So, as usual, there's barely any time for EXO to recover from their punishing tour and from the Luhan + Kris drama of 2014 that they staged a comeback again. I guess, for the most part, there was no choice in the matter. Fan love is a delicate thing, especially for impressionable teenagers. So you can never afford to lose momentum, especially for those subset of fans (myself included) whose connection to the group has waned given an underwhelming (in my opinion) Overdose comeback and the tiring emotional rollercoaster from the member changes.
The EXODUS (very apt title I might add, although please SM, stop with the butthurt imagery with the two marbles and stuff) era has arrived with a vengeance. A full album, along with high production value teasers that led a lot of fans to doing more detective work on the subliminal messages (they have more time than I do, I think. I just admired how awesome they look, and the fact that Sehun's location is in Edinburgh), plus an adorable marketing play (seriously, those mascots are crazy cute) -- I guess that's enough at least to pique MY interest. Because honestly, I was really close to checking out of the fandom if it weren't for my active fics that I've yet to finish hihi.
So...the album was good, better than I thought it would be. Very reminiscent of 90s rnb style, and more sexing up of their images which I guess was introduced during the Overdose era. I miss the Growl era though, how tight the concept is, how every song can be a single in itself (except for Wolf. Still have a love-hate relationship with that). The sound in Exodus is a 180 degree turn from Growl, that I'm not sure right now what their brand of sound is.
I winced at first when they said that the title track is called Call me baby...errr okay. But the track is catchy. The music video also has a lot of movement and interesting points, and way better choreography than Overdose. There are some questionable styling though (but again, better than the billowy white shirt of Overdose). I seriously don't know why they keep on giving hideous clothes to Kai. But yay on Sehun's black hair. My favorite tracks in the album are My Answer and Beautiful (all ballads, I know *sigh)
So I'm just checking in to usher the new EXO era. I guess it's sort of safe to assume that they'll be promoting as 10 moving forward. They are also doing a webdrama, EXO Next Door, from the same people behind the Oh Boy! project. I was preparing myself from the cheese but surprisingly it was really cute.
I just want to clock in at the last day of 2014 here in freezing Seoul,
South Korea to greet all of you a Happy New Year!
I doubt this is a comprehensive year-end blog post because, as you can very well see, I haven’t been updating my blog lately (last post was my birthday? *facepalm*). I was looking through my social media accounts for a timeline reference but oh well, that seems to be sorely lacking as well. It seems randomly conversing with my friends via LINE and other messaging apps can already satisfy my need to be “connected”.
As was expected, 2014 definitely brought in a lot of changes – decided to enroll in Korean classes (which I only got to the most basic level *sniff* super hard to go to UP given my schedule), turned the big 3-0, and moved in to my new place! Still adjusting to single living life, especially with the fact that I’m always treading near poverty line every time the monthly bills arrive T__T But generally it’s all good! I’m back in Makati, where everything I need is so accessible and I get to dictate my own pace.
window treatment ^^
And this year’s trips were so much fun…costly…but still fun! Finally, after n years, I was able to go to Japan with my family and see the sakura that I’ve been dreaming of since my anime days in high school. Then made a quick trip to HK for another insane bout of fangirling and watch the EXO concert (which thankfully pushed through since the Manila stop did not happen, pfft). Then went to Korea on a sudden solo trip (my best friend wasn’t able to make it), which was fun and eventful. And then a few weeks after that, I went back to Siem Reap to tour my best friend (who I finally dragged out of the country).
sakura at Ueno park *hearts*
...these pictures will haunt me in a decade, i can feel it
she wasn't able to go with me to Korea, but i'm glad we still managed to go abroad
So now I end the year back again in my favorite city (to date). First time to spend the new year away from home and I’m having a great time so far (but seriously, how can anyone NOT have a great time in Seoul?) Memorable way to end what has been an interesting year.
worth braving the subzero temperature
I end the new year grateful for all the blessings that I’ve received, especially to my family and friends who have helped me through it all (I seriously cannot count how many “house blessings” I had lol). 2015 will be another big year I think – I have a major trip planned that hopefully will push through. So have a blessed New Year and may 2015 be good to all of us! Always be happy! 사랑하자!!!
Today (April 8) is EXO’s 2nd anniversary, so I decided to make a (sort of) tribute post to the current group that’s taking over most of my free time (whether this is an ideal situation given that I’m almost 30 years old as of this writing, I cannot tell lol).
Last year, I planned to make this infographic of my obsession timeline in my first wholly EXO blogpost. But yeah…became too busy with a lot of things that I’ll just do that when I have free time (which can be never). So I’ll just make a long-winded outline about it, and it might bore you to death (or shatter whatever respect remaining you have for me) so sorry in advance *peace* EXO, who you? (Pre-mid2013): Ignorance is (apparently not) bliss
Discussion with a friend:
Friend1: “Hey, check this video. It has dancers from SM’s new group.”
