Tag: K-pop

One would think that after three incredible days in Vegas, there would be nothing left to say, especially not about the day I flew home. Oddly enough, adventure still managed to find me one last time…

Waking up far too early yet again, my friend was out the door before I was even dressed, off to drop her daughter off at work and bring back a life-saving cup of strong black coffee. While she was away, I reluctantly started packing. Despite not buying much, I still had to get a bit creative with my packing. I was very glad I decided to bring my big backpack because dang! By the time I was done, that sucker was full!

With packing complete and coffee consumed, it was time to check out of the hotel and head to lunch. Breakfast? Dinner? I’m not really sure what it was, but considering it was the only meal I had that day, does it really matter what it’s called?

Having consumed absolutely zero Korean food over the past few days, it only made sense to end our adventures with a little Korean BBQ. And what better place to scratch that itch than by visiting BTS’ favorite Korean restaurant? In all honesty, we weren’t going to bother going because the place had been packed all week and neither of us really felt like waiting in line for ages to eat a meal that would cost us way too much, when we could just as easily get something similar elsewhere. But then, as we were loading up the car, I started thinking… (A dangerous thing to do, I know!)

Here I was in Vegas, with one of my dearest friends, enjoying a BTS-filled week of wonder and joy. When would I ever have another chance to do something like this again? When would I be in a place where I could eat a meal at a restaurant known to be one of my favorite band’s favorite places, with dishes that were actual member favorites, with a friend who would appreciate it all every bit as much as I did? The answer was obviously never, so then I started thinking some more… Why would I let something as silly as a price tag keep me from enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Sure, the meal set was ridiculously overpriced but so what? My friend had done so much to make this week possible, covered so many of our expenses herself, it would be absolutely wrong of me to not do this one little thing in return. So I did the only thing I could do, I offered to make this one last hurrah my treat. Because why not? It’s Vegas, baby and you really do only live once!

I’m happy to say it didn’t take her much convincing to join me on this little adventure, so off we went! It was early enough in the day that we were one of the first in line at the restaurant, which was great because it meant we got to sit on the bench right in front of the storefront, under the awning and out of the sun. I guess the K-Pop gods were still looking out for us! Little did I know just how much! 

Being one of the first in line, we were very naturally one of the first to be seated. Not long after seating us, one of the older gentlemen working (and by older I mean my age, so not actually old at all) came over to talk to the ladies at the table next to us, before working his way over to us. While we chatted, he casually asked if we liked BTS, to which we casually replied in the affirmative, adding that we’ve been fans for a very long time. When he wrapped up the conversation and walked away, we figured that was the end of it but about halfway through the meal he came back, as servers usually do, to check on how we were doing and start up a little more chit-chat. This time, as we were chatting, he happened to just casually throw out that BTS had been in for dinner at around 02:00 that morning. My friend and I were happy to hear that, as it’s not every day you occupy the same space as your favorite humans within such a short amount of time. But that little tidbit of news was just a teaser for what he was about to tell us. 

Turns out, not only was BTS eating dinner in the same restaurant we were now dining, mere hours earlier, but they were sitting in the exact same seats we (and the three ladies at the table to my left) were now sitting. To say our collective minds were blown would be a bit of an understatement. I asked my friend if she had any idea who might have been sitting in her seat but in the end, she didn’t have to guess because the same gentleman came back again and told us exactly who was sitting where. The woman closest to me at the table next to us was sitting in RM’s seat, across from her was where Jin had been sitting, and next to her was where J-Hope had been sitting. My friend, turns out, was sitting in Suga’s seat and I was sitting in Jungkook’s. 

Now, I’m not one to go absolutely bat-shit crazy, just because I’m breathing the same air as my favorite idols (I might get a little excited every now and then but nothing too crazy, I swear!) but finding out that you’re sitting in a seat that was occupied, only hours before, by BTS is an unexpected surprise, to be sure! I mean, when you think about it, what are the freaking odds? The restaurant wasn’t small, they could have seated us anywhere, but they sat us right there, at that exact moment, with no chance of anyone else having sat there since BTS left… It’s just one of those things that’s too crazy to really comprehend and yet, it happened. We sat in their seats, eating foods that they love, at a restaurant they love, right after seeing them give us a show we all loved… Talk about a surreal moment! And to think we almost missed out on this weird and random happenstance because of something as ridiculous as money… It’s wild, man. Absolutely wild!

Had the K-Pop gods really been smiling on us this entire time? I don’t know but there had been plenty of moments over the past few days when it felt like they had been and that was definitely one of them!

