RSS Feed
Twitter
FacebookSoshified Spotlight August 2012 Part 2: SNSDave
|
 Welcome to Part 2 of the August 2012 edition of Soshified Spotlight. Just like every other month, we’re once again highlighting a regular member in Part 1, and a Soshified staff member in Part 2. In Part 1, we featured kim_woon, or Kim, a computer programmer from Malaysia. In Part 2, we have SNSDave, or Dave, a paralegal from Los Angeles who has definitely delved headfirst into the community that is K-Pop, as he has met some of the biggest names in the genre. Outside of K-Pop, Dave has an eclectic variety of interests, including fashion (since he is a Stylist), music, English, photography, and his hair. ***** What is your first name? I’m Dave, I will get you right….wait, I forgot I’m not in the TRAX anymore. Anyway, yeah, I’m Dave, or any variation of that name, pleasure to meet you! How did you find out about Soshified and why did you decide to join? I found out about the site July 2010, right after I heard about SM Town 2010 LA. I heard about a big site for SNSD, who at the time were the only K-pop group I was aware, and seeing the huge amount of info present, and friendly people, I thought it’d be a great place to be around. How did you come up with your screen name? I thought I’d mesh SNSD with my name, since they share the letter D, so I pretty much added it to the end, making SNSD, which I always explain stands for…Dave Generation. I know it doesn’t, but neither do a lot of things. Where are you originally from, and where do you currently reside (city and country for both)? I’m from Los Angeles California, in the United States, and I’m originally from…Los Angeles, California, in the United States. My parents are from Spain and the United Kingdom, so I got a nice mixture of European blood. If we were visiting you where you live for one day, where would you take us? Why are these places so significant? We’d definitely hit up Koreatown, the largest Korean-populated area in the US, if I’m not mistaken…what with 90% of the people on this site having interest in Korean media, and some going as far as sampling the delicacy and the culture, it’d be an ideal place…especially for those living in highly homogenous areas devoid of any Asian/Korean influence. We’d also visit Hollywood because, c’mon, while it may not be the same as they picture it in the media, it’s freakin’ Hollywood!  This delicacy definitely requires some sampling. Tell us a little about your life. What do you do full time and in your free time? I like to think I like a fairly interesting life. Full-time, I’m a paralegal at a law firm, which means I’m responsible for prepping court cases and filing and documenting the numerous letters that lawyers typically get. It’s an interesting job, I learn something new everyday, and hey, in this economy, I’m happy to be working at the moment. I took a year of from college to get some money on the side, but I’ll be going back next year, attending the University of California, San Diego, majoring in Literature…which is slang for “English” there. In my free time, I’m a photographer, musician, music teacher, hair model…let’s just say I try and make the most out of my free time. Heck, I’ve even had the pleasure to work at several K-pop events and interview several artists, including the Wonder Girls(Yenny like my hair and played with it, Brown Eyed Girls, Sistar, MBLAQ, B2ST, CN Blue(no, I didn’t ask about YongSeo), and others…granted it was broken English, and I suck at pronouncing their Korean names, but hey, how many people can say they’ve done that? What concerts did you attend, and which artists did you get to interview? How did you get that gig? After SM Town 2010 in LA, I had attended the LA Korean Festival, where thanks to a random offer on Facebook, managed to interview the Wonder Girls, who were performing at the event. A month afterwords, I interviewed JYJ on their US Showcase tour, and kinda just went from there. It’s great being able to actually talk and learn from the people who create the music you listen to, and I’ve never had an interview where things went sour or weren’t’ enjoyable. What's the most interesting thing about you and/or that has ever happened to you? Hmmm…forthcoming, I’ll be marching in the London New Year’s Parade, which I feel is something not everybody can say they’ve done. It’ll be my first time visiting my mother’s home country, and I’m very proud to be apart of the celebration. How did you get to march in the London New Year’s parade? My old high school marching band was recently invited by the Lord Mayor of Westminster to participate in the event, as