Fangirlasia Enterprises, the country’s leading merchandise provider of anything Asian entertainment, comes back with one of the most highly anticipated events in the fangirling scene, Ongaku Gayo 2.0. Following the success of last year’s Ongaku Gayo 1.0, this year’s celebration promises more fun, more awards and more prizes. This year, Fangirlasia brings Ongaku Gayo to the SMX Convention Center (Meeting Rooms 12 & 13) and opens its doors not only to its customers but to eager fans who are dying to be a part of its fantastic program. The party will start at exactly 2pm.

Aside from the huge pool of prizes to be given away, the event also pledges to hold one of the biggest raffles of the year, including the top 20 bestselling merchandise from summer of 2011 to 2012. This means getting a hold of some of the best albums released during the past year, not to mention the expensive concert DVDs of your favorite artists. But what’s a party without the special numbers? This year, Fangirlasia has also invited some of the county’s best cover groups to perform the most in-demand songs of the season. Cover groups will feature everything and anything from rookies like EXO and APink, and favorite groups like Infinite and SHINee, to huge-selling artists like Super Junior, SNSD and Big Bang. Special guest artists include 4-member girl group and YouTube sensation, MILES, and tvN’s Kpop Star Hunt runner-up Rince Cajucom.

Along with the long list of performances, Fangirlasia will also unveil its top 20 bestselling merchandise of the year through a special video presentation. Fans can bring cheering goods to show their support for their biases.

And if that’s still not enough to get you excited, admission immediately guarantees you not only access to the event and program, but free merienda and giveaways from sponsors. Ongaku Gayo 2.0 is co-presented by North Park Noodle House, together with Tempest Films, and sponsored by Nissin Yakisoba and Jack & Jill’s Dynamite, in cooperation with Philippine Kpop Committee, Inc. and Kpop Internet Magazine (KIM). To be a part of the event, you can purchase a party pass directly from the Fangirlasia webstore or check the mechanics for getting a free invite below:

1. Buy a CD/DVD/photobook from April 11 to May 19.
2. Both online and offline purchases qualify for the free invite.
3. One (1) free invite is given to those who will purchase a minimum of Php 500 up to Php 1,999.99 ^_^ worth of merch.
4. Two (2) free invites are given to those who will purchase Php 2,000 worth of merchandise or more.
5. Each invite entitles our guest fangirls and fanboys to one event pass, merienda (yes food!), raffle ticket and giveaways.

 Since Akee was not able to make it and I couldn’t find anyone to watch it with at short notice, I went on a solo date last April 26 and headed out to Blue Square Hall in the Hannam-dong area of Seoul. As one trudges up Exit #3 of Hanganjin Station, you will be greeted by a blue glass building set in a gorgeous part of town. The hall is state of the art (imagine Japanese subtitles on a live musical!!!) and is a must-see place for musical lovers and lovers of music period.

I claimed my ticket and just like all the fans out there I was taking pictures like crazy. At 15 minutes before curtain time, I entered to settle down at my seat and was so happy to see that I was on the 3rd row front of the house!! Yesssss! I don’t need opera glasses to enjoy the show. I need not describe the stage because it was awesome, state of the art (I mentioned that already right?) and obviously a big budget production.

The show started at exactly 4pm when a couple of guys ran from the back of the theater to the front, along our aisle. It was the actor playing the FBI Agent and was looking for Frank Jr. among the audience. Later on another guy went past us in the same aisle and it was already Kyuhyun!! It was a really great seat!! Kyuhyun’s blocking was mostly towards stage left. Which is our side of the theater so I really got to see him quite a lot. I’m going to say this again, it was a really great seat!!

Every ELF knows that Kyuhyun has a great singing voice. But I was impressed more as his voice was very good for the musical score. It was clear, hit the right notes and had strength all throughout the show. His acting was not great but it wasn’t bad either. I just thought he was too young for the role but that was just me. Nevertheless, I think he shows great promise as an actor if he decides to pursue it more.

The musical lasted for 2 and a half hours including the curtain calls, which were a bonus because all leads sang their curtain calls and did not just bow to the audience. And we were allowed to take photos/videos!!! As much as we can during the the curtain calls. I was so surprised that the audience stood up after applauding Kyuhyun and started to take out their cameras and shot away. It took me a few seconds to realize that I can take videos. I am bad at taking videos and it showed in the 1st clip when I accidentally tilted the phone. @_@

As soon as Kyuhyun exited the stage, fans started to run and I mean literally run out of the theater maybe hoping to catch him ride out of his van. The ahjumma that I am wished them luck and headed to the lobby to take more pics and buy the souvenir program. It was my first time to watch a musical and though the subtitles were only in Japanese, I did not miss out much since I already know the storyline. I hope someday Korea would realize that English is the international language and that they would be able to invent something that will translate in more than one language without any impact on the viewing audience.

As I leave Blue Square and head back to central Seoul, I caught sight of the theater lobby and they were selling tickets to Das Elisabeth. Isn’t that Xiah Junsu’s musical? I was sorely tempted but.. there’s so much on my schedule already. Definitely another time and maybe with someone to laugh and cry with? ^_^

Soloing in Seoul this time around, I never expected that aside from the buying that I have to do, there is still fangirling to be done. I do not know any of EXO-K‘s members but when I got the “instructions” of FGA’s fangirls to check out the fan meeting, off I went. I cannot disobey the majority of FGA’s staff who are gaga over this newest group from SM Entertainment.

 I arrived at YP Bookstore in the Lotte Department Store in Chongnyangni at around 6pm. I tried asking the staff of the store if I can join the fan sign but as expected I couldn’t as the privilege was made through internet/mobile balloting. Nevertheless, I stayed on. I wanted to see the guys in person. I did not spot any Filipino in the area so unless someone has seen EXO in an earlier event, I would be the first to see them from the Philippines. One cannot pass up that opportunity!!

When the staff were just setting up, I had such a good view of the fan sign area. I started to get excited because if ever I would be standing just behind the boys. Unfortunately, when the boys arrived, I was pushed farther away and now have an obstructed view of them. Damn those plants!!

When the boys arrived, they immediately got down to the business of signing. However, it did not stop them from doing fan service to those who were not fortunate to be part of the 100 or so people that will get their autographs that day. When fans would scream a member name, usually they would turn to the direction of the scream and would wave and smile. As with any k-pop group, the party poopers were always the staff managing the boys. 

Photos were not allowed. A grumpy lady staff would scream at anyone she sees even attempting to put up their cameras. SLRS were confiscated while the signing was going on and photos deleted. Even phone cameras were not spared hence the poor quality of my photos. I just had to sneak a few!

When they finally finished, they greeted everyone and left as quickly as they came. The girls ran so fast, zooming out of the department store for I’m sure, the chance to catch them riding their vans. I passed on that chance knowing I would see them anyway at Music Core later in the week. I ended the adventure by buying my own copy of their album. It’s time to listen to their song and get to know them. ^_^

When living in a tropical country, the tendency is that you yearn for the cold weather. Not me though. The winter chill, which others dream of, does not fascinate me. I have once experienced fangirling during the winter season, and I said to myself, “Never again!” However, sometimes, you have to eat your own words, especially when the boy(s) in question mean so much to you. I am a Dong Bang Shin Ki fan and I am a proud Cassiopeia. So, here I am, back in Shanghai, in the middle of winter, to see 3/5 of my dearest boys.

