Hey there, fam!

Hello!


I hope you're doing mighty fine.

Even if you're currently battling some sort of a war of your own, I'm sure your Jet Black Heart can endure it. You'll be alright. You've got to.



Things have been pretty out of line for the fam lately, haven't they? We were doing great and having the time of our lives with the new album and everything else in between. Occasionally, rumours and gossips flew around but we dodged them and moved on (or at least we tried to, and some, still trying to). I remember feeling so proud and contented that I couldn't help but to just smile on my own when I read updates and comments from a lot of you via social media whenever we reached certain milestones. We're pretty awesome, you know.


So, it saddened me when I found out how much the recent media play is negatively affecting us as a fam. I've seen a number of crappy, seemingly ill-intended write-ups in my life. This one is in the running to win the Crappiest Award. I, myself, am a writer under a reporter/ event coverage programme by my company. Therefore, I have an idea on how impactful a published piece of article can be. I'm very much aware of the fact that every writer has his or her own style and tendencies. Still, we have codes of ethics to be taken into consideration whenever we come up with a write-up. As I see it, the top code of ethic is to never attempt to cause hatred towards a particular person, group, or any entity, be it the subject of the article (interviewee(s)) or the subject (topic/ reference) that the primary subject is talking about. It's not that hard to write facts or details while being classy (as in, not 'cheap') and pleasant in the process. All we have to do is this - have respect. Think about every person involved and being mentioned. Be true but also professional. The last thing a writer should do is to mislead the readers. Plus, a good writer is able to capture the essence of the story or interview instead of just being (boringly) literal.


That's the power of the media. Now, let's face it with the power of the fans. Allow me to rephrase it to "the power of the fam". To my fellow fam, please feel better and don't lose faith. What you read or hear may not be completely true because there's a high chance that the whole picture isn't being included, thus making the whole situation seem off. I don't know... The writer probably got tired after drafting his or her lengthy article that he or she must have forgotten to include some more details that would have made the outcome completely different. I bet the missing details are the ones that really matter. I wasn't personally there or anything like that, but I'm pretty sure the four lads that we love and support never meant to hurt or offend anyone, especially the fam. It must have been stressful and exhausting for them at times but guess what, they always want to make us happy. It seems to me that they even put their own personal happiness aside for the fans. Those poor, precious souls... We should never allow that, right, fam? It is hard to swallow certain occurrences or news, I know. However, they never intend to hurt anyone, do they? The band has been doing what they've been doing for their love for music. The fam also loves music. From there, the band loves the fam. The fam also loves the band. So, let's not let that love wear off.


Take a breath, listen to your heart, and see what the band is truly about. The fam's actions and reactions reflect the band in ways we may not even be aware of. Let's stay strong and of course, stay awesome.


If any of you still feel unsure or confused about this, come talk to me about it (@PreciousUandMe).


Love 'ya!

My Fangirl Journey (90's to Present)

You might have heard of the term "fangirl" before. As straight-forward as the term suggests, it refers to a female who is a devoted supporter of a particular singer, dancer, actor, or celebrity. The male equivalent to it is known as "fanboy", although the number of fangirls always overshadow the number of fanboys. Nevertheless, fanboys are as significant as fangirls (though I personally think that fanboys are a little more precious and admirable).

Being a 'truly true' fangirl or fanboy is no child's play, let me tell you that. It has to happen voluntarily and naturally without being forced by peer pressure or trend. You need to feel it first before you can show it through your words and actions. It's different than a mere celebrity crush. Trust me, I've been living as a fangirl since the 90's. Happily, of course. :)

Here, today, I'm going to briefly share with you my journey as a fangirl so far.
Before that, please take note that being a fangirl or fanboy doesn't define our professional life (involving our education, career, etc.). It also isn't exactly our personal life (revolving around our connection with our family, friends, ourselves, etc.). The way I see it, being a fangirl or fanboy should have a category of its own. Seriously. Until we can come up with a brilliant name for it, let's call it fandom life, shall we?

90's onwards: Westlife (British Pop)



Westlife was the first group that I became a fangirl of. The group officially disbanded not too long ago but I'm glad that I got to be part of their fandom. It was their blend of vocals that captured me when I first listened to one of their songs. In the group, a few of them have strong, powerful vocals, fitting for main vocals in any song. The others have gentle, unique vocals, suitably perfecting a whole song with their harmony and enhancements. Westlife did a lot of cover versions of popular songs, originally sung by other singers. Some appeared to disapprove this, claiming that they should do more original songs. However, it never really bothered me because Westlife did the cover songs justice by delivering them in their best abilities and bringing the songs back to life. Plus, it's not like they did those cover versions without consent and proper crediting.

The top 3 cover songs that I enjoy the most are 'Butterfly Kisses', 'I'll Be Loving You Forever', and 'What About Now'. As for Westlife's original songs, my top 3 favourites are 'I Lay My Love On You', 'Every Little Thing You Do', and 'I Promise You That'.
[Let me tell you this. I'm TERRIBLE at narrowing my favourite songs to just 3 songs, but I need to.]

2007 onwards: The Click 5 (American Pop)



The Click 5 was the first band that I really like. The original 5 members learned music and practised together in Boston prior to their debut. I remember their sleek, clean-cut, tuxedo-wearing image from their debut album that caught my attention. Around the time of the band's debut, a local magazine at my place organised a contest with the band's debut CD as the prize. I joined the contest, which required participants to submit a participation form found inside the magazine's latest issue, and a few names would be randomly chosen as winners. I was one of the lucky winners! But before the contest winners were revealed, I bought The Click 5's CD from a music store since I fell in love with the band's songs. So, I have 2 copies of the same CD!
Quite briefly after the band debuted, the main vocalist had to leave the band, which broke my young heart into pieces. ㅠㅠ I even blogged about it as my first ever blog post on my old, no-longer-functional blog site, as pictured above. I managed to keep myself okay and welcomed the new main vocalist. Eric, the original frontman of the band, has a tender, melodious vocal, whereas Kyle, the new frontman, has a sharp, funky vocal. That made the band felt different when Eric left but they were still awesome as a band.

My top 3 favourite songs by The Click 5 are 'Just The Girl', 'Say Goodnight', and 'When I'm Gone'.

2008 onwards: Jonas Brothers (American Pop) & McFly (British Pop)



Yes, I was one of the young souls who adored the Jonas Brothers when they were at the beginning of their career as singers. The idea of brothers being together in a band, combined with the talents that the brothers all have, was simply irresistible. Enough said..

My top 3 Jonas Brother's songs are 'When You Look Me In The Eyes', 'Hold On', and 'Just Friends'.

