2011 had been an amazing year for me. Things had not always been at their best but I'm glad that things had not gone awfully wrong. I had my fair share of tears and smiles , making 2011 all the more memorable.
2011 was the year I experienced the greatest change in the family.
Dad was being posted to Doha for 2 (+1) years. And once this decision was made, the dynamics of the family changed. In the past, Dad would settle all the admin stuff at home - paying the bills and managing everything in the family. But now, Mum has to handle it all. I admit that I've been over reliant on my Dad and had taken a lot of things for granted, resulting in me being at a sudden lost. The obligation to head home every day after school/work and the obligation to stay at home during weekends just to accompany Mum cause no one is around. I just felt that I sort of lost all my social life. Things are much better now and it will definitely be better in 2012.
2011 was the year I had my longest overseas trip ever - 26 days.
To be honest, I never expect myself to stay so long in Korea. However, knowing that this could be one my and only chance I could take such a long break (since it would be quite impossible when I start work proper), I decided to go ahead with it. I will never forget these 26 days - queuing in the cold to enter music shows with insufficient sleep, long late nights with the starlings at their hostel, the cheap and awesome kimbap, long afternoons sitting at different cafes to people-watch, the many nice people who helped me when I couldn't find my way and the countless Korean artistes I saw every other day. These 26 days were simply amazing.
2011 was the year I officially graduated from my student life.
I never imagined myself to graduate this fast and graduation meant the end of my life as a student. No more lectures and tutorials. No more projects and exams. No more carefree life with no worries. No more long bus rides to NUS on 189. No more random outings after classes. No more student meals and cheap movie tickets. Everything changed the moment I graduated on 9th July 2011. Graduation marked the end of my education stint and indicated the start of something new
2011 was the year I started my working life.
I procrastinated finding a job for a few months since I really wanted to recharge myself before concentrating on my career and now, I'm proud to say that I'm a SITizen. Working life isn't something I've gotten used to yet - working 830 to 6, rushing with the peak hour crowd and fixed meal timings - though it's been almost 2 months. January will mark the end of my 3 months stint at SIT. I've no idea what the future lies for me and what path I will take, but I hope by the end of January, I would know what I want.
2011 was the year I start pampering myself.
I've never pampered myself before but this year, I really felt like giving a gift to myself. And the first really expensive gift I gave myself was my D600. To me, photography is more than an interest. I know that there are differing views with regards to holding a DSLR, but I know that I didn't buy it on an impulse (have been wanting to own one since 5-6 years ago). I may not have the best skills around, but I'm still learning and fiddling as I go along. Hopefully in the near future, I would have an epic collection of photos to share. ^^
2011 was the year I met the most number of Korean artistes.
With Singapore being a hotspot for the Hallyu Wave plus an awesome trip to Korea, it's no surprise 2011 became a year I met the most number of Korean artistes. From SS501 to SHINee to TVXQ to Girls Generation to Beast to Miss A to se7en to Big Bang to 2NE1 to Teen Top to B1A4 to Block B to RaNia to Touch to U-Kiss to DGNA to Dal★Shabet to Secret to Sunny Hill to FT Island to N-Train to X-5 to K.Will to Kim Tae Woo to Jang Woo Hyuk to Super Junior to Boyfriend to T-ara to 5 Dolls to Eru to IU to After School to Rainbow to K.Will to Kim Soo Hyun to 2PM to KARA to Sistar to Seo In Guk to G.Na to F(X) to 4 Minute to Baek Ji Young to Da Vinci to A-Pink to Infinite to Alex to 4men, I've seen them all. Probably missed out a few others but even so, I've met like 40 groups of artistes?
The most memorable of all just had to be TVXQ's fan party in Singapore. Witnessing Homin performing flawlessly right before my eyes and experiencing a roller coaster of emotions throughout. I've to admit that this had got to be the best fanmeet I've ever experienced.
