It’s 2020 now and this post has been in progress close to a year. Due to COVID19, there was no EXO event to attend and I guess I finally found the time to finish this post.
I had immense regret over deciding not to buy Baekhyun’s Birthday Party Global Package back in 2017 due to the price because really what is money when it comes to love right?
Baekhyun, despite the busy schedules never missed holding a birthday party and true to his promise, held the birthday party at a bigger venue housing 2,000 attendees. Birthday events are usually held at the SMTOWN COEX theatre which is way smaller so this is the biggest venue for a birthday party.
- Date: 3rd May 2019 (Friday) 8PM
- Venue: Sejong University, Daeyang Hall
- Ticket price: 33,000KRW
- Duration: Approximately 2 hours
- Event is only for EXO-L ACE members
Ticketing method
SM GLOBAL PACKAGE
I decided to go the path of crazy rich asian fan and bought the famed SM Global Package. Ticket is also available for purchase for ACE members worldwide.
This is not my first experience with SMTOWN TRAVEL as I’ve previously attended ElyXiOn Dot in Seoul using this travel package. Before I proceed further, I’ll just explain some background over SM Global Package here:
What is SM Global Package?
This is an official tour package ran by SM Entertainment themselves under the name SMTOWN TRAVEL. The travel package are mainly for concerts and fanmeets for SM Entertainment artists. They sell not only events in South Korea but global events as well.
Additionally, they sell admission ticket to MNET Mcountdown liveshow (not inclusive of pre-recording for comeback show). Due to the fallout few years back, no SM artist visit for any performances or comeback show on Mnet. Out of the Big 3, only JYP artists still perform at MCountdown.
Where to buy and am I eligible to buy the package?
The package can be purchased online here and are only available for non-South Korean passport holders. Yup, international fans only. The only payment method accepted is Paypal.
Is ACE membership required to purchase this?
Yes Birthday Party are a fanclub-member only event. At least since they’ve introduced ACE to the world.
Global Package purchase and pricing
Different from concerts packages, where you get to choose from Economy, Superior and Deluxe package type, birthday events offers only Deluxe Package (Single/Twin) which is usually the most expensive package.
The price was a whopping $718 for twin package and $319 for single package. Actual price of the entrance ticket was KRW33,000 ($33) so we were effectively paying $652 extra for 1 night hotel and transportation for twin. Expensive? Immensely. Was it worth it? Yes! Absolutely!
Official Merchandise Pre-Order
For SM GLOBAL PACKAGE participants we get to pre-order the merchandises before our arrival in Seoul. The MD was then given to us at our hotel during the tour booth operating hours.
Pre-order is done online and they will send the details via the notice board on SM GLOBAL PACKAGE website for package participants only. You’ll get a special link and unique ID/password. If you are a twin participant you’ll get one ID/password EACH.
There is item limit even for GP participant and for this event, we can only buy 1 of each item offered.
I actually didn’t expect there were gonna be special merch for this event. I mean it’s a Birthday Party! But our boy is nothing but dedicated to bringing the best to all his Aeris so we were presented with merch just as cute as him. As a sucker for cute things, I bought all of the merch cause why not right? Plus there’s only 4 items.
The merchandises can be purchased at the venue (regardless you’re attending the event or not). I didn’t personally see the line but I heard it was very long with people queueing from the day before. After the event, they announced that the merchandise would go on sale on SMTOWN & STORE (limited quantity) and was sold out immediately online upon release.
Arrival in Seoul and hotel check-in
I arrived in Seoul on the morning of the event itself. Since I went all rich, I even rode on Malaysia Airlines A330 business class for the trip (courtesy of my airline staff discount). Flat bed is pure win everytime.
I reached Incheon International Airport at 6.30am and after the immigration check headed straight to the hotel assigned by Global Package, Intercontinental Seoul COEX at Bongeunsa Station. The all-stop train took approximately 1.5 hours with 1 transfer required, and cost only 4,250won.
I recommend downloading the app “Subway Korea” so you can access the subway map and route your way even offline. Android
I had purchased this cute cashbee card, official merch from Universe era and I just reloaded this to be used as a transportation card. You can buy various cashbee designs at SMTOWN COEX as well (based on availability).
As this package is a Deluxe package, we were placed at the 5⭐ Intercontinental COEX Seoul. As the name suggest it is connected to the COEX Mall which houses the biggest SMTOWN Artium.
I do love the location of the place, walking distance to COEX? Sign me up for that! You can refer to my blog here for some information on what you can expect in COEX.
Baekhyun Birthday fan advertisements
We had a bit of time before the birthday party so we head down to hunt for the Happy Baekhyun Day advertisement all around Gangnam area. If you don’t want to miss anything it is better to research beforehand on twitter. In 2019, he hashtag was “Baekhyun-ah Happy Birthday” in Hangul. Not sure if that’s being use every year. In Hangul it’ll be this #백현아생일축하해.
One of the most popular advertisements billboard in Seoul for EXO would be the ones located at Samseong Station. This is also the nearest station to SMTOWN COEX. There was a 3-screen advertisement board just outside the entrance gate showing birthday message from @ChanBaekBar614
Just beside the same advertisement billboard above, there is a walkway filled with advert as well (pictured ones). There are also some near the stairs and in other locations of the stations. It’s crazy how many advertisements board for Baekhyun and other EXO members just in one station.
