Patricia Hului

Patricia Hului is a Kayan who wants to live in a world where you can eat whatever you want and not gain weight.

She grew up in Bintulu, Sarawak and graduated from the University Malaysia Sabah with a degree in Marine Science.

She is currently obsessed with silent vlogs during this Covid-19 pandemic.

Due to her obsession, she started her Youtube channel of slient vlogs.

Follow her on Instagram at @patriciahului, Facebook at Patricia Hului at Kajomag.com or Twitter at @patriciahului.

KajoPicks: 8 dramas starring Gong Hyo-jin you should watch

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Korean lead actresses are commonly divided into three types. The first one is the innocent, conventional beauty type like Song Hye-kyo followed by the sexy ones such as Uhm Jung-hwa.

Finally, the third group do not follow the typical Korean standard of beauty and are more well-known for their eccentricities such as Gong Hyo-jin.

Since being pretty and sexy are not part of their public image, they are known to take more daring roles compared to their colleagues.

For example, Hyo-jin even takes up a female lead role with (gasp!) unshaven armpits in movie Love Fiction (2012). (It’s not just South Korea, even Hollywood is afraid of female body hair.)

Born in 1980, the actress began her career working as a model. Her acting debut was a supporting role in Memento Mori, a horror flick in 1999.

Over the years, she has become known as the Korean queen of romantic comedies due to her series of successful rom-com dramas.

She has starred in more than 15 television series but here are eight of KajoMag’s favourite dramas of hers:
KajoPicks: 8 dramas starring Gong Hyo-jin you should watch
Gong Hyo-jin in her latest drama When the Camellia Blooms. Credits: Youtube.
1.Gong Hyo-jin as a single mother with her HIV-positive daughter in Thank You (2007)

There are two reasons the drama Thank You made a lot of buzz in 2007; firstly it was actor Jang Hyuk’s successful comeback after his mandatory military service and draft-dodging scandal. Secondly, Hyo-jin made a bold move playing the non-glamorous role of a single mother with a daughter who is HIV-positive.

Several actresses had turned down the role mostly because it was Jang Hyuk’s redemption from scandal. The drama could have turned out to be a hit or a miss. Thankfully, it was a hit for Hyo-jin, as most viewers regarded the drama as heartwarming.

The story follows Jang Hyuk as Doctor Min Gi-seo who is an arrogant, wealthy surgeon. As his girlfriend lays dying, she confesses that she inadvertently gave a young girl HIV via a contaminated blood transfusion.

In order to make amends on his girlfriend’s behalf, Gi-seo finds the girl living happily with her mother Young-shin (Gong Hyo-jin), unaware of her sickness.

The drama manages to deal well with the sensitive topic of HIV, educating the Korean audience about how to treat and respect HIV patients.

Watch the trailer here.

2.Gong Hyo-jin as an aspiring Italian cuisine chef in Pasta (2010)

The drama that really catapulted Hyo-jin’s career, marking her name in Korean rom-com drama is Pasta (2010).

She plays a sly and relentless celebrity chef wannabe named Seo Yoo-kyung who is stuck in a love triangle. Her chemistry with her co-star Lee Sun Kyun who plays the celebrity chef Choi Hyun-wook makes this drama even more entertaining to watch.

Hyun-wook believes that there is no place for a woman in his kitchen so when he starts to work at La Sfera he makes sure all the women there are fired, including Yoo-kyung who is just a kitchen assistant.

However, she is then rehired and starts to work with Hyun-wook. Love starts to simmer between them, in comes Kim San (Alex Chu) who is secretly taking care of Yoo-kyung.

Watch the trailer here.

3.Gong Hyo-jin as a famous celebrity who falls from grace in The Greatest Love (2011)

The Greatest Love (2011) gives a glimpses of what might be the true side of the Korean entertainment scene where entertainers hide behind their public image.

It follows Hyo-jin as Gu Ae-jung who was the most popular member of girl group Kukbo Sonyeo before she became embroiled in a series of scandals costing her career.

Ten years later, the washed up star takes up any TV or radio programmes that will hire her.

Meanwhile, Do Ko-jin (Cha Seung-won) is the public favourite action star known for his looks and humility. Behind camera, he is actually mean and arrogant to people around him.

Their fates collide and they begin an up and down relationship throughout the drama.

Hyo-jin’s natural talent to make the audience laugh and cry with her is obvious in The Greatest Love. So it is no surprise that she won Best Actress title in 48th Baeksang Arts Awards for her role in the drama.

Watch the trailer here.

4.Gong Hyo-jin plays the girl who can see ghosts in Master’s Sun (2013)

Hyo-jin’s role as ghost-seeing Tae Gong-shil may starts off annoying and clingy in Master’s Sun but as the drama progresses, you can slowly sympathise with her.

Since she can see things that people cannot see in the story, there are many scenes showcasing Hyo-jin seemingly speaking to herself. It is quite convincing to watch as she talks to ‘ghosts’ but actually doing the monologue on her own.

With So Ji-sub as the cold and distant CEO Joo Joong-won, the pair makes quite a funny and entertaining couple.

When some of these ghosts possesses her body, you cannot help but to be impressed by Hyo-jin acting skills as you watch her switching from one character to another.

Watch the trailer here.

5.Gong Hyo-jin as a psychiatrist in It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014)

As a psychiatrist, Ji Hae-soo (Gong Hyo-jin) self-diagnoses her self as having anxiety issues, a fear of commitment and sex phobia. All of these due to an incident where she saw her mum cheating on her dad with another guy.

What happens when she meets Jang Jae-yeol (Jo In-sung) a mystery novelist/radio DJ who is suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder?

The romance between Hae-soon and Jae-yeol is classic tale of hate turns to love relationship. As they finally fall in love, the pair later come to grips with Jae-yeol’s undiagnosed schizophrenia.

While Thank You (2007) highlights the issue surrounding HIV, this drama shines the light on those surrounding mental illnesses.

Watch the trailer here.

6.Gong Hyo-jin as a meteorologist in Don’t Dare to Dream (2016)

Lee Hwa-shin (Jo Jung-suk) is a handsome, impressive anchor who comes from a well-to-do family.

