Salon Drip 2: Episode 64 feat. BTS Jin

Jang Doyeon: "Before we sit down, is there something you'd like to drink?"

Jin: "Is everything free?"

Jang Doyeon: *nods* "Of course!"

Jin: "Thank you! I love free food."

Jang Doyeon: "I heard it's your first time releasing a solo album?"

Jin: "Yes, it's my first!"

Jang Doyeon: "It's the first album of your name on it."

Jin: "That's right."

Jang Doyeon: "It must feel different since you don't have your members with you."

Jin: "Ah, I performed the day after I was discharged, on June 13th, and not being with my members made it more scary and nerve-wracking. I had a hard time because I didn't know how to fill the gap. I was so worried about what I should do. But once I got used to it, I loved it!"

Jang Doyeon, laughing: "What did you like about it?"

Jin: "When performing with my members, we have a lot of varying opinions, right? Like, the music should be like this and the choreography should be like this and stuff, right? But since I'm doing it by myself, I was like, 'Choreography? None!'"

Jang Doyeon, laughing: "So you could boldly omit certain things."

Jin: "'These schedules? Delete it!' 'But the fans want it…' 'Oh, really? Then include it!' I can decide on everything myself!"

Jin: "From the lyrics, there's a part that goes, 'Giving something greater than just the little things, that's what I live for.'"

Jang Doyeon: "That's the message you wanted everyone to hear?"

Jin: "I want to my fans to receive great happiness rather than small happiness when they see me and the others. So that part…"

Jang Doyeon: "It's all about your fans!"

Jin: "It can't be helped. My fans gave me everything I have. As long as I have this job, I have to live for my fans. That cannot be compromised."

I've watched Salon Drip once before, the episode featuring Byeon Wooseok and Kim Hyeyoon during their Lovely Runner promotions, and remember thinking what a great job this host did, and it's the same here. She makes the guest comfortable but has a great sense of humour; she'll tease the guest without making it feel awkward, but she'll also ask questions that make the guest more introspective and bring out personal stories. Now this was a great interview. 

The K-Star Next Door: Season 4, Episode 31 feat. BTS Jin

Okay, apparently the MC and Jin are friends (or at least acquaintances who have each other's phone numbers), but this interview seemed kind of... uncomfortable? Like, it was oddly cringy to watch? There were a few funny moments and Jin's live performance of "I'll Be There" was awesome, but I found their interactions kind of awkward in general. 

Jin — "I'll Be There" Live Clip

MY GOD, this song was meant to be played live. Jin's vocals are fucking unreal. 

Unboxing: Orlando 2024 — The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Shopping Haul

I'm back, I unpacked, and oh my god, I bought an atrocious amount of stuff:

Chocolate Frogs from Sugarplum's Sweet Shop(Clockwise from top: White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, and Dark Chocolate)

Chocolate Frog (Milk Chocolate) Keepsake Tin from Sugarplum's Sweet Shop

Chocolate Frog Keepsake Tin — Chocolate Frog Collectible Cards(Top: Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, and Helga Hufflepuff
Bottom: Rowena Ravenclaw and Albums Dumbledore)

Chocolate Frog Ceramic Keepsake Box from Sugarplum's Sweet Shop

Chocolate Frog 3-Piece Tea Set from Sugarplum's Sweet Shop

Chocolate Frog 3-Piece Tea Set from Sugarplum's Sweet Shop

There is a lot of Chocolate Frog merch here. The original Chocolate Frogs in the card stock packaging come in white, milk, and dark chocolate options and are packaged in silver, gold, and bronze, respectively. They each come with a collectible Chocolate Frog card, which features a famous witch or wizard. (I got Artemisia Lufkin, Ignatia Wildsmith, and, unfortunately, Gilderoy Lockhart.) The Chocolate Frog Keepsake Tin comes with a milk chocolate frog and includes the same 5 collectible cards, all leaders of Hogwarts: Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Albus Dumbledore. However, both the Chocolate Frog Ceramic Keepsake Box and the Chocolate Frog 3-Piece Tea Set (which includes a ceramic teacup and saucer, and gold-coloured teaspoon) do not come with chocolate nor Chocolate Frog cards — they are just very pretty accessories to use at home.

