I really don’t want to be this person but…it’s the middle of September and it’s still topping 30^oC and 80% humidity. As a Brit, that’s just really not on.
I’m not kidding. It’s time for the hot weather to take a bow and bugger off until next year. Personally, I can’t wait until I have to wear 56 layers to stay warm. Yes. I’m THAT person.

Despite the fact we appear to be living in the summer that never ends, I once again was able to demonstrate my extreme stupidity by choosing to go and hike in it during this week. This week being Chuseok – a 3 day national holiday often referred to as the ‘Korean Thanksgiving’. In practice, this is a time when many (if not most?) Koreans make a yearly pilgrimage back to their hometowns to visit their parents and families to spend time together. I have it on good authority from two of my Korean acquaintances that what this actually translates into is a trip home to have your parents constantly ask when you are getting married/having kids/getting a proper job etc. I think in England we just traditionally save that for Christmas.
Still, I’m thankful for the 3 days I have had off of work and just because I know you love my hiking adventures, here’s some pictures from the never-ending (it seems) Wonju Trail!

As of today, I’m 10 courses down, bringing me to the 50% completion mark. I am excited about this, I really am, but I’m also still in slight bemused amazement that all of my efforts so far have only resulted in half of my goal. Maybe that’s just because of all the hiking in the flipping heat. It just feels like hard work. And though I keep saying it, I think I really now will wait for the cooler weather before venturing out again.

Right, I’ve held off long enough. It’s time to talk concerts. You should be impressed that I waited until the second item on my agenda. Here we go, this is my Chanyeol concert review…

Chanyeol’s performance and the concert overall exceeded my expectation. While I enjoy listening to his voice in general, he puts on a great live performance with perfect steady vocals throughout, even while dancing. The band was a master stroke. Having live music instead of the usual backing tape really enhanced Chanyeol’s voice and the whole feeling of the concert was lifted to more of a party-like atmosphere (additionally because it was a standing venue instead of the usual seating). Also, did I happen to mention, Chanyeol plays guitar – rather well as it turns out!

I enjoyed the short ment sections (where he talks) because it gave him a chance to communicate with the audience (he’s an entertaining speaker), but wasn’t so drawn out that it detracted from the fact this was an actual music concert.
He sang through a lot more tracks than I was expecting, and in a variety of genres – rock, ballad, and rap. Not only did he go through all the tracks on his new solo album, but he sang some songs from his sub unit group with Sehun (EXO-SC), and some short versions of a few EXO songs too. The only slight down side for me is the fact I really don’t like hearing EXO songs without the full group singing (yes, even when Kyungsoo does it). It’s weird, because there is absolutely nothing wrong with Chanyeol’s (or Kyungsoo’s) voice when they sing them – it just sounds really off balance to me without everyone else’s vocals contributing.
Overall, a simple summation was that the concert was FUN.

Not to mention there was the extra amazing surprise of Suho, Kai, and Park Chanyeol’s mum attending the concert too (I saw them arrive and sit down in the upstairs balcony).

Would I go and see Chanyeol again in concert? Absolutely. No doubt about it at all. And I’m now slightly hoping that he too might have a final round of concerts much like Kyungsoo is doing.
Oh, wait, what?
You didn’t hear?
Yes, Kyungsoo is holding 3 final concerts in Seoul in October to finish off his Bloom tour. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Am I going, you ask?
Why yes, of course I have bankrupted myself to go and see him sing 3 more times.
Why wouldn’t I?
And for those of you thinking I may be slightly crazed…I assure you I am not. I am simply adhering to the ‘you only live life once, grab your chances while you can’ philosophy of life.
I am only here in South Korea for a short part of my life. One of the best aspects of living here for me is the simple access to the things I really like about this county – the mountains, the food, the music etc. So of course I am going to try and enjoy as much of them while I am here. And who knows when Kyungsoo’s next concert will be? Probably once I’m home again and not able to attend.

Next on the agenda…as per usual, life is still ticking along as it should.
Teaching, pretending to study Korean (but really procrastinating), meeting my Korean friends for conversation practice each week, eating takeout occasionally, laundry and cleaning, playing D&D, reading many books, trying not to sweat to death in my flat, and team watching kdrama with Bunny (so glad Reply 1997 is done though).

This week I also rather unwisely ordered 5kg of kimchi. Not that ordering kimchi is unwise, just that 5kg of kimchi is, it turns out, rather a lot, even for me. So I have managed to palm half of it off on to the other foreign teacher in my neighbourhood and rather enjoyed the shocked look on her face when she received it.
And just because I know you are curious about just what 5kn of kimchi looks like…it’s this.

And that’s a wrap folks.
I won’t keep you any longer.
Except to say: Netflix – Officer Black Belt – film – watch.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask, otherwise, I’ll catch you next time…