I’ve never been a real fan of anyone before. Even as a teenager I’m not big in swooning some band or actors. Sure I like some more than others and do follow, listen and watch their songs or movies but never did I post a picture on my bedroom wall and truly say stupidly dream about some person I just watched in a film or movie and don’t even really know. Until Kwon Sang Woo.
The first time I’ve seen of Kwon Sang Woo is in Stairway to Heaven. I watched that drama straight in 2 days and cried my eyes out. I felt like an idiot but I don’t particularly care. And, that’s when my love of everything about Kwon Sang Woo was born. Everybody in my home and at the office knows about my particular obsession of this guy who lives in South Korea and don’t even know I exists. I probably seem to be like a lunatic to a lot people since I’m not a teenager anymore at that time. And, they are probably wondering what in the world is my reason swooning for this particular actor. But, because they love me they tolerate my idiocy.
Although, I’m an adoring fan, I still have some remaining logic left in brain, so, even if most of the time I’m at the same country as Kwon Sang Woo while he’s touring for promoting some brand or having a concert, I never did bought a ticket to watch his events. I never like going to those kind of events in fear I may get hurt due to my physical disability. So, I’m just happy reading articles about him and watching almost all his dramas and movies. He simply just makes me smile when I’m truly sad or feeling lonely and that in itself is already weird even for me but I figure might as well enjoy my mid-life crisis.
But, everything changed on 2006, on the day of my birthday nonetheless. It is still vivid in my mind when my boss called me up while my Mom and I are enjoying my birthday lunch celebration trying to see if the good recommendation of a posh restaurant in Makati delivers at its exuberant price. When I got the call, I thought it was about work but he actually gave me an information that will totally make that year one of the best birthdays I’ve ever had in my life. Kwon Sang Woo is in Manila and you can have a VIP ticket if you purchase worth P 5,000.00 of beauty products at the Face Shop, a Korean brand where Kwon Sang Woo is a model and currently touring in Asia for promoting it. According to the promotion of the Face Shop, if you have a VIP Ticket, you will have a front seat reserve ticket and will be able to personally shake the hands of Kwon Sang Woo. After hearing that, I practically would like to swallow the rest of my food in my mouth and force my Mom to do the same, so, I can rush to the The Face Shop and buy anything to get the VIP ticket.
Now you might wonder what so special about this thing. I mean so what? Well, meeting Kwon Sang Woo on the 18th of December 2006 is when I realized there’s truly such thing as fate. I was destined to truly see, kiss and touch literally the guy I’ve been keeling over for the past several years on the day after my birthday. First, the one who gave me the news that Kwon Sang Woo was here and I can watch him live was my boss. A boss who will never in my wildest dream will take time to call me about it. He is not the type who will waste his time for something trivial as this but lo and behold he did. Second, when I reached The Face Shop, there’s only two VIP tickets left for that particular branch to dispense. And, there’s so many people there who were trying to get it. So, I’ve literally bought my Mom and I stuff we did wonder what to do with it when we got home. The check out line was so long and I was already praying the ticket was still available and it was, I got the very last VIP ticket. Third, The Face Shop didn’t truthfully explain in regards to the real mechanics of the VIP ticket; wherein having a VIP ticket you’ll have the opportunity to personally shake hands with Kwon Sang Woo. What they left out was that this opportunity was not 100% guaranteed. It will be raffled with 20 VIP tickets the chance to shake his hand and another 20 to get his autograph. Falling in line for more than 5 hours and not going to work to earn were truly a grueling sacrifice to do for someone who doesn’t even know you. But, I did it. He showed up in Glorietta and pandemonium started. He actually didn’t really do much to make it worth the more than 7 hours of waiting but just like everyone else it didn’t really matter to me. We were all simply and stupidly happy enough to see him in person. When the raffle started we were all excited until the time that the last remaining 2 tickets to be called. At that particular moment, I was already resolved to the fact that I will not have that chance anymore, so, I started chatting with the person beside me. I didn’t even know my ticket number was called until my new friend called my attention to it. I was truly startled that my ticket number was again the last winning ticket to have a chance to touch and shake Kwon Sang Woo’s hand. All the winners were giddy to received their price including myself. Now, you got to understand that Koreans are quite conservative and holding hands is a big deal for them. More so, in kissing them in their cheeks. So, I got to thank the girl 5 places ahead of me in line who brazenly kissed Kwon Sang Woo’s cheeks even with a 250 lbs. muscled-bound guard right beside our idol. Because, you know what? This means that the rest of us in line following her can now kiss his cheeks as well. And, so I did with all of my glory that day. Spending money to the salon as if I am going on a date didn’t go in vain. It was truly fate that I got to meet, shaked hands and kissed Kwon Sang Woo. It was truly a 2-second unforgettable moment, however, hopefully, he’s the last one I will go crazy for because honestly, it is truly too much work in being an avid fan. Definitely, though, I have no regrets as the experience was well worth it, moreover it was truly destined to happen anyway.