Sherbert Lemons and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans from Honeydukes

Fizzing Whizzbees (bee-shaped milk chocolate with popping candy), Ton-Tongue Toffee (chocolate-coated hard toffee with nuts), and Cauldron Cakes (chocolate cake with red and orange frosting in a reusable silicone cauldron) from Honeydukes

Nosebleed Nougat (milk chocolate-coated marshmallows topped with pistachios and white pearl candy), Fainting Fancies (orange and lemon fruit gummies), and Wizarding Playing Cards from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

Aside from Chocolate Frogs, I did buy a bunch of other sweets from Honeydukes as well, including Dumbledore's favourite Sherbert Lemons, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans in a keepsake tin, Fizzing Whizzbees, Ton-Tongue Toffee, and a Cauldron Cake (which is an actual chocolate cake with an insane amount of frosting — it comes in a reusable silicone "cauldron" so you can bake cauldron cakes at home or just have as a keepsake, but note that this cake is not sealed, so if you're going to take it home, make sure you wrap it up safely for travel because it will get everywhere). Note that you can buy the majority of sweets from both Honeydukes in Hogsmeade and Sugarplum's Sweet Shop in Diagon Alley, but each shop has a few of their own exclusive items, so they're both worth checking out. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley also sells several exclusive sweets; I got Nosebleed Nougat (which has no nougat at all, ironically — it's chocolate-coated marshmallows) and Fainting Fancies (orange and lemon fruit gummies), which were on sale for 2 for $16. 

Gringotts $10 Bank Note and Gringotts Chocolate Galleons from Gringotts Money Exchange

Some people may not know about this, but you can actually exchange USD into Gringotts Bank Notes at Gringotts Money Exchange. You can use these Bank Notes anywhere inside the Universal Studios theme parks in Orlando like cash. It's absolutely not necessary — it's just an extra little thing that you can do to immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter. That having been said, we just wanted to get a Bank Note as a souvenir to take home (it comes in an official Gringotts Bank envelope!), so we only exchanged $10 USD, which is he lowest denomination they offer. You can also buy some other souvenirs at Gringotts Money Exchange like figures and coin banks, but we just picked up a little bag of chocolate Galleons because they were too cute to resist.

2024 Collector's Edition Wand from Ollivanders Wand Shop

We went into Ollivanders for the wand selection show. (It's a 5-minute show where a staff member of Ollivanders selects someone in the 15- to 20-person audience to participate in a wand selection ceremony. There is usually a line-up for the show, but it goes by pretty quickly — we got in within 10 minutes. When the show is finished, the selected person can then choose to buy the wand.) After the show, you exit into the actual Ollivanders shop, where you can peruse and purchase wands. (Note that wands are also sold at Wands by Gregorovitch, but they don't carry the entire assortment, nor do they have the wand selection ceremony.) There are generally two main types of wands — character wands (I think there are about 15 to 20 of them, all designed for characters of the series from Harry Potter to Albus Dumbledore to Voldemort) and pre-customized wands (I believe there are 12 or 13 of these ones, and they are randomized — for example, elm with phoenix feather or mahogany with dragon heartstring). The character wands come in both interactive and decor types (and are set at different price points), whereas the pre-customized wands are all interactive — the interactive wands allow users to "cast spells" at 16 different locations in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade. (You can read more about it here.)

2024 Collector's Edition Wand Handle from Ollivanders Wand Shop

I actually didn't want a wand at first because what the hell was I going to do with a wand once I brought it home? But then I was like, "Did I really go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter if I didn't get a wand?" And Minji was already hell-bent on getting one, so I decided to get one, too. (You know, twist my rubber arm.) Except neither of us wanted the character wands and they didn't have either of the pre-customized wands we wanted in stock. (In fact, out of all the variations of pre-customized wands they make, our top choices were the only two out of stock. Ridiculous.) We were about to buy our second choice wands, when I stumbled upon a display of their Collector's Edition wands. 

2024 Collector's Edition Wand with Metal Wand Stand from Ollivanders Wand Shop

They had both the 2023 and 2024 versions of the Collector's Edition Wand, and they look SO MUCH COOLER than any of the other wands. (Note: The Collector's Edition Wands only come in the interactive type, and at $75 a pop, are also more expensive than all other wands.) Minji preferred the 2023 and I preferred the 2024 (which features an ornate dragon head that looks SUPER BAD-ASS), so we ditched our second-choice pre-customized wands (I asked Minji, "Do we really want to pay $65 for SECOND CHOICE wands when these are so much cooler? And limited edition?") and snagged the Collector's Edition wands instead. And, of course, we got wand display holders, too. (I got the single plain gold one, and Minji got the single black Death Eater one.) Because if you're going to spend this kind of money on a wand, you want to display it proudly at home, you know?

