Hello all you beautiful people! 안녕하세요다예쁜고아름다운사람! こんにちは全部きれいな人！The University of San Francisco (USF; the college I attend in the US) is putting on a study abroad photo contest for those who studied abroad during the intercession 2012, spring 2012, summer 2012, or fall 2012 semesters. The prizes: first place winner gets a USF bookstore gift certificate worth $100; second place winner gets one worth $50. I’m not a patron of the campus bookstore (unless Amazon and half.com fail to deliver on prices or the professor requires us to use some obscure/hard-to- find material), but you bet I’ll pay a visit if I win either of these prizes.
Which nine (you can submit up to 10) photos did I choose? Take a look below.
Gwanghwamun, main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace
The Blue House (aka where Lee Geun-hye now lives)
Statues in the Daechi neighborhood of Seoul
Gravesite of Rev. Theodore Geppert, S.J., founder of Sogang University
Colorful fall tree leaves near Sogang’s front gate
Two kids trying on Joseon Dynasty ceremonial robes near Gyeongbokgung Palace
Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, part of Gyeongbokgung Palace
Daily Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace
First snowfall at Sogang
You may have seen some repeats, but most of these photos are making their first public debut on this blog. Come on Center for Global Education. One of these babies is good enough to win first place, especially since I’m the first student from USF to step on Sogang’s soil and one of the few courageous souls to bypass China (she has more worldwide fame than Girls’ Generation or Justin Bieber) and Japan (an oldie but goody) on the student’s way to Asia. And I’m an underrepresented minority. Don’t those things count for diversity points?
Job description: Super Junior’s resident netizen and socialite. Was the MC for MBC’s Radio Star and hosted his own radio show called Heechul’s Young Street. Got an Excellence Award when he was discharged from military service on August 30, 2013.
First Impressions: Gay or Bisexual; Diva; Doesn’t Give a Flying Flip About What Anyone Says; Crazy; He’s Prettier than Me …. and I’m a Girl!; Rockstar; Can’t Sing
Aliases: Cinderella, Heenim, Milky Skin Heechul
The Good: If there is anyone in Super Junior who embodies the running gag “Screw the Rules” of Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series fame, it is Heechul. (Here’s a video from the series as an example)
Heechul is probably the only member who has the license to say, wear, or do anything without suffering intense public backlash. Unpredictability and outlandishness runs in his AB blood, which in Korean blood type folklore means that he is unstable and sort of bipolar. Indeed, Heechul has been given some of the boldest hairdos (check out the colors from the Twins and Don’t Don eras), said a manner of off-the-record statements (a little later in this post), and has often been the sole source of Super Junior scandals (He gave Sungmin a full kiss on the lips during one concert, setting Korean media ablaze. In two subsequent concerts, he did the same to Siwon and a member of labelmate band TRAX; however, these failed to generate a media firestorm. As of this post, Heechul regrets nothing and hasn’t issued an apology to any of the involved parties of said incidents.).
But for all his eye-popping moments, Heechul sincerely cares for all the members, especially Donghae and past member Hangeng (he even bought Hangeng’s first solo album). Heechul has said that he doesn’t know how to properly express his feelings to other people, which could be a factor underlying some of his actions – however, the members of Super Junior, his fans (called ‘Petals’), and ELF understand his language.
Heechul has used his penchant outspokenness to scold sasaeng fans, or people who choose not to recognize that even idols have boundaries, for their behavior and its consequences (a mild example: non-fatal car accidents caused by tailgating the idol’s car). He’s one of the few people in Korea’s entertainment industry that are brave enough to stand up to these poor, misguided people (he even shut down his beloved Twitter account as a deterrence measure).
The Bad: Although Heechul is an outstanding citizen, the court would like for him to complete an anger management course for a period within his 2 years of civilian duties. A Mr. Choi Siwon also filed a suit to get him to go to church, which he has refused to do over the duration of their relationship.
And now, some quotations.
On himself:
“My beauty never loses anywhere.”
“Since I’m already so good-looking, I do not need to see girls who are pretty.”
“I can please girls so well.”
“My voice is too sexy.”
“So being with me will give the person a sense of achievement.” (because he’s difficult to understand)
“Being introverted isn’t really me. It damages my title, the World Star. Let’s be myself, Kim Hee Chul. Let’s be cool!”
“I, Kim Heechul, was born successfully to make women fall in love with me. It’s not my fault. It’s not of my own free will. My mother and father created this face!”
