What was happening in Indonesia: Super Show 4, Jakarta, April 27-29, 2012, Late Rambling

They did it finally! One of the biggest K pop group, Super Junior,  had landed in Indonesia and held a concert in three days in a row on April 27, 28, and 29. In minutes they were in televison, newspaper, radio, and what have you. They were talk of the town. The traffict stopped. The airport was flooded. Night hour was bent. Classes were skipped. Work was on hold. Fans screamed and cried. What’s with the fuss??

I give you the layout

First map, My map.

Though I’ve been K drama fan since ten years ago, I’d just started following K pop and its antics for around 3-4 years. The recent idol-turns-to-be-an-actor trend might give me a favor to show me the way to K pop world from K dramaland, with likely no turning back. My first K pop group is DBSK, but Super Junior is coming close in second.

It is not fair to discuss Super Show 4 if I don’t tell you my bias. Don’t. Ask. Me about my opinion on Super Show 4, because I’ll be the great killjoy of all time, because that the last thing I want to do. I'll tell you my friends' instead, the truly fans. Anyway why choose to be gloomy when you can be happy?  Everyone should have a blast when they go to concert. Don’t be stoic, dance. Don’t be silence, sing. Feel the energy of live performance.

You have to consider that my music preference is one step away from “idol’s music”. I really appreciate artist who can live up and have a good live performance. And not need to fool anybody, I can say Idol is not the best in that department. However I’m pop whore, I enjoy catchy-easy-listening music, so I still listen to this generic-repetitive-meaningless music called K pop. And huh, I don’t go to live concert for musical perfection, I listen to studio version for that. I choose good-energy-transferred concert instead over doomed-boring concert with perfect musical performance. Hah. If you know what I mean ;) Take note music producer/manager/singer that easy on giving off lip-synch performance. Lip-synch is the shortest way to cut the energy transfer circuit.

Back to Super Junior. After listening to Super Junior music for 4 years and liking Sorry-Sorry and its twins J, I still couldn’t name all Super Junior members. >.> I’m bad at name, sorry. Thirteen is too many. And I never be that kind of fan who really following his/her favorite artists outside their music. See this one of the reasons why I never really fit in K pop. I’m gonna say ‘like I care’ for what hair color’s idols sport, how many pack their abs has, what size their waist is, how many plastic surgery they have been through, how their personality in real life, what scandal they have made, what type of girl they like like ‘huh I’m gonna marry one of them someday, naaaahh!’

If you are brain scanning my head for Super Junior members’ faces, the result will come off like this:

1. Siwon, the face of Super Junior. How can I not remember you, choco abs and green short pants Notwithstanding! Uh I know you’re a real life chaebol, but, but you don’t have to always look like a business man, a big boss of gangsta in disguise to remind me.

2. Leeteuk, the leader of Super Junior. Now I can see why SME can’t let you off the hook yet and let you go to the army even if you want to.

3. Kyuhyun, the maknae. He’s one of SM Ballad members and in KRY, Super Junior sub unit. I’m your new fan, snarky talented boy J Points for SME for adding you to Super Junior.

4. Yesung, one of Super Junior lead vocals. He sings Cinderella Sister OST, It Has To Be You, my must-sing Korean song in noraebang. 

5. Eunhyuk, the dancing machine and the rapper of Super Junior. 

6. Heechul, ….. of Super Junior (yeah up to you for what to fill in the blank). The Lady Hee Hee.  Too bad you can’t come to Indonesia. I want to see you doing fan service, though if your fan service ends up making me cringe.

7. Shindong, the member of Super Junior with special body proportion, who doesn’t like fat girl and said that with loud and clear. Oh ok then next.

8. Hangeng, the non Korean Super Junior member. I read his scandal which in it he had to wear mask on one of Super Junior performance. Whattheheck?!? Really SM?? Really?? I can remember his face slightly, thanks to the scandal.

9. Sungmin. Based on concert, I remember your voice is good enough, why SM doesn’t give you more line, I don’t understand. I still can’t remember your face though  =___=

10. Raewook, who did Maroon 5’s Move Like Mike Jagger cover. I can’t remember his face.

11. Donghae, who is one of Super Junior members beside Siwon who ventures to K dramalala land often enough. I’ve not watched any of his drama, so I can’t remember his face too.

