a (sub)cultural experience
Apr. 10th, 2024 10:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lauradi7dwThis evening I went to see a concert film (carefully edited, not one whole concert) by Suga (Min Yoongi) of BTS. The concerts were last year. There were showings today and another day on Saturday. That's it, so we've been told. No more chances.
I went to the Assembly Square IMAX. I think the only time I had previously been to a movie in that spot was in 1988 when we went to see "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." The area has changed quite a bit. The IMAX holds 269 people (according to the occupancy sign). Maybe a third full? There were empty seats next to me. I'm not sure it was worth the stress of driving home at night, but I did enjoy aspects of it. I liked some of the songs (I knew in advance that I wouldn't like all of them). I'm not sure the elaborate sound system in the IMAX room was actually the best choice - it is set up to shake your body with the vibrations, but sometimes it was overwhelming, as when he was paying acoustic guitar. I was wearing the heavy-duty ear protectors I use for vacuuming, but the room sometimes shook. I was definitely happier watching it in a movie theater than I would be with thousands of people all around. Being in a comparatively smaller room full of other BTS fans was nice, even though as usual around here I seemed to be the oldest one there. Someone had prepared little gifts for everyone and handed them out before the coming attractions previews started. I was happy to come home with swag, in this case photo cards and a caffeinated candy, sometimes seen in Kdramas as product placement.
There was one person with an official-looking light stick. Each group has a specific version. Some of them have bluetooth, so that an entire arena of them can be synched. Samples here:
https://kpopmerchandiseguide.com/image/kpop-light-sticks.jpg
The MFA Hallyu exhibit has a whole wall of them.
I think one was about the right number for me - seeing it in person instead of just on-screen was fun, but I wonder if the thousands waving at concerts could be dizzying. See this short trailer.
https://youtu.be/4mtUOuK7TOU?si=UHJNqP6xVnIWPQaG
I went to the Assembly Square IMAX. I think the only time I had previously been to a movie in that spot was in 1988 when we went to see "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." The area has changed quite a bit. The IMAX holds 269 people (according to the occupancy sign). Maybe a third full? There were empty seats next to me. I'm not sure it was worth the stress of driving home at night, but I did enjoy aspects of it. I liked some of the songs (I knew in advance that I wouldn't like all of them). I'm not sure the elaborate sound system in the IMAX room was actually the best choice - it is set up to shake your body with the vibrations, but sometimes it was overwhelming, as when he was paying acoustic guitar. I was wearing the heavy-duty ear protectors I use for vacuuming, but the room sometimes shook. I was definitely happier watching it in a movie theater than I would be with thousands of people all around. Being in a comparatively smaller room full of other BTS fans was nice, even though as usual around here I seemed to be the oldest one there. Someone had prepared little gifts for everyone and handed them out before the coming attractions previews started. I was happy to come home with swag, in this case photo cards and a caffeinated candy, sometimes seen in Kdramas as product placement.
There was one person with an official-looking light stick. Each group has a specific version. Some of them have bluetooth, so that an entire arena of them can be synched. Samples here:
https://kpopmerchandiseguide.com/image/kpop-light-sticks.jpg
The MFA Hallyu exhibit has a whole wall of them.
I think one was about the right number for me - seeing it in person instead of just on-screen was fun, but I wonder if the thousands waving at concerts could be dizzying. See this short trailer.
https://youtu.be/4mtUOuK7TOU?si=UHJNqP6xVnIWPQaG
