I’m so moved, reading her honest confess about her first attending JKS concert. She’s shy, so at first she hesitated to share her own FA, but as you see, I think it’s very well-written and full of her true emotions on that day! I like her way sooo much. Thanks again, Ariel. Suk may be surprised to know that there was an American eel flying from far away just to see him 😉
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Credit: tabby (Ariel) from Oregon, U.S.A and ECI
I feel very shy posting this, but also want to share my little bit about the concert last weekend. I do not come from a culture that knows or cares much about Hallyu or kpop or Korea in general. And also our ideas about fan culture are different. It is normal and acceptable to be a fan of a sports team and follow them fanatically, go to all their games, buy all the official merchandise… but it is weird if you are doing this for an actor. At least in my small community, I feel it is unusual. So I am pretty quiet about my interest in kdramas and the fact that I am an eel. So deciding to go to this concert was a bit like making a public declaration. I couldn’t be secret about my love for Jang Keun Suk if I was traveling almost 7000 miles to see him in concert. And I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t going for him since I was only staying for two days.
There have been a lot of accounts of the concert itself and I can’t really add to them. I was pretty far away, so could not see his face and didn’t really want to watch the big screens. I wanted to see him live; I wanted to see the real him. I can watch his beautiful face on a screen when I go back home. So this meant that I missed many details and expressions which other sisters have mentioned. I also understood pretty much zero of what was said, though there have been some reports of that too. I will wait until December when we get the dvds.
Before the concert, I was very nervous and found by two o’clock I couldn’t stay away any longer. I stood in line for about an hour, chatting a little with the Korean eels next to me. They seemed astonished I would come all that way just for a concert. Once I had my ticket around 3:30, I wandered around a little bit—there was a park nearby—but I was really unwilling to leave the venue area. So I went back and found a seat in the coffee shop attached to JangChung Gymnasium. Here I sat for the next hour or more, listening to the rehearsal going on inside, drinking my mocha, and watching bus after bus arriving filled with Japanese tourists. It was really precious to hear the rehearsal. I felt so overwhelming to be among so many fans, to not know the languages being spoken around me, but hearing his voice, even muffled as it was, I felt reassured and warmed. That at least was familiar. 🙂
I was not able to find the ECI group before the concert, though I did meet Zoe, whose FA was shared earlier. We were sitting almost next to each other. Some eels from The Eels Family also reached out to me and were so kind and helpful. They helped us get into the correct line and gave us gifts. Everyone was so excited and happy.
As I have said, my seat was very far away, the back of section A2, but it was dead center. And honestly, just being there was so incredible that I was hardly even thinking about whether the seats were any good. Being in the middle we were able to see the whole effect of the light display, which was really stunningly beautiful. The videos I have seen of past concerts did not prepare me at all. Maybe other concerts have had simpler lighting designs, though I suspect that the dvd will not really give the effect at all… the lights shone outward, playing across the audience. I don’t think the cameras caught much of it because they were focusing on JKS and he was often behind the lights. After the concert, another eel told me that she felt like the lights were used to illuminate the audience as much as the stage–so that he could see us. The picture he posted in the OFC on 9/8 gives an idea of this.
One of the most emotional moments for me was when he asked where eels had come from, and after calling out Korea, China, and Japan, he asked, “America? Brazil?” Whether he was shooting in the dark, or had any idea that an American eel had actually come, it made my heart feel so overwhelmed.
Reading other accounts, there seem to be many moments I missed and expressions I don’t remember, but even if I couldn’t absorb much of the detail, I was totally caught up in how real he is. In previous concerts and fan meetings, JKS has expressed gratitude for the fans who love him for himself rather than the roles he has played. I found, watching him on stage, that it was impossible to think of anything other than him and him as a real person. He is not a figment of my imagination. He is not a fantasy or a character or something I could ever make up. He is real. And the force of his personality in that space was so incredible and magnetic. It is not something I will forget soon.