From the restaurant we went around the corner to visit a pretty groovy K-Pop store where I spent way too much money buying albums I should have owned years ago but somehow never got around to buying as a physical copy. I would say don’t judge me but really, I don’t care if you do. Life was rough in those days and I’m just happy I have the means to make up for lost time now! Bringing home five albums wasn’t on my things-to-do-in-Vegas list, but considering out of those five albums, three of them had Jimin’s photo card in them, I’d say it was totally worth it! (And yes, for those of you who don’t already know or haven’t been able to figure it out by now, Jimin is my bias and has been for a very, very, very long time.)

The worst part of traveling is knowing that eventually, you have to go home. With the day quickly getting away from us, there were just a couple more stops we had to make before we headed for the airport. Luckily, one of those stops was next to a cute little cafe that just happened to be advertising a BTS-themed drink on their sidewalk sandwich board. Unable to resist one last little treat, we stepped inside and I walked out with the cutest little ARMY-themed latte which, coincidentally enough, was also quite tasty. Drink-in-hand, it was time to head to the airport, my heart overflowing with joy so intense, I had to fight really hard not to just break down and cry.

To say this trip was unforgettable feels like such a ridiculous understatement. Spending four days with people who heal your soul is always a good thing, but doing that in a city full of fellow ARMY who are overflowing with an abundance of joy that rivals your own, is something else entirely. The city felt alive with this overall sense of community and camaraderie that I’m convinced you could never find anywhere else on earth. I mean, I suppose if BTS takes over another city like this, you might be able to experience the same thing there, but I don’t know… There’s just something about Vegas. It has an energy all its own and when you pair that with the love and devotion of tens of thousands of ARMY, it’s really nothing short of magic. 

With one concert behind me and another beckoning, I knew this third day in Vegas was going to be another one for the history books. I just had no idea how memorable this day was actually going to end up being! Which, at this point, seems to be par for the course…

After two full days of Vegas shenanigans and only three hours of sleep (again), one could hardly blame me for taking my third day in Sin City a little easy. Up far too early (yet again), there was only one thing to do: HUNT. DOWN. COFFEE. Sadly, the closest coffee was a friggin’ Starbucks which was hands-down the most disappointing experience of my entire trip. Having spent three agonizingly long years working as a barista/trainer, I do have to marvel at this location’s ability to royally screw up 6 shots over ice. Standing there, watching my shots die (twice), I really wanted to cry. (Talk about depresso espresso!) Miraculously, I pulled myself together long enough to gather my sad, pathetic coffees and trudge back up to the room. 

It’s truly wondrous, the magic that happens when you’re with a good friend. Despite the god-awful coffee, the vibes for the day picked up as soon as I walked into our room. Agreeing that neither one of us actually felt like doing much, we decided that the best way to spend the day was to order room service and chill. Naturally, when you’re hours away from a BTS concert and a dedicated fangirl for life, “chill” really means “spend the entire day making more freebies.” Which is exactly what we did.

Armed with more beads than my grandparents at Mardi Gras (and yes, they absolutely DID go to Mardi Gras and the amount of beads they brought back for us grandkids was so impressive it lives as a core memory in my brain to this day), we got to work. Our goal: to make as many lightstick charms as we possibly could while my friend’s daughter worked. (Poor kid, having to work when BTS has claimed the city… Boo!) Combining our creative energy, we spent the next few hours crafting as we talked and laughed and just enjoyed a peaceful moment spent in each other’s company. 

While sitting around in a hotel room for hours, making BTS crafts might not seem thrilling to a lot of people, I can tell you with absolute certainty, it’s exactly what my soul needed. There’s something so cathartic about pouring creative energy into something you love and when you get to do that with a friend, it’s even better; especially when you and said friend have spent the last decade existing on different sides of the country.

With charms made, packaged, and work done for the day, it was finally time to get ready and head back to the stadium. Despite having experienced the wonder and magic of BTS the night before, I was still a mess of nerves and excitement. I mean, it’s not every day you get to see BTS, and that whole not knowing which surprise songs they’re going to do really adds a level of excitement and anticipation! After all, they played one of the songs of my friend’s DJ, Spin sign yesterday. What if they played one of mine tonight??? The very thought was enough to make the butterflies in my stomach breakdance!

