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omonatheydid
Who would you consider as the most hardcore fan of a celebrity? Someone who has watched every single one of their idols performances? Someone who spends 12 hours a day on the forums praising their idol? Someone who runs a website dedicated to their favorite celebrity? That probably is as far as a foreign fan of a Korean idol could go. A few crazed Korean fans, however, decided to take it another step - and follow their idol. By follow, I don't mean check up on the news about them every day and memorize the shows they'll be on - by follow, I mean physically follow them around. They're known as "Sah Saeng Fans" (사생팬), where Sah Saeng if short form of Sah Saeng Hwal which means "private life." As the term suggests, these girls' hobby is to observe the stars' personal lives. Let's take a look at some examples.
Jane, a high school student from Seoul, decided to attend DBSK's Chang Won concert. Most fans from Seoul took a train down there, but Jane and her 3 friends decided to take a cab. It ended up costing them 550k Won ($460), which is double the price of a bullet train ticket for four people. However, Jane thinks it was money well spent. Her cab followed the van that DBSK was in, and surely enough, the van pulled into a rest stop. The ride to Chang Won takes about 4-5 hours, and even DBSK needs to eat and use the washroom. Jane's cab followed the van into the rest stop, which is an ideal place for Sah Saeng fan because there aren't many other fans trying to get DBSK's attention and the tired manager doesn't show much hostility. Jane was lucky enough to pass her gift onto DBSK herself and even got to eat right beside them. Definitely worth the money, isn't it?
Jessica, a university student, was sitting in her car, parked outside of SS501's house as usual. That is when she spotted a member coming outside to enjoy a day off. She pursued the member quickly, and arrived at a cafe in Chung Dam Dong, where that member visits frequently. She was the first fan on the scene, and after sitting near the member, she decided to fool other Sah Saeng fans who would soon arrive there and spoil this precious chance to enjoy her oppa in peace. Jessica sent text messages to some other Sah Saeng fans she knew, saying "I think he went to Shin Sah area." The fans usually share their information, and surely enough, they were fooled by this false alarm. After successfully being the only fan in the cafe, she quietly took pictures of her oppa. Exclusive story, definitely worth the betrayal.
High school student Joanna has a special friend - a cab driver. But he is not an ordinary cab driver; he is what fans call "Sah Taek", a cab that specializes in following celebrities around. He sent a text to Joanna saying "So-and-so just went into a cafe in Ap Gu Jung", and she called him right away to Shin Chon, where she lives. It would normally take a cab an hour to get there from Ap Gu Jung, but her cab arrived in half an hour and took her to where the cafe is. Joanna was able to see her favourite oppa, and on that day she spent 50k Won ($42) on cab fare - Sah Taeks usually charge 30k Won per hour, much higher than ordinary cabs, but it was worth the money to her. Sah Taeks are never wrong, and she was willing to do whatever was necessary to get a real life view of her idol.
Although I listed two examples of high school students above, most fans in high school don't even dare to be a Sah Saeng fan - usually Sah Saeng fans are in their 20s, as they have the much more free time, disposable income and less restriction from home. They can also drive, giving them the mobility which is crucial in pursuits. They camp out in front of the stars' houses, the hair salon they go to, the TV station, wherever the star frequents. Sure, it costs a lot of time and money, and ordinary people don't view them so kindly. But before calling them "crazy," "creepy stalkers," take a moment and think; wouldn't some of YOU be willing to do the same if you lived in Korea and was given the opportunity?
allkpop
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Date: 2009-09-29 11:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-30 06:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-30 12:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-09-29 11:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-29 11:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-29 11:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-29 11:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-29 11:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-30 01:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-29 11:59 pm (UTC)no. never. no. that said, these folks are creepy ass stalkers.
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-30 12:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-30 12:01 am (UTC)This is sick and creepy. D:
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Date: 2009-09-30 03:05 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:01 am (UTC)Damn, Korea. You guys take it to another level.
minus the creepiness, I am not about to spend $500 just to possibly ambush and eat with DBSK. Do you know what I could do with that?
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Date: 2009-09-30 03:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:02 am (UTC)Um, NO. There is a difference between being a dedicated Fan and being a Stalker. The things above (with exception of the first one) are downright creepy.
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:02 am (UTC)your wasting your godamn time, when you could be actually getting yourself a boyfriend or girlfriend.INSANEno subject
Date: 2009-09-30 06:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-30 12:03 am (UTC)jesus
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:03 am (UTC)NGL, i think i would try it once
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-30 12:06 am (UTC)wouldn't some of YOU be willing to do the same if you lived in Korea and was given the opportunity?
If I lived there? Psh, no.
If it was my one and only trip there? Maybe... for 2 hrs max XD
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:32 am (UTC)if I lived there I'd have tons of chances to see them. but if I was only there for a few days and there no chance of seeing them again... I'd stalk the hell out of them for a few hours, ngl. then return back to my normal life :D
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:07 am (UTC)uh, I don't stalk american celebrities. I don't think that there's something in Korean air that makes celebrities irresistibly stalkable. I think it's just the psychopathic fucking fans.
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:08 am (UTC)people in their 20's should know better wtf.
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:08 am (UTC)no.
there is nothing else that needs to be said. just no.
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-30 12:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:14 am (UTC)And obviously they have too much money.
I will give you my bank account number.no subject
Date: 2009-09-30 12:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-30 12:14 am (UTC)They better be fucking naked or making out with each other or something.
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Date: 2009-09-30 12:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
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