faces that made me love Asia (1): Leslie Cheung- 张国荣

Posted on September 11, 2010 by emma

Let’s take a little detour in Hong Kong. That’s how my whole passion for Asia actually started. And thanks to the movies.

I am the type of person that can spend the whole day just watching movies. It is my way of creating a little cocoon that makes me forget my everyday life and makes me travel.

So, when I was in highschool, I was going everyday, during the summer, to the videoclub next to my apartment in Montpellier, and I was renting any movies that seemed interesting. And there, the clerk advised me to watch some HK and Chinese movies.

I have always been fascinated by Asia when I was younger, but never really acted on that attraction. So, being curious, I started renting the usual movies from HK that are popular in France among the geeks: Johnnie To, John Wo and Tsui Hark movies. And in order to get a short break from the action movies, I finally rented “Farewell my concubine” by Chen Kaige…and that’s when I saw him: Leslie Cheung.

Of course watching the other movies, I was attracted by all those gorgeous Asian actors, but Leslie Cheung was different. I couldn’t stop staring at his face. His assumed feminity in this movie, the line of his eyes and  his talent as an actor was fascinating me. 

 ”Farewell my concubine” is also a masterpiece and one of the best movies ever made in the history of cinema (it won an award at the Cannes festival in 1993). Its greatness not only comes from the actors and director talent, but also from the subject: how to live your art when your country is changing and going through all different regimes (japanese invasion, Mao’s republic and the cultural revolution). It is about those people who have nothing but their passion and talent and how the politics are getting in the way and in everyday’s life.

It is violent, sad, cruel. It talks about Love in the most noble way. And Leslie Cheung was at the height of his art. He is and will always be one of the greatest artist HK ever had. He is one who started the “canto pop”movement and worked with the best directors in HK and China. (he unfortunetely commit suicide in April 2003).

Deep in the south of France, this great singer and great actor  made me look at the East and made me love it.

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What did we do with France?

Posted on September 11, 2010 by emma
  • In France, the president can say “Piss off, you dumbass” to one of his citizen and nothing happens. But when a citizen is yelling at the president cause he is unhappy, then he get sued and has to pay a fine. Apparently, the french revolution abolished the privileges but our new government brought them back.
  • In France, a member of the government can make very racist comments but  doesn’t have to resign his job and can keep on stigmatizing some minorities, cause after all, they are all criminals, aren’t they? You got to admire how good our politicians are in history as they are reproducing some 1940′s techniques when they are rounding up some immigrants and also in their way of talking about them… Ah! The Vichy government left us some very useful teaching!!!! Go France!
  • In France, you can be an other member of the government knee deep in some financial scandal, you also don’t resign, cause what is just a few millions of euros taken under the table, right? thank you the cosmetic industry who helped our poor politicians who need so much money.
  • In France, now, people will have to work until 62 (67 for most cases and especially for women) to get a decent (?) retirement salary, but our politicians (from any sides) who are still active are already enjoying some retirement money after their parliament or government mandate that they nicely mix with their new job salary…  Two sources of incomes plus all the perks that comes with the job, why didn’t I chose politics instead of litterature? Stupid me!
  • In France, more and more people feel free to be racist, anti-semitic, extremists, cause that is the only way they found to express their fears and disappointment in what their society is becoming and the only answer the government found to that, is to play with those fears in order to get more votes and to hide the financial and society crises we are facing nowadays. We don’t want to think anymore, we just want money and that s all. No more reflexion on what a democracy should be like and how to improve it. This is what an Historian called “the end of History” I guess and France is falling right in it.
  • In France, you can be French with all your papers (ID, passeport, proof that you are born in France) suddenly you also have to prove that your parents are French and born in France. If not, apparently, you are not French (even though you have had your French nationality during 2o years)  Again last time they were asking people to prove that their parents too were French, it was in the 40′s in order to check that you weren’t in fact a jew !!! (Watch the old movie “Mr Klein” with Alain Delon, it shows that)
  • In France, the food is good, the cities are beautiful and the culture is amazing…but what did we do with it?
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une petite parenthèse pour elle.

Posted on September 8, 2010 by emma

Une fenêtre entrouverte, des rideaux bercés par la douce brise du soir, un soleil couchant et elle.

Elle dansait.

Elle ne se préoccuppait de rien. Ni de sa spectatrice émerveillée avachie sur le canapé, ni des passants qui risquaient de la voir attirés par la musique et le jeu des ombres qu’elle projettait sur le trottoir.

