All posts in: Netflix

Style
11 Dec 2020

This Weekend:

What We’re Watching: Shawn Mendes Live in Concert (Netflix)

We’re starting our weekend a little early today because we’re feeling under the weather. As I wrap up my work day, instead of just having a Shawn Mendes playlist going on in the background, I’ve got his concert special instead! Some of you may know that I decided last minute to attend his tour stop in the Bay Area last year and it was incredible. It’s funny; I always go into concerts thinking that I’m going to have an okay time, but once it starts I am very much invested into my time there. Since his latest album came out, I’ve been feeling lukewarm about it. In fact, if you’ve read the Pitchfork review on it, I share similar sentiments. Watching this live show of his last album has reminded me of some better times.

What We’re Listening To: Taylor Swift – Evermore

What did we do to deserve two Taylor Swift albums in one year? Like everyone else this weekend, I’m also tuning into the sister album of Folklore and looking forward to it. I tend to consider myself a moderate Taylor Swift fan. I listen to the tracks, have some favorites, even attended two concerts of hers, but I’m not the fan that waits at midnight to watch the release go down. That’s reserved for BTS. She’s debuting a bit of a different sound with these last two, but at the same time, I’m intrigued. The pandemic is really sparking this interesting wave of creativity in people and it’s amazing what we can accomplish when we’ve slowed down.

What We’re Wearing: [Amazon Essentials Women’s Relaxed Fit French Terry Fleece Jogger Sweatpant] – $21.10

Don’t ask me when I’m going to stop buying lounge wear because I honestly do not know. You would have thought we’d gotten this all out of our systems after month three of the pandemic, but obviously not. In my defense, I don’t own navy joggers yet and this is a great price!

What We’re Eating: [Tortellini Soup]

Since the forecast is showing us a cold weekend, I really wanted to make the most of my time indoors. I haven’t actually ever made a soup before so this will be a new venture for me, but look at how beautiful this looks? It’s also so nice to have something as simple as this, but hearty enough with tortellinis mixed in.

Culture
05 Dec 2020

This Weekend:

Watching: The Queen’s Gambit

After hearing for weeks about this Netflix miniseries, I finally finished it just last night. It was a great series to start after our Thanksgiving meal and since then, I’ve been chipping away at episodes every couple of days. I’m hearing now that this show has influenced watchers to buy their own chess set for the holidays. When I look back at everything I’ve watched this year since the beginning of quarantine, The Queen’s Gambit is one of the series that I find quite intriguing. In terms of enjoyment, I’d put it behind “Start-Up,” but it terms of quality content, I’d put it ahead of “Tiger King.” I know that these things aren’t always comparable, but I’ve now consumed more television and film content in a year than I have ever before in my life.

What We’re Listening To: Shawn Mendes – Wonder

Caught up in all the hype that is BTS, for awhile, I felt like all other music couldn’t reach me. Or rather, I wasn’t letting it. 2019 was the summer of Shawn Mendes for me. He had two summer hits and a concert that I still can’t believe I had a chance to attend. The publicity around this album has also been rampant with not one, but two Netflix programs. I’ve already watched the documentary, but have my on my to do list is concert special. This weekend, I’m really looking forward to spending more time on his album and dissecting every song a little closer.

What We’re Wearing: [Jouica Women’s Casual Lightweight V Neck Batwing Sleeve Knit Top Loose Pullover Sweater] – $27.99

My favorite part about shopping on Amazon is how long the titles are for every piece under the fashion category. I haven’t always shopped for my clothes on Amazon. To be honest, until the pandemic, I wasn’t doing much of my shopping on Amazon to begin with. An Instagrammer I follower, however, swears by some of the pieces she purchases from them. With her being a similar size to me and us having similar tastes in clothing, it was her influence that led me to the half zip sweater that I wear on a weekly basis. The other morning, I was in bed going through my IG stories when a video popped up of her describing this sweater above. It didn’t take me more than five minutes to add this to my cart and finish my purchase. With less of us going out and more time indoors, it doesn’t seem reasonable to be purchasing expensive sweaters especially if you can find them at the same quality and for a better price.

What We’re Eating: Jollibee’s Spaghetti

Ahead of our grocery shopping errands today, we stopped on over to Jollibee’s for breakfast. My favorite is their Spaghetti, which honestly, looks very simple and is something I could make myself, but don’t even attempt to. It’s slightly unconventional to be having pasta so early in the morning, but somehow it works and it’s delicious!