Me: “Uh, sorry which ones are we talking about?”
Friend1: “*points to Kai and Lay* There!”
Me: “hmmm...okay...anyway I can’t take another boy group. Even shine is too young for me”
January 2013 – DKFC 2013 in Manila
Me (messages EXO-obsessed Friend2): Hey! Isn’t EXO in DKFC today?
Friend2: “What! Why didn’t you tell me?”
Me: I thought you already knew about it!
Friend2: “!!!!”
Me: “oh well, hihihi…”
We have to go through a denial phase right? (Mid-2013 to August 2013): My kpop heart doesn’t have room for 12 more boys
Me (listening to kpop radio): “oohhh, nice song….(looks at phone display)…oh, EXO sang it? okay... :|" That song is EXO’s “What is Love”… it enjoyed heavy play in that kpop radio that I finally caved in and downloaded that single song. At least I know one EXO song…that’s fine. Just one song.
Me: Hey, I downloaded EXO’s What is Love, I like it.
Friend2: Oh yeah, Chen kind of owned that song
Me: *nods* (though I don’t know who Chen is, never looked up the members)
Me (listening to kpop radio): “what is this weird Gregorian chant song? *looks at phone display* haha it’s EXO *snicker* see, I can’t get on board this thing (the song is MAMA)
*sees a lot of twitter spam of Friend1 and Friend2 about EXO’s Wolf and Growl*
Me: The heck! What’s with this twitter flood!
Friend1: Just watch this video! Just try it!
Me: “Who is this again?”
Friend1: “EXO”
Me: “Oh, I only have What is Love in my player. Fine fine I’ll watch it. Hmmmm…catchy.”
Friend1: “Yay!”
Me: “But there’s too many of them! I cannot!”
the next day
Me (messages Friend1): “Dammit! I keep on replaying that video!”
Friend1: Give in! Give in! Who do you like?
Me: “the heck, how would I know? I can barely see their faces!”
Friend1: “Cmon!”
Me: “errr hmmmm…the one with the NY cap? He looks like the best dancer…”
Friend1: “That’s Kai! The one in the old SM the Performance video! He and Taemin are close friends by the way.”
Me: “errrr, okay…”
in Thailand for the Seunggi fanmeet
Friend1: “dude! I sent you a video! Watch it while you’re abroad!”
Me: “Is this exo again? I can’t I have to focus on Seunggi!”
back at home
Friend1: “did you watch the video?”
Me: “wait…”
Me: “OMG! This is Kai right? Oh shit, and this happened in DKFC?!?!”
Friend1: “see!”
Me: *sighs*
No going back (August 2013-Present): It’s the gift that keeps on giving
It’s a Wednesday and it’s a holiday and for some reason I’m already awake at 8am
Me: “Dammit, I’m still hung up on that song!”
Friend1: “Bwahahaha see! Who else do you like?”
Me: “Didn’t I just pick Kai?”
Friend1: “Another one!”
Me: “Hmmmm…that guy with the revolving thing with light hair…”
Friend1: “I think that’s Sehun *goes off to confirm with Friend2* Yeah that’s Sehun! Dude, you always have a thing for maknaes!”
Me: “The heck, how would I know he was the youngest?”
Friend1: “Another one!!!”
Me: “Errr, the one with the pink hair?”
Friend1: “Luhan!”
Me: “Yeah, he looks cute sans pink hair. in the world of kpop hair always changes so I don’t take that into account (little did I know Sehun’s hair history at this point) Fine fine! Send me their names!"
Friend1: "Yipee!!!"
Start of EXO discussion in Line and we roped in Friend2 to make a group chatroom and invited Friend4 over (another friend influenced by Friend2)
The memorable names-in-post-its day…to help me remember (and Friend1 and Friend2 squeeing that I’m officially in the fold):
Obsession officially started….barrage of past videos from Friend 1&2…not being able to tell Sehun and Luhan apart at first. Deciding that Sehun will be my no.1 bias…then wavering a bit when I saw the radio guestings (hehehe)…but in the end decided to stick with my choice.
Started to devote a portion of my hard drive to EXO videos and other related content. Listened to their other songs (and *gasp* had a I’m-starting-to-like MAMA phase)
EXO-K arrives in Manila…made major bargaining powers and finally secured a ticket to watch their concert performance…wherein I went batshit crazy
Told myself that I wouldn’t read fanfics, especially yaoi ones…but lo and behold I caved in to reading the good ones (filtered via friends, I don’t search them on purpose hehe)
Told myself I wouldn’t write fanfics, but lo and behold my friends started churning out fics until I’m the one left…so…..hello fanfic writing! *peer pressure* (note: only 5 of my friends have read my stories (let’s not count the cyber readers hehe))
Merch merch and merch galore! This is the late bloomer in me talking. Honestly when I was growing up I did like boybands and such but never got this irrational in buying merch (or maybe because I’m already working so it’s my money anyway? Hehehe). I’m sure my stuff pales in comparison to others, but yeah…here you go!