SHINee World Concert was a big disappointment. Everyone around me felt that it was awesome and amazing, but to me, it just didn't reach my expectations. I guess it's because I know very well that they could have performed so much better thus I can't help but feel the disappointment seeping in. The boys were overworked and they spent three consecutive nights sleeping on the plane as they flew between Korea and Japan for their schedules prior to their concert. They are in no way in their optimum condition when they were here in Singapore, what more a perfect concert? No matter what, I'm still glad and contented that I experienced it since SWC was on my wish list since SM announced that the boys will be having their first solo concert in 2010.
Most importantly, I managed to see all 5 of SS501 members though it was all through their solo activities. Jung Min's fanmeet in Singapore during March really left a deep impression in me since he was my favourite member plus it was during my birthday month. He really is SEXY CHARISMA and his smile is to die for. The solo interview I had with Baby during June was simply unforgettable since I really threw my face as he found my iPhone and asked who does it belong to. Leader's showcase in Korea was an experience of a lifetime and the highlight of my whole trip as I managed to see Kyu and YoungSaeng too since they were the special guests that night. Now that I've seen all 5 of them individually, can I be greedy and wish for a reunion in 2012?
2011 has treated me well and I know 2012 will be just as amazing. ^^
_germx
2012 will be awesome
20120122.2212h
Labels: DBSK 동방신기, family, Looking Back, NUS, SHINee 샤이니, SIT, SS501
8 hours of queuing.
4 hours of standing.
I REGRET NOTHING.
8 hours of waiting was no joke. Thankfully I’ve got really awesome and cranky friends – Lizzie, Jovis, Ying Ying and Flora - to accompany me and the wait did not seem as long as we’ve expected. Just imagine taking selcas with different functions for an hour, trying to fit our faces in, along with a Yunho fan. And guess what! The Yunho fan is ALWAYS the clearest! LMAO! Plus our ridiculous attempts in learning the fanchants, amusing the Korean and Japanese fans around us! The most random thing we did to kill time was helping this NTU girl fill in a survey for her FYP on how the Hallyu wave affects ones’ decision to travel to Korea. All I can say is that the survey is very misleading, biased and totally fail considering she’s an honours student. TSK.
Witnessing TVXQ performing LIVE has always been a dream of mine. However, at this point in time, the possibility of me catching all 5 on the same stage is close to zero.
To be honest, TVXQ will always be a group that I hold close to my heart. I have to admit that I’m not a Cassiopeia who followed them through thick and thin as it was originally their music and dance talents that caught my attention. However, you’ve got to give me credit for owning and purchasing their first album Tri-angle the moment it was made available in Singapore way back in 2004 (when no one caught the Hallyu Wave yet) and the fact that their poster is still the background of my pin-up board ever since I moved to my new house in 2005. I guess my only fail has got to be me not being able to differentiate Junsu and Yoochun until very recently.
The first HoMin performance I witnessed was during Dream Concert 2011 (much thanks to BB unnie). Sitting amongst the Cassiopeias, holding the official Fanclub balloon and chanting along with them was an amazing experience. The feeling was really really surreal.
Thus, when there was news about HoMin coming to Singapore for a Fan Party, I know that it’s going to be a MUST GO event for me. And as expected, I bought the tickets the very day it was released. The only difference this time around was the fact that I bought a standing ticket instead of a seating one. I’ve no idea what was going through my mind at that moment, but I just went ahead with this gut feeling.
This was not my first time seeing HoMin, but I’ve got to admit it’s my first time seeing them this upclose and personal (3rd row of moshpit B). And to me, they are really perfect and flawless. This was the first fan party I’ve ever attended. This was also my first event that I’ve witness such strict security when it comes to photography. Even Leader’s showcase in Korea wasn’t this strict and scary. Just imagine security guards suddenly popping out in the middle of nowhere, flashing their torchlight at you. I’m so glad I wasn’t caught cause almost all the Japanese and Korean fans around me were caught. Lizzie even commented that she didn’t even see me taking my camera out. But I guess no one beats that Korean fan who disguised her video cam in the form of a pair of binoculars. It was serious epic and I’m honestly amazed.
