Current K-Drama: Trot Lovers

This is the first post I’ve done on a Kdrama before and I think that is absolutely crazy because these shows are my primary form of entertainment. Sometime last year I did a post on kpop well I also love to watch dramas and Trot Lovers is the one I am currently watching. This is just a quick post with my thoughts on the show.

First this is my favorite type of drama. It has the dramatics of course but it is hilarious and also has romance. The cast I love them all and I am so surprisingly happy with Shin Sung-roc as Jo Geun-woo. The only other thing I had seen him in was My Love from Another Star and I hated him because you know he was the bad guy and did terrible things but in Trot Lovers he is one of the funniest actors in a drama I’ve seen in a while. Just his personality, how blunt he is and I think mainly how different in a good way he is from My Love from Another Star. I haven’t decided who I ship yet it is going to be a very tough choice between the two male leads. I will probably end up torn like with Boys Over Flowers.

I like that it has music. I loved Dream High 1 and 2. Monstar was also a great drama that centered around music. Since I love kpop so much when I know it is musically based I’m going to want to watch and this doesn’t disappoint whatsoever. The voices are very good.

From the loan sharks and how funny they are to the way Jang Joon-hyun is with Choi Choon-hee’s younger sister it makes me laugh and touches my heart. If you’ve never watched a Kdrama or are searching for a new one I highly recommend this one. It’s feel good and has such a happy vibe. If you’re also watching let me know your thoughts on the show and the cast!

Kelly

Geek meets Geek. But.. how?

 

Online

This is definitely the most common way. It’s the safest easiest way for us geeks to connect with others geeks. Literally. Most of us are techies by nature and are often online quite a bit. This applies not only to the internet in general, but also online gaming.

Pros

– Meets geeks from all over the world

– No judgement over appearances

Cons

– Interaction is limited to online

My Suggestions

Keep up with the good work? 🙂 This is the best way to meet other geeks, in my opinion, so no advice needed.

 

Conventions

I only recently went to my first geeky convention. (I know. Shame on me.) That was QuakeCon. I couldn’t have felt more at home surrounded by people that I know wouldn’t judge me, but actually be interested in me. It’s too much fun enjoying everything that a convention has to offer with people just like yourself. You gt to share your excitement with them and vice versa.

Pros

– Meets geeks of the same type as yourself. (I.E.: Otaku, Gamer, Comic Reader)

– Meet local & traveling geeks

Cons

– Conventions are often crowded, busy, and loud

My Suggestions

Get involved in the activities that interest you at the conventions. More often than not, they’re pretty fun and you get to meet other geeks during.

 

Stores

Specialty stores are a really good way to run into geeks with the same interests. Table top game stores, video game stores, card stores, anime stores, ect. You won’t always run into friendly folks at the stores, but occasionally you’ll run into some rarities that don’t mind talking.

Pros

– Meet local geeks

Cons

– Some geeks shop and leave in a hurry

My Suggestions

Stop in at favorite stores more often if possible. You might run into familiar faces. Another way it to follow what I suggested at conventions. Sometimes the local stores will have events and activities that you can join in on.

 

My Personal Experiences

I find that I have a hard time meeting other geeks locally. I think the first reason is the culture of the city that I live in. It’s a south Texas city that is old fashion and culturally driven. There isn’t much going on in regards to the geeky world. There are barely a handful of specialty geeky stores and the conventions are even rarer. People also tend to keep to themselves and I think that makes for a lot of private geeks.

To make matters worse, I’m of the female variety. When I step foot in my local stores, I’m just oogled and not really spoken to except by the guys working there. As for geeky girls in this city, they are like an endangered species. Some rare mythical unicorn type that I can’t seem to locate. Those few that do exist are often incognito and you won’t know they’re geeky unless you can talk to them for a while.

This brings me to my own personal strategy. *Ahem* Wearing my geeky merchandise out and about.

Nothing speaks from geek to geek quite like geeky clothing and accessories. It’s the perfect bait! I’ve noticed that geeks can’t help but compliment or comment on that Bleach shirt or on this Mario mushroom key-chain. People you’d never expect will stop to comment and your mind will officially be blown. Mine has several times over.

So when all else fails, wear your geeky stuff proudly and see who speaks up!

 

– Britney

New Shirt & Otaku’s

First and foremost…

 

I finally got a Game Over Video Games t-shirt!!!

They are a vintage video game store in San Antonio, Texas that has everything from a museum room of all old school consoles all the to used PS3 and XBOX 360 games. And they carry various video game accessories, which I love! If for, whatever reason, you’re in San Antonio and you enjoy old school video game merchandise, go check out this place.

On a completely different note, Otaku’s.

While browsing the internet for geeky merchandise and such, I’ve always noticed that the word, “Otaku” continues to pop up. It doesn’t take much to see that the word of Japanese, and that it is probably associated with people who watch anime or read manga. However , I was curious to see if there was anything more to it than that.

Otaku is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly (but not limited to) anime and manga.

It certainly seems that this definition matches another!

Geeks: People with obsessive passions/interests.

In short, Otaku’s are geeks. Geeky Americans seem pretty proud to be called an Otaku, wearing their anime shirts near every day. Ok, so Otaku are into anime and manga, but most geeks are!

Based on animes, we know that the boys tend to go for cute girls and obsess over things like maid cafe’s. Has anyone else seen the images floating around the interweb of the japanese men who are hugging their Dakimakura, body pillows with anime girls on them? I lol’ed at them like any person would have, but what I didn’t know was that the image was genuine! These men develop feelings for their Dakimakura. In fact, the spotlight was shone on the Otaku population when stories arose of men actually making vows of love to their body pillows! Of course, these are the extreme instances, but still.

Despite all that craziness, doesn’t Otaku just mean “Geek” in Japan? Why yes. However, it is not something you yell proudly down the street in Japan. While Americans happily wear their shirts with “Otaku” emblazoned on them, there have been native of Japan who would react to that with confusion and sometimes even disgust. More or less, they view Otaku’s as being people who choose to live in their own little worlds and so never become responsible adults in society.

What does that mean for U.S. Otaku’s? Well, not much.

I say, “Wear those shirts proudly!” — We are certainly proud of our geekdom!