Korean Drama/Film Soundtrack - Acoustic Tunes Selection

Here I'd like to share my selection of acoustic tunes, picked from several Korean dramas and movies. Regardless the films or the dramas, (I believe) the tunes offer a calming, comforting atmosphere for melancholic rainy days, quiet sunny afternoons, and calm starry nights. 

Full House (2004)

Paradiso (by Jung Tae Yoo)

Full House (풀하우스) is a Korean TV series, starring Rain and Song Hye-Gyo, aired in 2004. The series focuses on the life of Lee Young Jae (Rain) and Han Ji-eun (Song Hye-Gyo) who set up a contract for marriage, despite their hatred towards each other. However as they live under the contract, both start to love each other. 

"Paradiso" could be found in several scenes (notably in a scene where Yoo Minhyuk realizes Ji-eun's feelings towards Young Jae, he cries in the shower). It is a melancholic tune, showcasing guitar melodies accompanied by piano riff. As for me, this is a perfect acoustic tune to accompany my quite sunny afternoon. Well, better listen to this tune while enjoying sunny afternoon in a quiet beach. 

Haru: An Unforgettable Day in Korea (2010)

Coffee or Tea (by Oh Joon Seong)

Haru is a Korean film released in 2010. It is actually a short movie promoting the tourism of South Korea, starring U-Know Yunho from TVXQ, Lee Dae Hee, Kim Bum, Han Chae Young, Park Shi Hoo, and BIG BANG. The film showcases landscape of Korea, the beauty of its nature, as well as fascinating small towns. The promotion is cleverly packaged through the scenes. 

"Coffee or Tea" is a short piece that could be heard during the scene of Kim Bum chatting with Lee Dae Hee in a train. It is an acoustic guitar piece that plays in D major, bringing sense of soothing. I love listening to this song on cloudy days, for sure. 

Jungle Fish (2010)

Knockin' on Heaven's Door (by Taru)

I kind of like this version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", followed by Avril Lavigne's live version. It's basically a vocal-guitar song, with melody of slow, string-section after the second verse accompanying in the second chorus. As you listen to the song, pay attention to the second chorus and you may think that Taru cried on that verse! 

Two Weeks (2013)

The Day You Come (by Yoo Seung Woo)

Two Weeks is a Korean TV series starring actor Lee Junki, Park Ha Sun, Kim Soyeon, and Ryu Sooyoung. Aired in 2013, the series focuses on the life of Jang Tae San (Lee Junki). He is accused of a murder that he is sent to jail. However, he breaks out and has to survive in order to save her daughter within two weeks. "The Day You Come" is a soft, melancholic guitar pop, exposing its guitar arrangement and Yoo Seung Woo's soft voice, ornamented by slow string-section and melodic piano tunes. The song is usually played during sad scenes. 

Heartstrings (2011)
Because I Miss You (Guitar Version)

Original song performed by Jung Yonghwa

This is the solo guitar version from the original "Because I Miss You" (그리워서...), performed by Jung Yonghwa from CNBlue. I refer the song as "a summer breeze kissing dandelions and apple leaves".

City Hunter (2011)

Memories of Love (Guitar version by Park Joo Won)

Original song titled 'Love' (사랑), performed by Im Jae Beom

This version of 'Love' (사랑) is arranged in a guitar solo performance. For those who are looking for easy listening guitar solo tunes, this song may be a good choice (I recommend you listening to this song in a quiet noon, while enjoying cool summer breeze). Better listen to the original song first, and then compare to this guitar version. The solo piano version is available as well in the tracklist. 

Sad Love Story (2005)

Sad Aria (by Yoon Gun)

The song features soft vox, accompanied by classic guitar arrangement and string section. Opened by guitar melody and dominated with minor chords, I don't recommend you listening to this song while feeling blue (unless you want to have a kind of soundtrack for your blue moment). 

Wedding and Marriage

Well, so far I've come to two wedding parties this year, my uncle's and my friend's. It's so nice to hear that someone I know well is getting married, because it means that there would be a wedding party. Wedding parties! Oh, how I love the decoration, the food and drinks, the music.. I guess wedding party would be one of the greatest parties I'll hold in my life and sure, every time I get invitation to a wedding party it makes think that "Okay, I'm older now. One by one my friends and relatives are getting married and, when will my turn be?" 