Hyo-jin plays his competitor, a meteorologist named Pyo Na-ri. Unlike Hwa-shin, Na-ri does not have a shining resume or good family background.

As both of them fight to become the broadcasting station’s most valued employee, they start to fall in love with each other.

When a rich man Go Jung-won (Go Kyung-pyo) comes into picture and falls for Na-ri at first sight, will her heart quiver?

Watch the trailer here.

7.Gong Hyo-jin as a television producer in The Producers (2015)

Here, Hyo-jin is PD Ye-jin an experienced PD who works on a long-time music programme. Her long time friend is Joon-mo (Cha Tae-hyun) who has been working in the entertainment industry for 10 years.

The overall drama is amusing to watch as it features real-life TV programs such as Music Bank and 2 Days & 1 Night.

Though the work that goes behind these shows might be real, the love stories and drama are too good to be true.

For example, Seung-chan (Kim Soo-hyun) is a rich chaebol who decides to work at a television network just to follow his secret crush. Which rich dude in the world is willing to do that?

Watch the trailer here.

8.Gong Hyo-jin as a single mother in When the Camellia Blooms (2019)

Dong-baek (Gong Hyo-jin) is a single mother of one living in the small town of Ongsan. There she runs a bar-restaurant called Camellia.

Due to her status as a single mother and being the owner of a bar where men are the main patrons, Dong-baek becomes the subject of the town gossip.

Regardless of what gossip keeps on spinning in the rumour mill, local police officer Hwang Yong-sik (Kang Ha-neul) is in love with her.

Things get complicated when Dong-Baek’s ex-boyfriend Kang Jong-reol (Kim Ji-suk) suddenly shows up in her life.

Things get further complicated as there is a serial killer in Ongsan and Dong-baek might be on his kill list.

Watch the trailer here.

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Looking back at Adenan Satem’s form six essay “Democracy”

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Affectionately known as ‘Tok Nan’, Tan Sri Pehin Sri Adenan Satem (1944-2017) was the fifth Chief Minister of Sarawak.

When he was young, Adenan went to St. Joseph’s Primary School before continuing his studies at St. Joseph’s Secondary School.

As a sixth form student, he was part of the committee for Ad Astra, the school’s magazine catered to the senior students.

The school periodically sent some of the students’ articles to publish in The Sarawak Gazette including one of Adenan’s on Oct 31, 1964.

In his short bio, this was what the gazette published about Adenan.

“Adenan Satem is at present studying in Upper Six Arts. He is Sales Manager for the Magazine and also Secretary of the School’s Literary and Debating Society. He was one of the the founder members of the Magazine and has always taken a very keen interest in its progress not only in Committee work but also in contributions in writing. He hopes to do an Arts Degree in University.”

Eventually, he did pursue his studies in law at the University of Adelaide, Australia.

Read the whole article written by the late chief minister Adenan Satem entitled “Democracy”:

Different people define Democracy differently but to my mind a democracy is a country which can vote its rulers into power and, even more important, vote them out of power should they prove to be inefficient, corrupt or power-hungry. In short the central characteristic of Democracy is that venerable institution called ‘representative government’.

Now I must admit that this is a very crude definition of a democracy but at the same time I believe it is a practical one. I am no sophisticated political theorist. I am only one who seeks to understand Democracy as it works and it applies to our everyday lives. If you want to know from the first whether I am for or against Democracy I would like to quote, if I may Sir Winston Churchill. When he as asked for his opinion on Democracy he said: “Democracy is the worst system of government in the world-except the others.”

I maintain therefore that Democracy is not the most perfect system of government but it is thre bes system so far. We have not yet devised a system of government which may prove to be better than Democracy.

Democracy has numerous faults. It is cumbersome, sluggish, often mistaken and prejudiced in its decisions and polices and at its worst it can develop into disconcerting force but political experiences down the ages when Democracy was first conceived have that all other ways of governing complex modern societies are far, far worse.

Of course the sole right of choosing a government and then chucking it out if it dissatisfies us is not the whole concept of Democracy. On the other hand, there are many rights and institutions which revolve round the central nucleus of representative government. For a democracy to work the people must be free to express themselves, they must be allowed to air their views in public, they must be allowed to say what kind of government they want and who their leaders should be, and they must be allowed to criticize the powers that be. Secondly, the people must have the right of assembly. This is to say that people must be allowed to group themselves into various associations so that their views may be appreciated all the more and to allow no one group to dominate all the other groups and also to protect the individual from being victimized by stronger and concerted forces. It goes without saying that these associations, like political parties, trade unions and employer’s associations, must be allowed a relatively and reasonably free hand in its organization, polices and procedures. If the internal affairs of these associations are interfered with unnecessarily by, say the government, then the whole democratic concept of free associations is simply meaningless. And thirdly there must be independent law courts. The “rule of law” must be the watchword because this is the one principle which protects the individual in society from the whims and fancies of would-be tyrants and demagogues. It establishes the superiority of law, which must have its origin in the sovereign people, over mere arbitrariness or caprice, and goes on to state that “no person may be deprived of life, liberty or property except in consequence of an infraction of the law proved in open court, and that no man stands above the law, and that therefore everyone is liable, in case of such infraction, to punishment or exaction of reparation on lines laid down by law, regardless of his station or connections.” Again it goes without saying that judges and juries must be completely independent and not give verdicts according to what has not been proved in open court. The position and appointment of judges must never be based on political loyalties, and judges must never be involved in politics during the tenure of their office.

All this of course is part of the worn-out, classical definition of Democracy. But developing in our own time is another very important element which has more or less identified itself with the Democratic concept. I am speaking of political parties. Democracy essentially means choice and we can choose only if there is an alternative or are alternatives. A country which has only political party is not democracy because the people have no choice. However much people who are assured of the above ‘inalienable rights’ they will not be able to practice them effectively unless there are in existence at one and the same time at least two rival political parties between which the electorate has a choice and which stand on entirely different platforms. One may for example stand for socialism and planning, and the other ‘laissez-faire’ capitalism but their polices must be different or else there will be no real choice. This then is the importance of political party system. It offers a choice.

