The W Hotel, Times Square. I showed up around, let’s say 6:00am 23 October 2011, and then stood around until 10:30am, and then saw 30 seconds combined of SHINee.
That is true.
I was at the front of the crowd standing at the entrance on the right side:
I'm the one in the obnoxious purple jacket, obnoxiously holding an iPad and a camera.. a friend who was standing on the opposite side took this photo.
You see that fence next to me? They eventually squished the whole crowd behind the one fence, so as to not block the sidewalk. It was ridiculously tight, it was me and that fence and 100 people squished behind me. The security guards of the hotel kept yelling at us to not block the sidewalk, but really, do you have to be that mean? We are not overly rabid fans and are content to stand behind a fence to see them, yelling at us is superfluous.
Eventually, the SMTown bus pulled up:
I suspect they picked the W Hotel because no one can see in the hotel, even the lobby is off to the side, and not in front of the entrance. Moreover, it is close to Madison Square Garden, and relatively inexpensive. I actually considered staying at the W Hotel, scarily enough, but they require two nights minimum, and I was only staying one. Fail.
The SMTown bus driving past the W Hotel:
Then, we knew that they had to come out sometime. First was SHINee. I was standing anxiously by, watching the entrance when I was suddenly struck by a really handsome man in sunglasses coming out of the hotel.
Minho.
Then Onew, Jonghyun. Then at 1:13s, Taemin and Key.
You can hear me saying “oh my god”, but I won’t tell you when.
They all looked pretty good, though I was disappointed Jonghyun had his face turned away from my side all the time. Big disappointment, since I am Jonghyun bias. However, Key and Taemin with their blonde hair, almost looked like brothers here. Key was extremely, extremely handsome in person. He probably was the one who took my breath away the most that morning. Though it does not look like it, Key and Taemin were actually waving in my direction, however, I did not make eye contact with either of them.. even though I wore an obnoxiously bright jacket (it doesn’t look so bad in the photo, but in person, it really takes people some time getting used to).
Thirty seconds? Worth it? Worth it. I have no idea why, but I would do it all over again if I could. The stage is so separate, but walking on the same sidewalk in NYC? I just.. it brings so much more closeness. I must be incoherent, but that’s how I feel.
–
Other people I saw:
Super Junior
SNSD
I did see Victoria from f(x), but she came out alone and was in a cap, and no one yelled for her at first. Then it all dawned on us that she was Victoria, and she got a few late screams.. poor Victoria, no one recognized her!
That video with SHINee walking out of the hotel made my day… intellectual, genius Michelle screaming like a fan girl, how superb. Or you might have been the one saying it immediately after Minho, Jonghyun, and Onew walked out of the hotel. But seriously, I wanted to scream with whoever was screaming when Key and Taemin walked out. I’m proud of my bias for making you breathless. (:
And I like how some guy started chanting SNSD when the girls walked out. That was funny, too bad he didn’t get a huge fan chant going…
Anyway I know how you feel about the closeness thing, I felt that way when having a book signed by one of my favorite authors. I’m so glad you got so close to them Michelle! To think that you were only a few feet away from SHINee… ah…
Finally, nice jacket. (;
lol i also had to lol @ the random white people that walked out and suddenly began waving
thanks! haha, when I was there, the crowd’s anticipation made me want to scream (…). Plus, I think I was subconsciously screaming so they would look in my direction =.=
Yes, when the guy started chanting SNSD, I was like.. typical.. fanboy.. o.0
very exciting. People actually waited on them outside the hotel at night.. Shindong, Henry, others came out to buy stuff in the Starbucks across the street, and some people got photos/autographs from Henry.. everyone else went on a tour of NY (separately), and some crazy people tailed them all night doing that. Shindong is actually smaller/slimmer in person.. it was quite surprising, he’s quite, how do you say, petite for a guy! I doubt he is actually 5’10″ as he claims ><"
Michelle
In the second Super Junior video, who was who? I know Eunkyuk and Shindong were in the first video. I feel sad that I can’t even recognize my own bias, Heechul!
Wait, was he not there? I thought he was, but then Sungmin is singing his parts…
you hit it on the nail. Heechul had already enlisted in the army by then and was unable to attend SMTown NYC.
thank you for stopping by! I will be answering your comments once finals are over for me ^^~
Michelle