Made a mad scramble and these are the stuff I have near my bed, hehe. Didn't include the posters anymore:
Oh and I ordered this snapback online because Sehun has one hehe:
And how can I forget my moment of insanity in buying this:
That’s it! I can expound the obsession section further but it would be too long lol. I don’t know how long I’ll keep up with this, I just pray that I’ll be alive until the end hehehe
So congrats EXO for making it to two years! We are one!
I lost my six-year streak of publishing a year-end post every December 31, but oh well. Better late than never, right? I still need to post one because holy hell, I love 2013!
I have fewer trips than usual in 2013 but they were freaking highlights by themselves I get giddy everytime I reminisce. The plan to go to Sri Lanka didn’t push through but it was replaced by this epic trip to Myanmar in April I’ll just let the travel video show you how offbeat and cool the trip was. This was shortly followed by the highly-anticipated trip to El Nido in June which was so beautiful that it brought tears to my (and my friends’) eyes. Honestly, all of us were so stressed weeks prior that this was a welcome break. And frankly, it’s been a long time since I went on a trip just to play in the water. Then lo and behold, there was a fanmeet with Lee Seung Gi in Bangkok scheduled for August so hello Thailand again for another bout of fangirling! I can’t believe that I got to speak to him and hold his hand (fine, I just woke up this morning to the news of him dating Yoona *sigh*). It's also my first solo trip abroad ever and it was amazing! And to cap the year right, I can’t resist going to Korea again! We had a way too short trip to Busan and Seoul (I swear, I can spend a month in Korea and not run out of things to do) in October. I’m still not finished doing the travel video yet (so sorry Rissee I’ll get right to it!) but hopefully I’ll have it up within two months, heh.
And then I’m devoting an entirely separate paragraph for this crazy new bout of fangirling over EXO. Ugh, I know, I feel like a cougar ogling at these boys. Believe me, I resisted for more than a year (my fangirl heart can’t memorize another dozen of boys. But well yeah, this music video happened and I was hooked. August 21, 2013. The day I got sucked into the abyss of EXO fangirling. I’ll make a separate post about this one (I can’t believe it’s only barely five months since then. I’m scared TT) but yeah…talk about downloading pictures and videos, talking about them with your fellow friends who care, talking about them with your fellow friends who DON’T care, and writing fanfics about them. Yep, the deep end. It’s a sweet dream AND a beautiful nightmare, lmao.
the music video that started it all
Of course, I can’t close the year without watching some concerts! I got to watch CN Blue! Hell yeah, they were great! And only a few days before my birthday at that. Also got to see Taylor Lautner in the flesh for the Bench promotions. THAT was crazy and tiring hahahaha. It’s a shame that the Matchbox Twenty concert didn’t push through because of the Yolanda tragedy. Hoping that I still can catch them on their next tour in Asia. AND let’s not forget KPOP Republic! The day when I discovered that I can bargain with a poker face just to see EXO! I swear, I turn in to Mr. Hyde in concerts but I really went crazy. I can’t help it. It’s EXO. Well, it’s just EXO-K in that one but still. It’s EXO. Enough said.
Okay enough of the fangirling, this year is also the year that my niece was born! First baby in the third generation line of our family so we were all crazy excited. She’s so cute, and I’m an aunt! HAHAHAHA. Wishing more children for my sister and brother-in-law so that my relatives would get more distracted and not look at me hehehe. A lot of friends also got married this year (‘tis the season), so it’s definitely a year full of celebration. We also moved out of our home of 17 years TT. It was time to move on though, with my siblings already settling in respectively and my mom entering retirement. I’m now boarding at my relatives’ until I get to move in—get this—my own condo unit! Hopefully I get to move in this first quarter (and survive).
Apart from the highlights, I’m really happy at how the year panned out in general. Everyone in my family is healthy, I get to see my friends regularly (sometimes way too many times than I can count. Not complaining, just saying.), and work is still tolerable! Who would’ve thought! Hahahaha. But seriously, I love that this year gave me new friendships and opportunities to build on current ones. Not to mention taking random beach trips, trying out new food haunts, and just plain hanging around. I love you, guys *tears*
So there! 2014 is a HUGE year for me, since I get to turn into the big 3-0! It’s a bit daunting, I’m scared. But I’m using the “mabenta sa trenta” mantra to tide me over. Got to be fabulous this year, there’s no turning back. And I hope YOU guys continue to be fabulous! Here’s to a new year! Yehet!
.jpg)
