365 Days of Love, Encouragement, & Thanks

This should be a TED Talk. Seriously. I agree with him. We need...

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:27:31 -0700

This should be a TED Talk. Seriously.

I agree with him. We need to step outside our boundaries, prejudices, and stereotypes, and start sharing things like roommates do in college, even if it’s uncomfortable at first. And this isn’t just about C-Pop or just Asian music but all aspects of culture. There needs to be a union of East and West. East meets West and West meets East. It’s somewhat starting to happen, but there is still a loooooooooooooooong way to go.

Hoping for a day when “world pop” becomes a reality. Actually, hoping for a day when we won’t even need those labels, but music will be just that: music. Music that comes from all kinds of languages, cultures, and backgrounds but understood by all as music. Music that moves, music that inspires, music that makes you dance, and music that does what music does.

Anyways, great job on that speech, Wang Leehom! Apparently, he wrote the speech himself, and those two weeks that he spent drafting it definitely were worth the time! The Q&A session was pretty interesting and insightful too.

And lastly, thank you to all my friends who introduced me to C-pop and Wang Leehom: the YouTube user who uploaded all those MVs, mostly K-pop but even C-pop, M-pop, and T-Pop for some time, Jae/AsianDream, and my college and online friends. You know who you are :)

This guy is awesome :) Story on...

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:50:00 -0700

This guy is awesome :)

Story on Yahoo!: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/viral-video-of-matt-kemp-s-touching-gesture-to-young-fan-catches-dodger-off-guard-004632881.html?fb_action_ids=572051732827902&fb_action_types=news.reads&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=

Praying for Josh. He probably still can’t believe what happened that night. Hope Matt’s gesture of kindness encourages him to stay strong, remain hopeful, and fight that cancer just as the Dodgers fought that awful losing streak and emerged with back-to-back wins the past couple of days :)

And congrats Matt on the 1000th career hit last night! And I love that Beast Mode shirt :)

There’s something beautiful and moving about witnessing a...

Sat, 11 May 2013 03:55:00 -0700

There’s something beautiful and moving about witnessing a Japanese CCM singer/songwriter pour out his heart during an offering song performance at a Korean church.

Link to the video of the performance of “Yeshua” during the 3rd Service offering at Bethel last Sunday, including the introducton clip of the Tohoku earthquake/tsunami 2 years ago: http://vod.bkc.org/vod/2013/130505/vod_offer_3.wmv

And ありがとうございます横山大輔さん。

You can find some of Daisuke Yokoyoma’s songs here on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/remember/id605284380?ign-mpt=uo%3D4 and Amazon MP3: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BJ6AQ12/ref=dm_sp_alb

Since being moved by his offering song performance, I’ve been listening to his songs and trying to learn more about his journey. I found his personal blog, but most of the posts there are written in Japanese and Google Translate isn’t doing much justice to his words :( I still get the gist of what he’s saying, so it’s all good, hehe ^v^

But really, it’s amazing how God has been working through Daisuke Yokoyama and others to reach the people of Japan and how He’s been doing some awesome stuff through the Japanese ministry here at Bethel. I still think it’s really cool to have a growing Japanese ministry at a Korean church, especially a Korean church in the US :) I mean seriously, PTL! Even though there’s still a lot of political tension between Japan and Korea, this tension and opposition is no match for the Holy Spirit! It’s really encouraging and inspiring to see the heart and passion that the Japanese Christians have, and things like this remind us that we must continue praying for this country in which the sun is rising and yet so many battle loneliness even if they’re not alone in their struggles and only about 1% of the population are Christians. So this is a reminder for me and for anyone who reads this, CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR JAPAN!

“Yeshua~ His Name is Love.” May the people of Japan know His Name and experience His everlasting, unconditional love for them. Love. Hallelujah. Amen.

MLB video of interview and the...

Sat, 11 May 2013 03:54:59 -0700

파니: 현진 오빠, 저 지금 엄청 긴장되요... ㅠ_ㅠ 괴물투수: 긴장하지마. 그럼 더 안돼... 아마 이런 대화? 긴장을 너무해서 패대기 시구가 됐나? ㅋㅋㅋ ^^

Go Dodgers! 화이팅! ^^

"Look Daddy!"

tossing the ball like a pro (and a little kid), hehe ^v^

"Ok..quit fooling around, Fany. Time for some serious business."

