Did I fly thirteen hours just to squee at the SBS exhibit of
My Love From Another Star? Of course not. No really. I did lots of other stuff on my recent visit to Korea. Perusing the love locks at Namsan Tower. Watching Super Junior's Kyuhyun get rolled in a puddle at the last musical performance of
Singin' in the Rain. Huddling under my umbrella to block the blistering August sun as I strolled through Gyeongbokgung Palace. But crouching outside Do Min Joon's intercom, making my best anguished "Do Manageeeeeeeeeerrrrrrr!" face places high on the list of favorite things I did in Seoul. All I was missing was a pair of sparkly heels. Unfortunately, they were kept under glass in a different part of the tour.
If you missed the news, SBS took over the space at Dongdaemun Design Plaza where Chun Song Yi made her ill-advised swan dive off the balcony, and they recreated the sets from
My Love From Another Star. For those who can't drop everything and grab their passport, hopefully this gives you a taste of the shipper's paradise.
Do you know this drama?
The employee seemed shocked that two non-Asian American women looked so enthralled with . . . well, everything. We informed him that we LUVED it. I guess most of the fans visit from closer places like China or Japan. But we weren't the only far-flying groupies in the country. My Aunt and I met a Saudi Arabian family only the night before that adored dramas. They seemed hesitant to visit the
MLFAS extravaganza, thinking it was only a bunch of pictures. I hope they listened to us, because they missed out if they didn't attend.
He actually looks good in a gat!
How does Kim So Hyun pull off one of those crazy, see-through top hats? I walked through a space age, lighted tunnel to enter the exhibit. Had I found the famous wormhole? A huge picture of Joseon Min Joon plastered the wall in front of me. Rows of ancient style, high heels lined up on the floor. Tragic teenage widow's hairpin sat in a place of honor. And there was even a place to practice our old-timey hackysack skills. (For those who see this on variety shows like
1 Night, 2 Days and wonder what the big deal is, it's harder than it looks.)
Slumber party, anyone?
I'll bring my own caterpillar sleeping bag! Oh, the apartments. So close you could almost touch them. Forget almost. Visitors were allowed to enter Do Min Joon's bedroom and pose on the bed, complete with gauzy curtains. You had to pay through the nose to lounge in his special white chair under the tree or sashay down the twisty, library stairs, but one girl obviously thought it was worth it. And, finally, you got the chance to meander through Chun Song Yi's living room, and see the little details you might have missed in the drama. Like the messy stacks of mangas under her side table, or the black and gold couch pillows with blessings on them.
Souvenirs aplenty
Korea knows how to capitalize on the commercialism. They feel very American in that way. The gift shop offered things like Jeon Ji Hyun's leopard print sleep mask, or our sleepy alien's wood block alarm clock. And there was an entire cafe devoted to Chicken & Beer.
Lest you think my Do Min Joon sightings ended there, let me just say that Kim Soo Hyun is EVERYWHERE. He must be making a fortune in CFs. But my favorite close encounter was while wandering down an aisle at Lotte Mart (their version of Target) and finding the faces of Do Manager and Chun Song Yi side by side. Cue the background music as you enjoy one last picture . . .
You are my destinnnnnnyyyyyyyyyy.
Many thanks to the Crazy Ahjummas for lending me space to gush about my recent trip to the land of makjang, backhugs, and piggyback rides.
