wear the product before purchasing'.

The best part? They don't charge shipping fees at all - even for their Home Try-On service.

Frozen Yoghurt!

Going back to my eyeglasses... Dubbed as 'Frozen Yoghurt', this style features a square shape with a saddle bridge. It's a full rim frame that looks half-rimmed from afar, and is made of sturdy plastic material.

Zooming in for the view.

It features the Four Eyes logo on the temple, with designs on the hinges that remind me of Ray-Ban's RX Eyeglasses.

Four Eyes!

This style can be worn both by men and women, and suits those with oval and round faces best. I have an oval face, and I love how this pair accentuates my cheekbones. :)

Half-rimmed? Not. :)

This pair comes with a protective carrying case and a cleaning cloth inside it. A 'Care Card' also comes along with the package.

Instructions written on the 'Care Card'.

'Frozen Yoghurt' reminds me of Yoochun's eyeglasses in the drama 'The Rooftop Prince.'

Yoochun as Lee Tae Yong.

And this pair worn by Bae Yong Joon, who - as far as I'm concerned - made nerd glasses look cool in Hallyu.

Bae Yong Joon aka Yon-sama. :)

Now here's how 'Frozen Yoghurt' looks like on me.

Well-proportioned shape that accentuates my cheek bones. :)

Channeling Yoochun. :)

Wanna get this pair, too? 

They sell for only Php 1495, but you can get Php 300 off if you use my Special Discount Voucher when you purchase from Four Eyes.

Simply key in the code 'REBELSWEETHEART' prior to check-out so you can enjoy the special discounted price of Php 1195! This code is valid until November 2013, so enjoy it as much as you can!

Get to know more about Four Eyes!
Like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and on Instagram.

Spazz Saturday #18 | Yoon Eun Hye Broadens Acting Career with Mature Roles.

As Yoon Eun Hye enters the eighth year of her acting career, she looks back at the days when she first entered Hallyu, after leaving the music industry and the girl group Baby VOX, where she was a member for almost six year.

“When I was younger, I was very careful about everything because I was afraid of creating misunderstandings. But now I’ve shed all those anxieties, and I feel much freer than before”, she recalls.

Yoon Eun Hye says she feels more confident about herself, now that she is entering her thirties and becomes more established in TV drama. Her latest TV drama, MBC’s “I Miss You” was a turning point for her. Yoon’s character in the drama is a woman who was sexually molested as a child and exhausted all efforts to bury her memories from the past. She said she initially struggled with the complexity of the character’s psychological issues, and found the experience so draining that she ended up in the hospital from fatigue and exhaustion.

Viewers, however, responded positively to her performance after immersing herself fully in the role. She was able to overcome cynical critics who had previously questioned the limits of her acting ability, garnering overwhelming positive reviews along the way.

“I’ve always wanted to play the kind of roles that were suitable for my age,” Yoon Eun Hye says. “The reason I’ve been looking forward to turning 30 so quickly is because I always expected it would open up a broader range of roles.”

Meanwhile, her short film “The Knitting” was part of the Busan International Film Festival last year, and the decision to challenge herself further by taking up film directing has helped her acting.

“I used to become very sensitive when I worked on projects, because I felt so personally responsible for whatever work I was engaged in, and this may have made life harder for those working with me,” she said. “But directing a film with a whole production crew made me think that I may have been mistaken in behaving like that. I realized that I need to be more flexible in how I approach things, and that helped me feel more at ease and go more with the flow this time.”

Despite only recently having wrapped up her latest production, she is already thinking about her next project. She said her confidence has been boosted by all the positive reviews she has received and now she wants to show audiences what she is really capable of.

Yoon Eun Hye says she wants to experience so many things, “because that enlarges and improves you as a person.”

Also published on Korea.com.

Be Stylishly Chic this Summer. | Enter the Summer Splash Giveaway!

After revealing two of the items included in the prize package, I'm sure a lot of you have been dying to know what the rest of the prizes are. Look no further and wait no more, as the Summer Splash Event officially goes live today!

Hosted by Life With Two Boys, With Our Best, and Bella So Savvy, this event will run from May 14, 2012 at 12:01am EST until May 27, 2012 at 11:59pm EST.

For this particular giveaway, I have the honor to be working with Eazy Fashion - one of the top suppliers of Korean accessories and apparel here in the Philippines. Eazy Fashion has generously provided us with this awesome prize package. Included are:

Black Pears and Gold Tone Necklace

Leopard Queen Print Earrings

Hepburn Black Closet Shades.

Asian hair curler trio.

Sassy Girl Casual Dress.

Whoa, that's a lot! We're actually dolling you up from head to toe! Valued at Php 1800, this prize package will surely make you stylishly chic this summer. One lucky reader will get ALL of these items for FREE!

All you have to do is cast your entries via the Rafflecopter form below. The tasks are pretty simple, and you don't necessarily have to do them all. However, finishing all of the tasks gives you MORE entries, which translates into MORE chances of winning. Please take note that my giveaway is open to Philippine residents only. (My sincerest apologies to my international readers. I know some of you are looking forward to this.)

Ready to win this giveaway? Set your eye and the prize and start clicking on the Rafflecopter! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Once you're done with my giveaway, please take the time to visit my fellow participants in the Summer Splash event. Each blog is giving away at least $25 worth of prizes, plus we have an awesome grand prize for one very lucky winner. Be sure to hop along to each of the participating blogs because the more giveaways you enter, the more chances you have at winning the Grand Prize!