My elder brother and I went to a wedding party of my friend, Tami. It was a surprise because Tami had not informed my about her engagement and her wedding party. She told me a couple days before the wedding party so I was like "What? Why so sudden and.. Tami! Seriously, you're getting married!" We went there and came lately, thirty minutes before the party ended. I met my friends at the party. Sasha, Nicole, Jennifer (her name is not Jennifer actually--that's just how she refers herself in front of Fath *LOL*), and others. I saw Tami wearing a beautiful magenta dress, standing next to her husband, being congratulated by the guests. My brother and I quickly came to her to congratulate her. Oh, really, she's so beautiful in her wedding dress. Everyone there was happy. Tami was happy. Her friends were happy. I was happy. 

Then I started to talk to my friends about wedding and marriage. Seeing Tami getting married has made me envious. Gosh! I want to hold a wedding party, too! Yeah.. A great wedding party, with chamber orchestra, jazz band, chocolate ice cream, slices of Tiramisu, Martini, and a grandeur hall decorated in white and beige, and two huge crystal chandeliers hanging on the ceiling. Guest coming and congratulating. Children enjoying desserts. My wife standing close to me, whispering about the food, the drinks, and children who always come back to take slices of cake. Wedding party is a great, grandeur, and wonderful party and I believe every one wishes to have a great, unforgettable wedding party. 

However, when it came to talk about marriage life something like thunderstorm attacked my brain. No! Marriage is no picnic, said Count Olaf, quoted by Violet Baudelaire as a punchline to him. And yes! Marriage is no picnic (well it is not necessary to literally have no picnic in life). By no picnic means that everything would become more complicated than what is seen from the wedding party. Okay. Happiness and laughter, but marriage is something more serious--something you have to handle with four to ten hands. I'll become a husband for my wife and a father for my children and it means that I'm the one who looks for job, works, earns money, feeds children, gives money to my wife, manages the budget, arranges good education for my children, affords a proper house, buys (at least) a vehicle, teaches my children etiquette (as well as basic English, Korean, and Chinese), and.. do I have to include house chores here? 

I remember back then when I was in primary high school, a teacher of mine told something about marriage life in the class, saying that "Three first months of your marriage life may seem beautiful, just like a perfect life. But remember that the months coming later could be a nightmare for you. Girls! Do you think you can bear your husband's snoring and sleeptalking? Do you think you can handle house chores by yourself? Do you think feeding your baby is an easy task? Boys! Do you think you can handle your wife's grumbles and complaints about veggies and jewelry?"

All my friends and I were so.. dumbfounded.

So at last I concluded my opinion about wedding and marriage. Wedding is a welcoming gate to marriage life. Or let's say that marriage is a great country which we have never visited before. The gate is so merry, so beautiful that you can't wait to see what's inside the country. As you step into the country, you realize that things are not as beautiful as the gate looks. You need preparation before visiting the country and that's all...

Wedding party. Is there anyone who'd like to invite me to a wedding party? LOL

December 2013, The Hated One

What could I say here? I guess the title is obvious enough to tell what happens with me and this cursed 2013 December. Well as for me, this December is cursed. At first, I thought that this December would be great. I thought of having fun with my friends on Christmas day. But it was just my thought and it would not come to reality. This December is, really, cursed. 

I could not tell what really happens with me but you might have depiction of what happens with me. You feel like there is one month which is cursed and there's so much pressure for the whole month and you feel suffocated, slowly dying painfully. No, I'm not talking about committing suicide. But you know how it feels, right, to have pressure choked you--probably to death. I'm not talking about my assignments either. Here, there's something breaking inside of me and I wonder how to mend it. Would it be mended? 

Best Friend or .....

We are classmates. Yes, she and I. And I wonder why there's a feeling growing for her in me.

As for now, she's my best friend. Yeah, I consider her a best friend. She's nice, smart, humble, and.. well I don't know but she has something that makes her unique. I do believe that everyone is unique in their own way but, she's unique and yeah, she's just unique and I like her uniqueness. She's simply a quiet girl. Sometimes we have a small talk--about classes, assignments, music, games, or whatnot. I love that moment--the moment we have small talk while enjoying our meal. We've had a small group discussion about the subject we study and I like the moment of togetherness we have during the discussion. I usually sit facing her, or next to her. Actually I prefer sitting next to her, that I could feel the closeness between she and I. She reads her book and I browse the internet on my iPad. However, I can't take my eyes off of her that I secretly stare at her while hiding my face behind my iPad.