If all these then are the dominant features of Democracy what is it worth? There is no need for me here to relate the sad tale of the decline of Democracy and the rise of nations which seek to undermine all that it stands for. Suffice it to say that much of the fault can be traced to ourselves, of our losing faith in Democracy amidst poverty and backwardness, ignorance and fear.

Looking back at Adenan Satem’s form six essay "Democracy"
“Democracy essentially means choice and we can choose only if there is an alternative or are alternatives,” Adenan Satem. Credit: Pixabay

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KajoPicks: 10 South Korean time-travel romance dramas to watch

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If you think long distance relationships are hard, wait until you fall in love with someone from another century!

A time-travel romance usually starts with how the two leading roles find love in each other despite the differences (coming from a different time is definitely a huge difference) and how reality strikes eventually and they are forced to decide whether they need to part and go back to their own lives.

Delve into unrealistic love stories with these 10 South Korean time-travel romance dramas:
1.Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo is more than just a time-travel romance drama; It is about the power struggle and survival of the mentally fittest as they fight for the throne.

Based on the Chinese novel Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua, the story starts with Go Ha-jin (Lee Ji-eun) being transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty from 21st century woman.

She wakes up in the year 941 in the body of Hae Soo where she initially falls in love with the 8th Prince Wang Wook (Kang Ha-neul).

Later, her love interest is the fearsome 4th Prince Wang So (Lee Joon-gi) who has hideously scarred and hides it behind a mask.

The drama, overall is like a reverse harlem story with more than two of the characters falling in love with the leading woman.

As the princes fight for their places in the palace, more than two deaths occur along the way. So get ready with your tissues as some deaths are truly sorrowful to watch.

Watch the trailer here.

2.Rooftop Prince (2012)

How far would you go to marry the guy of your dream? Would you scar your own sister for life just to get what you want?

The story follows Lee Kak, a Joseon prince who is ready to marry Boo Yong (Han Ji-min). But her sister Hwa Yong (Jung Yoo-mi) wants to marry the prince so she accidentally-on-purpose burns her sister’s face.

As the old tradition goes, the bride of the king or future king must be without any blemishes or scars, so Hwa Yong ends up marrying the prince.

Years pass and the connection or attraction between Lee Kak and Boo Yong remains undeniably strong to Hwa Yong’s dismay. Suddenly, one day Lee Kak finds his wife has mysteriously died.

While he investigates into his wife’s death, Lee Kak and his men are chased by a group of assassins to the edge of a cliff.

The group jumps off the cliff and then later find themselves transported to the 21st century.

In present day Seoul, Lee Kak finds Park Ha who has an uncanny resemblance to Boo Yong.

3.Tomorrow, With You (2017)

This Korean time-travel romance drama kinda reminds you of Audrey Niffenegger’s 2003 novel The Time Traveler’s Wife.

The story centers around Yoo So-joon (Lee Je-hoon), a CEO of a real estate company.

He has the ability to travel through time via a subway. The more So-joon tries to change the future that he foresees, the more it changes his present.

He saves a woman named Song Ma-rin (Shin Min-a) and eventually decides to marry her to prevent her death that he foresees during his time travel.

In the end, can he truly change the future? Overall, the CGI is nicely done while the cinematography is impressive.

Watch the trailer here.

4.Queen In Hyun’s Man (2012)

Before Yoo In-na went on to star in Kim Eun-sook’s Goblin, she had her first leading role in Queen In Hyun’s Man (2012).

Here, she plays the role of Choi Hee-jin, an unsuccessful actress who lands her big break when she is cast as Queen In-hyun in the the drama “New Jang Heebin”. She crosses paths with Kim Bung-do (Ji Hyun-woo) and eventually falls in love.

Meanwhile, Bung-do is a time-traveler and a noble-born scholar from 1694 whose family was massacred in a conspiracy.

Bung-do supports the reinstatement of Queen In-hyun a real-life Joseon queen (1667-1701) who was the second queen consort of King Sukjong.

The queen was deposed by the infamous royal concubine Jang Hui-bin who is historically known for her greed for power.

Watch the trailer here.

5.Go Back Couple (2017)

Also known as Confession Couple, this time-travel romance drama is based on the Naver webtoon Do it One More Time by Hong Seung-pyo and Kim Hye-yeon.

It is about a pair of married couple who is unhappy with their lives as they both struggling to find their purposes in life.

After reaching a breaking point of their relationship, they both find themselves as 20-year-old university students.

What happen when they decide to make different choices than they did the first time around? One of thing for sure, their decisions impact their friends and families more than themselves.

The drama stars Son Ho-jun as Choi Ban-do and Jang Na-ra as Ma Jin-joo.

Watch the trailer here.

6.Faith (2012)

In 2012, Eun-soo (Kim Hee-sun) is a 33-year-old plastic surgeon who was originally a general surgeon. One day a strange man whom she thinks is a drama extra kidnaps her and takes her back to the Goryeo era.

The man turns out to be Choi Young (Lee Min-ho), a royal bodyguard to King Gongmin of the Goryeo Dynasty from the mid-1300s.

There is a handful of time jumping in this drama that makes you want to scream, “Why can’t they just stick to one century at a a time?!”

Meanwhile, behind the camera, the drama was embroiled with casting conflicts and embezzlement scandals.

The writer Song Ji-na uploaded the original script on her website and showed that there were some obvious differences from the final product.

One could not help but wander if the drama could have turned out better if they stuck to Song Ji-na’s original script and if they did not have financial problems.

7.Somehow 18 (2017)

When it comes to K-pop group Shinee, you can’t be sure who is the better actor of the group; Onew or Minho.

In this time-travel romance drama, Minho acts as Gyung Hwi, a 28-year-old resident at a university hospital.

He was bullied in high school and even tried to commit suicide. Thankfully, a new student transfer Han Na-bi (Lee Yoo-bi) stops him.

To his shock however, she later took her own life. For 10 years, Gyung Hwi cannot let go of his past.

One day, he finds himself back in high school 10 years prior before Na-bi’s death. Now he has to find out why she killed herself, but most importantly, can he stop her?

Watch the trailer here.