My Homin partner Ate Gigi and I have been waiting for an event where we could go together. She loves Yunho and I love Changmin and we both love to travel. Perfect combo! Hahaha! So when the TVXQ Fan Party Tour was announced, our initial plan was to go to Thailand. But because of the flooding the event didn’t push through. Our next option was Singapore. But after a few days, they announced a Shanghai leg for the tour, and coincidentally, it was right before Jaejoong’s first solo fanmeeting in Shanghai. So since this means hitting 2 (well 3) birds with one stone, we’ve decided, Shanghai it is!

First order of business, how do we get tickets? (Oh no!) China has several ticketing sites where you can purchase, but the problem is they not have English pages. In addition, most of them (if not all) requires a China address since they only deliver within the country. I’ve been stressing about this for days, because aside from the fact that they have complex ticketing system, events in Chine rarely announce their details on English fansites. Kyaaa… Otteoke? Luckily, there’s always someone in the fandom world who’s always willing to lend you a helping hand. So tadaaa!

Our tickets to both fanmeets!

 How amazing fangirl connections could be All the details we needed for the ticketing was given to us by a VIP and the one who bought our ticket is an ELF. She even went out of her way and purchased our fanmeet tickets at Changmin Baidu bar (to ensure good seats) and made sure that the tickets were shipped out and reached our hotel even before we get to Shanghai. And these girls are not even TVXQ/JYJ fans. Such angels!

So after all the ticketing stress, we booked our flights, processed our visa and confirmed our hotel. Oh wait the hotels! (facepalm!) About 2 weeks before the event, I found out that the Homin event changed venues! What the…! Originally, it was at Shanghai Grand Stadium which was near Jaejoong’s fanmeet venue (Shanghai Gymnastics Center). Both are in XuJiaHui district. But then Homin’s event was moved to Mercedes Benz Arena, which now is in Pudong District and several train stops from XuJiaHui. Since we are arriving on the same day as Homin’s event, we’ve decided to find a new hotel instead, to avoid the hassle of finding the venue and getting there quickly. Ah… the never ending stress. Thankfully there are still available hotels within the area and we were able to rebook it.

December 9, TVXQ Fan Party, Shanghai

December was a busy month for both Ate Gi and I, so we decided to get an early flight on the day of the event so we won’t missed a lot of work. Not used to the early morning flight, as soon as we got into the plane we were both knocked down even before takeoff. Hehehe! After we landed and got out of the airport, we were welcomed by this.

 Wow. Ang lamig!!! I checked the temperature when I was still in Manila, and it was COLDER when we got there.

It was around 11 when we arrived. I was a little worried because if it was already this cold during noon, just imagine how it would be like at night. Not to mention both Ate Gi and I were sick before the trip even began.

As soon as we reached the hotel, we asked the concierge for the tickets that Shannon sent us.  We also asked for directions going to the Mercedes Benz Arena. Luckily, it was really quite near. 10 minutes by cab and 30-40 minutes by foot.  Not bad!   We grabbed our lunch, rested and recharge for a couple of hours and then freshened up before heading to the venue.

We went to the venue at around 6pm. When we got out of the cab and saw Mercedes Benz Arena, I was all in awe.

 Isn’t she beautiful?

I’m sorry, but it was really love at first sight for me.  :)) In a way, I understood now why the organizer chose this venue. You would only choose the grandest and most elegant place for your artists, wouldn’t you?

We walked around and checked out the fan made merchandise that was being sold. China is known for of its fansites and most of them sell their own goods. I had to practice self control, as they were all really cute and tempting. I just bought the official merchandise instead.

That’s a tumbler, a calendar, a bromide set, a poster, postcards and the carrying bag.

We still have about an hour to spare since the event starts at 8:30pm. Almost all of the food establishments were jampacked so Ate Gi and I bought our dinner at Starbucks and sat on the stairs like the other girls who were waiting.  Later on, there were some announcements via their PA system, but it’s in Mandarin so we waited for it to finish so we can ask around for translations. But to our surprise, it was translated in Nihonggo, and then in English. How practical!

We were instructed to go to a certain gate, and fall in line to get inside the venue.  There were several lines when we got there, so I asked one of the staff there for instructions. I thought that he would be surprised, as most of them are, that I asked him in English, but I was the one taken aback because he answered me in perfect English and even told us to “Have fun!” How amazing Mercedez Arena could be?!

The interior of the Arena is as impressive as its exterior, and yes I fell in love with it even more. Hahaha. It has two monitors on the sides of the stage and 8 monitors in a circular form overhead.

The Stage and the LED Backdrop

and 2 huge monitors on each sideThe monitors on the center (above us)

We were ushered to our seats, and we cannot be more pleased with our spot. We were at the seated section just right off the stage. For every seat there was also a free lighstick for each guest. There’s a standing area in front of us, but it was reserved mostly for the Chinese fanclubs. I’ve been fangirling for years but I can’t help but still be amazed at what fansites can do for their idols, just like the big Dong Bang Shin Ki banner they put up above that almost filled up a whole section.

 ***

Huge banner is huge.

They were playing music videos of other SME artists while we waited, then after a few minutes they turned off the lights and there goes the sea of crimson red lightsticks!

***

Ate Gi, excited to see Yunho for the first time.

When the opening AVP appeared, I was not surprised at all, when all the girls in our section, whom, were supposed to be seated, stood on their respective chairs. So what to do now? Well, if you cannot beat them, join them! (and it’s not as if it’s the first time Ate Gi and I will do it anyway, hahaha!)

 ***

Story of our lives in Shanghai.

First song was Maximum, and I had my camera aimed at the stage already. Oh, one thing I liked about China events is that, its free fancam and pictures for all. No guards or staff to tell you to “put them away” or worse drag you outside and delete your files. I started recording even before the boys came out. When Yunho came out, I was struggling to keep my balance, maintaining my camera’s focus and fanchanting all at the same time. But when it was Changmin’s turn and I saw what he’s wearing… or rather what he’s not wearing, I was like, “Efffff… forget the fancam, I am so watching this live!!!” (A/N: Okie… this is where all the bias comes out, sorry!) Changmin was wearing a coat… with fur… with no undershirt… and with his glorious chest (and abs!) exposed for the whole arena to see! Oh, how I missed this boy!!! And really, I was staring at his upper body the whole time! (That sounds like a perverted comment, but, well yeah). I did not expect him to be this “bare” because in Beijing and in Singapore, he was all covered up. And now, on wintery Shanghai, he’s flaunting it all. (Not that im complaining!) I didn’t even notice how he has improved his dancing, or how I hated the perm hair he’s sporting, I didn’t even notice Yunho after that! (Sorry Yunho!) All my focus went to Changmin and his bare chest!

 Hello no undershirt Changmin. And while Changmin is “showing off his assets”, Yunho is all covered up. >.<

After the performance, the guy host came out and greeted the audience. It was all in Mandarin, so Ate Gi and I understood nothing Well, maybe a little! He talked to the fans for a while and soon called the boys, they came out together with the interpreter and sat in front.

(all in English)

MC: Changmin, do you know UFO (since the shape of the building looks like a UFO)?

Changmin: Yeah, I know UFO.

  *and I am spazzing and flailing*

On the next part, they were asked to speak/translate something in Mandarin. It appears Yunho, being the diligent leader that he is, did his homework and studied his Mandarin. The hosts (and the audience) commended his fluency and diction. Changmin on the other hand, had to rely on his stock knowledge. (hehehe) He keeps on repeating the words before saying it in one sentence. And he was asking the host too if it was correct. Sometime he would ask the audience to say it first then he’ll copy it. Nonetheless, this talk part was very entertaining.