Seulement vêtue d’un soutien gorge et d’une jupe orientale aux couleurs vives, elle faisait miroiter les rayons du soleil sur les inombrables sequins qui pendaient le long de sa taille et de ses hanches.

Elle était belle.

Ses cheveux , chatains, tendant vers le roux, virevoltaient et caressaient ses épaules aux rythmes des tambours et de la voix de la chanteuse. La sensualité de ses hanches, la cambrure de ses reins qui se faisait et se défaisait, et ses mains qui semblaient vouloir attrapper les fins rayons de lumière qui l’entouraient la rendaient presque irréelle. Ses pas suivaient les battements de son coeur, son sourire était une invitation.

Il lui semblait étrange que cette fille qui dansait puisse être sa soeur. Il lui semblait étrange, qu’elle puisse par cette rencontre tardive, être devenue une grande soeur.

Mais, elle ne rêvait pas. Cette fille à la douce sensualité, à la vie diamétralement opposée à la sienne, possédait bien le même sang, la même origine.

 Dès leur première rencontre, elle avait ressenti un certain bien-être à se trouver à ses côtés, comme si tout revenait à sa place. Bien sûr, elles ne partageait pas les mêmes idées, les mêmes envies. Elles n’appelaient pas la même femme « maman », mais naturellement, elles se partageaient leurs secrets, leurs vies.

Elles s’étaient rencontrées au bon moment, au bon âge. A l’âge où l’on est simplement heureux de se voir, où l’on ne se bat plus pour des bribes d’affection ou juste pour le contrôle de la télécommande.   Elle voulait tout savoir de cette petite soeur, de ses expériences, de la vie qu’elle avait eu avec celle qui l’avait rejetée.

 Comme elle, elle avait la peau brune et le caractère des femmes du Sud. Comme elle, elle écrivait.

Mais elle, cette petite soeur, dansait.

 Elle dansait comme si rien n’existait autour d’elle. Elle ne faisait plus qu’un avec la musique, et les mots qu’elle couchait sur ses innombrables carnets, était violents, directs, bruts. Elle possédait cette honnêteté, ce naturel désarmant d’une fille qui n’a nul besoin d’artifices pour briller, d’une fille qui avait toujours été à l’aise avec ce qu’elle était.

 Elle la regardait.

Son visage.

Elles partageaient le même sourire.

Elle la regardait.

Cette petite soeur, son sang, et pour la première fois de sa vie, elle était fière de ressembler à quelqu’un.

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Those perfectly useless things I’d like to do.

Posted on September 6, 2010 by emma
  • I would like to go to the most crowded place in Busan and shout “Kim!” and see how many people would actually turn around and eventually pick my favourite.
  • I would like to see where those “ajummas” (old ladies) are actually going at 4 in the morning when I am going back home after a party, even though I perfectly know where they are going!To the mountain or just around the building for a walk! But I would just love to see their face when they see me following them… scared “ajummas”..priceless! 
  • I would like to stop whenever I see a bunch of “ajossis” (old men) drinking and playing “Go-Stop” (Korean poker) , sit with them and drink Soju even if it’s 10 am.
  • I would like to be so perfectly fluent in Korean, just so people would wonder if I did  a lot of plastic surgery and am, indeed, Korean, and not a foreigner.
  • I would like to go on a temple stay, and when the monks would arrive to wake me up, I would just roll over and fall back to sleep after telling them to just wake me up for lunch, and that there’s better be some barbecue ready!!!

That’s all for the useless things. Will ad more later…which will be perfectly usesless!!!

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Drôle de vie- Funny life

Posted on September 2, 2010 by emma

Tout ce qui brille – Ma drôle de vie  

During all afternoon I have been looking for the french movie “Tout ce qui brille” (everything that sparkles) but no luck in downloading it. The only thing I finally found to satisfy my craving for some nice fresh french comedy was the music video from the movie OST (see link above).

It made me in a nostalgic mood….Ah! That month of July spent in my hometown in Montpellier (south of France) with my best friend. 2 girls taking life one day at a time, having fun as the summer was going to be short and the separation near.

It was like a pilgrimage. How to be close again with a friend I haven’t seen for such a long time and wasn’t going to see for again a long time.

Her name is Kristelle and the first time we met, we were 15 years old, in highschool and living not far from each other. The first real interaction we had was on the way back home, one day, after school.

Same road and suddenly a boy, skating, felt in front of us. We laughed, looked at each other and that was it.

