12 hours ago, prior to my flight to Hong Kong, I researched what was happening in the city during my brief 2-day stay. And in a moment of pure 'yolo', I bought a ticket, and hoped like hell my flight would make it in time.
K-Pop superstars of the likes of BTS, Exo, GOT7, Red Velvet, Wanna One, and Super Junior performed throughout the course of the 4 hour awards show... Because what better way to combat severe jet lag than by standing for 4 hours straight while teenage fangirls shriek in your ears?
But in all seriousness, this was a really special experience. I'm so used to being the minority at the shows I usually attend - a scene in which the vast majority of the crowd, the crew, and the artists look nothing like me. I always try to make a point to experience a show or festival whenever I travel, and this spectacle was such a fascinating and personally enriching musical adventure to stumble upon.
My roommate has long been attempting to plant the K-Pop seeds in my musical mind - making me watch BTS music videos, listening to BTS in our living room, playing BTS while I sleep so it becomes embedded in my subconscious (ok hopefully not the last one). Well you know what, roomie? FINE, YOU WIN.
Note - the doodad pictured is a light stick. Fans brought different light sticks in support of their favourite artists, and waved them in the air, creating a kaleidoscope of illuminated fangirlsm. Not only is this a pretty neat concept, it also helped me identify which bands were performing.
