This topic is locked
Warning: long and ranting. : p
From the start, I thought I wouldn?t attend the Shanghai concert since there was no mean for foreigner to buy tickets in advance. But during my Seoul trips to see Legally Blonde, I had met and become friends with a Chinese sone, an SNSDChina staff, who offered to help me get the ticket. I gladly took it. I really want to attend Shanghai concert as the date was next to Jessica Birthday and I want to be there to sing her a happy birthday song and also to see if there will be a surprise in the concert. I?m glad I did. It?s such a great experience. I?ve been in all four of the Seoul concert, but the all around experience concert in Shanghai was rather different, not better or worst, just different.
I was quite busy before Shanghai trip, too busy to search up the city and make plan, so when my Chinese sone friend suggested checking into Gran Melia, the hotel the girls stayed, I did. It?s quite an impressive hotel. I also called up Toy Watch store and ordered a pink Fluo Toy Watch to pick up at the duty free shop and brought it along to give to Jessica as a Birthday gift. The first time I saw the watch, it?s reminded me of her, so I chose it. Enough with the rant, here goes the account.
I arrived Shanghai about an hour after the girl, so I didn?t get to welcome the kids to Shanghai, but my Chinese friend said lots of sone were there, around 400-500 of them. The girls received a warm welcome. She said Taeyeon was tearing up, so touched with amount of support they received. Chinese sone are seriously Jjang.
After I checked in the hotel a group of Chinese sone took me to the concert hall. Like the girls, I received very warm welcome also. We?re waiting by the gate to send the girls into practice. It?s rather cool, but about 100 or 200 sone and Shinee World were there to support. The girls arrived around 8 p.m.. The girl got out of their mini bus and walked around the bus into the hall while sone cheering SoNyuhShiDae! SoNyuhShiDae! SoNyuhShiDae! in unison. Tiffany looked great. The girls seem to be hurry to practice but still nice to the fan. It?s cool. After the girls got in my Chinese friends took me to the VIP gate, we look through the glass panel doors and got a glimpse of part of the stage about 150 meters away. We saw the girls practicing on the stage, which was awesome. However, about the 4 th songs, the staffs noticed people outside and close the curtain. After that my friends went to prepare some fruit and drink for the food support project from SNSDChina. I went back to the hotel after awhile.
The next morning, I went to the concert hall pretty early to take in the atmosphere. The atmosphere before the concert in Shanghai was totally different from ones in Seoul. A lot of fansites have their own things going on, yet they?re all united to make one of the greatest concert experiences for SNSD and sones. It?s lively and fun. Lots of cool banners. Chinese sone were extremely nice. I think maybe they took pity to me since my friends were busy with SNSDChina activity and I?m alone and cannot understand Chinese.. hehehe.. I?ve met few international sone, a Taiwan sone, HK sone and also couple Thai boys who went to school in Shanghai, but so far, I seemed to be the only one who can?t understand Chinese.. hehehe Even most of Chinese sone I?ve met couldn?t speak English (They understand what I said tho?, just can?t reply), they?re very generous and I was well took care off. I didn?t feel a bit lonely even when I was alone in a country I cannot understand the language. I?ll write a whole section regarding all the sone, I?ve met in my trips later on. Now continue with the fan account. The girls arrived in the afternoon. A lot of fans were waiting to send them in again. Even it?s rather hot and quite a long wait only to get a glimpse of the girls for few seconds, all the fans seem to enjoy themselves. We talked and cheer. I?d made many of friends there. After the girls were in, I walked around and have a great time. Some of the Chinese sone showed me around and took me to see Cover dance. Lots of fansites were out and have activities, lots of fan made goods were sold but SM didn?t bring any official goods to SH con. I?ve received a lot of gifts from many fansite and brought bunch of goods also.