12. Kangin, whom I’m clueless except he had to go to MS early because a scandal. I can’t remember his face either.

13. Kim Kibum. I definitely can’t remember his face, even if he walks pass by me I won’t blink my eyes, I won’t turn my head. 

Asha.The final result of attending Super Show 4, at least I can remember all Super Junior members’ names now, one step closer to remember all their faces.

Armed with two cans of coffee and high dose of curiousity, off I go to the three-and-half-hours-after-working-hour concert. Swear the picture of struggling in three hours of hustle and bustle Jakarta traffic jam did not scare me off or vanish my spirit. Aja!!

Let’s go to the concert!

Second map, The Concert map

After only one month in advance announcement (officially), Super Show 4 did really happen in Jakarta, Indonesia. Previously it was planned to be two days concert, but the news said they canceled Super Show 4 in Australia, as the result they added more day in Indonesia instead. Yeesh, profit-oriented to the max. Ok, at first, I was going to “Eeeep doing concert for three days in a row! Poor you Super Junior member, either you are a robot or a slave, take your pick!” But eh I bought the extra show ticket *grin*. Whose fault was that??

The concert organizer, Showmaxx Entertainment, announced that the tickets were planned to go on public sale on April 7 & 8, 2012 at Twin Plaza Hotel, Slipi, Jakarta with no on-line ticket sale being said. Wow, if only it was a good decision. That ticket sale was a mess, havoc. How could they make a teenage girl stayed all night at a hotel lobby in Jakarta for a ticket? I have no idea. Many unauthorized parties sold the ticket to second hand buyer in much higher price. They seemed not even giving a shit about that. The traffic outside the hotel was made into traffic jam. It made me, who planned to buy the ticket after going to my Korean class at nearby building, re-thinking my plan, if it was all worth the price? Heck even buying ticket for Super Show 3 at Singapore last year was a lot easier than this, in my own country, shamefully. Dude, I had something else to do besides waiting in line for a ticket for hours. At the end of my class, I heard that the tickets were sold out for day 1 and day 2 concerts. Too many K dramas teach me wisdom, if it wasn’t happening to me, so then it wasn't meant to be. Fate on the work, there’s nothing I could do about it. Heh

Sudden cancelation Super Show 4 in Australian meant a bad news for Australian Elfs but a good news for Indonesian Elfs and me of course. Two weeks before the date, they announced there would be an extra show on Friday, April 27. They held public ticket sale for the extra show at PRJ, Kemayoran, Jakarta on Saturday, April 21. But it didn’t go well enough like the previous ticket sale, it wasn’t sold out. But what else did you expect you just announced it about one week ago, huh. So they decided to sell the ticket on line. Goodness somebody had learned there’s a thing called internet.  But yeah, tickets were still not sold out either even after they were sold on line. They still had to sell the ticket on spot on Friday, April 27. There’s even promotion “buy one get one ticket” for Super Box where you could ogle pristine faces of nine Super Junior members as much as you want.

And there I was at Mata Elang International Stadium, Pantai Carnaval, Ancol, Jakarta, on Friday April 27, together with thousands other people. Surprisingly enough, though the ticket sale went havoc, the concert itself, went smooth and was well-organized. There’s no pushing or pulling with so many people gather in one place at the same time like often happening in a music concert in Indonesia. Even after I entered the building and first ticket checking, I still had to wait in line for almost one hour just to get into the concert hall. From my observation, majority of the audience was teenage girls and twenty to thirty something women, but ajummas were not rare, and there were also families came with their kids.

The concert started a bit late around 10 minutes. Fans started chanting. The light was suddenly off, and Super Junior appeared on stage, presenting the title track from their latest album, Mr. Simple. They also sang Superman, A-cha, and Opera from Mr. Simple album. When Bonamana was played, I couldn’t help myself but to stand up from my seat and dance >.< Acckkk!! I told you I LIKE Sorry Sorry and its twins :D Exo-M sang their MAMA song that marked the first one third of the concert. I realized that I just got my new found favorite K pop meme, Exo! based on how exited I was when I knew Exo’s turn was next. I jumped and screamed excitingly. They sang Mama without the screamo part. Waah…. Goodness that hideous intro was not played on the big background screen like I imagined before. That intro should just be banished from its existence forever and ever.