So what's this Grand Prize we're talking about? Thanks to Kid's Creations one very lucky winner is going to win a Two Ring Adventure Playset valued at $3,598! Made from the highest quality Redwood and loaded with fun activities, this swing set is sure to make this summer one to remember! (Please note that the grand prize is only open to residents of the Continental United States and does not include assembly/installation.)

Enter the Grand Prize!

Please note that the Summer Splash hosts and participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prize. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation that they will fulfill their prize in a timely manner. While we are not responsible, we will make every effort to assist the winner in obtaining their prize.

Spotlight | Posh and Pretty with Eazy Fashion!

There are two things I can't ever and will never leave the house without - makeup and accessories. Of course, you all know how much I love makeup. It is, after all, written all over this blog.

As for the latter, well, I haven't really posted much about this, save for my Vera Wang watch and the surprise from my husband. However, if you're one of my regular readers and if you have an eye for detail, then perhaps you might have noticed the trinkets I wear in my selcas (self-capture) and/or Mommy and Me shots.

Case in point,

this Kate Middleton-inspired necklace.

And these, too.

Dangling pearl earrings.

England charm bracelet + my college ring.

You see, I'm a jeans and t-shirt girl. I'm not into fancy shmancy tops, girly girly dresses, and floral prints. Especially floral prints! (My goodness, I'd rather wear tattered sweats and baggy pants than something that resembles the curtains in my grandmother's house!)

This is where the accessories come in. I jazz up my otherwise bland and boring outfit with showstopping baubles - a pair of dainty earrings, a quirky necklace, a chunky bracelet, or a funky ring. Hence, I am always on the look out for interesting jewelry pieces whenever I go to the mall or browse online. The more it screams for attention, the better. Best if they come in reasonable prices, too.

Just recently, I've discovered Eazy Fashion - a haven of all things posh and pretty. Take a look at some of the items available at their online shop.

Black Pearls and Gold Charms Bracelet.

Leopard Queen Prints Earrings.

Pink Love Locket / Charm Necklace.

They sell mostly Korean accessories, and you know I have a deep affinity for all things Korean. They come in pocket-friendly prices (wholesale prices, even) too, which is the icing to the cake.

Rummaging through their vast collection and limiting your purchase to just a few items can be quite tough. Especially when everything you see tickles your fancy and catches your attention. I managed to resist the temptation of hoarding everything, and was able to narrow down my shopping cart to just six items.

L-R: Starry Starry Night Black Chain Bracelet, Ruby Heart Stud Earrings, Purple Moon Stones Earrings, Pink Marmalade Star Earrings, Kissing Star Necklace, Sparkling Silver Star Studded Ring.

As a promo, customers get the wholesale price when they purchase a minimum of six items. That way, you enjoy bigger savings as you buy more items. And for a single purchase of at least Php1000, you can have your orders shipped for free!

Now let's take a closer look at my loot. First up, the earrings.

I am impressed with how elegant these pieces are. They look so elegant, you wouldn't even think they're costume jewelry! The one in the middle is my absolute favorite. Yeah, you guessed it right. Because it comes in my favorite color. 

I'm a huge fan of charms, and needless to say, I'm totally smitten by this piece, too. It's a Disney-inspired kidada wrap complete with beads, stars, and a pixie charm. The price? Cheaper by a long shot than the ones sold at Disney Couture. Waaaay cheaper, if you understand what I mean.

Now if you're a Kdrama/Kpop fan, this piece needs no introduction. But for the benefit of those who are not, this my friends, is the Kissing Star Necklace made famous by the 2009 Korean drama Boys Over Flowers. 

Let me just make it clear though, I am not a fan of the Goo Joon Pyo-Geum Jan Di tandem. I was rooting for Yoon Ji Hoo all along, which was portrayed by no other than Kim Hyun Joong. (insert fangirl screams here)

Finally, this ring, which I wore for the first time yesterday. 

Wedding band + engagement ring + Star Ring = daebak :)

It matches pretty well with the Kissing Star Necklace, don't you think?

I was actually looking for those neon-colored rings that Siwon wore on the 5th jib cover, but I can not - for the life of me - find a local store that sells them. This adjustable Sparkling Star ring is the closest I can get my hands on, and I have no regrets getting this instead. Banjjag banjjag! (That's sparkling sparkling in Korean.)

Now here's the thing. I have the pleasure and the honor of teaming up with Eazy Fashion for a huge summer giveaway. And when I say huge, I mean HUGE! 

We're giving away a prize package worth Php 1800 (more or less US$45 depending on the exchange rate for the day, lol)! Two of the items included in this package are the Black Pearls and Gold Charms Bracelet and the Leopard Queen Prints Earrings, which I've mentioned above. I'm not squealing the rest of the prize package to keep you all in suspense, hehe. 

But I won't keep you hanging for too long as I'll be revealing the prizes come May 14th, when my Summer Splash Giveaway goes live. That's barely two days away! 

This event will run until May 27th, so mark your calendars and set your eyes on the prize! See you all on Monday! :)

Shared with InstaFriday, Photostory Friday, Pink Friday, Pink Saturday, Happiness Is, Mommy Moments, Mom and Me Monday, Blue Monday, and i Heart Macro.

Happy Birthday, Lee Joongi!

It's my kkonminam's (Hangul for 'pretty boy') birthday today! 

(Actually it's nearly over since it's almost midnight in Seoul.)

Think of this birthday greeting then, as saving the best for last. 

Saenghil chukhae, Joongi oppa!

Much much much much love!