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Happily Flawed Blog

A Professional Creative

Thursday, 26 January 2023

 



I co-facilitated a workshop in Zambia this week with twenty refugee children.


The  moment I saw their internal spark come alive was during the digital storytelling session that I was leading on. 


The objective of the session was to teach the power of storytelling to influence positive change in their communities. 


It was really wonderful to watch their creativity thrive, as they tackled their projects. 


I wanted to write about this on the blog because I too am a creative at heart. 


For the last ten years of my career I have been allowed to demonstrate this through copy writing, photography, graphic design and video editing. 


I have been paid to do the very things that delighted me as a child; tell stories and make things!


I have made a professional career  doing the very things that I thought would remain hobbies for the rest of my life!


And some how over the last four years, there have been opportunities to teach children and young people to nurture these same skills that I thought were worthless when I was a mere naïve teenage! (Dear creative community, forgive me for my thoughts I was young🙈)



I am grateful.

I've  worked hard. 

I've  found joy.

Ultimately, God put me in those spaces. 

God showed me that this was possible.

I am now moving to another country to do the same....to be creative...how!?

I am am so grateful.  



Thank you God for showing me that my existence and purpose is relevant. 

Thank You for showing me my place in this large and interesting world.

Sometimes I forget but You never miss an opportunity to remind me.


photo credit: Unsplash



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Watch The Little Nyonya 2020 remake - Screaming at the screen Questions, Questions and more Questions...

Tuesday, 24 January 2023



 



It is only fitting that my first blog post of the year should be about an Asian drama that dared to be epic; the 2020 version of The little Nyonya! A really enchanting story and semi educational experience for me (My grasp on Asian culture and history is limited, I was googling in between episodes).

There are some exceptionally wonderful food and cooking clips. 
Just look at  how the  trailer really pulls you in right from the start...



Aren't you curious? Maybe a little hungry? Are you going to leave my blog post mid-read and go watch? Make sure you return please.

The Little Nyonya is based on four families connected by marriage through three generations. 
The original popular version first aired in 2008.  I have read many articles of people referring to its impact on their childhood. 

This is a soap opera kind of drama....it reminded me of the experience of reading a Danielle Steel book; everything that could happen to our main character happens but somehow they magically escape at the last minute! I was soooo invested in this 2020 story, many times I was screaming  at the screen while watching. I cared about the characters.  

spoiler alert 1

I was a little thrown off by the main character playing two main roles Ju Xiang and Yue Niang (Xiao Yan). After more contemplation I didn't hate it.... Maybe that was 'the effect' the producers were going for? 





 I have mostly questions....just questions...that's what I am going to do in this blog post... ask questions.  If you have answers feel free to comment below. 




The matriarch , Old Madam Chen ( Xiang Yun)
Every thing started with you! You decided to and kept on picking the ALL the wives.
Why did you allow everyone to suffer for so many years? 
Unfortunately even though you are a likeable and endearing character, really everything was your fault!





Yue Li Na  really played the *&%$#  out of her evil character, Lin Gui Hua. I always praise unapologetic roles because one must be committed for us to believe. Trust me I believed her! Every time she came on screen I would just naturally frown, then sigh and wonder "What now?!?"  

spoiler alert 2

When she throws Ju Xiang and her child off the ship, she simply rearranges her clothes and goes back to have dinner with the family....no guilt!?!  As first legal wife she has a clear distain for the concubine Tian Lan(Tu Ling), but why did you never challenge your husband?  He was not a domineering character...so why?




Mr. Liu Yi Dao(Darren Chiu) in the beginning your loyalty to Ju Xiang was cute. 
Why did you remain devastated for so long though? 
Why did  you ruin your life? 
Other parts of you could have prospered. 





Huang Mei Yu(Sun Zijun) I felt so sorry for you.
There was nothing you could do. 
Your husband could have been much more respectful and nicer to you 
Why did you keep listening to your mother?
Nothing she said ever helped you. 
Then you recruited your niece into the same lifestyle.....why and for what?



Sisters Huang Yu Zhu (He Yu Hong) and Huang Zhen Zhu( Le Yuan Bing) have heartbreaking storylines! They were used and manipulated and not one of them ended up winning in the end. That's why I blame the oldest generation in the series. They really ruined it for all the women and girls in this drama. No questions for these tragic sisters.






