Girls Generation Superfan
Alexander Leung is a so-called “superfan” of Korean pop group Girls’ Generation. He tells Yannie Chan about the great lengths he has gone to for the band.
HK Magazine: What do you love about Girls’ Generation?
Alexander Leung: I first became interested when I found out that I share my birthday with one of the girls, Seohyun (above, third from left), the youngest and the smartest. I started watching their reality TV shows and loved how real they are. They would sit the way you would at home and even remove their makeup in front of the cameras. You cannot find the same level of honesty among Hong Kong’s celebrities.
HK: But netizens say they’ve undergone cosmetic surgery.
AL: If you compare photos of them as kids and now, you can see that they do not look majorly different. Some of Girls’ Generation had double-eyelid surgery, but I won’t consider that “cosmetic surgery” when compared to the bone-cutting procedures other South Korean stars receive to get smaller faces. I think they are still very natural.
HK: What’s the craziest thing you have done for them?
AL: I travelled to South Korea seven times last year to attend their concerts, TV appearances, fan meetings and autograph signing events. I would stay up to five days each time.
HK: Wow. What did you learn from that?
AL: They are very professional, spending hours practicing their routines and singing. When they record for a TV show, they have to repeat the routine at least five times for close-up shots, wide shots, individual shots and from different angles. They also try to look at comments from haters online as constructive criticism. I am inspired by them to work towards my goals and take criticism with humility.
HK: You founded The Ninth Century. What is that?
AL: It’s an online platform where people can order fan merchandise and concert tickets. I began orchestrating group purchases to split shipping fees, and the group grew from 10, to 50, to hundreds of members. We are the only K-pop fan group to offer tickets bought from Girls’ Generation’s music label, so we have front-row seats.
HK: Any tips on celebrity-chasing?
AL: I am always at their concerts and fan meetings so they recognize me. But to properly interact, you have to catch them in the restricted areas of airports. My friends and I, as experienced fans, can find out what flight they are taking and then book the same flight. I will use this opportunity to pass letters and gifts to Seohyun, my favorite.