I get notified whenever we have a new person 'Follow Us' on the Blog. Naturally I expect all my friends, family, & casual acquantances to do so. But occasionally Pat and I get a new follower that neither of us know. Being the friendly person I am, I send a welcoming email to thank them for becoming a Gmama... and I usually ask how they heard about us. Well, it's just like my friends that typically ignore my Kdrama suggestions... I get total silence in return. I have no cl

Having recently returned from Europe, I want to point out something that is similar between Europe and South Korea. Both places apparently they have a phobia against colorful clothing. Everywhere I went in Germany, Austria, & Italy the vast majority of people were wearing blacks, grays, and maybe some navy or brown thrown in for excitement. This is also true in Korea where the streets of Seoul look like a black & white photo. By contrast Americans are exuberant with their e

Okay, I’m going to say it. I’ve got a crush on Kim Go-eun. Fabulous Kim Go-eun Isn’t she beautiful? I think so. (Of course she’s young, and I think everyone young is beautiful…except, well, never mind.). No one has tears well up better than she can. She always looks like she on the verge of crying. She’s the master. She’s also one of the few actors who hasn’t had double eyelid surgery. To me, she just looks more authentic. I read an article about her that said she had

Judy here with an observation. It's going to be hard to describe this as I find it a very nuanced situation that I've noticed in Kdramas. It has to do with relationships and how I think they're different in Korea than in the United States. Park Hyung-sik & maybe Park Shin-he (No clue what the show is... perhaps Doctor Slump?) The first difference in relationships is what I will call The Declaration . In almost all instances the leading man (or woman) will directly state "I

It's Pat and It’s got to be said, and it’s got to be said right now: I MISS MR. SUNSHINE . There just isn’t anything as good, as compelling, as romantic, or as cinematically gorgeous as Mr. Sunshine. You know I’ve tried and tried and tried to find something as excellent but it hasn’t happened so far. Okay, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God runs a close second, but just second. It’s in the ‘always a bridesmaid but never a bride’ category. Anyone feel like I do? Weigh

It's Judy and I realize that I know something that perhaps you do not. Korean is the only Asian language that has circles in its written form. So you can easily distinguish Korean from all other Asian languages just by looking for that. 사랑해요 Korean "I Love You" (See those circles?) 愛してます Japanese 我爱你 Chinese ฉันรักคุณ Thai मुझे तुमसे प्यार है Hindi Pretty cool, isn't it! Wow. I learn something new every time a read a post of yours! ~ Pat

What exactly strikes terror in the hearts of every Korean conglomerate? It's not having the head of their Finance Department taken out in handcuffs. Nope, it's not the social media photos of the young inheritor caught in a compromising situation. It's not even a problem if the Directors' wives get in a cat fight in the lobby. None of those cause the kind of terror that the dreaded Blue Boxes bring... Blue boxes are apparently what the legal industry uses in Korea to perfo

It's Judy again. After a few months of enlightened and educational posts I wanted to reassure our readers that, in fact, I have not changed. Really, it's all about the gorgeous Korean men for me...Still. Yeah, yeah, yeah I get involved in the plots and the cinematography but have just accepted the fact that I am 100% enamored with these actors. And singers for that matter. I mean, have you seen BTS members dance? And they have those same 'gorgeous Korean' visuals too! A

No, this isn’t about making a bet. It’s about the Korean celebrities who have decided to forgo double eyelid surgery. There are both Korean actresses and singers who have chosen not to do this. This includes Jisoo and Jennie from BLACKPINK and several actresses in Kdramas. Kim Go-eun. Fabulous actor and monolid eyes.... Pat and I think they're beautiful. I just finished watching You and Everything Else starring Kim Go Eun. Not only am I fascinated by her, but I love how

Do you remember that old joke? It’s not really a joke. It’s a zen riddle to challenge rational thinking to help achieve enlightenment. Huh? Right. It’s way above my pay grade to understand deep thoughts like this, but it’s what I always think about when I watch a Kdrama and see how Koreans clap. Americans clap full out with our fingers against our palms. At least that’s the way I clap. Koreans clap with their fingers touching. It’s a more gentle clap, more measured an