Wending our way through Mandalay Bay, we once again found ourselves in the middle of a giant freebie exchange and with these freaking adorable charms in-hand, my friend was absolutely swarmed! I mean, I had stickers & photocards to hand out, which were happily accepted, but man! These charms made people go absolutely feral. I think pairing them with a bias photocard might have had something to do with that but still! It was so funny, watching her surrounded by near-feral ARMY while I stood off to the side with my handful of freebies, just chillin’. 

Once the charms ran out we made our way back across the bridge and into the stadium. Again, club seats are the way to go! We were on the opposite side of the stadium, but the food was equally delicious. Char siu pork over rice, with Hawaiian mac salad and seasoned vegetables? C’mon! It was a whole-ass Hawaiian plate lunch and it was so freaking tasty! Delicious food aside, we also had our own little merch booth which actually had the one thing I’d been looking for: the friggin’ lightstick cradle. Unable to resist temptation (yet again) I had to buy it because I am nothing if not weak and pathetic!

With tummy full and merch in-hand it was time to find our seats. An easy enough task, considering I was one seat in from the end. Though I was a little sad I wasn’t sitting with my friend for this show, I had no problem talking to the girl next to me. Which, to be honest, is really odd because as I’ve already said, small talk just isn’t my thing. I suppose I felt the need to say something before the show started and I broke down into a psychotic mess of a fangirl, just so she knew I was at least sorta normal. Or could be at times anyway… 

Not that normal would be the word to use to describe me once the show started. I swear, the second I saw that smoke-bearing runner took the stage, I completely lost my shit. Again. 

From that point on, there was no hope for me. I was so caught up in the moment, all I could do was sing and dance and do my darndest to try to embed this night in my memory for all eternity. I’m honestly not sure how well I did that last part, because gosh darnit, I was such an emotional mess! Still, there are moments I most definitely remember.

I remember Hobi’s very first “Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!” during the opening lines of “Hooligan” and the way 70,000 voices joined him in perfect unison, yet with a level of unbridled excitement so wildly exuberant, it set the tone of the entire rest of the evening. I remember the energy that carried on through “Aliens” and how everyone in the entire stadium was singing along as RM declared, “Everybody know now where the K is!” I remember smiling like a damn fool as the choreography for “Run BTS” made my freaking brain melt in exactly the same way it had the night before.

I remember feeling every broken heartbeat as they sang their hearts out to “they don’t know ‘bout us” and feeling my soul answer the call to wild abandon during “Like Animals.” (Seriously, one of the best tracks on the entire album and certainly my favorite!) I remember screaming “FAKE LOVE!” with all the emotion only someone who’s lived through life’s most bitter heartbreaks possibly can, and being transported to a place of peace and reassurance as BTS performed “Swim.”

Once again, I felt the heartbreak so obviously present in “Merry Go Round” and how sincerely I wished the men who brought me so much joy could find an equal measure of joy somewhere in this big wide world. 

I remember the absolute elation that took over when those first few notes of “2.0” started playing. I swear, that song is so freaking good, but seeing it live takes it to an entirely different level. That choreography is just… *chef’s kiss*! If I hadn’t been losing my absolute shit, I would have been in utter awe. (Though maybe I hit that level of awe first and that’s exactly why I lost my shit???) I’m gonna be honest with you, at this point in the show, I was just so overwhelmed with emotions so big, there was no way my poor little heart could contain them so things started to kinda blur together. I know they performed “NORMAL” because the emotion of that song had my heart breaking and soaring, all at the same time. (I really, REALLY love that song!)

And then they hit us with “MIC Drop” and to quote RM, “GODDAMN!” If you’re imagining a sold out stadium going absolutely wild, take that mental image, multiply it by about a thousand, and you might get close to the level of energy in the room at that exact moment. But then they went into their “FYA” / “FIRE” combo and holy fuck!

I know that between all these different sets, the guys took time to talk to us, smile at us, make our hearts flutter, and our minds melt, but do I remember what they said? No. I remember their smiles and their silliness but their exact words??? Beats the heck out of me!

I know that when they performed “Body to Body” the entire stadium sang the “Arirang” sample with a unified voice so loud you could clearly see the looks of pride and gratitude on every member’s face. I know that when “IDOL” started, we once again lost our shit and most definitely needed that moment between sets to at least attempt to collect ourselves. 

I remember Jimin being sick, which broke my heart because I absolutely hate it when my favorite people are sick. I remember that despite being sick, he still treated us to one of his incredible acrobatic flips and how it nearly stopped my heart because seriously, my dude. If you have a fever, you probably shouldn’t be flippin’! 

