Tag: korean

Posted in Korea, lists, Reviews, Uncategorized

10 must watch Korean movies

Posted on by DinaDaily

I come to you, extremely tired, from a PC room.
I made a promise to myself to keep blogging, so I put 10,000₩ (about £7) on my PC room membership. Although I am extremely tired, I owe it to myself (and you guys!) to keep blogging!

Please check out my list series here.

The list that I have decided to make today is, what I think are the 10 must watch Korean movies.
When I first became interested in Korean culture, it was actually movies that drew me in. Korean cinema has remained my favourite part of Korean media! So I have a lot of opinions on this category!
I will try to keep this post short, but I can’t promise! I will also try to involve all genres of film!

  1. Miracle in Cell No.7 (7번방의 선물, 2013)Drama/Comedy
    Drama/Comedy

    7번방의 선물.jpg

    This movie stars my favourite actress, Park Shin-hye (박신혜), as a lawyer for her mentally ill father who was imprisoned for murder. I don’t want to give away too much of this story, so I will not give you any more plot information. However, I will say that this film made me laugh and cry like a baby. Excellent acting, a great story line and emotion filled.

  2. Memories of Murder ( 살인의 추억, 2003)
    Drama/ Mystery

    Memories of Murder poster.jpg

    This is an older movie, maybe the oldest in my list. It is based on the true events of Korea’s first serial murders on record. The movie follows two detectives trying to solve the crimes. After watching this movie, I found myself looking for all information on Korea’s first serial murders. I also found myself watching other dramas and another movie (Confessions of Murder, 2012) based on the same serial murders. This is the best of the movies I watched. (Some of the dramas were great but I will make a post about that another time!)
    What captured me about this movie which was actually recommended to me by a friend, is that I didn’t know any of the actors, so I could focus on their acting skills. They were great actors and I think the movie is also well directed.
    If you like drama/crime/thriller/mystery movies, check this movie out!

  3. The Wailing (곡성, 2016)

    Drama/Romance

    The Wailing (film).png

    This movie was also recommended to me by another friend, and to be honest, I don’t know if I am thankful!
    Whenever I think about this movie I get scared. It is so disturbing. The first time I watched this movie, there were no English subtitles. At the time my Korean wasn’t the greatest, so I thought to myself, “what on earth is happening?!”…
    I watched it a second time, with English subtitles. I thought to myself, “what on earth is happening?!”…
    If you like horrors, this movie is for you.
    If you like thrillers, this movie is for you.
    If you like mysteries, this movie is for you.
    If you like movies like inception and the prestige this movie is for you.
    Watch this movie.
    (Plus, it stars one of my favourite actors, Hwang Jung-min (황정민)!!)

  4. Always (오직 그대만, 2011)
    Drama/Romance

    Always2011Poster.jpg

    This movie…
    I don’t really like romantic movies. They make me feel so lonely and I lose hope in love! But this movie, had such a gripping story line, I had to watch it. I am very glad that I did. Although, the tissues that were used that night probably don’t feel the same.
    I’ll just give you a short preview of the plot.
    The extremely handsome So Ji-sub (소지섭) is an ex-boxer.
    The beautiful Han Hyo-joo (한효주) is blind.
    Of course, they fall in love but it’s never easy in romantic movies.

  5. Spellbound (오싹한 연애, 2011)
    Comedy/ Romance/ Horror

    오싹한 연애에 대한 이미지 검색결과

    I thought that this movie was going to be a horror, but it was a comedy. It had a few jumpy scenes, but overall it is a funny movie! I also do not like comedies much, but this movie had me laughing!
    If you like horror comedies, this is a great movie for you!

  6. Memoir of a Murderer (살인자의 기억법, 2017) 
    Drama/Action

    memoirs of a murderer에 대한 이미지 검색결과

    This movie had me guessing the whole time! It has been a while since I have seen such a good thriller movie. Thriller is my favourite genre of movie. So, I have tried to watch as many thrillers as possible. This is one of the movies that I always think about when someone asks me for a recommendation.
    An interesting story of a serial killer who has Alzheimer’s disease.
    This movie is bound to keep you guessing about the truth.