Then, I also discovered an amazing British band known as McFly. Boy, they're incredible! Normally, a band has one frontman or main vocalist. It's different with this band - they have two! The two main vocalists have different vocal strengths, enabling them to complement each other in their songs. Now that I think of it, Tom (McFly) is kind of like Eric (The Click 5), while Danny (McFly) is kind of like Kyle (The Click 5), vocals-wise. But unlike the case of The Click 5, where one main vocalist had to replace the other, McFly can go on with both of their wonderful main vocalists.

Out of all McFly's songs, my top 3 favourites are 'All About You', 'I'll Be Okay', and 'Sorry's Not Good Enough'.

2009 onwards: Arashi (Japanese Pop)



I knew Arashi pretty late. I figured out about them almost ten years after the group's debut. It was probably because J-pop has always been a little more reserved when it comes to promoting overseas. Only a few years ago, J-pop has really started to explore more options to go global. Good for them! Before liking J-pop (the music), I grew fond of Japan through J-dramas and J-movies. All five members of Arashi have always been quite active as actors too, alongside their career as singers. It was through Arashi's youngest member, MatsuJun's drama, '花より 団子' (Hana Yori Dango; Boys Over Flowers) that I was introduced to Arashi, who sang the theme song of the drama. In fact, Arashi sang the theme songs for all two series of the drama and the movie finale. It didn't take me long to dig through Arashi's songs for the past years and I liked what I found. So, I became a fan quite instantly.

The top 3 Arashi's songs that I love the most are 'Hero', '瞳の 中の Galaxy' (Hitomi No Naka No Galaxy; The Galaxy Inside Your Eyes'), and '明日の 極端' (Ashita No Kyoku; Memories of Tomorrow).

2010 onwards: BEAST (Korean Pop)



At this point of time, BEAST members are the kings of my heart. They just are! To be very honest, I never wanted to become involved in anything K-pop-related because I felt intimidated and unsure of how 'healthy' it would be to be part of something that mainstream. I refused to give K-pop a chance, not even a tiny little glance. I would arrogantly say to myself "Walk away, Pris~ It's not worth it." How silly of me.. LOL So, how did I fall head over heels for BEAST? It seemed to me that it happened by accident, or how I like to call it, by destiny. It was my freshman year in university and I was having my lunch break by myself in a mall because I felt like driving out of campus for that two-hour break. After having my meal, I stopped by at a music store. In the promoted section right in front of the counter, something quite bulky caught my eyes. I picked it up and that was the start of my B2UTY-destiny fulfilment. I bought it, which turned out to be BEAST's second mini album with a T-shirt, and listened to the CD in the car as I drove back to campus. There are many great things that I can say about BEAST, but I would be exhausted by the time I finish talking (or typing) about them. To sum it up, I love how talented, loving, and humble the members are. Thank you for everything, BEAST!

If I had to choose my top 3 BEAST's songs, they would most likely be 'Oasis', 'You', and '니가 보고싶어지면' (Niga Bogoshipeojimyeon; When I Miss You).

2012 onwards: BTOB (Korean Pop)



BTOB is the latest (and hopefully the last) added group that I'm really a fangirl of. After BEAST, I vowed to myself that I might not be able to divide my support and attention any further. True enough, BEAST is irreplacable to me. But because of BEAST, I had the chance to get to know BTOB even before BTOB officially debuted. BTOB is BEAST's junior group, under the same entertainment agency. I freely checked out BTOB because at first glance, some of the members reminded me of BEAST, visually and as a first impression. Now, I love the group because they are not only multi-talented, but interesting when all seven personalities collide.

The top 3 songs by BTOB that I enjoy the most are 'Wow', '뛰뛰빵빵' (Dwi Dwi Bang Bang; Beep Beep), and '킅난 건 가요' (Keutnan Geon Gayo; Is It The End).


Alright!
That's my fangirl journey so far.

posted from Bloggeroid

I've Learned Valuable Things

Fangirls... fangirls... fangirls... and also fanboys..

The way I see it, for certain individuals like me, we have three separate but sometimes linked sides of life - personal life, professional life, and fandom life.

I'm sure many of you already know that personal life refers to matters that are close to us like family, friends, hobbies, interests, me-time, etc.  As for professional life, it obviously involves our formal learning, career, and other professional endeavours.

So.....what about fandom life?
I'll tell you what it's about.  As the name suggests, it revolves around the things that a "fan" typically does in an effort to support his or her favourite singers, actors, actresses, models, hosts, or any celebrity, and to keep himself or herself updated with what the stars are up to.  Some people often mislabel fangirls and fanboys who are active in their fandom activities as being "obsessed" or "delusional".
My response to that is: -
No no no...  We're not all like that.  Yes, there are some fans who tend to show their annoyingly obsessive side every now and then.  However, that doesn't mean that it's fair for anyone to jump into conclusion and assume that every self-declared fangirl or fanboy is exactly like that.  We're not, okay.  Like human beings in general, we have our own colours, personalities, and behaviour.  So, please don't simply have the false impression that all fangirls and fanboys are the same.  While we're at it, I would like to apologise if any of you had gone through unpleasant experiences with any fangirl or fanboy before.  Some of us are very young, some of us are almost clueless, some of us are rather emotional, some of us are quite headstrong.  So, sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Now, I hope that you have an idea of what fandom life is basically about.
To hardcore** fans, being part of the fandom movement is a joyful and fulfilling thing.  It can get stressful or tensed sometimes, but at the end of the day, it's all worth it as long as each fan knows how to 'mengukur baju di badan sendiri'.  If a new album comes out or if the artists are coming to town for a performance, it's great if many fans can purchase the original album or buy the performance tickets as a sign of support, but for fans who cannot afford it in terms of money, time, or energy, it's okay to be supportive in a different way - cheering from the sidelines, watching music shows, promoting the new album or event, etc.
(**P/S - Being hardcore in this context doesn't mean being insanely over-the-top.  I'm trying to refer to fans who always try their best to be supportive and participative by joining fanclubs, buying albums and merchandises, attending concerts or showcases or fanmeets, going to fans-only gatherings, and such.  I feel that "hardcore" is still quite an appropriate word here, but it's hardcore in a good way, you know?)

I feel fortunate to have the chance to become part of the staff members of a couple of voluntary K-pop fanclubs in Malaysia.  The 2 Malaysian fanclubs that I'm happily part of are MYB2UTY and MYBTOB.  Both MYB2UTY and MYBTOB are under Cube Global Official Fansites, assigned by Cube Entertainment some time ago.  MYB2UTY is a Malaysian fanclub for BEAST, whereby MYBTOB is a Malaysian fanclub for BTOB.  Check them out if you haven't.