I remember my heart stopping when the band came back, singing “Come Over” as they made their way back to the stage. It didn’t matter that I’d seen them sing it the night before, it hit just as hard this second day and maybe even harder, just because I was so much deeper into my feels.

I remember Jin’s pigtails and the way they bopped around during the “Butter” / “Dynamite” set. I remember him shaking each member’s hand as he thanked them for working so hard to make this tour a success and the way he and Jungkook were absolutely hilarious with their shared antics throughout the night. I swear, those two are such an adorable pair; I can understand why people might mistake them for brothers! I remember V trying to kill us all by unzipping his hoodie to reveal a chest that was most definitely NOT covered by a shirt! I remember more of Suga’s wiggles and his ridiculously adorable smile during his closing comments. I remember RM being far too handsome for anyone’s good. (Seriously, that man needs to back ALL THE WAY OFF!) I remember Hobi stealing all our hearts with his unfiltered sunshine, lethal smile, and stunning moves.

And then came the surprise songs…

When they played “Boyz with Fun,” I thought I had reached the pinnacle of fangirl euphoria. But when I heard that first note of “Danger”? I. LOST. MY. SHIT. 

Did I go into these concerts expecting to cry? No. No I did not. Did that stop me from bawling my eyes out as I watched them perform one of my favorite songs, off one of my favorite albums? Absolutely not! Tears of joy streamed down my face as I watched my beloved boys (who are most definitely no longer boys) sing and dance and goof around to one of the songs that solidified my love for them, for all eternity.

I would have loved to have captured just a tiny piece of that glorious moment on camera but there was no freaking way I could even keep my phone in my hand, let alone film anything with it. I was so far gone, I’m pretty sure the poor dude sitting next to me thought I was having some sort of psychotic episode. To be fair, I probably was, but this song has so much sentimental value attached to it, I just couldn’t help myself!

Dark & Wild was THE album for me. At the time of its release, it was the epitome of what K-Pop could be, should be, and needed to be. The very same friend I was in Vegas with, was the friend I squealed over the phone with as we listened to this album together for the very first time. It was the album they were promoting, the first time I saw BTS perform in-person. That tousle-headed Jimin was the one I accidentally ran (quite literally) into at LAX. Dark & Wild was the album that solidified my love of BTS for always and for ever, so to have them play “Danger” on the last night, of the first leg of their 2026 tour, with my friend sitting just a couple rows in front of me, hit something residing at the very core of my being so hard it made my soul sing!

I wish I could give you a better recap of these concerts but the truth of the matter is, I didn’t go to see BTS to write about the show. I went to enjoy myself in every way I could which is exactly what I did. I was one of 70,000 other ARMY who gathered in Vegas to show BTS just how much we love them, just how much we missed them, and how happy we were to have them back. The energy that last night was beyond intense. Everyone goes to Vegas to have a good time but this… Being there, in that moment, was an experience beyond what anyone could have possibly imagined, myself included.

To say BTS ended the night on a high would be an understatement. By the time they got to “Please” and “Into the Sun,” the crowd was absolutely feral, especially when Jungkook changed the line, “Nobody knows me, honey…” to “Nobody knows me, Vegas, no one like you…” which he sang, in this perfectly glorious line of harmonies to the underlying track that sent the entire stadium into a frenzy! I have no doubt, every single person in that stadium left that night with a heart full of joy and a head full of memories. My dearest wish is that RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook are able to say the same. I hope they left Vegas knowing they’re as loved beyond measure and that ARMY will always be here to support them. No matter what.

Ending the night on such a high, there was really only one thing left to do… Grab mediocre food at midnight, miss the last tram back to the strip, be forced to walk back through the last of the casinos I hadn’t seen yet, and meander our way across the strip as we reminisced about our favorite moments of the night. Back at our room, my bed beckoned the second I walked through the door and I was far too weak to resist. Allowing myself to be wrapped in its sweet embrace, I let sleep claim me, my soul and peace and my heart full.

When you wake up knowing that in just a few short hours, you’re going to be seeing one of your favorite bands live and in-person, the day just feels different. The sun is brighter, the birdsong is cheerier, the coffee is stronger… Well, the need for coffee is stronger anyway, especially when you’re running on Central Time while the rest of Vegas is grounded solidly in Pacific Time. Ugh! Why does 06:00 come so early!?

Despite my horrid brain’s incessant need to wake me up at 06:00, no matter where in the world I actually am, the day started off as well as any day could. Having experienced so much of what Vegas has to offer the day before, my friend and I agreed there was absolutely no reason to rush out and do things, especially not when we had a concert looming before us. Taking the morning to chill, listen to music, and get ready, we finally made our grand appearance in the world right around lunchtime.

