WGM: My Top 3 Couples

In my preceding post, I talked about the Korean reality show We Got Married. In watching the show, I've picked out my three favorite couples.. and as you will see, I seem to like couples that give off fun and laughter rather than chummy romantic stuff.

1. Lettuce couple / Joongbo couple : Hwang Bo and Kim Hyun Joong

This couple has always been my favorite. The lettuce couple is an interesting combination: an older woman/younger man couple. By this fact alone, a lot of people were pulled to see how they would do in (fake) marriage. Others may just have wanted to see Hyun Joong as a groom (he's an idol; he's got a lot of fans). There may also have been others who wished for Hwang Bo's failure to sooth their jealousy over Hyun Joong having a bride. Ho ho.. poor them, because the ssangchu (lettuce) couple is going strong!

It was the older woman-younger man thing that had me curious with the lettuce couple. It wasn't Hyun Joong, leader of Korean boyband SS501; I've given up on boybands and teen idols a long time ago. It wasn't Hwang Bo, rapper and singer and formerly of Chakra, because I've never heard of her before my WGM addiction. I just wanted to see how the two would get along, especially since the marriage is all a pretense and they only meet once a week. I also wanted to see how the relationship would work, because it really seemed like an awkward pair. They have a 6-year gap between them. Hwang Bo is known to be a little tomboyish. Hyun Joong is suave and blunt and really innocent when it comes to being married.

They really did start out to be an awkward couple, with Hwang Bo feeling the age gap and Hyun Joong not really knowing how to be a groom. But as the episodes go and as they got to know more of each other, we can see that they are actually a perfect match for each other! Hyun Joong's bluntness and simple humor starts a lot of laughters, and Hwang Bo can be infectious with her energy and "youthfulness."

May i just add that i am now a very big fan of Hwang Bo; she's all that a strong woman is. She can be a tomboy, very competitive and athletic, but she also has a feminine side with lots of good-wife hobbis. I'm also giving a thumbs-up to Hyun Joong. He's new to being a husband but he's carried the role well. He's also got some charm, something that won't make you hate him when he makes mistakes. Ahh, well, he's not a teen idol and group leader for nothing.

2. A! couple / Ant couple : Seo In Young and Crown J

The A! couple is the longest running couple of the show. They have been with WGM since the start. While the other starting couples have "divorced" or left the show, the Ant couple stayed and continued to give some comedic relief to the show.

Seo In Young and Crown J are really a comedic duo (a sweet one, I will concede). They fight all the time. One might wonder how they can still stay together when they always fight, even over petty stuff like noodles. They're not actually what you'd consider to be role models. Seo In Young is known as a witch or a devil, with her tantrums and scary glares. She likes shoes, and she likes fresh boys like Hyun Joong. She wants to be treated like a queen and everybody's better treat her like one. I really applaud Crown J for his massive patience. Whenever they fight, it's always him who gives some space and makes the first move to make up. It's not something I would have expected from a rapper but then there're always exceptions.

3. HwanYobi couple : Hwanhee and Hwayobi

This is another interesting couple. One emits abrasiveness and the other ditziness. The only thing Hwanhee and Hwayobi probably have in common is in being R&B singers. The HwanYobi is a new couple on the show so their union is still under observation by the viewers (like me).

They actually remind me of Nodame and Chiaki-senpai of Nodame Cantabile. Hwayobi is just like Nodame. She's very talented when it comes to music, but her personality is somewhat slow. The Hwayobi shows herself in WGM would make you wonder if she really is an R&B singer, composer, and pianist. I think I read somewhere that she also knows how to paint. In WGM, she really seems lost without her husband.

Hwanhee, on the other hand, sometimes looks as if he wants to get away from his wife sometimes. He can be cold and uncaring to Hwayobi at times. But as a man and husband, he does his best to be more forthcoming and patient. I can't say I don't like his bad boy image, though. He can be so smug and conceited in a humorous way. He's adamant not to bend and become a sweet and cuddly husband because that's just not the way he is. He instead tries to show his "love" in other ways.. although I haven't seen any yet.


We Got Married is now on its 31st episode. Joongbo is carrying on with their bets-and-competition married life, the Ant couple has just moved to a new house, and HwanYobi is still on the getting-used-to-each-other stage.

