Dark streets & closed shops = it is far too early of an hour to be concious right now T.T
I woke up this morning at 4am. Really, a wonderful time to awake, up, & about. Jess was leaving today to go back to America, which I was so sad about :( She had work though, so duty called. I had no idea what I was doing about Show Champion, since until I arrived in Korea, I had never even heard of it lol. It's not as big or popular as the other four broadcasting stations, and I don't keep up too well with them anyway. IMy friends and I found stuff online for directions, and I figured I'd wing it from there and make new friends.
Unfortunately, the way my Jihachul app told me to get to Gwangnaru was extremely difficult and involved no less than three complicated transfers (these were not the easy, one-way-only-so-you-have-to-be-utterly-braindead-to-miss-it kind of transfer tunnels; these were like 18-different-directions-to-potentially-go-and-only-one-is-right-and-the-signs-are-totally-contradicting kind of transfers -.-). On the way home I found my own route home that was only 2 minutes longer than the aforementioned Route of Hell, and involved only one transfer. Candace: 1, Jihachul app: 0
Unfortunately, the way my Jihachul app told me to get to Gwangnaru was extremely difficult and involved no less than three complicated transfers (these were not the easy, one-way-only-so-you-have-to-be-utterly-braindead-to-miss-it kind of transfer tunnels; these were like 18-different-directions-to-potentially-go-and-only-one-is-right-and-the-signs-are-totally-contradicting kind of transfers -.-). On the way home I found my own route home that was only 2 minutes longer than the aforementioned Route of Hell, and involved only one transfer. Candace: 1, Jihachul app: 0
Decided to buy some coffee from a vending machine but they must adjust these things for the hour of day you buy it, cuz this thing was hot!! I've bought them several times before and they've never been so hot. It was literally burning the skin off my hands o.o I had to put on my right glove just to hold it lol. I was also waiting at the side going the wrong way on both the yellow and olive green line; good thing I checked the direction of stations on top of the doorways lol. I TOLD you the signs and stuff in the transfer were so so confusing >.<
A million turns and different ways to go in here. I'm not a subway expert but I'm not exactly a noob either; it's my favorite method of travel thus far and I've been all over Seoul by subway by now. I had to go up and down stairs and escalators over and over again when I went wrong way and had to traverse to the other side @.@ It's completely frigid outside but I definitely worked up a sweat trekking around these stations...
I have no idea how people find their way around all the little line transfers like this. The few businessmen and women I saw on my trains always knew where to go without hesitation. I guess they are used to it since this is their morning commute. But still. I'm good on the major lines, but these new lines are a whole new can of worms -.- Also, a lady totally conked the eff out on a man next to her haha it was funny cuz I watched it happen, in like slo mo. It was like a sag, tip, drop, jerk, drop again, then sloooowly KLUNK her head landed on home base :D Can't say I blame you lady.
I have no idea how people find their way around all the little line transfers like this. The few businessmen and women I saw on my trains always knew where to go without hesitation. I guess they are used to it since this is their morning commute. But still. I'm good on the major lines, but these new lines are a whole new can of worms -.- Also, a lady totally conked the eff out on a man next to her haha it was funny cuz I watched it happen, in like slo mo. It was like a sag, tip, drop, jerk, drop again, then sloooowly KLUNK her head landed on home base :D Can't say I blame you lady.
Touchdown in Gwangnaru, finally!! On a misty, rainy, colder than a polar bear's butt kind of morning -_____-
The Show Champion music stage! It was pretty high-tech and fancy, even though it's the least known of the music shows. I had a lot of fun watching the screens where they monitor the performance and do close-ups and rewind and stuff :D New friends Ashley, Trisha, & her momma, and my Korean friend Tina!
Today was both a reuniting of friends and the making of new ones. But it was freeeeeeeeeezing. I know I already said that but it was so cold I feel it merits several mentionings... When I got there I searched for the sign to take a picture with but couldn't find it. I walked over to the front of the building in front of a closed coffee place where 3 Japanese girls and an American boy were sitting. I have no idea why I didn't see the white guy and ask him, but I totally didn't even see him at first >.< Maybe I was channeling "fangirl" and so I only saw the girls. I asked the Japanese girls if they were waiting for the live show or pre-recording and they answered yes. Then the boy spoke up and I was doing like a
Today was both a reuniting of friends and the making of new ones. But it was freeeeeeeeeezing. I know I already said that but it was so cold I feel it merits several mentionings... When I got there I searched for the sign to take a picture with but couldn't find it. I walked over to the front of the building in front of a closed coffee place where 3 Japanese girls and an American boy were sitting. I have no idea why I didn't see the white guy and ask him, but I totally didn't even see him at first >.< Maybe I was channeling "fangirl" and so I only saw the girls. I asked the Japanese girls if they were waiting for the live show or pre-recording and they answered yes.