With no intention to take photos at all due to the extremely tight security, this was the first time I actually let myself enjoy an event fully. And to be honest, I’m so glad this first time was given to TVXQ as I’ve never let loose myself so much in a showcase before. As a result, all my emotions were heightened exponentially. I have to admit that I’m not one who will go crazy and scream endlessly during an event, but instead, look silently from a corner and support them. However, this time around, I shouted like never before, doing the fanchants and giving them whatever support they deserve. This outburst of emotions was something I never expect myself to show.
The moment the lights dimmed, highlighting the red sea,
I felt so proud to be a Cassiopeia. I’ve wanted to see this red sea since eons ago and when everything happened right in front of me yesterday night, that feeling was simply indescribable.
The fan party started off with the
full MV version of Before U Go, showcasing the acting skills of both Yunho and Changmin. Honestly, if this were to be filmed into a drama, I will not hesitate to glue myself in front of my TV just to catch every episode. And for people who know me really well, it’s almost impossible for me to complete one drama cause I’ll get bored of it after a few episodes. So it really means something if I were to complete one and I’m still looking for that one drama that can capture my attention till the very last episode.
The duo appeared decked in white as they performed their first song –
Maximum. I have always preferred Maximum over Why (Keep Your Head Down) and to me, it’s really the
perfect song to kick start the fan party! The whole choreography is so catchy and my favourite part will forever be Yunho's dance break,
simple yet powerful.
Yunho started off with a simple "Hi Singapore!" and the whole stadium burst into endless cheers. I will never forget it when Changmin said "Hope everyone enjoy tonight's performances!" cause indeed,
I will never forget this night.
The first talk segment was a game
'Knowing Singapore Before U go' and the boys were made to answer questions about our little red dot. First question was something along the lines of "Is Vanda Miss Joaquim Singapore's national flower?" Yunho answered with a "No!" after thinking for a long time while Changmin, through the fans' hints said "Yes!" and got it correct. Changmin was so amused with the fangirls' reactions that he kept laughing.
The classic moment was when he literally went "HAHAHAHAHA!" and it was simply hilarious. Love it whenever Changmin laughs so heartily. Not forgetting how he seemed so relaxed and happy last night that he kept tapping his feet. When asked whether there's four official languages in Singapore, many fans interpreted the question wrongly as whether there's four national language and provided Yunho with the wrong hints, resulting in him failing to answer correctly. Changmin then answered by saying out the four languages. Yunho being witty, commented with "How about Korean?" LOL! Are you serious Yunho?! You crack me up so hard.
The next part was for
Homin to learn some Singlish (Singaporean-Style English). 'Lah' was the first one and Changmin cutely said
"No problem...Lah?" Instead of a statement, he said it as a question because he was unsure. Cuteness overload!!!
'Shiok' was also being introduced and upon hearing the word, Yunho immediately tried to form a sentence.
"Chilli crab was shiok!" After which, he was so proud of himself and kept beaming. The last Singlish word introduced was
'Alamak' and fans were trying to hint the boys with 'OMONA'. The funniest sentence had to be
"Looking at the fans today, alamak, they are awesome!" by Yunho and
"Alamak! Why are there so many people?" by Changmin. I seriously think that alamak is being used wrongly here, but they were so cute, so there are forgiven!
Homin left the stage to prepare for their next performance. Meanwhile, we were fed with
footages from SMTown Live in Paris. I really wonder when I will ever have the chance to witness one personally cause it’s going to be so epic with TVXQ, Super Junior, SHINee, Girls Generation, F(X), BoA and Kang Ta on the same stage!!
Immediately after the short video,
How Can I was being played in the background and Changmin rose out from the stage.
