My lifetime passion/obsession = Otaku?

To be honest with you, I claim myself as "Sung's friend" when I talk about how I met him in person. Kind of showing off that hey, I'm a friend of a celebrity. But I always follow up by saying "Actually, I'm just a fan. I was just lucky to find an event where I could see him in person and he is generous enough to let me take a picture with him." As I see so many others also getting the photo taken with him for past several years, I highly doubt that he remember them all. For me, remembering someone's face and name is getting harder and harder. It might be my brain issue, but even a few days ago, there was a guy passing by my office saying, "Hi, Mari." I quickly said, "Hi." But I don't remember who he was. It actually happens quite often for me. They know me, but I don't. Obviously, I'm not a celebrity. It's just how my brain works. Quickly erasing old memories when I need to remember something newer. But I suppose that is not how Sung's brain works. When I asked him, "Do you recognize me?" He simply said, "Yes, Mari." Wow! I guess it shouldn't be the most important thing that he remembers me because he is so busy and deals with so many other fans. If I get a chance to see him again next time, I won't ask this question again. Instead, I will ask something more meaningful. I prepared many questions/comment, but my brain started spinning and couldn't say much. I prepared a hand-writing letter, too. But i hesitated to give it to him. What if he find me so disgusting -- being as old as he is, still coming after a movie start? Actually, that is not unusual in Japan. You can find a lot of grandmother generations of people go to Korea to see Korean actors. So, I'm nothing different! I guess it's in my DNA. Japanese old women go after a Korean actor. Anyway, one thing I achieved yesterday is this video below: I wrote down names of other girls who are as crazy for Sung as I am though I still feel I'm 100% more obsessed. Anyway, I made many good friends and share our love to Sung Kang for years. So, I wanted to share my happiness with them by letting Sung saying "hi" to them by calling their names. And he did it beautifully. This video was quickly sent off to my friends and most of them already responded saying how much it made them happy. I'm so glad it worked out! I'm so glad that I could make someone happy like that. I should also give a credit to my husband who gave me a ride to/from the airport, 2 days in a row. It takes almost 3 hours round trip. And he knows exactly why I went to LA and how it turned out. I asked him, "don't you actually mind your wife spend time and effort (and money) to see another Korean guy even though he is a movie star?" He just said, "I'm not a guy from Joseon Dynasty time." I guess if I were bon in Joseon period, I get death penalty by doing this kind of thing. But hey, it's 2000s'. I actually feel I haven't changed much since I was in elementary school in many sense. That is, when I'm in love with someone, I don't hide. I feel there is no point to hide. People may or may not talk about it. But so what? That actually embarrassed many of them who are just regular guys like my classmates. I guess that's why I no longer live in Japan since a while ago. I was so happy to see Fi posted the picture I shared with her. Yes! It is the shelfie I was talking about. I did it! I normally don't share a picture of myself. But when I do, it's with Sung!

I did it!

It's finally my tern! The video I'm sharing here today was taken by me yesterday in LA and I'm now back home in Maryland. I'm so fast and furious, no? I don't have to explain myself how happy I am now. I will share more a little by little, but I'd like to start with this video because Justin is talking about something really interesting for us -- big fans of FF series! I kind of knew Justin has no plan to come back. But it's great to know that it sounded like Justin and Vin still talks about that, while that does probably not mean Justin is likely to come back to this. But it's just not 0%. I want him to shoot something like how he did in Tokyo Drift and it does not have to be inside FF series. But I guess he is currently super busy with so many projects. I'm so grateful that he made a time to come to this event. I'm sure it's not giving him much, but he is just giving so much to us, the audience and LA Asian Community. For that, I really respect him. And I wanted to let him know so much about what I've been thinking about his works and his existence itself. I cannot believe I didn't even try talking to him, though. That's right. I didn't get to talk to him. I guess I was so focused on Sung. I wanted to talk to Justin, too. But my brain just got white out after talking with Sung. I really wanted to say Justin is a game changer and I also wanted to ask him about the scene Sean came to his father's place in Tokyo. I still want to know whose idea it was -- a unit bath with Japanese style toilet bowl. I was like "WTH?" I've never seen a bathroom like that. But I kind of liked it. I thought it's a joke and I found it really funny. But I'm just curious to know why it was there. Damn! I can't believe I couldn't talk to Justin!

