recreating Boys Before Flowers

One of the things that I was excited about in our trip to Macau is that I get to do a scavenger hunt on the shooting locations that they did in the Korean version of Boys Before Flowers. Without further ado, here are the hits and misses from our hunt, with the original screencap at the left and our attempt to recreate (or at least, strike a pose that won't let other people think we've gone nuts) the scene.

HITS

Click on each image to clearly view the picture and comments.

Airport. You already got a shot of at least recreating one scene the moment you're in Macau. This is my "estimate" of where Jun Pyo was standing when he confronted Jandi and Jihoo. (Was tempted to do the amazing crying scene but there are a lot of people around)


Senado Square. If you don't have much time to go around Macau, going to Senado Square is already a jackpot venue to see most of the filming locations. We went there since I know that the St. Paul Ruins are there, but I was surprised that they also used the location to represent all the streets of Macau (hence I almost screamed when I saw that egg tart stand).

Sidestreet where Jandi and Jaekyung walked around. Only realized that we passed through this when I rewatched that episode. *awesome*
The main square where Jihoo and that street musician played using the latter's guitar. This is the main area to enter Senado square.
St. Paul Ruins - the structure itself is great. Eds and I tried to let go of the umbrellas to really capture the scene but the weather (and the steps) are too hot.
Who would've known that the egg tart stand was just in Senado Square? I didn't imagine that we'll find the exact stall in Macau but it already identified itself as THE stall and used it for added marketing.

The Venetian. Used as the setting of Jun Pyo's hotel venture in Macau, there are definitely a lot of photo-op opportunities here. Though I would like to recreate more scenes in the hotel we're either too tired or the place was barred from picture-taking.

These are our first photos outside the Venetian, we're just too excited at this time, I think it took us 20 minutes before finally entering the hotel This is where Jihoo and Jandi were waiting before they leave for the airport (which was delayed due to Jihoo's Chinese friend entering the scene)
Overlooking the gambling floor of the hotel. Actually an attendant reprimanded me from taking this picture (I think it's forbidden to take a picture of the gambling area), which was weird since I was focusing on the ceiling and there are a lot of other tourists not far from me also taking the same pictures.
This is the post-break up scene where Jandi was getting all sad. Suddenly shot this when I saw the underwear store, LOL.
AND of course, here's the bridge used for the break-up scene. Take note there are a lot of bridges over the area, so we really made sure we got the correct bridge and tried to make our respective poses even though there are a lot of people passing by.

MISSES

So here are the misses, wherein we saw the location but we weren't able to take a picture due to various reasons.


Gondola dude -- I have this twisted hope that I'll see this guy in the hotel. But when we went there, there's only one Caucasian guy while the rest of the boatmen suspiciously look like Filipinos, hehe.
Other white dude -- I saw a handful of performers in the area but I didn't get to see this guy, which was too bad since I really want to replicate this picture.
Zaia -- we also got to watch the Zaia performance of Cirque du Soleil, which Jandi and Jihoo also watched. Unfortunately, cameras are not allowed inside the theater.

Mask Store -- This was my biggest frustration of all! We saw the actual shop (thank God for Eds' sharp eyes! I lost hope finding it since the hotel was huge). You can just imagine my inner squee when I saw the actual mask that Yi Jung (Kim Bum) wore in this scene. Sadly, pictures are not allowed (I suggest you practice using your camera phone and pretend you're texting, hehe)
Oh, but here's a mask that Daene took in another store (not the store used in the series). I think it's also prohibited to take this one but the masks are just so pretty...

There are other locations in Macau used in the series but we only had one full day in the area, and most of it was devoted to watching Daene's bungee jump at Macau Tower and Zaia at the Venetian. Hopefully if I come back again I'll get to go to the other spots :D

SoEul - CF for Anycall (Bodyguard)

I have yet to make my post regarding my three-month (make that close to four-month) obsession with Kkotboda Namja (Korean version of Boys Before Flowers), and consequently redo my Top 5 Korean Drama list. Have to collect my thoughts...

Meanwhile, here's Anycall's CF featuring Kim Bum (Yi Jung) and Kim So Eun (Ga Eul) of BBF. Super cute CF and can even be treated as a spin-off to their love story (btw, thank God they gave a good ending to these two, I'll kill myself if it ended just like the two earlier adaptations). I wished there weren't any drawings on the screen so that I can freely pretend that it's part of BBF, haha. AIlways been a GaJung (or as the netizens tagged, it's SoEul...and they are Soeulmates nyehehehe) shipper from the very start. I hope they have a series wherein they are th leads and Kim Bum has a (almost) similar role (minus the emo-ness) and look hot as he naturally is...LOL



Man, Korean CFs are really celebrity-driven...and Anycall's in the thick of it (not complaining here)...been a fan of Anycall's CFs since the Lee Hyori and Eric Muhn days (I remembered my fangirling moments in college when they put Kwon Sang Woo in the next installment of that Anycall CF haha). I'm so happy they did not call this video Anyguard (just like Anymotion, AnyBand, Anystar)...that would just be too much LOL

