iKON Concert from the starch

 Hello, its me...

I have 5 drafts and right now I am concentrating to write them. Hopefully I can write it nicely. Bare with me.

The first story that I want to talk about is, iKON Flashback 2022 concert. I've never been this ambitious, for a long time, maybe since high school, and then this moment came to me. You know that my heart was full on April bcoz BigBang comeback, then iKON announced that they will have concert in Seoul, 25-26 June 2022. OMG I have to watch it no matter what!!!

The first thing that I do after read the poster on Instagram was screaming inside, trembling, and messaging my close friend, Nida'. Unfortunately, Nida already had a plan in May, so she can't go with me to South Korea in June. Nida' is going to Bali for holiday. *sobbing* *with whom I have to go?*

But, I can't be 100% happy, bcoz buying concert ticket means WAR! So, I tried my best. I even wrote iKON concert related schedule on my monthly plan, with many "heart" sign, of course.

So, this is the schedule of my journey on buying iKON concert ticket.

15 April 2022, 14.00 KST : join iKON membership (to get a chance in ticket pre-sale)

27 April 2022, 18.00 KST : membership verification on ticket website

28 April 2022, 18.00 KST : ticket presale !!!!

30 April 2022, 18.00 KST : iKON online concert in "We All One" (not related to buying the ticket though, hehe)

4 May 2022, 18.00 KST : ticket sale (not a pre-sale).

Imagine how much money that I spent. Nah, it was so much lesser that the money that I have to spend going to South Korea (wait for my next post).

Joining iKON membership was quite easy, verificating membership was going quite smoothly (many were failed to verificate their membership bcoz they missed the schedule), and then D-day come. I was soooo nervous. Ah, before this, I've prepared a credit card number (my brother's) to pay the ticket bcoz he has an account in Korean bank. The time has come. I clicked as fast as possible, I didn't pay much attention on the seating (it is okay as long as not in the last row), and finally I've reached payment page. I tried to pay with my brother's korean bank and failed. I didn't know, it was in Hangul (Korean alphabet), I didn't understand. I tried to reach my brother by message, he didn't read it so I called him.

Oh my God, I am such a burden to him. My brother was still in laboratory and had to help me buying concert ticket. He also couldn't understand to pay. It is almost 30 minutes since the pre-sale opened. I nearly gave up. And I tried using my Jenius bank account. And it was a successful on the first try.

I GOT MY iKON CONCERT TICKET. I GOT IT!!!!

Actually, I could buy it without bothering my brother. I am really sorry, Bro. I feel relieved. I checked my ticket once again. Then, I tried to check the ticket sale again, and it wasn't sold out. I found a better seat number, I tried to buy it but fail bcoz on pre-sale we can only buy 1 ticket. Changing my ticket with a better seat number was so tempting, but I was afraid to lose my ticket after cancelling it. Who knows maybe the pre-sale quota was already full?

I texted Nida', asked her opinion whether buying another ticket or not, and decide to stay with what I had. (Actually, after the concert I am quite disappointed with my seat, bcoz it is too far away, far away.....)

HORAY!! At least I am success in buying the concert ticket.

My brother always told me that South Korea border is already open. So I didn't pay much attention. Beside, on 3 May, iKON has a comeback. And for a week, I am literally streaming their MV all day in YouTube and Spotify. I don't have either YT or spotify premium account. But, for supporting iKON comeback to the max, I registered myself a premium account on YT and spotify. I following the steps to properly streaming on YT,

- minimum quality 480

- minimum speaker 50%

- use 2-3 interval videos, etc.

OMG. This is my very very very first time experiencing and supporting an idol comeback. LOL

After a week, I started to loosen up a bit and my brother asked me about my visa preparation. I have not prepared anything so the first thing I do was checking South Korea visa website.

Can you guess what was written in the website?

"TOURISM VISA IS SUSPENDED"

CRY OUT LOUD. So, I can not apply visa??????