well as be an invited guest at the New Year’s Ceremony. Though I’ve been out of high school for a few years, I continued to volunteer as an instructor for brass instruments. With the economic downturn, many students were unable to put up the money to go, and given my continued participation in the program, I was invited to further assist them by putting back on the old uniform and leading the band in it’s first performance out of the country. For people who are first meeting you (like most of us), how would you describe yourself? “THAT THING’S A DUDE!?!??” Honestly, though, I’m easy to spot in a crowd. At 5’10 and 115 pounds(178 cm’s and 53 kgs for you metric folk), and with a mane of curly brown hair, I resemble a gross between Slash and Joey Ramone…but with tighter jeans and a lack of drug usage. Just look at the hair. Outside of appearance, I’m a pretty talkative guy, definitely the type to break the ice, and potentially my leg, to get the conversation going. I’ve got a good amount of friends as a testament to this, and I’m always eager to meet new people. Plus I don’t bite. Biting is bad.  I would not have known that thing’s a dude if you didn’t tell me. Why did you decide to grow your hair so long? And which artist was it who liked your hair? After a botched haircut when I was a Sophomore in high school, I decided to grow it out, and found out that I have long curls, which I grew to love & embrace. I regularly trimmed it, but let it grow long regardless, and soon got it to my current mid-back length. About 2 years ago, a good friend of mine passed away in an accident, and our last conversation, and something he’d always tell me was “Man dude, you have such awesome hair!” So as a tribute to him, I’ve been keeping it long ever since, and plan to keep it at a respectable length. As for artists, the first one to really just be amazed by it was Yenny from the Wonder Girls, who blurted out when I walked in the interview tent that “I love your hair!” She proceeded to tug on a few curls and ask if it was a perm, which I informed her it wasn’t. Others who have enjoyed it have been JYJ’s Junsu, who compared it to Tiger JK’s, and B2ST’s Dongwoon, who said it reminded him of his time in the Philippines. Tell us some things that most people don't know about you that you think they should. Despite my lanky appearance, I’m in pretty good physical shape, and attempted to play college football. That did not go well, but I gave it a shot. In addition, the past 4 generations of my family have served in several branches of the United States military, and as such, I’m very proud to be a military brat, and have the utmost respect for those who serve their country, mandatory or voluntary. Is there anything big in your life that you're working on? (This can be related to school, career, hobbies,family, friends, etc.) I’ve actually always wanted to be a cryptozoologist, basically a scientist who studies the unknown life out there, such as Bigfoot, the Yeti, the bunyip, and the Loch Ness Monster. Something about seeking what’s not found, out in the wilderness, just really appeals to me. Who knows, maybe I’ll be the one to capture a creature and get to name. I’ll think of a good one, I swear. What are your interests outside of Girls' Generation? I’m a pretty keen photographer, though I admit to still being very new to process. I generally enjoy your typical American hobbies: watching TV, going out to bars, hanging out with friends, going to concerts. I’ve also played trombone for 10 years, and currently assistant teach part-time at my alma mater, so that’s something I’m definitely interested in keeping that up. Dipping into music and K-pop, I’m a fan of hard rock and 70-80′s heavy metal, as well as jazz and classical, being trained in those areas for several years. K-pop wise, I enjoy the vast majority of SM artists except for f(x), and also enjoy artists such as Big Bang, 2NE1, B2ST, MBLAQ, g.o.d., Shinhwa and more. How did you get into your various hobbies, and how do you balance them? I’m a big free-spirit, so I just really tried to get out and try everything I could. I’ve been playing trombone since 5th grade, so it’s been roughly 10 years since I started, and it’s really just something I fell in love. I’m not the best, but I have fun, and it’s great to be able to share the joys of music with others, and being able to thoroughly analyze the sound of music. Photography, well, I’ve taken pictures throughout life, and then a good friend of mine showed me how expensive dSLR’s were these days, and I just kinda jumped into it. I’ve never taken courses on it, nor have I considered