"sorta" Valentines post

okay, no introspective love-related post this time around (although when i backtracked my blog, the last one was in 2006! just when i thought i had a tradition of posting a valentines entry). just random stuff during the weekend:

February 13:

• too many people walking around paseo and ayala with flowers
• another "malas" day at work (friday the 13th din, which should've warned me)
• had fun crashing at Ica's place: played rockband til 230AM with 5 singles and a couple (and happy that the couple didn't get too sentimental! hehe). first time to play guitar hero, so addicting *dance revo experience kicking in*

February 14:

• woke up before lunch at Ica's (talked until 4am, persuading her to hurry and watch Boys Before Flowers)
• watched Love and Marriage (a Korean series I borrowed), which I think is appropriate
• ate a very satisfying dinner (two kinds of pasta + baked tahong! yeah!)

we didn't get to do our traditional Valentine's night out (of course the single people go out together) this year...but hopefully i meet up with the gals (and guys) next week. the best Valentines night out so far was in 2007. my multiply album was in private for this but i just HAD to post this particular pic:
to the people who were with me during that night: we're insane! hahaha

also i just HAD to post this pic of Yi Jung and Ga Eul from BBF *sigh*

this week...

ugh, last week was another bad work week. seriously, if they don't find another RA soon, I'll really threaten to quit and mean it...my boss and teammates were sympathetic, but that doesn't change the fact that i just worked more than 10 hrs every freaking day for this past week

my boss (earlier): hey, ano, patay ka na ba?
ako (munching on my nth strawberry sugus for my continued sanity): as if may oras pa kong mamatay!

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due to this unwelcomed derailment of my entire schedule last week, i wasn't able to watch my beloved Jun Pyo as scheduled! oohhh jun pyo, eto na ko!

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now reading Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist as recommended by Daene. hahaha, profanities every other word, but im loving it nonetheless

***

and since today is a resounding TGIF for me, i'm currently eating my latest comfort food...burnt cheese.. as in i slice cheese wedges and pop it in the microwave... some of it might be carcinogenic but what the heck...

Korean Hana Yori Dango (Boys over Flowers, Meteor Garden) = another excuse to randomly drool

okay, so Eds and I literally swooned once we found out yesterday that there are already subs available for Kkotboda Namja aka the Korean Version of Hana Yori Dango (Meteor Garden for Taiwan)! As I said before, I'm so excited for this drama once it was announced that KBS2 is going to do it. So far, episodes 1 and 2 do not disappoint! OMG, major fangirling moment na naman ito!

Although the first two episodes are still almost the same as the other adaptations, the pacing was a bit faster on this one, which is a blessing for me who have watched all the adaptations (including the anime). What I love about this adaptation is that from the start you get so drawn in to Gu Jun Pyo (Lee Min Ho, you're awesome...that head swivel in Ep2 in the airplane was just CLASSIC!) and you're already rooting for him to be with Jan Di (Gu Hye Sun) right from the start. With the Taiwanese and Japanese versions, I'm already biased towards Hua Ze Lei/Hanazawa Rui at the start and then the lead guy just grew on me. But with this one, not to take anything away from Ji Hoo (Kim Hyun Joong) since he is so pretty hahaha especially all his smiling parts, but we get to see a more "reactive" lead guy this time and it's so endearing...hay...

And also, omg, Kim Bum you're so cute, I am now convinced as regards your appeal (especially to Ica, haha). I'm hoping that the Korean adaptation would give more meat his side love story with Jan Di's friend because they look cute together (sige na, ibahin nyo na yung original plan for their love story, fanservice naman dyan!). Bitin ang Taiwanese version (cute pa naman ni Rainie Yang and the then less fat Ken Zhu, hahaha) at halos naging psychotic yung Japanese version. So please, sana, mas full-fledged ang love story nila.

Here's to another round of obssession na naman, I do hope the fansubbers have a lot of free time so that the subs are up at the earliest time possible, like what they did for Coffee Prince *crosses fingers*

as if we can't get enough of this...

just received word that *gasp* there will be another Hana Yori Dango in the works in KOREAN! wahaha. So, it seems that we're having a cycle here:

superbly crafted Japanese manga --> Taiwanese drama version --> Japanese drama version --> Korean drama version

and no one would be happier with this setup than me, a lowly person who maintains sanity through watching these series. I'm excited on the Korean's take on the highly successful manga. And they DO make superb dramas (if you haven't noticed). I hope they have good cast, oh hell, i hope they cast a DESERVING person for Hanazawa Rui (Hua Ze Lei in Meteor Garden) or else I'll be fronting the picket lines.

so i'm guessing having a Korean version of Hana Kimi would not be far-fetched?