    Based on the best-selling fiction book A Murderer’s Guide to Memorization by Kim Young-ha (김영하)

  7. Poetry (시, 2010)
    Drama/ Tragedy

    Poetry film poster.jpg

    I actually watched this movie when I was at home in London. I was shocked that there was a Korean movie available on Sky Movies, so I just decided to watch it.
    It was a great find.
    This movie is a tragedy.
    I think one of the things that I appreciate about Korean movies is that they are very good at showing emotions and making the audience feel sympathy for the actors.
    An elderly woman, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, is raising her grandson.
    This movie shows what a grandma would do to protect her grandson, even if he does not deserve it.
    It is a controversial topic and while I do not agree with the grandma helping the grandson, it is a movie. I tried to watch this movie while focusing on a grandmothers love as apposed to protecting people who have done something wrong.
    A greatly tragic movie.

  8. The Chaser (추격자, 2008)
    Crime/ Thriller

    The Chaser film poster.jpg

    I’m not sure why, but I thought I wrote a blog on this movie. I didn’t.
    A great crime thriller movie which is inspired by Korean serial killer, Yoo Young-Chul (유영철). I had heard about this serial killer before I had watched the movie, but it didn’t connect until I had watched the movie and researched it after. (I know I do things a bit backwards.)
    While I was watching this movie, I found myself really hating the main character. The film has excellent acting! This movie also had me guessing what was going to happen next.
    If you like watching movies or documentaries based on true crime, you may find this movie interesting.

  9. Forgotten (기억의 밤, 2017)
    Mystery/ Thriller

    Recall the Night (기억의 밤).jpg

    I think you guys can tell by now, I really like thriller movies.
    I watched this movie because it popped up as a suggestion on my TV. While I was watching it, I thought I knew what the story line was…
    I was left shocked because it wasn’t what it seemed like.
    A great watch which is action packed from the start.

    I have saved my favourite movie for last, so I hope you are still with me!

  10. Hide and Seek (숨바꼭질, 2013)

    Mystery/ Thriller

    Hide and Seek (2013) poster.jpg

    I have watched this films multiple times. I never get bored of it!
    Every time I watch this movie, I am just so amazed at how good of an actress Moon Jeong-hee (문정희) is! She is amazing!
    This movie also had me wondering what was going on the whole time! This was one of the first Korean thrillers I had watched. It is still my favourite!
    I suggest everyone watches this movie and while you are watching, please pay attention!

Well, there you have it! My top 10 Korean movies.
Of course, there are many more movies that I would like to suggest to you guys! However, for today, I tried to do my favourite movies that I think have not been seen by many of my international friends and followers.

Who knows, maybe there will be a part 2!

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Posted in Korea, Teaching, Uncategorized

10 things to buy when living in Korea.

Posted on by DinaDaily

Happy summer, and welcome back to my blog!

I have fished around in my brain for things to write about, that relate to Korea.

As opposed to the abundant amount of blog posts about what to pack when coming to Korea, and what to buy when visiting Korea, I have not seen any posts about what to buy when living here.

If you are anything like me, you delay buying things that you need and end up buying it a year or so later. You then think to yourself, ‘why didn’t I buy this sooner?’…
This has happened to me multiple times in the last 4 years.

So, to prevent you wasting time and avoid regret, I present to you…

10 things that you should buy when living in Korea.

Check out my other lists, here.

  1. Electric blanket 
    16_전자파_걱정없는_전기매트
    If you have to buy just one thing from this list, please buy this! My electric blanket has saved me from freezing to death in the winter. While Korea is crazy hot in the summer, the winters could not be more opposite. While a duvet can keep you warm, the cozy heat you get from using an electric blanket is irreplaceable.
    For my female readers, electric blankets are also a God-send when you are on your period! Gets rid of my lower back pain almost instantly.

    While this is not the heated pad that I use, here is a similar one.
    Space
  2. Dehumidifier
    YANGZI-dehumidifier-Household-Mute-basement-bedroom-Moisture-absorption-Drying-machine.jpg_640x640
    Korea is known for having 4 seasons. When I first moved to Korea, each season was 3 months long. What nobody told me was that the summers here are incredibly humid.
    As I have only ever lived in 1 house until I moved to Korea, I’m not sure how accurate this is but, I think Korean houses are not built as well as my very old house in London. This means, mold forms very fast. Molds annoying cousin is water.
    I regret not buying a dehumidifier in my first year, as I would have avoided sticky summers and countless times trying to scrub mold.