Life
13 Nov 2020

This Weekend:

What We’re Watching: Dash & Lily

The holiday season just feels so different this year, doesn’t it? Normally, I would make my list of series and completely veg out on my parents couch spending all of my holiday break watching all of my shows. Naturally, my family would also be dragged along for the ride against their wishes. This year though, it’s just me! Dash & Lily has just come out on Netflix and I’ve seen it pop up from a few people that I follow on Instagram who are raving about the series. We’re suckers for holiday themes, but also hello! An Asian American female lead!

What We’re Listening To: DJ Wegun, Jay Park – Everybody Sucks

Okay, technically this came out about two weeks ago, but we’re behind! I stumbled upon the Jay Park trend hard this summer and have since gone down a pretty deep rabbit hole alongside BTS and other K-Pop artists. Each track seems to be in collaboration with another artist. With only six tracks, getting through this album is going to be quick, but let’s hope it’s a good one!

What We’re Wearing: [Aritzia Auxiliary Ribbed Cuff Beanie] – $35

It’s officially beanie weather! I don’t know about you, but I have been freezing in my home since before the start of the week and at all times indoors, I’m always wearing wool socks. When I threw on my beanie just a week ago to go outside, I felt like my head was reuniting with an old friend. How did we get here? Wasn’t it just summer? So the above isn’t the exact same black beanie I have from Aritiza, but it’s similar and still available!

What We’re Eating: Hog Island Oyster Co. Clam Chowder

This is wishful thinking! I actually don’t know what I’ll be planning to have this weekend, but if it’s nice weather (unlike today’s rain) I’d like to stop by the Ferry Building. I’ve been thinking a lot about cozy meals that just make sense around this time and Hog Island Oyster Co’s Clam Chowder is one of my absolute favorites.

Culture
12 Nov 2020

Emily In Paris Gets A Second Season

That was quick! Shortly after it premeiered, Emily in Paris became an overnight sensation and soon, everyone was talking about it on social and creating respective memes for the series. It’s hard to believe that I ever doubted what a success story it could be! In my defense, episodes one and two were quite questionable. But, did anyone really anticipate how it would end? Maybe. Whatever the case, those of us who were hooked on the show might get an ending to that cliffhanger and that’s all I care about.

Culture
31 Oct 2020

This Weekend:

What We’re Watching: Start-Up

Now that we’ve finished Record of Youth as of this week, we finally have time to start a new drama. There’s nothing stopping me from watching several dramas at one time, but I find that it’s easier to keep track of all the storylines and characters if I isolate them. In its first week alone, everyone was raving about Start-Up. Both my brother and cousin started this before I could and were talking about it in our group chat to which I felt extreme FOMO. Looks like I’ve got some catching up to do! Start-Up is airing new episodes weekly on Netflix.

What We’re Listening To: Ariana Grande – Positions

I’m a little bit behind on music as well since I’ve never got this whole album to get through and Jay Park’s! “Positions” the single is growing on me, but the reviews thus far seem so-so. As excited as I am to have new music during a pandemic, I know these times aren’t easy for anyone so I’m likely to get everyone some sort of a pass. And if I’m being honest, the album I’m most anticipating is BTS’s “BE!”

What We’re Wearing: [Morgan Lane Silk Face Masks] – $78 on preorder

I read something this morning that said the scariest thing you could do this Halloween is NOT wear a mask. If you’re going to be celebrating in some way, shape, or form, better mask up because cases are rising everywhere. I bought this pack a couple months into the pandemic when I started getting maskne and was suggested by my aesthetician to try silk. These have been a god send ever since. Naturally, the black is my favorite because it makes every outfit 10x better and edgier. We’ve got lots to say about these masks so we’ll make a dedicated post for it soon!

What We’re Eating:

One of my favorite traditions before Sunday football games is getting a set of spam musubi and a hot lunch plate from Takahashi Market in San Mateo. Because of the pandemic, they’re limiting the number of plate lunches they are serving and only doing musubi on pre-order and first come first serve. Kevin and I are going to try and make a stop tomorrow to see if we can snag some, but we have no idea how big the demand will be. These are my favorite snacks, but also double as a meal when I’m feeling lazy.

Culture
24 Oct 2020

This Weekend:

What We’re Watching: Over the Moon (Netflix)

We first wrote about “Over the Moon” back in June when we heard this film was coming out. An animation with a Chinese lead and an all Asian cast? What’s not to be excited about? I thought I had an idea of what the synopsis was going to be about, but was pleasantly surprised watching it myself yesterday. It surpassed my expectations and was much more enjoyable than I thought. We may have shed more than a few tears, which we also didn’t expect! I hope you all spend some time watching this this weekend and enjoy all the beautiful visuals and songs.