The concert start was scheduled at 7:30 but start a bit late. Before the concert start, I asked one of the Chinese sone if I have to go back to the hotel to put my camera back, to my surprise, the Chinese sone told me camera was allowed and actually almost anything was allowed into the concert. True to her words, camera and food and drink were allowed into the hall, there?re even people walking around selling coffee and ice-cream deliver to your seats. There?s an announcement saying camera and recording were strictly prohibited, but the staffs didn?t seem to care. Everybody was taking pictures and fancams, even right in front of staffs and security and they didn?t care. The girls actually posted for the fan a bit. That?s the reason why there?re so many fancams of SH concert out.
The concert hall was rather small. And since the tickets were quite expensive and they don?t offer means for foreigners to buy tickets, it didn?t sold out. Still, lots of fans were at the concert. The hall was full with fansites? banners. Many SNSD sites, some individual sites?, all 9 of them has at least one. And also even one ot two couple sites. There?re a lot of lighted signs also; with SNSD on, individual name and wording, some in Korean, some in English, and pretty good amount of Shinee signs. It seem like at least 20% of the audiences were Shinee fans, but we?re all cheering for the girls and Shinee together during the concert.
There?re only few change in concert script, but the feeling were rather different.
First, the stage plan was different. There isn?t any standing box. The stage was more like a catwalk with a T-shape at the end and it?s expanded out a little in the middle. With the stage changed, it seems to have some pros and cons. As for cons, the girls were further away from the audience at the sides while the pro was that they kinda group together so you can see all of them. The last time in encore concerts, I was in standing C and I was kinda followed Jessica around after the 2 nd days ended and I came to think of it, I feel like I barely saw Taeyeon even after seeing 2 performances. Hahaha.. I sat during the 1 st 2 concerts and it seems you get better view of the all around concert and all the girls while in a seat. In Shanghai concert I went up next to the front stage and still be able to see everyone as the space was kinda limited.
The VTR has Chinese sub-title, so I still can?t understand them. Lol.. It?s ok since I?ve watched a fansubbed version before.
Third, there songs have chance. Sooyoung?s and Hyoyeon?s solos were changed, and in my opinion the SH concert versions were way sexier!!
I actually saw the staffs came out and spray-pained 5 folded chairs before the concert. Since it?s five of them I thought it?d be for Shinee. It turned out to be for SY solo. Instead of Santa baby, Sooyoung did Britney Spear?s If you seek Amy and Hyoyeon started out with Tell me you Wish (Remix) as before but continue with Ne-Yo?s So Sick. They both were talented. What great performers they are. The performances were awesomely hot. I preferred both than the ones in Seoul concerts. None of the songs added songs from the repackaged were performed in the concerts.
Also, f(x) didn?t come but Shinee came as a guest instead. A lot of Shinee fans in the concert a lot of cheering and supports for them and the girls. So Shinee did Ring Ding Dong instead of f(x)?s Chu~.
Lastly, the security in the concert was quite different, you can pretty much walked around to many section during the concert. I ended up next to the stage for some of the time. Even that Chinese sone were pretty nice and didn?t cause any chaos. Also they allowed camera and lots of people were taking pictures, even the girls were so nice and posted for the fan. It?s quite awesome. I actually had like 12 GB HD fancams. (I haven?t took it myself tho?) I?ll cut Jessica HBD part and uploaded it here soon. I just got back to Bangkok and need to catch up on work, so maybe tomorrow.
Sica moments.. Well let?s list some of Jessica cute moments and others special moments in the concert.
As I said most of the songs were the same Jessica still did 1 year later with Onew and Baby girls with Key. Taeyeon did Hush. I?m not sure if it?s me imagining things or Taeyeon sang Hush even significantly better this time around. It?s awesome. Maybe her singing improved during her musical practice or maybe it?s me imagined things. You can judge it yourself from the fancams.
The girls seemed to enjoy the concerts. There?s few Jessica moments. Toward the end of the concert some fans threw a Jessica?s fansite towel up on the stage. She picked it up and seem to like it. She show it to the fans then tried to wrap it around her waist, but it?s too short. (I don?t know how can they fit all the design into a towel that can?t even go around Jessica?s waist.. LOL)
Yuri and Yoona also picked up Yoona?s fan towel and show them around. Yuri was funny doing that. I think Seohyun also got hers.
