Picking up after the idols was not my favorite thing to do.  It wasn’t actually the idols themselves, they just showed up at their appointments and flashed their pretty smiles; the entourage, the stylists and coordinators and staff, were the problem.  My job as an intern at A CUBE didn’t put me so low on the totem pole that I was required to tidy up the mess, but instead of standing idly waiting for them to film the first part of the commercial I thought it only natural to neaten the clutter.

               Most of the other staff members were outside, the one’s not watching the filming and taking cues from directors to touch up make-up and fix hair were probably taking advantage of the break to eat or exchange gossip.  The weather wasn’t too hot yet, thanks to their early start, but the number of empty water bottles in A Pink’s tent would lead one to believe that it was scorching.

               I walked around the fold out table, snatching up tissues smeared with make-up and the plastic bottles that stood between the make-up cases and itinerary notes and placed them into the trash bag that I had in my other hand. 

               “Excuse me,” Came a deep voice from behind me, near the entrance of the tent.  I couldn’t place the speaker, but I thought I recognized his voice from somewhere.  “Do you know where Yoon Bomi is?”

               I turned, expecting to see a filming assistant. “She just left to go change clothes,” I am surprised to be facing B.A.P’s Bang YongGuk.  “Her scene is supposed to be filmed after Hayoung and Eunji’s, correct?” 

              His gaze is focused on me, seeming to realize that I am not just a clean-up person.  “Yes, sorry, I did not realize you were part of the management staff.”

              “Oh no, it’s alright.  I’m just picking up the trash that people left.  I help with A Pink’s schedules.  Have Hayoung and Eunji finished?”  I feel so shy and embarrassed.  I am a fan of Bang Yongguk as a person and as a musician.

             “No,” He replies smiling easily. “The filming director would like to talk to her before they start.”  I nod, relieved that I don’t have to worry about rushing Bomi.  She’s very nice, but she gets annoyed when she feels too pampered.  “Are you a native-korean?”

               Meeting his eyes, I’m surprised that he took any interest in me at all.  He really is as genuine in real life as he comes across in interviews.  “No, I grew up in America.  I’m actually only a quarter Korean.  I’m half Taiwanese and half…” I don’t know how the white race is described in Korean, so I just use the simple color name.

               He chuckles warmly.  “Ah, it is noticeable in your speaking.”  I laughed too, not feeling embarrassed but rather at ease.

               “I don’t get to practice speaking Korean a lot.  I talk to the A Pink members in Mandarin or English for them to practice.”  I explain.  He nods understandingly.  “I will work harder to learn Korean,” I say with a playful little bow.

               He dips his head in a polite bow in return.  Speaking in English, he says, “Good Job, I am working hard to learn English too.”  I smile and nod encouragingly.  “Learning a language is not easy. Yes.”

               I applaud, replying in Korean, “Wow, you have improved so much.”  He looks confused.  “Oh, I saw the BAP concert in Washington DC.”

               “Really?” He asks, grateful and surprised.

               I decide to reply in English, “Yes, it was a great show.  I really liked it.  Thank you so much for coming to the East Coast.”  I then add in Korean, “It was really awesome.”

               “Thank you,” he replies in Korean.  “I’m glad you enjoyed it.  It is cool to meet an international fan here in Korea.  What is your name?”

               “I’m Chen Sara, very nice to meet you.”  I bow, I can’t believe he actually continued talking to me.

               He smiles, “Thank you for your hard work.”  I can hear somebody outside calling him over, and he starts to walk away.

               “Bang YongGuk-ssi!”  I call out to him.  He turns back, “B.A.P fighting!”  His grin widens and it warms my heart.

               I go back to tidying up, feeling happy to have made a friend.  I’m not very close to the other staff members on the A Pink team.  I don’t feel like an outcast, but I don’t fit in either.  I’m not part of the make-up crew or the hair team, and I don’t have the status of being a manager or session musician. Also I only occasionally speak in the language that the others are most comfortable with.  I’ve met, or rather seen, some other idol groups.  They are all at least as attractive as they seem on the shows and broadcasts.  However, just like the staff at all the events and students at the schools in Seoul, they are always busy busy busy.

               Bomi comes in from the entrance on the other side of the tent.  She greets me in Chinese. “Hello Sara.”  Her outfit is cute, SKOOLOOKS concept is really fitting for APink.  “Who’s turn is it now?”

               I reply with a smile, “It’s not yours, but the filming director would like to talk to you before you start.”

               She checks herself in the full-length mirror.  “When did he come?”

               “The filming director did not come, Bang Yongguk told me to speak to you about it.”

               She switches to Korean, “Really?” I nod and she shrugs thoughtfully.  “Alright, I’m going now.”

                When I came to Seoul back in May, I had a secret hope that I would be scouted on the streets by a company and transformed into a kpop star.  I knew it was unlikely, but I couldn’t help but hoping.  It worked out well though, because I get to see how the industry works behind the scenes, which is a lot more practical than becoming a trainee.x