Some of you might be wondering, what exactly do fanclub admins (staff members) do?
To answer that, I would like to first point out that being a fanclub admin is a voluntary and for-pure-fun thing.  We don't get paid for managing or updating fanclub sites, but we still do it anyway, for the sake of keeping other fans and ourselves updated with what our favourite stars are up to.  Apart from updating fans with news and information about the artists, fanclub admins also arrange preorders of the artists' albums and official merchandises, imported directly from South Korea (in the case of K-pop fanclubs).  Fanclub admins also organise meet-ups or gatherings with other fans in the same area or country.  Another important role of fanclub admins is to become the liaison personnel between fans and the organiser whenever there is an event (concert, showcase, fanmeet, festival, etc.) going on in the country, involving the relevant artists.  Not all organisers include fanclubs as part of their public relations (PR) engine.  Some organisers prefer to rely solely on their own PR team when it comes to promoting a specific event.  In my opinion, it's a wise move for organisers to directly involve fanclubs, especially official ones, in their marketing plan.  This is because existing members or followers of fanclubs already feel bonded and comfortable with the particular fanclubs, therefore, the organisers can reach out to the fans in a more effective and relevant manner.  Of course, constant, professional communication between the organisers and the fanclubs is essential in order for this to work.

So, what are the valuable things that I have learned so far as a fanclub admin?
1) Other things are first, not fanclub.
This may sound ironic after what I've written about how it's such a joyful thing for me to become a fangirl.  Don't get me wrong.  I really do enjoy being a fangirl even if it can get costly at times.  Despite that, my sanity ensures that I get my priorities straight.  Other matters like study, career, family and friends, are still above this whole fandom thingy.  There are times for work, there are times for winding down, and there are times for fangirling.  That's why being a fangirl (or a fanboy) is such a special thing.  As much as fans give their all in cheering for their favourite stars,  we also keep ourselves grounded by making an effort in other non-fandom things.  It's important for fans to distinguish between being truly passionate and being carried away.

2) Don't ever jump into conclusion.
I really don't favour those who always jump into conclusion.  I, myself, am constantly trying to become someone who doesn't jump into conclusion until I'm very sure of a certain matter.  A fandom-related example of this is when there's a rumour circulating about a particular artist, fan, or company.  Because of the advanced technology and telecommunication system these days, a mere word of mouth can be known by the whole world in a blink of an eye.  Sometimes, that certain "word of mouth" is pretty controversial and shocking.  It's normal to feel surprised or dumbfounded when we hear or read something, but until it's official and confirmed by relevant individuals, it remains as a rumour.  It can be a little complicated, though.  Sometimes, even 'official' statements aren't that genuine.  Hmm...

3) Guide others the way you would want to be guided.
Fanclub admins don't know everything.  A lot of fanclub admins know a lot of things, but still, we don't know everything.  There are things that we may not be aware of.  That's why we do our little researches and information-digging from time to time.  We certainly don't want to intentionally spread wrong information.  Even though there may be things that we may not know much about yet, it's still important to do our best to be as informative and helpful as possible.  Different fans have different level of awareness towards certain matters.  Some are quite independent and don't ask much unless very necessary.  On the other flip of the coin, some are a little bit clueless (which isn't really a bad thing) and tend to ask more questions even if the same questions have been asked and responded to before.  If time is available, make an effort to properly answer the questions, even repeated ones.  Fans just want to know.  So, let them know.

4) Always be transparent. 
Being transparent means that you don't hide anything unless it's very personal and it's none of other people's business.  If there's a piece of information that can possibly be helpful or interesting to fans, share it.  It's good to be specific enough so that the possibility of a misunderstanding can be minimised.

5) Sometimes, just let antis be antis.  
Dealing with antis (or haters or skeptics or trolls) is one of the things that can very much be a pain in the neck for fans.  So, what should we do about it?  We simply don't deal with these creatures individuals.  I know that it's sometimes very difficult to just ignore the hateful remarks that some antis make out of their childish dissatisfaction or jealousy(?).  Just be strong and believe in the artists that you're supporting.  Occasional rebuts on what the antis have to say may be necessary, but stay calm and rational in your arguments.  Also, know when to stop and just walk away.  Antis really aren't worth our precious time.

Mystery of the Missing Sellotape

This happened last week.

I was wrapping a new batch of CDs and posters that BTOB fans preordered through the fanclub I'm co-managing.

Sitting on cold tiles while dealing with paper, pen knife, scissors, and sellotape can get tiring if there are quite a number of items to wrap separately.  So, I decided to take a break and leave the things in the computer room.  I just dilly-dallied around the house.  I gulped some drinking water because mom always reminds me how essential it is to drink plain water regularly, flipped from one TV channel to another, charged my cellphone, browsed the internet through my tab..... Okay, okay!  I'll admit it.  Basically, I just procrastinated.  And while procrastinating, I figured out what our three playful dogs were up to.   They were creating a mess at the back area of the house!  Well, this happens from time to time, especially when you have three hard-headed dogs, each with its own personality.

I chuckled upon seeing the mess that the trio caused and played with Bambi, the youngest of the three, who was in the house.

Thankfully, I regained my senses and thought about the fans who must have been waiting patiently for their CDs and posters that came all the way from Seoul.  (BTOB's latest mini album, 'Thriller', is worthy of praise, by the way.  I'm now addicted to the album!)  As I was about to continue wrapping the items, I looked for the sellotape that was supposed to be nearby but couldn't find it.  I kept scanning the room's floor and peeking under desks and cupboards to see if it had rolled its way to one of the locations.  To my dismay, I couldn't find it.  What made it frustrating was that I was very sure that I put it right next to the wrapping paper and pair of scissors, but when I couldn't find it, it was as if it just...disappeared into thin air!  Frustrating and creepy~  I gave up looking for it and took out another roll of a different sellotape.  Without stopping, I was then done wrapping and labeling all of the CDs together with the posters that came along with them.

But that wasn't the end.

I checked out what the dogs were up to again out of habit whenever I'm home, and something caught my eye.  I went outside to confirm what I thought I saw.

This!

Then, it all made sense.

The culprit behind the missing sellotape was this little creature.

Bambi, who has access to both the inside and outside of the house due to her small size, must have found the sellotape and decided to make it her toy.  She brought it outside to play with it but the other two bigger dogs wanted to play with it too.  In the end, the poor, sinless sellotape was torn apart to pieces until it couldn't be recognised easily anymore.

When I thought about it, it was pretty funny how Bambi could sneakily bring the sellotape outside and how the mess outside could camouflage the torn sellotape.  Haih...pets..