Next song: How Can I

During this performance, I realized how much Yunho had improved on his vocals. He knows himself that singing is not his forte, so he never stops learning and practicing. When I try to remember their songs before, I can’t believe he’s the same person singing in front of me now. Also, I later found out that he was sick during the fanmeet. I did notice that he was not his usual “hyper” self during the fanmeet, but he was still smiling the whole time and never showed irritation or discomfort. You got to admire the professionalism of this man.

On the next talk part, they flashed questions asked by fans (some of them on video). There was even a fanboy who asked a question to Yunho. They address each section of the crowd that randomly throws them questions. Both of them answered enthusiastically, and based on the reaction of the audience, they like what they are hearing. One of the downside of fangirling abroad, the language barrier. Not unless it’s Singapore, most of the talk parts are translated into the native language of the country. I also began to notice that Changmin and the host have good chemistry. They were cracking jokes at each other and conversing in English! He asked Changmin several times “Changmin are you okay?” and the boy would reply “Yeah, I’m okay!” Hehehe, cute!

Next song: Before U Go 

I said to myself before going to Shanghai, I need to watch this performance with my very own eyes. They showed the MV part first after which, the boys came out. I was grinning like crazy with some “OMGs” here and there the whole time I was watching it. All the hip thrust and the body waves killed me. Amazingly, I was able to notice that Ate Gi was not beside me anymore at that time. I found out later she went in front to get a “better look”. Hehehe!

After the performance, the talk part was about the comeback, their new album and their recent activities. During this talk time, I got annoyed with the girl in front of me. All of us were standing at our seats, but she, in particular, stood on the arm rest of her seat, hence blocking my view of the stage. What’s more annoying was, she was not even “assigned” to that seat, she just came down from the back and shared it with her friend. I tried telling her off a couple of times, but she just keeps coming back. After the third time, I was really pissed, so I pulled her coat down until she fell on the cushioned seat. She looked back at me together with her 2 friends, and I said to myself “there’s 3 of them and 2 of us, but they’re scrawny and we’re big girls so I guess we can take them on”. They didn’t say anything and went back up the chairs (facepalm moment no. 3). At that point, I texted my friends in Manila “t*ng ina, mutik na ko ma Shanghai City Jail”. Ate Gigi even told the guards about it but of course, they couldn’t understand us. I calmed down afterwards and reminded myself that we still have Jaejoong’s fanmeet to attend tomorrow; I cannot afford to get into a fight and spend the night in Shanghai City Jail.

Next Song: The Way You Are – Mirotic – Rising Sun (Medley)

I wasn’t able to finish my fancam ‘cause there were so many lighsticks in front of me and the focus of my camera was becoming awful. As much as I love Homin and these songs, my heart still clenches a bit every time I hear it being sung by just the two of them. All the more hearing it live. Especially during the Mirotic part when Changmin has to sing Yoochun’s part. Awww… I miss my OT5

They thanked the fans after for coming to the fanmeet and said that they look forward to seeing them again in the future. They are down to their last song, Keep your head down. I decided to go down my chair and move in front together with Ate Gi so I can get a better fancam.

They thanked the audience one last time and bowed before they left. Ate Gi and I started spazzing on the way back to our chairs. We took our souvenir photos then joined the crowd heading to the exit gates. I found myself smiling on my way out of the Arena as the realization of seeing Homin started to sink in. My high spirits however, turned into dread when I saw what was waiting for us outside. Negative temperature, several thousand girls, no taxis. After several minutes of discussion Ate Gi and I decided to walk back to our hotel (good thing it was near!) as there were also other girls walking on the streets. While walking, we met a couple of girls (Yunho fans) and they were surprised to find out that we were Filipinos. They thought we were Japanese! They were amused by the fact that we were able to attend the fanmeet, in Shanghai of all places where it’s hard to get tickets and there’s a big language barrier. Then they told us that Homin is staying at Intercontinental Expo which was directly on our way to our hotel. Ate Gi asked me “Gusto mo bang ‘magkape’ sa Intercon?”. Had I not been freezing to death at that moment, not to mention hungry, I would have accepted her offer.

While walking, I was reliving the event in my head. I then realized how much Changmin has grown over the years. Biases aside, I’m proud to say that the once shy and aloof boy has grown to be a confident and mature young man. Yes, he is still sarcastic and brutally frank, but he now exudes poise that you could not see in him before. Maybe because then, he has his hyung-deul to back him up and he was content as it was, but now that it’s just him and Yunho, he has learned to step up when needed. I never expected him to be so interactive during the fanmeet, and then I thought maybe he knew that Yunho was not feeling well so it’s up to him to take the lead. Ah, I can’t help it, but my heart is filled with pride for this boy ?

We said goodbye to the girls at an intersection near our hotel. We asked them, how far their home was and they replied, around 4 kilometers! We said that it was still so far, and they replied that they are used to it (walking) and there were no taxis anyway. I silently thanked the heavens that our hotel was just a couple of minutes away. When we reached the hotel, my adrenaline was still high that even though my body was tired, my brain was still wide awake and running miles per hour. Ate Gi and I spazzed again as we ate our late dinner (Korean ramen!) and while I reviewed my photos (most of them major fail! Hahaha) and my fancams. At that moment, I felt like my fangirl self was rejuvenated once again. Hahaha! Well, true, I waited 2 years to see Yunho and Changmin again. Reunited… and it felt soooo good!

***

December 10, 2012, Jaejoong Solo Fanmeet Shanghai

The next day, even though we slept late and were tired from all the walking we did the night before, Ate Gi and I woke up quite early. Today, we have to travel to Xu Jia Hui district, Shangai Gymnastics Center to be exact for Jaejoong’s first solo fanmeet. It can easily be reached by train, but we still have to walk from the station to the venue so we had to go there early.

Ate Teng’s (Ate Gi’s sister) “guide” for us, going to JJ’s fanmeet.

We set off around lunch. We passed by our favorite mall Super Brands, on the way to the train station and of course we can’t help but check out the stores first. (kame na ang nag-fa-fanmeet na may dala-dalang Uniqlo paper bags ) When we got off the train station at Xu JIa Hui, we started asking for directions to the venue. I asked a hotel security officer and he easily gave me instructions. I asked him how far it was, and he replied it would take 10-15 minutes by taxi. His eyes widened in surprise when I replied, “No, by walking” and said, around 30-45-minute walk. I thanked him and told Ate Gi and she said we can walk since we still have time to spare and less tendencies of getting lost since we just have to follow a simple route going to the venue. After a couple of minutes of walking, I began to think if we were heading the right path, but then I saw a girl holding a Jaejoong paper bag, going the opposite direction. I told myself, “Yeah, this is the correct way.” (A/N the girl went to the venue early to buy merch then went home first and returned later).

On the way to gymnastics Center! Walk, walk, walk!

We reached Shanghai Gymnastics Center at around 4pm. Just like the day before there were a lot of sellers, for both official and unofficial merchandise outside the venue. Ate Gi and I checked them out and bought some, for personal and FGA use. We went and grabbed something to eat after, since we knew that we won’t be able to get a proper dinner when the event starts at 7:30. We shared a table with some fangirls from Guangzhou, and just like yesterday, they were surprised to know we’re from the Philippines. They said we looked Chinese, who live on the other parts of China. We told them that since Kpop is very “scarce” in the Philippines, we need to go out of the country just to see them. We commended their good English and asked if they’re working already or still in school. They answered that all are in college, and one added that they studied English so that they can get good high paying jobs and have money to follow the boys around. The girls left ahead of us since they had to line up at the pit area. We still have some time to spare we decided to go to a foot spa. (Also to stay indoors ‘cause the temperature was starting to drop.) I was surprised to know that in China, even “fixed” spa services can be haggled and I was impressed with Ate Gi’s haggling skills! So tadaaaa! 