Ariel, your FA is so beautiful. …. I love it. Thanks for sharing and nice to know and met you in Seoul. Hope we will see each other again in future soon .
Ariel thank you very much for sharing your first ever FA of a big “unknown” star (for your homeplace that is kkk) …this must have been almost an out of body experience…unbelievable it was real..I’m so happy for you…too bad you did not stay a bit longer to explore more of his beloved country…..Next time sis…Next time:)
Congratulations! Nothing is wrong with being truthful about how you feel specially if that makes you happy. I am 50 and I admire the boy so much. I find him very talented and he deserve all the attentions we are giving him. You are such a brilliant person. Thanks for sharing the account of your encounter with the prince. I hope to see myself sharing my own experience in the future. Fighting!
Thank you Ariel. It was too regretable we only met for a short while. I kept the postcard that you gave me. eelship is very precious to me. Jang Keun Suk is stunning, I love him because he is him not other role in drama that he played
Thanks for another FA. Love to read eel impressions to our “live” or “real” prince.
Thank you for sharing your FA, Tabby! It’s so hard sometimes to be an eel living in a place that has never heard of k drama (much less our dear JKS)…. Meeting finally with so many other Eels and seeing at last our AP…. I can’t wait to experience it too! Finally feeling it is all real…. That is the best part
Thanks Ariel, great FA. Happy for you!
Omg this FA is really something i can relate to. Truth to be told, i’m a fan of actor JGS but not so much singer JGS due to personal musical preference. So i guess you can call me a casual fan. However, i still visit this blog everyday to keep up with news of him as i really respect him as an actor and as a person. Music wise,i am a big fan of Hong Ki and FTISLAND and since i’m living in a Western country like you, i have the same experience of keeping my ‘obsession’ a secret. I have also flown miles just to go to a foreign country for 2 days for the sole purpose of attending their live show, so i can really understand all your excitement and emotions! Who knows, if there’s an opportunity i might find myself at Geun Suk’s concert one day and maybe watching him live will turn me into his musical fan too 🙂
Truly Ariel, everybody around here is ga-ga about NFL Football, but they sure don’t understand why I would ever show any kind of love for some Korean guy (about half my age) on the other side of the world. Well I’ve said it before & I’m sure I’ll keep saying it over and over again… Sukkie’s greatest gift to Eels is not just himself… but “each other.”
Just as our bond with him is precious… so is our bond with each other. Even though I know other fans of other Korean actors & singers, I just don’t see the same camaraderie with them as Eels have with one another.
And my favorite part sis, was your comment about sitting in the cafe & hearing the muffled sound of his voice and how comforting it felt for you. Pretty sure I would feel the same!
Oh, so very, very cool, Ariel~Kudos and bravo!!!
I must say you traveling to Seoul from Oregon, only staying two days surely is an incredible feat, and more importantly, what other Eels should quickly realize what you accomplished is definitely NOT for the weak, faint-heated sojourner: Enduring severe jet lag BOTH ways, flying well over twenty-four hours within TWO DAYS is surely debilitating! I know exactly your experiences traveling long distances within a short period of time: First of all and foremost, mustering the courage traveling to a foreign country not knowing the language-speaking, reading, writing, resigning yourself flying well over twelve hours each way knowing full well you can’t stay over two days, and patiently tolerating TSA security FOUR times=Two TSA inspections going to Seoul from Oregon and two more TSA inspections upon returning to Oregon TWO DAYS LATER; how frustrating! Geunseok should acknowledge and reward you for possessing such stout fortitude, fine mettle: A bonafide, flying warrior Eel; you would make Amelia Earhart so very proud of you!
