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United States1913 Posts
It's 3 am and I'm sitting on pavement. I have been for the past two hours and there's another six ahead of me.
What possessed me to spend the second night of my dream vacation camped out with hundreds of Korean boys in Jamsil? If you've read any of my stuff (or the title of this blog) you could probably guess. Twice.
I came to Korea with three goals. While two were Starcraft related, the third was to attend Twiceland: The Encore, Twice's second concert series in Korea. This was a two part mission. One: the concert itself. But first, I need to get the sweet, sweet merchandise that was so difficult to buy online.
Not only did it sell out fast, but shipping from Korea is astronomical. The surest way to get what I wanted was to buy it from the source. I'd checked out the venue on my first day in Korea and was petrified to see a line already well over a thousand strong as the tents opened. Stock is limited and I knew if I wanted that photocard binder I'd been eyeing for months I'd need to arrive well before the 9 am opening time. So I set an alarm for 4:00 and went to sleep at 9:00 pm.
I didn't sleep long, though. I woke up at midnight and, after some deliberation, picked up my stuff, put on my Twiceland sweatshirt and headed over.
The walk was a mile long and there wasn't a soul in sight as I crossed the bridge over the Han. But once I got to the arena I saw there was already more than 100 people waiting. Of course I was the only white person, so I silently took my spot in line.
I spent most of the next eight hours watching House of Cards and alternating sitting and standing to relieve the pain in my hips/waist/butt. It was exceptionally boring, especially after spending over 24 hours travelling two days earlier, but I caught a second and third wind and by the time nine rolled around I'd selected what I wanted from my list.
2 Photocard Sets (A/D Version)
Photocard Binder (B Version)
2 Figures (Tzuyu/Sana)
Candy Bong (Official Twice Light Stick)
Ice Tumbler
2 Shirts (Face/Castle Version)
Tzuyu Hat
The haul was glorious. I got everything I wanted. I headed back to my hotel, eagerly awaiting my return trip to Jamsil later that day.
Equipped with my newly acquired Candy Bong, I headed back around three in the afternoon. It was far hotter than the cool conditions overnight, but the walk was pleasant as I made my way past the bustling baseball stadium. I picked up my ticket easily despite the language barrier and quickly found my seat. I Skyped with some people as the start time approached. I was just so excited. It's no understatement to say that Twice makes me happier than anything in the world. I love the music, but it's not just about that. The girls are divine. They make me smile, laugh and I hang on their every word and action. I've watched hundreds of hours of video and have over a thousand pictures of them saved on my computer. Twice is everything to me and seeing them perform live was the realization of a dream.
The show itself exceeded expectations. Everyone was waving Candy Bongs, all of which were synced via Bluetooth to glow the same color and even blink in the same pattern. It was a completely hypnotic scene and the perfect accompaniment for the girls' performance. I got chills when I saw them on the platform in front of my section. I screamed along with everyone else (and maybe even loudest of all) when Tzuyu was no more than thirty feet away. The show was magical and I chanted the lyrics to the songs with all the Koreans. For those three hours it didn't matter that they were Korean and we couldn't share our feeling with words. We were Once and there isn't a better feeling than that.
The show came to an end after three hours of smiling, singing and fighting back tears. And so I headed back to my hotel, my head abuzz with thoughts of Twice. I was tired after the long day, but I couldn't sleep just yet. I was just too excited. The concert had been electric and I still felt the intoxicating charge a mile away. I ate some left over chicken and watched some streams on Twitch back in the room as I slowly calmed down. I was happy. Happier than I'd been in a long time. It was only my second day in Korea, but it had already been one of the best of my life. I couldn't wait for what was going to come next.