Pampering for our tired feet. Thanks, Ate Gi!

It was already quarter to seven when we finished and went to the venue. By then, it was so cold it felt like being inside the refrigerator.

The equally beautiful Shanghai Gymnastic Center

You know that it’s really cold when even the Chinese fans are complaining about the weather. The situation outside the venue was totally different from the Homin event the day before. You do not know where to line up, well, there are no clear lines to begin with and the staff/guards were not that accommodating at all. Good thing, they (as well as the other fans) soften up once you speak to them in English and they realize you are not from there, so they start giving you preferential treatment.

Di naman obvious na giniginaw kame?

Finally! We were allowed to go inside the venue! Finding our seats was still a task because there was an “East” and a “West” direction written on the tickets. Good Lord! How are we supposed to know that? We don’t even speak Chinese. We found our seats at last, and the first thing I noticed after settling in, “Am I on the wrong fanmeet? How come it’s all green??”

After several minutes, the host appeared and greeted the fans. He asked questions and interacted with us (though I did not understand any word he said). I think he started to talk about Jaejoong, ‘cause the Chinese fans responded excitedly. Then he left the stage, and the lights went off. That’s my cue to bring out my camera and wait for Jaejoong to come out for his opening song.

 I’ll Protect You  

First words that came out of my mouth was… “Oh my God,” and I think Ate Gi said the same thing as well. Hahaha! Jaejoong was never my bias, but I have to admit he has the power to “rattle” the rest of my rankings! Hahaha! That moment he simply looked so… heavenly! ) He had shorter hair, which was cut and colored to my liking. His voice was so compelling yet calming. (Well, he’s not Dong Bang Shin Ki’s lead singer for nothing ) He was singing the song from Protect the Boss’ OST, and I’m a big fan of the drama. I cannot help myself from gushing every time he sings my favorite lines.

After the performance, the host and the interpreter went out on stage to join Jaejoong. He greeted us and said that he’s glad to be back in Shanghai again. He and the host exchanged several more questions and Jaejoong was asked, “What is the meaning of the green lighsticks?” He said that he was also surprised by the color (since he is used to red). During the middle part of the interview, he said “for a while” as he turned around and removed his coat, placing it on the stairs at the back of their seats.

He was wearing a coat at first…

And tadaaa!

And I almost fell off the chair!!! Hahaha! Look at those shoulders! And those arms! At that point, I texted my friends, “Please remind me that Changmin is my bias!”

*chants “Changmin is my bias, Changmin is my bias”*  

And the new ear piercing killed me! 

The next part was the messages and questions from fans. They brought out a board with different post-its/ letters and let Jaejoong read and answer what’s written on them. I think they were really hard to answer and they were hilarious ones because he kept on laughing while reading them.

Onto the game part! In this segment, Jaejoong will draw phone numbers of people from the audience. We were asked to bring out our phones and wait for the “call”. Of course there is no chance Ate Gi and I would receive the call, because in the first place, it was not our number that was placed in the box since didn’t buy our tickets. Once you receive the call, you have to answer the trivia question asked by Jaejoong. He called several numbers, as none of them were able to answer correctly. I got all “kilig” just watching the other girls receiving the calls. Imagine hearing Jaejoong’s speaking voice on the phone. ? And I think the phone he used was one of his, but of course he used another number but you can always save it on your contacts as “Kim Jaejoong” and have bragging rights about it! Hahaha.

One funny thing about this part, since most of the ones he called has ringbacks, he’s all smiles when he hears his/their songs as the receiver’s ringbacks. But if it’s someone else’s song, he disconnects the call immediately! Such a conceited boy! Hahaha.

After this segment he went down the stage and they showed a video message from Junsu and Yoochun.

These dorks! 

Then another song number again from Jaejoong, this time from the OST of SKK Scandal: To You Its Separation, To Me It’s Waiting

Like the previous song, I am also a big fan of the drama. The song always brings out the “aawwwwww” in me since it’s the song that’s played in almost every Yoochun and Min Young scene. I felt so lucky to be able to hear the song performed live.

Game segment again, this time, he will play with the fans at the pit area. I dunno what this game was called in Korea, but its objective is to look at the opposite direction where Jaejoong would be pointing. The price will be an autographed In Heaven album. Waaaah! Envious! He played with several fans, some of which fanboys. He even commented that they were really good and he happily gave them their price.

He went down the stage again, and this time they showed a video made by the fan. It had clips of him during debut, performances, dramas, concerts, etc. I did get a little emotional towards the end, because I know that since the video was screened before it was showed; there were no pictures of Homin there and just JYJ. And it hurts because given that we (as in Dong Bang Shin Ki and I) were all in the same city, I now have to go to 2 different events just to see them. I tried to keep my emotions at bay, unlike the girl in front of me who was crying her heart out. I may never know her reasons, but in some way, I feel her pain.

After the video, the lights were turned on and we saw Jaejoong sitting on the stairs on the right side of the stage. He had a certain look on his face you can interpret in so many ways. Proud, maybe. Amused, yes. Touched, most definitely. One thing I like about Jaejoong is that when he’s appreciative of something, you can easily see it in his expressions. He was smiling as the host called the admin of the 3 top Jaejoong fansites in China. They presented him gifts. I forgot the other one, but the 2 others were ginseng and jade! (Wow, these people are rich!!!) Even Jaejoong was shocked. Each of them gave messages and they had their picture taken with him. One of the admins hugged Jaejoong before going down the stage, so the 2 others did as well. And although he was a superstar, he was blushing after the 3 girls hugged him and even patted his red cheeks! How bashful.

Shy Jaejoong…

After that, he thanked the fans for coming and asked them to support them on their upcoming events, and he said that they’ll definitely go back to Shanghai. He went down, but soon went back on stage with roses that he gave to the fans at the pit.

Again, like yesterday, I had a big smile on my face after the event. And I cannot help but feel pleased not to mention “kilig” after the event. The walk back even appeared shorter that time. Too bad we were hurrying back to the station since we still have a train to catch. We didn’t even notice the lunar eclipse that was happening that night. Nonetheless, perfect ending to a perfect night.

As always, after all the stress and misadventures in every event it was all worth it! Looking back now, it dawned why fans, just like me, can endure harsh conditions just to attend events. Because at the end of the day no matter how low the temperature gets, just by seeing these boys, it will never fail to warm your heart.

 That’s right. One of the most affordable yet popular Korean cosmetics brand, Baviphat, is finally available for pre-order at the Fangirlasia webstore. From the most wanted BB creams, the most flavorful lip balms and the most relaxing sleeping packs, we’re bringing it all to you. What’s perfect about Baviphat products is that they’re made from the most powerful natural ingredients that are manufactured to help that inner glow shine out. It’s not just about making you look better, but making you feel better.

Today, the brand is starting to make waves in Malaysia and Thailand, and is also a very popular make-up brand in Japan. While most of its avid consumers are women, Baviphat also has a huge male following of some of their unique products.

If you’re looking for something reasonably priced and different, try Baviphat now.

Since this is a milestone for us, we want to celebrate it with all our dear supporters. Fangirlasia will be giving away a 1000-peso gift certificate direct from our store. Yes, that means a golden ticket to more free merchandise, DVDs, albums, fangoods… you name it!

Joining is simple! All you have to do is go to this post and comment with any item you have bought from the store within the last six months.