    Buy a mini dehumidifier     here!
    Space
  3. Humidifier
    B001782626
    I know, why would I suggest the complete opposite item to the one I have just mentioned. Well, two reasons. First, everyone is different. Second, Korea is wet in the summer, but it is extremely dry in the winter.
    When the winter is as cold as it gets here, you need to put the heating on. But the heating does make the air dry. I suffer from nose bleeds sometimes in the winter and I guess it is because the dry air. After I used a humidifier, the nose bleeds stopped and my skin was not dry anymore.
    However, a warning, please make sure you clean and disinfect your humidifier as it could be very bad for your health.I am in love with this humidifier lamp!
  4. Rice cooker
    684866591.g_400-w_g
    Many of my lucky friends moved into their apartment with a rice cooker waiting to greet them. I however, was not so lucky.
    Now, I do not like rice. I can go months or years without eating it. But, a rice cooker is basically a slow cooker and steamer! You can make multiple things in their and it is very compact and cheap.
    Whenever my Korean friends visited my house, they always asked where the rice cooker was and they would look at me like I had just offended their entire heritage. Avoid crushing your Korean friends hearts by buying one!

    Here is a like to a cute 1-3 person rice cooker.
    Space
  5. Mini oven
    833839289.g_400-w_g
    Again, this one might not seem necessary, but I only bought mine a year ago and I can say that I am SO glad that I bought it. This should have been the first thing I bought when I got here because I love to bake. Not only baking. When I think about what kind of foods I used to eat back home, I almost always made things in the oven.
    Mini ovens are around the same size as a microwave. More importantly, they get the job done!I have no regrets! Here is my mini oven!
  6. Shower head water purifierreview_9b028Now, I must admit, I have not bought this yet. But, I am including it in my list as most of my friends in Korea have used purifiers and they love them.
    The water in Korea is softer and I guess less chemically treated than water in London. So the water here has already done wonders for my hair.
    I am not sure about the water in other cities in the world but most of my friends have used these purifiers as they had seen negative changes in their hair and skin condition.
    As soon as I finish this post, I will order a purifier and possible give you a blog post about the benefits or cons of it!This is the most famous water purifier I have seen.
  7. Fan
    14296122771.20180514162606
    As mentioned at the beginning of this post, the summers here are intense. I came from London, where 25 degrees is considered a heat wave! To Korea, where 25 degree is an average spring day.
    Most houses in Korea are already installed with air conditioning, but air conditioning is extremely expensive in Korea! So, I suggest buying a fan as it is more cost-effective and if you end up living in a place without an air conditioner, you are set!

    Also, handheld fans are so handy when you are out and about in public!
    You can buy the Standing fan that I use here.

  8. Vacuum
    4144
    Most housing in Korea has vinyl plank flooring. I never realised how much hair I and Aurora shed. Not only that, but how fast dust forms! Having a vacuüm makes cleaning so much easier than using a swifter or sweeping.
    While I still use my swifter, I use my vacuum almost everyday to get rid of  Aurora’s fur in a time-saving way!There are many vacuum cleaners but here is a cheap but sturdy one!
  9. Brita water purifier
    MIN_242245_EAA
    Apparently, Korea’s tap water is drinkable. Not many Korean people drink the tap water, for I think the same reason people from London don’t drink tap water. It smells funny, the water system is old and it is well-known that the water is chemically treated.
    However, drinking bottled water is terrible for the environment and Eco system.
    Many Korean’s live in apartments and they have a water dispenser or water filtered installed. But for us foreigners, we never know when we will be moving next and water dispensers are like phone contracts, you have to sign a 2 year contract. So I suggest buying a Brita water purifier! It is slim enough to fit into your fridge, so you can also enjoy chilled water in the summer!Buy your own one here!
  10. Padding
    1383714354
    As mentioned above, the winters here are incredibly cold. At first I thought that I could survive with my winter jacket from back home. I later realised how mild British weather is and how extreme Korean weather is!
    My second winter in Korea, I purchased a big padded coat and I realised that I had stopped complaining about the coldness!
    If you will be here for the winter, make sure you buy padding!Sorry, I have no link for padding. However, in winter they are easy to find everywhere. I will recommend Discovery expedition!

So there you have it! The 10 things I suggest you buy when living in Korea!

This blog post has not been sponsored (although I am willing to accept some sponsors!).

If you would like to see more blog posts of this kind, like this post and follow my page!