Staying at Park MGM meant we had a wide variety of food options available to us but with this being a trip of firsts for me, we decided the best place to find sustenance was the Hard Rock Café. Being the music lover that I am, it’s a little hard to believe that I’ve never been to a Hard Rock in my life, but I have to say, the experience was pretty neat, even if the food was overpriced. (Though I will say that 20% off for K-Pop fans with concert tickets was nice!) Having finished our meal, we were invited to wander around the restaurant, which we were more than happy to do. Seeing little bits of music iconography, right in front of us, was pretty cool! The place had everything from a drum set that once belonged Bon Jovi’s Tico Torres, one of Kurt Cobain’s acoustic guitars, several animation cells from The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine,” stage outfits for everyone from Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. to Elvis, to David Bowie and KISS, and an entire display of guitar picks that ranged from John Lennon to Joni Mitchell to B. B. King and so many more! Having a bit of a weakness for guitar picks (and the players who wield them) this particular display almost made me cry!

After a quick trip through the gift shop, it was off to buy water and batteries, because spending any amount of time in the desert requires copious amounts of water to survive and also because I am a weak-willed fangirl who, after spending more than a month resisting the temptation to buy ridiculous amounts of concert merch, finally caved and bought a lightstick. Finding the only Walgreens in town that actually had batteries in stock, it was clear the K-Pop gods were smiling upon us. With our necessities secured, it was back to the room to work on concert signs!

I’m gonna be honest with you, I never remember that signs are a thing you can actually bring to a show. Usually, I’m so caught up in the excitement of just being there, that the existence of signs flies straight outta my head. Lucky for me, my friend is a veteran fangirl who never forgets such things. With craft supplies aplenty, we got to work! 

Being my own worst critic, I’ll be the first to admit my sign wasn’t stellar, but it got the job done and it did it so well, that as we were headed over to the pre-sale merch pickup, we were actually chased down by a couple of younger fangirls who wanted nothing more than to tell us they loved our signs and give us a couple of freebies. Apparently being old, or at least OG ARMY, has its perks??? When I showed them the “DJ, Spin” side of our signs, they cheered, so I’m guessing they approved of our choices. In all honesty, this entire experience was just adorable and it made me unexpectedly happy. But isn’t that usually how it goes when you run across fellow ARMY in the wild? There’s something about being around people who love the same things you do, it just makes you feel good!

Now that I think about it, that’s probably why this time in Vegas was so much fun. It wasn’t just because I got to see BTS again (though that was definitely a big part of it), it was because I was in a space that was absolutely overrun with fellow ARMY. Seriously, everywhere we went, ARMY were there, soaking in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Though we didn’t always acknowledge each other, there was just this collective sense of belonging that made the city feel both alive and welcoming. It was truly incredible.

Incredible is probably the best way to describe the rest of the day. From the merch pickup, we somehow managed to wander into a massive freebie swap that left several of the casino employees in awe. Standing on the outskirts of this absolutely insane spectacle, we were approached by one such employee who asked us all sorts of questions about where we were from and what all of this was about. It was really fun, having a chance to share a little bit of K-Pop concert culture with him, especially when he was so visibly in awe. He couldn’t believe that people actually went out of their way to make things for total strangers and then give them away for free. Having never experienced anything like this before, he thought it was one of the coolest, nicest, things he’d ever seen in his life and honestly, I couldn’t agree with him more. 

With my friend’s supply of freebies exhausted and our bags absolutely overflowing with all the freebies we’d received from others, it was finally time to head to the stadium. Joining the throng, we made our pilgrimage over the Hacienda Bridge, somehow managing to find a place in line directly under one of the only trees in the area. See? I told you the K-Pop gods were smiling on us! We spent our time waiting talking to pretty much everyone around us, because what else are you supposed to do while you wait? Part of the fun of going to concerts is meeting new people and with 70,000 ARMY waiting to get in, there was no shortage of people to meet!