The magic of the clumsiness of a 12 year old skaterboy created a bond between us that until now didn’t break. With the years, we grew old, apart sometimes too, but never to the point of just becoming the other one’s memory.

So, it was the month of July 2010. I was back in my hometown after spending one month in Paris for my university exams. I can’t say I was really happy to leave Paris. I was missing Korea already and the idea to be in Montpellier, that small town I knew by heart having stayed there 20 years, wasn’t rejoicing me.

I was happy to see Kristelle of course (she is like a sister to me) but having lived abroad for so long I got used to not seeing my friends. I was at a point where hearing their voice on the phone or looking at some old pictures was satisfying me. I guess it just hurts less thinking that way.

But as soon as I got out of the train at the Montpellier station, my first reflex was to call Kristelle. And she answered right away. 

Like when meeting an old flame that never died, we went back to our old habits instantly. Afternoon drinks at the Irish pub, ”the Fitzpatrick” followed by a lot of walking around, not buying clothes and wishing we suddenly won at the lottery to buy all the clothes and shoes we wanted, all that while complaining about the recent french politics, the world, the cigarettes price,  and about the fact that this old town of Montpellier hasn’t changed a bit  when we did changed so much… Well, average french girls desperatly waiting for their lives to finally start. 

We saw each other almost everyday. Several lunch at the kosher pizzeria in one of the town’s synagogue where the people made me promess to send them a postcard (which I still have to do but hell! is it just me or is it difficult to find some holiday postcards in Busan??), and then, evenings at the bar “Del Mon” with the owner (who smells exceptionnally good!) who was offering us glasses of Champagne  and delicious tapas (foie gras, tapenade…I am suddenly very hungry!!).

Getting drunk-a little bit; well alcohol is way more expensive in France than in Korea!!-, laughing and talking -a lot; it’s crazy all the people who want to talk when in a bar!!-, eating the only Fish and Chips that can be found in Montpellier at a small stand that was opening for the summer at the main town square every friday evenings (why just on fridays!! If it was a test, G-d, I failed it! haha)… the best holidays I ever spent in Montpellier so far.

We became close again with Kristelle and that’s what made me so happy. Knowing that after more than 10 years and very different lives, well, it was still there. Still being able to share our deepest thoughts, dreams, fears and doubts.

The two of us, relaxing in a small swimming pool, the sun shining, and forgetting everything that took us apart those past years.  

Just the sun, some girl’s talk and this time, no skaterboy clumsiness was needed, to make us laugh and walk hand in hand along the road of our funny lives…

 

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For some people it’s not about the destination but about the journey.

Posted on September 1, 2010 by emma

Today, I met a French guy who crossed half of the world riding a motorbike. It took him 6 months. From France to Vladivostok on his bike, then on a boat to Japan where he stayed one year. Then a boat again to Busan. One moto, few months and that guy probably has stories for the rest of his life.

3 years ago, I met some Finish people who crossed half of the world riding horses. It took them several months but finally arrived in Beijing, China. They rode their horses on Tian An Men. They got arrested for that, and almost got deported but finally, with some help from friends at their consulate managed to stay longer in China. Horses, few months, and those guys probably have stories for the rest of their life.

6 years ago, I took a plane to go to China, stayed a while, then left for France, and took a plane again to, this time, come to Korea. A plane, 10 hours and nothing to talk about….I need to find a funnier way to travel next time! How about swimming back to France for Christmas?

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3 days ago it was Gilad Shalit’s birthday…

Posted on August 31, 2010 by emma

3 days ago, she was out, with some friends. She spent a great evening, laughing, drinking.

There was, in a bar in Haeundae, a stand up comedy show, where some of her friends were performing. They were making jokes about those little things that happens in their everyday life, about the human stupidity, about the world in general.

And she was laughing. She couldn’t stop.

The night was beautiful, the weather was hot, and the alcohol didn’t stop filling the glasses. She finished her night talking with some newly found friends in a casino around some breakfast. She was exhausted but happy.

They were talking about everything, their countries, their lives, then suddenly his name popped up in the conversation; Gilad Shalit.

 Locked up for a bit more than 4 years now, he is being treated unfairly and can’t have access to the outside, and decent treatment. Nobody knows where he really is. He is alone and kept as a hostage by some people who want nothing but destruction and war.

He is just a kid, (he was only 19 when he was kidnapped) and he didn’t deserve this,  but was just at the wrong place at the wrong moment. Those people  (the members of the Hamas and other sister organisations) should be ashamed of their actions. They don’t want peace, they don’t think about other people as human beings if not they wouldn’t treat Gilad that way.

