Misaeng: Incomplete Life (미생 - 아직 살아 있지 못한 자) (2014)

Wow! Wow! Wow! I didn't realize that it has been 3 years since Misaeng: Incomplete Life (미생 - 아직 살아 있지 못한 자) was aired in South Korea. Meant to do a review about this drama 3 years ago, but I was too occupied with my study and all fun stuff :p I missed the golden timing to do the review (okay, more like to fangirling honestly) but I think this drama is too precious and valuable to be ignored.

Snippet of the drama (From Wikipedia)
Since he was a child, the board game baduk has been everything to Jang Geu-rae (Im Si Wan). But when he fails at achieving his dream of becoming a professional baduk player, Geu-rae must leave his isolated existence and enter the real world armed with nothing but a high school equivalency exam on his resume. Through an acquaintance's recommendation, he gets hired as an intern at One International, a large trading company.

There, Geu-rae meets his boss, manager Oh Sang-shik (Lee Sung Min), who's a workaholic and has a warm personality; fellow intern Ahn Young-yi (Kang Sora), who attracts her colleagues' ire because of her impressive educational credentials and by being extremely competent at any task; and Jang Baek-ki (Kang Ha Neul), a geeky co-worker whose anxious nature masks his inner ambition. Geu-rae learns to navigate and adapt to corporate culture, with baduk as his guide

Credit: Here

My thoughts

If I were to choose the best Korean drama that I ever watched in my entire life, Misaeng would be the winner! And I think that weighs a lot as I have watched a good amount of Korean dramas for the past 13 years. *Wow! Couldn't believe I started watching Korean dramas 13 years ago.* But then, I only started watching Korean drama religiously since 8 years ago, so I guess the first 5 years does not really count :p

Honestly, I started watching Misaeng because of Kang Ha Neul (강하늘) cause y'know #kanghaneulmydreamoppa but I decided to keep watching the drama because of the drama itself. Misaeng has such a beautiful cinematography despite having a dark and dull tones throughout 20 episodes. All the characters were excellently portrayed too. Scarily (in a very good way), Misaeng managed to flip your opinions about some characters because you will be reminded that all of them are humans and there are no perfect human beings. I hated Jang Baek Ki (I hated Kang Ha Neul guysss T____T) and Han Seok Yeol at first but I learnt to accept them and love them throughout the drama.

However, I think I love Misaeng so much (maybe a lil bit too much!) because it spoke to me on so many levels. I can relate to almost everything that happened in Misaeng so much that it hurts. Misaeng might be the only drama that I felt so emotionally connected and invested that it drained my energy and emotions. I was a total wreck whenever I watched this drama.

I felt like I learnt new things and grew together with all my favorite characters. I cried together with them whenever they cried. I felt their pain whenever they were in pain. I was genuinely happy for them whenever they were happy. I struggled together with them whenever they struggled. I rooted and prayed for their success. I became so protective of my favorite characters especially Jang Geu-Rae and Chief Oh. I also hated all the antagonists who made my favorite characters' lives hard to my bones. God knows how much tears I spilled, how many curse words I uttered and how much time I spent sleeping just to relieve my headache and frustration after watching every episodes of Misaeng.

Misaeng felt so honest, real and relatable to its core. There was something about Misaeng that hit home for me. Yes, sometimes it was hard for me to enjoy this drama because it was too depressing, but I found myself to keep coming and watching this drama because it was so relatable.

I highly recommend this drama if you are looking for something real and honest and something other than cheesy and romance dramas. Admittedly, this drama might not be a cup tea for everyone but sadly, you will be missing out such an excellent and high quality drama if you do not watch this drama. That's all I can say.

Update: I have included the trailer of this drama so that you can peek through this goodness called Misaeng :)

Looking Back At All My Old Blog Posts

I took my time recently rereading my old blog posts, from this blog and the previous two, just to see what I had been thinking and posting for the past eight years. And boy, did I get a good laugh just from rereading all of them :)

For most part, I can see how childish and simple-minded I was when writing and publishing all those hundred posts. Especially all the blog posts that was written when I was in high school and my first two years in university. How come no one ever told me about that? I am so sorry to all the previous and/or current readers for you to read all those childish stuff.

I also noticed a trend in my blog posts that still exists until now. I always write about my life. As if my life is so interesting to talk about, eh. But when I think about it, I started writing blog because I wanted it to be a medium where I can express my feelings, my tangled thoughts and my homesickness. I also wanted it to be a medium where I can come back to reminisce my old memories and to look back at my past which I may have forgotten. So, I think all my blogs, including this one have served or currently serve their ultimate purpose.