In second and the last one third of the concert, Super Junior sang songs from their older albums. Eeep! I couldn’t recognize some of the songs, so I can’t write the song list of what they sang at that time here. I just remember they sang Good Friend, Happy Together, Don Don, Sapphire Blue, and Rokkugo. And we got to watch solo performance from Kyuhyun, singing and playing keyboard and harmonica (boo how I adore you now); Leeteuk, singing and playing piano and saxophone; Eunhyuk, rapping and dancing; Raewook, singing Move Like Mike Jagger, Yesung, singing song “I didn’t know the title” :P; and Shindong, dancing with Cinta Jangan Kau Pergi by Vidi Aldiano as background song. And we got to see Eunhyuk-Donghae duo presented Oppa Had Risen also. Of course Super Junior Show was not complete without Sorry Sorry performance (Dance Time!), gag show, and fan service with them dressed as drag queen.

The clock was struck 11:30 pm when the concert came near end. People from the back seats started to leave their seat to approach better position, closer to the stage. They were not willing to see their beloved group go, just yet. It was possible because half of seats at the junior VIP section were empty. It also happened to super sky section. While some people had teary eyes, some people were leaving with no hesitation even before the concert was closed. I noticed that people, who left first were ones who came late, see the pattern? Nine members of Super Junior, six members of Exo-M, all the dancers and crews crowded the stage and gave their 90 degrees bow to audience, ending Super Show 4 day 1 in Jakarta, Indonesia. But wait not just yet. Not yet until one of Super Junior member run on the end of stage with Korean flag at his back and gave it to the audience before he went to the back stage. Oh Korean with their Hallyu Wave expansion obsession.

 I forget to mention Exo-M performed one more song, History, at the beginning of the last one third of the concert *squee*  >.<

The third map, After Thought

My Korean class on last Saturday was enlightening me about the Super Show 4 as my first encounter with idol show.  I realized that idol shows are intended for, if not only, the idols’ fans. I have this presumption that people outside the idol fandom would be hard to please by an idol show. One of my classmates made a comment: “Don’t we all go to this concert (K pop idol concert or show) if only for “seeing” our idol?” two days before she could watch the concert herself, while she was squealing giddily for the thought she could spazze over her beloved idols.

And I stand on no man land. I mean  I follow K pop more than people in general, my play list 95% is consisted Korean songs, I sing Korean songs, I watch K drama almost every day, I take Korean class, I read K pop, K drama, and other Korean related sites at internet as my daily routine, I support Korean team in badminton championship if Indonesian team cannot go through to the next level, heck I start to like Kimchi while I can guess it really doesn’t suit most of Indonesian’s tongue. But truly speaking, the question for me is always do they give me good catchy (I should underline the latter) or no. If they don’t I leave them, if they do I buy their album, I attend their concert. And I definitely don’t go to a concert just for “seeing” spree.

For that, I go to Tumblr instead :D

But SS4 ain’t no 100% music concert either. Can’t you read pohonphee? It was written as a Super SHOW, not concert. It was supposedly consisted more than just singing and music instrument performance, but there were a gag show, dancing show case, a short movie. I am supposedly not judging SS4 solely by whether this concert could or could not satisfy my music expectation for a concert. Is there ever someone tell you idols are musical artist? They are not, are they? They are multi-talent beautiful performer J I tell you what my K pop fan ajumma friend’s husband said: “Wow concert in three day! Stadium! Tents! Full pack audiences with families and kids! It is like a circus.”  I don’t want to degenerate anybody, but it brought me chuckles.

So I want to make a judgment based on what idols show is intended for J Based on how many audience that had been drawn to it, SS4 was succeed. My friends, who attended SS4 in day 2 and day 3, told me that the concert hall with its capacity around 20.000 people was full. They even started to queue outside the building. And people in the super box couldn’t move their body at all. Eww you couldn't dance then L So I assumed it was way fuller than the first day which I had already thought the audiences were plentiiii. And still many fans, staying outside, cried because they couldn’t get the ticket.

