What's in the Box?

I have been a K-pop fan since 2009 if I'm not mistaken, I stanned (became a real fan) during 2012 but in early 2015, a new chapter opened - I started purchasing and collecting albums. If you're a fan just like me, you either plainly listen to songs, watch K-dramas, attend concerts and events, buy albums and other merchandise or all of them because why not, right?

So for this blog entry, I'll feature my album collection, but I will only include the albums that are here in Iloilo city, and not in our house which is in Kalibo, Aklan.

If you have been to my room either here in my boarding house in Iloilo or my bedroom in Kalibo, there is this box idly waiting, the box contains - you guessed it right, the albums.

So why did I buy these albums? To my parents, they are trash, a waste of money, paperweight but to me they are my source of happiness. Why? Because K-pop albums are very different from your casual Western or Filipino albums. How so? First is its casing, it is rare for K-pop albums to be in your typical plastic crystal case, these albums come in book like covers - the facade of the album is also a competition and the most aesthetic of all gets praise and even awards for the form factor. Second - the inclusions. K-pop albums are like gifts, you know you'll get something but don't know what it is. These albums also include the following: photocards (instax films), post cards, stickers, CD plates, lyric book, photo book, posters (like billboard size posters) and other inclusions depend on the agency but these days they also include tickets that have special perks for the fans. You see? You get so much - but at a cost that include EMS fare ( Korea to Philippines shipping) local courier shipping, and protective materials (bubble wrap for posters, poster tube for posters to avoid folding and ridicules); but I still push through to buy them. Who knows where my money would go if I didn't spent them on these.

The first album that I ever bought was Seventeen's debut mini album titled 17 Carat it costed around 900 pesos back then excluding shipping fees. I don't have it here with me right now so I can't provide what it looks like.

The trend I hate about albums are most of them come in different versions and inclusions but same content. It has been this way since then and knowing myself that if I can, I have to attitude will always get the best of myself, I buy all the versions as much as possible.

In line with the statement from above, the most expensive album(s) that I bought, is Seventeen's second full length album, teen,age. One version costed me around 1100 pesos, and all four versions around 4400 pesos excluding shipping. They were like textbooks both in thickness and weight, carrying them around was such a chore.

On the other hand, the cheapest (as of now) album in my collection is ONF ( On and Off)'s debut album titled On and Off

Also, just in today - four new albums have been added to my collection; they are Seventeen's Director's cut album both plot and sunset version, and fromis_9's debut album to.heart

These four costed me roughly around 4,300 pesos - I forgot, but anyways - welcome to the stash.

Up to this day, February 23, 2018 - I have a total of 25 albums inside the box - calculating the costs of all the albums they have costed me a whopping **,**** pesos in total ( I won't reveal the totality for secretive purposes 😃😉).

So what influenced me to purchase all of these? What are my motives in buying these albums?

First, it helps the artist grow. Buying albums mean you are helping them in getting paid, get more attention, and help the succeed in charts and in their careers. Do I buy only albums exclusive to one group? No, I decide to buy an album because of its quality, if the songs are good, if they are eye candy for me, and if I find it worthy for my money. Do I have plans of stopping any time soon? No, but I have slowed down in purchasing since at the back of my head, it is not necessarily practical just to loathsomely spend my money while there are other financial endeavors. Do I have plans on selling the albums? It has crossed my mind to get rid of all of them even though I won't get the same amount of investment I already put into it, but the sentimental values of these albums outweigh the urge to discard all of them.

So, there you have it. I hope you enjoyed the walk through to my album collections. I have been reserving this blog post for 4 weeks now and I knew I had to feature it here. I have been really eager to share my collection with you guys, til next week - annyeong 😃

P.S. all of the photos used in this blog post are all mine 💚

#kpop #2018 #albums #personal #kpop