Life as a drama-watcher in another country..

Hi, Sweeties! Here is Cypsis, back in fandom! Actually, Yanne asked me to write a post about my experience as a fan living in an other country when one does not have ability to live as a usual fan.
Of course I think that actually these things can happen to you also on your own country when you are just really busy. I hope all of you have read about what happens to a fan when she/he does not have enough drama - because well this is the thing that is going to happen, though for me.. the first point was not true, but about it next time :P

Even though I tried to continue watching dramas from time to time, it was really difficult because I was so busy with trying to handle my social and love life, what were more than crazy; money problems; university assignments, language studies etc.etc...  Sometimes I really thought that I have time to watch, but then one or other thing came up and the times when I actually got to watch something, were moments that I planned like a week before, acted antisocial and stayed inside to watch my dramas. All this calculation I had to do.. wow it was a lot! I had whole lists with months to keep watching and actually for first two months I was even able to follow it more or less, but then everything got messed up. Even if I found a time to watch, I did not have time to write reviews :S Another bad thing is when you do not have dramas in your computer and your net connection is not working, is too slow or some of your favorite sites have been blocked by the administrator - and these all happened to me for some time at least O.o

On the other hand, there were moments where I was really happy to be in this fandom. First of all, it is one more way to find friends - you never know who might be a fellow fan when you are not making it clear that you are one. I actually met one amazing girl who was watching Korean dramas! And I would not have known it, if I would not have gone to talk to her after seeing TOP as her screen saver.
Secondly, when you are watching your drama in dormitory where are living more people than just you, then you can be sure that in one point someone is getting interested in your dramas!! Most surely it is because you are making weird voices and laughing-crying all the time. Sharing is caring, which means that soon you will just grow our fandom-family :D
Thirdly, I was able to go and promote a bit blog, as I went to one anime-convention that happened in my city for the first time. Of course sadly there were not so many drama-watchers and it was really really small, but it reminded me times when I just got into this fandom which was like... 5 years ago??? O.o The craziest thing was that now back in my home-country I met one family from Portugal whose daughter was also on this convention!! World is really small!
So in the end, I do not know what say more. There are moments when you have to make a small hiatus and just go with the flow from other things, because it does not mean that you will never come back. But what I can say - do not be afraid to go and enjoy other things - of course you will miss most airing dramas and you have no idea what is going on in fandom and when you hear something new you feel like crying for hearing it much later than others - but there are a lot of things to gain.

I do apologize for leaving you all waiting all this time and thank you who still stayed :) I LOVE YOU ALL!

Sentences you shouldn't trust

Sorry for the two months hiatus - from exams to work (I got the job I wanted) and personal problems, I was unable to update (I was also unable to watch dramas so we both were on the losing sides). I hope to get back on track from now on.

Some time ago while watching dramas, I noticed that there are some sentences that you should never ever trust. Whenever someone says it - I can say ~80% of times they are lying and some serious stuff is going to happen.

1) "I don't love you (anymore)!"
Seriously? How often have we heard that sentence slip from the lips of poor heroine or the rich and courgeous male lead? Too often I say. Whenever one needs to break up -mostly so he/she could save the other or so that innocent people wouldn't get hurt- there is no way of making a rational explanation of why breaking up would be a good idea - explanation? like what the heck is that? Just forget all those lovey-dovey words you said yesterday and yell at her/his face that suddenly you just don't love her/him anymore.

Lee Jae Ha is not only the king of South Korea -
he's also the king of saying things that are untrue
(seriously I've heard almost everything in this list slipping from his lips)

2) "This is the last drink."
Also comes in variations like "Let's have a drink for a goodbye" and "This will be the last time". This one is my personal favourite. Really, that's the last drink we share? Honey, you said that the last time too. Or are you out to poison me this time?

3) "I can hold my liquor"
If you're so good with alcohol, then why everybody else has to piggyback/ carry you back home? Darling, please be honest with yourself and others - - - unless you really want the hot guy piggyback you home. Hey! I should try this one!

Dear Naoki. You won't have any puking problems with me -
I'm the type who falls asleep when drunk. Sincerely, Yanne.

4) "I do not see you as a man/woman"
Maybe it is true in the start, but we can always be certain that right after telling that they will open their eyes and understand that actually the other person is the only man/woman they see. But for sure, at first let's make things really complicated and cause a lot of heartache to everyone, just because one is too blind to see.

5) "You're not sexy"
Also comes in variations like "You're uncute", "You're ugly" etc. Don't be too sad - being beautiful in the inside is much important than appearance - so just show them how sexy your soul is and in the end the person saying it will still love you and not his bitchy supermodel "friend".

a bag of sweet potatoes in your hand makes you especially attractive to Kang Joo

I know you can't trust my "every-monday-post promise" either but there is one sentence you can trust: "From this week on Cypsis Blog (and second blog) will run smoothly again as Cypsis is returning from Portugal."

Not. Enough. Drama.