Hooked on We Got Married

Just a thought: I can imagine my friends and younger sister snickering once they've read this post, but I'm way past caring about them teasing me on stuff like these..

I got hooked to a Korean reality show just recently after a friend sent me a link of one of its episodes (the main reason why I haven't updated this blog for quite a while). This show is gaining popularity among Asian TV fans like me (and I have to say I'm actually very late in talking about this show online; numerous other bloggers have already expressed their "rabu-rabu" views about the show). It is called We Got Married, shortened to WGM, and (if I read right on Youtube) will be renamed to Sunday Marriage.

Basically, the show highlights how celebrity couples might do when they get married and live together. Let me just emphasize that all the couples here are just in a fake marriage. The program directors searched on celebrities who are compatible with each other and pair them up in the show. The couples put in efforts as to how they would act if they were really husband and wife. The show gives the couples missions to complete as they spend their Sundays working on their married life.


At first I thought that it would just be a chummy show with the stars giving off romantic sparkles to the viewers. Well, it is chummy and there are romantic sparkles swirling around. But that's not exactly the reason why I came to be addicted to We Got Married. I ignore the cheesy moments and instead focus on the hilarious loving moments of each couple. With this show, you can easily appreciate the Korean's sense of humor and witty attitudes. The celebrities paired up are marked for their humorous antics and blunt punchlines. All episodes of the show gave me a lot of laughs.

I can see my sister raising an eyebrow, not believing that my reason for watching We Got Married would not be connected to any romantic notions of mine. Ha! Believe it. I like comedy more than romance and love stories.

I applaud the show's creators for bringing about the whole concept. I'm also glad that the program directors did enough research to know which celebrities can bring about a marriage that seem so real that there are many of us hoping that these couples would actually get together in real life.

Some say that the show may be scripted. I doubt it. Missions are given and certain scenarios are set up, sure. But I'm sure that the husbands and wives are all on their own when making the light conversations and cranky situations.

Even Decent People Have Goofy Moments

I can relate to this because this is how I usually pose for the camera.

There are just some people who like to have their goofy moments. Even the serious types of people can surprise you. One moment, we're all graceful and serious and smiling innocently and just acting so bashfully...


And then when the flash come on.. Goof Spoof Proof! (I have no idea where I got this phrase.)



Poor Goldilocks... (Where'd you come from anyway?) :p

The Wrong Love Pair-Ups!

Whenever I watch a movie or animation, or whenever I read a book or a story, I usually keep tabs on the love pair-ups. Must be the stifled romantic in me, but the love pair ups, or the love teams, in the stories can have an effect in me. If I love the pairing of the protagonist and his or her love interest, then I would only be too happy to read more quickly or watch the movie/animation more intently. If I hate the pair, though, I'd end up crunching my nose and sighing in frustration with as to why the two characters got together and not with some other person who I think would be more compatible for them.

I just read Brisingr, the third installment of the Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini. After reading it, I got even more frustrated with the state of Eragon's lovelife. I loved the book, there's no mistake. I love the series and I am eagerly waiting for the fourth and last book of the series. But Eragon's lovelife frustrates me. The third book has ended but he still pines for Arya, and his love still remains unrequited.

This brings to my mind the other love pair-ups that I wanted to end in a happily-ever-after story but are most usually not meant to be. Some of the love pair-ups I like would sometimes come true but towards the end of the story, it's either their relationship status is in trouble or has gone totally down the rocks. And that just irks me to the point that I want to bash the author's or creator's head for not making the pair-ups work.

To elaborate, here are some of my most wanted love pair-ups and how they are not together:

1. Eragon and Angela

Were you surprised that I voted for Angela to be Eragon's love interest? Well, it's because Iwant his love interest to be Angela, and not Arya. Arya just doesn't seem to be that interesting, aside form the fact that she's an elf and elves are elegant. I also don't feel the sparks between Eragon and Arya whenever they have a moment with each other in the story. Perhaps, Arya is just stiff by nature and just doesn't show her feelings that much. I tried to settle with an "opposites attract" theme with the Eragon-Arya pair-up but it still doesn't fit for me.