“I glow in [all] sides, so take my pictures all you want.”
“I don’t monitor my image and it will always be Leeteuk who will clear it up for me.”
On love:
“I know and believe in love at first sight.”
“I was criticized for being a bad kisser. Out of spite, I practiced…”
“I’m 30?! I should find a wife and get married soon … it feels complicated.”
“If there is someone I like, I don’t really know how to confess.”
On Life:
“I am Me, You are You, I’m just living my life, you should just live your own life, so take back those obscure preachings and do what you are supposed to do.”
“Although I look fierce most of the time, I’ve never hit a woman.”
“No matter how big a mistake a woman makes, a man should not hit her, even if he really wants to – he can only do it with [his] mouth.”
“I tried living as a very nice person, but there’s no need to be nice … you have to be mean to survive.”
“Equality only exists in death.”
“Life is so funny.”
“All of my friends are important.”
Uhhh…
“I love to watch horror movies a lot. I will switch off the lights and hug my cats while watching the movie. I’m not afraid as long as my cats are there.”
“I have never felt that I am a devil.”
“Sometimes Donghae comes in when I’m watching a movie. He will look at me and say, ‘A pervert indeed.’ ”
“Other trainees were scared of me, especially female trainees, because I was wearing a wig, and my clothes were flirtatious.”
“When I acted as Lady Hee Hee, I have to wear heels, BECAUSE IT’S SEXY.”
“Korean idols are really a problem. I am a problem too, so if everyone can be harmonious, banning me is OK too.”
“For the sake of moistening the lips, honey is good. Applying other products is good too. But why not get a boyfriend or girlfriend and use their lips to moisturize it.”
“I speak Gangster English. I learned a hella wrong one (-_-) lol… But it’s my style.”
“I think I’ve turned you all into perverts, I’m sorry.” (To his fans)
On anti-fans:
“Anyways you all will be losers who wouldn’t dare say anything in real life.”
On his fans:
“My fans are not fans but petals.”
– “Without the beautiful petals, the flower will not survive.”
Found some quotes that you’d like to add to your mirror? Feel free to discover more quotes at the HeechulFacts Tumblr.
And read more about how Heechul “screws the rules” in real time in this article.
Job description: In civilian life, his full-time job is leading Super Junior; his part-time duties consist of MCing on various Korean variety shows (such as Strong Heart and Star King). Following seven years of faithful and dedicated service as one of the radio DJs on Super Junior’s Kiss the Radio (Sukira), Leeteuk retired from that aspect of his career on December 4, 2011. As a soldier, he currently leads a squad of men and has received an award for marksmanship.
First Impressions: Dimples!; Master of Verbal Communication; Super Junior’s Rock and Prime Motivator
Aliases: Angel Without Wings, Peter Pan, Teukie
The Good: Leeteuk has said that he wanted to be a politician or diplomat when he was in middle school, and it certainly shows in his speech. When Leeteuk speaks, his words and voice definitely have a calm, presidential vibe free of awkward pauses or too many filler words. While he may be using some sort of formula, the speech at least sounds good.
Leeteuk also deserves much of the credit for leading Super Junior and keeping the group together through multiple hardships. Some people can lead two to five people, but 13? That’s a small office! Multiple personalities and differing backgrounds don’t help either. In addition, circumstances beyond the group’s control, such as the addition of Kyuhyun, multiple car accidents, and especially Hangeng’s lawsuit and subsequent departure could have splintered the group into warring factions or resulted in the disbandment of Super Junior altogether had Leeteuk displayed inadequate or indifferent leadership. It’s obviously clear that Leeteuk’s heart and soul is in Super Junior and that he will be sorely missed during his time away from the entertainment scene.
And then there’s his trademark laugh that should be patented:
The Bad: As my dad always said: “Loose Lips Sink Ships.” Despite being Super Junior’s Great Orator, Leeteuk has had some run-ins with the Gaffe Police: he got a ticket last year for remarking that a member of a girl group needed to “lose some weight,” adding to a previous offense in 2010 when he proclaimed his dislike for larger women because he didn’t think “that they take care of their bodies well” on MBC’s Quiz to Change the World. The officer noted that Mr. Park is entitled to have personal preferences in regards to the women that he is attracted to, but that he still deserved to be slapped with the Lack of Tact ticket.
SEOUL'd OUT 