[FAN ACCOUNT] 130627 - AIA K-pop Concert in Malaysia

[FAN ACCOUNT] 130627 - AIA K-pop Concert in Malaysia

I went to K-pop Dream Concert Live in Malaysia in the month of May and I enjoyed it.  One month later, I went to yet another concert!  This time, it was AIA K-pop Concert in Malaysia.  What made this concert extra special was the three performing acts who all came from the same company, Cube Entertainment.  My favourite K-pop company!  The three acts were 4Minute, BEAST, and G.NA.  In January 2011, the same lineups came to Malaysia for DiGi Live K-pop Party and I attended that one too with my dad and younger sister.  This time for AIA K-pop Concert, my dad tagged along again.

My dad and I took a flight to Kuala Lumpur on the same day of the concert.  We arrived at Kuala Lumpur about four hours before the tentative time of the concert.  We made our way to the stadium where the concert was held via Light Rail Transit (LRT).  The concert venue was only two stations away.  When we arrived at the stadium, we wandered around the stadium, which was already filled with fans and AIA (M) Berhad's agents, staffers, policyholders, and family members.  The concert was initially planned as a private concert for those related to AIA (M) Berhad only.  After discussing with Malaysian fanclubs and K-pop concert-goers, the company decided to make the concert open to public.  *cough* /Extra revenue/ *cough*  *cough again* /Nothing wrong with that/ *cough again*  I bought the concert tickets for my dad and I through Malaysian BEAST's fanclub, MYB2UTY.  About fifteen minutes before the concert started, we entered the concert area.  Upon hearing songs (which turned out to be music videos) by the Cube artists being played in the concert area, I felt excited and could not wait to see the performing artists live again, especially BEAST!

G.NA was the first performer.  Even as a solo singer, she did not fail to capture the audience's attention with her powerful yet sweet vocal and her friendly greetings.  Her first song for that evening was 'Supa Solo', one of my all-time favourite songs of hers!  G.NA also performed '2Hot', 'Bananas', and the English version of 'I'll Back Off, So Live Well' (in which, B2UTY went wild when BEAST's Jun Hyung came out to perform his rapping part) before performing a two-song medley of Rihanna's songs, 'Take a Bow' and 'Rude Boy'.  Her remaining performances of 'First Kiss', 'Top Girl', and 'Black and White' kept the crowd cheering.  I especially liked it when G.NA mentioned during her talk time that Malaysian fans have been doing great at supporting the United Cube family and asked for continuous interest and support.

The audience continued to gleefully scream, shout, and sing when 4Minute came on stage.  The girls appeared on the stage with their stylishly sassy performance of 'What's Your Name'.  They also performed 'Mirror Mirror', 'I'm Okay', 'HUH', and 'Muzik'.  I enjoyed every performance but I particularly liked their emotional balladry song 'Pretend'.  Before stepping out of the stage, the girls performed the bubbly 'Heart to Heart' and the catchy 'Hot Issue'.

Then...the most anticipated (for me, personally) act of the evening...the one, the only, the amazing BEAST!  As expected, the audience, including me, went wild when an introductory snippet featuring BEAST's members was played.  The next thing that came up was Gi Kwang's "Byeol-i bit na neun areumdawoon bam-iya-iya~".  The BEAST's members appeared on stage to perform their upbeat 'It's a Beautiful Night'.  What made the audience (at my area) even more hyped up was the members running towards the front part of the stage from the beginning of the song.  So, my eyes were pleasantly treated to the up close view of real life BEAST's members!  Dear God, thank you very much!  I frantically waved my rose-shaped lightstick and sang along while smiling ear-to-ear.  BEAST is known as one of the groups with outstanding fan-service.  That fact was really shown that evening even from their first performance.  The group performed 'Bad Girl' and 'Shock'.  These two songs are their first two title songs.  So, being able to see them perform those songs and dance the choreography meant so much to their B2UTY fans, trust me.  The other songs that BEAST performed so marvelously were 'Special', 'Fiction', 'On Rainy Days', 'I Knew It', and 'Freeze'.  Right after that, a new but familiar tune was played.  I immediately screamed joyfully when I heard the introduction music of one of BEAST's new songs, 'Will You Be Alright'.  I could tell that a few of the audience members who were near me turned their heads to look at me.  They must be wondering why I suddenly shrieked.  It was another special treat for B2UTY in Malaysia because that was the first time the song was performed overseas, and the second time it was ever performed live.  The first time the movingly sad song was performed was during B2UTY Party event at Maru Park, Seoul, South Korea.  Oh yea, now I remember something!  During 'Will You Be Alright', Jun Hyung missed a tempo and ended up giggling while doing his "Stay with me babe, stay with me babe.. Don't go, don't leave me babe.." part.  It was so cute!  Their last performances were 'Beautiful' and the encore song 'VIU'.  The members had lots of fun on stage, running around and making each other wet by splashing drinking water from bottles.  In fact, the members seemed to be in a very good mood from the beginning of their appearance on stage.  That made fans extra happy.  One of the things that the members said that I particularly remember is Dong Woon's "[Translated] Now I know why Malaysia is so hot.  It's because of your passion."  *o*  Smooth move, Son-Nam-Shin!  Another one is in Yo Seob's advice for everyone to take extra care of their health because of the haze, "[Translated] Please stay healthy.  Because you exist, I exist." *o*  Very sleek, Yang-Yo!

That evening is definitely a memorable evening for me.  I am sure many fans think so too.

We will continue to stand by your side, United Cube!

[FAN ACCOUNT] 130524 - K-pop Dream Concert Live in Malaysia (Cube Entertainment's Fan's POV)

[FAN ACCOUNT] 130524 - K-pop Dream Concert Live in Malaysia

(Cube Entertainment's Fan's POV)

The Evening Before (May 23rd)

My family and I arrived at Genting Highlands, Pahang on May 23rd.  Our flight was delayed for about an hour, so my energy was mostly drained by the time we arrived at the lobby of our hotel.  Before entering our hotel room, I had to first meet up with a few Melodies (Melody = Fan Name of BTOB's fan) to pass them their slogan towels and lightsticks.  (For those who did not know, the slogan towels and lightsticks that I am referring to are the official support merchandise produced and sold by the talent management company.)  The first day of the concert was happening on that evening.  The tickets that I bought for my family and I were for the second day. 

From our hotel room, we could hear the songs that the artists were performing.  Our hotel was right next to the main entrance of the concert venue.  I could particularly hear BTOB's 'I Stole Those Lips (Irresistible Lips)', 'Wow', 'Second Confession', and G.NA's 'Oops!' because when those songs were performed, my family and I were walking somewhere outside, looking for a place to eat. 