Now, Angela, on the other hand, is quite more interesting than Arya. She goes overboard sometimes but I like her and her way with people. I especially like how she interacts with Eragon, and I believe that at one time, in Eldest, there was a time when Eragon felt comfortable with Angela. He still does, I'm sure, as he knows Angela treats him as she would any other person, and that mattered to Eragon.

Sadly, the author doesn't seem to share my sentiments on the matter. He still goes on with Eragon pining after Arya. (I'll still read the fourth book, no matter who Eragon will be with.)

2. Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood

Now, I'm sure you're laughing. Hey, I'm giggling, too. I know. Loony Luna's a little.. err... loony.. for the famous Harry Potter. But I'd still take Luna over the irritable Cho Chang and the annoying Ginny Weasley. But then I guess the majority wins, and Harry and Luna are not meant to be. It rarely happens when a famous character like Harry Potter would fall for a weird girl like Luna.

I got over this not-meant-to-be pair-up when I grew frustrated over the Harry Potter series (I let it pass that Harry got together with Ginny, but it was the way the story had gone darker and the way Harry had become a little smug that made me lose my Harry Potter addiction).

3. Cagalli Yula Athha and Athrun Patrick Zala

I am a huge fan. They were actually paired up in the Gundam SEED series. But it was implied that they broke up towards the end of Gundam SEED Destiny, with Cagalli choosing to focus on ruling Orb and leaving Athrun in the hands of another girl. I can recall a blog stating their relationship status to be "on hiatus."

A lot of me would agree that they really go well together. Athrun's the calm and shy type, while Cagalli is outgoing and frank. I rejoiced when they got together in Gundam SEED, and I hated the SEED Destiny ending because it made it obvious that the two are no longer together in the end. The creators had better launch a movie or another season and have Cagalli and Athrun back together again. Just when is the proposed movie going to be finalized anyway?!

4. Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata

I'm sure I'm not the only one vying for this pair-up to come true. You can't hate Naruto, and you can't hate Hinata. Naruto is just so whacked in the head he's hopeless, but Hinata still likes him. Naruto can get himself humiliated a million times, and Hinata would still be on the side admiring him. Well, it's a little annoying that Hinata is extremely shy. But wouldn't that just match Naruto's thick face and loud mouth?

The anime and manga is gearing towards Naruto and Sakura, but I'm still betting on Naruto and Hinata. And I'm not the only one so the creator better think before he settles on Naruto's love interest.

5. Kusosaki Ichigo and Inoue Orihime

All the Bleach fans know how Inoue is so much in love with Ichigo, while Ichigo jsut values friendship so much he knows nothing of the "rabu-rabu" feelings. Despite his ignorance on the subject, though, it's something that I grew to like about him. Right now, I can't see him as the romantic type.

This pair-up might go well as the series goes on. But there is the presence of Rukia to think about. I do not hate Rukia; I like her, too, as a matter of fact. I'm not sure about how she feels about Ichigo, but Ichigo certainly listens to Rukia and values her opinions. There have been many times wherein Ichigo is so influenced by Rukia. When it comes to Inoue, it's just pure friendship. I do not detect anything from Ichigo, but I hope that he would Inoue.


These are just some of the pair-ups I have in mind right now. What are the chances these pair-ups will come to be, do you think?

Gotta Love the Monk

I'm going through Jason Statham's movies right now, and one of his movies that I really love is the Mean Machine. Not that it's his movie; he just made a sort of special appearance as the most feared convict in prison. Legend has it among the cons that Monk (Jason Statham) killed 23 men with his bare hands... and that was before he learned karate. He was placed in a separate cell from the other inmates, and he is closely guarded because of his insane desire to crack bones in a person's body.

Mean Machine is a movie that pitches inmates versus the prison guards in a game of football. Monk is the goalie... who likes to be a sweeper now and then and do flying kicks at the opponent when the ref isn't looking. He's insane, but you just gotta love him here.

Sleeping Beauty ... Not Me, Mind You...

So I like to sleep a lot. But the Sleeping Beauty I refer to is the real Sleeping Beauty (or maybe not real, just the original fictional character) made by Disney. I just watched the whole cartoon movie again earlier, and I still say it's one of the best Disney movies. It's old, and maybe too sugary sweet.. but it's a fairy tale, and back then people were fond of singers of the opera enough to cast one for Princess Aurora's singing voice.