myself good, but the sheer joy of just being able to compose and share shots with people, and the occasional compliment, makes it worth it. How did you first become a fan of Girls' Generation? In all honesty, a friend showed me a video at Disneyland, “Gee“, and basically said “Guys, check out these hot Asian chicks dancing in outfits! It’s freakin’ catchy.” I looked up more of them on YouTube, and one thing led to another, and I became a fan. Who is your favorite member and why? Jessica. She was the first member I could recognize out of all of them, and the first member I heard speak English, fluently, which surprised me. Her laidback attitude and funny way of presenting herself, as well as her high voice definitely won me over. What is your favorite Girls' Generation song and MV and why? I’m partially to “darker and edgier” over light and poppy, so “Run Devil Run” wins out for me. The outfits, the song, the hair color just all really clicked with me, and while I don’t consider it their best song, it’s by and away my favorite to come out of them. Plus, Jessica with blonde hair and black streaks. That’s a winner. What is your favorite Girls' Generation moment and why? I’m not a watcher of drama or variety, so my moment comes from their musical endeavors. Seeing them win the Disk Daesang in 2010/2011, less than a year after I became a fan, and seeing them cry over their success was definitely something else to witness, and they deserved it. How has Girls’ Generation impacted your life, in specific areas or even as a whole? Being apart of the fandom has definitely allowed me to make friends in almost every region on Earth, and has let me meet hundreds of fans in concert, be it on my home turf in Los Angeles, New York City, Las Vegas or San Francisco. Though I feel the media blows it out of proportion, K-pop is definitely far reaching, and in 2 years, I’ve made some great friends, had some great memories, and will have many more in the upcoming years. A few years ago, I’d never imagined going to NYC with people I’ve only known for a year. Last year, I did just that. And my only regret was not doing it sooner. Could you tell us some of your stories about meeting Girls’ Generation members? My fanaccount gives a general idea of what I think of them, but going in-depth a bit, it was all about just being “there”. I really can’t say I don’t favor a few members, because I do, and I admit to not paying very much attention to others, but when they are in-front of you, just walking by, saying hi, or shaking hands, it’s just a joy to see how polite they are. I know they have off days, I mean, who doesn’t, but in my experience, they’ve always been nice and courteous. Even Taeyeon and Yoona, both of whom were not in the best of shape during the NYC fanmeet, put on their game faces and showed the fans that “Right Now it’s Girls’ Generation”, no matter the circumstances. I’d have to cite my hug with Tiffany as my favorite moment. Granted, it was an ordinary hug. But the fact that she went out of her way to do so, when I was really just doing my job and nothing more, showed how caring and thoughtful of a person she is. I’m thankful I have that moment to remember now, and god bless her for that. What do you like most about Soshified, and why? Any section in particular you’re attracted to? It’s got everything an SNSD fan could possibly want: subs, discussions, fanfics, games, photos, and a chance to donate to gifts and charities on behalf of a great organization. It lets you chat with people all over the world, all with different thoughts and opinions, and all(well, minus the trolls) fans of SNSD. I’m partial to the Discussions sub-forum, since I see a lot of interesting things pop up there that I like to talk about, plus it’s got the Questions thread…which believe it or not, actually has questions. I do my best to avoid the Pairing and Fanfic section though. Shippers scare the hell out of me. Why did you decide to join the Soshified staff, and why the particular job you have now? After about a year of being a member of the site, and seeing the positive contributions they were making for the fandom, I decided there was no better way to help out than to join the Staff. After some denied applications to other Staff groups, I was admitted to the Stylist group, courtesy of the wonderful SoshiStyle team. With my background knowledge of hair styling and moderate fashion knowledge, I felt I could be an asset to the team, who I love to be with. Especially cream, our team leader. If you’re reading this, cream,…I promise to do better, and we’ll get those Long Island iced teas someday. I’m