Though it’s really hard for me to believe that in less than 24 hours I’ll be in LA, the truth is I will be and that means KCON 2016 LA is only a few days away. I’ve been trying really hard not to let my inner fangirl get the better of me these past few days and I think that (so far) I’ve done a pretty good job. Sure, I might be a little bit excited about the fact that I’m only days away from seeing so many of my beloved groups again… And I might be just a tad excited about being on so many panels this year (4, to be exact)… And maybe I’m just slightly excited about being able to spend the next few days with some of most favorite people in the world… But I really haven’t let all of that get to me too much… I don’t think… Well… Maybe I have a little bit… Maybe… *ahem* Excuse me for a moment…
OHMYGOSHI’MSOEXCITEDI’MGOINGTOBEINLAANDI’MGONNASEEMYFRIENDSANDI’MGONNASEEMYBOYSANDI’MGONNABEONPANELSANDI’MGONNAEATALLTHEFOODANDI’MGONNADRINKALLTHECOFFEEANDHOLYCRAPSHINEEANDBTSANDASTROANDBTSANDBLOCKBANDMONSTAXANDBTSANDSUGAANDASDFGHJKL!!!
Okay, so maybe I’m more than a little bit excited about this trip to LA but I have a very good reason to be. I mean it’s not every day you get to spend days and days hanging out with friends, eating amazing food, wandering around a convention center with thousands upon thousands of other Hallyu loving chingus, speaking on panels, taking photos of celebrities (well, I’m still waiting on the confirmation for that one but hey, I’m nothing if not optimistic), sitting in on other panels and workshops and attending two nights of epically amazing concerts! Seriously, this is the kind of trip I’ve spent most of my life dreaming about so of course I’m going to be hyped!
If you happen to be headed to LA this weekend for KCON, I hope we have the chance to meet up and say hi. There’s really nothing I love more than having the chance to put a face with the names I see so often around here. I got to do that in NY and it totally made my day so I’m hoping to do the same this weekend.
If you’re wondering where you might find me, here’s the skinny: On Friday, I’ll be a part of “THE RETURN O THE SECRET LIFE OF K-POP FANS OVER 30” panel, which starts at 1:30PM in panel room 153A, and “THE EVOLUTION OF K-DRAMA GENRES FROM 2010 TO NOW” panel, which starts at 4:30 PM in room 153B. On Saturday I’ll be a part of the “SO YOUR KID IS A K-POP FAN” panel, which starts at 11:30 AM in room 150A, and on Sunday I’ll be a part of the “K-POP IDOLS & SNS DRAMAS” panel, which starts at 3:00 PM in room 150B.
Apart from those 4 panels, I’ll probably just be wandering around the convention. (Unless by some miracle I actually get an audience pass to one of the artist engagements, which I don’t really expect to get but again, I’m an optimist so why not cross my fingers and hope for the best?) If all goes well, I should also be taking photos at the Red Carpet events on Saturday and Sunday night for ATK Magazine but I have no official word on that yet so I can’t say anything with any certainty there. I will be taking photos of pretty much everything else KCON has to offer and I definitely want to check out the Flower Boy Coffee Shop at some point because, you know… That would totally make an interesting story for… Uhh… Umm… Oh okay. Fine! I’ll admit it! I just want to sit in a coffee shop for an hour and be waited on by pretty boys as I imagine myself the heroine of my own flower boy drama. Okay! Are you happy now? I’ve finally admitted my patheticness to the world! (As if the world didn’t already know I was hopeless… hahaha)
On a less pathetic (but perhaps equally hopeless note) I’ll definitely be spending some time at the Korean Food Market KCON has planned for this year. The fact that they’ve partnered with the KTOWN Night Market has me absolutely giddy. With over 50 different food choices, this promises to far outshine the sadly pathetic excuse food choices KCON offered last year. (Three food trucks does not cut it when you’ve got that many hungry people around!) I’m really hoping this food market is more like the marketplace KCON had set up two years ago, when there were food trucks galore and more options than any one zombie could sample in a weekend. As I’m completely addicted to food in general, I’m hoping I can check out as many of the vendors at this market as possible. Hmmm… Maybe I should recruit some friends to help me sample the goodies…
As this promises to be the biggest and best KCON yet, there’s so much to look forward to, I can’t even begin to squee over it all. I mean, I’d really like to but I’ve still got packing to do and well, I’m sure you have better things to do than sit around and ready my crazy spazzing. If you’re going to be in LA this weekend and you happen to see a fairy-haired zombie wandering around toting a bright red camera and a smile, please stop me and say hi. I’ll be more than happy to squee with you over BTS… (OH CRAP! I still haven’t gotten over Suga in NY! How am I ever gonna survive seeing him again!?! Or Jimin!?! Or Jin!?! Or Hobie!?! Or… OKAY, FINE! HOW AM I GOING TO SURVIVE THEM ALL!?!) Or Block B… (OMG! I’m gonna see Zico again! *SQUEE*) Or Astro… (OH HOLY MONKEYS! If I catch Rocky or Moonbin smiling in my general direction my life will be complete!) Or Monsta X… (HOLY BUCKETS IF THEY PERFORM “ALL IN” I’M GONNA DIE!) Or SHINee… (OHHHHHHHH! NOPE! JUST… NOPE! NOPE! ALL THE NOPEY-NOPE-NOPE!)
Obviously I need to calm myself down a bit. It probably wouldn’t hurt if I walked away from the computer for a while, maybe went and did something more productive than watch BTS’ “Save Me” MV for the 18 trillionth time… Oh! I know what I can do! I’ll go pack! Or at least attempt to… I’m actually finding it really hard not to just set my closet on fire at the moment as I hate pretty much everything in there. (And yes, I’m totally singing “Fire” now…) But whatever! I’m not going to let a lack of decent summer clothes get me down, especially not when I’m hours away from hopping a plane to LA! I’ll just do the best I can and say… Well, never mind what I’ll say. I’m off to pack! And for those of you going to KCON… I’LL SEE YOU IN LA! *squee*