I'm not sure whether or not I'm falling in love right now. One thing I have to confess is that, I think I like her. I like her and I like being with her, but somehow I know that becoming her best friend would be better, due to some reasons. We've been friends and I'm afraid things won't be the same after I confess my feeling to her. This must sound awkward but yeah, this is true. This is what happens to me. I'm afraid that we can't be friends anymore. But I like her. And that feeling grows bigger and bigger each day and it starts to kill me slowly. What should I do then? What do I have to do when I eventually realize that I really am deeply falling in love with her? It's okay to be rejected but it's not okay to lose a friend. In other words, I don't want to lose her.

Gosh! What should I do now?

*nowplaying: Jason Chen - Best Friend*

Defining Myself

And it happened, again.

I don't know--well--I wonder why I am like this, in other words, become like this. Apparently I have an alter-ego which unpredictably shows up, surprising (probably) people around me, and me myself as well. Or, let's say that I have a bunch of shits which I'd really like to throw away from my mind but I just don't know how to do that that it keeps burdening me to death. Sounds annoying, doesn't it, when you feel burdened and you wanna scream the shits out but you can't because of something undefinable holds you so tight that you--whether you like it or not--gotta swallow those shits back and let them make you suffocate.

I myself feel pity for myself, for being like this, for being me. If I were someone else, if I were not Klaus, or if I were not destined to become this twenty years old dumbass... yeah you know I wonder how my life would be. Would it be better, or would it be worse? Well I'd never know because it would never happen, me becoming someone else.

I sometimes talk to myself, asking who I really am, what is the purpose of my life, and what I want to become. I seem not to have clear answer for those questions because.. you know, I change unpredictable and my mood could change within minutes as well, making me myself confused of who I really am, or what kind of human being I am. At some times on the peak of depression, I take a cutter and cut my arm like the way mom cuts chicken breast into fillet. I feel free, like I've just freed myself. People say, and my big brother says as well, that it's abnormal and that I have to stop it, but I don't feel like stopping it, and I have my own reason.

Why do I have to stop cutting my arms when depressed? Because that's how I--at my weakest point--express my emotion. I can throw things, even hurt people to death, but I don't want to. That's why I hurt myself. Well, that's not hurting for me, that's a good method of expressing my emotion without hurting other people or creating damage on things.

I feel like this writing is so crazy. My writing--this writing sounds so crazy that I seem to make such a nonsense writing, talking about myself, my insanity, my unstable mentality, or whatnot. And hereby I'd like to end this post by screaming aloud (it's actually just one word typed in all caps)

FUCK!

Marbles

While my friends are talking about playing "hide and clap" after watching The Conjuring, I remember of marble game I used to play when I was a child instead. Actually, there's nothing scary about the game. It was an ordinary marble game; children shot the marbles, aiming opponent's marbles. I used to play the game with my friends at my backyard or any wide, open space like field or whatnot. In this story, it was not the game that is scary. It was not the players who are scary. It was the place that is scary.

I remember having played the game with my friends at a friend's backyard. The backyard is located near an old, neglected, unoccupied house. Alas, the backyard does not have any fences or frontiers. In other words, my friend's house and the unoccupied house share the same backyard (you might be able to imagine how the location is like). Making it clear, I'll try to describe the location: my friend's backyard is located between my friend's house and the unoccupied house. Have a clearer image now?

 It was only three of us, and I was the youngest. As the youngest among the group members, I often time got the harder 'duties' such as collecting the marbles after the game, or being the one who is blindfolded in "hide and seek" game, or being frequently defeated in playing certain games since I had not been well-skilled yet. Clouds shrouded us and the house looked so scary. As the sky got darker and darker, the house became more scary as well. Windows were left unveiled, revealing interior of the house. Every time I looked at one of those windows, I saw dark rooms, with spiderwebs on the wall and dusty ceiling. I was simply scared, yet somehow curious; wondering if someone suddenly showed up in the window and blinked at me. At that time, I could not enjoy the game. I felt like someone was watching us from one of those windows.

My friends enjoyed the game. They really had fun. I, who felt uncomfortable with the situation, decided to quit playing the game and ended up watching them playing. I stayed close to a friend, the oldest, and tried not to look at the house. But my eyes seemed to lose control, keeping looking at the house. Realizing that I had been just watching the game, the oldest one asked me to collect the marbles instead of doing nothing but watching. I refused at first because they shot the marbles far, near the neglected house. My friends forced me to collect it, telling me that everything would be fine and they would be there for me if something wrong happened. I doubted it but eventually walked to collect the marbles. As I got closer to the house, I felt like the house was watching me (this part would sound like a children horror story). The windows were the eyes, the door was the mouth. It was really dark inside the house that I could feel the darkness though I stayed outside. My heart beat fast that I dropped the marbles I collected. After collecting all the marbles, I came back quickly and requested my friends not to shoot too far. Fortunately, before they continued the game the rain started falling down so we ended the game and went home.