If indeed idol show is intended just for fans only, then SuperShow 4 had met its target. My friends beamed when told their experience during the concert. If only you could see my friend’s expression while telling story about how Shindong looked like wearing wet white shirt and she continued to comment: “Which part of his went under plastic surgery?”. Pfftt. They said they are going to always remember Sungmin each every time they get to see gorengan (Indonesian snack food) for now on. They also said they want to go to the concert more than once, but alas. Anyway, some people did make it go to the concert more than once, one to extra concert at day 1, and one to day 2 or day 3 concerts. I have to agree with my friends that the stage, the audio, the lighting, the background animation pictures were good. Thinking about how these idols are really showered with love by their fans, aren’t they? brings me warm feeling inside.

And then you may wonder my reason I go to Super Show 4 when you know I am not Elf. First, curiosity. Hah. I know my curiosity will get me into trouble someday. I was curious about idol show really, how it looks like, what’s in there. I had never gone to idol show before, all concerts that I had ever gone to were full-band concert. So yeah it was felt different. Second, this blog? J Third, I’m a good Hallyu Wave expansion observer. I. Am. Watching. You. O.O Fourth, if it gives inspiration to more K pop group/band/singer to come to Indonesia, why would I not do it? Big Bang please come to Indonesia!! :D

Forth map, The Effect 

Home scale effect

My father no longer asks me whether a drama or boy or girl band group is Chinese/Japanese/Korean when he sees them on TV. He even commented Korean is really popular right now. OMG K pop you earn my father’s recognition that’s an achievement.  

Workplace scale effect

I’m no longer an undercover K pop and K drama fan. Everybody knows now.  I make them listen to K pop song, starting with the catchiest one like Sorry Sorry or Bring The Boys Out!  And now we sing Korean song together in office.

National scale effect

I think even before Super Junior came and held a concert, K pop has already been popular in Indonesia, especially since the last two years in which boy group and girl group have been pop up here and there like mushroom in a rainy season. I doubt it will dominate Indonesia music scene (simply because Indonesia is big with so many people and too diverse), it has create large enough niche in Indonesia music to make Indonesia music more colorful and rich. I know there were other K pop groups (2PM, BEAST) that already had concert in Indonesia before Super Junior but only Super Junior made their self appeared in every television news outlets, infotainment, and newspaper in national wide range. News about K pop group concert is used to only be found in K pop oriented television programs or magazines.

From Super Show 4, I can see why SM Entertainment can be big management company like right now. SME really went for Korean’s principle “go big, or go home” this time. I mean three day concert for the first time trying that was a brave decision.Though it is argueable whether SME has produced the best K pop song  out there in Korea, it homes some of the most talented K pop Idols. Despite that, I think among the “big three”, SME is the one that has the biggest chance to gain advantage of the large Indonesian market. It is more to SME’s dance electric pop music that suits Indonesia music taste the most.

More than the effects I said above, I want Super Show 4 open the way to more K pop group to hold a concert in Indonesia. I don’t know what kept K pop groups so blind about their market Indonesia in many years before. It is their lost though, not Indonesia. But before organizing your Hallyu Wave expansion plan and program, there’re facts that I need you to know:

1. K pop group concert seems always has second rate event organizer, like a package. I don’t know which one is a bonus. How many people have been deluded to buy K pop group concert ticket and ended up their money being stolen when the concert is canceled in the last minute and they can’t have their money back. I want someone takes responsibility over this. It is so wrong how they’re using the fans’ love. Please do a research on which promotor you are going to pick, don’t give any false advertisement or anything that you will have concert in Indonesia till you’re sure you have a good and credible promotor.

2. K pop group concerts always announce their concert date late in the game and canceled their concert in the last minute too.  Other foreign artists that come to Indonesia to have a concert, except Korean of course, have their concert date being announced three months in advance and their concert ticket on sale two months in advance at minimum. Many of your fans are still in teen, either they need to meekly ask for money to their parents for a month or they need to save any money they can spare in a month or more to buy ticket.