Getting into Allegiant Stadium was a lot easier than I thought it would be and having club access meant finding our seats was a breeze. Once inside there was nothing to do but chill, which is exactly what we did. With all sorts of delicious food calling to us, finding something to eat was easy. Happily settling on a Korean-inspired pulled pork sandwich my taste buds were delighted and my tummy was full. Is there really any better way to kick off your night of fun? I mean, I suppose I could think of a couple of ways that might be better, but realistically how often does one run into the members of the band you’re about to see, right before the show? (Though now that I think about it, that did actually happen to me once…)

Naturally, all of the excited butterflies I’d been trying to suppress for over a month hit me in full force as the minutes to showtime ticked by. I’d tried sooooo hard to keep my composure on the outside, but inside, I was an absolute mess! Luckily, I had quite a few friends, from all over the place, who I was surprised to find were also at the show that night. Even more convenient was the fact that most of them were very near where I was sitting! Again, the K-Pop gods were so kind! Running over to say hi to as many friends as I could find made the minutes to showtime fly by and before I knew it, IT WAS TIME!

There is absolutely no way I can give you a play-by-play of the concert itself. I was so caught up in the moment, I think I transcended to an entirely different plane of existence. I remember the lone runner, carrying a smoke flare that filled the stadium with a gray haze, signaling the time we’d all been anxiously awaiting had finally arrived. I remember the insane eruption of the crowd as our beloved BTS took the stage, back after too many years away. I remember being so happy I thought I might actually explode. And the way my brain broke when I realized that despite sitting in the 100 section, once he shed his jacket, I could clearly see Jimin’s pecs and deltoids and traps and lats and biceps and triceps and abs and… and… OMG, just thinking about it is making my brain melt again. HELP! He said all the protein he’s been eating has been going straight to his hair BUT HE LIED!!! That flimsy little tank top left absolutely nothing to the imagination! God bless his stylists and all their descendants for many generations to come! (I told you I had a problem processing muscles in real life, for whatever reason, they just break my brain!)

I remember Hobi’s bright smiles and Suga’s little wiggles and RM’s dimples and Tae’s little ab flashes and Jungkook’s ridiculous everything and Jin’s blown kisses. I remember my heart swelling to near-bursting when they sang “Like Animals” and I felt that call to abandon all external expectation and live your life as the truest version of yourself, in the very depths of my soul. I remember my absolute freak-out and my friend shedding tears of joy when they played “Attack on Bangtan” as one of the surprise songs. I remember the show being over far too soon and the overwhelming feeling of euphoria that seemed to permeate the entire stadium as we all tried to gather our collective senses and find a way back to real life.

Walking out of the stadium after the show, I was definitely riding a post-concert high which was convenient because the evening’s activities weren’t over yet! Making our way back to the hotel to ditch signs and SO. MANY. FREEBIES, we immediately headed for the MGM Bridge to take pictures of the city in all its BTS glory. OH. MY. GIDDY. FLIPPING. AUNT. Talk about a sight to behold! The entire strip was lit with BTS everything! Every billboard, every marquee, the Sphere, the Observation Wheel, the Eiffel Tower, the Luxor, Rio, and Mandalay Bay, you name it, it was red and it was AMAZING!

A couple of friends from NYC were in town for the show and since we didn’t have a chance to meet up at the stadium, we met up at one of the BTS-themed after parties held off Fremont Street. Since one of my friends had some sort of connection with one of the party organizers we not only got in for free, but were given the VIP treatment, which was totally wild and completely unexpected. I mean, it’s not every day you get escorted to a green room full of snacks and drinks and have a chance to chit chat with one of BTS’ dancers. To be fair, I didn’t really say anything to him because I’m a socially awkward weirdo who hates small talk and mingling, but my friends did, so go them, I suppose.

In all honesty, I’m not really a club person either (I know, huge shocker there) and it really is an absolutely awful place to try to catch up with friends you haven’t seen in over a decade because dangit, you can’t hear anything when the music’s poundin’! Still, we spent a couple hours boppin’ around acting like we weren’t all too old for this shit when in reality, I am 100% too old for that shit! (Have I mentioned how much I hate mingling?) Also, it was super weird to have the club photographer camp out on our side of the venue. I don’t know if he actually thought that having VIP status made us noteworthy or what, but he took way too many pictures for my liking (including one on the way out… blegh!). All I can do is hope the favor the K-Pop gods showed me earlier in the day carried over into the 02:00 part of Thursday because I really don’t want to be trapped on some stranger’s camera roll! 

After partying like it was 1999, it was finally time to call it a day. Happy, exhausted, and overwhelmed by pretty much everything, collapsing onto my bed was nothing short of glorious! If I’d had any mental power left, I might have taken a moment to marvel over the fact that I’d get to get up and do the whole thing over again tomorrow (or later that day, as the case may be) but the truth was, my brain had already melted so many times that day, sleep claimed me before I even had a chance to heave a happy sigh of contentment.