Special mention for the women above, Li Bierer and Xiu Juan who showed us what not fitting the mold was about . 

spoiler alert 3

The latter opened doors for the rest by fumbling all her relatives plans and stealing ALL  their money as  a counter for their nasty continued  plotting to harm others. No questions for the pioneers.







No questions for Yamamoto Yosuke (Dai Xiang Yu). 
You  did what we needed your character to do. 
It is also a really nice touch to know that you were in the 2008 original. 





Chen Xi(Ryan Kou) , you were what your Uncle should have been. No questions for you. You did what was needed. 


I loved the homage to this museum. I have added it to my travel wish list now. 




You can watch this drama on IQIYI here

Do you have questions? Share them in the comments below! Let's discuss.

Wishing you a fruitful drama watching 2023!
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Watch Move To Heaven - A Healing #Kdrama for the Christmas Season

Monday, 19 December 2022

 


December has never been my month, whether its grief or the end of year blues I am not fan.

(I wrote about it here if you are interested) 

I watched Move To Heaven at the right time; an original Netflix series, starring Lee Je-hoon, Tang Jun-sang, Ji Jin-hee, Lee Jae-wook, and Hong Seung-hee. It was inspired by the essay "Things Left Behind" by Kim Sae-byul, a former "trauma cleaner".

Here's what I liked 

Each Episode Had Its Own Story. 


Each story either highlighted an issue or taught us a lesson. For example the children taken from South Korea as adoptees but when reaching the USA became stateless because of irresponsible caregivers; the loving couple who decide to leave the world at the same time; and the mother neglected  by her son and his money hungry wife.

Gen-ru's commitment to ensuring every client's belongings are delivered to the correct individual just warmed my heart. 






From Episode One We Connect


In the first episode we connect easily with the characters Gen-ru and his father Jeong-woo and their lifestyle. We understand that they have to live by a strict routine because of Gen-ru's autism. We understand that they have great respect for their cleaning work. 

It's all so endearing; that's why when Jeong-Woo dies we immediately know what this means for Gen-ru. 

I finished watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo before this drama, however I feel like Gen-ru's character was the inspiration for Woo-young Woo. Especially if you note the same connection with the sea creatures. It seems the writers and producers now understood how to develop this kind of story with less tragedy. Do you agree? Share your thoughts in the comments.






Facing One's Demons 


At first I thought it was only Sang-gu overcoming his dark past and choices but Gen-ru also has to learn to accept that his father is dead and become accustomed to his new family. I mean.... it was obvious that Sang-gu had issues but it was comforting for me to watch his character work through them and eventually make better choices for himself. The healing effect of #kdramas, good can happen.







I totally recommend it if you are in need of a drama that makes you cry good healing tears....a great outlet for the #DecemberBlues. 

You can watch it on Netflix here




Do you know of another healing #kdrama series? Share in comments below.





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Watch Glitch - A #kdrama with weird confusing twists

Saturday, 17 December 2022

 



Wow....


Just wow...


I am not quite so sure if I enjoyed Glitch but I can confirm that I appreciated that it is different.


It's not cute.


Don't watch it if that's what you are looking for.


Where do I even begin?


This intriguing #kdrama was directed by Roh Deok and written by Gin Han-sai.


 It stars Jeon Yeo-been and Nana


Our heroines are not adorable and likable. They are odd and ordinary at the same time. 


This is kind of cool; so marks for writing such characters.



I just finished watching Jeon Yeo-been in Vincenzo and have to say that the fact that she can play such separate characters shows she has raaaaaange as an actress.


The boyfriend(Lee Dong-hwi)...the catalyst for the story....the Helen of Troy...is not a handsome-catch that would require one to risk their life but off Ji-hyo goes risking her sanity searching for him only for them to break up at the end. (I don't mean he's ugly...I just got used to the #kdrama status quo)



Even our -favorite-regular-lovable-father- actor Jean Bae-soo is not lovable in this one.  I am shocked... It is not a bad performance though, he is believable as always. 


Fortunately our cult-leader villain, Baek Joo hee is committed through and through, her character delivers.

They all deliver. I think it is just the story and storytelling for me.

 

I don't even know how to structure this blog post cause I am soooo confused. 


Wow.


Just wow.


You can watch it on Netflix here

Comment below if you have your thoughts together about this drama. 

We need clarity.



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