Form good...check!

Catcher Hyun Jin Oppa in sight....check!

Release the ball! HERE COMES TROUBLE!... whoops....out of strike zone...time to strike a cute pose to make up for it ^^

MLB video of interview and the pitch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=issvexCMgV0&feature=youtu.be

Mnet BTS video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL_LnlhTw9I&feature=youtu.be

Her comments about the boys’ locker room and this: “So so my manager was like ‘aim for my face’ and it worked!” lol :D Oh Fany, you’re still an uber cute and adorable Cali gal ^v^ If the manager oppa stood right behind Ryu Hyun Jin, would it have been a perfect pitch then?

Anyways, even though the pitch veered in another direction, congrats to Tiffany on the opportunity to throw the first pitch for the Dodgers! It’s a big deal for us Korean Americans in the LA area who grew up watching and rooting for the Dodgers, especially during the years that Park Chan Ho was a pitcher on the team. See you soon on the LA (or maybe the OC?) stop of the Girls & Peace GG World Tour ;)

The Dancing Queen has returned for a special guest performance...

Sat, 04 May 2013 06:36:35 -0700

The Dancing Queen has returned for a special guest performance at the show where she shined the most last year!

There were a few awkward moments, but she was “Dangerous” from the start and I don’t know how she did it, but she struck that landing like a boss at the end! I wish she had returned with her dancing partner from last year though. Hyoyeon and Hyungsuk had such good chemistry that helped make their performances even more awesome.

Anyways, 대다나다 효연! ^v^ 단콘 Girls’ And Peace 월드투어 때 이런 대박 같은 무대를 다시 볼 수 있나요? I hope so! Gotta work and study hard so that I can see it and finally experience pink SONE ocean in person when they stop by the LA area.

Blessed by Hope Some of the teachers, volunteers, family, and...

Thu, 02 May 2013 04:46:00 -0700

Blessed by Hope

Some of the teachers, volunteers, family, and children of 소망부, the Hope Ministry that serves children with disabilities, did a special performance during offering time last Sunday. This video shows part of what happened: http://vod.bkc.org/vod/2013/130421/vod_offer_123.wmv

I say part because during the body worship performance, they also had a video of the ministry playing on the screens in the back. Coupled with the video, this special body worship performance probably moved the whole church to tears and smiles. Most of us honestly probably don’t think about the children and families in this ministry that often, but this performance reminded us that we should keep them in our thoughts and prayers and keep encouraging them with our sincere attention, smiles, and love. To everyone who was a part of this performance, thank you for the reminder. 감사합니다! ^v^

Lately, I’ve been attending both the 3rd KM Service and the 4th EM Service on Sundays and Bible study in Korean on Wednesdays. My parents wanted me to worship with them during the 3rd service and do Bible study with them in Korean, so I obliged. And I’m glad that I did since it’s truly been a blessing to witness some of the special events that happen, such as this body worship performance and hearing a Japanese brother in Christ’s testimony of the love that he experienced at Bethel (Korean Church!) It was kinda uncomfortable at first since I wasn’t used to the different style of the service and things were unfamiliar. I don’t fully understand everything that’s said in service and during Bible study (성막연구..a study about the Temple, altar, offerings, etc. in Korean! Studying the Bible in Korean when you’re used to doing it in English is challenging but rewarding), but I’ve realized that even if I gain just one thing, I can hold onto that and apply it to my life. I’ve learned so much and experienced so many blessings lately. And I’m so thankful :)

Taeyeon’s letter that she read out loud to J-SONES at the...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:17:00 -0700

Taeyeon’s letter that she read out loud to J-SONES at the last concert for the Girls’ and Peace 2nd Arena Tour:

“ 今日はついに最後の公演です。

Girls’ and Peace Tour の初公演から今日まで来てくれた皆さんありがとうございます。

私たちはJapan Tourを通してたくさんの事を学んで、良い経験をできました。

コンサートをするたびに大切な人と目を合わせて、同じ空間にいることができて、幸せでした。

私に愛する事と

愛されるチャンスをくれて

　　　　とっても感謝します

皆さん。。。。。

本当にありがとうございました。”

“Today is finally the last performance.