3. Just have more well-organized concert, will ya. On-line ticket sale, good venue, and credible event organizer.

Before you can get your shit together, you can daydream about spreading Hallyu Wave.

Last map, A Way for K indie artist to have concert in Indonesia.

As you know I have a soft spot for K indie artist. Though I want it that they have a concert in Indonesia, but I don’t have a heart to ask it even if I have a chance. Imagine having Standing Egg hold a concert in Indonesia, aww I can sing almost their songs! I may be faint in concert. Or think Jang Kiha And The Faces or Urban Zakapa or J Rabbit or Nell or Jaurim have a concert here, I may die squealing (is that appropriate reaction pohonphee?)  I meet many Indonesians in Internet forums talking about K indie or ones that not main stream, I still think their market is not big enough in Indonesia. I don’t know which one of us that more suprised me or my Korean classmate, when she found out I could not mention all SNSD names, or when I found out she couldn’t mention any K indie artist name. So yeah..

I mean if somehow one of them manages to have a concert, I want the concert gives a benefit to them or at least not give anyone economical burden. There has to be a minimal amount of audience or a sponsor. Yes sponsor like Korean government through its Korean Cultural Center. Be it not a concert, but just a show case with several artists. I’ll take what I can get. Either way the chance is still pretty small. At the end, tt is easier and more practical (earth friendly too, of course) to have me, one person, to fly to Korea than a whole band, manager, and crew to fly here. See you in Korea then J

Super Junior
소원이있나요 (Sapphire Blue)
Have you ever had a wish? (Sapphire Blue)

[은혁] Eunhyuk
Huh This is real love story
from now till on
I`m not gonna be shy I`m gonna
tell you how I feel

[시원] Siwon
너무나 행복해
Neomuna haengbokhae
I feel so happy
꿈 속에 있는 구름 위로 착륙해
Kkum soge ineun gureum wiro chakryukhae
I land upon a cloud in my dream
더 들떠 있는 기분
 Deo deultteo ineun gibun
A feeling that grows more excited 

[한경] Hangeng
멀리서 본대도 알아 볼 수
Meolliseo bondaedo ara bolsu
I can recognize though looking from a far
있는 네 맘을 가져간 그에게 다가설게
Ineun ne mameul gajyeogan geuege dagaseol ge
I'll be the one who get closer and look into your heart

[성민]  Sungmin
고백을 하고 싶은 거죠
Gobaekgeul hago sipheun geojyeo
I just want to confess
[기범] Kibum
사랑을 받고 싶은 거죠
Sarangeul batgo sipheun geojyeo
I just want to be loved
[성민]  Sungmin
모두 원하고 또 바랬던 일
Modeun wonhago tto baraetdeon il
All things I've ever wanted and hoped for

[모두] All
소원이 있나요 Yeah
Sowoni inayo yeah
Have you ever had a wish? yeah
말해봐요 Ever more
Malhaebwayo ever more
Tell me, even more
혼자 하는 사랑 Yeah
Honja haneun sarang yeah
Unrequited love, yeah
그건 옳지 않죠 You got to have me
Geugeon olji anjyo you got to have me
This isn't right, you got to have me
세상 모든 것이 도와 줄 거예요
Sesang modeun geosi dowa jul geoyeyo
Everything in the world will help you
그대 간절히 원한다면
Geudae ganjeori wonhandamyeon
If you really desire for it

[은혁] Eunhyuk
 Hey what`s up
My sweet girl (Oh, no)
부드러운 느낌에 날아가 (in the sky)
Budeureoun neukkime naraga (in the sky)
With tender feeling, fly (in the sky)
우리 둘이 구름 위로
Uri duri gureum wiro
Both of us above the cloud
[신동] Shindong
두 손 걸고 약속 (Oh, 사랑해)
Du son geolgo yaksok (oh, sarangae)
Holding hand, make promise (oh, love you)