Sleeping Beauty was made in 1959, so the quality of the film may be a little antique for our modern tastes. The graphics are obviously from that time as well. But I daresay if we lived in that time we would've been impressed by all of it.

I would just also like to say that Maleficent's voice actor was magnificent. I'd also just like to say that Prince Philip and Princess Aurora are among my favorite Disney couples.

Here's a clip of the main theme song of Sleeping Beauty: Once Upon a Dream. It's when Princess Aurora and Prince Philip first met as adults. I used to sing this song whenever I felt like a classical singer (no, I never felt like a princess).

Kira Yamato vs Athrun Zala

Of all Gundam eras and series, my favorite has to be that of Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny. One factor was because of the graphics and animations (although if you disregard the color of the hair, the eyes, etc., all the characters would look like clone of one another). Another was the storyline, and how the story seems so realistic at times. But the biggest factor for me was the development, growth, and great display of personal and emotional power in the characters of the both series.


As the main protagonists of the Gundam SEED and SEED Destiny series, the character developments of best friends Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala are the most focused on in the anime. Both had their emotional problems, the most important issue mainly about the fact that they fight for different sides of the war, pitting them against each other.

Strike Freedom: Kira Yamato

As Gundam SEED ends, we are told that Kira Yamato was made to be the Ultimate Coordinator. It was instilled in him to be the greatest of his generation of coordinators, and his prowess and talent made him the best Gundam pilot.

Physical abilities aside, his weakness was that of his connection to his best friend, and “type” of human being (being a coordinator). As the war goes on, he also battles with himself, thinking constantly that he was betraying his fellow coordinators. As the story progresses, however, he ascertains his principles and becomes stronger in his beliefs. This aids him to be more straightforward in his battles. He becomes more sure of himself and what he needs to do.

Kira’s demeanor is quite silent. He thinks, but in the end it is his heart that he follows. His shyness and reserved manner gets him in a “follower” position, though, almost always waiting for a push from his peers and leaders before he makes a move.

Infinite Justice: Athrun Zala

One blogger described Athrun Zala as the "Eternal Thinker." I would have to agree. Perhaps Athrun’s weakness lies in thinking too much, that he ends up not knowing which side he should be fighting for. This also hinders some clear decisions in his part, as he has been led to fight for the anatagonists for both Gundam SEED and SEED Destiny.

Thankfully, in the end, he always gets it right (although with dire consequences). In Gundam SEED, he defected from ZAFT when he learned of his father’s plan to eliminate the Naturals. In SEED Destiny, he defected once again when he was going to be framed as a traitor.

Athrun also has a reserved demeanor, quite like Kira. But in the case where Kira is the follower, Athrun was a born leader. He is one of the best Gundam pilots, and one of the few who are undefeated in SEED mode. He can level it out with Kira, almost killing his best friend. Athrun is also excellent in hand-to-hand combat and is a great marksman. He is also a good military strategist.


Who Is Ultimate? Though I favor Athrun more because I feel for him more, in matters of principles and a straight heart I would have to go for Kira Yamato. From Gundam SEED to Gundam SEED Destiny, Kira has shown more maturity and has achieved a more balanced thought on peace and fighting against war. In SEED Destiny, it was clearly shown that while Athrun was disillusioned and confused, Kira never wavered from his beliefs.

The Past Tense of BS

I was a little surprised to see a curious word when I was reading John Dunning's The Bookman's Promise. The word: bullshat ... it's the past tense of bullshit. When I read it, it was like the BS word "bullshat" me, too. I have never heard or saw the word in print before and I thought that maybe the author was bullshitting me with his choice of words.

So I checked. And bullshit.

Bullshat really was a past tense for the verb form of bullshit, aside from the more correct form bullshitted.

Dictionary.com:

v. bull·shit also bull·shat (-shāt) or bull·shit·ted (-shĭt'ĭd), bull·shit·ting, bull·shits

v. intr.

1. To speak foolishly or insolently.
2. To engage in idle conversation.

We Should Make Barcodes Like These..

You have to love the Japanese for being creative and inventive. They're one of the leaders in technology and innovations, started the anime and manga comic addiction, and they can make barcodes like these:


Here's more where they came from: Japanese Creative Barcodes