8.Marry Him if You Dare (2013)

While this storyline and plot is good and entertaining, the final episode of this time-travel romance drama might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

It depicts the love stories and the lives of people working in a broadcasting station.

Na Mi-rae (Yoon Eun-hye) travels back in time to prevent her 32-year-old self from marrying news anchor Kim Shin.

This sets her onto a different path in life, enabling her to do the things she really wanted.

Watch the trailer here.

9.Splash Splash Love (2015)

Dan-Bi (Kim Seul-gi) is a senior high school student who has an irrational fear of mathematics.

For her university entrance exam, Dan-Bi can’t deal with the pressure and runs off to a playground.

There, she falls into a puddle and finds herself transported to the Joseon period.

In Joseon she is mistaken for a eunuch. She then serves as a confidante of King Lee Do (Yoon Doo-joon).

Interestingly, Danbi’s high school level of math and science makes her the greatest scientist in the entire kingdom.

Watch the trailer here.

10.Bing Goo (2017)
KajoPicks: 10 South Korean time-travel romance dramas to watch
Kim Jung-hyun and Han Sun-hwa in Bing Goo. Credits: Asianwiki

When Man Soo (Kim Jung-hyun) meets Jang Ha-da (Han Sun-hwa), he is shocked to see she looks exactly like the woman he was in love with back in 1979.

While other time-travel romance dramas on this list have fancy portals or ways to make their time jumps, Bing Goo is about a man who was frozen for 37 years.

So it is basically a melodramatic version of Captain America without the superpower or the Avengers and there is another woman who looks like Peggy in the future.

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How Apai Saloi and Apai Sumang Umang became frenemies

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Apai Saloi (which means Saloi’s father) is a famous comical legend in Iban folktales. His stories would often be told by an elder at night at the longhouse as a source of entertainment.

Behind his foolish deeds, there is always a lesson to be learnt when it comes to Apai Saloi stories.

One of the famous characters in Apai Saloi’s tales, besides his long-suffering wife, Chelegit, and his children, is Apai Sumang Umang.

Here is how Apai Sumang Umang tricked Apai Saloi into exchanging a house with him:

Iban ethnologist Benedict Sandin recorded and sent this legend to publication on November 30, 1965 in The Sarawak Gazette.

One day Apai Sumang Umang told Apai Saloi that he was eager to build a new house. Apai Saloi replied that he too would like to build one since his house was too old. In fact, his house was built by his father when Apai Saloi was just 7 years old.

A few days later, Apai Saloi took his sons to look for belian wood to build their house. They gathered a lot from the forests.

Apai Sumang Umang, on the other hand, did not collect any belian wood. Instead, he merely cut some flimsy bamboos, building his house out of them.

Eventually, they finished building their new houses and moved in. Two years went by before Apai Saloi went to visit Apai Sumang Umang at his house.

As they conversed with each other, the wind blew gently, making a variety of musical sounds in the holes left by Apai Sumang Umang’s depleting bamboo house.

Curiously, Apai Saloi looked around trying to figure out where the sounds came from.

In the meantime, Apai Sumang Umang, who knew what his guest was looking for, kept quiet, his clever mind working.

He asked instead whether Apai Saloi’s house made such pleasant music? To which Apai Saloi replied, “No, no matter how strong the wind blows.”

He also complimented Apai Sumang Umang on the lovely sounds his house made and how much he loved the flute-like sounds.

Apai Sumang Umang took the opportunity to ask Apai Saloi, “Would you exchange your soundless house for mine?”

Overjoyed, Apai Saloi immediately agreed to exchange their houses.

The exchange with Apai Sumang Umang
  • How Apai Saloi and Apai Sumang Umang became frenemies
    Who would a trade a house made with belian wood and a house made from bamboos? Credits: Pixabay

Apai Saloi went back to his family telling them about the exchange. About a week later, Apai Saloi visited Apai Sumang Umang again to confirm their agreement.

Apai Sumang Umang later told Apai Saloi that he only agreed on the exchange because he was his old friend. They then to agreed to move into each other’s house the very next day.

After the move, Apai Sumang Umang lived happily in Apai Saloi’s solidly-built house.

Meanwhile, Apai Saloi was happy to be enjoying the melodious sounds he had first fell in love with when he visited Apai Sumang Umang.

As time went by, the house Apai Saloi lived in continued to decay. Until one day, the worst thing happened to the house.

A storm hit, blowing Apai Saloi’s house away with all his worldly possessions.

Angry, Apai Saloi’s wife scolded him for his foolishness, and Apai Saloi vowed to take revenge on Apai Sumang Umang.

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Two tales of koklir you probably never heard of

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If we were to name one female ghost you should never mess with, the Iban folktale figure koklir is somewhere on top of our list.

Other ghosts such as pontianak or balan-balan are tame compared to the koklir, because they are known to kill men by taking their testicles.

What an unexpected way to die right?

According to Iban ethnologist Benedict Sandin, during ancient times it was alleged that many places around Kapuas river delta and especially the Pontianak river took their names from the koklir.

So where did this ghost come from?

It is believed that every unfortunate woman who dies during childbirth is converted into a koklir.

However, there is a way to prevent it from happening, which is by pricking the soles of the deceased’s feet with thorns of a citrus tree.

Two tales of koklir you probably never heard of
A koklir might be hiding behind a tree waiting for her next victim. Credits: Pixabay
While there are plenty of stories of how koklir roam around looking for victims, here are two tales of this ghost you probably haven’t heard:
1.The widower and his only son

Long, long ago, there was a widower who lived in a farm hut with his only son.

One evening right before sunset, they went out in their boat to fish up the river.

All of a sudden, it started to rain. The father and son gave up fishing, coming ashore to take shelter in one of the huts they spotted from the river.

When they arrived at the hut, they found it was occupied by two lovely women. The women invited them in and lit a fire to keep them warm.

The women then prepared food for their guests. After they finished their meal, the widower continued to warm himself while his son sat naked near him.

At the sight of the boy’s testicles, one of the women said, “Hai wai wai! It’s the sweet stuff!”

Slowly, her nails appeared to grow sharper and longer. That moment, the father realised that the women were in fact koklir ghosts.

