Project Chungguk: Day 20

Firstly, fandom, because it's been on my mind lately (when isn't it?): obviously seeing SJM at Sukira didn't work out since they pre-recorded that. Smart thinking, KBS, if disappointing. The fansigning today didn't work out either because Thea was sick and when Michelle & I arrived and stared at the hordes of fangirls/ELFs, we realized we had no idea what was going on because we spoke no Korean whatsoever. Anyhow, it was disappointing, sure, but I'm all right. I think I'm actually more disappointed about not seeing SJM than getting things signed by SJH (I'm biased, so sue me).

But the past few days in Korea have made me realize rather acutely that celebrity stalking is probably not worth it. I've really begun to feel the distinction between being a "fan" and a "fangirl" and I'm not sure I like being the latter. It's not just the utter loss of dignity and what other people think of me (whatever, I lol), but sometimes the my own self-respect dies a little. Plus, it's not always happy-making. I wish I could like SuJu the way I liked Big Bang, in a very enthusiastic but distanced manner. We'll see, I suppose. Korea has sort of turned me off fangirling somewhat not just because it's such a middle-school thing to do here (oh shaame, shaaame), but also because there's been so many fantastic non-fandom related experiences that the fandom seems less important.

I probably won't make a list of everything we've accomplished on our Asia trip until after it's all over (so soon, 2 days!), but some things include (in Korea alone):

1. eating fried larvae
2. eating live octopus (being fed by random amazing Korean ladies at a street vendor, with loud exclamations and shots of soju along hte way)
3. seeing middle school boys skinship cutely on the subway
4. being mistaken as Korean everywhere we go, or if not Korean (once upon discovering our failure at language), then Korean-American
5. dinner, ice cream, and drinking party with random hostel people last night
6. buying things in stores with mostly hand gestures, nodding, and occasional phrases such as "how much is this" "we're American" and "thank you"

And a lot of other things I'm leaving out but will definitely go over when it's all over. I love this trip, these three weeks with Michelle, braving the world (or at least part of it), and experiencing so much new things "on my own".

Hmm, and then I ran out of things to talk about. I was up at 5am though, so that's my excuse for being not quite all here. Not emo though! I really am having a lot of fun and overall really satisfied and pleased with my trip. So don't worry about me.

For later: Download Epik High's Fan MV