It was about half an hour past midnight and my family members were already sound asleep but I was still up, watching TV.  I then received a text message from a fellow Melody-and-K-popper.  I was supposed to pass her some slogan towels too but we could not meet up before the concert that evening because of my delay in arrival.  We then made a quick appointment to meet up outside of a coffee house near the lobby of the hotel where the artists were staying at.  There are a number of different hotels at Genting Highlands and those hotels are connected by walking paths and buildings.  So, I just followed the sign boards and some directions from that Melody friend of mine to get to our meet up place.  I finally reached the place and I knew that I was at the right place because I could see a number of people gathering and waiting outside of a coffee shop.  At that time, the artists were having a break after the first day of concert at the coffee house.  I met my Melody friend there and passed the slogan towels to her.  We had a little chat and I met some other K-pop fans.  I was told that BTOB, my favourite group out of the performing line-ups, had already gone back to their rooms.  I decided to wait with the other fans to try my luck at catching a glimpse of the other artists who were going to come out of the coffee house sooner or later.  BTOB's senior label-mate, G.NA (pronounced as "Ji-Na"), came out of the coffee house with a manager from Cube Entertainment and  some security guards.  They walked towards my direction, making me feel more excited but I tried to contain my excitement and I took a step back to give way.  G.NA was literally about one metre away from me.  I blurted out "Hi, G.NA~" and she looked at me while smiling, waving, and saying "Hi!" back.  That made me feel so happy and thankful!  She is not only a very beautiful woman, but she is also kind and genuine towards her fans and others.  Not long after that, 4Minute, also BTOB's senior label-mates, made their way out of the coffee house.  A manager went out first with a cake from 4Minute's fanclub.  The girls followed after that, surrounded by security guards.  The girls were all-smiles as they walked pass fans.  Like G.NA, they really looked like porcelain dolls up close.  Apart from BTOB, G.NA, and 4Minute, the other artists in the line-ups of K-pop Dream Concert Live in Malaysia were Sistar and Brown Eyed Girls.  I was not sure if Sistar and Brown Eyed Girls had already gone back to their rooms earlier on or not, but I decided not to wait any longer and walked back to my room. 

G.NA coming out of the coffee house and walking towards my direction(!)

4Minute coming out of the coffee house and walking towards my direction too(!)

The Concert Day (May 24th)

From the afternoon, I joined the other fans lobby-stanning (Lobby-stanning, a.k.a. hotel-stanning, is a term used to refer to fans waiting at the hotel lobby where their favourite artists are staying at, hoping for a chance to see the artists with their own eyes when the artists go out to have a meal, walk somewhere else, or off to a rehearsal or show.)  Of course, security guards were there to make sure that fans did not go overboard and that the other guests of the hotel would not go through too much of a difficult time because of the hoarding of fans.  I felt bad for the other guests because there were times when they had to squeeze their way through the fans to get to the hotel lobby.  Fans were kind enough to make way when necessary but still, the overwhelming number of gathered fans at a hotel lobby can be quite frightening to anyone who is not used to that.  Nobody got hurt, though.  We patiently waited and queued at the hotel lobby for hours.  Our biggest 'enemy' at that time was not the long hours of standing but the cold highland wind that occasionally blew in from the front entrance of the hotel. 

The concert was about to start in a couple of hours, so G.NA walked out to the hotel lobby first, surrounded by an entourage of staff members and security guards.  Sistar and 4Minute then came out one after the other.  My Melody friends and I were anticipating BTOB the most.  We kept waiting.  The authority at the hotel lobby announced that BTOB (and Brown Eyed Girls) would not be coming out soon.  Some even claimed that they were already at the concert venue since rehearsal, but fans knew better that they were not at the venue yet because some fans really waited at the hotel lobby since morning.  Nice try but you cannot easily fool fans, okay?  Fans are extra alert, extra attentive, and extra informative.  Most fans were already on their way back or to the concert venue but a number of fans remained at the hotel lobby area.  I even had some time to briefly followed and 'stalked' managers from the talent management companies, especially Cube Entertainment, when they wandered at the lobby area.  My Melody friends and I wanted to stay at the hotel lobby until BTOB came out but it was already ten minutes before showtime.  We did not want to miss the start of the concert, so we decided to make our way to the concert venue, which was about fifteen minutes away by foot.

The managers

On the first day, the order of performing artists was BTOB-G.NA-4Minute-Brown Eyed Girls-Sistar.  I expected the order to be the same for the second day but it turned out that Sistar was the first performing act.  My seat was at the front row and the two seats on my right as well as the two seats on my left belonged to fanboys.  So, I was surrounded by fanboys!  I enjoyed Sistar's performances since I knew some of their songs.  In fact, I was familiar with all of the songs that the group performed that evening.  After Sistar, it was G.NA's turn to perform.  I screamed my lungs out especially when BTOB's Il Hoon came out to perform his part in G.NA's 'Oops!'.  G.NA also performed the English version of her debut song, 'I'll Back Off, So Live Well', among other songs.  Then, 4Minute went on stage to perform their songs.  4Minute is one of my top K-pop acts.  The second last performing act was BTOB!  Woohoo~~!  As expected, I went insane when BTOB came out.  From the first song, 'I Only Know Love', to 'Secret (Insane)', to 'Second Confession', to 'Wow', I gleefully sang along and followed some of the dance moves.  The guy sitting next to me was surprised and asked me, "Waa... You even know all their dance moves?".  I smilingly nodded and continued cheering.  Brown Eyed Girls was the last performing act.  I was not very familiar with some of their songs but I still enjoyed their performances.  During Brown Eyed Girl's turn to perform, the group's manager came to the front of the stage area among the security guards and stood near my seating area.  At one point, he briefly scanned the seating audience area and I happily waved at him.  He saw me and nodded.  

Sistar

G.NA

4Minute

BTOB

Brown Eyed Girls

When the concert was over, I walked to my hotel room, feeling tired but happy.  I simply love it when I can smile after a concert no matter how exhausting the day has been. 

What does that make me?

I'm writing this post because there's something related to my personal interests (fandoms, to be exact) that has been bugging me. Well, it's more like something that some other people have done or portrayed. I'll be as fair as I can in elaborating and I'll keep the anonymity of the individuals or groups of people involved, but each event or incident that I'm going to mention here is for real.  

So....my friends and family would most definitely know that I enjoy learning foreign cultures, particularly Asian cultures. To be even more specific, I absolutely adore Japanese and Korean cultures. Yes, both Japanese and Korean. Now, don't jump into conclusion and assume that I don't have the slightest care about my own culture or country. If you think so, man, you're dead wrong! I am proud of my country and constantly pray for its continuous growth and harmony. How can I easily turn my back on a land that has given me a chance to grow up in a peaceful and welcoming surrounding? Therefore, my interest in other cultures doesn't change my root as a Malaysian. It's simply that my interest (or you may call it hobby) is to learn about other cultures, especially in terms of languages and lifestyles. I see it as a positive thing as it helps me to expand the horizon of my knowledge and awareness on other parts of the world. It prevents me from being 'katak di bawah tempurung' [Literally: a frog under a coconut shell; Interpretation: someone who has absolutely no idea about the things outside of his or her own secluded space].  

