Isay Says:My Personal Tales: Why I love Korean and Taiwanese dramas

My solid affilitation jajajaja with korean and taiwanese dramas date back as far as 2005. In fact, korean and taiwanese dramas are part of my happy thoughts. They rekindle so many, but so many beautiful memories during my mid 20s, my life in the Philippines and the friendships that I built through these dramas.

When I changed continents and zip code jajajaja, one of the things that I brought to Madrid are my F4, Taiwanese group CDs. F4 was a famous Taiwanese pop idols. They were the leads of Meteor Garden which was huge in the mid 2000s of the Asian entertainment pop culture. Aside from F4, I also got hooked up in Korean dramas/series. The plot and storyline is always predictable, but it is a breather, no brainer, just breezy to watch after a lond and hard day at work, during my Accenture days. Jejejejeje

It has been more than a decade since I first laid my eyes on Meteor Garden and Winter Sonata, a Korean Drama but I still get the feels jajajajaa. But more than the teenager, goofy and giddy feelings that they bring, these korean and taiwanese dramas remind me of the following:

1. The friendships that I built through these Korean and Taiwanese dramas. WWe may now live in different countries, different timezones but we still keep in touch. These are friendships that started getting all goofy and giddy with these good looking actors but eventually, these friendships blossomed into real, authentic deep friendships, in good and bad times. These are the friends who were with me when my heart was broken, when I went through some tough personal times, when I adjusted to my new life here in Spain. Thank you to my closest girl friends (you know who you are!!) for all the love, support and friendship through the years! I love you!!!

2. The best years of my corporate life spent in Accenture Manila. My career as an IT professional kicked off in Accenture even if my university degree was Boradcast Communications. I am always grateful to my first ever Accenture lady boss, Maybelle Deza Limpingo, who believed in me and gave me the breaks that I needed. I loved our team, we were a team of young, dedicated professionals. We worked long hours, but there was a strong sense of trust.

3. Also, during that time, as part of our regular Accenture team building, company culture, there were regular social activities where the employees convene. I was, at times, the host of those gatherings. There was even a time that there was a contest to determine the best look alike of the lead actress in Meteor Garden. I remember contacting my colleagues to vote for me even if I look so different from her. I had big curly hair, I was very very plump, I am very morena hahahaha.. Thanks to the support of my colleagues.. I bagged the Look alike recognition! It was indeed very funny during the awarding because everyone was just laughing, at disbelief, that I won the prize. Hahahahahah

4. My obsession with the Mandarin and Korean language to the point that I speak fake Mandarin and Korean. Hahahahaha I can fake the accent. There was even a time that my Swedish colleague in Telefonica requested me to translate a text a in Mandarin. Jajajajajajaja And of course, I admitted that all along, I was just speaking fake Mandarin. Jajajajaja. Badoink! moment for me. Jajajajaja.

5. All the commuting time that I spent in Manila, after a long day at work, just to reach the primetime block and watch these dramas. It reminds me that at one point, traffic in Manila was bearable and not as horrendous as it is now. I hope and pray that our infrastructure and traffic system in Manila will improve tremendously to assist the labor workforce and ease the commuting time.

6. How my family in Manila just laughed at me because of this silly obsession, how much they tolerated and accept this silly "vice". Thanks to Mom and all of my siblings for loving me as I am. :)

Generally, these Korean and Taiwanese dramas bring out the teenage, the peter pan in me, they are not heavy at all. Plus the lead actors are always so pleasant to look at! They are just so clean looking, "poreless" people. Hahahahaha But on a more serious note, watching them relieve the special bond that I once shared with my closest girlfriends. And even if we are far now, I just remember the fun conversations and they never fail to paint a smile on my face.

Thank you F4, thank you Korean dramas and thank you to my friends for sticking it with me through thick and thin. Much love!! Mwuah!!!!