바다물

I want to go the beach in July, before the throng starts coming in, despite it being the rainy season, and wade my tired feet through the icy cold sea water.

놀러 갈래?

시원하지

간단한 즐거움

人生简单的享受是午后斜照射进来的温暖阳光...

...和一院子盛开的花朵 (Photo: 毛地黄, foxgloves)

最近好友传来的邮件里有这么一句安徒生的名言： 仅仅活着是不够的，还需要有阳光、自由，和一点花的芬芳。很有同感。要自由就不要苛求，在这初夏里，简简单单地享受一下自然界所赐予的阳光和花朵吧。

꺾기도

We heard of Judo, Akido and Taekwondo. Now, a new form of martial art, Kokido, has emerged and is taking Korea by storm. What is actually Kokido? The 'founder' and gag man, Kim Junho, explains,

"꺾기도는 모든 것을 뜬금없이 꺾어서 상대방을 공황상태로 만드는 무술이다."

Translated: Kokido is a martial art that throws your opponent off by twisting and turning everything and anything in an unexpected and absurd way.

There are three basic strokes of 말꺾기 (word twisting) which fans of Kokido should be conversant with.

First stroke - 까불이 (merry andrew, 调皮鬼）
Add 까불이 to a sentence ending with "까"
Example: 안녕하십니... 까불이 까불이

Second stroke - 다람쥐 (squirrel)
Add 다람쥐 to a sentence ending with "다"
Example: 감사합니... 다람쥐 다람쥐

Third stroke - 마 보이 (ma boy)
Add 마 보이 to a sentence ending with "마"
Example: 다시 하지.. 마 보이 마 보이

Below is a 'training video' to help you master the finer points of Kokido.

Kokido was initially created as a 'corner' in the KBS2's Gag Concert with children in mind. It aims to deliver laughter without the need for the audience to think. But as it turns out, adults rather than children, like it more.

The setting of 'Kokido' is a martial art school. In this school, there are one Kokido master and three disciples. Every week, the master will teach his disciples one new 'skill'. Their enemy is Mr. Two-Headed who would always start by dancing shuffle dance to the catchy tune of "I got my eye on you". Without a doubt, the master and his disciples are no match for their enemy because Kokido is meant to draw laughter only, not win a fight.

(정말 유치해서 못 봐주겠다 ㅎㅎ)

안녕히 계세... 요를레이 ㅋㅋ

도망자

... so I took a quick shot of his lonesome figure against a large empty space.

There was no morning crowd at the Busan Coastal Ferry Terminal. Waiting seats inside the passenger hall were mostly empty. The ticket counter staff were having it easy with only few random customers to serve. But when ferry boarding was announced, people suddenly streamed out from nowhere and a queue was formed almost immediately at the boarding gate. The noise level increased for a short while before peace was restored again. The crowd vanished as fast as it was formed.

I was moving around the terminal, taking pictures of it. As I brought my camera to focus on the passenger hall below from level two of the terminal, I noticed a silhouette near the right edge of the viewfinder. A man was leaning over the guardrail, staring out aimlessly. I did not suspect he noticed me, so I took a quick shot of his lonesome figure against a large empty space.

I was an hour too early for my ferry, so I decided to leave the terminal to find a place for breakfast. As I was crossing the overhead bridge to get across the road outside the terminal, a hand from behind pressed down on my shoulder. I turned my head and saw a burly middle-age man.

 "웬일이세요? (What is the matter?), I asked whilst still calming a slight shock.

"Did you take pictures inside the terminal?", he asked in Korean.

"You mean photo-taking is not allowed inside the terminal? I am not aware of that.", speaking in broken Korean, I started to panic, fearing I might get in trouble with the local security.

"I saw you took a picture of me. Show me your camera.", he demanded with a hostile tone.

I surrendered my camera after switching on the photo viewer for him to browse.

"한 장만 찍었는데요." (I took only one shot.), I interrupted as he was viewing my photos.

"Are you a police? Who are you?"

I was taken aback and made more confused by his questions. I thought he was a security guard at the terminal. I could not figure out what he was up to.

"아니요, 저는 외국인이예요." (No, I am a foreigner.)

"You're a foreigner?... Let's go to a photo shop and check all your photos."

So I followed him into a nearby photo shop. He requested the shop owner to use his shop's computer to display all the photos stored inside my SD card. After he was convinced there was only one photo of him, he requested the shop owner to delete it immediately. At that point, he was no longer as tense as before.

We left the photo shop together and walked back in the direction of the ferry terminal.

"If you're not Korean, how could you speak Korean?", he asked in a friendly tone.

"한국어를 조금 배웠어요." (I learned a bit of Korean.)

"You speak Korean well."

"Thank you."

Not satisfied that I did not know what was happening, I asked again,

 "웬일이세요? (What is the matter?)

"나, 도망자." (I am a fugitive.)

"도망자요? 어디에서 왔어요? (Where did you come from?)

I mistook "도망자" as illegal immigrant initially. So I was interested to know which country he escaped from. He could have been a North Korean defector for all I know.

"What?", he returned a confused look.