My favourite TVXQ ballad had always been 믿어요 until I heard How Can I. The lyrics are so heart breaking that whenever I hear it, memories start playing in my head. I was surprised I didn't cry when Changmin started singing because it was the song I was looking forward to the most.
To Homin, all the Cassiopeias in the world are equally important and they are very thankful to Cassiopeias in Singapore who had been waiting for so long. To me, the wait was very worthwhile. When Yunho said those words, you can really feel their sincerity and how grateful they were, especially his
"Thank you for waiting for us!" - the most heartfelt thanks I've ever heard.Then it was the second talk segment whereby 5 lucky fans pre-picked by 1003 were given the opportunity to ask the boys one question each.
Question: What's your impression of Singaporean Cassiopeias? Did you expect something different?Changmin: Singaporean Cassiopeias are more passionate than what I've expected. We were worried that we might have been forgotten. We are thus really thankful.
Question: What are TVXQ’s plans for 2012?Yunho: We will have our TONE concert in Japan early next year and after that, we will start producing some new music. Do look forward. You will support us right?
(Cassiopeias replied with a"네" which meant yes, however, Yunho heard it as "EH?", so he went "WHAT?!" That was one of the classic moments of the fan party! Everyone was laughing so hard at Yunho’s sudden outburst!)
Question: What are TVXQ’s New Year resolutions?Changmin: After seeing so many fans here today, I’ve been inspired to come back to Singapore and perform more. That will be our New Year resolution.
Question: What have they heard about Singapore since it's their first time and what have they tried?Changmin: We tried chilli crab and pepper crab last night and it was very good.
Yunho: I know about the Merlion, which is a combination of a lion head a fish body.
Question: TVXQ started off as singers and moving on to other aspects of the entertainment industry, such as acting in dramas, performing in musicals. Which is your favourite?Yunho: All of these identities are a good experience for us to learn and I like them all, but
being TVXQ is still the best. I think Changmin feels the same way as well. We just have to keep pushing the boundaries and keep exploring every new opportunity. It will be a long learning journey for us but please look forward to it.
When probed further by the emcee with regards to what's the best thing when working with each other, Yunho's answer was really direct. " As a leader, I get a lot of stress in work but Changmin is always here for me so I felt really grateful.
Changmin's presence is precious to me." Changmin upon hearing that, clapped, as though agreeing that he has an important part to play in Yunho's life, garnering bouts of laughter from everyone. Changmin ah, can you be any cuter?!
The boys then proceeded to signing two poster for the winners of the fan-made video. Yunho wrote
"God bless You", while Changmin wrote
"Thank You", along with an out-of-shape heart.
The two videos were amazing. This sounds totally ridiculous, but halfway through the first video, I started sobbing uncontrollably. The moment they showed the scene whereby Cassiopeias shouted
DONGBANGSHINKI! *CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP* DONGBANGSHINKI! *CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP* OMG! That scene which I long to witness, that scene that will never appear again! At that moment, it was totally silent in the Indoor Stadium as all of us concentrated on the video.
EVERYONE AROUND ME WAS CRYING! EVERY SINGLE ONE! I really never expected myself to cry, but that video portrayed what every single Cassiopeia feels, what every Cassiopeia know will never happen again.
The second video focused on 2008's MKMF, when Changmin cried non-stop. This video acted as a mood-lifter as there were parts we
don't know whether to laugh or cry. Especially at the part where she dreamt of Changmin and he was hugging her. The Korean fan behind me even commented "미쳤어?" and I really tried my very best not to laugh. But it was seriously damn funny la. Changmin was such a cutie-pie when watching the second video cause at parts where he agreed, he will nod his head. At parts where he disagreed, he will vigorously shake his head. LOLOL!
Having watched the videos, the boys expressed that they were really moved by all the effort and love shown by the fans. There were times when they felt like giving up but fans are always around for them, giving them the energy to stand on stage and perform, for which they were very thankful towards.