Without wasting a second, the father dragged his son out and they began to run for their lives. The koklir ghosts instantly started to chase them.

When the father arrived at their boat, he overturned it so that they could hide underneath it.

As the ghosts could not go into water, they jumped on top of the boat, boring through it with their sharp nails.

When the boat was about to be ripped open by their sharp nails, the sun began to rise and the koklir ghosts disappeared.

Despite the cold and shock, the widower and his son were grateful that they managed to make their escape.

2.The koklir and the enturun

There was once a newly married man and his wife who went to pay a traditional matrimonial visit to the bride’s house in a tradition called nyundang pinang.

In the middle of the journey, they were surprised by the sound of a koklir ghost. Terrified for their safety, they ran as fast as they could.

Since the man was the target, he climbed a tree to save himself while his wife sat down at the foot of the tree.

As she sat there, a young woman came to her and they started to chat.

While talking, the wife asked the woman if she could pick the lice from her hair.

After the woman agreed, the wife immediately start to pick the lice from the her hair.

While the woman was thus distracted, the husband climbed back down the tree and cut off her head.

It was a clean cut and she died instantly. Then the couple realised she was the “enturun”, a mystical creature that was said to be half bear and half cat.

Legend has it that to this day, koklir still lurk in the shadows at night looking for men’s testicles.

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KajoPicks: 10 Chinese campus romance dramas to watch

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Admit it; any youth or coming-of-age drama is better when the producer throws some campus romance into the storyline.

If you are looking for Chinese campus romance dramas to watch, here are 10 of KajoMag’s suggestions:

1.Your Highness, The Class Monitor (2019)

Su Nian Nian (Xing Fei) wants to go to top universities in big cities like Beijing University and Tsinghua University. But due to an accident on her way to university admission examination, she fails to enter the university she wanted.

She has to settle for a predominantly male engineering university. Things get complicated around her after she is appointed as the class monitor and come across Gu Zi Chen (Niu Jun Feng). Nian Nian strongly believes Zi Chen is the one who caused her accident. After constant bickering and getting on each others’ nerves, they eventually fall in love.

Basically, the campus romance in this drama is a love-hate relationship. Plus, there is a lot of push-pulls that at one point gets tiring to watch.

Putting aside the love story, the drama touches on some relatable themes, like how women need to work harder to prove themselves when choosing a career dominated by men. Or how some fields like engineering are gender-stereotyped, and can only be pursued by the male species.

2.Put Your Head on My Shoulder (2019)

Starring Xing Fei and Lin Yi, this drama is based on Zhao Qianqian’s novel of the same name.

It circles around Situ Mo (Xing Fei), an accounting student who wants to work in the advertising industry.

As she tries to find her place in the world, circumstances put her to live in the same house with physics student Gu Weiyi (Lin Yi).

Though the drama marks Gu Weiyi’s television debut, his performance as an uptight, rigid science student is rather impressive.

Meanwhile, Xing Fei is definitely in her ‘zone’ as she takes another lead role in a Chinese campus romance drama. But we do hope that she will take more versatile roles in the future.

3.Love 020 (2016)

This campus romance story is between a senior and a junior student of computer science. Bei Weiwei (Zheng Shuang) the brain with the beauty of the computer science department, while her senior Xiao Nai (Yang Yang) is the cream of the crop in sports and academics. Together, they make the A-list couple of their university.

What makes this pair different from most couples in campus romance dramas is that there is no relationship drama between them.

There is no over-the-top jealousy fights, no crying over insecurities and no dramatic disapproved parent.

On top of this, the drama highlights the work that goes behind the scenes in the game development industry.

Watch the drama here on Youtube.

4.Stand By Me (2016)

Not every group of high school friends is lucky enough to continue studying together in the same university. This group of friends in Stand By Me (2016) is one of the few.

Lu Qiao (Wu Ye Ze), Zhong Bai (Xu Xiao Lu), and Ren Yi Fan (Yu Xiang) are close high school friends.

They meet new friends as they begin their college life at the same university.

Things should not get complicated when Lu Qiao falls in love with a new classmate.

However, they dk because Zhong Bai has had a crush on him since, like, forever. Hence, Ren Yi Fan has to step in to mediate between the two.

Oh well, what is a campus romance drama without a love triangle?

5.Proud of Love (2016)

Here is a campus romance drama with a dose of fantasy! Shen Xi is a dance major student who has a sweet, caring boyfriend named Lin Yu Tang.

Everything is normal until she swaps souls with an engineering student He Zhi Zhou from a nearby university.

So you have an engineering student stuck in a dancer’s body and a dancer caught in the life of an engineering student.

If you are into hilarious, manga-like drama, then this series is for you.

6.Beyond Light Years (2018)

Computer science or specifically game development has become the trendy course for many male leads in campus romance dramas over the years.

Meanwhile, the female lead is usually pursuing an artsy kind of course.

In this drama, the male lead is a computing major named Li Yu Chen who is cold but extremely intelligent (why are we not surprised?).

In the meantime, the leading female is Xia Xiao Ci who is bubbly and passionate about reading and writing.

Clearly, the two leading characters’ personalities clashes. Will they finally be together in the end or will continue to drift apart especially after graduating?

Watch the trailer here.

7.Where the Lost Ones Go (2017)

First of all, let us praise the cinematography of this drama. It is aptly artistically beautiful as the revolves around two art students.

Ye Zi is a major in Chinese art painting while Xiang Zei Yi majors in oil painting.

They engage ina whirlwind campus romance until Xiang Ze Yi leaves without a word.

So what happen when Xiang Zei Yi comes back into Ye Zi’s life years later? Will she pick up the pieces and forgive her first love?

Watch the trailer here.

8.One and Half Summer (2014)

For K-pop fans, this is the Chinese campus romance drama that you need to watch. It stars Nickhun, a Thai member of K-pop group 2PM.

But wait, since when did Nickhun speak Mandarin? He doesn’t, somebody else does a voice over for his character.

Nickhun plays Zhang Hao, a Chinese American who come to China from New York just to find a mysterious woman whom he meets during a vacation in Greece.

Then, he meets her at Nanyang University where the two subsequently fall in love with one another.

Watch the trailer here.

