Monday, December 8, 2014

TVXQ and Many Other Idols

So that next Friday, Soojung and I went to Mustoy to try out Korean Doll Painting. I heard about this through a video done by Simon and Martina at Eat Your Kimchi and I've been excited to do this since I got to Korea. Basically, you go to the cafe and then pay 15,000 won to decorate a porcelain doll and keep it. It's a Japanese company with materials made in China with a cafe in Korea. The full Asian experience! Anyway, I made a Lorax for my father and Soojung made one of the characters from Kakao Talk. It was super fun and honestly, I might even do it again next semester. I wanted to buy one of the ones that people left behind (10,000 won to decorate and not keep) but that was expensive so I restrained myself. Super awesome experience though!

The cafe

I really wanted that blue and black one in the middle.

That same weekend I also went to Jaejoong's bar - creatively called Holic J - and a cafe owned by a friend of Yunho. It was rather disappointing though because no one in Korea goes to bars until like 11 and one of my friends has a midnight curfew (Ehwa, ew). So we just ate out and decided to go back in a couple weeks when she can apply for a night out. As for the 85st. Coffee Shop... well... it was closed. I went with Hemi, who is also a TVXQ fan, and she said she's never seen it closed before. Oh well. Excluding the dolls, I just struck out that weekend. But you miss every ball that you don't swing at! (or something inspirational like that)

85st Coffee Shop where Yunho sometimes decides to work as a barista. 

During the following week, there was the End of the Year Foreigners Festival. Soojung and I decided to hang out at the Mouse Rabbit Cafe while we waited for it to start. The Mouse Rabbit Cafe is right by campus and owned by Yesung's sister but I hadn't gone before because I don't really care for Yesung. But then I heard from someone that the cafe is just super cute so I decided to go. It's adorable! I can't even take how cute it is, it's ridiculous. The festival afterwards was pretty cool too and my friend Stephanie won first place in the talent show and won 500,000 won! Wooh!

The outside of the cafe.

How cute are these drinks?

A couple days later, Summer and I finally got to go ice skating at Lotte World. I haven't skated in six years and I forgot how hard it is! Ice skating is exercise people! But we had a ton of fun as I attempted to skate around the rink and Summer held my hand most of the time so I wouldn't fall. Like a boss. The skates were actually super crappy; they were too big for me, not very sharp, and didn't have a stop. But despite the conditions, it was a ton of fun and I would recommend it for those coming from warmer environments especially, who haven't skated before. I'm used to lakes so it was a little strange but still awesome.

The rink.

Summer and I blocking the flow of people.

Me trying to be cute while still keeping my balance. It's harder than it looks.

The next day, Amy, Stephanie, and I went to the Studio Ghibli Exhibit. It's only in Korea until March 1st so I was super happy we got it done. The exhibit itself was absolutely amazing and worth the 15,000 won (although some other friends didn't think so). The official gift shop, however, is aimed at the country the exhibit is in so it only had products from the top three movies in Korea; Spirited Away, Totoro, and Kiki's Delivery Service. However, there's a store in Hongdae that sells Ghibli stuff too so I might go there. The exhibit is stunning though. Some of the exhibits move and just the way it's presented, feels magical. After going to the exhibit, I really want to go to the museum in Japan too. That would be fantastic. 

Howl's Moving Castle. And yes, it did move.

Porco Rosso! Chillin like a villian

The iconic Spirited Away bridge.

Yes, sometimes I hang out with No Face. What can I say? 

The day after Ghibli, I went to the TVXQ T1ST0RY concert in Seoul. I can't even talk about it like a normal person. My mind hasn't exploded but it was amazing anyway. Yunho was so silly and beautiful and Changmin's voice was stunning and it just all meant a lot. It was also their 4000th day since debut (WOW) so the energy was really good. I can't. I love Yunho and Changmin so much. I didn't cry, I thought I would. My eyes got a little misty a couple times when all 15,000 people were chanting for TVXQ but I held myself together. And some random fans also just gave me merchandise which was super awesome. WE ARE T!




Tour merchandise~

And then yesterday I skipped school like a good student to go to a Arirang TV Simply K-Pop recording. I was at the studio for 13 hours and saw 19 different acts, because I went to all the pre-recordings and the main recording. The interaction of the idols with their fans was awesome but it made me sad how exhausted and hungry the idols looked. Stephanie and I also were given the chance to introduce an artist so I'll be on TV! Mom, look, I made it! I'll post that link later. Overall, it was an utterly exhausting day (and weekend) for me but it was totally worth it. I got to talk to a bunch of K-pop singers and learn who sings live and who doesn't. HALO made a special impression on me out of everyone I saw because I wasn't a fan of them before but they were so friendly, I think I shall have to support them in the future. We weren't allowed to take pictures so we'll just have to wait for that video~