Hogsmeade Postcards from Owl Post and Diagon Alley Postcards from Scribbulus

Hogwarts: A History and The Marauder's Map Greeting Cards from Scribbulus

One of the unique things you can do at both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade is send actual postmarked letters. As someone who loves sending postcards when I'm traveling (I always send one to myself from every place I go to because a) I love getting letters in the mail, and b) so I can look back at all the places I've been to), I got a pack from both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. The stores that sell stationery (Scribbulus in Diagon Alley, Dervish and Banges and Owl Post in Hogsmeade) also sell postage stamps, so you can write your postcards or greeting cards while you're at the store, add the proper amount of stamps, and then give your postcards to the staff to send out — they will stamp the respective postmark on it so it'll look like you actually got mail from Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade.

Interactive Snowy Owl from Scribbulus

Mini Pygmy Puffs from Magical Menagerie

Harry Potter Plush Toy from Dervish and Banges

Mandrake Plush Toy from Dervish and Banges

I got a several plush toys. When I saw this adorable little snowy owl (which is interactive and magnetic — you can perch it on your shoulder and if you put batteries in it, it will move its neck and wings and make owl sounds), I couldn't resist. I also got mini Pygmy Puffs (these are technically key rings, but they are significantly cuter than their larger counterparts), plus Harry Potter and Mandrake plushies that were on sale for 2 for $15. Unfortunately, they only had a random assortment of these latter ones, so they had Harry and Draco Malfoy, but none of the other main characters. They had, like, Luna Lovegood and a Death Eater. And, randomly, a Mandrake, which was just too cute to leave behind.

The Marauder's Map Mug from Filch's Emporium

Now, you might be wondering what house I belong to. According to dozens of Harry Potter house-sorting quizzes, I am technically Ravenclaw but with strong Slytherin tendencies, so I've never really felt particularly attached to a singular house. Which is also why I didn't buy any house-specific merch. So while Minji bought Slytherin robes, Slytherin sweatshirts, and even a Slytherin scrunchie, I went for clothing in the "other" category. If you know me, you will know that my wardrobe is basically 97% black, which is why I was only drawn to the clothes featuring the Dark Mark or the Deathly Hallows. And that's fine. They're helping me re-live my teenage emo days.

Spells Hooded Sweatshirt from Filch's Emporium

Morsmordre Grey Sweatshirt and The Deathly Hallows Grey Tee from Borgin and Burkes

Dark Mark Black Scarf from Borgin and Burkes

One of the greatest features of staying at Universal Studios Orlando Resort (we stayed at Portofino Bay) is that all the shops inside the Universal Studios theme parks have a free delivery service straight to your hotel room. This is simultaneously very convenient since you don't have to carry all your shopping while walking around the theme parks, and very dangerous as you may, like us, forget just how much stuff you bought until you get delivered over 15 shopping bags within 3 days. Still, I have no regrets — I got to live out nearly 27 years' worth of my wizarding world dreams.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Universal Studios Florida (Diagon Alley) 

Universal Islands of Adventure (Hogsmeade)

6000 Universal Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32819, USA

(407) 363-8000

Orlando 2024 Travel Log: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida — Day 3: Apple Crumble and Sticky Toffee Pudding Ice Cream Cone at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour

We couldn't leave Universal Studios, let alone Orlando, without one last visit to Florean Fortescue's. So off we went, back to Diagon Alley, to get in the long line-up for one last epic ice cream.

Apple Crumble and Sticky Toffee Pudding ice creams in a waffle cone

My choice this time was Apple Crumble and Sticky Toffee Pudding hard-pack ice creams in a waffle cone. And y'all, this was maybe the best ice cream combination I've ever had in my life. Both flavours taste scarily accurate to their namesakes and they are PHENOMENAL — both alone and together. Like, damn, I knew it was going to be my last ice cream here, but I MADE IT WORTH IT. (Yes, even I am impressed with myself.) On another note, Minji is now obsessed with Chocolate Chili ice cream (even more so because she's pregnant) and is trying to figure out how to make it at home. 

HARRY POTTER WORLD, WE WILL MISS YOU SO MUCH.

