This is me with fandom: 7 years!!!

So let this post be my obligatory 7th year anniversary exclamation because I still can't believe I'm lasting this long in the Korean pop fandom. I know I'm nowhere near fading away from the world of pretty boys and catchy music (that I'll rightfully admit I don't understand the lyrics to unless I search them up and find adequate English translations) so here's to more years to come! And more pretty boys!!

To start this post, I would like to quote myself from two years back when I also did one of these to celebrate my 5 years in the kpop fandom. It's been two years since then but what I'd written still hits home: "The Korean music industry has served as much of a therapy as it is a source of entertainment to me. Through ups and downs, personal struggles, family problems, and other kinds of emotional bullshit - Kpop has kept me grounded and is one of the main reasons why I’m kind of happy and living and breathing right now. At the risk of sounding cheesy but my love for Korean music and the culture itself runs deeper than anything else outside the boundaries of family and friendship (because family and friends will always be #1). I need it to breathe and I need it to live." (if you want to read the rest of the post, just click here)

I'll admit, being a kpop fan for this long has not been a walk through the park. I've had my fair share of being ridiculed for liking something that doesn't exactly fit the definition of norm here in the country I live in but I think hearing people insult the groups that I love hurt more than the jokes I had to endure. I know better than to take them as personal attacks but when I'm passionate about something and it gets treated with contempt, I get easily riled up. I usually keep my annoyance to myself though, letting go of unwanted emotions because I know not everybody feels and thinks the same way that I do.

6 Years with SHINee

Six years is quite a long time to be in a fandom, right? Although, technically, I didn't become a full-fledged Shawol until Hello Baby but I was already a casual fan right after they debuted. Last night, I watched almost 1GB worth of fancams from the Lost Planet in Seoul and after that, I had a sick feeling somewhere in the pit of my stomach for having remembered that it was SHINee's anniversary and I didn't even have anything planned for them. Usually, I post something really cheesy or I prepare weeks for it (like last year when I uploaded and shared their entire discography) but right now, what do I have? None. Unless you count this post that's a day late, which I don't.

Album Review #5: EXO-K's Overdose

With EXO's rising popularity and their mere appearance causing mayhem everywhere they go, it's only anticipated that they should deliver what is expected from them. With their latest mini-album dominating the music charts and achieving an all-kill status, EXO seems to be the main contender to beat right now. But with every successful album comes great and not-so-great songs and I'm here to share my thoughts and opinions regarding the new songs that they've put out for both their fans and the general public. Fair warning that you do not have to necessarily agree with what I have to say as I am entitled to my own opinion as much as you are entitled to your own. I do not claim that my thoughts are the right and only true ones as these are the mere words of a girl with too much time to spare and too much love and appreciation for a Korean pop group. Also, I do not get money out of doing this, just sheer unadulterated joy.

So if you're interested to read about what I think of EXO-K's Overdose, the album review is under the breakthrough! :)

This is me with fandom: MyDol Lockscreen

So! I've been meaning to recommend this app I have on my phone for several weeks now and I'm finally doing it! Hooray!! It's really fun and nice and rainbows!!!

I don't know if iPhone users can download this since I got it from PlayStore but it's called the MyDol Lockscreen app and basically, it's a lockscreen application that has messages for you from your bias whenever you unlock your phone. Also, you can choose photos from your Gallery to set as your lockscreen wallpapers and every time you unlock your phone, a different photo and message greets you. I don't know if there's a certain limit to the number of photos that you can set as your lockscreen wallpapers but so far I've got 30. I think you can choose as many as you want!

These cheer me up so much like you don't even know

My friends are probably laughing at me right now (Janina, I am looking at you)

More photos under the cut!

And at the end of the day, I still go back to SHINee. At the end of the day, they're the ones who truly feel like home. It doesn't even matter that I'm not as updated with them as I used to be. I can't pinpoint exact scenes from this music video but that time when they just talked to their fans and sat beside them like good ol' buddies catching up broke my heart in all the right ways. This year sped by like a bullet train and I didn't know all the stops to get to them and stay but whatever my destination is, it will always be the one with SHINee in it. These five boys never fail to make me happy. They're the splashes of color. They're the bright morning rays. They're the happy pills. They're the ones I choose to stay with.

*coughs*

JUST GONNA LEAVE THIS HERE:

"It's true that Kpop companies are in it for the money. It's also true that some groups have no control over their career, though others have as much freedom as they need to do what they want. But even if their music and image is the fakest shit you've ever seen, it doesn't mean they are worthless and talentless. Just because they are a part of a company doesn't mean that their dreams, sweat, tears, hard work, sufferings, triumphs, and fans' love are meaningless. Talk shit all you want, but there's a reason Kpop groups are popular. They are talented, they are inspiring, and they are real people who have put in years of hard work to get where they are. Think about that before you hate on any group, because none of them deserve to be treated like shit."