Here are some pictures of the Merchandise and Stuff from the Day
Photo Slogan
+ Show Spoiler +
Sana Toy Box
+ Show Spoiler +
Photocard Binder Front Page
+ Show Spoiler +
Photocards 1
+ Show Spoiler +
Photocards 2
+ Show Spoiler +
Photocards 3
+ Show Spoiler +
Photocards 4
+ Show Spoiler +
Photocards 5
+ Show Spoiler +
Line at Merchandise Tent
+ Show Spoiler +
Display Outside Arena at Night
+ Show Spoiler +
Banner Outside Arena at Night
+ Show Spoiler +
View from the Bridge
+ Show Spoiler +
Photocard Binder
+ Show Spoiler +
Tzuyu Toy Unboxed
+ Show Spoiler +
Ice Tumbler
+ Show Spoiler +
Twiceland Stage After Encore
+ Show Spoiler +
Twiceland Stage Before Show
+ Show Spoiler +
Face Shirt
+ Show Spoiler +
Castle Shirt
+ Show Spoiler +
Candy Bong In Portable Mode
+ Show Spoiler +
Candy Bong in Lamp Mode
+ Show Spoiler +
Selfie in Korean Bathroom with Strange Toilets at Jamsil
+ Show Spoiler +
UPDATE: Full Photocard Collection
http://imgur.com/a/dAtVB
 
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Seems you're having an amazing time :D
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United States33559 Posts
This makes me understand those fanfics better
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Now I wonder... why your signature?
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United States1913 Posts
On June 29 2017 18:55 Vendethiel wrote:
Now I wonder... why your signature?
This used to be my sig: Zest/Seolhyun | Maru/Tzuyu | Sexy Boy/Wendy | soO/Sana | sOs/Uji | The Dream
Tzuyu is my favorite idol, (I was so indescribably happy to find the Tzuyu birthday billboard in the Samseong Subway Station + Show Spoiler + ) so I paired her with my favorite player at the time. Such is my obsession that I even tried to write a fan fic between them which I'm ashamed to admit I was never able to finish. Here's where the problem arises. Maru is a complete psychopath and too savage for someone as wonderful as Tzuyu. Her purity needs to be preserved! It is for that reason alone that I pray she stay never runs into him (or it could just be a really bad joke).
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The Tzuyu toy looks like it's about to say 'kill me.'
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what was the ratio of man and female fans during the concert ? just wondering
btw reading these kind of things is quite amazing - for these performers, it was just an other day and for you it was your best day of your life
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Everyone should be able to experience something that mindblowing at least once, congrats 
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United States1913 Posts
On June 30 2017 01:34 Makro wrote:
what was the ratio of man and female fans during the concert ? just wondering
btw reading these kind of things is quite amazing - for these performers, it was just an other day and for you it was your best day of your life
It was 100% guys while I was waiting for merchandise (I lied. There was actually one girl directly behind me in line, but she was the only one out of hundreds of us) and around a 70/30 split in favor of guys at the actual concert.
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ok that's what i expected
glad you enjoyed your trip
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i'm surprised that twice is still as big as they are, when i was in kr in feb i felt like red velvet, clc, and blackpink were the biggest groups (although red velvelt and clc released mini albums like literally the day that i got in the country). 1 to 10 and jelly jelly are really good though, and of course TT and cheer up are good too.
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I would say that Twice is probably the most popular girl group right now in Korea.
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On June 30 2017 21:44 Ilikestarcraft wrote:
I would say that Twice is probably the most popular girl group right now in Korea.
ya but signal was soooo bad 
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United States1913 Posts
On June 30 2017 21:56 Endymion wrote:Show nested quote +On June 30 2017 21:44 Ilikestarcraft wrote:
I would say that Twice is probably the most popular girl group right now in Korea. ya but signal was soooo bad
Only You and Someone Like Me were incredible songs from that album. Signal was fine as a single and a really ambitious project given how close to the chest JYP has played it with Twice (the Tzuyu/Sana chorus is an example of experimentation). To judge an entire release on the title track is a shame really, but ultimately what a lot of people do.
