I love Taiwan for many reasons...but one of the main reasons is because it's a country full of very progressive, open-minded and friendly people (from what I've experienced as a tourist.) And I'm glad to this this is reflected in my favourite Taiwanese celebrities.
Yesterday and today many celebrities celebrated the legalisation of same-sex marriage in the US by illuminating their Facebook and Instagram Facebook pictures with rainbows stripes. Although I myself am not same-sex oriented, and many of these celebrities aren't either, I'm glad we're all celebrating equality. Here are a few of my favourite celebrities that showed their support:
A more complete list of celebrity pride photos can be found on Koala's Playground
To celebrate the success and fun of this blog and related Instagram and Facebook accounts, I'm holding an SPOP competition! Ever wanted to own an actual SPOP magazine? Well, now you have a chance...All titles are 2014-2015 titles and come with freebies (Puff magazine comes with a mini cartoon Pleasantly Surprised bag, Murphy's magazine comes with a Murphy's mousepad and Many Wei's magazine comes with a Pleasantly Surprised 2015 Calendar [Hehe, seems random to be giving away a calendar...but you can use it for the next 6 months!]
Why is there no Jasper magazine?! Actually he features heavily in both the Puff and Mandy magazines. It was by accident that I didn't get covers with him on it. Sorry! (Please note: The prizes will only be these titles. No changes, unless I say so. I get these magazines from a friend, so I don't know where she buys them from.)
To win One of these magazines, you just have to do one of the following:
To enter the competition via These Dramatic Days Blog, do all these things:
1. Click the 'Follow' button on the right side of my home page under my name
2. Then leave a comment on this blogpost and tell me which magazines you want in 1,2,3 order. The comment can be a simple 'Hi!' or 'Thanks' or anything relating to the post. Please nothing rude or inappropriate or you'll be excluded.
(Please do not leave contact details on your comments! If you already follow me, simply compete 2 and 3. I'll find your name when I check followers before making the draw)
OR
To enter the competition via These Dramatic Days Instagram, do all these things:
1. Click the 'Follow' button
2. Like a picture and comment to tell me which magazines you want in 1,2,3 order
(If you already follow me, simply compete 2 and 3. I'll find your name when I check followers before making the draw)
OR
To enter the competition via These Dramatic Days Facebook, do all these things:
1. Click the 'Follow' button
2. Like a picture and comment to tell me which magazines you want in 1,2,3 order
(If you already follow me, simply compete 2 and 3. I'll find your name when I check followers before making the draw)
I'm not asking for any personal details, So just ensure that you keep an eye on my blog to see if you've won. Then email me at these.dramatic.days@gmail.com and I'll get your details and send your prize out to you.
You only have to enter in one way, but you have to do all the steps to be entered into the draw. You can enter in more than one way if you want a greater chance of winning. I will try to match each winner's preference, but I only have one of each magazine, so please don't ask to swap prizes. I'll draw first from those who entered on my blog, next those who entered on Instagram and last those who entered on Facebook.
I won't keep your details after the competition or send you junk mail or anything (I'm not a business, just a girl with a hobby). But I simply need a way to contact you if you're the winner.
I will draw the winners on the 28th of June, 2015and I will announce the winners across my Blog, Instagram and Facebook. Good Luck!
All this focusing on 3 dramas at a time has meant that I haven't given much thought to Morning Call 輕晨電, one of my favourite indie bands, but also the band that Jasper is in. I've still been listening to their songs, but I haven't posted much on their activities :s Sorry, Morning Call. I still love you guys a lot.
Last year while I was on a bit of a blog hiatus, Morning Call toured around 5 cities/venues in Taiwan. They then performed at Grasslands Festival, a music festival for university students and they've been hinting about releasing songs. Now they finally have a music video for one of their songs 我們背對著青春! It's more of a lyric video with all the lyrics of the song displayed to a really awesome indie clip that moves across various filtered landscapes (Their original clip had more of a mirroring effect of urban landscapes....But since then, the band has put the clip on private, so I've linked you to their live video performance of it. Jasper was busy so they put his picture out on iphone, so he'd be there in spirit). But the aesthetics are so poetic and I just love the dreaminess of this lyrics video. Do you want a translation of the lyrics? Sure you do....It's right under the music videos and Chinese lyrics. The other good news is that you can now listen, stream and purchase their song 我們背對著青春 on the following music sites and platforms: itunes, INDIEVOX, KKBOX, Omusic, myMusic, QQ音樂,蝦米音樂, 網易雲音樂, AMPed, musicStore, DiGi Music...What are you waiting for? Go buy Morning Call's new single and help support a talented Taiwanese indie band!