To everyone that came to the Girls’ and Peace Tour, starting from the first concert till today, thank you very much.

Throughout the entire Japan tour, we (the girls) learned a lot of new things, and it was a really good experience.

Every time we had a concert, we were able to make eye contact with our important fans, and also be with them. We were very happy.

To give me the chance to love,

and be loved,

I am very thankful.

Everyone…

Thank you very very much.”

CR: TifS9@twitter.com

Translated by: SeraphKY@soshified

And then from Sooyoung’s message:
“Our hearts are always near you. We’re connected. Since we began our career in Japan, we had thought we wanted to make history but we found out it’s you who make history.”
“우리의 마음은 언제나 곁에 있어요. 연결되어 있습니다. 일본에서 활동을 시작한 이래 역사에 남는 가수가 되려고 생각했지만, 역사를 만드는 것은 우리가 아니라 여러분이란걸 깨달았습니다.”

To express those words so well and so frequently… language is no longer a barrier if there is genuine gratitude and love.

고마워요… ありがとう…. thank you, Girls :)

Do me a favor and like/follow please if you’re into art,...

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 23:16:37 -0700

Do me a favor and like/follow please if you’re into art, music, photography & filmmaking, and writing ~ ^v^

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Directory-of-Workshops-Conferences-Festivals/162636857221698

Twitter: https://twitter.com/art_music_etc

Tumblr: http://international-workshop-festivals.tumblr.com

Dance, Theatre/Acting, and Cooking directories coming soon! :)

“And then a hero comes along With the strength to carry...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 07:41:00 -0700

“And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you’ll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you”

A hero comes in many forms. She might appear cold and indifferent and strong, but inside is a hero who is warm-hearted, caring, soft and fragile, and even acts like a cute little kid at times, lol.

She has a high vocal tone that doesn’t suit everyone’s preferences, but no one can deny that she’s an amazing singer, as shown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbm1DOhSkHo (yes, she plays piano) and here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHRFDGpcul4 (yes, her sister plays piano too).

Not only is she a fabulous singer and pianist, but she is also a kind angel who notices when a fan in a wheelchair comes to almost every one of her Legally Blonde musical performances and invites him backstage to chat and take a picture with him: http://jo1genie.tumblr.com/post/43303747159/sicangel

There are still people who are hasty to judge and criticize without really taking the time to know her, but we know. We know you like the air con and your beauty sleep. We know some of the little quirks in your personality, some of which are mentioned in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTosW6lijsc

You’re beautiful just the way you are (and duh, we knew that even before they picked you as the #5 most beautiful face in the world!). Happy Birthday, Warm Ice Princess Jessica Jung! May your special day be merry, blessed, and free of any cucumber pranks from your choding members, lol XD

Even my Peruvian amigo Monkey is #InItToEndIt #enditmovement...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:11:00 -0700

Even my Peruvian amigo Monkey is #InItToEndIt #enditmovement #endslavery #drawaredXonyourhand

Sometimes, it takes more than words to adequately express...

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:45:52 -0700

Sometimes, it takes more than words to adequately express something. That’s where music and dance come in.

I dare you to watch and not be moved.

END IT. It’s a complex issue, but what we must do is...

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 06:19:00 -0700

END IT.

It’s a complex issue, but what we must do is simple: End it. End slavery.

Shine a light on slavery on April 9. And let’s end it.

It’s been more than 6 years since I vowed to do something. Now is the time for all of us to do something. Now is the time to end it.

I love her performances for competitions, but I always enjoy her...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 03:45:00 -0700

I love her performances for competitions, but I always enjoy her performances for galas and shows, especially when she’s not wearing the usual skirts, when she has so much fun, and when she has an awesome way to finish the performance like this one here! Plus, she’s skating to Michael Bublé :)

And I’m so glad that she’s still working together with David Wilson for the choreography. They always put together amazing performances :)

당신은 사랑받기 위해 태어난 사람. You were born to be loved. A week late on...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:12:00 -0700

당신은 사랑받기 위해 태어난 사람. You were born to be loved.