There are tons of posts in the Internet about fangirls who watch too much dramas - we've all heard about the woman who lost her eyesight after a drama marathon, we've all experienced having last night's drama replaying in our head during lessons or work time, we've all suffered from lack of sleep and aching body parts (me after last Tuesday - 16 hour-marathon - my back still hurts from all the sitting). But there is a topic that I feel is still uncovered: What happens with fangirl who can't watch dramas for a longer period of time? So I'll try to write it down - based on my own experiences (work+uni+social life= drama watching) + Cypsis time in Portugal

1) You start to watch your own life like it's a drama. During first minutes of the first episode you understand it's a total crap and want to drop it.

The face that captures perfectly how it feels like to see/hear ultimate crap
thankfully Bride of the Century wasn't anything crap-like

2) You laugh less and get more easily depressed. It's easier to worry about the problems of a fictional character than your own. Also there's nothing funny about your real life.

3) You have 5 free minutes? Yes, let's watch this actor's picture the whole time.

4) You end up scribbling lists of "want to watch dramas" or "best dramas" or any other list to your textbook or work papers more seriously than you do your actual work.

you mean writing drama lists isn't what my job is about?
My whole life has been a lie.

5) You're becoming a mathematic genius thanks to all the "Tomorrow I can get home 6 PM and I have no commitments or plans. I have to wake up at 6 AM. So if I were to start watching Jdrama right away - 11 eps - 10 eps are 45 minutes, 1 is whole hour, meaning it all together is 510 minutes, making it 8 hours and 30 minutes. So I'd finish in the middle of the night and still could sleep for at least 2 hours." Your only miscalculation is that you fall asleep as soon as you hit your bed.

As you can see drama-watching is good for fangirls mental health. So whenever someone says it's bad for your health - tell them that it helps you to hold your sanity.

Japanese MUST WATCH dramas 2006-2010

I actually wanted to do a post about anime related stuff as I was busy with Japanese Animation Film Festival, but while in need of a quick post to get the blog rolling again, I decided to go with that.

14-sai no haha (2006)

Proposal Daisakusen - some people may argue, but I'd say it's pretty MUST SEE
also it was my second drama I ever watched!

Attention Please (2006)
Byakuyako (2006)
Densha Otoko (2006)
Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (2006)
My Boss, My Hero (2006)
Nodame Cantabile (2006)

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (2007)
Hotaru no Hikari (2007, 2010)
LIAR GAME (2007)
Proposal Daisakusen (2007)

Binbo Danshi (2008)
Bloody Monday (2008)
CHANGE (2008)
Code Blue (2008, 2010)
Hachimitsu to clover (2008)
Koizora (2008)
Last Friends (2008)
ROOKIES (2008)
Ryusei no Kizuna (2008)
Zettai Kareshi (2008)

At the end of the street: a poster of Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku
I was in Japan when it was airing, so a lot of posters at streets and trains

Atashinchi no Danshi (2009)
BOSS (2009)
Buzzer Beat (2009)
JIN (2009)
Mei-chan no Shitsuji (2009)
MR.BRAIN (2009)
My Girl (2009)
Orthos no Inu (2009)
Smile (2009)
Tokyo DOGS (2009)

Freeter, Ie o Kau (2010)

Moteki (2010)
Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku (2010)
Sunao ni Narenakute (2010)
Tumbling (2010)

If I left something important out, feel free to correct me! Now I shall go back to my "Genji monogatari" that needs to be finished reading.

Siblings awards!!!

Yesterday our neechan/unnie came home! Meaning: our family's five siblings are together at our childhood home after -well- a very long time. Having fun and talking rubbish together made me realize how special it is to have so many siblings and getting along with them.
To think about it - most of Asian dramas/movies do not include siblings into the plot unless that's the main storyline - as it is usual in Japan/ South Korea to have families of three or four people (1-2 children) (it has become the norm here too but our parents beg to differ). So I looked through all the things I've seen and decided to make a little awards ceremony!
I present you The Siblings Awards:

Most normal siblings award: Buzzer Beat

Most F****d up siblings award: Hyoten 2006
Blood means nothing award: Grapevine
Brothers will stay brothers award: Lunch Queen

Sisters will stay sisters award II : Hanawake no yon shimai
Sisters will stay sisters award I : The Marriage Plot

Brothers till the end award: 71 into the fire
The wicked sisters award: Ranma ½

Most competitive twins award: Suckseed
Worst twins award: Dragon Zakura
Best twins award: Ouran High School  Host Club

Most lunatic brother award: Shissou ~Dead Run - Shuichi
Most used brother award: Waraeru koi wa shitekunai - Santa
Most awesome little brother award: Playful Kiss - Baek Eun Jo

Brother award III : Gachi Baka - Kouta
Brother award II : Tatta hitotsu no koi - Hiroto
Brother award I : Saikou no jinsei no owarikata ~Ending Planner- Masato

Little devil sister award: Kare wa imouto no koibito - Haruka
Older devil sister award: Seigi no mikata - Makiko
Most awesome little sister award: Heartstrings - Lee Jung Hyun

Most used sister award: Seigi no mikata - Yoko
Most misunderstood sister: Hanawake no yon shimai - Takemi
Most supportive sister award: Hana yori dango - Tsubaki

Worst sister award: Kimi ni love song wo - Saori's sister
Sister award: 1 litre of tears - Ako

Hope you enjoyed it! Now after spending all that time here at the awards ceremony - go and have a good Scrabble marathon with your siblings! Or drama marathon - well that's what I'm going to do!