It's Pat. In all the Kdramas I’ve watched, I’ve never heard of a ritual dinner. In the Kdrama I just finished, You and Everything Else , the film crew has a ritual dinner before they start filming their newest movie. The crew gathers together to have a staff person prostrate himself and ask the gods of heaven and earth to save them from the demons of schedule cancellations, fickle weather, retakes, tardiness, and accidents. Then he asks that these demons be sent far, fa

Judy here to keep you current! Koreans are definitely into personality tests... not only do they categorize themselves amongst acquaintances but they'll also include this information on job interviews! The latest trend is something being called Teto vs Egen. (Since you religiously read this blog you already know about the MBTI Personality Tests and Blood Type Personality Indicators.... but just in case you forgot I'll remind you.) MBTI stands for Myers-Brigg Type Indicator

We all notice the shoes off policy in Korean homes as depicted in Kdramas. But that's even starting to become more common in the US. How many of you noticed the difference in showering protocols? Park Shi-hoo (Not familiar with him but perhaps I should be...) I have rather fine hair. In order to look my absolute best I must shower and shampoo every morning to get maximum lift and volume for my hair. If I shower at night I closely resemble a drowned rat the next day. Cer

It's J udy. Taxi Driver is a Kdrama whereby a taxi customer can get revenge from people who have wronged them. I think I rated it a 7 or 8 and honestly, I cannot remember many of the scenes except one. I am absolutely certain that they drove across the Han River 5-6 times per episode. There were 16 episodes in two seasons so that means we visually crossed the river perhaps 150 times. There are many different bridges over the Han but I did not keep track of which bridge

In all my years of watching American TV or attending movies I have never heard this noise. Not until I watched a Kdrama. And now it's a fairly common phenomenon. What is it? Well, it's growling stomachs. I've mentioned before how food plays such an important role in Kdramas - and apparently Korean society - and growling stomachs is just one more symbol. I would guess that perhaps 20-30% of all Kdramas have a scene where one of the actors's stomach will loudly growl and e

Judy here with great info. In the US you ask people 'how are you?' In China and in Korea you ask them 'have they eaten?' In Namibia, you ask if 'they slept well?' Naturally you know that I have learned the Korean version from my language classes plus my trip to Korea last year. Our tour guide taught the group to ask that when we greet one another. My niece lived in China for four years studying the language & told me recently that the Chinese also inquire about their

Cast of Kim's Convenience Store (not sure which cast but this is the best I could do!) I was lucky enough to see this play in San Francisco last weekend. This was the play that inspired the eponymous Netflix show. Playwright Ins Choi not only wrote the play but also starred in the leading role. The story is a humorous take on the serious subject of immigrants who have made their home in foreign countries. Here the country is Canada, the city, Toronto. Ins Choi is a Korean

*That is Pat Speak for ‘I’m Annoyed’ I’m on an overseas trip, and because I’m a Kdrama addict, I came well prepared. IN ADVANCE, I downloaded all the Kdramas I wanted to watch while traveling. This included an old Lee Byung-hun movie, Iris , and the Kdrama, Little Women. My current obsession with Kim Go-eun has motivated me to watch everything she’s been in, and she’s in Little Women. I have to say I’m not crazy about this Kdrama, but I decided to finish it anyway. The s

Pat's breakfast routine. Looks like sludge to Judy... It's Pat. Before Judy starts ragging on me about my breakfast choice, I want everyone to know exactly what it is. First, it's healthy. Second, it's nutritious. Third, it's something even she could whip up. Whey Cool Protein Siggi's Skyr nonfat peach yogurt banana frozen chopped spinach Wyman's frozen wild blueberries Combine all in a blender and enjoy...with a kdrama of course!~ Oh good grief. I don't even know where

It's Judy and I am on a house exchange in Germany. Pat went to Turkey and now is in Berlin, Germany. So what do the Gmamas do when in the same country? Well, of course we meet up in Munich! She's taking the train south from Berlin & I'm taking the train north from my village to spend the day together on Monday. That's true friendship, isn't it? By the way, I was enjoying a view at Neuschwanstein Castle when I overheard someone say "Owo!" I turned & inquired "Korean?"