[ON-HOLD] Music, Colors and Eyeliners

Episode 1: KPOP boys on my doorstep...again?!

It was yet another torturous day.

Standing right in front of my door were 12 young Korean boys in their familiar unexplainable clothes, spotless white skin, colorful hair and black eyeliners. I looked at them and immediately sense that very distinct swag and confidence probably harnessed by a long period of desperate and outrageous adorations of crazy fan girls.

Yes. I am currently and literally just 2 meters away from yet another batch of KPOP celebrities.

And as a protocol for all guests of the private villa, I did my usual greetings.

“Good day! My name is Lee Majesty, 23  years old, Korean-American born…and probably the number 1 hater of KPOP culture. Welcome…

…to your worst nightmare.”

And just like that, I popped the continuously growing ego bubble floating on their heads with a sharp needle of one of my classic introductions leaving them speechless, confused and totally uncomfortable.

“Everyone, meet Majesty...she practically owns the place...and she’s nice just...a little different.”, said their manager after letting out a deep sigh.

“There’s this word called HONEST? I think you should look into that. That’s actually a real term now...Youngjun.”, I answered back without a single hint of reluctance. He shook his head while the rest of them fell completely silent.

“It’s been a long time...Majesty.”, he said with a wide smile on his face.

I smiled back...

...and we hugged like old friends reunited.

Was I just messing with them? Or was I telling the truth?

For more than a decade, I lived in a privately owned luxurious beach house at an isolated island in the Philippines. I had a great view of the blue ocean and was always indulging in the playful colors of sunsets and sunrise. Let’s just say that my old man’s quite loaded so I had everything I wanted signed, sealed and delivered. And when I say everything...I mean it. From foods, clothes, gadgets...to cars, people...even education degree.

Do I like it?

I don’t! Not even one bit.

I lived in this place...just like how Rapunzel was raised in her tower. I had everything delivered...because I couldn’t get them myself. I was completely isolated from the real world.

Oh no! Make no mistake. I am a little bit luckier that Rapunzel I guess. I can leave...anytime. I just chose not to. I just forced myself to get used to this lifestyle and I succeeded except in one minor aspect: once in a while, a certain entertainment company back in Seoul, Korea called S.M. Entertainment would send a group in the villa as part of their training. It was like an exclusive business agreement. It was a secret training camp that not even the media knows...nor the artists themselves.

It would have been okay...if not for the fact that I hated KPOP artists more than anything else!

And now I am facing with not just one...but 12 of them. Well, it was one person less than Super Junior back in 2004. But still it was an eyesore to see all 12 crayon heads on my doorstep.

“So you really did become a manager.”, I said to Youngjun whom I had known since I was a kid.

“Yeah. It took a while but who cares. These boys are now the hottest rising group and I have all 12 of them on the neck.”, he answered with still the same laid back yet caring attitude. She gestured for them to come in and I lead them to a spacious common area with transparent glass walls facing the ocean.