Photolog 2020: Day 121 of 366

MOOD.

Photolog 2020: Day 120 of 366

A gloomy, rainy day calls for noodle soup. Thus, rice noodles with beef brisket, fish cakes, and snow pea shoots for dinner. Tasted about 17 times better than it looks. 😋😋😋

Run BTS! 2020: Episode 102

This week's episode: Avatar cooking! Two teams of three. One team leader in a back room, two "avatars" in the kitchen. The team leader has to give cooking instructions to Avatar #1 in the kitchen, and Avatar #1 has to relay the instructions to Avatar #2. The person relaying the instructions cannot be helping the person executing the instructions. (Basically, only one person can actually be cooking at any given moment.) The avatars have to switch places every two minutes. It is ABSOLUTE FUCKING CHAOS. And I AM LIVING FOR THIS.

[While Jin is relaying instructions from the back room]
Jungkook: "Jin is all over the place right now."
J-Hope: "Yes, Jin is a bit scattered... Jin is extremely agitated."
Jin, yelling from the back room: "Taste it! And if it tastes too salty... well, we've failed." 

[after a couple minutes]
V, looking sad and defeated: *SIGH* "When do you want to go to Achasan Mountain?" (The punishment for the losing team is going hiking at Achasan Mountain before sunrise.) 

[after another five minutes of yelling instructions]
J-Hope: "Member change!"
Jin: *HUGE SIGH* "I can't do this anymore." 

[20 minutes later, J-Hope is tasting the food as the judge]
Jungkook, trying to appease J-Hope: "Ah, this dish has all the hard work that we've been putting in since we were trainees!"
Jungkook, looking hopefully at J-Hope: "Although it looks quite bad, it's still savoury and delicious!"

I am still drying my tears from uncontrollable laughter.

Photolog 2020: Day 119 of 366

Hi, I just picked up a pizza. Half spicy soppressata with red onions and half Hawaiian. It is not designated cheat day or take out day or anything. I'm just PMS-ing and needed pizza. You know how it goes.

Break the Silence: Docu-Series Official Trailer

YASSSSSS, A NEW BTS DOCU-SERIES COMING OUT ON MAY 12! I AM SO FUCKING EXCITED.

BTS Live Logs: 200428 J-Hope

Hope on the Street is back!

Addendum (04/28/20): Bangtan Subs uploaded the video with full subtitles!

Photolog 2020: Day 118 of 366

I had to go to the gas station after work today to fill up, so I decided to pick up some smokes and chips while I was there. And that was when I realized: I LOVE DORITOS. I don't know where this sudden addiction to Doritos came from — I've always liked them, but they were never my go-to — but now they are all I want. I sense this will become a problem.

Makeup and Beauty Blog: Monday Poll, Vol. 624

This week's Monday Poll:

1. Are you an essential worker? Yes, I work at a major bank and help people with their day-to-day banking. I still go into work (thankfully, not a branch) but they're trying to get us to work from home by the end of May.
   
   
2. How many drinks have you had since the quarantine started? None, I don't drink. On the bright side, this saves me a lot of money for BTS merch.
   
   
3. If you have pets/children/other dependents, are they driving you bonkers? No, therefore no.
   
   
4. Have you picked up any new hobbies? No. Even when I was in quarantine for two weeks, I didn't pick up any new hobbies 'cause I knew I'd be back at work. I have to be off for a more significant amount of time to think of picking up a new hobby. Like when I was unemployed from December to February, I picked up origami and spent hours folding paper. But two weeks just allowed me to do a ton of online shopping and watch a lot of K-dramas.
   
   
5. Any special occasions you've missed (or will miss) during the quarantine? Well, during this pandemic, I will be missing my friend Viv's wedding (which has been postponed to next year) and the BTS Map of the Soul Tour (which is postponed but not rescheduled yet). I'm still crying on the inside.
   
   
6. What's your quarantine meal? I've been eating a plethora of sandwiches and fruit. 

BTS V LIVE [Jin, Jimin + Suga]: JinKiMin 😄

This is it. I don't even have to know what else is gonna happen. This is the highlight of my entire week.