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley

Universal Studios Florida 

6000 Universal Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32819, USA

(407) 224-4233

Orlando 2024 Travel Log: Springfield at Universal Studios Florida — Day 3: Krusty Burger Combo at Krusty Burger and Pink Sprinkled Donut at Lard Lad Donuts

It's our third and final day at Universal Studios Orlando Resort before flying back home tomorrow. Since we thoroughly explored both of the Harry Potter parks over the past two days, we decided to check out some other parts of Universal Studios Florida and ended up spending quite a bit of time in Springfield, which is, of course, dedicated to The Simpsons.

Greetings from Springfield Sign

Krusty Burger

Krusty Burger with Kurly Fries

We went to Krusty Burger for lunch (tip: order through the mobile app and skip the massive line-ups) and obviously got the classic Krusty Burger, which is a 1/3 lb. burger with secret sauce, cheddar cheese sauce, a giant tomato slice, and iceberg lettuce on what seems to be a potato bun. We got the combo, which is served with Kurly fries and a drink. This burger, aside from looking almost picture perfect, was actually pretty incredible. The patty is smash-style so it has these perfectly crispy edges and incredible flavour, and the tomato and lettuce were fresh and crisp. Totally not what we were expecting. The Kurly fries are basically cajun curly fries but these, too, were fantastic — great flavour with a crispy exterior, and no condiments necessary. If you're looking for a good burger joint in this park, Krusty Burger is a surprisingly great option.

Lard Lad Donuts

Pink sprinkled donut from Lard Lad Donuts

We decided to go across the street to Lard Lad Donuts for a little dessert, and ordered the classic vanilla sprinkle donut. Honestly, I was expecting for it to be more unique or special, maybe like Krispy Kreme, but it really just is the most basic vanilla sprinkle donut. The kind you can get at Tim Hortons (or Dunkin' Donuts) for less than $2.00. This donut here, just because it's from a theme park, was $6.00 USD. I guess it's not surprising given that a bottle of water is also $6.00 here, but still, we were disappointed to say the least. Unless you're getting the iconic giant pink iced donut (which is equivalent to about 5 donuts), I'd skip this and find your sweet tooth fix at one of the dozens of other eateries and food stalls in this park.

While still in Springfield, we did go on Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl, one of the very few rides that we were both allowed to go on, and walked through The Simpsons Ride to see the interior of the building. Like both Gringotts Bank and Hogwarts Castle, the ride attendants are very accommodating to those who can't actually go on the rides and will absolutely let you go through the building to see the inside, so don't hesitate to ask!

Springfield

Universal Studios Florida 

6000 Universal Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32819, USA

(407) 363-8000

Orlando 2024 Travel Log: Universal CityWalk at Universal Orlando Resort — Day 2: Totchos, Southern Fried Chicken BLT, and Chocolate Cream Pie at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen

Since the park was closing by the time we got out of Hogwarts Castle, we had to throw out our original idea of eating dinner at Three Broomsticks (again) and decided to peruse the restaurants at CityWalk like the night before. We ended up picking The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen (the longest restaurant name I have ever encountered) because it just looked and sounded interesting.

Totchos

Southern Fried Chicken BLT

After waiting nearly an hour for a table, we ended up ordering three things to share: the Totchos (fried tater tots, spicy green chili, crispy pork belly, and andouille sausage queso), the Southern Fried Chicken BLT (crispy boneless chicken breast, tomatoes, butter bibb lettuce, bacon, and mustard aioli on toasted brioche), and the chocolate cream pie for dessert. The Totchos (a play on "tots" and "nachos") were, as expected, tasty and satisfying — the tots were super crispy, almost crunchy, so they stood up well to the queso, and the pork belly added a nice amount of flavour and texture to an otherwise one-note dish — but without any vegetables for freshness or acidity to cut the grease, it is incredibly heavy so this is definitely an appetizer for sharing. The chicken BLT was exactly as I imagined it to be, nothing special, but was surprisingly good quality: the chicken was perfectly cooked, the bacon was perfectly crispy, and the tomato and lettuce were fresh. The side of fries were nothing to write home about, but we basically abandoned them for the Totchos, anyway.