The house itself; it had been left unoccupied for years. Some occupants who had lived there; a family consisting of a married couple with their little daughter, and a family consisting of an old woman with her granddaughter; they seemed not to live for a long time there. The first family lived there for probably two or three years and then moved out. The old woman and her granddaughter occupied the house for a couple years and then they moved out. The house became unoccupied for years until another family lived there. Unfortunately, the family often times caused trouble for the neighbors that I, personally, hated them. The first two families were good family, and they moved out. When it came time for another family to occupy the house, it was an annoying family who occupied the house. I wonder if the house is somewhat cursed.

Honestly, I've been visited the house, once in my lifetime when the first family occupied the house. It was a big house and had several big rooms. I liked the size of the rooms, but I hated its kitchen; it was dark and dirty. The atmosphere of the house was really cold, and still I wonder why.

So it was not the marble game that is scary. It was the place where we played the game that is scary.

(Not) Getting along well

So, where should I start it from?

Okay, he is a friend of mine and I've known him for about three years. He is one of my first college friends and he's given me a friendly, easy going impression that I thought we could be good friend. However as time goes by, things change. So do people. I'll never know what would happen on the first second after this post is successfully posted.

We became friends and I thought we would be good friend, or best friend, or whatnot. He was an easygoing person, unlike me who was quite selective in making friends, resulting on my cold behavior towards certain people. He was quite well-known, and I should admit it he was (and is still) good in making friends by giving them friendly impression. Time went by and we fought once, or rather, there was a misunderstanding that I pulled myself back, abandoning him. "He's got a lot of friends" I thought and that was, that really was true. He got a lot of friends and anywhere he went, he greeted someone; his friend.

He once said something that (actually) hurt me, resulting on myself loathing him, looking down on him. I had good times on my first semester and there, I suddenly thought to make up with friends whom I thought I had problems with, including him. I started to talk to him again, asking about weather, homework, or whatnot. We eventually became closer but still, something was stirring up my mind like maelstrom; there was something annoying inside of him that sometimes showed up. I kept trying to get along well with him but when that annoying thing came up, I got upset and we got apart. Often times I started a small talk in making up with him but later dispute started and we, again, got apart.

What I know is that to me, he has been a brother and he probably doesn't know about it though I've mentioned about it before to him, telling him that he's a brother to me. He might have forgotten it. He might have, but I am not sure exactly, whether he was good at memorizing or not. At home, I sometimes fight with my elder brother and we eventually make up. That's the same thing happening to me and him, a friend of mine. What bothers me is that I, honestly, hate things to be like this; there is a misunderstanding, and we fight, and someone starts a small talk, and we make up, and annoying thing comes, and we fight again, and someone starts a small talk, and we make up again. The cycle is something that, I think, should be changed. Am I going to always be like a friend-but-fiend to him? And is he going to always be a brother-that-bothers to me?

I always expect that he and I could understand each other well. I expect that we could really get along as well. As he is a brother to me, I wish to do my best, becoming not only a friend but also a brother for him. And I wish him to do the same. I think I have not really got along well with him, and I wish I could.

Am I shrinking?

It's been about a month and half for me to not go to campus. So today I went to campus due to an appointment and I immediately realized something different there.

It's not that I met new people; those new students coming from all over places in this country. I saw the buildings seemed to 'grow' bigger. I walked through corridors and realized that they got bigger, wider, and longer. Ceilings seemed to be higher that it had used to be. Window panes were as clear as today's blue sky. Lifts went faster. Rooms were brighter that it had used to be. Walls were clean; almost no flaw found.

Was it the building that really changed, or was it just me, who seemed to shrink?

Minor characters in our life

So, let me begin by telling you a prologue.

As a pianist, I of course play piano. When performing solo piano play, the stage becomes mine; I'll become the one who is spotted by spotlight. The focus of attention would be--definitely--me. When performing a piano concerto, I'm accompanied by orchestra. However, the grand piano would be in the center of the stage (again, it becomes the center of attention) and the orchestra would be behind the grand piano, arranged in semi-circle lines surrounding the piano. But there are times when I perform with a singer and the focus of attention moves to the singer. Yes, the one who will stand in the front-center of the stage is the singer, not the pianist. The piano would be placed behind, though audience could still see it. Speaking of volume mixer, the trigger for singer would be turned up that the voice of the singer would be heard clearer and louder, and the one for piano would be set in such a way that it would not dominate the music and therefore, piano would be just an accompaniment.

