This time I went on a lot of rides and saw several attractions. That's because we went on a cold and rainy weekday in December, so it wasn't too crowded.
Hogwarts being built in the distance
The SMTown Hologram Theatre opened a week ago! There are several showings each day.
SM is a huge South Korean entertainment company. They have major K-Pop groups such as TVXQ, Girls' Generation (SNSD), Super Junior, and SHINee.
TVXQ, Girls' Generation, Super Junior, SHINee, and Exo were featured in this.
Once you're inside, there are corners with screens on the wall where you can take your picture. You walk through a short exhibition area before arriving in the theatre. There are various small screens playing music videos, as well as the outfits for all members of Girls' Generation, Super Junior, and Exo on mannequins. TVXQ's outfits that they wore for the hologram show are featured as well, but instead of mannequins they're worn by wax figures. When I saw pictures of these figures I thought they looked nothing like the actual members, but when I saw the figures for real I decided they didn't look quite as bad. There was a wall full of pictures of each group, a wall full of little polaroid pictures, and SHINee's accessories. Towards the end of the exhibition area, the handprints of the members of all five groups were on the wall, next to a TV screen surrounded by everyone's signatures.
Photography was forbidden. At some point, however, a bunch of people in the group took out their cell phones to photograph the figures, which is when I quickly got a picture as well.
We could sit anywhere we wanted in the theatre. There were no seat numbers. The walls surrounding us had a bright screen projected on them. This is where the pictures we took upon entering came in. There were little picture frames floating around, and our pictures were inside them.
When it finally started, the screen changed to a house with lit up windows, in which we saw guys with guns moving about. I immediately thought Super Junior. I was right. Soon they appeared, all wearing white, and performed "Sorry, Sorry". The audience was blown away by the holograms! They totally looked like real people. I was impressed. It may have been a fake concert but I admit it was cool. I often wondered what the point of hologram concerts was, but now I see how it can be fun. I was surprised by how realistic they look.
After Super Junior finished their song, people wearing Cookie Monster and Elmo suits came on stage. They were both wearing Santa hats. Cookie Monster and Elmo were real. When the concert started, part of the wall in the front was raised, revealing a stage cut into the wall. There was an area in there. While Cookie Monster and Elmo were physically there, holograms of people from SMTown joined them and they all interacted. First came Yunho, dressed in blue. He was a main person. He was joined by Shindong, Key, Seohyun, and three Exo members. They did an introduction in Japanese.
After the intro, the concert continued with Exo's "Wolf". The background was black while Super Junior performed, but during Exo's song there were many effects and the background kept changing and shifting. It became a little distracting. Up next was SHINee with "Lucifer", followed by Girls' Generation with "I Got a Boy".
After those three songs, Elmo and the Cookie Monster came back on, and Yunho pulled up in a sleigh. This time he was wearing a Santa hat and matching red mittens. He got out of the sleigh, and soon Elmo and Yunho were throwing around presents, which Shindong and the other hosts popped out of. Since all the performers from SMTown are holograms, things can be played with and manipulated. When Super Junior performed, Kangin materialized out of nowhere a few times to sing (this way he avoided dancing I guess). Wolves ran across the stage when Exo performed, SHINee members often did disappearing tricks, and a beach ball bounced along the heads of the Girls' Generation members. Many things were added in by a computer.
The last to perform were TVXQ. Everyone I saw in the audience was Japanese, female, and at least a decade or two older than me. Most seemed to be TVXQ fans. We watched holograms perform "Keep Your Head Down" (the Korean version). They were the only group that had back up dancers.
Then the concert was over. Each group appeared to walk up and bow, and Cookie Monster burst into the area where the audience was through a side door to wave.
That's how it ended. It was a new experience, so I thought it was fun.
Hogwarts again
Last but not least, we went to Hello Kitty's Ribbon Collection! This is located in the area for children
After waiting in a room where all these bows were on display, each party entered a room. We had no idea what kind of attraction this was. My friend guessed right away that we would be meeting Hello Kitty. I wasn't so sure. But sure enough, once it was our turn, we were brought into a white room and told that it's a VIP area. Hello Kitty was getting ready for a photoshoot. There she was! We shook hands with her and took pictures together. She even gave me a hug! I met Hello Kitty!!!
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