There?s one moment when the girls walking back to the main stage, Tiffany was running and try to hit Jessica in the bottom with her towel, but Jessica turn around and caught her first and they played around a bit. It?s very cute moment.
During one of the songs Jessica and Yoona walked up to the end of the T on the stage and posted for fans to take picture. It?s very cute.
During an encore, Jessica has received a large bouquet of roses. I think it was thrown upto the stage, but I didn?t see when see picked it up.
Yoona also picked a fanshirt and look at it and seem like she took it with her. The girls picked up some stuffs thrown into the stage but many of that was thrown back to the fans also.
And at the end, after encore, the moment I?ve been waiting for the reason I was at the Shanghai concert to begin with; Jessica Happy Birthday surprise. The cake was brought up to the stage and the girls say happy birthday to her. All the fan sing Happy Birthday to Jessica, I think you probably have seen the moment in some fancams. I have HD one I?ll cut and upload as soon as I can. I sang along, I even learned Chinese HBD song for the occasion. Hahaha, so my mission for SH concert was half completed.
And the one-sided cake fight start from there, from a very cute cream on her cheek and the next thing we saw the whole cake was all over her face. It?s a mess. She turned around and wiped it off with the girls help. It took her so long to wipe it off, I was worried that it got into her eyes or something. To our relieve she turned around and as expected from Sergeant Sica looking for payback, still with cream all over her face. Hehehe She chased the kids, both her members and Shinee?s around a bit trying to hit them with her towel before settling down the kids thanks all the fans before leaving but after awhile they ran out and play a bit before going back in. Makne stayed a bit longer trying to throw stuff to the fans in each side of the stage, so thoughtful of her. Seohyun Jjang!! The concert ended there, but the experience was not yet ended.
After the concert, lots of fans waited out to send the kids to there buses, but for some unknown reason. The staffs hold up black cloth to block out the fans? view. Still, the fan waited and cheered. You can hear SoNyuhShiDae! SoNyuhShiDae! SoNyuhShiDae! in unison from far away. As the bus drove off someone, I think Taeyeon, has her camera out between curtains and shot or filmed the fans that lined up cheering for them.
The night ended that way still tomorrow was waiting, Jessica Birthday!! We were at the airport waiting to send the girls in the gate. It?s a long wait but entertaining one. Chinese sone again were so nice. As we got bore, we started to sign Happy Birthday (to Sica) randomly to people walking into the custom. Hahaha.. People who passed by seemed to interest and asked us question, like what are we doing here or stuff like that. Again Chinese sone answered in unison, it?s fun. The people who walked pass us seem to be having fun also. When groups of Koreans past we would talked to them (sometime in unison again.. hahaha) telling them we?re sone. Most of them seemed to be impressed. There?s a group of older Korean tourist talked in and asked why?re we here. We told them we?re waiting for SNSD and one of the ajusshi said ?ahh!! Fany!!? It seemed like he?s a Fany fan. As he?s waiting he turned and yell ?Saranheeyo~? and made heart shape with his arms. He received some cheering and lauge. Everyone has a good time. Finall around 11 something am. I was a bit worried about the girls well-being as it?s a really long walk from the front gate to the custom entry and no barrier was put up. The buses arrived, the fan started to run to the gate. It?s a little confusing. I stayed in front of custom entry and hoped the kids would arrived safely without chaos like in Vietnam. To my relief the kids arrived safely and we?re all cheering. We sang Jessica Happy Birthday again. It?s then that my mission for the trip completed. I sang Jessica happy birthday for all the Thai sone who were be able to be here. : )
We?re still cheering and singing after the kids already in the custom. After awhile I bided Chinese sone goodbye and headed back to the hotel.
