After that surprisingly overwhelming positive response to my Aftermath report of Kim Hyun Joong’s High Five Touch event (there! I finally got it right… I think?), I suddenly find myself with nothing to write about. 
That’s one tough act to follow. I’m afraid that those who said that they will continue to read this blog will eventually find out that I’m actually a boring writer. 
Interesting to note, though, that those who have passed by this blog for the first time have immediately understood the humor behind it. Meanwhile, some of those who have been lurking (and sometimes de-lurking when they can’t take what they’ve just read) here still misunderstands everything and takes everything seriously. 
Howell, I don’t have a control over how people think, so I’ll just write whatever I want to write on my own blog. I’m not here to please people, anyway.
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One of my childhood best friends who’s into extreme sports wrote this as her Facebook status:
Believe me!
the secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness
and the greatest enjoyment from life…
is to live dangerously..!
I live dangerously by putting myself in the middle of a throng of stampeding Kpop fangirls and writing brutally honest – oftentimes perceived as ‘negative’ – commentary about Korean idols, including – make that ESPECIALLY – my own. Does that count?
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September starts tomorrow. Wonder how this month will pan out. I know this is going to be torturous for me, though, with the constant reminders of where I was and what I did exactly one year ago.
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Edited to add:
I saw a comment from a Pinoy fan saying something like, these Korean stars (Kim Hyun Joong, in particular) should learn to adapt to our ways (referring to allowing fans to hug and kiss them) because that’s how Filipinos are.
Ay baket, Hapon ba tayo? Mga Puti ba tayo?
In the first place, what right do we have to demand such a thing when these Korean entertainers don’t even earn much from Filipino fans? The Japanese can pretty much demand anything they want because they pay A LOT. We don’t. We even patronize pirated products and merchandise, in the guise of, “we cannot afford the original”. We have no right to be demanding.
Secondly, and corollary to my first point, the Philippines is not only not a big market for Korean stars, there is also little ‘prestige’ that comes with being famous in the Philippines. Unlike, say, being famous in the US or Europe and having non-Asian fans. That’s why these Korean stars, no matter how snobbish they are, suddenly become Mr or Ms Super-Friendly in the presence of non-Asian fans, especially Whites. It’s always cool to have a press release saying, “Mr-So-And-So is a hit with American fans!” with a photo of him being pursued by Caucasians.
This is not meant to put down the Filipino fans. It’s just the way things are.
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Edited further to add:
This is really nothing to be too excited about. For all we know, the guy who’s maintaining the topstar_KW account is not really Eric Mun but his manager or someone from the Spy Myung Wol crew. Also, this Twitter account has replied to so many fans, both in and out of Korea. But who cares, it’s not everyday that a legitimate A-list Korean entertainer replies to you on Twitter. 
(Click on the photo to view a larger image)
And yes, I realize that my Tweet to him sounds incredibly childish and corny. 
But hey, this is Eric we’re talking to here. That dude has the weirdest sense of humor, my silly Tweet is nothing to him.
“I saw a comment from a Pinoy fan saying something like, these Korean stars (Kim Hyun Joong, in particular) should learn to adapt to our ways (referring to allowing fans to hug and kiss them) because that’s how Filipinos are.
Ay baket, Hapon ba tayo? Mga Puti ba tayo?
In the first place, what right do we have to demand such a thing when these Korean entertainers don’t even earn much from Filipino fans? The Japanese can pretty much demand anything they want because they pay A LOT. ”
I just had to react to this. Tama nga naman, if you want more you pay more. It’s amazing how some people can be so completely naive about these things. I remember that even before this started, people were complaining how they had to buy another cd just to get into the KHJ Hi-five Event, well since they already bought one at the launch. And once the idea of that sunk in…they were commenting how it was such a shame that they could only hi-five him and that there was no fansign nor an opportunity for a photo op. I mean come on? For 500 php? People in other countries pay so much more for all the extra “trimmings” and they balk at 500 php?
Taz yun na nga, 500 php na nga lang…dapat ba me obligatory “may-i-harass-you-moment pa yun?” Abuso much?
Okay, we can argue that 500 php isn’t so easy to shelve out especially for students, but then nobody forced them to. So why complain? Unless there’s a gun pointed at one’s head threatening to go off unless you buy the cd…you have the option of NOT getting it, di ba?
But a very good friend pointed out, ganyan talaga ang Filipino…kung makakalusot, lulusot. Eh what sort of impression does it leave the artists who come here?
Just for comparison, Rain recently held a similar high-five event in Korea for Japanese fans. Not only did these fans have to fly all the way to Korea for the event, they also had to avail of the special tour package + shopping spree at Lotte DFS just to high-five Rain. If I heard it correctly, the total package would amount to more than USD1500. The venue was at a university auditorium, so only the participants can witness the event. And from what I saw with the photos (official press photos; fans were not allowed to take footage of the event), they didn’t even go up the stage for it. Rain was at the stage and the fans lined up below the stage and high-fived Rain from there. Edit: I checked the pics, they were both at the floor (or was it the stage) but there’s a barrier between Rain and the fans (I mean literally there’s a wall that separates them).
Also, there was a performance, which rightfully so because c’mon, the fans spent tons of money, at least sing something for them!
Imagine how lucky we are. For only php500, you have a CD, a poster and a high-five from Kim Hyun Joong. And if you don’t feel like spending, you can still see him as the venue is open to the public. You can take fancams all you want, too. A lot of Filipino fans do not appreciate how lucky we are that we got that kind of opportunity.
we just had an office event tonight at the Manila Hotel Tent (beside the hotel) and for some weird reason, I did not want to go inside the lobby while waiting for my ride home…
djo: Trauma?