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On June 30 2017 23:01 mizenhauer wrote:Show nested quote +On June 30 2017 21:56 Endymion wrote:On June 30 2017 21:44 Ilikestarcraft wrote:
I would say that Twice is probably the most popular girl group right now in Korea. ya but signal was soooo bad Only You and Someone Like Me were incredible songs from that album. Signal was fine as a single and a really ambitious project given how close to the chest JYP has played it with Twice (the Tzuyu/Sana chorus is an example of experimentation). To judge an entire release on the title track is a shame really, but ultimately what a lot of people do.
i honestly haven't heard the rest of the album, only signal, since i only ever hear signal played on the radio or playlists. but it's the same thing that red velvet has to deal with, rookie came out and it's a decent song but the rest of the album is (imo) somewhat better and more in the original vein of the group
edit listening to the rest now. i'm really not hating on twice, they have some really good stuff, just not really a fan of signal :D
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United States1913 Posts
On June 30 2017 23:36 Endymion wrote:Show nested quote +On June 30 2017 23:01 mizenhauer wrote:On June 30 2017 21:56 Endymion wrote:On June 30 2017 21:44 Ilikestarcraft wrote:
I would say that Twice is probably the most popular girl group right now in Korea. ya but signal was soooo bad Only You and Someone Like Me were incredible songs from that album. Signal was fine as a single and a really ambitious project given how close to the chest JYP has played it with Twice (the Tzuyu/Sana chorus is an example of experimentation). To judge an entire release on the title track is a shame really, but ultimately what a lot of people do. i honestly haven't heard the rest of the album, only signal, since i only ever hear signal played on the radio or playlists. but it's the same thing that red velvet has to deal with, rookie came out and it's a decent song but the rest of the album is (imo) somewhat better and more in the original vein of the group edit listening to the rest now. i'm really not hating on twice, they have some really good stuff, just not really a fan of signal :D
I know you weren't, don't worry. It was really interesting to see them perform the less heralded songs at the concert. A lot of people don't go beyond the title track, but everyone there knew the lyrics to every song which created a really fantastic mood.
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that's really cool, have you ever seen reply 1997??? some parts of it deal with kpop super fandom and i was wondering if it was an accurate representation of your experience at twiceland :D
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United States1913 Posts
On June 30 2017 23:59 Endymion wrote:
that's really cool, have you ever seen reply 1997??? some parts of it deal with kpop super fandom and i was wondering if it was an accurate representation of your experience at twiceland :D
I don't watch Korean television , just the music and Starcraft.
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so after listening to the album a few times i think signal is better than i originally thought. hold me tight is probably my second on the album after signal because it's the most "twice" like to me. only 너 is third! something else that i noticed was there seems to be a lot of voice altering in certain points of signal and other songs, so i'm not sure how they would perform it live, i guess i'll just have to watch fancams
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So this is actually interesting... I remember in my school days... all the girls were crazy for boygroups like Backstreetboys, Take that etc... So in Korea there's also in addition something similar with reversed sexes. Hundreds of Fanboys being crazy of a a girl group.. quite funny :D
Btw: Are those concerts played with playback, or do the girls actually sing live
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United States1913 Posts
Concerts have back audio tracks for some parts, but the songs are all sung live. So some of the stuff doesn't sound exactly the same as it does on the official release, but it's actually quite refreshing to hear them sing in an unaltered manner.
On July 03 2017 06:14 Subflow wrote:
So this is actually interesting... I remember in my school days... all the girls were crazy for boygroups like Backstreetboys, Take that etc... So in Korea there's also in addition something similar with reversed sexes. Hundreds of Fanboys being crazy of a a girl group.. quite funny :D
Btw: Are those concerts played with playback, or do the girls actually sing live
Korean fan girls are more than the equal of any western fan base. In fact the fan girls of boy groups like BTS are notoriously more fanatical (and in greater number) than those of girl groups.
I would someday like to go to a BTS or Got7 concert so I can experience the madness that is the barely restrained lust of their fan base.
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On July 03 2017 06:14 Subflow wrote:
So this is actually interesting... I remember in my school days... all the girls were crazy for boygroups like Backstreetboys, Take that etc... So in Korea there's also in addition something similar with reversed sexes. Hundreds of Fanboys being crazy of a a girl group.. quite funny :D
Btw: Are those concerts played with playback, or do the girls actually sing live
have you seen kr girl groups? they're normally insanely attractive, not sure why you think it would be surprising that there are fanatics. it's normally more with kr fangirls going nuts over boy bands though, that's where the REAL fanatics are
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