sorry. What exactly do you do? Do you enjoy this position? What do you like about it? I’m a Hair Stylist, which means I do Hair Tutorials once a month, showcasing the variety of hairstyles SNSD wear, and as even casual fans can tell you…they have a LOT of hair styles. I almost wonder if their Stylists have to brainstorm before every event. “OK, WHAT DO WE DO KNOW…I KNOW, HYOYEON GET’S THE WEIRD ONE, WE ALL KNOW THAT.” In addition, I review items SNSD uses and are seen with. Given their female nature, I typically stick to reviewing their various tech items, like their cellphones and cameras. Would be kinda odd for a guy to review a blouse or a tunic top. Though they do look comfortable… What is your favorite project that you’ve ever been involved in? The NYC fanmeet. I was asked to help out at the last minute…as in the night before in a hotel room, thanks to Soy, as a photographer. Seeing the faces of those hundreds of fans waiting in line, seeing the faces of the nine members as they were amused by our little slideshow, and just seeing a fandom bond together was really something else. The first fanmeet ever outside of Asia, and I’m happy to be apart of it. Even still have my Media/Press stickers from that event.  Dave’s work during the NYC Fanmeet. Is there anything else about you that you would like to add? I’d like to thank you for allowing me to talk a little bit about myself and keeping these spotlights going. They definitely help SONE’s learn more about other SONE’s, and that’s always a good thing. I wouldn’t be here, or rather, stayed active in the forum without the help of a few SONE’s, so I’d like to go ahead and take care of some shout-outs…numerous in nature, actually, so not really “some”. Big shoutout to the entire Soshified Staff here, for keeping everything rolling and making this the best forum I’ve been apart. To the Stylist, thanks for being so Stylish and helping me out in my numerous fashion questions…about feminine clothing of which I know not so much about, and helping me with tutorials. To the Writers, thanks for keeping everybody updated with the latest news, and for getting translated news out(with the help of the Subbers) so that folks that don’t understand Korean don’t have to rely on potentially skewed articles from other sites. GD’s, cream(and everything else you end up doing for me), rainca, Beth, thanks for always editing my photos, I know I had a lot, so you deserve one. Soy, thank you for founding this great site and keeping it fresh, and I will one day find that cookie I lost in your hotel room. Moving on, SoCal is where it’s at, and there’s nothing better than hanging out with the SoCal SONE’s on one of our numerous meet-ups, and moreso, I’d have never imagined flying out to NYC with people I’ve known for less of a year, but with you guys, I felt like we’d known each other since the group debuted. Aidan, Pallie, Will, any one of the Andrews, Debora, Jake, Chris, Irene, Claraity, Cami, Dee, it wouldn’t be SoCal without you. SONE’s elsewhere in the US, we’ve met-up, and if we haven’t, let’s do so sometime. Billy, Jon, Nick, Yuldori, Michelle, Kriss, Tim, 1.0, Sarah, Cara, Michael, JimmyDean, Xavier, Mari, Leda, Wes, I’m sure I missed people, but you know I love you regardless. And Simon, you’re from here, not Japan, so you go here, ok? Ok. Across the world, looking forward to meeting up with the UK SONE’s when I visit London, hope they don’t mind a Yank going to visit his roots. Down South, my friends Karen and Pilar, both of you have been great in teaching me Spanish…which I should really know by now. SG and PH SONE’s, love to visit you, sadly not in the agenda at this point, but I do hope you stay safe from hurricane and save me some chili crab. Aus SONE’s, I wanna go down under, but I’m scared of drop bears, please keep me safe from them. And for those I’ve yet to meet, the group is just hitting it’s stride, so let’s get to know each other and have sweet memories.. After all, that’s what the fandom is for…and for pic spams. Never forget the pic spams. ***** Huge thanks goes out to Dave for participating in Soshified Spotlight this month. As usual, you can submit nominations for future Soshified Spotlights if you’d like to participate or if you’d like to get to know a fellow member better. Instructions on how to do so can be viewed at the Soshified Spotlight Solicitation announcement. You can also read past Soshified Spotlights by clicking on the “Soshified Spotlight” tag below. Compiled by: residentbenchwarmer@soshified Have a news item that you think Soshified should know about? Leave us a tip or e-mail us at tip@soshified.com. |
