Disclaimer : I'm a huge KPop fan and you will come across names and photographs of KPop idols in most of my stories. They are my muse and inspiration in so many ways. The incidents and characters are fictional and have no resemblance to any K pop idol in any manner.
As the flight took off, I experienced a thrill, an excitement like never before! I'm scared of flying and my hands gripped the armrests as I shut my eyes tight and prayed silently.
Finally I was on my maiden solo trip! Solo travel has been on my agenda for years now. But something or the other kept delaying it! My mom freaked out when I told her about it but dad was cool and siblings were jealous!
It wasn't a very long flight. I wasn't even going too far away from the country. Just a few hours!đŹ
Honestly I had dreamt about this for years.
Not only was I finally on my first trip abroad, I was alone and going to attend the BTS Concert!!! Truly a dream come true!
After 6 hours we landed at Incheon Airport, Seoul. All formalities completed, I
breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the hotel room. This was the best I could afford with my limited budget. Although dad helped me out with some cash, I don't want to be lavish.
Ah! I'm looking forward to the morning. I bathed, changed and headed out for some food. I had eaten on the flight but I was craving for some authentic Ramyun (ramen or Maggi for us!).
A complete K drama and K pop addict, I had spent so many hours looking at Seoul that most of the city felt oddly familiar! I was completely at home.
I came across a convenience store and walked inside. Oh, the triangle 'kimbap'! I took one. Then I spotted the Ramyun. I prepared it exactly like they do in the K dramas and started eating, wondering if any handsome Korean 'namja'(man) would open the door and walk straight into my heart! Nothing happened. I finished eating and went out for a walk, wanting to soak in the familiar sights and sounds!
I wanted to try Soju. I bought a bottle and poured it out in a shot glass. I made a face as the bitter liquid went down my throat. Unlike my siblings I never had a thing for alcohol. I never even tried! But I had to try Soju at least once while I'm here. I think one shot is enough for now! I will have the rest in the room.
Oh, I almost forgot to call my parents! I immediately made a whatsapp video call home. Mom thought I lost more weight ( in 6 hours! Really!đ) and my brothers just said 'All ok? Well, bye! Enjoy!" Dad asked me if I was happy and I gave him a big smile. I was tired and sleepy now. I walked back to the hotel. I unpacked and kept some jeans and my BTS tee for tomorrow. I finished the Soju and went to bed, smiling and thinking about the morning! Can't wait!
I woke up well in time next morning and googled the way to my destination. South Korea has the best internet speed in the world, it seems. I don't know if it's true, but compared to home, it seemed to be faster! I ate my breakfast which the hotel provided for and set off for the bus stop.
So, I found my way around with my broken Hangul( Korean) and my black tee which said 'Jungkook 97' in bold letters! The people are quite friendly and the public transport is awesome! I reached my destination without any problems!
Ok, so I am finally here! The atmosphere is festive and colourful, like a carnival! BTS songs were playing and a big group of fans were dancing and singing with the music! There were fan made merchandise for sale- photo cards, badges, etc. Snack bars were put up so the fans don't go hungry. Huge cutouts of each BTS member attracted fans who were busy taking selfies! Many Armys( BTS fans) came and hugged me. I made so many friends in a few minutes! We took pictures and exchanged phone numbers. There were photo booths where one could take pics with their idols( holographic images actually!). The photos could really confuse others! They looked so real! I went inside and took one with each BTS member! This is my only chance after all!
Neat serpentine queues started to form as the fans started going in with their entry passes into the venue. I'm amazed at the discipline and order! Most of the fans are women/girls in the age group from 0-40, some even older! I could see a lot of men/ boys as well. What struck me was that the fans were not just Korean, they were from all over the world- different cultures, different nationalities, different ethnicity, different languages.... Wow! I'm impressed!
Once inside, we all sat according to seats alloted in the passes. I managed to get a good seat close to the stage; that's something I spent on!There was time for the concert to begin. But the Army Bombs ( BTS light sticks) were already waving in the air, changing colours, lighting up the entire stadium! Everyone, irrespective of whether they spoke Korean or not, was singing to the songs being played. I'm singing too, without anyone judging me for it!
Whoa! Fireworks lit up the sky as the Bangtan Boys took the stage literally shaking the venue with the energetic 'Idol'! The atmosphere is so surreal, so awesome, so extraordinary that I have no words to describe it! I took a few photos and then my camera focused on Jungkook ( my bias!) for a nice long video! When Jungkook flew above the audience singing Euphoria ( my favouriteđsong), I felt he looked right at me and smiled ! An unforgettable moment.....
As the evening progressed, the band played many popular numbers and the concert ended with emotional words from the global superstars which left everyone in tears...
I don't think I will ever forget this evening in my life!!!!
The next 2 days I went around Seoul, with some friends I made at the concert, shopping for souvenirs and taking photos to keep these memories alive. I ate the famous Jjangmyeon( black bean noodles) and even Korean Barbeque even though I don't really eat pork! I wore a Hanbok( traditional Korean dress) and clicked pics. I even bought a modern Hanbok, made popular by Jungkook! I visited the Namsan Tower and the areas close by like the Lovers Bridge and finally reached my favourite , Han river by nightfall..... As I looked at the reflection of the bright lights in the water, I was feeling emotional. I called my parents and showed them the beautiful riverside. I fly back tomorrow with a promise to come back here because there's still a lot I wanted to see and experience.... I turned around and walked back to the bus stop, happy to be here and somehow disappointed that I didn't bump into Jungkook( sigh...) on the streets of Seoul lined with cherry blossom trees..... Maybe next time!đ
Barely feels like a fiction đ