His look hinted I could have misinterpreted what he said. Then, with a skip of heartbeat, I realised "도망자" is actually "逃亡者", which is fugitive from justice.

He was friendly though, a complete contrast to his earlier self. Perhaps, he no longer saw me as a threat. It could also be I was the first person in a long while whom he could safely talk to without fearing I might turn him in.

We had casual conversation on the way back to the terminal. Once we re-entered the terminal, we parted way because I had a ferry to catch. He showed his appreciation for my company with a gentle pat on my shoulder before he left. By then, boarding had started for my ferry.

On the ferry to Geoje island, I thought about my unusual encounter. Why did our path cross? My heart told me I was a fugitive just like him. He was running away from justice and I from reality. It was like Huckleberry Finn and Jim; their path crossed when both of them were running away from their enslavement, despite one being white and the other black.

"I am no coward. I will go home and face the reality one day. Meanwhile, I just want to enjoy a moment of freedom.", I assured myself. Soon, I fell asleep. I dreamed of seagulls flying freely at the Busan port.

Soon, I fell asleep. I dreamed of seagulls flying freely at the Busan port.

비슷해도 달라

Below are three common verbs which are similar in form:

1. 흘리다 → 흘려요

2. 흐르다 → 흘러요

3. 흐리다 → 흐려요

Without checking the dictionary, fill in the blank below with the correct verb:

A. 날씨가 _____

B. 눈물을 _____

C. 시간이 _____

If you're not confused, I am. Even with helping words, I am still not certain which goes where sometimes. 

For a long time, I was unable to resolve these three verbs because I never gave much thought to them. Sometimes I thought they were the same. Sometimes, I mistook one for the other. Not only do they look alike, the meaning of  '흘려요' and '흘러요' is also quite similar in a way. They both have something to do with the flow of liquid.

With the help of dictionary, it is quite clear the three verbs are different in meaning:

1. 흘리다 → 흘려요

Definition: 밖으로 내다
('come out' as in to shed or to spill)

2. 흐르다 → 흘러요
Definition: 높은 곳에서 낮은 곳으로 움직이거나 넘쳐서 떨어지다
(move, overflow or drop from a high place to a low place)
 

3. 흐리다 → 흐려요
Definition: 분명하지 않다
(not clear, blur)

Hence, the answers are: A(3), B(1), C(2)

These three verbs are one example of "I thought I know but I actually don't".

분홍빛

사진으로 보는 것보다 실물이 훨씬 더 멋진 분홍빛 벚꽃. 파아란 하늘과 잘 어우러진 벚꽃을 그저 보면서 감탄만 할뿐. 왠지 이 화면은 유학 시절의 낭만도 떠오르게 한다.

사랑과 비

Love has two faces and they are “happiness” and “sadness”. Only love can perform the miracle of merging what are seemingly opposite and make them one. - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

As much as love can be dazzlingly beautiful, it can be heartbreakingly sad. Sometimes, tears may flow because you are very happy. Sometimes, in the midst of sadness, you may fall into a moment of happiness.

Rain and love are quite alike. It rains regardless if you are happy or sad. On a rainy day, you may feel happy due to the warmth of our companionship. On a rainy day, you may weep due to the sense of loneliness of past memories. If it is a rainy day, memories filled with happiness and sadness rains into our hearts.

(Translation of excerpt from KBS's "Love Rain" official site)

With so many covered walkways erected in Singapore, it is kinda difficult to have opportunity to share umbrella with someone else on a rainy day. Even without covered walkways, I am not too sure if people will share umbrella. As city becomes more crowded, people tend to keep a further distance from one another.

가수 못지않음

Not all singers can sing and not all non-singers can't sing. There are many people around us whom we think should have become singer but who never will. It is always a joy to hear them sing because they don't release albums nor stage performance frequently.

Shin Bora is a Korean comedienne or gag woman. She is a regular in the KBS2's programme "Gag Concert" which is aired every Sunday night. Every week, viewers are entertained by how she or her partner insists on a break up for some of the silliest reason out there in the segment "The Discovery of Life". It is quite well-known that she has a good vocal but it is not until I heard her sang seriously in Yu Huiyeol's Sketchbook that I am smitten by her voice.

Shin Bora singing Kim Yeon Woo's "I love you is a common word" 

Lee Hana is a Korean actress. She made her debut in one of my favourite Korean drama "Alone in Love" as the quirky sister of Son Ye-jin. She is one of those people whom you will want to say, "You should have been a singer." She has a melodious voice which is rare in the K-pop scene. I kinda suspect people will remember her more for her singing than her acting. Life is full of ironies.

Lee Hana singing Janis Ian's Grammy award winning song "At Seventeen"

봄 소식 전하는 팬지

From late February to early March, pansy begins to move out of nursery onto the streets and parks of Korea to deliver the first message of spring. No spring starts without the colourful petals of pansy. The bleak and gloom of winter is erased completely with a sudden explosion of colour.

Footsteps of spring

Pansy-decorated spring

꽁꽁 얼어있음

체감 온도가 급히 떨어지는 상태 물레방아에 길게 얼어붙은 고드름이 꽃처럼 활짝 피었던 겨울. 신기하죠. 예쁘죠.