And let me tell you here that the hardest part about learning foreign cultures is not the unfamiliarity of the foreign cultures. The real hardest part to me is being bugged by skeptics or antis. Some people are just full of hatred, aren't they? Even worse, they choose to grow that hatred inside of them and eventually show it out to the public. How uncivilised! You might say that if the antis are being a pain in the neck, why not just ignore them? That's exactly what I had been doing in the beginning. I figured that those antis are definitely not worthy of my time and attention. But I'm sorry, my patience isn't as high as Mount Everest or as wide as the Atlantic Ocean. I can tolerate some rudeness or unprofessionalism but not when it's too much.  

Now, let's get to the specific incidents that I would like to address, shall we?  

--Haters at Public Performances--
It's usually not an issue at all when the event is by only one act or many acts from the same genre. In fact, you can see the warmth and unity among the audience members at this kind of event. The problem arises when it's an event with a mixture of acts, genres, or places of origin. Let me ask you this. What is the original purpose of going to a concert? The most sensible answer would be to enjoy the show, right? That's why organisers hold concerts in the first place. It's for music lovers to unwind and see the performers live on stage. It's really unfortunate to see how low someone can act just to express his or her dissatisfaction towards others who haven't even done anything wrong. If someone doesn't like a particular performance during a concert, that someone should just clench his/ her fist and bear it throughout the performance. But to 'passionately' shout "boo~", show thumbs-down, throw garbage or other items towards the stage, all WHILE the artists concerned are performing...that's just so thoughtless and childish. Nobody forces anyone to like every performer. Just keep your basic manner. It's as simple as that.  

--Antis on Social Network--
This group of people are, without a doubt, attention-seekers. First of all, being an anti (or hater) is already a negative thing that shows one's narrow state of mind. Please be clear here that antis are those who truly HATE someone or something, not those who harmlessly DISLIKE them. Secondly, these people, knowingly or unknowingly, call out for attention from the whole world by bashing or insulting whoever they're dissatisfied with on social network. Sadly, some of my own acquaintances are like this. I've seen posts and comments like [*rephrased/ translated but with the same meanings*] "...plastic idols...", "...go back to your own place...", "...waste of money and time...", "...delusional fans...", "...pretty faces with no talents...", etc. Those are pretty accusative and presumptive words, don't you think? Shame on those who have stated such things on public platforms! What bugs me more is that all of the negative comments are proclaimed based on the antis' substance-less ASSUMPTIONS only. I mean, have you actually checked out their full performances, trainings, and documentaries? Have you done your research on what they had to face (and for how long) before debuting? Have you tried to see and greet them in person? Have you surveyed why their fans support them so much? And...do you even know who they really are? (i) Expressing your honest opinions and (ii) recklessly mortifying others are two different things that every mentally sane human should be able to differentiate.  

--Disfavouritism by Influential Personalities--
Influential personalities refer to individuals who have regular followers, supporters, or fanbase. They can be celebrities, socialites, gurus, bloggers, and such. What these people have that is so valuable is power in their words and actions. The public listens to what they have to say and watches their actions. Good things are great to share but controversial and sensitive things are better discussed in more private platforms. Just because you're angered by certain incidents, that doesn't give you the right to forcefully retaliate against specific people (or country?). Are you expecting your followers to blindly fight your fight along with you? It's just so unprofessional to go as far as badmouthing others even if there have been past incidents that may have made you feel irritated or upset. You have good intentions, I believe so. But how you choose to act or react mirrors your depth of rationality and your heart's true content. Especially when you're a public figure, your simple words or actions can greatly influence other people, particularly the youngsters. So, please please please be more aware of your choice of words before attacking a particular person or group of people.  

It's tiring to keep telling my side of the story with regards to the assumptions and perceptions made by non-fans of particular individuals or groups. I usually let it slip but when someone is far off track, I feel that I have to do something in my attempt to save his/ her soul from further demonic-like sentiments. *Dramatic word-usage mode, on!*  

If haters at public performances act the way they do with the so-called reason to protect their country's own music industry, what does that make me? Am I a liar when I say that I love my country even though I'm a big fan of J-pop and K-pop?  

If antis on social network claim that so-and-so is not worthy of our support, what does that make me? Am I oblivious for finding joy and comfort in foreign entertainment?  

If influential personalities who are supposed to be the wise and knowledgeable ones show obvious disfavouritism towards a certain genre or even culture, what does that make me? Am I the foolish one for liking to learn a foreign culture, left alone at least two foreign cultures?  

Just stop with the aggressive or passive-aggressive hating and choose the more mature actions. I like what I like, you like what you like. I don't ever want to put you down for what you're interested in, so please don't bring negativity into the picture. Just stay away from the subject matter if all you have to say is your spirit-breaking, fun-killing, conclusion-jumping opinion. Don't rain on someone else's parade. It's shallow. You're better than that.  

Peace, lovely world! ♥

Best Wedding Proposal.. Best Wedding Ceremony.. Best Wedding Week.. How about Best Wedding Speech?

Weddings are amongst the most joyous events ever.  When you attend a friend's or a relative's wedding ceremony or reception, you can't help but to feel happy even merely as a guest.  Imagine how happy the bride and groom are!  Of course, as happy as the bride and groom may be, at least one of them would feel nervous for some reasons, and having to deliver a wedding speech in front of the guests, for instance, can be one of the good reasons.  As the bride or (more typically) the groom, one might get the tingling feeling of having butterflies in the stomach before delivering your speech.

So, for Tom Fletcher, who is the frontman of McFly, a boy band from the U.K that I adore, his turn was in May last year when he got married to beautiful Giovanna.  Tom isn't the kind of person who looks forward to public speaking, so instead of saying out his speech, he sang it.  And he did it wonderfully.

Tom uploaded the video of his wedding speech on his YouTube channel about two months ago.  I finally got to watch it and I couldn't help but to smile and also go "aww..." for these reasons:

1) I smiled because Tom creatively made a rendition of six McFly's songs as his speech by using the songs' tunes but wittily changed the lyrics to express how he really felt.

2) I also smiled because some of the lines that came out were funny yet fitting.

3) I went "aww..." because Tom's words through his singing really reflected his gratitude towards everyone who had been there for him.

