Things I Learned From #KCON6

It's once again the time of year that every K-pop fan in the Philippines have looked forward to. The year-end event where all K-pop fans gather together to celebrate the joys of fandom - the Philippine K-pop Convention or simply KCON, and this year is the 6th.

This is the first year of my K-pop fandom. Around the same time last year, I didn't even think of myself attending a gathering like this. I had always been a fan of K-dramas but I didn't think I'll one day join a bunch of people, mostly teenagers, cheering and shouting my heart out for boys and girls performing on-stage in a language I don't understand. But things like that happen. Because of sudden turn of events (that maybe I'll write about in the near future), I became a K-pop fangirl at age 24. And I guess I'm such a lucky yeoja because on my first K-con, two of the very few groups I follow - SISTAR and GOT7 were confirmed to perform in the KCON concert.

Since this is my first K-con attendance, there were some things I thought I could've done better. So here it goes - the five (5) things I learned from #KCON6:

1. Wag magmadali bumili ng ticket (or magtabi ng pera pang-upgrade in case may mas magandang package).

     A few days after it was announced that SISTAR and GOT7 are in attendance, ticket packages were released:

General Admission - PHP 1000

VIP - PHP 3000

Royalty Package - PHP 10000 (includes photo op and hi-touch with chosen artist)

     I didn't think I was ready then to spend so much for a K-pop concert, but they are my favorite groups so I didn't want a Gen Ad ticket either, so without further ado, right on the day of release, I bought a VIP ticket. But then, 2weeks before the event, the organizers announced that VVIP tickets will be available for PHP 5000 and ticket holders will get a seat right in front of the stage next to Royalty ticket holders. Previously purchased tickets (GenAd and VIP) were upgradeable, but by then, I did not have the money anymore. I tried to console myself that there is not much of a difference between VIP and VVIP, but on the day of the concert, I realized how wrong I was. The VVIP folks decided that it's not enough to be infront of the stage and they all stood on their chairs, so everyone else at the back only saw the LED.

2. If you can afford it, GET A RESERVED SEAT! (because it's fvckn worth it)

     -I didn't think that 10K for the Royalty package was worth it then. It's hi-touch and photo op lang naman. I've read that in Kpop, pag hi-touch, hi-touch lang, walang yakap. Pag photo op, official photo lang, walang selca. But tonight, I learned (the hard way) na kung game ang mga bias mo, rules can be bent. My heart broke in a million pieces as I see fans hugging my bias and others uploading stolen selcas, while telling myself, "You would have been there too if you were not stupid!"

3. If you can't afford a reserved seat, magdala ng monopod (kung gusto mo ng matinong shots).

     -The last time I watched a live concert was 3 years ago. Back then, there were no monopods yet and smartphones were not yet in abundance. Now, recording "fancams" is seemingly becoming a part of enjoying the show. Plus, with the innovation in selca-taking called monopods, you can already record a video on top of everyone's head. That way, if you cannot clearly see the stage from where you stand, at least your phone recorded a pretty good one and you can juat watch it later.

4. Kung hindi ka naman matangkad, pumasok ka ng maaga para nasa unahan ka or else, puro kamay at cameraphone ang makikita mo.

     -As mentioned in the previous item, smartphones and monopods are already part of the experience, so it's almost impossible to see anything from the back unless you are freakin' tall. So if you want to really see the artists on stage and not just stare on the LED, make sure to come in early and occupy the front space (and never ever leave, not even take a pee).

5. Kung mataba at tinatamad magpapayat, wag pumili ng standing ticket.

-Another thing I learned the hard way. KCON lasted for hours and I was standing the whole time. My weight has taken it's toll on my legs and when I went home, they were already numb. So next year, I have to lose weight before KCON7... unless I'm getting a reserved seat.

But as what they always say, despite how difficult it was, first times are always awesome. Our first times in whatever are the moments where we make mistakes amd learn from them. So despite all that, it was an awesome experience.

Thanks to everyone who worked hard to make KCON6 a great experience for a new fan like me. To the organizers Pulp, Happee See, event sponsors, and of course t's once again the time of year that every K-pop fan in the Philippines have looked forward to. The year-end event where all K-pop fans gather together to celebrate the joys of fandom - the Philippine K-pop Convention or simply KCON, and this year is the 6th.

This is the first year of my K-pop fandom. Around the same time last year, I didn't even think of myself attending a gathering like this. I had always been a fan of K-dramas but I didn't think I'll one day join a bunch of people, mostly teenagers, cheering and shouting my heart out for boys and girls performing on-stage in a language I don't understand. But things like that happen. Because of sudden turn of events (that maybe I'll write about in the near future), I became a K-pop fangirl at age 24. And I guess I'm such a lucky yeoja because on my first K-con, two of the very few groups I follow - SISTAR and GOT7 were confirmed to perform in the KCON concert.