This is the biggest, massive, heart break in 2022 (in 2021, my biggest, massive heart break was when BOBBY announced his marriage T.T). BUT, I was not giving up. There was a little chance, maybe, if I could look into a conference that I can attended, so I will visit Korea not as tourist but as conference participant. So these were what I do:

- first, look into any possible conference in South Korea, near 25 June 2022. Must be 25 June 2022 so I can watch the concert. Result: there was only 1 conference that I can apply, and it is on 18 June. Yah, maybe I can extend my stay until 25 June. Lets try first.

- second, I ask in Korea visa website whether I can apply for visa to attending conference or not. And the answer is, you can. BUT, you must fill some documents. So,

- third, I emailed the conference secretary whether they can provided me these documents required for visa application or not. And the answer, No. They can't fill the document, unless I am a speaker in that conference.

- fourth, giving up and relaxed a bit. Bcoz, if I can go to Korea through conference, I must spend extra cost for registering to the conference :(

I was already giving up and a miracle came.

On 20th of May, my brother and Nida' both texted me and sent a screen capture.

"SOUTH KOREA TOURISM VISA APPLICATION WILL BE OPENED ON 1st JUNE 2022"

OMG OMG OMG!!! Korea I am comiiiiiiing!!!

Since then, I was preparing hard for visa application. I texted my friends that had been go to Korea, became insecure about visa approval, spending money (again) to get a document from Bank, requesting document from faculty secretariat, and asked for permission to my supervisor. She gladly permit me!!! OMG such an angel :)

Actually, the requirement was not that difficult. After gathering them, I went to Jakarta on 2nd June and applied for visa on 3rd June. And you know what? It was my very very very first time travelling by train again after the pandemic (ugh). OMG, solo travelling by train to Jakarta was so much fun!!!

On the first day, I applied for my visa and turned out it was quite easy and take a very little time. I must stay in visa centre for almost 30 minutes, waiting the Mall to open so I can have a brunch (I came at 9.00, visa application service started at 9.00).  Actually at first I wanna go to Starbucks, bcoz I want to try a cheap menu (tea + soy milk + vanilla or caramel syrup, sorry I forgot). Ah, but, Starbucks was quite crowded. So I decided to go to Krispy Kreme. I spent another 60.000 rupiah on a doughnut and chocolate blend. I spent around 3 hours there, went to prayer room, and went home. At Hasna's room, I ordered Wingstop, but I chose a wrong sauce. BBQ sauce was not my type. Sad. I was getting sleepy and I took a nap. At evening, Nida' came to pick me up. I went to Nida' house, stay there, and the next day went to KoKas Mall with Nida'.

We went to KoKas using public transportation, Busway (again, my first time). I was so HAPPY, bcoz I ATE A LOT OF DELICIOUS FOOD!!

First, we ate Gindaco takoyaki, had lunch in Holycow steak (actually, there is Holycow steak in Jogja, but I had never try before). OMG OMG, I have to pause bcoz I love holycow steak soooooooo much. The mushroom sauce is soooooo delicious. The steak? Nah, I loooooove steak so much!!!!!!!

Nah, now I am craving for steak :(

After that, we ate dessert auntie anne (OMG, this is also very very delicious), then I bought more auntie anne and Hokkaido cheese tart. Around 3 o'clock (?) we parted away, Nida' went home and I went to the train station. My train was at 5 p.m. I wanna wait in Lawson but it was crowded, so I headed to Loco cafe. I bought tuna fried rice for dinner (my routine, hehe).

Lastly, it took around 1 week for visa approval announcement. And, my visa was approved!!!

Alhamdulillah. 

Ah, I remembered that I also tried to ask many people to come to Korea with me (my aunt, my cousin, my friends). But the result is no one. So, I will go to South Korea ALONE. Nah, don't worry bcoz my brother is a student in KAIST University, South Korea, so I won't be alone in Korea. I am only alone at plane. WHAT AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE, right? 

Sooooo, this is my story about buying iKON concert ticket and applying for South Korea visa. I will tell a story about my trip to Korea next.

Thank you, see you :)

iKONIC membership, LOL

Inside Korea Visa Application Center (KVAC) in Lotte Avenue