It was a saturday evening, like any other one in Busan, and Gilad’s name came to her mind,and she couldn’ t help but feel anger and rage.

An other evening, and somewhere in the Gaza strip a kid was alone in his cell, and nothing seemed to be possible to save him.

It was the 28th of August, his birthday. He should be out, free. The only pictures that should be taken of him, should be those taken in front of a cake surrounded by friends and family. But there was nothing she could do, even though she wanted to go out there, in that piece of land  called a strip and shout at all those people who let that horrible thing happened and who justify it with some political demagogic speach. They were making her sick. She wanted them dead.

That’s all she had: anger. This useless feeling. 

It was the 28th of August, she was having a good evening with her friends. She wished she had thought about him longer than 10 minutes that day.

A bit late but still,  from the other side of the world, Happy birthday Gilad.

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hide and seek

Posted on August 31, 2010 by emma

Yesterday, I became a ninja.

I went to the supermarket in order to buy some food and a present to celebrate the birthday of my father in law. Everything was ready. I had a list of the ingredients I had to buy to prepare the traditionnal birthday soup, the Miyok Guk (미역국) and I was looking around for some present that would make him happy.

Suddenly, while I was in front of the different brands of Miyok asking my boyfriend on the phone which type of dried seaweed I should use, he told me: “but be carefull, I just phoned my dad, and he is in the supermarket too. You might see him…”

Then I looked around, panicking (if he were to find me, he would notice what I bought and there would be no more surprises for him!!)  and suddenly, there he was! right between the frozen fish and the eggs, just two kiwi stands away from me.

Trying to apply all the best ninja techniques learned throughout my hard studies of hours of watching HK movies, I started running between the stalls trying to avoid him. But he seemed to know exactly where I would be hiding: chocolate aisle, soju aisle, instant noodles…wherever I was going, he didn’t stop suddenly appearing in the corners.

I finally gathered my strength and in a beautiful and Olympic sprint like style I ran to the 2nd floor in the underwear department. I was finally safe. I had disappeared between the ajumma type bras and the Hello Kitty panties. He was never going to find me.

I could see him from above, strolling around, looking randomly at the products without really picking anything. He looked lost but the only thing I could think about was the nice and cold ice chocolate drink I would get at the Dunkin Donuts as soon as I could get out without him seeing me. My mouth was getting dry, I was about to do something stupid and risk being caught but the lack of sugar was getting to my brain… no, I had to resist and be patient or the whole surprise would be ruined.

After a good 40 minutes, my father in law left and I finally got freed from the supermarket, had my ice choco  and went back home, hiding the goods in my bedroom. He didn’t notice anything. The first step of my plan had worked.

Then, this morning, at 5 am, there I was, in the kitchen preparing the Miyok Guk.

For once I could see the sun rising. My father in law didn’t expect at all that I would actually cook for his birthday.

It was  worth it.  

아버지, 생신 축하합니다!! 

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3 kleine songs made my day.

Posted on August 28, 2010 by emma

An other afternoon in CCC Cafe in Busan enjoying a bit of time alone. A cup of tea on the table and my computer in front of me, I decided to listen to a bit of music instead of watching some videos or reading.

And this afternoon I was in the mood for an all foreign music day. So exit my english and french songs that I usually listen to. I wanted to listen to some songs that I enjoy even though I can’t fully understand the lyrics and have to spend hours finding the translations on internet!! Just the sounds of the languages and the melody, and time flies away…

In order to remind me how much I love Korea and enjoy living here- even though sometimes the culture is so far from mine I get lost in translation- I always listen to some Kim Kwang Seok’songs (김광석). He is, until this day, the most interesting and talented Korean song writer and singer. He killed himself in 1996 but his songs are still so topical. His lyrics are not only clever but so poetic and no bling bling needed: just him and his guitar and some light accompaniment.

When I first heard his songs, I didn’t speak a word of Korean ( I remember my boyfriend having to write the lyrics of some of his songs in romanized words so I could sing it in Karaoke as I couldn’t read the Hangeul yet!! Thank you bebe for that!!)  but his voice, for me, felt like the voice of all a generation and even though I am not Korean, I felt close to him. He is Korea’s heart and now that he is gone, something is missing in the country of clear mornings.  He made me fall  completly in love with Korea…

김광석 – 서른즈음에-Kim kwang Seok-”Around 30″ here is one my favourite songs from him, talking about being 30 with all the changes in life and the dreams lost…very sad but beautiful.