On a side note, I am very much aware that all my blogs did not and still does not give added benefits to most of the readers. For that, I am deeply sorry.

Additionally, what I love from rereading all those post was I can see how I actually valued and felt thankful for all the small things that happened in my life. And what made me extra happy was to see that this attribute of mine has not really changed after all these years. Indeed, I was and still am #easilypleased #easilytouched #mudahterhibur.

My current happy space :)

I also have noticed few different things after rereading all my blog posts and honestly, I had mixed feelings upon discovering all these things. Firstly, I used to write a good number of blog posts in fully Malay. While I like the fact that I can actually write in Malay, it made my head and heart hurt cause I sounded so childish, awkward and skema whenever I wrote blog posts in fully Malay.

Secondly, I had a lot of blog posts written in bahasa rojak. I honestly love bahasa rojak so much that it hurts. In fact, I think I prefer bahasa rojak more than English. I realized that I actually sounded more happy and natural whenever I wrote blog posts in bahasa rojak. However, I sounded too childish too whenever I wrote in bahasa rojak and this really kills me.

I know I am very much childish at heart, but how come this little fact is so apparent and crystal clear whenever I am writing? For god sake, I'm nearing my mid 20s and I still sound like an excited little girl T___T

Nevertheless, I have enjoyed my time rereading all my old blog posts. It was a joyful ride filled with laughter mostly due to my embarrassment. Most probably will not do it again in the next few months as I have decided to enjoy my current life and live in the present! :)

That being said, I have decided to repost a number of blog posts that have never seen the light due to various reasons. I also will repost a number of travel-related and Canada-related blog posts so that it will be easier for me to talk a trip down memory lane which probably will take place in the next few years? :)

For those who have been with me and my blogs since few years ago, what did you like the most and the least about my blogs and my blog posts? What kind of content would like to see more on this humbly blog of mine? Would appreciate any inputs for that I can improve in the future, insya Allah. Many thanks in advance! :)

Because I Love You (사랑하기 때문에) (2017)

It is no secret for people around me that I am a huge fan of Cha Tae Hyun (차태현). I like him for his personality but I am obsessed with him because of his laughter. Never in my life I would think that I can fancy someone just because of his/her laughter but Cha Tae Hyun did just that. I even have my own hashtag for Cha Tae Hyun #chataehyunmydreamnampyeon that I used when I went to South Korea last year.

So, it was no-brainer for me to watch one of his latest movies; Because I Love You (사랑하기 때문에). Anything that can help me with my fix of Cha Tae Hyun, right? And boy did I glad that I picked up this movie :)

Snippet of the movie (based on few of my readings)
Because I Love You is about Lee Hyeong (Cha Tae Hyun) who becomes a spirit after an accident and starts entering the bodies of several different people struggling with love. As he enters several bodies, he gets to experience love at all ages; from the flaming youth, to middle-aged enlightenment, to an older couple who have years of strong love behind them. While possessing the bodies, he acts as a Cupid who helps to remind the person of what it means to love.

Credit: Here

My thoughts
This movie screams Cha Tae Hyun so much! You will know what I mean by that if you have watched any Cha Tae Hyun's movies. It was a simple and enjoyable movie yet very heartwarming. I laughed, I giggled, and I cried to my heart content while watching this movie. It was such an emotional roller coaster ride for me. I did not expect it to be like this because for the good first half of the movie, it was funny and humorous. Then, the emotions changed for the later half. I especially bawled my eyes out when the older couple appeared and when Lee Hyeong tried to conclude his own story. The only thing that I find it regretful was each story in this movie felt too short. I just wish each story had a tad in-depth background story. Other than that, I'm good!

Additionally, I particularly love this movie so much because they use Because I Love You by Yoo Jae Ha. This movie is actually a tribute to Yoo Jae Ha. The movie's name comes from Yoo Jae Ha's hit song; Because I Love You which happens to be one of my favourite songs too. If you read my previous post; Songs To Listen To When You Work Graveyard Shifts, you can see Because I Love You (though I put Heaven's version) was on the top of the list.

Anyway, I highly recommend this movie if you need something that will make you feel good or if you are in need of heartwarming dosage in your life :)

p.s: Please prepare a box of tissue too as you may cry while watching this movie.

Update: I have included the trailer of this movie so that you can have a better sense of this movie.