VIXX Milky Way showcase in Stockholm fan account: Meeting VIXX
Tomorrow VIXX are holding their Milky Way showcase here in Stockholm, Sweden, as you may know. I will attend the concert tomorrow as well as the meet and greet event held after the concert and I’m super excited for both! I was thinking about posting a fan account after the concert, both for my own memory’s sake but also for any of you who might be interested. However, something great happened today which I also wanted to share - I saw VIXX in person, twice!
You can read my fan account of the showcase and the high-five event here.
I arrived in Stockholm early this morning and I’ve spent most of the day walking around the city and doing some shopping. It was almost ten in the morning when I went to The Old Town (Gamla Stan) with my mom and sister. Walking down towards the main street from the royal castle, I happened to take a quick glance into the alleyway on my left. It took me a moment to take it in and I took another few steps before I realised what I had seen. It seemed utterly impossible, but looking back into the alleyway N was still there, resting against a wall as he posed in front of a camera.
It didn’t take long before N turned the corner and after our eyes met, I greeted him. I then asked if it would be alright to take a photo with him. He looked towards the photographer/manager/idk person who said “no, sorry” and N, looking very apologetic, bowed and apologized. During this time, Hongbin had also approached us and he basically just stood there looking at us. I could see the other members a bit away and some of them were glancing over at us. They soon walked away, however, and I just stood there and looked at them from a distance (fifty meters away or so), not being able to realise what had just happened. The members stood together in a group with managers and photographers and lots of people around them and they all seemed to be contemplating some new place to take photos. Ravi was looking over at us pretty much the entire time.
It felt like I stood there a very long time, but in reality it was only a few moments before I turned and went the opposite way. The boys seemed busy and I figured I had already distracted them more than enough. I could probably have stayed there a while longer and observed them from a distance but I didn’t want to be disrespectful in any way or make them feel uncomfortable. I really want them to have a good stay here in Sweden! Although I left so soon I was very happy to have been able to see them in person. Strange enough, I didn’t feel very nervous, probably because everything felt very surreal.
Second meeting
When we were heading back from The Old City roughly an hour later I saw the boys again. (I also saw three or four girls standing close by who seemed to also be fans, so I was probably not the only one who saw them today!) They still seemed quite busy though and not wanting to disturb their work I simply walked past them. I was happy enough only to have seen them once more. Of course I couldn’t help glancing at them though. Hongbin, Ken, Hyuk and another member with his back facing me (I didn't have time to see who) were standing together in a very small circle, presumably to keep warm.
From the events that followed, I think Hongbin might have recognised me when I walked past them (I was wearing a bright red jacket after all and he had stood quite close to me when I had met N earlier). When I looked at Hongbin as I was walking past our eyes suddenly met. It caught me by surprise so I quickly looked down before I had time to think. When I looked up at him again a moment later he was still looking at me. He smiled really widely all the way to his eyes and then sort of half laughed and I smiled back at him. I really thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest. Although we didn't say a word to each other and although we're practically strangers it felt very natural and that one, genuine smile really made me happy.
To summarize, I feel extremely lucky to have seen the boys by chance, not only once, but twice. I didn’t have a chance to talk to any of them (anymore than the few words with N) and I chose not to approach them any further to not disturb them. Unfortunately I don’t have any photos to commemorate either. Given that I wasn’t allowed to take a photo with N I didn’t take any photos of the members after that either to be on the safe side. However, I am very happy to have seen them in person. Can you believe the shock when you merely look to your left and suddenly see one of your favourite idols? This really is something I only thought would happen in my imagination, but, as it turns out, these things can and actually do happen sometimes.
As for the boys, I can only comment on the little I saw. All of them were even more handsome and charismatic in person, which is perhaps a given. They all wore matching coats with their logo on the back and beneath them they wore very fashionable clothes. The only detail I can remember though is that Hongbin wore a tie. From what I saw the boys seemed to enjoy themselves, particularly Hongbin (who was literally bouncing around the place). The only members who I’m sure noticed me and whom I (sort of) interacted with were N, Hongbin and Ravi. N was very considerate and looked sincerely sorry when his manager/photographer said I couldn’t take a photo. Ravi just kept looking at me, seeming curious, and when I met his gaze he didn’t look away. Hongbin, I must say, was the one who, in my opinion, looked the most different in person. He’s very handsome in pictures and videos, as I’m sure you’re all aware, but in person he’s simply mesmerizing. I've heard people say that he seems to be a highly sympathetic person, which was also the impression I got today. He seems to adapt himself well to any situation and gives off a very natural vibe. The smile he gave me was very reassuring somehow. What I'm trying to get at is that he is, obviously, an idol, but he seems so much like an ordinary person with his feet on the ground that you automatically feel very comfortable around him. Okay, I admit I'm definitely reading too much into this lmao.
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to seeing them again tomorrow both in the concert and the meet and greet event!
Edit: I just wanted to add this as a reminder for any of you who are in Stockholm right now and/or are attending the concert. Please respect Jellyfish's wishes and do not take any photos or videos of the boys during their stay here. I just found out that the organisers of the concert are not allowed to take any photos or videos when they give VIXX the buffet and Leo the birthday cake which are donated by us fans. I, also, couldn't take any photos of or with VIXX and we cannot take any photos or videos during the concert either. From this I'm assuming that Jellyfish would rather we don't take any pictures of the boys at all during their stay. So I'm reminding you to please follow their wishes and not take any photos or videos of the boys. We want to respect their wishes and make them feel welcome here, right? It would be great if they would want to come back here again someday! ^^ VIXX will probably upload some footage from stockholm themselves for us to look at. (There are also rumours going around that they're filming for their new MV here in Stockholm, although, as far as I've seen, there has been no official confirmation of this.)
TL;DR: I was lucky enough to see VIXX twice today in Stockholm. I exchanged a couple of words with N as he apologised when a manager/photographer said I couldn't take photos with him. I also exchanged a couple of looks and a smile with Hongbin. All of the boys were even more handsome in person and they all seemed to enjoy themselves.