9.My Sunshine (2015)

When two college sweethearts meet each other again seven years after they broke up, will they rekindle their old flame?

The drama starts with a predictable storyline; a girl falls in love at first sight with a boy on campus. They date and a third party comes into the picture to ruin their love.

In a classic romance drama move, the girl gets upset so she moves to another country.

If only real people like us have that luxury to move to another country every time our hearts get broken.

Watch the trailer here.

10.Suddenly This Summer (2018)

This slice-of-life drama feels realistic and somehow relatable to most of us. The 30-episode series divides into 10 episodes during high school time, 10 episodes at campus and the last 10 with the characters in adulthood.

Unlike the campus romances on this list, the couple ends up going to different universities in two different cities because that is the reality for some us who date during university. You juggle between your campus life and a long distance relationship.

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Brothels and sex workers in Sarawak under Brooke rule

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Did you know that when Sarawak was under the reign of the Brooke family (1841-1946), there were regulations to keep the local sex industry in check?

Here are 10 things you need to know about prostitution in Sarawak during Brooke time.
1.The back alleys of Kuching’s Carpenter Street was known for its brothels.

Besides brothels, the street was once known for opium dens and gambling houses.

There are no other records found of possible brothels in Kuching or other parts of Sarawak.

2.There is no proper record on the number of brothels or of prostitutes in the country.

Actually, there is no proper record found on prostitution in Sarawak back then.

According to archivist Loh Chee Yin in The Sarawak Gazette on May 31, 1965, the revenue and expenditure reports over the period concerned do not indicate under which headings the licence fees from brothel keepers and prostitutes are classed.

He further stated, “The annual reports of the Medical Department of the same period do not even mention the number of prostitutes examined over the year, though they give detailed reports on lunatics and lepers.”

3.The first order referring to prostitution was issued on Sept 30, 1867.

If there was no record of legal prostitution, how do we know such activities exist in the first place?

When the first White Rajah had already left Sarawak and his nephew Charles was acting Rajah, there was a royal order referring to prostitution issued in 1867.

With the heading of ‘Contagious Diseases’, the order however was not directed towards the prostitutes but the Dayak fortmen instead.

It read, “Should any Dyak fortment wish to return to their homes on leave of absence, or on discharge, if suspected of having venereal disease they must be taken to the Medical Officer for examination, and should it be the case that any such disease has been contracted they are to be detained until cured.

“Strict attention is to be paid to this order; the necessary information as to the health of the men can be obtained from non-commissioned officers.”

4.In April 1886, more regulations were implemented to control the spread of venereal diseases.

Here are the summary of the regulations:

A)Any woman suffering from a venereal disease would not be permitted to practice as a prostitute and any man having the same disease would be forbidden to have connection with any woman.
B)A prostitute found at the usual fortnightly examination to be suffering from a venereal disease would be placed under treatment until cured. She had to pay the following fees – $1 for first consultation; 50 cent for every subsequent consultation plus charges for medicines.

5.Six years later in 1892, the fortnightly compulsory medical examination for prostitutes became voluntary.

Nonetheless, the Brooke government imposed heavier penalties ($50 fine or six months imprisonment) on brothel keepers and prostitutes for spreading sexual transmitted disease.

Furthermore, prostitutes from abroad had to undergo medical examination before the government allowed them entry permits.

6.Who were the migrant prostitutes back then?

Since there was no record, it is impossible to know who they were and where they came from.

However, there were records of Japanese immigrants coming in since 1915. Reportedly, some Japanese women were working in the red-light district of Kuching. The red-light districts could be referring to the back alley of Carpenter street.

7.In 1898, the Contagious Diseases Order was further amended.

These are the amendment made on the order:

A)Dayak fortmen on transfer to outstations were to be medically examined before leaving.
B)Medical examination of prostitutes was again compulsory. Additionally, it was to be done once a week instead of fortnightly.
C)Prostitutes found to have venereal diseases were to be detained until cured.
D)All brothels were to be registered at the police station and duly licensed.
E)Every brothel keeper had to supply to the police a list of the names and nationalities of the women in his brothel.
F)The inspector of police had right of entry to any brothel for purpose of checking.

8.Charles Brooke was scared that the Dayak girls in Kuching mission schools would turn to prostitution upon graduation.

He once wrote in a letter, “I ask, what is it to be their future when they are grown-up? One thing very certain is they will never be able to live in their own country again or marry their own race nor be able to farm or do the work of Dyak women in their own land – separated from their own people -they will become waifs – to be prostitutes.

I should be sorry to think that this is what our Dyak girls will come to but it is in my opinion almost a certainty if they are educated in Kuching away from they own people to country.”

Charles then cited examples from the mission schools of Singapore and Penang where school girls were the occupants of the brothels or who ever were enticed there at night time.

Consequently, the second White Rajah ordered that the handful of Dayak girls in the Anglican and Roman Catholic schools in Kuching be sent home.

9.In 1927, the Women and Girls’ Protection Order was enacted.

The order was to make provision for the protection of women and girls. Plus, it made provision for the suppression of abuse in connection with prostitutes.

In addition to that, the government issued protection tickets to the prostitutes. On this ticket stated, “Whenever a prostitute has any grievance, she may come to the Protectorate, District Office, or Police Office, and complain. Anyone daring to prevent her will be arrested and punished. These tickets are to be always kept by you on the person.”

Who would have thought prostitutes during Brooke reign had their rights protected more than a lot of people these days?

Brothels and sex workers in Sarawak under Brooke rule
Do you think brothels in the olden days had a sign similar to this? Credits: Pixabay.
10.There were notices posted in brothels informing prostitutes of their rights back then.

“Women and girls! If any of you have been kidnapped, purchased, seduced, deceived, or pledged for money; or have been forced to swear before entering the brothel that you will act as prostitutes for a certain term of year- understand clearly that anyone who has committed any of these offences against you, and is detaining you in a brothel against your wishes, is acting in contravention of the Orders of the State will, if detected, be punished.