Nevertheless and despite all the deterring factors I mentioned above, you STILL decided attending Geunseok’s concert~WHOA!!! I understand your meekness, refraining from blatantly advertising with puffed up pride, boasting, “Hey, World-I’m an EEL and I’m going to Seoul to see Jang Geunseok perform his concert!!!” Ahhhh~Geunseok should know he has a humble, demurely shy, American Eel who lives in Oregon: Geunseok should pay you a visit at your home in Oregon and you should take him camping, fishing, and hiking at Summit Lake or Three-Sisters for TWO DAYS. Seriously, Geunseok owes you at least via repaying you for such an arduous amount of “Amelia Earhart” flying time in trade for two days camping with you.
Your FA is so very cool and succinctly descriptive despite, your seat’s location definitely was in the “nose bleed” center section~HAH! Eels probably won’t understand my connotation, ” . . . nose bleed” but, this connotation means you were so close to Geunseok yet frustratingly, so far away! Still, I stand at attention, giving you my American, smart salute for traveling such a long distance only to see Geunseok from you “nose bleed” seat!
If (In Korean [Hangugo] language-Manahgei) and when Geunseok holds a concert performance here in USA, Geunseok should have a FRONT ROW, CENTER section for “Amelia Earhart Eels” who traveled long distances to Seoul for THE sole purpose attending his concert performance and he should give every Eel an awesome birthday present in return: Therefore, please do retain your Seoul concert ticket, your airline flight itinerary/airline ticket, and your photo of your “nose bleed” seat because you’ll never know what Geunseok might do!!! Geunseok might get a “wild hair growing where the sun doesn’t shine (Americans quip a derogatory, descriptive sentence about where something shines but, you know very well what that sentence is, right, Ariel?)” planning something so unorthodox, so unpredictable but, oh so very cool . . . Alas, we must patiently wait seeing what Geunseok will decide what he’ll do for his “Amelia Earhart Eels!”
Kudos and bravo for truly possessing such redeeming qualities as an “Amelia Earhart” Eel!
\(‘^ __ ^’)/~Inner Peace Be With You Always~
Shirley *☄*\ઈ(◕ั◡◕ั)ઈ/*☄*
Uh, sorry, Tenshi, please correct . . . Faint-hearted~oops=Typo error!
Shirley
i can relate, from east coast here. took me awhile to dig the fashion style & until now not even sure if i pronounce his name correctly, haha. oh well. i just love him.
Nice FA from Ariel,good for her that she has accomplished her fan’s dream
You’ve been so brave enough to reach your dream to see our dear prince in reality, travelling a thousand miles just to attend his concert. You are amazing. Thank yu for sharing. ^_^ 🙂
Your FA made me FEEL everything you experienced, Ariel – you’re wonderful at sharing your feelings in writing! I really have nothing to add to all of these eloquent and very true responses to your FA other than to reinforce eel_nan’s comment that the amazing affection among eels all over the world for each other as well as for JKS is a huge part of the glue that binds all of us together. The way that he inspires all of us of all different ages to want to support, encourage, and protect him is, I believe, something very, very unusual. Thank you for sharing your wonderful, brave, exciting, surreal (but real!) experience with us. No, he’s not a figment of your imagination – thank goodness for all of us! 😀
Thanks for sharing this amazing FA! Ariel & Tenshi, thanks for sharing this with us.
What a lovely fan account – thank you so much for sharing this!
This is for real bravo EELS
Dear Ariel. Thank you for sharing your FA with us. Reading it make me remember more details from that day. And I can really relate to everything you wrote about.
It was luck for me that I met you there before the concert, and that we even sat almost next to each other, waited for his car to drive by together, and than went to the gathering togehter. I only wish I had met you earlier, so I could sit in the coffee shop, and listen to the rehearsal too. Hope we will stay in touch and meet again at one on his future concerts. 🙂
Arirl you reminded me some precious things abt him that I always admire. Thanks a lot… I read in your page and I knew you’re going to concert, but didn’t know you’re living in America, I’m sure JKS is sooo proud of you n eels like you…
thank you Ariel for sharing with us. What a wonderful memory….it makes me feel like I am there all over again. Isn’t the reaction amazing when you tell other eels how far away you’ve come from! The things we do for JKS!!!