April Favourites

Whew. What a month. This month was a busy one for my day job, with long hours, both day and night, spent in front of my computer. Two big projects back-to-back wasn’t ideal, but sometimes that just the way things fall.

So if my monthly favourites have a bit of a theme – self-care – you can totally understand why. From baking to skincare, to even my entertainment, this month’s picks are all about comfort, for both my body and my mind.

Justin Bieber Essentials on Apple Music

My 30-minute outdoor walk has become a daily life-saver for moving my body but especially for relaxing my mind. Whether temps were warm or cold, I made sure to spend time absorbing the fresh air while pounding the pavement always accompanied with some move-worthy tunes. Justin’s Essentials on Apple Music does a great job of mixing his massive hits (Sorry, Intentions) with some of his hits off his new album, Justice, the playlist is track after track of bangers, perfect for busting a move or two during an afternoon walk.

Peter Thomas Roth Hyaluronic Cloud Hydra-Gel Eye Patches

Late nights in front a blue screen aren’t a great recipe for rested skin, and dark circles aren’t exactly the most professional thing to be sporting on a morning zoom call. Luckily, I got my hands on these eye gel masks from Peter Thomas Roth to save my first impressions. Not only do they hydrate beautifully, leaving my skin super smooth after use, they also don’t slip (!) from the eye area, even after apply my other morning serums. Highly recommend these if you’re in need of an instant eye lift.

Vincenzo

When deep into a work project with little downtime, the one thing I crave when I do get downtime is an escape. Vincenzo (Netflix) provided that escape and more. Set in modern-day Seoul, Vincenzo is the story of a Korean orphan who grew up in an Italian mafia family who returns to Korea to claim something that is rightfully is. Upon arrival, he meets a law firm that defends the “little guy” against corrupt conglomerates, and he sets his sights on taking them down while retrieving what’s rightfully his. This drama has action, comedy, cliffhangers and more, but what sets it apart from others is its heart. If you’re new to Kdramas, I highly recommend you start with this one, it’s the perfect escape.

Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Baking has always been a stress reliever of mine; the meticulous measuring of ingredients always has a calming effect. (Also, the results are generally delicious). I saw a chef I follow on Instagram cooking a version of this cookie on her stories, and intrigued by the inclusion of miso paste, decided to search for a recipe of my own. This recipe by Marcus Samuelsson and Tiana Gee is divine. Chock full of butter, and an entire bag of chocolate chips, it’s the miso that keeps these cookies from being too sweet, while providing a little bit of that umami taste to keep things interesting. I can honestly say these didn’t last long – they’re that delicious.

Rael Heating Patches

A (huge!) bright point of this month was my second dose of the vaccine – woo hoo! – and the side effects that came with it were generally mild. The only area where the vaccine really seemed to affect me was my menstrual cycle, my cramps were stronger and lasted a day or two longer than a normal cycle would. I’ve had these patches on hand for a while, they came bundled with Rael’s sheet masks, and they ended up being a huge comfort during an otherwise uncomfortable time. Everything I’ve tried from this brand has been fabulous.

K-Drama Mini Review: My ID Is Gangnam Beauty

Image via Viki. Watch My ID Is Gangnam Beauty on Viki here.

If you’ve check out my About page, you know I’m more than a casual fan of k-dramas. In an attempt to share more about why I love them, and to catalogue what I’ve watched, I’ll be sharing mini-reviews.

---

I totally get it.

• How this drama is one of the highest-rated ever.

• Why everyone is obsessed with Cha Eun Woo.

• And finally just how obsessed South Korea is with beauty.

I came across My ID is Gangnam Beauty on a twitter suggestion thread for k dramas to try. Recently my favourite kinds of dramas feature a strong female lead, who isn’t obsessed with her male costar. But it’s totally okay if her male costar is obsessed with her. *swoon*

Gangnam fulfils this concept perfectly, but where it really excels is in its overall message. Strong, evolutionary, female friendships that support strong, moral women, while still showing the everyday physical and emotional insecurities that college women face. I especially love how the perfume storyline was a metaphor for the character’s social interactions, in group settings it was all about beauty on the outside, where perfume, and to an extent scent, represents beauty being more than what you can see.

Once “Gangnam Beauty” is defined, it makes total sense how much time the drama spends talking about plastic surgery. True, it’s the catalyst for the entire plot, but once the characters stories and arcs start to take over half-way through, our lead, Kang Mi-rae’s surgery takes a backseat and the drama starts to hit its stride. The romance, the family politics, the message and the villain storyline really start gelling, to the drama really hits its stride in the message, the romance, the family and villain departments.

Gangnam also has one of the better drama villains in all of dramaland. Early on, it’s hard not to get the spidey sense that Hyun Soo-a is evil wrapped in a pretty package, with more and more characters becoming sceptics to her schemes. Just like Mi-rae’s insecurities are peeled away throughout the story, Soo-a’s insecurities start to appear, hidden by her schemes. Her downfall is heartbreaking to watch, and when Mi-rae comes to help her, you can’t help but notice the symbolism at play.

While the two ladies, rightfully so, deserve most of the screen time, we can’t forget our handsome Do Kyung-seok. Strong, steadfast and independent, he takes his own journey throughout Gangnam to discover his family and adulthood, becoming and support system and cheerleader that Mi Rae deserves. And while never directly said between the two of them, the story does allude that Kyung-seok had a crush on Mi-Rae way back in middle school, long before her transformation, making their coupling all the sweeter.

My ID is Gangnam Beauty is a perfect comfort, a show full of confidence and heart, that is guaranteed to make you feel better after viewing.