[동해] Donghae
너무나 아프죠 혼자만 아는 이 넓은 세상에
Neomuna apheujyo honjaman aneuni neobeun sesange
Knowing alone in the spacious world, doesn't it hurt?
나만 동떨어진 느낌
Naman dongtteoreojin neukkim
Feel you away from me
[희철] Heechul
보고만 있어도 좋았었는데
Bogoman isseodo joasseoneunde
I'm happy just by looking at you
[희철 & 기범] Heechul & Kibum
사귈 수 없는 마음에
Sagwi su eopneun maeume
Think that I couldn't date you
밤 새도록 흐느낌
Bam saedorok heuneukkim
I cry all night

[강인] Kangin
고백을 하고 싶은 거죠
Gobaekgeu hago sipheun geojyo
I just want to confess
[이특] Leeteuk
사랑을 받고 싶은 거죠
Sarangeul batgo sipheun geojyo
I just want to be loved
[강인] Kangin
모두 원하고 또 바랬던 일
Modu wonhago tto baraetdeon il
All things I've ever wanted and hoped for


[모두] All
소원이 있나요 Yeah
Sowoni inayo yeah
Have you ever had a wish? yeah
말해봐요 Ever more
Malhaebwayo ever more
Tell me, even more
혼자 하는 사랑 Yeah
Honja haneun sarang yeah
Unrequited love, yeah
그건 옳지 않죠 You got to have me
Geugeon olji anjyo you got to have me
This it isn't right
세상 모든 것이 도와 줄 거예요
Sesang modeun geosi dowa jul geoyeyo
Everything in the world will help you
그대 간절히 원한다면
Geudae ganjeori wonhandamyeon
If you really desire for it

[규현] Kyunhyun
태양이 하늘에서 퇴장하고서
Taeyangi haneureseo thwejanghagoseo
As the sun in the sky sets
[예성] Yesung
운명의 길은 더 선명하게 드러나죠
Unmyeong-e gireul deo seonmyeonghage deureonajyo
Path of destiny becomes more clearly seen
[려욱] Ryeowook
우연히 만난 건 우연이 아니야
Uyeoni mannan geon uyeoni aniya
Meet by chance, not accidentally
운명의 다리가 놓아진 거죠
Unmyeong-e dariga noajin geojyo
Fate that lets this happen, right?

[동해] Donghae
 고백하고 싶었어요
Gobaekhago sipheoseojo
I just want to confess
[성민] Sungmin
 내가 되게 해줄래요
Naega dwege haejullaeyo
I'm intent to make it
[동해] Donghae
그대 원하고 바랬던 일
Geudae wonhago baraetdeon il
That's one thing I've ever wanted and hoped for

[모두] All
소원이 있나요 Yeah
Sowoni inayo yeah
Have you ever had a wish? Yeah
말해봐요 Ever more
Maraebwayo even more
Tell me, yeah
혼자 하는 사랑 Yeah
Honja haneun sarang yeah
Unrequited love, yeah
그건 옳지 않죠 You got to have me
Geugeon olji aljyo you got to have me
This isn't right, You got to have me
세상 모든 것이 도와 줄 거예요
Sesang modeun geosi dowa jul geoyeyo
Everything in this world will help
그대 간절히 원한다면
Geudae ganjeori wonhandamyeon
If you really desire for it
소원이 있나요 Yeah
Sowoni inayo yeah
Have you ever had a wish?
말해봐요 소원이 있나요 Yeah
Maraebwayo sowoni inayo yeah
Tell me, yeah
그건 사랑이죠
Geugeon sarangijyo
It is love, isn't it?
소원이 있나요 Yeah 말해봐요
Sowoni inayo yeah maraebwayo
Have you ever had a wish? Yeah tell me
소원이 있나요 Yeah 그건 사랑이죠
Sowoni inayo yeah geugeon sarangijyo
Have you ever had a wish? It is love, isn't it?
그대 간절히 원한다면
Geudae geonjiri wonhandamyeon
If you desire for it......

Swears, I'm really curious too about how they did it, everyone behind all these SM songs, the lyrics just....
*giggle in corner*

Thanks To:
All Indonesian Elfs who were succeed sneaking out pictures from the concert *bow*
Tumblr and various sites for pictures Gamsahamida nan :D
RollingStone Indonesia for the infos
44MEH for the video