The birthday advertisement are all over Seoul actually and according to @popo19920506 there’s 105 Birthday Ads for Baekhyun along Line 1 of Seoul Subway from 11 China Fansites.
China Baekhyun Bar put up an a huge long birthday ad in one of COEX Mall screen and it looks really cool.
However fansite CANDY CRUSH took it one step further by putting out ads at CGV Cinema!
At another CGV Cinema location, Baekhyun’s Birthday Ad were being shown at the ticketing machine courtesy of BAEKHYUNBAR. Probably one of the coolest ad I’ve seen so far.
Baekhyun Birthday Fan Cafe Cupsleeve events
In other countries you’ll see 1-2 cupsleeve event that probably held over 1 day. In Seoul however, there were a lot of cupsleeve events going on at the same time and it is held over a span of a couple of days. So you won’t see a crowd building up in any of the events like in Malaysia/Singapore. Good thing is no lines, but it also means no freebies to collect or give out.
We had limited time and capacity to take on coffee so we had to pick and choose which one we want to visit.
Our first choice was the one by @chiotblanc_B because unlike other cafes, they were selling Baekhyun tin ade drink with the cupsleeve and it looked super cute.
Baekhyun Birthday Party at Sejong University
SMTOWN Travel sent a detailed schedule of the day via Notice Board on the official website just 1 day before the event. They don’t have a notification system for the website so you’ll have to keep logging in and checking the notice to know the schedule.
We had a ticket draw at the Tour counter in the hotel during check-in at 3pm and got a seat on the 8th row! Although it was a twin package, for the fanmeeting they did not assign side-by-side seat to participants. I am guessing it is to be fair to other ACE fans who were allowed to buy 1 ticket each and thus making it impossible to get side by side seat with their friends.
They announced that bus will depart at 6.30pm for the 8pm event. We reached at around 7pm at the venue.
Entry into the venue is only allowed after strict ID check which consist of making sure your ACE ID matches your Photo ID and the physical ticket you have is issued to your name. This differs from concerts in which no ID check is done.
As global package participant, the ticket is of course not issued to any name but the staffs already noted this as we came together with our tour guides. They did still perform an ACE membership check by checking our LYSN app digital membership card.
Upon entry the staff gave us a message card that’s accompanied with a limited edition photocard of Baekhyun (not purchasable anywhere) + a balloon. I thought we’ll need to use the balloon somehow but then nobody was holding it so I followed the crowd in not doing so. Such a pity though.
I didn’t take any picture from my seat (was too scared I’ll get kicked out). I only took a shot of the place after the event ended.
The event lasted for two hours and was split into 3 sections. That’s based on my memory by the way and it has been a year.
First section: Quiz time
So the first session was a quiz in which Baekhyun have to guess some of fan’s fav moments of him. The session was done fully in Korean by the way so you do need to know a Korean to be able to follow. I only understood around 50% of what’s going on too.
It was a very interactive session where Baekhyun frequently asked questions to the fans. There were I think punishments if he were to guess incorrectly in which he would randomly draw a seat number, and the person seated can let him know what is the punishment.
Most memorable fan request was obviously a fan who asked for a short performance of “Ringa ringa ring” as punishment for Baekhyun.
The people who were chosen were quite interesting and Baekhyun were obviously entertained by their reaction which varies from dancing and screaming their heart out 😂
A twitter thread here have nicely did a summary of all the information revealed during the session.
Second section: Game time
Baekhyun split the hall into sections and played a game with each section for us to “win” the snacks he prepared. We all know he was gonna give it to us either way but played along.
There were a variety of games from rock, paper, scissors, missions like did anybody bring an EXO doll today and even a guess what Baekhyun drew corner.
My section lost our first game with Baekhyun and he said he was not gonna give us snacks. But then made us beg with a “Baekhyun, please (jebal)” so we can have another round. He really do love it when people say that to him since he keep laughing loudly when fans were asking him that.
So he gave us another try and I remember our mission was that if somebody brought more than 1 lightstick to the venue, we will win. I’m not sure somebody did have that but a girl in my row was collecting lightsticks from her neighbour and be like “yes, I brought 4 lightsticks!”. Pretty sure Baekhyun did that so we’ll start talking to our neighbours anyway so it all ended pretty well.
3rd section: Performance time
It is Byun Baekhyun so of course he won’t let us go without letting us hear his sweet voice. He performed a cover of Every day, Every Moment by Paul Kim.
After-event unofficial send-off
After we exited the venue, we saw so many fans were just waiting at the roadside forming an unofficial send-off party for Baekhyun’s car. I do love how respectful everybody were, they were just waiting at the curbside not blocking the roads even without security there.
I didn’t expect Baekhyun would actually past by but waited anyway. He actually did! He was even recording and waving to the fans that waited.
Overall thought on the event
Overall it was a very memorable event especially since it has been a bucketlist of mine to attend the birthday party. As far as I know, Baekhyun has been the only EXO member so far who have sold Global Package for his Birthday Party.
It would’ve been nicer if SMTOWN Travel would provide a translation receiver. Which they did for Xiumin Xiuweet Time which was held just 1 day after this Birthday Party. Weirdly they didn’t offer the service for this package. Not being able to fully understand what was being said was a bit disappointing. However, as there’s never any full session videos for birthday parties it does feel special to be part of the small number of people that was able to attend.
hellovacation.wordpress.com 