Photolog 2020: Day 117 of 366

Welcome to the latest episode of "Buying Random Shit While in Quarantine"! Today's package is from my trusty Korean BTS merch seller, Jaewon. Technically, this stuff came with my BTS 5th Muster shipment (Jaewon likes to condense my orders into as few shipments as possible, which I appreciate), but I saved this merch to open today because I like to prolong my excitement of receiving packages. (Also 'cause it's Sunday, and there's nothing better to do on a Sunday.) 
BT21 Baby Pong Pong Plush Dolls
BT21 Baby Plush Key Rings
Nara Home Deco x BTS Character Blanket
Mediheal BTS Edition Teatree Care Solution Essential Mask Set
This merch here was literally stuff I ordered because I was bored in quarantine last month and could not resist the overwhelming adorableness: all seven BT21 Baby Pong Pong Plush Dolls, two BT21 Baby Plush Key Rings in Chimmy and Cooky, and the Nara Home x BTS Character Blanket. Plus another set of Mediheal BTS Edition Teatree Care Solution Essential Masks 'cause Jaewon had them on sale for $8 instead of $15 and they're my favourite sheet masks of all time. (I usually buy them in regular Mediheal packaging, but if BTS is on it, WHY THE FUCK WOULDN'T I GET THEM?) This should tide me over until my BTS Map of the Soul Tour merch arrives from my Korean forwarding address.

BTS EPISODE: 2019 MAMA

"Things we never imagined have happened and they keep happening."

Behind the scenes of a record-breaking moment in music history. When I started listening to BTS just over three years ago, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I didn't know how all-encompassing their work is. How absorbed I would get. How far-reaching their universe is. And even though they were already big at the time, I didn't know just how massive they would get. How proud I would become.

I don't regret a single second of this journey.

Photolog 2020: Day 116 of 366

My 2019 BTS 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD set finally arrived!

BTS 2019 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD Set
BTS 2019 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD Set — Photobook
BTS 2019 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD Set — Photobook — RM and Suga
BTS 2019 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD Set — Photobook — Jin and J-Hope
BTS 2019 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD Set — Photobook — Jimin and V
BTS 2019 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD Set — Photobook — Jungkook
BTS 2019 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD Set — Digipak (Outside)
BTS 2019 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD Set — Digipak (Inside)
BTS 2019 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD Set — Photocard (J-Hope) and Invitation Card
BTS 2019 5th Muster [Magic Shop] DVD Set — Pop-Up Image Box
It came out earlier this month on Weverse Shop, but of course, due to COVID-19, there were shipping restrictions to almost every country except South Korea. So I asked Jaewon to order one for me instead. (Plus one for Ying to save on the shipping cost and another one for Maegan, because Jaewon could only ship to Ontario for some reason, and she lives in Winnipeg.) In case you don't know what a BTS Muster is, it's their annual fan meeting, which is basically a concert that includes game and trivia segments and more talk time with the fans. The majority of the setlist for the Musters are songs that they don't perform during their tour, or songs that they haven't played in a long time, or fan favourite B-sides. Each Muster also has a theme — last year's was "Magic Shop," taken from their song of the same name from Love Yourself: Tear — and their stage designs, clothing, skits, and VCRs are based on the theme.

The set comes beautifully packaged, of course, including a stunning outbox, a 156-page photobook, a 4-disc Digipak, an "invitation" card to the "Magic Shop," a pop-up image box, and a random member photocard (I got our adorable sunshine, J-hope). BigHit did livestream one of the days of 5th Muster in Seoul through V Live last year, but the DVD set includes footage from all four 5th Muster dates — both shows in Seoul and both in Busan — plus tons of behind the scenes footage of their practices, rehearsals, and VCRs. Basically, it's 450 minutes of pure BTS delight.

So, yeah. I'm gonna be busy all weekend.

BTS V LIVE [Suga]: DJ Suga's Honey FM 06.13

Today's BTS livestream features Yoongi answering Twitter questions while finally living out his years-long late-night radio host dreams. I'm still waiting for subtitles, but quite frankly, with that deep, soothing voice and choosing "Spring Day" to start off his show, I already know it's gonna be a good time.

