saranghae

During the time that we lived in Korea, the changing seasons were, for me, a constant source of wonder and delight. -Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, Love Song

I finally caught the Korean wave when I watched all 16 episodes of 백만장자와 결혼하기 (Baek-man-jang-ja-wa Gyeol-hoon-ha-gi), which was a challenge since some members of my family preferred 커피프린스 1호점 which aired simultaneously in another channel. Before, I couldn't understand why some of my relatives seemed addicted to this kind of soaps. I've heard them described as having relatively short plots and hardly any kissing scenes, which confounded me even more. But now I see them as a fun escape: in the case of my favorite show, the visuals and some lines of the script stirred my imagination so much that I even called a friend in Daegu.

Above is my favorite scene from 백만장자와 결혼하기 (thanks to ABS-CBN). I love the optimism expressed by the lines that begin with "So will you imagine that today is the most difficult day?" They express the spirit of the new Korea, which before was said to be less developed than the Philippines but is now an Asian powerhouse. I understand the feelings conveyed because I make an effort to be a better person, a better lover, everyday. And while I try to give of myself truthfully and completely in every moment and in each relationship, tomorrow, it will be an even better me who will love and be loved.