As I said before, my fan account won?t be complete if I haven?t mentioned all sone I?ve met. I receive just great hospitality from Chinese sone and we have a blast. During my Seoul trips I had received lots of help from Korean sone, Shinee world, elf, and even M-Blake fans, Korean fanclub Jjang, especially sone!!. I feel so grateful. This time I?m also grateful of Chinese sone. They?ve taken great care of me. Shanghai though being a very modern city doesn?t as foreigner friendly as Seoul is. Some of the signs and maps even in subway were Chinese only, so the Chinese sone helped me getting around. As we a waited to send the girls into practice, some of Chinese sone went out to get some food. They got some for me and refused to take my money saying it?s their treat. I don?t even really know them. At the end of the day, I have to go back to my hotel alone, they offered to take me back afraid that I?ll get lost. I refused and they ended up took me to the subway and bought ticket for me and gave me direction before we parted.
On the days of the concerts, I was kinda alone as my friends, SNSDChina staffs, have to work on their projects. So many Chinese sone came in to talk to me. However, most of Chinese sone can understand English, but couldn?t speak very well. Lots of time I told them I couldn?t speak Chinese they asked around in their group trying to someone who can to talk to me instead of just walk away. I met a large fansite group, about 20 of them, they asked around and ended up apologized me as none of them and speak English. However, they gave me balloons, banners, stickers and a code sheet. Also they took out huge banners they have that still rolled up and hold it for me to take pictures one by one. Once I told them I?m done taking picture, they?ll just put it back and roll out another just so I could take a pic. They?re so nice. I meet some Jessica fans. One of them were so excited, she want to talk to me but her English wasn?t good, so she called her sister, also a Jessica fan, who has better English and put me to her sister. We talked about the concerts and the time I?ve met Jessica at the fansigning event. She?s so excited. She couldn?t made it to the concert but she wish me to enjoy. The next things I know I was surround by some Chinese fan, some that can speak Chinese talked to me. One of them even text their friend about me and told me her friend texted back wishing me to have great time in the concert. One of Jessica fan took out a digital dictionary and we shad a conversation on it. It?s great. I feel welcome and not alone even when I couldn?t communicate to most of them.
SNSD China gave a give bag with all goodies they sell. There?re some banners. Stickers, Drawing of cute SNSD cartoon characters and 9 pins of cartoon version of all 9 girls. I had Hyoyeon color shirt on the day of the concert (I wore Sica?s to the airport on her birthday.) as Hyoyeon was awesome during my last trip to encore concert. Chinese Hyoyeon fan was all excited. We couldn?t speak English at all, but we took pictures together and she gave couple of Hyoyeon?s bookmarks. It?s awesome.
I also exchange contacts with many of fans and already talked to them on MSN. My sone contact page on my organizer already has Koreans, Chineses, Taiwanese, Thai, and even some Vietnam, SG, Indo and etc. I?m so glad to be able to meet, know and become friends with so many people. We had our differents, languages, age (I become friends with some 14-15 years old boys. That was like less than half my age!!), nationality but we all share the love for your girls. SNSD and sone Jjang!!
After I lelf the airport, I thanked Chinese sone saying I received just great hostpitality from Chinese sone. She told me it?s her pleasure since we?re all sone. I was touched.
In the end, I came back with a new mission. To make BKK concert the best experience for everyone, the girls all the staffs and sone regardless of their nationalities. I hope I can repay the favor that way. : )
P.S. - a fanmade VDO for Jessica birthday made by Thai sone. We were asked by people who organized the project to send it a picture with hearts in it without being informed of what they will do with the pictures. I sent in couple I took with SNSD heart-shaped balloons. Here is the finished product!!
This project was made wholeheartedly by Thai Sone, just to tell the world how much love we have for our Sergeant Sic.
It?s quite an interesting experience trying to get good pictures of Helium balloon when it?s windy. ; )
Thanks for reading.
Tang [Thai sone]
CityRabbit@woorissica/Sone93@SSF
P.S. I hope I got to meet more of you nice intl' sone again at Taeyeon musical next month. : )