4) I also went "aww..." because Tom was able to be so sincere and on-point when he reached the parts about his band mates (Harry, Dougie, and Danny), his parents, and parents-in-law. :')

Tom made use of the songs 'Obviously', 'Star Girl' 'Sorry's Not Good Enough', 'Room on the 3rd Floor', 'The Heart Never Lies', and 'All About You'.  My top favourite McFly songs are in the list!  I think McFly's fans are able to relate to the video more meaningfully since the song tunes are familiar to us, but non-fans will be able to see the beauty of this special wedding speech too.

This is the video of Tom's wedding speech:

0:25 - 1:37 --- Rendition of 'Obviously' as the opening of Tom's speech

1:38 - 2:43 --- Rendition of 'Star Girl' as the speech to Tom's ushers, Gi's brother, the tailor, McFly's manager

2:44 - 4:56 --- Rendition of 'Sorry's Not Good Enough' as the speech to Gi's bridesmaids, sister, Tom's sister

4:57 - 6:50 --- Rendition of 'Room on the 3rd Floor' as the speech to fellow McFly members

6:51 - 10:17 --- Rendition of 'The Heart Never Lies' as the speech to Tom's parents and Gi's parents

10:21 - End --- Rendition of 'All About You' as the speech to Giovanna the bride

Here are the music videos for each of the mentioned McFly's songs:

Obviously

Star Girl

Sorry's Not Good Enough

Room on the 3rd Floor

The Heart Never Lies

All About You

So, what do you think of Tom's speech?
I personally adore it.  He was being sincere, creative, and funny throughout his song-speech.  How lovely!

Now, I feel like heading to the music store to buy more McFly CDs or DVDs.  I hope this amazing band will receive more attention and love from people all around the world.

In term of their personal lives, I hope that they're always happy with the ones they love.  So far, two of them (Tom and Harry) are married.  Tom tied the knot in May 2012.  For Harry, it was in December 2012.  Even if they face hardships, I hope they'll stay strong and shout out "Aaa...I'll be okay~" like one of their songs.

My McFly CD

I'm on MSN Malaysia's article!

I'm on one of the articles on MSN Malaysia!  Hahahaha...

Well, it's not a big deal since it's a brief article that compiles some of the entries for Golden Disk Awards (GDA) in Malaysia last time.  As one of the sponsors of GDA, MSN held a contest, where K-pop fans were asked to impress them through creative photos and prove that they're the biggest K-pop supporters.  I wasn't one of the winners.  The odd of winning was low considering that only three out of over 500 participants were to be chosen.  But there was another benefit of joining apart from the mere chance to win, in my personal view.  By participating, I felt like it was one way to channel my passion for K-pop with a touch of creativity.  Plus, it was fun!  But the clearing up part was not too fun since it was way past midnight when I completed my 'photoshoot'.  LOL  I almost decided to just sleep in the midst of my K-pop albums and merchandises on the bed.  Nevertheless, I'm glad I participated because I see it as a way for me to polish my talent skill as a fan.

Since MSN was so impressed (They said it la, not me.) by the passion and creativity of K-pop fans in Malaysia, MSN compiled a number of the entries (24 entries, to be exact) and show them in an article entitled "MSN readers impress with K-pop love for GDA contest".

I screenshot the part with my submission to show that I participated and that MSN was freakin' impressed with my submission that they decided to show it to the world.

I captioned this picture as "...and the princess lives happily in her prosperous K-pop kingdom".
I snapped this in my actual room.

As you can see, clearing up the items from my bed and keeping them back in their respective boxes wouldn't be easy.

Peace~

Back in December

Catch Up Post #4
(Last)

Back in December 2012

2012 Asia Super Showcase in Malaysia [Fan Account included] 

Remember that I bought a V.I.P. Zone ticket for this showcase last time?  The time was finally coming!  BTOB in Malaysia~~~!  Woohoo~!  You know what?  I think I'll make a short fan account on the showcase, then include a few pictures below.  I never got to make my fan account.  Yup, terribly busy!

[FAN ACCOUNT] 121211 - 2012 Asia Super Showcase (Melody's POV)

Since the venue of the showcase was in Kuala Lumpur (KL), I had to take a flight from Kuching to KL.   I (with my family) had to go for an afternoon flight on the same day of the showcase.  It would be better to depart earlier but I had a presentation in the morning.  So, right after the presentation at campus, I dashed back home to change and my uncle sent us to the airport.  We weren't late for boarding at all.  In fact, the flight was delayed for almost half an hour!  >.<  I usually wouldn't mind a slight delay but that day was different.  I needed to rush to claim my showcase ticket as soon as possible.  I tried to remain calm because freaking out wouldn't make me magically transport myself to KL in a blink of an eye, would it?

So, when we reached the airport in KL, dad and I went to the taxi ticketing booth while mom and my sisters went to get our luggage.  When we got in the taxi (which was a van, actually, since a taxi could carry maximum four passengers only and there were five of us) and directed the driver to bring us to Kenanga Wholesale City, the venue of the showcase.  I wasn't in a rush to actually enter the showcase venue yet because I bought a ticket with numbered seating.  However, I needed to get my showcase ticket first.  After getting my ticket, we were sent to our hotel by the driver to check in.  A funny (and quite stressful) incident happened when we were on our way up the elevator.  The maximum capacity of the elevator was three people but all five of us got in with our luggage, thinking that it would be alright.  The next thing we knew, the elevator doors wouldn't open when we reached our floor.  Dad called the receptionist and seconds later, the doors opened.  Without resting, right after we dropped off our stuff at our room, we rushed back out to go to the showcase venue.  (Yes, my family members went to the showcase venue too just to have a walk around because the venue was also a shopping mall.)  This time, we didn't go by taxi but we went there by monorail.  Rushing to the nearest monorail station without slowing down was tiring but we had to keep going.

This is the fanboard that I made and brought along to the showcase.

It reads "I only know BTOB", derived from BTOB's song, 'I Only Know Love".

Once we reached the venue after walking non-stop, I was so drained but I got some of my energy back when I saw the V.I.P. entrance.  I waved goodbye to my family members and went in.  There were already a lot of fans in the venue.  Even though I got a V.I.P. seat, it was quite unfortunate as the seat number that I got was among the furthest from the stage within the V.I.P. Zone.  Oh well...I just got to live it.  So, I waited patiently along with everyone else as there were minutes left to the start of the showcase.  We could hear occasional screaming from the audience whenever they thought they saw glimpse of idols backstage.  LOL  I can totally relate.

The audience waiting for the showcase to start

So, the first group to go on stage was the group I went there for.  BTOB!!!  OMG OMG OMG...  BTOB members were really on stage in front of my freakin' eyes!  They appeared on the stage with their intro song, 'Born to Beat'.  I screamed so much but I tried to cool down so that I could enjoy their performance as much as possible.  I swear I was crying in joy inside, but on the outside, I was far too excited.  I could see BTOB!  I could see sweetie Eun Kwang!   The boys sounded so great live.  Even their presence was beyond amazing.