Format of the comment should be as follows: Item Bought from Fangirlasia, When and Where You Bought It.

You get one raffle entry for every comment. Remember, you can make us many comments as you want as long as they’re not the same item. To double your chances of winning, if you bought more than one item on the same day/event, make sure you post them in separate comments.

The promo ends on February 28, and the winner will be picked via lucky draw.

For more info, check out the poster below:

Good luck! ^_______^

 Day 1: January 13 – Malaysia Fanmeet

 After we arrived at the airport with our heavy bags in tow, we made our way to Kuala Lumpur for the fanmeet.  While waiting for the fanmeet to start, we chatted with Malaysian Primadonnas.  We also met with Alison, one of our community contest winners. They were all sweet, warm and nice.  It’s like we have known the Primadonnas for a long time. I’m sure I will remember their smiling faces, yeongwonhi.

After a while, it was finally time for us to queue. We were first in line to get into the hall, so we were able to choose the seats that we really wanted. The first few rows in the middle section were occupied by the media.  Since Loli and I are both Seunghyun-biased, we opted to sit at the left side so we’ll have a better view of Seunghyun and for more chances of getting noticed.

A DJ from their local radio station hosted the event. He’s quite funny. I was laughing hard at his jokes too.  We started with a sing-a-long game. Five Primadonnas were called on stage to sing FTISLAND’s songs and the five of them got free ‘Memory In FTISLAND’ Taiwan Version CD+DVD.  After a few moments, the boys were asked to come in.

Hongki was the first to come in. Everyone suddenly jumped out of their seats and started taking pictures. As always, I fail at these kinds of moments. Loli was able to snap a couple of photos and I was able to take one but it turned out blurry so I just deleted it.  I didn’t notice who followed Hongki and so on. When they went up the stage, the biased me just went on staring at Seunghyun. He was just so cute and lovely, my heart went, “Kyyaaaa! Kyyaaa! Ang gwapo!”  Then my eyes went to Jaejin, “Shocks, mas gwapo!” He dyed his hair to black but it has a matured feel compared to his former hairstyle. Plus, he was the only one wearing a suit.  When I looked at Minhwan, I just gaped at him. “Snow White! Fair skin, red lips and shiny black hair!” Then Hongki. Man, I love your hairstyle. While staring at Jonghun, all I thought of was, “Gosh, mabushiiiiiii!” If you know the anime or jdorama Yamato Nadeshiko, you’ll know what I mean.

So the boys took their seats in their usual arrangement: Seunghyun, Jaejin, Minhwan, Hongki, and Jonghun.  The girls beside me had their own cheering banners, so I took out my handmade Seunghyun-uchiwa and our banner FTISLAND Philippines.  Just a few seconds passed before Minhwan started staring at Loli and me.  *stare, stare, stare* I pulled away and looked at Loli, “Nakatitig ba si Minhwan?” (Is Minhwan staring?) I looked back at Minhwan and he was still staring. Jaejin noticed Minhwan was looking at something so he started to stare at us too! Gawd, they’re so lovely to look at. (T__T) They just didn’t look. They STARED at us.

When the fans were asked to line up for the fansign, each of us was given posters.  While waiting, when a member is free, we tried calling them out, “1 2 3…Minhwan!!! 1 2 3 Jaejin!!!” They would smile and wave back at us.  Of course, we all got excited!  Others successfully made their bias sign some of their other stuff like their cellphone (aside from their poster).  We were told that it was really up to the boys if they were going to sign, so I decided to give it a shot with our Official Primadonna IDs.  But as we were nearing the stage, one of the staff from FNC (I think), started stopping fans from bringing up other stuff like CDs, DVDs, etc.  So I thought, I’ll take the risk and try hahaha… pasaway!

So Loli was in front of me but as she was about to come up the stage, she stepped on her poster and it ripped.  The crew had to stop for a while as they scrambled to get her a new poster. At that moment, Leader was already looking at our direction to see what’s taking so long.  She went up. I didn’t notice what happened next because I was too busy trying to practice what I’ll say.  Then my turn came, I placed the poster right in front of Jonghun…

Me: Hi! Annyeong Haseyo!

JH: *arranges the poster, smile* Hello!

Me: *speaks in Japanese* I’m from Philippines.

JH: Philippines?

Me: Philippines.

JH: Ah *smiles, finishes signing*

 

Me: *naintindihan kaya ni Leader sinabi ko?* (Did Leader understand what I said?) Hi Hongstar!

HK: Hi! *smiles then starts signing*

Me: *speaks in Japanese* I’m from Philippines

HK: *looks up* Ah! *smiles then continues signing*

Me: *points at Loli* We are friends!

HK: *looks up again, smiling* Oh you’re friends! *laughs a bit, finishes signing, extends right hand*

Me: *shakes his hand* Thank you!

 

MH: *slides the poster closer to him*

Me: Hello Minhwan!

MH: *not looking up but smiling* *continues to sign*

Me: *hmmm N.R. (no reaction) si Snow White*

MH: *done signing pushes the poster towards me*

Me: *lowers down to his eye level then pushes Tine’s Pri card* Can you sign this for my friend?

MH: *took the Pri card looks at it, contemplates where to sign, signs the card, and blows ink to dry*

Me: *jaw drop* My heart: Kyyaaa, Tine is so d**n lucky!!!

And then after this, I lost my soul. I died and got resurrected. I was so shocked and happy for Tine. So now I must get Seunghyun to sign mine because it’s not fair!  When I heard that Loli was being reprimanded for asking Seunghyun to sign her Pri card, I started to panic.

Me to Jaejin: *slides CD gift* “Please listen to this!” (in Japanese)

Me to Seunghyun:  *slides CD gift* “Please listen to this!” (in Japanese)

Me to Jaejin: “Can you sign this for my friend?”

Jaejin was already holding Mhikky’s Pri card and was all set to sign, but the staff who reprimanded Loli snatched the card from Jaejin.  Jaejin looked a bit surprised then he looked at me and said, “Sorry!”  Out of desperation, I also shoved my Pri card to Seunghyun but it was snatched too even before he was able to touch it. He replied in a very Bob way, “I’m so-rry.” with matching hand gestures.  So before I got down the stage, I pointed at Seunghyun and shouted, “Ichiban!” (meaning, number 1) and he chuckled.

When I got down, I realized that the only member I was able to shake hands with was Hongki. Super epic fail!  Everything I practiced in my head evaporated in just one unexpected moment – the time Minhwan signed Tine’s Pri card!

So I was half crying, half laughing at my own fail until the signing event was over.

Then the boys stood up to give a short speech, first up was Seunghyun:

SH: *mumble* (…sorry I didn’t get what he said.)

JJ: First of all, I would like to thank everyone for coming.

I was already giggling after hearing his opening line so I wasn’t able to catch everything that he said. It felt so Mr. World-ish since he was wearing a suit, plus the way he said it parang pang-beauty pageant lang. Uber cute!  Then fangirls started squealing. I shouted, “I love you man!” Ewan ba’t yun ang nasigaw ko.  So I also wasn’t able to catch what Minhwan and Hongki said because I can’t get over Jaejin’s cutepie speech. Then it was Leader’s turn, from what I remember he said, “Tomorrow… enjoy!”

Yeah Leader!  I’m already enjoying myself, and it’s just day 1!

They waved at the audience. I was also waving back with Pri cards in my right hand and my Seunghyun uchiwa on the left. Minhwan continued to stare at us, smiling and waving. Hongki, Jaejin and Leader started waving back too.