Posted in Korea, Uncategorized

2016

Posted on by DinaDaily

Well, 2016 has started! We are on the 8th day and it is my sisters birthday! Happy Birthday Dalia!!

I’m sitting at my desk at work. I’ve finished my assignments for the week and I thought, this is the perfect time for a blog post.

But I have no idea what to write about.

I feel like this is the issue with me and my blog. I don’t have a solid ground. Nothing that I can constantly write about. No category that I can continuously write on. Nothing that I feel passionate about enough to make the theme of my blog.

In 2014 and 2015, I focused mostly on blogging about my dates and the crazy experiences that I had. While it was good for my blog traffic wise, dating is draining. I found myself dating people just for the sake of hoping to meet someone to settle down with or an experience that I can write a blog about.
Of course, like most people I know, I had bad luck with dating and it was probably because I was looking for someone to love me. But I also didn’t like what I was doing to people. I felt bad for the few people who I only continued dating just so that I could write a blog post about them. I was aware that I hurt two people in specific. They never found my blog… at least I don’t think they did… but when I was fed up of dating them because I was never really interested in them, I realised that I was doing the same thing that some guys have probably done to me.
I know and those of you who follow my blog or know me personally know that I was extremely hurt by one person in particular in 2015, The Model. Even to this day I feel hurt when I think about him. I feel as though he hurt me more harshly than I have hurt a few guys, but it doesn’t make me any better than him. I wasn’t considering the guys feelings. I was selfish.
After The Model, I didn’t really make many posts about the people I’ve dated. I actually went on fewer dates and chose the people who I considered dating more carefully. But the main reason why I stopped was because I was ashamed to show guys who I dated seriously my blog.

When I am dating guys they often ask me what my hobby is, I tell them writing of course and eventually it comes out that I have a blog. They always ask me what my blog is about, funnily enough I don’t think they would appreciate me saying ‘Ah you know, the normal things like the guys I date and how weird they are or how in love with them I am.’
When I was dating The Model, he asked to see my blog and I couldn’t show it to him. I wanted him to know everything about me but I knew that I had written about him and even worse, other guys. He probably would have been okay with what I wrote about him before he tore my heart out. But anyway! My point is, I wanted him to see my blog, I valued his opinion and wanted him to be a part of everything that I did. Although I don’t update my blog as regularly as I should, I love this blog. It’s mine.
Even after The Model, I wanted to show my blog to other guys but I knew I couldn’t. Even adding each other on Facebook was too risky.

Did I just go off topic??

Anyway! I want to change my blog. I don’t know yet what I will change it to, it will probably still be personal but just not about dating. I know you guys loved it but it’s hard now! I promise that I will try to find something just as interesting to write about. And I value all of your opinions so much. I hope that you will make suggestions and give me feedback on the things that I write about so I know what you like!

On top of new topics, I am also going to try to blog more consistently. To start, I will post every other Friday. If I am stuck for ideas, I will make a silly post haha! I just have to get into the habit of posting at certain times.

So! Let’s get this show on the road! I have 3 and a half hours left until the end of today, unless I get told to do something else. If I can think of something I will start planning the new blog! Give me suggestionsssssss!

Thanks for always reading guys! I really appreciate it!

 

Posted in Uncategorized

=[ Sowwi

Posted on by DinaDaily

Hey! I feel so sorry towards my blog and my readers! I haven’t posted in a long time. So here is an update on why!

I started writing for a website which I was always interested in! Hallyu UK! I have had great oppurtunities thanks to them such as having a press pass to see Super Junior in London & the oppurtunity to get my work published somewhere other than my blog. Although I have been posting for them & haven’t been posting on here, it’s going to change. I miss my super opinionated posts!

Another reason why I haven’t been posting is I also started another job. In customer servive yet again -_- but this is only a Christmas job to get some extra money!

Apart from them two reasons, I have been super busy. I hungout with & interviewed AJ Rafael when he was in London (post coming soon), I had a press pass for KBEE 2013 (Korean Brand and Entertainment Expo) and I became an English leader for a friend of mines Korean & English study session/ organisation. (A blog/vlog will be up on this very soon!!).

Also, I graduate tomorrow! I know it’s been ages since I actually finished uni but the moment has finally come. I actually didn’t want to go because its so freaking expensive! But I have to for my mummy.

So this has been a post explaining why I have been missing. I will try to do another post this weekend!

In the mean time, head to http://hallyuuk.com to check out my articles!