The Angel Without Wings, Leeteuk, once said that Super Junior is a name he wants to keep forever. I can't remember exactly when or which variety show he said that quote, but it's one of those sentences that stick to my mind. Now that I've been an ELF (Everlasting Friends) for about a year, I couldn't stop loving these adorakable idiots and every time when there's new updates on social media every time I woke up, I always get excited with the new hints of life and career Super Junior has shared, even when it comes to little details like rearing pets or selfies with food and friends after tiring hours of work.
I realized that I'm known as a fan girl who only talks about Super Junior all the time. That's because I simply can't get Super Junior out of my head! I need a dose of them first thing in the morning until I doze off to Slumberland. Even when there's a pair presentation and I got my partner to talk about my love with K-Pop, I'm happy that it's no longer my guilty pleasure and I'm proud of sharing it with other people.
I know I've said this before but K-pop changes my life like a precious pearl found from a rusty oyster. As I get to know Super Junior, I never knew that I get so addicted to them. Thanks to them, I get to make friends with other ELFs all over the world! I even have more than a hundred followers on Instagram right now! WHAT???? I KNOW!! It's crazy to see that I've reached such a big number on social media! Because I've never cared of such things on having a big number of followers or being popular by just having a thousand likes on a post or photo, but this blows me away even till now! It's the new friendships I've created with the other Super Junior fans that cause me to have a boost in number of followers. Even though I don't know them personally or see them face to face, I love sharing my love of Super Junior with them just by social media (I'm even addicted to this app called Vyrl which is like Instagram for K-Pop lovers, you should give it a try!).
There's a theory that came across to me as I study Intro to Mass Media at Capilano University this semester, and that is Uses and Gratification Theory. It's basically a model that explains how people uses media as a big part of their lives mainly as entertainment or personality shaping. People choose the types of media they like (e.g favourite tv shows or music) and continue to consume them (depends on how long they'll stick with being a fan and if not, they'll expand their list of media and somehow change their media interests). The theory keeps coming back to me a few times since I study communication courses this semester and my obsession with Super Junior can be an example of myself applying this theory in my life for the past year. I choose this group because I'm attracted to them. There's something special about them that makes me grow to love them. And that how's the ELFs relationship with the 13+2 SJ "boyfriends/oppa(s)" is maintained.
Another beautiful quote from Leeteuk: "You don't have to be an ELF from the beginning but till the end". I may be an ELF for only a year, but it feels like I've known them for a long time and there's a cluster of hidden stars of mysteries waiting to be revealed soon. We'll be seeing another ten years or more of new discoveries about Super Junior, either through a new comeback or a new self cam in their homes. And instead of saying together we stand, divided we fall, we ELFs wrap our pinkies around SuJu's fingers and swear that even when SuJu gets hurt, anti fans better watch out because we ELFs will protect SuJu no matter what. Even when my sister once said that most of them are currently serving in the army so go and hunt for another new K-pop group like BTS or whatever, I don't know whether there will be a space for me to seek another new favourite but Super Junior will always be my first K-pop love. Even when their subsequent comebacks won't start till the year 2017. Even when the rest of the members finish their army service, including my bias Kyuhyun whom I'm worried about because if he goes to the army, his naughty, playful aura will disappear, but I have faith in him that he won't change a lot.
There is no joke that they treat one another like brothers. Their bond is just like magnets. Even though they fight (fist fights or rough word wars), they still find a way to forgive each other because of the name Super Junior. They've been such an inspiration to us all because each of them comes from different backgrounds; they've overcame countless storms of hardships (from the shocking car accident that nearly crush Kyuhyun to death to Leeteuk's and Donghae's heartbreaking loss of loved ones); they've hid their nervousness and tiredness by presenting us the best performances they've ever pulled out; and most of all, they've showered and kissed and hugged us with messages and gestures of love on screen, showing that they've clearly expressed their feelings to us as loyal fans.
Oh, SuJu, Kings of Hallyu, why do you have to be so awesome???
As a family, we stand together. As ELFs, we are proud of having you by our side and we want to be indulged in your loving embrace and kisses that make us feel less alone. :) <3 On behalf of ELFs, I look forward to your next comeback with all Super Junior boys safe, alive, and complete. Nomu nomu nomu nomu saranghae!
See you in the next post! Shout out to all ELFs! We'll wait for them till they return, won't we? ;)