New Official lyric video
Online video performance from Official YouTube page
我們背對著青春
如果說這世界已沒有悲傷 如果說這世界已不需要逃亡 如果說這世界已莫以名狀 我想我終將無法歌唱 如果你離開只因看不清前方 如果你留下只因理不清立場 如果你拋下那些堆疊的景象 我想我們也因此成長 da~la~la~ 人們不厭的沉溺世界的瘋狂 da~la~la~ 共同成就著彼此善變的堅強 如果說這世界仍善於遺忘 如果說這世界還拘泥著夢想 如果說這世界仍吹捧著信仰 我想我終將放棄希望 da~la~la~ 人們不厭的沉溺世界的瘋狂 da~la~la~ 共同成就著彼此善變的堅強 da~la~la~ 人們不厭的迷戀膚淺的嚮往 da~la~la~ 共同成就著彼此脆弱的猖狂 我們持續聽著 屬於這時代的搖滾樂 直到彼此青春 Ah~ 我們持續聽著 屬於這時代的搖滾樂 直到彼此青春 Ah~ 我們持續聽著 屬於這時代的搖滾樂 直到彼此青春 Ah~ 我們持續聽著 Behind Youth If this world had no sorrows If this world had no need for escape If this world had no words to describe I think I would eventually be unable to sing If you depart only because you can't see clearly ahead If you leave only because the reason is not clearly positioned If you throw down those stacked layers of scenes I think we've also grown up consequently da~la~la~ People don't mind indulging in the madness of the world da~la~la~ The common achievements of each other's fickle strength If this world remains good but becomes forgotten If this world is still constraining shown dreams If this world is still excessively admiring known convictions I think I would give up hope da~la~la~ People don't mind indulging in the madness of the world da~la~la~ The common achievements of each other's fickle strength da~la~la~ People don't mind indulging in the madness of the world da~la~la~ The common achievements of each other's fickle strength We continue listening To the rock n' roll music belonging to this generation until each of us is youthful Ah~ We continue listening To the rock n' roll music belonging to this generation until each of us is youthful Ah~ We continue listening To the rock n' roll music belonging to this generation until each of us is youthful Ah~ We continue listening
Puff, my beautiful Puff. She will always be my one of my favourite leading ladies. Not only because she's so beautiful, but also because I also like her way of life, her philosophies, and her personality from what I've gathered from all her BTS videos, her interviews and her personal social media pages.
These photos for TVBS actually came out last week and I was so happy looking at them. But then they totally slipped my mind between all the drama translations, private translations and stuff I had to do. Here is a picture spam though. I'm knee deep in translation projects, but I'd like to do this one when there's time. Might be awhile though!
But the sad thing I've gathered from skimming through these articles is that Puff has been cheated on 3 times by ex-partners :( Isn't that sad? But she's learnt a lot from those experiences and it's made her a better person. She also says that she struggles with fame in that she's often asked to shoot nude scenes and sexy photos, which she's not actually comfortable with. It's great to see her stand her ground about her career though. I really admire her integrity and strength. Go Puff! I hope she's doing some great things in 2015 too :)
Ah, a second fan meet for When I see you again. This fan meet was pretty short, more like an introductory fan meet with the whole cast. I really liked the Instagram shots that Deyn and Zooey took together...Just like old Pleasantly Surprised times! Jasper has a bit of a crazy suit. But the man always looks nice, doesn't he? I will try to translate this when time permits
It is the weekend of fan meets, I tell you. I'm pretty tempted to just board a plane to Taipei and just attend them all. It's not going to happen, but now you have the chance to go on my behalf, especially if you're already in Taiwan. In any case, I'll update this post and post the pictures after they occur :)
When I see you again 他看她的第2眼 is hosting their second fan meet for fans tomorrow. Details as follows. Date: Friday, 5th June, 2015 Time: 1:00pm Time when you get your number: 11:30am (but you'll want to be there really early on. Like maybe 6:00am -_-;;) Address:三立電視文創劇場(台北市內湖區舊宗路一段159號) (Old Zhong Road, Taipei Neihu section, No. 159). Sanlih Cultural and Creative Theatre, Neihu Section. Jiu Zhong Lu / Old Zhong Road, Section 1, No. 159. If you do go, most taxi drivers know how to get there as soon as you say Sanli TV station.