Since this is my first K-con attendance, there were some things I though I had done better. So here it goes - the five (5) things I learned from #KCON6:

1. Wag magmadali bumili ng ticket (or magtabi ng pera pang-upgrade in case may mas magandang package).
-A few days after it was announced that SISTAR and GOT7 are in attendance, ticket packages were released.
General Admission - PHP 1000
VIP - PHP 3000
Royalty Package - PHP 10000 (includes photo op and hi-touch with chosen artist)
 I didn't think I was ready then to spend so much for a K-pop concert, but they are my favorite groups so I didn't want a Gen Ad ticket either, so without further ado, right on the day of release, I bought a VIP ticket. But then, 2weeks before the event, the organizers announced that VVIP tickets will be available for PHP 5000 and ticket holders will get a seat right in front of the stage next to Royalty ticket holders. Previously purchased tickets (GenAd and VIP) where upgradeable, but by then, I did not have money anymore. I tried to console myself that there is not much of a difference between VIP and VVIP, but on the day of the concert, I realized how wrong I was. The VVIP folks decided that it's not enough to be infront of the stage and they all stood on their chairs, so everyone else at the back only saw the LED.

2. If you can afford it, GET A RESERVED SEAT! (because it's fvckn worth it)
-I didn't think that 10K for the Royalty package was worth it. It's hi-touch and photo op lang naman. I've read that in Kpop, pag hi-touch, hi-touch lang, walang yakap. Pag photo op, official photo lang, walang selca. But tonight, I learned (the hard way) na kung game ang mga bias mo, rules can be bent. My heart broke in a million pieces as I see fans hugging my bias and others uploading stolen selcas, while telling myself, "You would have been there too if you were not stupid!"

3. If you can't afford a reserved seat, magdala ng monopod (kung gusto mo ng matinong shots).
-The last time I watched a live concert was 3 years ago. Back then, there were no monopods yet and smartphones were not yet in abundance. Now, recording "fancams" is seemingly becoming a part of enjoying the show. Plus, with the innovation in selca-taking called monopods, you can already record a video on top of everyone's head. That way, if you cannot clearly see the stage from where you stand, at least your phone recorded a pretty good one and you can juat watch it later.

4. Kung hindi ka naman matangkad, pumasok ka ng maaga para nasa unahan ka or else, puro kamay at cameraphone ang makikita mo.
-As mentioned in the previous item, smartphones and monopods are already part of the experience, so it's almost impossible to see anything from the back unless you are freakin' tall. So if you want to really see the artists on stage and not just stare on the LED, make sure to come in early and occupy the front space (and never ever leave, not even take a pee).

5. Kung mataba at tinatamad magpapayat, wag pumili ng standing ticket.
-Another thing I learned the hard way. KCON lasted for hours and I was standing the whole time. My weight has taken it's toll on my legs and when I went home, they were already numb. So next year, I have to lose weight before KCON7... unless I'm getting a reserved seat.

But as what they always say, despite how difficult it was, first times are always awesome. Our first times in whatever are the moments where we make mistakes and learn from them. So despite all that, it was an awesome experience.

Thanks to everyone who worked hard to make KCON6 a great experience for a new fan like me. To the organizers: PULP, Happee See, event sponsors, and of course to JYP Nation PH and GOT7PH admins who in a way had made my experience awesome. Looking forward for more awesome events. Fighting!

(c) PKCI for the official KCON6 banner.

Ignorance Can Be Cured, Stupid is Forever

After 3 weeks of being on my bedside table due to my busy schedule, I got to finish reading what is probably one of funniest yet most intelligent book I've read in a long time (the last time was Lord de Veyra's This is A Crazy Planets 2). This book by probably the most popular politician and intellectual in this country, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago was released earlier this month and copies was sold within the day. On the day of the launching, first 100 booknuts got a pre-singed copy and first 200 got a photo op. I artived about an hout after the store opening but I didn't even make the lucky list. The line alone to the cashier was ridiculously long and seeing how many people waited for hours just to get a copy felt really good. My initial reaction seeing many people - young and old alike- crowding the National Bookstore in Trinoma that day was, "May pag-asa pa ang Pilipinas".

The 132-page book is collection of jokes, pick-up lines that we see her deliver on TV and transcripts of some of the Senator's most famous commencement speeches. 

The humor, sarcasm and satire in each page is very heart-warming yet sad at times. Every chapter will make you cringe, laugh, shake your head, and laugh once again. I took it one page at a time and it surely was a wonderful journey. But of course, there is no better feeling that reading the thoughts of the bravest woman I know.

Long live Sen. Miriam!

Why I Can't Excel The Way Others Expect Me To

Today, I feel kinda depressed to the point of writing, and I don't know wether to feel good or bad about. It had been a while since the last time I felt and intense emotion - intense enought to write about it.

I realized that what people don't understand is that a 'will issue' is not just about 'will'. They would always say that as long as you badly want something and you have the will to do it, it will happen. But it's not always the case. At least not for me.