Then the boy spoke up and I was doing like a *\(^o^)/* in my head when I realized he spoke English. He was pretty excited too, since I think he almost never meets musicgoers here who speak English. We had a fun morning chatting our brains out, since we were the lone foreigners even when more people showed up. I had to go into the media building to send my picture for the pre-recording since I needed wifi. His name was Brian and he was studying abroad here in Seoul. I was so jealous >.< Apparently he's from Florida, so we spent a good 15 minutes just abusing the freezing Seoul weather in comparison to the warm weather we both had waiting for us back home. Ah, good thing Seoul has more than enough charms to make up for its weather haha.
More hours of queueing and wandering and asking people questions and for aid and we were back in line again. Brian wasn't waiting for the pre-recording since the group he wanted to see wasn't having one today, so he just walked around and chilled. I met some cool girls in line, Ashley (Australian teaching here in Seoul!) and Trisha and her mom (from Singapore!). You really meet people from all over, it amazes me. People from such different places and cultures all brought together by music. A lot of girls I've met here can't speak much English OR korean, but they have still flown all the way over here. That's just scary dedication lol. I met another American
Then the boy spoke up and I was doing like a *\(^o^)/* in my head when I realized he spoke English. He was pretty excited too, since I think he almost never meets musicgoers here who speak English. We had a fun morning chatting our brains out, since we were the lone foreigners even when more people showed up. I had to go into the media building to send my picture for the pre-recording since I needed wifi. His name was Brian and he was studying abroad here in Seoul. I was so jealous >.< Apparently he's from Florida, so we spent a good 15 minutes just abusing the freezing Seoul weather in comparison to the warm weather we both had waiting for us back home. Ah, good thing Seoul has more than enough charms to make up for its weather haha.
More hours of queueing and wandering and asking people questions and for aid and we were back in line again. Brian wasn't waiting for the pre-recording since the group he wanted to see wasn't having one today, so he just walked around and chilled. I met some cool girls in line, Ashley (Australian teaching here in Seoul!) and Trisha and her mom (from Singapore!). You really meet people from all over, it amazes me. People from such different places and cultures all brought together by music. A lot of girls I've met here can't speak much English OR korean, but they have still flown all the way over here. That's just scary dedication lol. I met another American
Tina cutting up kimchi and radishes like a boss & the shikdang (restaurant) where we ate lunch! We got coffee afterwards and they were promoting a new MUSHROOM latte...uh? Well who knows haha maybe they made it good?
My meal and Tiramisu Latte for dessert :)
We broke for lunch and me, Tina, and Shiho went out to a seollongtang place down the street. I had never had it before but it was so perfect for this cold rainy day; it was incredible! It was a semi-clear warm tasty broth with vegetables and savory meat in it. My friend Dajeong says they simmer the broth with onions and stuff in it for a whole day, which made me think of pho broth. You get a bowl of rice with it as well, and you periodically spoon rice into the broth then eat it all together with everything. First though, you put some of the rock salt on the table into your broth. I'm so glad I went with them haha cuz otherwise I would've been lost. That is what prevented me from trying many Korean dishes last time I was here; I couldn't understand what the dish was/didn't know how to eat it/some places don't really have a menu, you just have to know and order it T.T It was so good I immediately resolved to eat it again before I left.
An edit Tina did the pictures I sent her from today! Cute, isn't it? ^^
I met another new friend upon our return from lunch! She was sitting with Brian, so we all kind of merged and became a bigger group. Her name was Trisha and she was from New York but studying abroad in Japan right now. I'm so jealous of her too T.T Little did we know that we would soon become fast friends and spend pretty much the entire next few days together, shopping, exploring Seoul, eating, and attending more shows ^^.
Evidence of the epic lines and masses of people there. It is nuts. The amount of people at these music broadcasts never ceases to me amaze me. I mean, I'm here cuz I don't know when I'll ever get the chance to go to these again and I have limited time here. But the majority of these people aren't foreign, so that's like super dedication or just their way of relieving school stress?
We got lucky today and saw several artists doing their pre-recordings, even though we only lined up for one. Rainbow was first, and although I don't know much about them/I don't like them cuz they utilize too much pink and baby voices, their newest song is catchy and I liked it by the end of their several takes. G.NA was next and she put on a great show with Ilhoon from B2st. Her song and dance was also very catchy and I liked it a lot. Finally after several hours SHINee came on and put on a great (and hilarious) show during their pre-recording (Jinki totally whacked himself in the face with the mic stand HAHA SO ONEW).