The fan party continued with the
making-of footages of Before U Go music video before the boys returned with a mind-blowing performance of
Before U Go. I think I've been telling everyone that I really cannot accept Before U Go's choreography cause it's just tooooo wrong. And now that I've witnessed Homin performing this song right before my eyes, I simply cannot unsee!! T____T
Changmin's pronunciation was really perfect when he said "You guys having fun tonight?", while Yunho said in Chinese "你們開心嗎? (Are you guys happy?)", continuing with a "Are you guys ready?" Changmin then responded with a "Ok! Let's go! TVXQ medley!"
Just let me die as I see Homin perform
The Way U Are and
Mirotic. The fanchant was beyond awesome. It was freaking loud! And when it was Rising Sun, I swear that this performance was the highlight of the whole fan party. Yunho was amazing.
You can see him performing every detail of the choreography to its precision. It was simply mind-blowing and plain crazy. He really puts in his 100% whenever he dances and I really respect him for that. As for maknae Changmin, it was obvious that he was really tired during Rising Sun. I don't blame him for that cause he gave his all during the first few performances and it's a known fact that his stamina was never as good as Yunho's.
Probably the most memorable clip throughout the whole fan party - Yunho and Changmin's birthday party this year, featuring MC Onew and MC Minho respectively. Have read fan accounts before, but watching Yunho's interaction with Onew and Changmin's interaction with Minho was really heart warming. ^^
The last performance of the day was
‘Keep Your Head Down’ and I thought that it was the perfect song to end this fan party. I really really love ‘Keep Your Head Down’'s choreography because of Yunho’s krump. It seems as though I’m watching a
dance battle between Homin and it's just spectacular.
During the ending speech, Yunho said, "We will come more often in the future, will you wait for us?" JUNG YUNHO, I AM HOLDING YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROMISE OKAY! YOU BETTER COME BACK REAL SOON! Changmin's really sweet when he said "I hope everyone will spend a good last month and Christmas and we'll come back whenever there's chance!" Not forgetting his
"I LOVE YOU SINGAPORE!!!" as he exited the stage.
The whole event ended on a high note for me and buying a standing pit ticket was probably the best decision ever. I don't think I would have enjoyed this much if I were sitting down. The whole experience was just so surreal. It's hard to believe that it indeed happened. I'm so glad I did not witness their awesomeness through the camera's viewfinder but instead, in blood and flesh.
Both Yunho and Changmin were just flawless, perfect and the epitome of epic. Their stage presence was simply overwhelming. They are indeed The Rising Gods of the East.
They are 동방신기!!
_germx
I.REGRET.NOTHING!!
2o1112o6.0108h
Labels: Choikang Changmin 최강창민, DBSK 동방신기, events, U-Know Yunho 유노윤호
No wonder she asked me what colour I wanted. I originally thought it's going to be for the colour of the envelope for the letter she'll be writing to me or something. LOL. This was indeed a pleasant surprise! xD
And I came to realize that it's absolutely not a good idea making Chocolate Cornflakes when you are not feeling well since I ended up eating them while making and my cough just turned from bad to worse. /epic fail
Just let me die as I see Homin perform The Way U Are and Mirotic. The fanchant was beyond awesome. It was freaking loud! And when it was Rising Sun, I swear that this performance was the highlight of the whole fan party. Yunho was amazing. You can see him performing every detail of the choreography to its precision. It was simply mind-blowing and plain crazy. He really puts in his 100% whenever he dances and I really respect him for that. As for maknae Changmin, it was obvious that he was really tired during Rising Sun. I don't blame him for that cause he gave his all during the first few performances and it's a known fact that his stamina was never as good as Yunho's.
The last performance of the day was ‘Keep Your Head Down’ and I thought that it was the perfect song to end this fan party. I really really love ‘Keep Your Head Down’'s choreography because of Yunho’s krump. It seems as though I’m watching a dance battle between Homin and it's just spectacular.
