Well, how do I begin?

*clears throat*

First of all, let me just say I'm not a big fan of Music Core. Really. I've always loved Inkigayo above all Korean music shows. But since I didn't get into Inkigayo (asdfghjkl it bleeds my heart everytime this is mentioned) and Music Core gave me the only experience of attending TV music show live during my short stay in Seoul, I must say I am now a loyal viewer of the program. Viva MBC!

On June 23rd 2012, I woke up at around 4:30 AM, took a rush bath, skipped breakfast, and at exactly 5:00 AM, me and my two sisters were already at the hotel lobby to hail a cab. In fan accounts of people who had been to music shows, they mostly got there by subway, but there was no time for us to look through the complicated map of Seoul subway since there weren't so many taxis (though we stayed very near to King Sejong LOL) and usually fan queues started at 5 freaking AM, which was like that very exact moment! Eventually we found one and we quickly rushed in. Not to forget, we equipped ourselves with CD and latest digital tracks of idols that were promoting, so that made 3 CDs and 3 iPods for each of us.

Hurriedly, my sister browsed MBC address on Google and showed the taxi driver the address. We didn't read the address due to the panic state and were very surprised when the ahjussi dropped us in front of MBC building in Yeouido. There was hardly any people on the street. It was around 5:15 already. And drizzle started to fall. Shock and stunned, we approached the MBC security guy, saying 우리는 외해국사람 (urineun waeguksaram, we are oversea people) and wanted to watch 음악중심 (eumagjungsim a.k.a Music Core). The security guy looked surprised. He said we were in the wrong place.

Whattt...?!

It was 5:20 something. We almost lost hope. By then, the security guy rummaged through his drawers, took out a paper, and wrote korean letters in a messy handwriting. He stepped out of his post, glanced at us to follow him, walked to the side of the road, talked to us in a fast-tempo korean, and went back to his station.

Whattt...?!

We understood nothing, but the word 'Music Core' and 'Ilsan'. We bowed a bit to him anyway saying thank you and walked a bit. We hailed a cab, I didn't know why, it just felt right to get out of this I-only-know-it-is-an-island-in-Han-river place. The driver asked us where to go, we didn't know where to go! My sister reflexly gave him the paper filled with the security guy's handwriting. Surprisingly, the driver nodded! He soon focused back on the driving and took us to whatever written in those illegible letters. That very moment our fate was hung to the MBC security guy. As the taxi got on the highway, we noticed a plank saying "Goodbye Seoul". Our eyes bulged immediately.

Whattt...?!

I can barely remember how worried I was that moment, but because we heard the security guy said 'Ilsan' and Ilsan (according to the little voice in the back of my head) was located a little outside Seoul, we chose to believe him and let the driver practicing his racing skill on the highway road.

Soon enough, the taxi took an exit and we entered what seemed like blocks of shops. MBC Dream Theatre was there, standing handsomely among the buildings. I tell you, I was flying to cloud nine!

Minutes later, the driver dropped us in front of the main entrance where lots of fans (mostly girls) had already been waiting. We looked at the taximeter and it showed... 21,000 won! OHMYWONS. I had never taken a taxi that expensive, or that far.

We paid the driver anyway, not forget to thank him, got off the taxi, and soon realized... What next? We figure we tried queueing up with A-Pink fans 'cause we had the album. We gathered up courage and approached a group of girls who seemed nice. Turned out they were Japanese. They were queueing up for B1A4 (Bilasa!). My sister sudenly released her inne Bana and blurted "Oh! I love B1A4 too!". I was glad she did because the Japanese girls looked happy. They directed us to a group of boys and girls who were lazing around in front of the gate, saying they heard those people were A-Pink fans. Nervously, we walked to them, to the girl to be exact, but the girl directed us to the boy, a what seemed like 19 y.o gamer boy. We asked him, "A-Pink?" He kinda nodded and handed us a notebook. That was the list. We quickly wrote our name. We were number 16,17,18. I was 17. Really, at that moment, I sighed in relieved.

But that relief didn't stay long after we asked the boy when we would get in. Because he said, he didn't even know when they would hold the "callback" or whether could or not all of us get in. WHOA, HOLD THERE MISTER. In broken English mixed with Korean, he told us to wait. So we did. From about 8 AM, we started our long waiting session. I have to admit, it was more heart-beating and tiring than my previous SS3 SG 9-hour wait. We waited outdoor, switching among sitting at the nearby cafe, the bench across MBC Dream Theatre, the bench in front of the main gate. There was this VAO Cafe whose wi-fi was not protected. We sat across that cafe most of the time to browse the internet using the cafe's free wi-fi, I took the liberty to memorize "HUSH" fanchant, so we weren't that bored to death. We didn't dare to go far, 'cause it was our first experience and we didn't want to miss the "callback". We kinda stalked the boy (who held the list), making sure he didn't get out from our sight (thank God he wore a bright green polo). That was creepy. I wondered if he noticed.

At around 1:30 PM, there was a ruckus in front of the main gate. Fans were starting to queue up at the back of signs with their idol groups' names on them. There were Dalmatian, B1A4, MC (Taetiseo), Boyfriend, etc. I forgot, but there wasn't A-Pink! Before, fans of After School had gone in and out because AS who was having a comeback had pre-recording that day. Panic mode: ON. Breathe in, breathe out. At around 3 PM, however, we saw movement from the boy in green polo. He walked to a woman and two men who shouted "A-Pinkeu, A-Pinkeu!" That! That was our call!

(to be continued)