Well, after some Kim Kwang Sok, I decided to go back to some European music, and discover this German band. Totally by hasard actually. I found out that they wrote a song as a tribute to my dear Kim Kwang Seok. Being curious, I decided to check and I was nicely surprised that so far from Korea and from people who don’t seem to speak Korean, they heard about him and understood how important he was. I like their vitality and crazyness (Germans always have that little thing that is so refreshing compared to the french..hihihi!! or maybe it is cause I am french and used to it…nope!). Having not a very good level in German language, I can’t really understand what they say in most of their song (G-d bless internet where you can find everything) but as I love German, I could just spend hours listening to that language who is one the most beautiful language in the world.

Here is their video:Die Orsons – Kim Kwang Seok (Official Video)  Their other songs are pretty cool too!

And to finish that perfect afternoon, I sunk myself in one of my favourite band from Eretz Israel. They are called Hadag Nahash and always put me in such a good mood. I can’t wait to learn hebrew and fully understand all of their songs as their lyrics (for those I found) are really interesting. I like them as they are very committed and don’t hesitate being political. They made me want to know more about this beautiful country that is Israel and its culture. I wish they could come to Korea for a concert. Love everything about them, their energy and voices.   

 If there are any Israelis in Busan, please contact me and teach me Hebrew!!!!

Hadag Nahash – Kosememek – הדג נחש – קוסאמאמק This is an extract of one of their live performance. Don’t know what this one song is about but would definitly dance on it!! Long live Hadag Nahash!!

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those little things that make your life so much spicier

Posted on August 18, 2010 by emma

Sometimes, it is just good to let go and shout all those little things that are different and remind you that you are, indeed, on the other side of the world. So here are some examples of some little things  I noticed about Korean life. Sometimes it makes me laugh, but sometimes it’s just too much.  Feel free to add anything on that matter if you wish…

  • A drunken Korean man is an affectionate Korean man….dear boyfriend I don’t want you to become an alcoholic but sometimes it’s really nice to have you say all those nice and romantic things to me while hugging and kissing me…even though you smell like soju! Yes, I am that desperate!!
  • When a Busan man is hungry he can’t speak nor think nor kiss. Food is the most important thing in his life. My dear better half look at a bowl of rice with more love in his eyes than when he looks at me….until he gets drunk (see above in case of short memory loss or goldfish syndrome)

 

  • Old Man: “Eat some green pepper! It s good for your health, it makes you slim”
    Me : “No thanks. I don’t like the taste of it.”

Old Man:”But it’s not spicy”

Me: ” I know, but I don’t like the taste of it, spicy or not!!”

Old Man:”But it’s good, and IT WILL MAKE YOU SLIM!!!”

OK, got your message Grand Pa! But even if eating 10 kilos of green pepper per day would change me into looking like Bar Rafaeli or Kim Hae Su, I wouldn’t eat it!!! I DON’T LIKE THE TASTE!!  And thanks for making me feel so pretty!!

  • Korean Jehovah’s Witness and crazy Christians love to talk to me in the subway or in the street cause apparently I look like I need to be saved….Devil get out of my brain!!rgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!

 

  • When going to the beach in Busan to have fun and enjoy the summer, in fact you must remember important things: the beach actually has some opening and closing hours; you can’t swim past a certain time or you get blocked by some life guards and a majority of people actually wear long sleeves hooded T shirts with short pants… way to ruin the fun of swimming in the sea were it’s supposed to make you NOT feel like being in a swimming pool with its closing time and delimitation and  thanks again for making me feel guilty for showing my fat in a bikini!!!!

 

  • A Korean girl told me once that going out without make-up is not polite….God I must  be really rude!!

 

  • The most frequent question a Busan man will ask you is: “did you eat?” and you complain cause it’s not romantic…. The most frequent sentence a French man will say is: “did you miss me? cause I missed you, god you are pretty today, come and give a hug. I wanna kiss you….” and you will dump him for a Korean guy or a “Don Draper” type cause there is no way you are staying with a guy who behaves like such a girl!!! I just love the pain!

 

  • You can show your legs by wearing those mini shorts, but if you show a bit of cleavage, OH MY GOD, look at that foreign prostitute!!! Bad girl, bad!! well Korea is the only country of the world where people actually pay attention to my clivage!! In France, I need to wear a big necklace to draw the eyes in that area !!… I am SO staying in Korea!!
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