(source)

Kpop Faction 2013

So yesterday I went to Kpop Faction 2013, the first fan gathering/convention to ever be held in Bacolod. I knew about the event months back when a friend of mine whom I just met on Twitter told me about it but I quickly declined her offer because to be honest, conventions aren't really my kind of thing? But last Saturday, I met Mikee (who happened to be the leader of the EXO stans for the fanchant battle) while on my way home and she told me about the faction and encouraged that I go to said event. Again, I declined because I didn't really know what I would do during these kinds of things. But another friend of mine begged that I go so that I could help them with the fanchant battle and after much persuasion from him, I eventually gave in and invited a few friends as well. And you know what? I'm really glad I went. Yesterday was so much fun! If I had the power to turn back time, I would jump at the offer of reliving yesterday again.

Album Review #4: SHINee's Everybody

After the success following the promotions of Misconceptions of Me, Misconceptions of You, and Boys Meet U, SHINee wakes everybody up with their new mini-album entitled "Everybody". Two albums, a Japanese single, and now another mini-album plus the countless variety show appearances and concerts along with other projects, I think it's fitting to say that 2013 has been a really good year for these five shining boys. Forget about 2009, 2013 is SHINee's "Year of Us."

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for a full-on RnB mini ala rookie days but this group has constantly been innovating itself musically over the years and is known for experimenting with their sounds and exploring different genres. Even if I ended up with false hope, my expectations for this album were pleasantly met and that's why I decided to do a track-by-track album review. If you want to know my personal thoughts, they're under the breakthrough!

BCD ✈ MNL from teamin on 8tracks Radio.

Hello, lovely people! I have an early flight to catch tomorrow morning and this is on queue. I'm probably in my brother's apartment right now, annoying his girlfriend or over at Joy's house, trying not to cry. Anyhoo, I have a playlist for you guys! These are songs I've chosen to listen to during my flight and I hope you like them!

Enjoy~

[list under the cut] 

I came home with a smile on my face today because I spent the better half of the car ride back to the place that changes talking to a 7th grader about korean pop and everything else that tickles my fancy. She's three years younger than I am and it was the first time I ever tried talking to her but it wasn't awkward at all since it was so easy to vent and to let out all the things I hide from most of my friends. You see, I like talking to people with the same interests as me since I don't get to do that often. My best friend listens to me all the time whenever I ramble on and on about SHINee and EXO and all the other groups I obsess over and I love her so much for putting up with all my incoherent fangirling but it's really different when I get to hold a long conversation with someone who is just as passionate about korean pop as I am. I can't even bring myself to care that she's more into girl groups, I just feel so happy to have someone to talk to at the end of every school day, someone I can squeal with and share fandom inside jokes with, someone who understands how it's like to be a kpop fan.

Cheers to new friends ♥

Easy on the Ears Playlist

쉬운 듣기 from teamin on 8tracks Radio.

Easy on the Ears Playlist for all your sepia-toned feelings.

1. Are You Still Waiting? (Korean version) by Hee Young
2. Honesty by SHINee
3. Promise by Acoustic Collabo
4. It Was You by Brother Su
5. Sunflower by Super Junior
6. I'm In Love by Narsha
7. Cat on the Roof by Jung Jae Hyung feat. 장윤주
8. The First Made Love Song by Siwa
9.      Honestly by Thomas Cook
10. Cafe Latte by Urban Zakapa
11. Peach by IU
12. Coffee by Epik High feat. Sung-ah 
13. Romeo + Juliette by SHINee 

This playlist's for the anonymous sweetie who requested it a month ago (sorry it took me long u___u). I know you asked for a korean indie playlist, but I added a bit of korean pop and I hope you don't mind. They're lovely songs anyway :3

Enjoy~ 

This is me with fandom: SHINee's Back

Oh, come on, this one's inevitable. Of course you saw this post coming. In fact, this is two weeks too late.

Well, in the aftermath of all the Dream Girl promotions, I am still well and alive but to be honest, I haven't been that too keen on their comeback promotions because majority of it happened during Prom week and I've also been too caught up with schoolwork the past few weeks to pay much attention. I think I've only seen three (only three!!!) live stage performances and they all did pretty good but that's to be expected already. I mean if there's one thing you're sure you'll get from SHINee, it's competent, strong live performances.

This is me, with fandom: Ignorance is Bliss

As a korean pop fan in a country where citizens understand nothing to zero Korean except for the most common conversational phrases, I get weird looks, sometimes verging on judgmental, for liking a musical genre that is not accepted by the norms of the society I belong live in. They think I'm outlandish for listening to what they wittily like to call as "ching-chong music" and I've been asked too many times the question, "Why do you listen to kpop when you can't even understand the lyrics?" and I dread those moments because I can't just explain it all in a single sitting for they will always fail to understand my point.

But right now, I will try to redeem myself.

Positive Kpop.

Recently discovered this lovely Tumblr, and I'd like to share some of the blog's posts.

Tablo, my muse:

SHINee, my sunshine:

Various artists: