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Doing a little throwback travelogue post on my trip last year,
‘Fangirling at SM TOWN’
SM TOWN at the COEX Artium is definitely like a theme park for SM Entertainment fans. If you are unfamiliar with SM Entertainment, it’s basically one of the top entertainment companies in Korea. Hallyu stars such as DBSK, EXO, SNSD, Super Junior, F(X), Shinee, Red Velvet, Boa, etc. are under SM.
I know there are fans who go to the buildings of entertainment agencies to see if they have the right timing to catch a glimpse of their idol, however in SM Town you don’t have to stress or wait outside to get a chance to get ‘up close and personal’ with them. Can you imagine 6 floors full of SM Town goodness! I’m sure a fan can spend hours here, especially if you catch your favorite artist’s concert or their ‘School of Oz’ hologram musical.
There’s a photobooth and photo wall where you can take photos with your favorite SM idol. So make sure to bring a selfie stick or a friend to take a photo of you!
Meanwhile, you can also watch music videos and trailers of the concerts they show with the use of their large cinema-like screen. Yes, they have theaters where you can watch their concerts and hologram musicals. You can shout your heart out or recite the fanchant with your friends.
Framed photos and floor to ceiling wallpapers and polaroid pictures of the artists play a vital role in the interior design. It is kind of nostalgic to look at the photos that were dated years ago.
SUM Market, which is like SM’s very own convenience store, is a place where you can buy a variety of food products that has your favorite idol’s name on them.
A souvenir shop featuring official goods like clothing, accessories, DVD albums, etc. are available for purchase as well. Even the cosmetic brands and candles that the artists endorse and recommend can also be bought in the building. They also have their special café if you just want to hang out in a place surrounded by other fans and memorabilia.
It’s like you name it, they have it.
One of the things that I enjoyed in SM Town is the exhibition hall on the 6th floor. This exhibit features art that fans submitted. The illustrations are really well drawn, you can definitely see the effort and feel the love and dedication that these fans put into making such amazing fan arts. It was great seeing that SM Town gave them an area to show if off
You can watch my video as I toured SM Town. Get an idea of what it looks like and what you can do there.
Last September 2, I attended The Wings Chronicles exhibit here in Manila, which featured fan arts and photographs of the popular group Bangtan Sonyeondan (방탄소년단) also known as BTS . The two-day non-profit event was attended by numerous Filipino fans and was organized by Army Box.
I spoke to Rosie, head of Army Box, to get to know more about the Wings Chronicles Exhibit and the team behind it. “Army Box is a fan artists community with the goal of providing artistic BTS-related products in terms of goods and services by collaborating with different fansites, fanbases and organizations that will help uplift the image of BTS. It was officially established last year August 19, 2016. The team consists of 30 members from Philippines and USA.”
The Wings Chronicles Exhibit made its first stop in the Philippines, holding it in both Cebu and Manila, followed by Bangkok and Singapore. Just like BTS, The Wings Chronicles is also ‘touring’ different countries. So better check out the list of places they will go to at the end of this article to see if they are making a stop in your city.
It was definitely fun to be in a room full of Armys (fanclub name of BTS), all full of admiration and appreciation for the group. What makes the Wings Chronicles exhibit different from other BTS exhibits I’ve seen is that they are doing the event for a cause, as the proceeds will be donated under the name of BTS to humanitarian charities such as War Child USA Organization, St. Jude Children's Research and UNICEF. This is what drew me to the event all the more. In the Manila stop, there was also a photobooth set-up that fans availed of to commemorate the day with their friends. The accumulated cash from that section was said to have been donated to the children of Marawi, a place in Mindanao Island in the Philippines that is currently in the midst of a heated war between the local troops and armed Maute-ISIS group. Over the years I’ve seen donations using the names of the groups they idolize being common, especially fans of Korean artists, and I’m glad that besides supporting our favorite singers…we’re also making a difference.
Rosie explained that the Wings Chronicles concept actually started on a whim. “The admins (of Army Box) were planning about doing a whole year project in relation and likeness of how BTS has given everyone opportunities. We decided to pursue Global Embarkation, a two part project that focuses on extending help to our fellow Armys and mankind. The first part of this series was entitled, “Army Meets What”, which was held from January to June in celebration of BTS 4th Year Anniversary. For the second part, we are now going on a journey for a worldwide exhibit in collaboration with different fansites and fanbases carrying the title, “Wings Chronicles: The Exhibit”.
The team decided to hold the Wings Chronicles exhibit in places where Wings Tour happened. We wanted to share, relive and reminisce the experience of attending the concert with fellow Armys who were not able to do so and of course to meet Armys in different parts of the world. The exhibit will be held in different countries mainly, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, United States of America, Canada, Malaysia, Hongkong and South Korea.
It takes about 2-3months to organize each stop…from venues, set up & layout and other details. The team for each exhibit also vary by country. It usually ranges from 5 and above. There is about 25 fan artists consisting of Army Box members that produced fine artworks for the exhibit.”
Fellow ‘fangirls’ who I talked to after the Wings Chronicles exhibit stated that they highly recommend going to these kinds of events. “It’s like attending a concert” One excitedly said. While another thought that being surrounded with fellow fans helped her have fun and gain new friends. I noticed that a lot of the girls who met up on the day were just friends via the internet before, the event gave them a chance to personally meet each other to put a face behind their usernames…or what is called ‘meeting mutuals’ in today’s terms.
There were numerous photos and fan arts that the fans in the event’s place gush over. If you know the ‘heart eyes’ emoji on your phone, that’s the expression all of the attendees had. Background music of BTS was played all throughout which made fans ecstatic, we sang along and even did the fan chants all together. Honestly I am very envious of people who can draw because I simply can’t, so I really admire the fan arts. Instead of the usual paintings that we grew up seeing in our homes, I imagine KPOP fans having these fanarts and framed photos of their idols as part of the interior design.
(The Wings Chronicles Exhibit held at the BTS Brick Live Café in Bangkok. Photo courtesy of Wingschronicles)
I was also able to interview one of the fan artists that participated in the exhibit, Giulia, who creates art featuring BTS as a hobby.
“Getting to participate in events such as exhibits like the Wings Chronicles is an opportunity to me. It's an opportunity for me to share my art and interact with people. It is also an opportunity for me to learn. I learn to improve myself as an artist, getting to know what people like or what they appreciate. Also, picking up details here and there.
I only started my art account (@tiramijuu) last January 2017, but I already have been doing fanarts around June last year. Instagram was my first source for any BTS updates when I got into the fandom, and I'd always see fanarts posted by accounts I followed. I got inspired by them. I decided, why not give it a try? I had a talent for drawing and this could become a way for me to improve my craft. So, I started posting them on my personal account, then later on opened an art account. I draw because I want to, because I like it. I enjoy what I'm doing, and that for me, is very important.”
For Giulia, she still feels overwhelmed whenever people post pictures of merchandise featuring her artwork. “Their reactions and feedback are rooms for improvement. This is also a main reason why I like participating in these events, it's because I get joy from people seeing my art. Simple compliments of 'It's very cute' or 'I really like it' already makes me smile from ear to ear. Overall, I greatly appreciate it and am really glad.”
A lot of people have noted that the KPOP market has been oversaturated, with more and more Korean groups and singers debuting almost every month. So I was curious what made BTS stand out for Giulia and turn her into a fan. “Their playful nature attracted me. However, their music, pulled me right in and sealed the deal. I really love the music they produce, it speaks to the heart. And the fact that they talk about unusual topics made me stay. And also, the creative cinematography and storyline of their music videos had me sold.”
As BTS somewhat brought out Giulia’s creative side more, I too can relate. As shy as I am, I never thought I’d put myself out there by creating content on Youtube, stepping out of my comfort zone and to share my feelings all spurred by my love for Korean pop culture. I can say that BTS became an influence for me to lessen my self-doubt and just take the jump.
If you’re also a big fan of BTS and want to ‘fangirl’ for a cause, here is the list of the upcoming places where the Wings Chronicles’ will be held. Do follow them on twitter (@WingsChronicles) for updates, registration, additional dates, etc. Aside from the confirmed dates below, they are also planning to bring the event to HongKong and South Korea.
SINGAPORE: Visual Arts Center
Sept 23 - 24
USA
*CALIFORNIA: Prime Mid-City Gallery Event Space, Los Angeles.
Wings Chronicles in Manila: Fangirling for a cause.
BTS exhibit by Army Box ft. different fansites & fan-artists. Sorry if the quality is grainy, forgot something with the setting
A big big thank you to Rosie for inviting me to the event and to the girls who let me interview them! Will be writing an article about this soon so if you guys want to read that you can check my twitter (@nisrandom) for updates.
Made fanvideo edit of BTS x FRIENDS. If BTS was in Friends (intro version).
Who would BTS be as? I think:
Rap Mon as Ross
Jin as Rachel
Suga as Monica
J-Hope as Chandler
Jimin (undecided Joey or Monica or Chandler)
V as Phoebe
Jungkook as Joey
The 2017 Korean Product Festival (2017 한-필 우수상품 전시회) was held at the SMX Convention Center in SM Aura in the Philippines on July 14 – 16. The three day product festival happens annually and introduces a variety of brands and products. The exhibit featured food, cosmetics (make-up and skincare), technology, household items, cookware, banks, and much more. I even saw a safety vault maker, which really surprised me. That just showed how wide the range is for this event.
Exhibitors like the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines and The Philippine Kpop Convention, Inc. (PKCI) would be the most familiar names to those who often attend local Korean events. Since the hallyu wave, Korean cosmetics and food are the most popular in the Philippines, this event proved that Korea has so much more to offer.
They even had a member from KPOP group Offroad to join the festivities. Fans got excited upon the announcement of Park Harang being the special guest. The opportunity to meet the star and do the fire noodle challenge (buldak bokkeummyun challenge) with him was probably be one of the highlights for the attendees.
Some of the exhibitors that participated are companies that have already put out their products in the Philippine market or have been operating in the country. While other brands have yet to enter the Philippine market and joined the festival to introduce themselves and gain importers. It is also a great way for businesses to meet other potential companies to possibly work together with. There was a lounge area where visitors could try Korean street food. The section also served for a meeting place for companies to meet with one another or for wholesalers/distributors to express interest to export or import their products and break into the Philippine market…which is one of the main goals.
I asked one of the exhibitors, Mr. Paul Kang from Master Meaty Expert, on what he thought about the event. “I think there are 2 elements for businesses to be successful in this event. Firstly, product must be friendly to consumers. Joining this event will be very effective if the product is relatable to users like food, cosmetics and beverage products since most of the people visiting the event are the average people, and not someone who is in complicated and professional industries. To find potential business partners, it is important to have accessibility to Philippines market.”
“We joined a lot of local expos, but it was our first time to join the Korean Product Festival. We thought there would be more Koreans, but it was amazing to see that a lot of Filipinos came and had a friendly interactions with the Koreans and the culture. There isn't much opportunities like it, it was special.” Ms. Sunny (Jisun Byun) from Cooko Academy answered when asked the same question, on what they thought of the Korean Product festival.
As mentioned above, I was able to talk to a few of the exhibitors to get to know more about their businesses and their experience with the event. I had a great time getting to know what they were about.
One of my favorites was Cooko Culinary & Barista Academy, a Korean-owned barista school and cafe (under the name Blue Wonder Coffee & Bean Roastery) which just opened this year in the Philippines. I was able to talk to the marketing manager, Ms. Sunny / Byun Jisun, wherein she told me about the coffee workshops and barista training classes they offer which are taught by either Filipino or Korean trainers in the academy. The classes can vary from lectures to intense hands on training, which can also certify or prepare one for a professional field.
“We wanted to present ourselves as a Korean brand but not being foreign instead connecting the two different cultures with a product and service that's common and friendly to everyone, Coffee.
When people think about Korean culture…it's about Hallyu, KPop, Food, and Travel. We could say that it got easier to acquire the new culture and a lot of people are getting to know it but for majority it's still very foreign and feel like it's still not part of their world. So we wanted to bridge that gap. The three management of Cooko, we practically grew up in the Philippines, and as a person or as a company we want to be a friend and supporter to the Filipinos by providing quality products, skills and experience.
We believe by joining the Korean Product Festival, we got a step closer to our goal. Having made a friend like you who has a similar purpose, we see great hope.”
When asked if it was a good way to introduce Korean products to the Philippine audience through the festival Ms. Sunny said “Yes, absolutely. Being a Korean, as much as we enjoy and love Philippines, as a second home, we would like to share the good things we've got. Because experiencing the product is like a way of experiencing and learning how we live, how we think, and how we develop. That's how we also learned and experienced Philippines.”
From coffee I moved to a booth that focused on health, teas and herbal products which was Bobae Herb. I tried two of their teas, one being lotus root and it really cleansed my palette. It was not bitter at all and gave a calming and soothing effect. When I think of teas or healthy drinks from Korea I usually just associate it with barley, green tea and ginseng. Bobae Herb made me discover that there were numerous healthy and flavorful teas. Not only do they sell tea bags, dried and powdered tea form, but also in pills. Which is said to be more concentrated and powerful.
We can’t forget to talk about Korean food as it is enjoyed by everyone. That’s why I was drawn to Master Meaty Expert when I saw them cooking some yummy samples, the aroma just called out to me. The family owned Master Meaty Expert, which was recently renamed from Kevin Best Food Corp, has been in the business since 2006 and supplies to various Korean restaurants and markets here in the Philippines. Mr. Paul Kang, son of the owner, told me that they use local pork but it is their marinade and cuts that sets them apart. “What makes Korean food special is the chili paste (gochujang) and what you eat it with like kimchi, lettuce to make ssam or wrap, and soju.”
Mr. Kang stated that he was still a student when Master Meaty Expert just started, so naturally he still didn’t have much idea about it. However when he grew older, he started to become more involved and though on how they could grow their family business. Mr. Kang is a graduate of Entrepreneurial Management in the University of Asia and the Pacific in the Philippines, which equipped him with more knowledge on how to approach the Filipino market better. From our brief talk, I could feel that Mr. Kang was really knowledgeable not only about their products but about Korean cuisine in general. Mr. Kang even gave me a catalogue all about Korean meat which made me hungry! They had a freezer of their items and a lot of the products were sold out. That just goes to show that everyone appreciates flavorful Korean meat.
“I had no goal when I decided to join the Korean Product Festival. What I wanted is to see the reaction of customers. I was able to find many opportunities in the market through this and I’m now planning to serve the consumer through local supermarket and restaurants.” That was Mr. Kang’s response when I asked if they had a goal when they joined the Korean Product Festival.
The first Korean cosmetic related booth I visited was the company ‘Purecell’, and their skincare line ‘Moistie’. Their goal for the event was too look for a distributor so they can release their products in the Philippines. They also thought it would be great to talk to the customers directly. I was very intrigued with their products, specifically with the Mostie Cell Plus, which is a ‘micro needle ampoule’. It has a very interesting concept, which the staff compared to when a person has botox, but instead of injection this method is less painful and hassle-free. The active ingredients are plant derivative extracts and are fermented in a micro needle so when it penetrates and treats the skin once applied. I personally tried it and at first it felt like your normal serum or essence, but once you massage it on the skin you would feel something pricking your fingers, which is the micro-needles embedded. It’s an odd feeling at first but very cool. The products are also organic and hypo-allergic since it is plant-based. They also carry a 3 step face pack for people on the go, which has an ampoule, cream and face mask all in one. A lot of their products looked promising as they claim to have brightening, anti-aging and moisturizing effects, just to name a few of the benefits.
Korbeauty, a Korean online website that curates make-up and skincare brands, launched their online shop on the first day of the exhibit, which was on Jul 14. They chose to feature and sell products that that proved to be of great quality. The brands under the website may not be the familiar ones we usually see, but that is because they hand-picked the companies that are well known to professional make-up artists and actresses. They also took note of the concerns of the Filipino in terms of their skincare and make-up, taking note of what products would work best in the country, especially during summer when it is humid. Some of their products were sold out during the exhibit. Even though they were a new company and considering it was their first time to join the Korean Product Festival, they were warmly welcomed by the attendees.
While The Philippine Kpop Convention, Inc. (PKCI) thought that participating in the Korean Product Festival was a win-win situation. They were able to promote the event and draw interest from their 400, 000+ followers comprised of KPOP enthusiasts, and at the same time they were able to meet potential sponsors for their future events.
It was my first time to attend the event and I honestly had a great experience. It was informative to talk to the people behind the Korean companies to know about their brand and why they chose to establish it in the Philippines. It definitely makes you more curious.
Thank you to Ms. Andrea Salutin for accommodating me and showing me around the event. I would definitely recommend anyone to go the exhibit the next time it occurs as it really showcased various charms that Korea has. Everyone I talked to were knowledgeable and really wanted the guests to learn about them. The people I talked to were really friendly. Most of the concessionaires who wanted to introduce their products also gave customers great discounts and freebies...which is another keyword I’ve started to associate with Korean business ‘service’ culture. I surely enjoyed myself, and I do hope the brands that were looking into breaking into the Philippine market had a successful run.
Here’s my first impression review of the Althea Petal Velvet Powder!
Infused with althea flower's essence, this promising translucent powder has sebum control & pore blurring properties that will leave your skin velvety smooth, like a flower petal.
Big plus that it has natural ingredients, cruelty free and is only 210 pesos!!
Sharing my referral link if it's your first order and you want to get 200 Pesos off: https://www.talkable.com/x/aDLb2X
Expectation vs. Reality: Myeongdong + BTS + Monsta X suggestions?
A bit of story time…do you really get a lot of freebies in Myeongdong? Let me know if you’ve had the same experience or what your expectations vs. realty ideas are.
Also…i think I’m starting to get into Monsta X, so would appreciate recommendations/suggestions about them!
Fangirl with me: @nisrandom
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Finally!!!!!!! Great news for K-fans like me who have been craving to see Korean hip hop artists live!
The Philippine Khiphop Community recently announced their upcoming event ‘Korean Street Sound’ which is bound to have an amazing line up of hip hop artists.
“The first ever KHIPHOP event in the Philippines just for you guys! A purely UNDERGROUND MUSIC CONCERT called "KOREAN STREET SOUND" which will be held September 15, 2017 at Element, Centris. Line up will be announced next week.”
The event was announced shortly after a survey was conducted on who people want to see.
Definitely exciting! So make sure to stay updated on the social media pages of Philippine Khiphop Community
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