If therefore you have any grievance, do not be afraid to tell the Protector on his visit of inspection or come in person to this office or go to the police station and report the matter at any time you please. If you want to leave the brothel the government will certainly let you do what you like and will not allow you to be detained against your will. All persons residing in the State of Sarawak are free agents and cannot be kept under the restraint of others. Be all of you then watchful! Be not deceived by anyone! Observe this notice!

Office of Protector.”

Do you anymore information about prostitution in Sarawak during Brooke time? Share with us in the comment box.

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Legend of the quarrel between Bakir hill and Gunung Lesung

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Located in Sri Aman, Sarawak, Gunung Lesung National Park is a 500ha conservation area rich in flora and fauna.

But did you know that legend has it that Gunung Lesung (Lesong) used to be located elsewhere?

The legend of the quarrel between Bakir hill and Gunung Lesong

Iban ethnologist and Sarawak museum curator Benedict Sandin wrote in The Sarawak Gazette (Sept 30, 1965) about a quarrel that broke out between Bakir Hill and Gunung Lesong.

Referred to as Gunung Lesong by the Malay community, the mountain was widely referred to as Lingga mountain, or ‘Bukit Lingga’ by the Iban community, a name which still lives on to this day.

It is said that long ago Bakir Hill which lies to the west of Spaoh used to stand very close to Gunung Lesong.

“One day they argued about Mujau Hill. Each claimed that the latter was its spine as it stood close to them. No spirit could stop them quarrelling with each other, so one day they agreed to invite a hero, Tutong, from Gelong to settle their dispute,” Benedict wrote.

When Tutong came, he lit a fire and with his bellows he blew a huge cloud of smoke towards Bakir Hill and Gunung Lesong.

Suffocated by the smoke, Gunung Lesong rose into the air and moved away, taking everything that lived and rested on top with it.

Legend of the quarrel between Bakir hill and Gunung Lesung
Gunung Lesung or Lusong was once located next to Bakir Hill.
After Gunung Lesong made the move

Benedict continued, “When it was about to cross the Batang Lupar river a man who had come with his boat from the the lower river saw a huge mountain flying up in the air and making a great noise.”

The man then asked what it was. Suddenly, he heard a voice answering him that Gunung Lesong was fleeing away from the Saribas to settle with Senyandang mountain at the lower part of Batang Strap, a tributary of Batang Lupar.

When it finally reached there, Gunung Lesung sat down next to Senyandang mountain. “After the Gunung Lesong (Lingga mountain) had settled there, the strap river’s name was changed into the Lingga River by which it is known nowadays, though the upper part of it is still known as Batang Strap.”

Today, you can see the peaks of Senyandang mountain and Gunung Lesong from afar. It is believed that the original site of Gunung Lesong in the Saribas area is now a swamp.

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KajoPicks: 15 South Korean medical dramas you need to watch

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Raise your hand if you spent your childhood watching ER and then later in your teenage years watching Grey’s Anatomy like me.

While the Americans made medical dramas famous 20 years ago, recently the South Koreans have been slowly making their mark outside of their own country.

So much so that there is an American remake of South Korea’s The Good Doctor (2016).

Although romance is a common theme in these South Korean medical dramas, fans still can enjoy the thrill and tension working in the medical field through these series.

Here are KajoMag’s choices of South Korean medical dramas you need to watch:
1.Brain (2011)

Shin Ha-kyun is perhaps one of the most notable actors in South Korea. One of his memorable performances is in the 2011 medical drama Brain.

Here, he portrays a cold and ambitious neorosurgeon named Lee Kang-hoon. He is haunted by the death of his father on the surgery table.

Little does he know that the one responsible for his father’s death is someone close to him.

2.Doctor Stranger (2014)
KajoPicks: 15 South Korean medical dramas you need to watch

Is it me or does Lee Jong-suk look too young to portray a surgeon in this Korean medical drama?

While the medical aspect usually appears to be well-researched and convincing for lay people, having a hot, handsome, young actor as the medical genius makes the unconvincing part of these dramas.

Nonetheless, Jong-suk is talented and charming as usual in this drama acting as Park Hoon. He is a South Korean raised in North Korea after his father was tricked into going over there. IN North Korea, he trained to be doctor and later defects to South Korea.

3.Dr Romantic (aka Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim) (2016)

Dr Romantic is one of few Korean medical dramas which has an experienced actor as its main lead as opposed to young heart-throb actors.

The story follows Boo Yong-joo (Han Suk-kyu) who, after a traumatic incident, disappears and changes his name to Kim Sa-bu.

He used to work at Seoul’s top hospital before working at small hospital in Gangwon province. There, he takes two doctors under his wing Kang Dong-joo (Yoo Yeon-seok) and Yoon Seo-jeong (Seo Hyun-jin).

Watch the trailer here.

4.D-Day (2015)
KajoPicks: 15 South Korean medical dramas you need to watch

Here is another fictional doctor that was transferred from a top medical center to a not-so-famous hospital.

Lee Hae-sung (Kim Young-kwang) is working in a rundown hospital with no emergency room after disobeying his previous hospital director.

Suddenly a sinkhole appears in Seoul followed by earthquake blocking all access to the city. Soon, phones, electricity and water are all not working. Hae-sung starts to save and treat people but what happens when medicine begins to run out?

5.Good Doctors (2013)

When an autistic savant becomes a doctor, the road ahead seems nothing but challenging. Joo Won is brilliant in the role of an autistic doctor named Park Si-on. Watch how he struggles with his bedside manner as a doctor despite his undeniably brilliant skill as a surgeon.

This Korean medical drama even inspired the American remake by the same name which debuted in September 2017.

Watch the trailer here.

6.Yong Pal (2015)
KajoPicks: 15 South Korean medical dramas you need to watch

Following his success in Good Doctors (2013), Joo Won takes up another role as a doctor in Yong Pal (2015).

This time he is a skilled surgeon who moonlights as a mercenary doctor treating criminals and corrupt plutocrats.

7.The Doctors (2016)

First of all, The Doctors (2016) starts a bit off as the teacher has a thing going on with one of his students.

Thirteen years later, the pair reunite when Yoo Hye-jung (Park Shin-hye) becomes a doctor and her teacher Hong Ji-hong (Kim Rae-won) turns out to be her senior neurosurgeon.