Fanboys are pretty much the funniest things I've ever seen; namely Rania and Rainbow ones. This is because there are all these tall muscular guys doing fanchants to the songs in deep ass voices and screaming their names and leaping around with their huge signs hahah. Even Korean girls are smiling and laughing at them, so it's not just that I'm foreign :D
After the pre-recordings, we all filed out of the studio and came back around 4 to start lining up for the live show (starts at 6). It was around this time I realized OMFG I'M SUPPOSED TO CHECK OUT FROM MY HOTEL ROOM TODAY. The staff knew I was checking out of the double room but staying for another week in a single...but check-out was supposed to be around 2-3 pm still. It was now 4pm. I panicked and ran to the media studio to call the hotel. I tried my best to explain that I was going to come back soon and move all my luggage, which I presumed was still sitting in my double hotel room since Jess had left at 1pm for the airport. It took awhile but eventually I got my meaning across to him, whereupon he said they had moved my stuff already. Eh? I assumed he meant just my luggages, since I hadn't packed all my small stuff yet from the bathroom and counter. But it was fine, I would take what I could get! I was extremely grateful and couldn't believe it :3 I was able to stay for the live show then!
SHINee ended up winning and coming out #1 at the end of the show. They have been dominating for weeks on all the music shows and music charts now, their popularity is kind of ridiculous. They must have just shelves upon shelves of trophies and awards lol. By the end of next week, they will have become the only celebrities to have won on Show Champion 4 times. Since the first win Jonghyun did 100 push-ups, and the second win Minho did over 100 push-ups, with this third win, Onew, Key and Taemin all did pushups. Which was just hilarious in itself, since I don't think we've ever seen Key do anything more physical than shopping...
Fanboys are pretty much the funniest things I've ever seen; namely Rania and Rainbow ones. This is because there are all these tall muscular guys doing fanchants to the songs in deep ass voices and screaming their names and leaping around with their huge signs hahah. Even Korean girls are smiling and laughing at them, so it's not just that I'm foreign :D
After the pre-recordings, we all filed out of the studio and came back around 4 to start lining up for the live show (starts at 6). It was around this time I realized OMFG I'M SUPPOSED TO CHECK OUT FROM MY HOTEL ROOM TODAY. The staff knew I was checking out of the double room but staying for another week in a single...but check-out was supposed to be around 2-3 pm still. It was now 4pm. I panicked and ran to the media studio to call the hotel. I tried my best to explain that I was going to come back soon and move all my luggage, which I presumed was still sitting in my double hotel room since Jess had left at 1pm for the airport. It took awhile but eventually I got my meaning across to him, whereupon he said they had moved my stuff already. Eh? I assumed he meant just my luggages, since I hadn't packed all my small stuff yet from the bathroom and counter. But it was fine, I would take what I could get! I was extremely grateful and couldn't believe it :3 I was able to stay for the live show then!
SHINee ended up winning and coming out #1 at the end of the show. They have been dominating for weeks on all the music shows and music charts now, their popularity is kind of ridiculous. They must have just shelves upon shelves of trophies and awards lol. By the end of next week, they will have become the only celebrities to have won on Show Champion 4 times. Since the first win Jonghyun did 100 push-ups, and the second win Minho did over 100 push-ups, with this third win, Onew, Key and Taemin all did pushups. Which was just hilarious in itself, since I don't think we've ever seen Key do anything more physical than shopping...
I rushed back to the hotel after the show; even though the staff guy had said it was okay, I was still worried some miscommunication had happened or something. God was just against me though; I was JUST missing every single subway train on my way back so I had to wait forever for the next while fighting off the serious urge to yank off my shoes, chuck them in a trash bin, and go barefoot. I was wearing my most comfy pair of white sneaker wedges but after a full day spent almost entirely on my feet from 5am to 8pm, I was over it.
So I rushed myself as fast as the subways would allow me to get back to the hotel. I got there and found the receptionist and night manager had sweetly moved literally ALL my stuff, even my bathroom stuff AND the bar of soap (lol) to my new room! Even my loofah and the scraps of construction paper Jess & I had used for our arts & crafts day. It must have taken ages, I had a ton of stuff everywhere. I couldn't believe it. I was so grateful to them and although I didn't know the words to thank them specifically for moving it all, I thanked them a bunch of times before finally flopping myself down in my new room. I admit, I teared up and cried for a little bit once I took the time to survey my room. It looked exactly like my one on my last trip, I'm just one floor above exactly with numbers and everything. It was so clean and inviting and familiar and filled with good memories. I had also had a very long day; simultaneously one of the best and worst days of my life. I didn't really go into the details of how bad my freak-out over my delayed room change was, but it was bad. I was far from the hotel, had been waiting in line for hours, didn't have the right Korean words to explain to the hotel staff, had major panicky feels when I realized it was hours past when I was supposed to be out and ALL my stuff was still just sitting there in a room that needed to be cleaned. And they didn't really have a way to contact me since my phone is foreign. I was so distressed and worried >.< Luckily it all worked out!
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