For instance, I so freakin' badly want to be good at MMA, I have the will to do it. I was so freakin' willing to go on training and get bruised and be sore from sparring, but my grip is not strong enough to hold someone to submission, my punch is not strong enough to knock someone out and my kick, no matter how technical is not strong enough to hurt someone. So I can't be an MMA fighter now not because I don't have enough will to be one, but because my physical attributes wont cooperate. I also want to lose weight and stand at 120lbs, I want it badly. I tried every diet you can think about, I ran, went to the gym, did boxing, even starved myself at one point, by I only lose very little weight because after a while I would end up binge eating because I am not used to watching what I eat. I am fat now not because I don't have the will to be skinny, but because my food cravings think losing weight is funny.

But this writing is not about MMA or about losing weight. I have already come to accept that I may just always be an overweight MMA fan who watches UFC on TV shouting at how someone should beat an opponent when even I can't do it. And I have already embraced that part of me.

What bugs me now is the fact that no matter how I want to, I just cant excel at work. I know I am good at something but it is just not enough to be who I want to be. At first I thought it's maybe because I don't want it enough. Maybe if I want it a little bit more then I would end up trying harder and I will eventually make it where I want to be. But I realize it's not that simple. I grow up a happy-go-lucky girl who don't really care so much about things. Growing up, I only wanted simple things, so I got them without trying so hard. I was contented with the little things because I was taught that if you can't have something, you simply let it go. I was never ambitious and I have very simple sources of happiness. I never wanted grand things and even when I wanted to, the moment I realize we can't afford it, I would let it go and go back to what I have. That easy-going, simple attitude had worked great for me in the past 24 years, but it turned out that as you mature, you would want to do things that would require ambition. Goals that would require doing more than what you think you can, or have tried to do. Stuff that would force you to go out of your comfort zone and situations where you have to step on someone's dream to get to yours.

*Now 'Dreaming' by Kim Soo Hyun (from Dream High) is playing the background while tears are flowing down my face. Pwe~*

I had always been asked what seems to be the problem. Why can't I be consistent? Why can't I make it even if I have the ability to do so? I thought really hard for the answer, and I think I know it now. But even if I knew it back then when I was asked the question, I don't think I will ever be able to say it anyway. I am not good at telling people how I feel, especially if I had to go deep unto my emotion. I am so freakin' good at wearing an awesome facade and sometimes even if I want to, I just can't take it off. So now that I was able to finally dig into the issue, I wanted to write it instead. Paper is patient (or in this case, the internet) - it doesn't judge, although those who will read it may. But at least writing it down will avoid premature reactions. By writing, I am able to express everything without interuption.

So getting down to the main business about why I can't excel the way people expect me to be: I think it's the same reason why you can't expect a 10-year-old guard dog to suddenly be nice to strangers (pardon the metaphor). Nurturing a dream takes years, and I had only been working on it for a few months. On the other hand, I am not physically strong because I grew up doing nothing but watching anime and reading books. Unlike technique, physical strength takes years of training and patience, and the same thing goes to mental strength. To be mentally and psychologically strong enough to handle the pressure ofambitions, to learn how to fight the odds and muster the strength to push others out of the way to reach your goal - such things doesn't happen overnight as the phrase goes. I am not used to trying so hard. I am not much of a fighter. But I think it's about time I start being one.

These are not excuses, but rather an understanding of one's self. I believe that you will never be able to fix something unless you know there is something wrong. And now that I think I already know what the hell is wrong with me, I believe this is where the process of my growth starts. Others may think that starting to grow at 24 is a bit too late, but it's better to be late that absent (lol). But outgrowing myself and beating that girl in the mirror is something I can't do alone. I need help and I need others' strength. And I hope that I have people behind me as I fight in this battle.

-xoxo-

PXC 41: The Rise of PH WMMA

November 9, 2011, Saturday is a great day for women MMA fans. Philippine Xtreme Combat (PXC) 41 has now showcased the first WMMA fight in the Philippines. An all-out war between French-American Nathalie Heidel and Filipina Gina Iniong.

For years now, Filipinas had already been fighting in men-dominated sports like boxing, however, women fighters are not getting as much publicity as the men. Probably, this is because the Filipino society still can't shake off the mentality that women are supposed to be sheltered at home and cook the meal.

Anyway what were you doing when you were 21? Partying hard? Crying over a heartbreak? Gina Iniong, a BS Criminology student from Baguio, at 21 is the first Pinay to reign in the Pacific Xtreme Combat (PXC) Terror Dome knocking out Heidel with accurate and explosive punches in the first round. In her post-fight interview, she said it had always been a dream to be the first Filipina fighter in the PXC. Well she had already reached that dream and this girl surely still have a very long way to go.

Photos courtesy of PXC

I remember the time both fighters met in the cage, some middle-aged man commented, "Di naman mukhang tomboy!" (They don't look like tomboys). This only shows that most men in this country still thinks that only men will be interested in such a dangerous sport and the only women who will be brave enough to do it are the lesbians.

I believe that this is the start of the journey of women in this male-dominated sport. Soon, more and more women will come out of their comfort zones and fight in the cage. Gone are the days when Filipinas only stay at home, clean the house and watch the kids. Now is the era where women goes out to the word and fight the battles, being the best possible versions of themselves.