Park’s character gathers a fan base through this drama with her charismatic role transforming from a delinquent to a compassionate doctor.

Watch the trailer here.

8.Hospital Ship (2017)

This Korean medical dramas is about a group of young doctors who provide medical care to the locals who live in rural villages on little islands.

So the medical team comprises an interesting mix of a capable, beautiful woman surgeon, a doctor who joins the team as part of his military service, an oriental doctor and a dentist.

Watch the trailer here.

9. A Beautiful Mind (2016)

How can you be a doctor if you can’t be empathetic? Apparently in a Korean medical drama, you can.

Lee Young-oh (Jang Hyuk) is a genius neurosurgeon who is unable to feel empathy. Things get complicated when there are mysterious deaths in the hospital and everything points to his involvement.

Watch the trailer here.

10.Medical Top Team (2013)

This Korean medical drama focuses on the lives of doctors and nurses in the fictional Gwang Hae University Hospital.

Additionally, the main fictional doctors in this drama are specialised in cardiothoracic surgery, a medical field which focuses on surgical treatment inside the thorax.

Watch the trailer here.

11.Cross (2018)

While most doctors would say that they pick up medicine to save lives, this doctor in Korean medical drama becomes one to avenge his father’s life.

Kang In-gyu (Go Kyung-pyo) becomes a resident doctor working in the organ transplant department after his father was brutally killed 15 years ago.

Watch the trailer here.

12.Life (2018)

In Life (2018), Ye Jin-woo (Lee Dong-wook) is a doctor who finds out that the hospital director is siphoning money from the hospital.

When the director dies after falling off an apartment building, his death is ruled as an accident. However, Jin-woo believes there is more than meets the eye.

Watch the trailer here.

13.Live Up to Your Name (2017)

How about a dose of fantasy in your Korean medical drama? Heo Im (Kim Nam-gil) is a doctor from the Joseon dynasty who falls into a river and travels to modern day Seoul.

There he meets Choi Yeon Kyung (Kim Ah-joong), a 21st-century doctor.

Watch the trailer here.

14.Doctor John (2019)

Korean fictional doctor in drama-land is often portrayed as arrogant and Dr John Cha (Ji Sung) is one of them.

The recurring theme for this Korean medical drama is euthanasia as Dr John spent three years in prison for performing euthanasia on a dying patient.

15.Doctor Prisoner (2019)

How far would you go to take revenge? In this Korean medical drama, the doctor goes as far as working in prison.

Nam Goong Min plays the role of Dr Na Yi-je who applies to work at a prison after his medical license gets unfairly suspended.

Watch the trailer here.

So, do you know any other Korean medical dramas that should be on this list? Let us know in the comment box.

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An old Bidayuh punishment for murder before the death penalty

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If you are found guilty of murder today, the punishment is usually a life sentence in prison or the death penalty.

But how did Sarawakians in the olden days punish criminals who committed murder?

An old Bidayuh punishment for murder before the death penalty
What was the olden day Bidayuh punishment for committing a crime of murder?
Here is an example of Bidayuh punishment recounted by R. Nyandoh in The Sarawak Gazette on Sept 30, 1964:

Sharing the background of the murder case, Nyandoh wrote, “Mungang from Kampung Mayang in the Serian district married a woman from Kampung Engkaroh and they went to live at Mawang Mungang on the Krang river.”

After some time, the couple moved to Simpoh Rawih on the Jimun river. Mungang was a skilled craftsman, known for his talents for carving, boat-building and painting.

Additionally, he could make all kinds of knives and parangs. Even in the olden days haters were gonna hate, and Mungang was disliked by many of his relatives out of jealousy for his skills.

One day, two of his wife’s relatives, Bulo and his grandmother, came all the way from Kampung Engkaroh to visit the couple.

They asked Mungang to sharpen all their old knives, which he kindly did.

Before Bulo headed home, Mungang asked him to tell his two brother-in-laws not to visit him till the new paddy harvest. Due to the poor crop during the previous year, Mungang had no food to offer them if they came to visit.

Misinformation which led to a murder

However when Bulo returned to Kampung Engkaroh, he did not tell his brother-in-laws, Dibong and Bungan, the correct information.

In fact, he told the brothers that Mungang was getting his knives ready to fight them. Enraged, the brothers set to work to get their own weapons ready to defend themselves.

Several months later, Dibong and Bungan changed their plan. Instead of being on the defensive, they went on the offensive and decided to kill Mungang.

They went to their sister’s house, fixed on their intent to kill Mungang. When they arrived there, Dibong and Bungan found Mungang asleep in the bedroom.

Pushing past their own sister, the brothers stabbed Mungang to death.

The old Bidayuh punishment for murder

Mungang’s wife went back to her own village to report the crime to the headman of Kampung Engkaroh.

The headman then announced that the brothers Dibong and Bungan had to give her a list of items.

In the olden days, the headman of a village also served as a judge to settle any disputes among the villagers.

The fees and punishments for committing crimes might differ as they were according to the headman’s discretion.

As for the murder of Mungang, the headman of Kampung Engkaroh decided that these were the items needed to pay his wife as a punishment:

1.One large brass vessel to replace the head of her husband
2.One string of 30 small bells to replace his eyes
3.Four ounces of gold pieces for the teeth
4.Seven coils of different coloured silk thread to replace his hair
5.Two large silver plates for the ears
6.One large brass tray to replace the hat that belonged to her mother-in-law
7.One whole string of Bidayuh beads to replace her mother-in-law’s beads
8.Two large gongs to replace her husbands’ breasts
9.Two large cannons to replace his legs
10.One Iban loin cloth to replace the mother in-law’s nursing clothes
11.One large jar (Payan Rangkang) to replace his stomach
12.One large jar (Payan Eron) to replace the basket in which her husband had kept his soul

One top of these items, the two brothers also had to pay the woman two large round gongs called katawak and two small gongs called chanang.

They needed to pay her five kinds of jars namely payan botuh, payan lajur, payan jering, payan mandoh and tandok.

The woman, reportedly after receiving all these items from her brothers, left Kampung Engkaroh for good.

She went to live with her relatives in Kampung Ramun which now lies in Kalimantan, never to be heard from again.

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