What We’re Listening To: MAMAMOO – Dingga

Even though it’s a pop song, it has a very laid back dance to it. The dance to it is also pretty cute and we’re debating whether or not we should learn it!

What We’re Wearing: [Zella High Waist Studio Pocket 7/8 Leggings] – $65

I like these leggings so much that I wish I had bought more than just one pair! The level of comfort and flexibility in these is unmeasurable in comparison to my other leggings. I especially love the small pocket holes which make it ideal for runners. Though I am not one, I am hopeful that one day I’ll have a use for the small pockets!

What We’re Eating: Whole Cakes Pastries

One of my favorite treats to myself is running to Whole Cakes – an Asian owned bakery in the city and picking up a handful of things for the weekend. The pandemic has really ignited my love for sweets and comfort foods. And honestly, who can choose between a slice of cake, assorted scones and cookies? Why not have them all?

Culture
16 Oct 2020

@EmilyinParasite

Every once in awhile, an Instagram account comes along that catches my eye. It often includes the merging of two pop culture themes. After watching Netflix’s Emily in Paris series and not sure what to make of my feelings, I ultimately netted it out to be an enjoyable watch. At times, it was both confusing and annoying, but even I can admit that I had some laughs. Emily, herself, is a fish out of water heading to Paris for a new gig and working with new coworkers that can’t stand her. @EmilyinParasite however, imagines Emily heading to another destination where she also wouldn’t fit in. Voila! Emily in Paris becomes Emily in Parasite! In different scenes, Emily is photoshopped in and naturally sticks out like a sore thumb. Though the account was just created this week, I see a lot of potential and cannot wait to follow along.

Culture
04 Oct 2020

This Weekend:

What We’re Watching: Emily in Paris

Ahead of the show’s release, “Emily in Paris” was supposed to be a modern day “Sex and the City.” A couple of episodes in, I’m not seeing it. However, I am surprised at how quickly the show is growing on me. Lily Collins as “Emily” is your typical American girl from Chicago. Initially, she’s not likable. I find her fashion sense to be questionable for a show that’s supposed to be somewhat focused on fashion. What we like though is her intelligence, her ability to be quick-witted and her values. Overall that sort of beats the fashion and the Americanism, doesn’t it?

What We’re Listening To: BLACKPINK – The Album

After the premiere of “Ice Cream,” The Album is the refreshing release we needed. Though we’re only getting eight songs, two of which debuted over the summer, the album shows great potential. This is the girl group’s first full album release and next to BTS, they are the 2nd most successful South Korean group at the moment. Next up? Looking forward to their Netflix documentary out later this month covering their rise to fame.

What We’re Wearing: [BLANKNYC Good Vibes Faux Leather Moto Jacket] – $98

Now that fall has arrived, there are plenty of opportunities to wear my first ever faux leather jacket. I’ve considered buying one for years, but never truly thought I could pull it off. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale this year was a good excuse to finally make the purchase!

What We’re Eating: Sweet Corn Ice Cream Sandwich

We’re getting past the point where it’s acceptable to still be eating ice cream sandwiches as we’re heading into the colder months, however, I saw these at a Korean market recently and had to try it for myself. I’m constantly amazed that this ice cream sandwich looks exactly like and tastes like corn with real corn pieces. It’s not as weird as it sounds. There’s even a thin layer of chocolate so that there’s no confusion that what you’re eating is sweet. As much as I consider corn my favorite type of vegetable, I never thought it would be good as ice cream. Turns out, it’s better!

Music
08 Sep 2020

BLACKPINK Documentary to Stream on Netflix

Netflix is getting in on the KPOP train by announcing that a BLACKPINK documentary will be released October 14th. Maybe it’s coincidence, but the BTS documentary is being released just around the corner as well. Titled “Light Up the Sky,” the documentary is dropping shy of a couple weeks after their latest album. To celebrate this announcement, Netflix will also let you change your profile icon to be one of its 4 members: Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa or Rosé.

“Light Up the Sky” will show us never-before-seen footage from their trainee days, the recording process, and of course, the iconic Coachella performance. The ladies of BLACKPINK have had an exciting summer between the release of “How You Like That” and collaborations with Selena Gomez and Lady Gaga on “Ice Cream” and “Sour Candy” respectively. All this build up leading to the documentary will surely not disappoint. We’re marking our calendars now for the premiere date!