After their intro song, the music for 'I Stole Those Lips (Irresistible Lips)' was heard.  They performed that song so energetically.

Then, the upbeat feel was halted for a while as BTOB performed their balladry song, 'Imagine'.  The meaning behind the song is just honest and disturbing (in a strangely good way).  Click here to see the meaning of 'Imagine'.

'Imagine'

The next song was 'I Only Know Love (Lover Boy)'.  The song has such catchy chorus and mid-verses [*I just confidently created this term.*], in my opinion.  I like the choreography too.

After 'I Only Know Love (Lover Boy)', BTOB had a talk session.  Each member introduced himself.  One of the fanservice-like thing that made fans squeal was when Min Hyuk was about to introduce himself.  The boys were sweating so much after the dancing and partly because of the humid weather.  Just as Min Hyuk started to speak, Chang Seob who stood next to him wiped Min Hyuk's sweat.  Aww...how sweet!  They then smiled and laughed.  Peniel, the English speaker of the group, stated that Malaysia is just so beautiful and he would love to visit Malaysia again for a non-performing-related vacation.  Min Hyuk also stated that Malaysia is a country that he would always go back to.  The MC asked BTOB to sing an acapella, so they sang the chorus of 'Monday to Sunday'.

BTOB's talk session

The next song by BTOB was 'My Girl'.  OMG I love this song!  It's an easy-going, love-confessing song and it has a beautiful acoustic guitar intro music.  The song doesn't have a particular choreography, so the boys walked around the stage to get closer to the audience.  Of course, fans started to scream so much and the screaming could be heard even with the song's music being played.  From my place, I could see Peniel taking a selca on stage using a fan's polaroid camera.  *Not jealous, not jealous*  The members looked straight into some fans' eyes when they got closer.  Towards the end of the beautiful song, Eun Kwang even sat at the edge of the main stage and swayed his feet like an adorable child.  Why?????!!!!!!  *Mental breakdown*

Then, BTOB performed their debut title track, 'Secret (Insane)'.  Malaysian fans must have been most familiar with the fan chants of this song because they chanted so loudly and clearly.  *Proud*  At the second last chorus of the song, there was a technical problem and the music suddenly stopped.  BTOB kept singing and fans' chanting accompanied BTOB's singing, making the rest of the song sound seemingly better that the one with background music.  

BTOB Hyun Sik: "You make me go insane.."

Fans: "Sane!"

BTOB Hyun Sik: "Give me so much pain.."

Fans: "Pain!"

BTOB Hyun Sik: "I won't be back again.."

(While BTOB Min Hyuk rapped..) BTOB Sung Jae: "I wanna hate you.."

BTOB Eun Kwang: "You make me go insane.."

Fans: "Sane!"

BTOB Eun Kwang: "Give me so much pain.."

Fans: "Pain!"

BTOB Eun Kwang: "I won't be back again...~~"  *Then, he stopped and giggled.*

*Even more proud*

The MC came out and BTOB had an interview session.  BTOB answered a few randomly picked questions from a box.  An interpreter was on stage too.

[P/S - I might rephrase the sentences but the points remain the same.]

Question: How would you spend a day in Malaysia?

BTOB Eun Kwang: "One day wouldn't be enough.  I would spend two days here."  *Fans, including me, screamed and cheered.*

BTOB Sung Jae: (To audience) "Would you like to spend a night with me?"  *WTH Sung Jae!  Don't even start!  You're the youngest member!*

Question: What is your ideal type of girl?

BTOB Hyun Sik: (In English) "Beautiful girls!" *While moving his hand in the audience's direction with a wide cheeky-ish smile on his face*

The MC asked Il Hoon to do his famous Kiyeomi Player (Cutie Player).  Three fans, who were selected way before the showcase started, were called on stage to do the Kiyeomi Player with him.  You can watch how Il Hoon's Kiyeomi Player looks like in a fan-recorded video of the showcase below.

Cute, right?

BTOB then performed their last song for the night, 'Wow'.  It was "wow" indeed.  There were still EXO-M and the main act, Super Junior-M left for the rest of the showcase but I already used up my energy on BTOB.  Haha...  I enjoyed EXO-M and Super Junior-M's performances too.  Oh ya, I was standing on my chair throughout the showcase.  So, my legs were absolutely sore and aching.  Other fans did the same.  I met a new friend, an Exotic (EXO's fan) whose seat was next to mine.

Fans went crazy because of the three groups.

The full song list of the showcase

After the showcase ended, I waited for a while with my new friend because a lot of people were waiting for the elevators.  When we reached downstairs and went out, I met my family members who were waiting outside.  It turned out that there were quite a number of parents and family members waiting outside the mall throughout the showcase.  Mom said that they could hear fans' screaming even though the showcase venue was 15 floors above and in an indoor location.  We made our way back to the hotel.  I was beyond tired.  To add to that, I had to complete my university assignment and part of my degree thesis.  How hectic, right? I just have to be strong and keep going.

After the showcase ended

My showcase ticket

.. [End of Fan Account] ..

My flight back home was two days earlier than the rest of my family.  I had to go back early because I had so many university stuff to do.  Back at home in Kuching, grandma and my little cousin stayed over.

 The rest of my family went to shopping malls around KL while they were still there.

Dad saw BTOB's standee in one of the malls, took a picture of it, and WhatsApp'ed me the picture.  He even posted the picture on his Facebook wall, making people think that he's a fan too.  LOL

Victoria's Early Birthday Surprise

It's like a customary among my circle of closest friends to hold surprise birthday celebrations.  It's getting harder to come up with a potentially successful surprise each time.  For Vic's birthday, we planned to make an early birthday surprise.

Vic is a huge fan of Manchester United.  So, that explains the theme of the cupcakes and gift.

Christmas

Our area's Catholic community went from one house to another for Christmas carols.

Christmas tree 

Christmas carol at our house

Bambi, Our New 'Family Member'

My sister's friend had quite a number of dogs and puppies at her home.  She was giving away a few puppies.  Bambi, a playful and unladylike female puppy, was given to us.  She was born in October 2012.  Her favourite food is fried chicken.

Meet Bambi.

Family Gathering Dinner

My uncle, who's my dad's youngest brother, was coming to Kuching after a while with his wife and son.  We had a family dinner at a restaurant since it's hard for all of us to gather together at other times.

My uncle, aunt, and youngest cousin

Yes, this picture is blurry and can't be fixed.

My nephew (cousin's son) didn't want to stay still.  Haha...