I could say that as a pianist, I sometimes take major parts in a performance but in other times, I take minor ones. I 'sacrifice' myself to become minor part in a performance that somebody else could play major part and become the star. And guess what? It just happens. When I know that I would perform a solo piano play, then I know that I'll be the focus of the attention. When I'm told that I will perform with a singer, then I know that I am the one who would accompany the singer, not the singer who would accompany me. And of course, I would not ask the crew to place the grand piano in the front-center of the stage, and ask the singer to stand right behind the grand piano that I would be the one who is spotted by the spotlight. I immediately know my role; who I am and what I would do. And one more important thing: it is done sincerely.

Actually, the issue I'm bringing up is about minor characters in our life. Back to the prologue, you could see that a pianist could perform as a protagonist (when performing a solo piano play), or a deuteragonist (when performing as music accompaniment). In our life, there are some people who 'sacrifice' themselves that we become the one who take major part in life. I have to call it a 'sacrifice' since it is done sincerely. Though the pianist perform only as a music accompaniment, but he does it sincerely; he does not complain about his position for he knows his role.

Those who sacrifice themselves would be the minor part in life, letting us become the major part. Then, who are they? How do they sacrifice themselves that we become the major part in life? Could I start by saying these: family, relatives, friends. Rings the bell, doesn't it?

Our parents do have dreams and expectations. Yes, they do, for they are human-beings. They have us. We live as human-being in this world, becoming part of our parents' life. Again, we are human-being, therefore we have dreams and expectations. To reach expectations is not an easy thing. You have to work hard and put your best effort in it. Our journey might not be as beautiful as a big cruise ship gliding smoothly in vast ocean; we might be stumbled, we might fall, we might cry, we might bleed. The journey to our destination--our expectation might be so hard that we need somebody to accompany and help us in bad times. So let's say that you want to be a superstar but you know that becoming a superstar is not as easy as winkling your eyes. You would need people to help you and support you. They might be your parents and your friends. You know that your parents and your friends definitely have their own dreams and expectations, but they sincerely put aside their dreams and support you instead that you'll become the superstar. Your parents probably want to buy something (let's say, a car), but they know that to become a superstar, you have to learn about many things so they spend their money for you and put aside the wish of having a car. Your father might go to work by train or bus, because he keeps the money that should have been allocated for the new car for you. Your mother moonlights every day because she knows that her salary might not be enough to support your dreams. Your friends might not help you directly. They might not work hard to earn money that they could buy you nice outfits, but without their support you could not be a superstar. They sincerely support and pray for you that you would succeed.

The people I mentioned, they are minor characters in our life. They sacrifice themselves that we become the major character. I may say that I'm lucky for having minor characters in my life who always sincerely support me, and help me in bad times. In other times, I might be a minor character for someone's life. It's okay. As long as being minor character could help and support him or her, then why not?

There are times when we sacrifice ourselves to help and support other people. But remember that there are people who take one step backward and support us so we could take 'one step forward'.


After all, thanks for Mr. Budi for the inspiration

Music Review: J.ae - Sentimental (2010)

This EP is released in 2010. Quite a long time ago, isn’t it? But I do believe that no matter when good music is made and released to the public, its awesomeness remains (you agree with me, ar?)

So, still.. Boasting this Korean jazz/ballad singer, J.ae (also called as ‘J’ or 제이 (read: ‘Jei’) as one of my favorite Korean jazz/ballad singers. The EP titled ‘Sentimental’ consists of seven wonderful songs, from posh jazzy tune to sentimental ballad. J.ae did not merely sing by herself; she collaborated with some great singers such as Jung Yeob (modern jazz track ‘I Wanna Be Your Love’), Eun Ji Won (smooth and sexy track ‘No.5’), and MBLAQ’s G.O (jazzy, ballad-ish track ‘Even We Can’t Speak of the End’).

Most of the songs are arranged in modern jazz arrangement, and a song titled ‘Angel’s Disguise’, arranged in piano arrangement with touch of semi-Spanish guitar picks. ‘Angel’s Disguise’ could be described as ‘a depiction of angelic woman in classy and mysterious way’. But overall, these seven songs are worth to listen