Photolog 2020: Day 115 of 366

Seafood pajeon
"Royal Rice Cake"
Ordered Korean food for dinner: my favourite seafood pajeon and "Royal Rice Cake" (stir-fried rice cakes with beef, fish cakes, and vegetables). Steamed rice, kimchi, and pickled radish on the side. Goal accomplished.

Friday Five: Come on in and cover me

This week's Friday Five:

1. What are you using for a face covering when you venture out? A regular surgical mask.
   
   
2. What's a recent cover you like of a song you already liked? 
   
   
   
3. How good are you at keeping track of food storage container lids? Excellent. I have never lost a single one.
   
   
4. When did you last cover for someone? Sometime late last year, when I was still working at MAC. We had gotten a new Store Manager at the time and she was — for lack of a better term — a total fucking bitch. (Seriously, at least four of my staff called HR on her within a month for being rude, condescending, offensive, and downright incompetent. Honestly, the way she'd talk to us was borderline harassment.) And since I was the Assistant Store Manager, I was fiercely protective of the team that my previous manager and I had put together. So when she'd try to write them up for something stupid (and when I say stupid, I mean stupid — she is the pettiest bitch I have ever met), I'd make up an excuse or just downright lie to cover for them.
   
   
5. In your residence, what has a special cover? I don't think I have a special cover for anything.
   

BTS Live Logs: 200424 SUGA

Did I watch Yoongi get his Bob Ross on while saying nothing but, like, six sentences in the span of an hour at 5:30 this morning? Yes, yes, I did. Aside from contemplating why he decided to start painting and sharing that he's picked up a variety of hobbies lately because their tour has been postponed, he has confirmed that BTS has begun the work on their new album; that they have decided, after much discussion, on who will manage each component of the album (e.g. visuals, music, production, etc.); and that a video teaser will be released soon. (Many thanks to Wisha, of course, for the live translations.)

Addendum (04/25/20): Bangtan Subs uploaded the video with full subtitles!

BTS V LIVE [V]: TaeTae FM 6.13

The infamous "Dumpling Incident," which was first alluded to on James Corden's Carpool Karaoke with BTS, now fully explained by both sides. A riveting tale of how dumplings created the biggest fight between two grown-ass men and made their friendship stronger than ever.

"In a nutshell, I wanted some dumplings. And Jimin wanted to eat them after work. But the dumplings were right in front of me. I wanted them so much. And Jimin wanted to eat them after we were done. We fought over this and we didn't speak for two days. Yes. It was when I was in Hwarang. When Hwarang was on. But I had to shoot in between our concert schedules. So I had to go back and forth a lot. And at the time, we had a lot of practices lined up. So when we were practicing, I asked our manager if he could buy me one of those really big dumplings. And when I saw the dumpling, I ran and started to eat it right away. And when it was time for us to start practicing, I couldn't stop eating the dumpling. Because I took one bite and I wanted to keep on eating it... So the members, Jimin, said, 'Let's eat after we're done.' And I said, 'No.'" 

"Jimin and I did not speak to each other for two days because of this. Yes. Because we fought. Because our feelings were hurt. We were like, 'Hmph!' And didn't talk for two days. Then I sat down with Jimin to share a drink and talk. From that talk, from what Jimin said that time... Jimin was a bit peeved, I was a bit peeved. So we didn't talk. But I asked him to get a drink, so we did. I was the most grateful that Jimin said this at that time: 'I want to be a support to you and give you energy.' That sentence that was unforgettable to me. All the arrows charged with emotions pent up in my heart were unleashed. I thought, 'My gosh. Jimin is such an angel like this. How could I have been in a fight with him?' Then we made up. Afterwards, our friendship got stronger than ever. We did have numerous other fights as well. But whenever we fight, we make up and become better friends. So we don't fight anymore. Not anymore... From the incident caused by that jumbo dumpling, Jimin and I could build our friendship to be much stronger. And so, I am truly grateful to that jumbo dumpling."

AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER. 🥺🥟🥺🥟🥺

Photolog 2020: Day 114 of 366

Welcome to the latest episode of "Buying Random Shit While in Quarantine"! Today's package is from Amazon and features six bottles of Mrs. Meyers hand soap. Basically, I go through a bottle of hand soap every three weeks and this is one of the few brands I'm not allergic to and it's been sold out everywhere and Amazon finally got it back in stock and it's finally arrived after a month of putting in the order. So, yeah, I'm pretty excited.

