Ok. So basically I hung out with Yunho and Jaejoong of Dong ban shin ki (Touhoushinki/東方神起), had a barebecue, chilled, talked about releasing a new single together, then coming back to mine for laterz....
Yeah, in a dream.
But something very similar did happen yesterday.
I don't really know what the whole thing was about myself, but from what I gathered a unit or group of Korean popstars called 'G7' came to my humble yet tourist-y town in Hokkaido, in order to do some filming for a program they're currently airing in Korea.
Edit: I did some research on Wiki and it appears that the show itself is called "Invincible Youth", and "G7" is the name of the unit of girls put together for this show from different Korean popbands. Lookie here.
Due to my dire lack of Korean language skills I couldn't tell you what the program was called, but the plot seems to consist of skinny, flimsy girls getting their hands dirty and working in fields in order to learn about farming so they can build their own farm; though there was also a very tall and well-built sunglassed singer guy called "T-something" and a short, chubby but adorable and extremely funny comedian girl involved too. And so, they came to my town, Biei (notice the use of "my").
My mate who I love to pieces, Tina (who is Japanese but I gave her the nickname), lives on a farm with her family, and her dad is currently busy growing asparagus, potatoes and whatnot. I've actually helped with their asparagus one time, though it didn't involve any picking, just cleaning them up for them to be sent and sold. Anyway, as you can probably guess from my wave of blab, this Korean program and 'G7' were to spend a day at Tina's farm. Tina herself actually lived in Korea for about a year, and, being amazing as she is, picked up the language, which is 1 of the reasons I think the town board chose her as well as the fact that she works in the Town Hall (as do I). I didn't have anything to do with the filming at her farm which took place from the morning till the evening yesterday, but G7 held a mini concert last night near the ski-slope on a stage outside, minus the snow but including the bugs, and as Tina invited me I attended.
Haha.
It was really bizarre.
Firstly, there were quite a bunch of people there. Funny thing is, less than half of them were people from Biei, as the majority were fans of the Korean unit; both male and female, and both from other areas of Hokkaido and Japan. If you are as aware of Japan as I am, then yes, you're right in thinking that the hardcore fans from Tokyo etc were greasy middle-aged old men with towels and fans with the idols' faces and names splattered over them, with big cameras round their necks. There was the alternative type too - the strange, in their 20s skinny boys who wear cat ears or bear suits (yesterday consisted of a cow suit...connection with the theme of the show, I assume), with long hair, oh, and grease, of course. Apparently some of them even stalked the unit and were watching outside of Tina's house during the filming of the program. Scary.
And yes, I waltzed past such a sight of people lining up, ducking straight underneath the roped barriers towards the stage that was being set up, as I was friends with the "farm girl who caused the pop-stars to get dirt under their manicured nails" and got a backstage pass. Yay me.
It meant that we got first row seats, in terms of bums on grass, for when the show started, and I sorta felt bad for the actual fans behind us when I didn't have a clue who these people are. The show itself was alright. At least some of the idols could sing (which is what I do respect about Korean popstars, in comparison to most Japanese ones!), and there were 2 members who were amazing dancers. Other than that there were a few super skinny girls who jumped around being cute in tiny shorts and with their sickengly flat stomachs out (ok, so I admit I'm jealous of their abs, pssh) without singing and doing anime-like dance moves and batting their eyelashes. Those girls bored me. Still, as much as I hate girls who try hard to be cute (called "burikko ぶりっこ" in Japanese), when they try spouting random bits of Japanese they learnt in a Korean accent, I can sorta forgive them. They were all pretty and cute, some a bit too thin for my taste, but...I dunno. That was it. They were just cute. There was nothing to them. The music was kinda funky and upbeat though, so I think I'd like their songs but otherwise, I guess idols don't interest me. Only Korean boy bands; at least they have character! (their looks and height happen to be a plus )There was one point when one girl was singing on stage (they all did separate skits), that 1 of the idols came and sat in front of us and cooed at her with a sign of love in Korean or something, and a camera-man zoomed to her side, sorta bowed his head and held up his hand in an apologetic manner at me, then leaned straight back on top of me with his camera in order that he could film this squealing idol. I just gaped at Tina, who said, "Yeah, they're Korean". I had to stay there for about 3 minutes with this guy's weight on my legs! At this point I decided to make the most of it and leaned forward and squinted through the small camera eye piece (as he was using the larger screen) and using gestures pretended to be the camera-man myself, haha. Another funny happening was when it was the last song with all the members on stage, and they told us to stand up. I'd been politely applauding and smiling at the show until then, but when I noticed that there was a camera pointed towards Tina and I, I mischievously decided to start jumping, screaming and waving at these idols who I'd been a big fan of and supported for lyke foreverz. Tina joined in, and we had about 3 cameras pointed at us, bwaha! It was hilarious. I might be on a frickin' Korean TV now. Better ask for my autograph now before I get too famous, kids. The show will be aired in August, apparently, and the Korean stars are officially making their debut in Japan at the end of July.
After the show, we got 'backstage passes' again to join the staff and stars for a free barbecue. I would've talked to the idols when they came by had I been able to speak Korean as it would've been interesting, however, I was experiencing the language barrier that a number of people who do my job (ALTs) should encounter in Japan. But, I found that the T-something guy could speak English, incredibly well in fact, though American, and I actually had a bit of conversation with him. Wish I could've got a handshake with the cute lil' Comedian girl though. I also spoke the the Japanese staff from Sapporo, with 1 guy who works in the TV industry and is from Tokyo, and he said that Tina and I could visit him any time and he'd show us around his parts. Another connection towards my wanting to be an Interpreter in the Media industry, maybe? Might have to brush up on my Korean though. I have wanted to learn it for a while though, due to my TVXQ/DBSK phase 3 years ago.
Today the stars all fly back to Korea, and Tina and her father are meeting them at the airport so they can film the "tearful farewell".
Then, she and a bunch of the usual lot of us are having a "Glasses-themed party". Eating and drinking whilst wearing glasses, as a matter of fact. I have about 5 awesome pairs of glasses of a rare design, it's going to be hard for me to choose.
P.S. I ironically seem to update my blog on the few days it pours with rain, when we've been having hot sunny days recently!
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