Day 1 ended with a blast!

Day 2: January 14 – PLAY!FTISLAND in Malaysia

Loli and I checked out from our hotel at 12nn and went straight to Stadium Negara.  We didn’t want to stroll around carrying our bags so we decided to just go straight there and see what’s happening before the concert.  A lot of chitchats going on, Malaysian Primadonnas had a booth and did face painting. I had my face painted too!  We also prepared a “Minhwan” cheering uchiwa because of the “fan service” that we received at last night’s fan meet. We wrote Minhwan’s name wrong, instead of  , we wrote —.  We can already see the big screen from the outside. Yes, that’s how intimate the venue was.  And when the boys started rehearsing, we started guessing which song they were playing and sang along to it.  The rehearsal was kind of a “spoiler” but it was fun to hear Hongki playing around with the notes.   After waiting, it was finally time to go inside.

First song was “I Hope” which they have rearranged.  Next was “Bing Bing Bing” followed by “Cool vs. Pretty”. I was already sweating just after three songs because I was dancing along with Hongstar.  They followed it with “Hello Hello” and we did the hand moves while trying to reach out to Hongki.  We were standing in front of him so it seemed funny to me when we do the hand moves in sync.  If I remember right, it was followed by “I’m Going to Have You”, also known as “the drunk song”. Yes, Hongki acted like a drunk guy. Kulang na lang punitin n’ya sleeves ng damit ni Jaejin so I was laughing hard again while thinking, “What if Jaejin’s sleeves really ripped off?”  Jaejin’s facial expression was so funny. I’m not sure what he’s thinking though.  Hongki moved to Jonghun right after and ignored him.

After the drunk song, they went slow with “Love, Love, Love”.  Seunghyun introduced the next song “Life”. It was the first time they performed the song live. This was followed by their Japanese songs “I Want”, “Let It Go”, and “Flower Rock”.  Hongstar was super duper awesome with all his moves. I even had a jaw-dropping reaction during “Flower Rock”.  Seunghyun’s rap was so cool. Leader was doing his awesome guitar moves and head bangs.  Jaejin also head banged and had this cute smirk on his face.  The fun part was we were right in front of the stage and we can clearly see Minhwan the entire time.  He was laughing and smiling.  We also saw how Jaejin and Hongki laugh silently at our misspelled “Minhwan” uchiwa.  After the fast songs, the lights dimmed and it was still easy to spot Minhwan.  Minhwan was so fair that he practically glowed even when the lights were dim. He was a super cute guy, you would just want to pinch him. Nakakaloka ang kaputian n’ya, I swear.

Then a VTR was played. The background music was “Magic” (instrumental) while showing the video of the boys in a playground. The text flashed:

FTISLAND

Let’s see what they do

When they are off stage

Sorry for the loud screaming. We can’t help it.

First up, Jonghun. I watched intently. Towards the end it said:

A good model can complete a good photo

And the most lovely model is…

Myself, Choi Jong Hoon

I roared with laughter. Well, everyone did. Leader for the win!

Next was Jaejin. Jaejin Style. Fans screamed. When Minhwan was up, intro pa lang, pamatay na. ”I was born to be a MAN!” We screamed as Minhwan’s video went on. The screaming got louder and louder.  It was totally unexpected! When Seunghyun’s video played, the screaming died down a bit because it started with a serious tone, but of course it ended with a bang! Then Hongki’s vid showed him exchanging messages with Jaejin with, “Every story comes from myself.”  I didn’t get it much so I laughed.

When the boys went back on stage, they did an acoustic session of “Sunshine Girl” and “I Confess”. We’ve been cheering for Minhwan since the start of the concert because we can’t get fan service from the other 2 guitar boys. I think it’s mainly due to the fact that their instruments were plugged, limiting their movements around the stage. Yes, there were cords and we don’t often see that. During “I Confess”, when Minhwan was about to sing the bridge part, Hongki gave us a mischievous smile as if waiting for our reactions as Minhwan sang. When Minhwan reached the high note, we gave a loud cheer and Hongki gave a grin… pwedeng lagyan ng bubble thought. We got the same reactions from the 3 boys every time we did something crazy during the concert.

They sang “Even Your Tears” and changed it up a bit. Hongki sang Jaejin’s part, and Jaejin sang Hongki’s part, followed by the “Immortal Song 2” songs, “Man from Shinsadong” and two more songs which I don’t know the title of. They were rock songs so I enjoyed them very much.  These were followed by “Don Quixote” and “Troublemaker”.  I forgot which member introduced the last song “Primadonna”. The girl beside me turned and asked, “Last song?” She’s confirming if she heard it correctly. Then I said, “Yeah, last song, but we have to shout for encore after!” When they performed “Primadonna” confetti started falling so I tried to catch a couple of strips.  After the song, the boys exited, and we shouted “Encore! Encore!” and cheered “F-T-Island! F-T-Island!”  It took a while before they went out for the encore.  They performed “Love Sick”, “Bad Woman” and the final song of the night, “Like the Birds”.

“Like the Birds” was a perfect last song. Everyone sang along, it was happy and upbeat. They threw a bunch of confetti again and everything was perfect. I’m not a crybaby, so I didn’t cry. I stood there singing along and waving my penlight, creating a new happy memory with FTISLAND.

Day 3: January 15 – PLAY!FTISLAND in Singapore

Loli and I met up with Singapore-based Filipino friends to watch the concert and lined up at around 2PM.  I bought the concert goods while they queued for the entrance.  As I was lining up for the goods, the Pris from Malaysia, admins of “Oh My Goat” community did a raffle using angpao. I joined but didn’t win, unlucky me.  The game was a fun way of passing time.  I got our goods and went in line with friends, chatted with young Primadonnas. The ones next to us were 10 and 13 years old.

After a few hours of waiting, we were asked to go in.  As we were going in, “Where is the stage,” I wondered.  The venue was huge.  Then we reached the gate at Pen A, I was shocked to see that it was so small. We couldn’t decide if my friends and I will go near the extended stage or go right in front.  But since the crowd was getting bigger, and we couldn’t see clearly if the instruments were plugged, we got stuck near the stage on Seunghyun’s side. We were at the “4th row” of the mosh pit.

The show started with the same video they showed in Malaysia.  We took out our banners and uchiwas and raised it up like everyone else’s.  The boys came out from the left side of the stage, and they immediately saw the familiar banners.

Since the pen was so crowded, you could barely move. With my short height, all I can see was Seunghyun and a bit of Jaejin.  I can still see Leader from afar.  But I made sure to jump when Hongki said “Jump!” Audience participation is important, please take note of that.

Since the concert is still such a blur, I’ll just recollect the highlights.  From my side of the stage, of course I got a closer look at Seunghyun this time.  He was acting all cool from start to end.  He marked his “territory” because at that side of the stage, Jaejin wasn’t really able to step on the elevated spot.  Jonghun only stopped by once. Even Hongki didn’t come around the side as often. Seunghyun OWNED that part of the stage.  Most of the time, Seunghyun would wink at the girls in front of him. I wondered if their souls ever left their bodies.  It didn’t just happen once; it happened a couple of times!  Of course, I died and got resurrected from too much Kyaaa moments. I couldn’t help feeling jealous and wishing I was at that spot. I found out later that the girls were actually my twitter friends Alma and Ifaah, both Seunghyun-biased. So lucky! There was a moment too when Seunghyun stepped on the elevated spot, banged his head on the side and his sweat just came flying out. It was a pretty sight.  Then the girl near my left gave Seunghyun the heart sign, and he responded by going the heart sign with his hands, motioning as if the heart came out from his chest. Argh, it was too cute!