Chocolate Cream Pie

The chocolate pie was the star of the show. Aside from the superfluous amounts of whipped cream, the pie itself was smooth, light, creamy, and chocolatey. It hit all the spots. As this restaurant is first and foremost The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, they do put an emphasis on chocolate here — in fact, their dessert menu is almost as big as their regular menu. And if we weren't already bursting out of our pants, we probably would've ordered a second dessert like our server thought we would. But was all of this worth a 50-minute wait for a table and then another 20 minutes for food? No. It's decent quality American food (or an American take on other foods) and we were satisfied, but nothing was particularly impressive and the savoury menu really needs to be curated better because it seems confused (there's chicken bourguignon and risotto but also teriyaki salmon and meatloaf all in the same section). 

The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen

Universal CityWalk Orlando

6000 Universal Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32819, USA

(407) 224-3663

Orlando 2024 Travel Log: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade at Universal Islands of Adventure — Day 2: A Tour of Hogwarts Castle

One thing we really wanted to do was walk around Hogwarts Castle, which is home to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. But again, Minji isn't allowed to go on the ride because she's pregnant and I can't go on because I have high blood pressure. So we asked one of the ride attendants if we could just tour the castle without going on the ride, and he said it was absolutely no problem, just to follow the line-up (which goes through the castle) and exit before the ride actually begins.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — One-Eyed Witch Statue 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — Mirror of Erised

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — Architect of Hogwarts Statue

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — Salazar Slytherin Statue

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — The Griffin Statue

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — Hall of Portraits

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — Hall of Portraits

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — The Pensieve

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — Dumbledore's Office

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — Dragon Skeleton

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — The Fat Lady Portrait

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle — The Sorting Hat

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Hogwarts Castle

Despite the line-up being at an 85-minute wait time, I am so glad we got to see inside the castle. Everything, from the architecture to the statues to the props, is absolutely stunning and incredibly detailed. If, for whatever reason, you can't go on the rides that are housed inside the buildings at Universal, I highly recommend asking to see if you can still go inside to tour it. It's totally worth it.

Hogwarts Castle

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade

Universal Islands of Adventure

6000 Universal Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32819, USA

(407) 363-8000

Orlando 2024 Travel Log: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade at Universal Islands of Adventure — Day 2: Fish & Chips and Pumpkin Fizz at Three Broomsticks

As we were in Hogsmeade, we obviously went to Three Broomsticks for a late lunch:

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Three Broomsticks

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Three Broomsticks

Three Broomsticks is known for "The Great Feast," which consists of rotisserie chicken, ribs, corn on the cob, and vegetables, but despite many tables having ordered this, it just seems utterly boring and not particularly Harry Potter-themed, or even UK-themed. (Read: It's typical American BBQ food.) A missed opportunity here for not offering Sunday roast instead, which would have been a much more appropriate "Great Feast" considering the theme of this park. Alas, there is not a Yorkshire pudding in sight. 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Three Broomsticks — Fish and Chips

What we really wanted to try here was the fish and chips, which have rave reviews all over the Internet. And THEY WERE RIGHT. This was maybe the best fish and chips I've ever had. The cod is tender, flaky, and plush — almost melt-in-your-mouth — and the batter is thin, golden, and perfectly crispy. With a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of tartar sauce on every bite, it was SUBLIME. The chips are, similarly, ultra crispy, nicely salted, and on the thicker side, so they hold up to copious amounts of malt vinegar exceptionally well (the proper way to eat chips in a fish and chips). I don't know how this compares to the fish and chips in the UK, but both Minji and I thought this was truly spectacular and really hit the spot. I would get this over "The Great Feast" any day.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade: Three Broomsticks — Pear Cider and Pumpkin Fizz

To drink, a Pumpkin Fizz for me and a pear cider for Minji. The Pumpkin Fizz is quite literally the carbonated version of pumpkin juice, so basically, it's delicious and particularly perfect to pair with fried foods. The pear cider was also good — less sweet than pumpkin fizz, pumpkin juice, or Butterbeer — but I didn't think it really tasted that much more pear-like than apple cider (which they also offer). Still, a good carbonated option for those who don't like pumpkin spice. Now, compared to Leaky Cauldron, Three Broomsticks is bigger and has far more individual tables, but it's also — in my opinion — not as interesting to look at, nor decorated as nicely. Leaky Cauldron also offers way more menu options, as well as more traditional British fare, so if you're only going to have time to eat at one of them, take this into consideration.

Three Broomsticks

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade

Universal Islands of Adventure

6000 Universal Blvd.

Orlando, FL 32819, USA

(407) 363-8000