A week late on birthday posts again… but still, let’s just pretend that it’s still 03.09.2013. 아직 내 마음속에는 3월9일이니까…ㅋㅋㅋ ^^

“I Love You” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pny4—R9fvs I remember being captivated by this performance when I first saw the video. I’m still captivated whenever I re-watch it….like time just stops. (I need a Time Machine~…). 그래요, 사랑해요…듣고있나요? 들리나요? 어떻게 하다가 내가 제일 좋아하는 두 OST 노래 제목들이 이렇게 연결됐네, ㅋㅋㅋ ^^

Why is Taeyeon amazing? Of course, her singing is awesome, as shown in the above video, the “I Love You” performance, and this performance of ‘Missing You Like Crazy”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzNfZ7hxkTw. 미치게 보고싶은. 김태연 여신님. So what sets her apart from others besides hitting every high note like a boss and her awesome ad-libs and powerful 탱창력 voice (and her ajumma laugh)? Her passion and attitude towards music and the stage. Her desire for every performance to be perfect. And the way she cares for those close to her, her family, members, fans, Sones, colleagues, sunbaes, hoobaes, and even strangers. She takes the spotlight (and the resulting responsibilities and burdens) when she needs to as the “group leader,” but otherwise lets others have the spotlight and the chance to shine. She’s an awesome leader but not the only one in SNSD/Girls’ Generation because she chooses to have all 9 lead.

왜 사람들이 태연, 태연하는 걸까? To sum it up, this is why we love this adorkable Taeyeon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9JDvmjYdEM.

그리고 하나! (이 노래도 좋아요.. ^v^b) 탱디제이와 퐝디제이가 ‘심심타파’ 스페셜 DJ 하는동안 나왔던 “귀요미 플레이어.” 원래는 6 더하기 6 까지인데 9 더하기 9 는 소시! 했지요. ㅋㅋㅋ ^^ 저…그 때…완전… “헐~대박사건!” 그랬어요. 만약에 “9 더하기 9 는 귀요미 9 소녀들”..그 것 보고 했으면 진짜로 고마워요. 저 그 때 완전 기분 up 했어요 :) 만약에 아니면, 뭐..Great minds think alike. 소시와 소원들은 같은 생각 한다는, 같은 마음인 증거지요! :D

암튼, 다시 한번 해피 25번째 생일, 탱구 귀요미!

난 “탱구”라는 귀요미를 많이 좋아한다 ^v^ 그리고 생각날 때마다 태연 언니가 건강하고 행복하기를 기도한다. 당신은 사랑받기 위해 태어난 사람이니까! <3 :)

Always love being inspired to live a purposeful life through...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:44:19 -0700

Always love being inspired to live a purposeful life through dance :)

Really inspiring :) Don’t let any obstacle stop you from...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:35:46 -0700

Really inspiring :)

Don’t let any obstacle stop you from chasing after your dreams.

And I see someone familiar in the bts video, lol :D

Photo

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:28:05 -0700

Photo

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:26:56 -0700

What It Means To Be An Effective Leader

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 17:37:00 -0800

What It Means To Be An Effective Leader:

http://www.soshified.com/2013/03/what-it-means-to-be-an-effective-leader

It’s always nice to reflect and learn from the special people in your life who you love and from whom you learn so much, especially about leadership and how to deal with people and situations. I’m grateful for all the lessons I’ve learned from the girls and from fellow Sones the past few years.

And great post, Soshified!

"From now on, every time my being comes into your consciousness, have your brain secrete dopamine and..."

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:56:00 -0800

“From now on, every time my being comes into your consciousness, have your brain secrete dopamine and serotonin as much as possible.”

- Kim Doo Hyun (The 3rd Hospital)

Most favorite line from 3rd Hospital :)

And this is a great medical drama, probably the best medical k-drama I’ve seen and the only one that features both Western medicine and alternative/traditonal medicine. A lot of humor and tear-jerker moments too!