There was also a time when Hongki actually threw water at the audience. Since I was looking at Seunghyun, I didn’t notice what was happening so I was completely shocked and frozen when the water hit me. Then it sank in, “Waaahhh ‘basbas’ ni Hongki!” Too bad I can’t remember which song they were playing.  Since I was seeing too much Seunghyun, I stretched my neck to also look at Leader. Leader (Jonghun) was so handsome that it’s actually hard to look straight at him. Like what I said in Day 1, he is mabushiiiii (too bright).  The spotlight on him seemed like a ray of light shining down on a very beautiful being. I now call him a demi-god. Poor Jaejin, he was trying to share the stage with Seunghyun but really, Seunghyun OWNED it so he had no choice but to move a bit at the back or near the center of the stage.  My Jaejin-biased friend and I tried to ‘comfort’ him by cheering him on.  It was fun for me but I felt bad for my friend because she got “too much Seunghyun” that night when all she wanted was Jaejin.

Day 4: January 16 – Singapore Fansigning Event

I woke up at 6AM and got a text from Alma and Sherms that they’ll be meeting up at 7AM at Farrer Park Station.  I thought it was too early and my body was starting to get achy after carrying heavy bags in Malaysia and getting crushed in Pen A from last night’s concert.  I slowly got ready for the day. When I got another text from Alma, “Ate may pila na, dali dali!”  (Unni, there’s already a line, hurry hurry!).  So I scrambled on my feet and rushed Loli too.

When we reached City Mall at around 9AM, true enough, there’s already a long line.  So I texted my Jaejin-biased friend to come and hurry up since posters were limited.  As we lined up, I recognized the girl in front of us. It was Hime, my twitter friend from Vietnam!  So we chatted away and made friends with the Japanese Pris behind us, Ritsuko-san and Hiroko-san.

When the boys arrived, a lot of screaming went on. The host was really cool, and we did the “Hello hello” greeting that we practiced.  The boys looked overwhelmed as they scanned the surroundings.  Seunghyun’s expression looked like a lost kid, while he wore a blue oversized polo over a white tee.  Jaejin looked confident as always, wearing a white long-sleeved polo with polka dots. I actually thought the ‘Jaejin style’ was nice.  Minhwan was wearing a tight white-collared shirt.  Hongki wore the long-sleeved shirt too. He looked ‘fashown’ as always.  And Leader was wearing a jacket over his white tee, very chic.

At this time, Minhwan had already recognized our banner. Loli and I got excited because while we were calling Minhwan, he looked at us and smiled back so many times, it was too many to get a count of it. While reviewing our fancam, we caught Leader smiling mischievously at us too probably because of the misspelled “Minhwan” uchiwa. While waiting in line, our group would often call out to Minhwan, and he would smile and wave at us with both hands. I want to call out Seunghyun’s name but I didn’t because nobody wants to join in and shout his name really. Our group has fallen for Minhwan’s pure fanservice.  So all I can do was observe Seunghyun silently.  We called out for Jaejin a couple of times too and he would also smile and wave. Hongki and Jonghun are the busiest members so we didn’t try to call their names.

As we waited for our turn, I was also silently thinking, “Please anybody of the four except Leader. Better if I get Seunghyun to sign my poster.”  I really didn’t get a chance to have a “moment” with Seunghyun so I was really thinking that I have to get Seunghyun to sign my poster. At the same time, I was also thinking, anyone is fine except Leader. Not that I don’t like him, it’s just that he has this ‘stoic’ feel during the fanmeet in Malaysia. He is too handsome, like a carved marble statue.

They started counting the people going up the stage. The group’s line ended with me.  The lady arranged us in the following order: Jonghun, Hongki, Minhwan, Jaejin and Seunghyun.  The first girl in the line will get Jonghun to sign her poster and I’ll have Seunghyun to sign mine.  The young girl in front of me was also Seunghyun biased so she was trying to switch place with me but I told her, “No, I want Seunghyun.”  So our line moved, then she turned to me again and tried to switch places. I told her again, “No, I don’t want to”. I was being stubborn because I really wanted to get Seunghyun.  But as I looked up, the girl assigned to Jonghun was pushed by the security over to Seunghyun!  The line moved fast so I just thought, “Crap! I got Jonghun,” as I waved and smiled weakly.  When the young girl went up the stage, Jonghun looked at me, pointed and said, “Oh,” sporting the same expression you do when you see an old friend. Yes, that kind of expression! He was smiling, I was so shocked.  So inside my head (and my heart), I was spazzing and was literally hopping my way onto the stage. I can’t remember if the “Kkkyyaaa Leader!!!” actually came out of my mouth but I definitely went crazy!

JH: *extends his right hand, still smiling* Hello!

Me: *grabs his hand* come to the Philippines! *pause* RETURN to the Philippines… Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! (I was hopping and holding his hand while saying this)

JH: Jebal? *smiling*

Me: Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! Jebal! (still hopping) *guard taps my shoulder and I let go of Jonghun’s hand*

Ah gift! *places the book on top of the poster* (Hongki already looking over since he was done signing)

JongKi: Oohhh. (with amazement)

Me: Messages inside! *flips pages* (then I was ‘dragged’ away by the guard)

I was still energetically hopping my way across the stage, when at the corner of my eye I saw a blue shirt. Probably due to automatic reflex, I grabbed Seunghyun’s hand and shouted, “Seunghyun!” shook his hand twice before going down the stage. All he was able to do was shout, “Woooaaah!!” I caught him by surprise because he was playing with the Angry Bird plush toy the young girl in front of me gave him.

When I got off the stage, I checked my poster to see if Leader was able to sign it. I was holding his right hand the entire time, so I’m not sure if he was able to sign my poster at all. I even thought, “Is he left-handed,” because he was able to actually sign the poster, much to my relief!  It also sunk in that he asked, “Jebal?” So I started to panic if I actually used the word correctly. Then the young girl approached me and asked me if I could trade Jonghun’s signature for Hongki’s. To my surprise, we actually have the same #1 and #2, Seunghyun and Jonghun. I felt kinda bad. No wonder she was trying to switch at that last minute. I was not paying attention and thought she was still trying to switch for Seunghyun’s siggy. I thought, “Close naman kami ni Demi-God Leader” so I gave up my Jonghun-signed poster.  After that, I was still panicking while I grabbed my phone, immediately texted Tine to ask what “jebal” meant.  She replied, “please”. I asked if I used it in the right context and she replied affirmatively.

I sent a text message to my friends and told them that I’ll wait behind the stage.  I met up with Loli who got Minhwan’s signature.  After a few minutes, my Jaejin-biased friend came rushing towards me, gave me a big hug, crushing my Hongki-signed poster while squealing because she got Jaejin.  She was followed by our friend who got Minhwan’s siggy.  As we waited a bit for another friend who was taking fancams on the third floor (because unfortunately she didn’t get a poster), my Jaejin-biased friend told us her story.  She was holding the Jaejin banner our friends brought in during concert the night before. When she showed him her poster, Jaejin saw the banner on top of it and gave out a “he he” laugh, his signature laugh. She told him she flew to Singapore from Philippines just to see him and Jaejin looking pleased, smiled (of course she lied because she’s really based in SG).  My friend trying to speak in Japanese told him that she enjoyed concert while Jaejin gave her an encouraging as if to say, “Go on, you can do it,” then gave her a thumbs-up sign when she finished her sentence.  He extended his hand to shake hers.  She grabbed his hand. As they shook hands, Jaejin squeezed her hand so she squeezed his hand back. It took a long time too because she was the last one to leave the stage, the guard could not “drag” her away because Jaejin was still holding her hands. I was really happy for her because she had her own moment with Jaejin.