Happy One Year Anniversary, Pleasantly Surprised!!! I miss Puff and Jasper and the Figaro Crew. But it's good to know they still hang out together...for how much longer, I don't know, as my favourite stars go off to do their own projects. But I'm glad to see they still have a strong friendship. I feel like it'll be one that will last in the industry and even if they do drift apart, it'll be a friendship that they'll easily pick up again when they have the chance to unite!
Anyway, recently, the Pleasantly Surprised crew had a big beach trip minus Jolin, Yorke and Jasper who were all filming on the day - Jasper for When I See You Again and Jolin and Yorke for Murphy's Law of Love. Hehe, the three boys were jokingly complaining that the rest of the crew were sneaky and unfair to pick a day when they were working! But everyone else seemed to have fun. It seems they spent the entire day together too and there's a lot of photos from everyone's account!
From Puff's Instagram...
Caption: Good Morning! Going on a trip...
From Deyn's Instagram...
Caption: Good Morning! Going on a trip~!
From Verna's Instagram...
Caption: Thank you, you guys for accompanying me ahead of my birthday! Like this group of people. Wish me Happy Birthday!
From Puff's Instagram...
Caption: To those who couldn't make it, sorry lo!
From Verna's Instagram...
Caption: Eating sand half day tour ~ Godmother Puff's sea urchin scrambled eggs are an unequalled force! Feeling very grateful ~
From Zooey's Instagram...
Caption: Before Summer comes, we go to the beach first. to lay in the sunshine. Finally go on a journey. Verna Pei, Happy Birthday! Hope in the future every year we can have a happy birthday together.
From Deyn's Instagram...
Caption: A group of people = Double the happiness. A really good and relaxing journey together. Not more to say than "Like"!
From Stanley's Instagram...
Caption: Getting to know you guys really has been a matter of happiness/luckiness. Each person is different, each person is devious in their own way, but I really like you all. I'm not someone who easily relies on friends, because that will quickly bring other people burdens...But I don't care...I just want to rely on you guys...ye, ye, ye, ye, ye~ ~ ~ ~ And then there's also no one who didn't make it (here today) because they are still in our hearts! : )
From Verna's Instagram...
Caption: A group filming dramas, after one year and still this close and gathering together. I think this is fate (a pre-destined relationship). Thank you Pleasantly Surprised for allowing me to meet you guys! Everyone's good-nature is proven from our time (together). Thankful for this rare to find fate (pre-destined relationship).
From Yorke's Instagram...
Caption: Think you guys are too cute! Can only say that me and my brother are actually too alike. Every Time I See Sean's pictures tagged as me, I keep laughing! ---Sean always seems to be mistaken for Yorke and vice versa!---
From Puff's Instagram...
Caption: Home-cooking to trick you to come here to eat with me
Caption: Already satisfied, already made a vow. Our lives have times of fear and times of joy. It's an unceasing study, an unceasing need for improvement, moving towards one's own dreams and forging one's future. Although in the end, not everyone's dreams will necessarily be the same...I sincerely wish that everyone's dreams will come true.
From Stanley's Instagram...
Caption: So relaxed that even my tummy has come out...hahahahaha!
I didn't happen to Screen cap when Jasper, Jolin and Yorke left comments on Puff's, Verna's and everyone else's photos with their complaining comments...but some fans did...here's one from a fan page...