Thursday Threes: Vol. 14

This week's Thursday Threes:

The last 3 things I ate:

• Two clementines
• Turkey sandwich with cucumber for lunch
• Rye toast with butter and ham for breakfast

The last 3 things I did:

• Ate clementines
• Had a smoke
• Took a shower

The last 3 purchases I made:

• Three packs of cigarettes (the more I buy at once, the less I have to go out)
• Some skincare items from Sephora (it's the VIB sale right now)
• Way too much BTS Map of the Soul Tour merch (just because their tour is postponed, it doesn't mean their merch release is)

The last 3 things I watched:

• My Strange Hero — Started a new K-drama. It's a revenge story based in a high school long after the main characters have left said school. The main female character (played by Jo Bo Ah) is annoying, but the story overall is pretty interesting so far. Plus, I like Yoo Seung Ho.
  
  
• Forest — Gave up on this. Made it to Episode 8. The plot is convoluted, the flow isn't smooth, and there's no chemistry between the two main leads, who also have insufferable personalities.
  
  
• When the Weather is Fine — It has a fairly slow pace, but for some reason, I'm not mad at it. It's about life and relationships that bloom in a small town, but the story also touches on abandonment, abuse, bullying, suicide, murder, and depression. Not a must-watch, but I do find the storyline unique and there's just enough suspense to make me want to keep watching it. The series finale was released this week, so we'll see how everything concludes.
  

The last 3 songs I played:





The last 3 apps I used on my phone:

• Apple Music
• Words with Friends
• Canada Post

3 items of clothing I wore today:

• My black BTS Love Yourself Tour tee
• A black Wilfred Chevalier blazer from Aritzia
• Black leggings pants from Uniqlo

3 things I want to accomplish tomorrow:

• Get more than four hours of sleep
• Get Korean food for dinner
• Get my BTS merch package from Jaewon (it was just released by customs!)

BTS V LIVE [RM + J-Hope]: We're not late today~

Joonie and Hobi did a 45-minute livestream this morning to do arts and crafts with us. I swear, this has got to be one of the most wholesome things I've ever watched.

Photolog 2020: Day 113 of 366

As a little token of appreciation for going into work during COVID, my manager decided to treat our team to Chatime today and I was SO EXCITED because I haven't had a bubble tea in nearly two months. I got the most basic of orders — classic black milk pearl tea (with 50% sugar, because I'm being a good girl) — but IT WAS GLORIOUS.

Photolog 2020: Day 112 of 366

My final order of BTS enamel pins from SoChg arrived — just in time, since her Etsy shop is temporary closed now due to COVID-19. She specializes in BTS song pins (each of her designs are based on visuals from either the songs' music videos or imagery from their lyrics) and I just couldn't choose between them. So I got them all.

BTS Song Enamel Pins
BTS Song Enamel Pins — "Spring Day"
BTS Song Enamel Pins — "Autumn Leaves"
BTS Song Enamel Pins — "Baepsae"
BTS Song Enamel Pins — "Crystal Snow"
BTS Song Enamel Pins — "Save Me"
BTS Song Enamel Pins — "Whalien 52"
BTS Song Expansion 1 and 2 Enamel Pins
BTS Song Expansion 1 Enamel Pins — "Sea"
BTS Song Expansion 1 Enamel Pins — "Butterfly"
BTS Song Expansion 2 Enamel Pins — "Young Forever"
BTS Song Expansion 2 Enamel Pins — "Blood Sweat & Tears"
These include some of my favourite BTS songs of all time, including "Blood Sweat & Tears," "Spring Day," "Sea," "Save Me," "Butterfly," "Young Forever," and "Baepsae," plus some underrated tunes like "Autumn Leaves" and "Whalien 52," and even a Japanese single, "Crystal Snow." Again, I'm in awe of the detail in her work — the maze in "Young Forever," the waves in "Sea," the frame in "Blood Sweat & Tears." I've literally looked at hundreds of BTS enamel pins, both through Etsy and various social media outlets, and this girl designs some of the most beautiful and intricate ones I've ever seen. I just hope she's able to open up shop again soon. I can't wait to see what her designs for Map of the Soul: 7 will look like.

