SMTown NYC: Chasing the Dream

The biggest difference between my SMTown experience IN LOS ANGELES and the one IN NEW YORK was that, in the intervening months, I had finally made some Internette Frandz who were into The Whole Korea Thing but were (1) not complete loons; (2) able to look at different styles of pop music with an thoughtful, critical eye.

At the same time, I was also making a sincere effort to understand the physics of the Korean Wave myself, without freaking out over ridiculous fan behavior or the spammings of bored English-as-a-second-language kids all over the social web. The fact that my Internette Frandz also thought poorly of these psycho-fans was a big help, I think. It all came down to being on a similar wavelength: worship your idols, but don’t be a doof about it. And if you must spaz, spaz with dignity.

So it was with that reformed mindset that I woke up on the morning of Sunday, October 23, and … made sure to go to church first.

THEN it was time to make the trip to my true place of worship: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, IN AMERICA.

The Curious Case of Perfume444

Perhaps it is appropriate that the notorious Perfume444, known in real life as “Frank,” shares a name with Livejournal’s hoofed mascot. He could either be a G.O.A.T., the Greatest [stupid ass wota] Of All Time, or he could simply be … a goat.

This really happened!

His story is one that has become the stuff of 21st-century digital lore. Crazy old guy posts videos of himself online, professes undying love for adorkable Japanese technopop group, audiences are simultaneously weirded out and fascinated, and an Internette Legend is born.

His legend only became stronger when, through a remarkable confluence of the Fates, Perfume actually came IN AMERICA for the premiere of Pixar’s Cars 2 after their song “Polyrhythm” was selected for the soundtrack. Now, I don’t know what kind of connections Perfume444 has, but somehow he got a pass into the VIP area, crossed paths with Perfume, and had the experience of his life when he met the three girls who meant more to him than anything in the world.