We got together with our other friend a few moments after, right before the fan sign event ended.  We were waiting at the nearest exit to see if they will go that way. We heard the boys giving their goodbye speech then a commotion followed. We scrammed to get shots but unfortunately, as we suspected, they went to the other exit.  We just went out and waited for their van to pass by. We waved as their vehicle passed by us.

And with that, it was over. Four days with our Treasure passed by so quickly.  A week has passed by as I finished writing this fan account. To conclude, I can assure all Primadonnas that the boys are nice people.  They can be mischievous and naughty, but hey, boys will be boys.

Leader, I will never forget how you’ve played a trick on my mind, making me think twice. TWICE!  Hongki and his attention. Really, a Primadonna should really try to converse with him when you get the chance.  Learn Korean or Japanese, he gets shy when he speaks in English.  He is really nice. His fanservice has no pretentions, wagas din.  Minhwan, the multi-tasker. I forgot to say he dropped his left drumstick during the Malaysia concert but I guess no one noticed since he was really a great drummer. Only Leader was the one who noticed (and Loli) as he tried to help pick the drumstick too. Minhwan did fine and got back.  Have you ever seen a drummer being cute and sexy at the same time? Really, I’m not being biased here.  Jaejin, isa kang bibo kid… I love you man!  Seunghyun, look at me next time, please. I’m sorry for scaring you.

This is Jemma of FT ISLAND Philippines, signing off for Fangirl Asia.

Five Treasures, until we meet again. Return to the Philippines, jebal!

 On the 21st of January, 2012, Fangirlasia finally launched its much-awaited Partner Program to open posts for merchandise resellers. Held at the Jollibee Alphaland Southgate Mall, the Partner Program Launch discussed various perks of a whole new support program geared towards helping fans and even ordinary people to earn money while fangirling. The entire program does not only guarantee a reachable market, but also provides fans the opportunity to get rewards for sales made.

Fangirls aged  18 to 32 attended the launch with eager eyes and ears as Fangirlasia’s Chief Fangirl, Gigi Melodias, ran through the details and rewards of the program through a short Powerpoint presentation. Attendees also got the chance to share fan experiences and meet a couple of people from Fangirlasia’s team. Lunch was served by Jollibee with two rounds of sundaes.

At the end of the event, questions were entertained and partners were able to get to know each other more through a long chit-chat session. The project did not only promise a great way to earn, but it also showcased an excellent way to live the life of a fangirl.

The first batch of partners has officially signed with Fangirlasia right after the launch. All partners are provided with a unique number and ID as proof of reselling authorization from Fangirlasia. Thanks to the overwhelming response of applicants, a new batch of partners will be hired the next quarter. So stay tuned for more info!

Who or What is ZE:A?

Unlike other Kpop groups, ZE:A started on a rough patch. Star Empire Entertainment barely had enough funds to fully support the group pre-debut, despite having Kpop legends V.O.S and Jewelry under their name. The boys started touring around the streets of Seoul pre-debut, doing wingcar performances in order to promote themselves. They also rounded up a few UCC videos and guerrilla shows to further establish their name as “Children of Empire” before finally being known as ZE:A. The boys launched a documentary show called “Empire Kids Returns” which showcased each member as they went through training and other challenges before being a part of the 9-member group.

On January 2010, ZE:A debuted with Mazeltov from their EP Nativity. The song became #1 on Daum charts and quickly catapulted their career as one of the first groups to debut in 2010. Mazeltov featured an upbeat track with a very catchy chorus and choreography.

To say the least, ZE:A’s rise to fame was all based on hard work, dedication and passion. The nine boys, Junyoung, Kevin, Kwanghee, Hyungsik, Siwan, Heechul, Taehun, Minwoo and Dongjun, literally had to build their fanbase from blood, sweat and tears. There was no huge entertainment company or strong teasers to back them up, making their debut process truly inspiring.

Over the last two years, they were able to release numerous singles, a full album, and have held shows in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hongkong, Singapore… and finally, they decided to give Philippines a go.

Manila Mall Tour

Warner Music Philippines, together with the Ayala Malls, finally answered the prayers of many Philippine Styles (ZE:A’s fanclub name) when they announced that ZE:A will be coming to Manila at the start of 2012. From January 12 to 14, ZE:A toured around the Metro to promote their special summer album “Exciting!” starting from Trinoma on January 12 (Thursday), then Glorietta on January 13 (Friday), and finally Market Market on January 14 (Saturday).

The boys gained more and more fans with each show that filled up not only the seats inside the activity centers, but also the balconies on each floor overlooking the venues of the show. The boys did a special fansigning event and performed a few of their hits including Heart for 2, Watch Out, Mazeltov and All Day Long.

On the first day of the tour, six of the boys showed up, including Junyoung, Kevin, Hyungsik, Heechul, Taehun, and Minwoo. Unfortunately, Siwan was not able to come due to a drama filming, whereas Dongjun and Kwanghee only arrived on the night of the 12th. Nonetheless, the first day was a huge success, with almost a thousand fans in attendance. Fans eagerly lined up in front of Trinoma as early as 7am to get the first stubs for the fansigning. The boys performed Heart for 2 and Watch Out, two of the tracks included in their Exciting album. They also did a short interview with host, Kring Elenzano, to showcase their different personalities.

And if the first day wasn’t riveting enough, on the second day of the mall tour, ZE:A just brought the entire house down. The Glorietta activity center was covered in screams and cheers of giddy fans, as they watched the boys perform 3 songs, including Mazeltov from their first ever EP. The six boys were also joined by Dongjun and Kwanghee who arrived on the night of the 12th to take part of the Manila tour.        

Fans shouted in glee as they watched Kwanghee do parodies of Lady Gaga and Wonder Girls, and as Dongjun showcased his amazing acrobatic moves. Minwoo and Hyungsik also sang a few lines of songs from Usher and Bruno Mars, as the fans squealed and spazzed in their seats.

On the final day of the tour, the stage was bigger, the lights were brighter, and the boys just let it all out on the stage. They performed 4 songs this time, including my personal favorite, All Day Long (Haru Jongil). Unfortunately, there were a few technical problems during the show, which caused the boys to stop midway during their performances of Mazeltov and Watch Out. But hats off to the boys for handling the whole thing very professionally. The boys did an impromptu acapella of NKTB’s Single (which they do an awesome cover of, in case you haven’t seen/heard it yet) while the production people worked on the glitch. Several members danced along to Wonder Girls’ Be My Baby during the interview part, and Dongjun also did a sexy number and flashed his abs twice on stage while fans all around Market Market went crazy. The whole venue was literally covered in screams.

The tour ended with the boys sending out their heart-warming thanks to all the fans who attended the shows. The boys definitely gained a huge fanbase here in the Philippines with their sincerity and humility. Their fan service is also commendable and one-of-a-kind. We at Fangirlasia look forward to ZE:A’s next visit in the Philippines. Hopefully the next time we see them, they will be a full 9-member group and will do more songs for us.

*** Stay tuned as Fangirlasia will be giving away 3 autographed ZE:A albums soon! We will post the details of the raffle once available. For more exclusive pictures of ZE:A during the tour, you can visit this link. Fancams are all here.

120112-14 ZE:A Live in Manila

(Trinoma, Glorietta and Market Market)

Credit: @cornseup 

]]> http://fangirlasia.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=291 0