On December 8, I had the awesome chance to meet my favorite idols in person. Stray Kids has been a group that I have been following since the beginning, and this was not an opportunity I wanted to pass up. The group had two signings that day, one in Daejeon at 2 p.m. and the other in Busan at 8 p.m. Still, they managed to maintain the same energy the whole time. We were told to arrive by 7:30 p.m. to select numbers and get settled into our seats. I was 60 out of the 100 people who were selected to attend. The “I Am You” album was played on loop, and like the fan I was, I was singing out loud, enthusiastically. I was one of two Western fans in the group, so sticking out wasn’t a problem anymore.

Right on the dot at 8 p.m., the members came out and greeted their fans as the sound of cameras began clicking away, and they were so relaxed despite the thunderous noise around them. It was intimate in a way that I had never been given the chance to experience as an international fan. We were taken up row by row and ushered onto the stage. I thought it would take a while before it was my turn, but it was as if I blinked and it was my chance to take the stage.

While waiting in line for my turn, I was singing along to the music that reverberated through the room, and Chan even commented that he could hear me from the staircase. It was as if he had just given me the biggest of compliments. The signing itself happened so fast, and comments passed back and forth between artist and fans are something that is cherished dearly. Once everyone had their albums signed and their lives changed for a few brief moments, the members treated us to a “sexy” rendition of “Get Cool,” a B-side track off of the “I Am You” album. The giggles and camera clicks filled the space that wasn’t filled by the members. Discovered among the fan gifts was a bubble gun, which the members took full advantage of and caused hilarity to ensue.

After that, a few of the members treated us with covers of their favorite songs, the members that left me shocked the most were Seungmin,who graced us with Justin Bieber’s  “As Long As You Love Me,” and Changbin, with his soulful rendition of “Eyes, Nose, Lips” by Taeyang. Overall the whole experience lasted just a little over two hours, but it felt as if it were just a few moments. As an international fan, if you can ever get this opportunity to attend, definitely don’t pass it up. There is nothing truly like it. If you are curious about how to get into a signing yourself, check out our fan advice article to learn how to get the chance to participate!