[Source]

Culture
05 Sep 2020

Korean Actors and Actresses Who I’ll Watch in Anything

Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin

Since quarantine started, we have been deep into Korean pop culture. My friends aren’t shocked by how quickly I went down this rabbit hole considering I do a bit of the same with pop culture in America. To date, we have finished 9 K-dramas, 2 reality television series and 2 films. Naturally, we’ve drummed up a list of favorites and I’m confident in saying I’ll watch anything these celebrities appear in.

Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin were the first stars that I was ever introduced to with “Crash Landing on You.” Not only was their drama highly anticipated before its release, but the fact that they starred in a film together just before added to the hype. They both have seasoned careers having been in the industry for nearly 20 years. While watching “Crash,” it’s apparent that Son Ye Jin is the true star here, but both are talented. I was most impressed with Hyun Bin in their film “The Negotiation” where he played a villain that even scared me.

Currently, the real life drama is whether or not these two are actually in a relationship. Though it hasn’t been confirmed, I’ve seen and read enough evidence to believe it is true! That has nothing to do with their talent, but it’s still fun regardless. Both of them have been filming endorsement deals through the summer. Hyun Bin is returning soon from filming his new movie “Bargaining” out next year and has signed on for a sequel to a previous film. On the other hand, Son Ye Jin has picked up two films for next year including her first Hollywood breakout.

Park Seo Joon

Park Seo Joon really caught my eye when I saw him in “Itaewon Class,” but my first brush with him was actually his very small part in “Parasite.” While I wouldn’t call “Itaewon” one of my favorite dramas, it put him on the map for me. As the lead, he was likable, passionate, and there was no one else that I believed could have played that role better than him. Next to Son Ye Jin, I’m most excited about Park Seo Joon’s career and hope he has the next big breakout into Hollywood. While “Itaewon” introduced me to him as an actor to watch, “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim” stole my heart. As the lead alongside Park Min Young, they both made the series so much fun to watch!

Outside of his career, Park Seo Joon is quite active on social media with both his [Instagram] and his [YouTube] channel. We’re huge fans of any photo that includes his dog Simba.

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Sunday night vibes🥴

A post shared by 박서준 (@bn_sj2013) on

Honestly, where should we be focusing here, we don’t even know.

Seo Ye Ji and Kim Soo Hyun

When I originally did this post on Instagram, I hadn’t included Seo Ye Ji which was a mistake. Having finished their drama “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” I need to include both. The two of them had an extraordinary chemistry during the filming of the show and were outstanding in their roles. There’s also a rumor that they previously dated as well which I now take it as rumors like this will circulate with any two leads in a drama. Aside from his brief cameo in “Crash” this was my first introduction to Kim Soo Hyun who I’ve heard is wildly talented in all of his other projects including “My Love From the Star.” I was so impressed with their drama though and I hope they’ll take on another project again together.

Park Bo Gum

And if we had to pick a #1 overall, it would be the triple threat, Park Bo Gum, who acts, sings, and dances all very well. We were first introduced to Bo Gum as the shy and endearing Taeki in “Reply 1988,” but his stardom skyrocketed after that. He went on to have lead roles in “Love in the Moonlight” and “Encounter.” Seeing him in “Encounter” was a contrast to the ensemble cast role he played in “Reply” and it was fun to see him take on a more outgoing personality. Aside from series, he also played host on “Music Bank.” Bo Gum enlisted into the Navy a few days ago and will be on hiatus for the next couple years. Luckily, he filmed a few projects that will release while he is out including drama “Record of Youth” out September 7th on Netflix with Park So Dam.

Park So-dam

Was Jessica from “Parasite” not one of our favorite characters of last year? Since I saw the film, I had been waiting to see which project she’d be a part of next. I was thrilled to learn when that next thing would be alongside my favorite, Park Bo Gum in a new series. While her role in “Parasite” was iconic and entertaining, Park So-dam is no rookie to this industry. She has starred in a number of films prior and I’m most excited to go back and watch her drama “Cinderella and the Four Knights” which I have only heard good things about.

Song Joong-ki and Song Hye Kyo

It pains me that these two are no longer together. Having almost finished their drama “Descendants of the Sun,” it’s so apparent how strong their chemistry is in the series. I wasn’t surprised at all that they had gotten together right before the filming and ended up married. In the series, the two of them both play strong characters and are incredibly charming and funny. Before I watched this series, I had just seen Song Hye Kyo in “Encounter” and honestly couldn’t figure out what the big deal about her was. It could’ve been the fact that that was the character that she played or that she had zero chemistry with Park Bo Gum. Whatever the case, I prefer her much more in “Descendants.” Since their divorce, the two of them have both been quiet on the career front. A small part of me really hopes someday they’ll reconcile though!