You know, every time you shower me with these compliments, I get all shy and blush-y and try to brush it off but deep inside, another little baby daisy blooms. Thank you for being the water that helps me grow.

There are two other blogs I've come across that write intelligently about EXO (!w!h!a!t!). Are you familiar with them? Unfortunately, both stopped updating around Overdose era.

http://callmepatricia.com/tag/exo/ (http://callmepatricia.com/tag/exo/)
http://evacuatewithstyle.org/blog/tag/exo/ (http://evacuatewithstyle.org/blog/tag/exo/)


But charts make everything better!!! They make you look credible even if you know nothing and your analysis is based on a mole of assumptions. Our industry and charts...I have learned well…

I haven't read any of Shim Jaewon's explanations yet, so I can't speak to the details of his genius, but from a layman's eyes, it's truly incredible.


i wonder if these fabulous concerts ever do the opposite in intimidating someone AWAY from fandom because of how intense and occult it can be.
That's a really valid concern. I did see some more passive fans in the lines and I kind of wondered if they really knew what they were getting themselves into. But I’m sure I looked like that to everyone else, and I’m sure as hell not passive.

But I suppose for most of these international concerts, those who attend are self-selected. Apart from being lucky and living near the venue location, the majority travel from elsewhere, which is itself an expense and combined with the pricey tickets (costs more than an average US artists’ concert), you’d have to really love EXO a LOT LOT, close to at least $300-400 worth, to go see them. And most of the audience is still in school, so they’d have to ask their parents or use all the money they’ve saved and possibly work extra part-time jobs to gather that amount. It’s not like they can easily earn it back with a few days or a week at work. It’s a sacrifice, and if you’re willing to spend that precious money to see EXO, I’m sure you’re already pretty deep into the group and concert monster won’t faze you.

Apart from financials, another aspect is the reputation of the fans as being invasive and overbearing. I don’t think you have to be a fan for too long to know the ridiculous depths EXO fans go to show support. You buy a ticket to the concert because either you love them enough to want to bond with your fellow insane beings or you have a repressed fangirl/boy inside that lacks courage to express and can be only coaxed out when masked in the anonymity of the masses. The concert is an initiation to an exclusive cult. I think most people with me that day knew exactly what they signed up for. After all, it’s not like we haven’t watched over two years of concert footage and pretended like we were there.