Run BTS! 2020: Episode 101

It's only Tuesday, but I already know that this is the highlight of my week.

Also, Jungkook is so fucking hot when he's in gamer mode. Like, DAMN. 🥵

Photolog 2020: Day 111 of 366

I randomly wanted breakfast for dinner this afternoon (at 5:30PM, because I basically have the schedule of a senior citizen), but also wanted something fast. And easy to make. Thus, egg and ham toasted sandwiches. Could you tell I wasn't in the mood for vegetables, either?

Makeup and Beauty Blog: Monday Poll, Vol. 623

This week's Monday Poll:

1. Four places you've visited? Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, and Amsterdam.
   
   
2. Four things you love to eat? ONLY FOUR? Goddamn. Okay. Um, pizza, Korean fried chicken, ramen, and macarons. (I'm so healthy, aren't I?)
   
   
3. Four names you go by? Denise, Dee, Mui (it means "little sister" in Cantonese)... and that's it.
   
   
4. Four places you can see yourself living? Toronto, New York City, and Vancouver. I don't have a fourth.
   
   
5. Four random things you love to watch on TV? I don't watch TV or have Netflix anymore, so... anything that features BTS. (Which is the only time I turn on the TV these days.) Although, if we're talking about old shows, then Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, Sex and the City, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
   
   
6. Four of your favourite makeup items at the moment? Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Eyeliner, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe, MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul, and MAC Extended Play Perm Me Up Mascara.
   
   
7. Four pieces of clothing you wear all the time? Black Uniqlo Leggings Pants, black Zara high-waisted leggings, my black BT21 x Anti Social Social Club hoodie, and my black BTS Love Yourself Tour tee.

Photolog 2020: Day 110 of 366

While in quarantine last week, I binge-watched Yuka Kinoshita's mukbangs and one of these videos featured a gigantic Korean-style macaron (seriously, it was like three times the size of her head), which obviously lead me to have an intense craving for Korean-style macarons. In case you didn't know, Korean-style macarons, or "fat macarons," have a much bigger filling-to-cookie ratio so they're like the bigger, creamier, slightly less sweet versions of their French counterparts. Some say abomination, some say Instagrammable craze; I say who the fuck cares. A tasty dessert is a tasty dessert.

The Social Blend Korean-Style Macarons
The Social Blend Korean-Style Macarons
The Social Blend Korean-Style Macarons
The Social Blend Korean-Style Macarons
The Social Blend Korean-Style Macarons
The Social Blend Korean-Style Macarons
I searched for the best Korean-style macarons in Toronto and found The Social Blend, whose macarons are "made in-house using premium ingredients." It's $32 for a box of 9, which is pretty standard for macaron pricing. Quite frankly, I think these are more worth the price than many other macarons because they take so much care in the design of each flavour — from the colours to the piping style to the decoration (e.g. the Matcha KitKat actually contains a whole mini matcha KitKat, the Black Sesame is actually rolled in black sesame seeds, etc.). They're freaking adorable and aesthetically-pleasing — the ultimate social media treat. They offer nine signature flavours and also regularly feature new rotational flavours. My choices?

Oreo — Oreo Cookie Crumble Buttercream + Oreo Cookie Crunch
Tiramisu — Mascarpone Buttercream + Ganache
Earl Grey — Earl Grey Tea Buttercream
Strawberry Crunch — Strawberry Buttercream + Strawberry Jam + Dried Strawberry Crunch
Green Tea KitKat — Matcha Buttercream + Mini Matcha KitKat
Coffee — Coffee Buttercream
Peach Yogurt — Peach Yogurt Buttercream + Peaches
Black Sesame — Black Sesame Buttercream + Black Sesame Seeds
Salted Caramel — Salted Caramel Buttercream
Are they better than French macarons? No. But are they just as delicious, satisfying, and pretty? Absolutely. Plus, The Social Blend is offering free (contactless!) delivery across the GTA for orders over $30 during COVID-19. (Mine arrived last night.) If this sounds like an ad, it isn't. I'm just a firm believer in treating yourself. Or if you're more generous than I am, treating someone else. (But trust me, you want to treat yourself first.)