Can I meet FuguZ, too?

http://www.autoblog.com/article/fuguz/

According to this picture, Sung is growing his hair. Let's see if he has a long hair tomorrow or not. I've been so busy taking care of my works and it's 11:30pm EST here. I haven't even started packing yet. It'll be a short trip, just staying near LAX for one night, but I'd better start packing because my flight leaves tomorrow morning around 10am. I have to wake up early enough to avoid morning traffic, which caused a major delay last time we drove to the airport.

Anyway, I'm still not 100% sure if I get to see him. You know, weather has been crazy. No storm predicted on my way so far. But you never know.

Even if I get there and Sung is there, do I get to talk to him? Maybe security will block me because I'm classified as cyber stalker, stalking him for 8 years? I'm harmless, right? I'm not prepared to do anything crazy. All I want is at least one selfie with him. I won't be too greedy.

Fi was so nice to let me know that she informed Sung about me. So, hope Sung is (kind of) expecting me there. Just like previous 2 times, which I'm sure he doesn't remember, hope he talks to me first before I do. Yes. That how we first contacted. I was starring at him for a few seconds, then, Sung said, "Hey, are you my friend in MySpace?" That was the very first sentence I heard from Sung talking to me in Silver Spring, MD. Then, in NYC, he said, "Hey, I know you," while I was greeting with someone else in the same event. Let's see if he recognize me again.

OK. Time to start packing!

Justin and Sung will be there!

http://youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com/the-fast-and-the-furious-tokyo-drift-10th-anniversary-screening-w-director-justin-lin-and-star-sung-kang/comment-page-1/#comment-819897

It is officially announced that Justin and Sung will be there for 10th anniversary screening of Tokyo Drift! You have no idea how much it means to me. It's just a coast-to-coast that I have to travel on Thursday morning. Hope I'm not too oily by the time I get to see them in LA. The worst case scenario is that my connection flight at Chicago does not fly out on schedule, or my husband refuses to give me a ride to the airport. I asked him to go with me, but he said "it's OK."

Anyway, it's not my first time going to LA, hoping to see Sung in person. Last time, I failed because he did no show up in the film festival. But it'll be my first time visiting Little Tokyo. I plan to use Uber for the first time, too. Let's see how it turns out. Hope I get to talk to him and record some video as an evidence.

My colleagues told me, "you are so hard core!" Yes, I am. And very persistent/stubborn one. Hope that does not scare him off.

Actually, it is not the best timing for me to travel long distance because I have a business trip in the following week to Miami. I'm not young enough to handle two long distance trip in a week. But let's see how I can manage.

My flight to LA = booked!

The picture is not relevant to what I am writing here. I just found this via a google image search and just grabbed.

OK. It's finally my tern to participate an event to which Sung may (or may not) show up. I just booked my round trip air ticket to LAX! Hope I can make the connection flight at Chicago, so I can be on time for the event starting at 7pm PST in Little Tokyo. It'll be nice to hang out there as I've never been there.

If I get to see him in person, I want to do at least one selfie with him! I will take a lot of other pictures, too! But if it turned out that he won't be there, that's OK though I may cry. I guess at least Justin is confirmed to be there. Actually, there are many questions about this movie and  his other works. So, it'll be great if I can join the panel discussion after the film screening. I need to prepare well. If Sung does show up and has enough time for me, I'll try taking a video asking Sung to say hi to other fans whom I became friends through this blog, and post it there. I have a lot of ideas. But not sure if any of them can come true. I'll keep on dreaming...

BTW, I did ask my husband to come with me. But he said "negative." He is not as crazy as I am when it comes to a chance to meet Sung in person. So, I'll be on my own, traveling coast-to-coast, just for the hope to see Sung in person. It'll be just 2 days trip - staying only one night near LAX. I'll try my first Uber for my ride to Little Tokyo.

P.S. Yes. I'm a little afraid. I'm not afraid of flying or traveling long distance alone -- I've done that so many times. I'm just afraid of seeing him with my teeth #10 missing. Implant is done. But I still need to wait until April to get the crown. Hope Sung does not get scared to see me with one teeth missing. Or I will try not to smile or open my mouth too big. lol~

I bought a ticket for the next event!

http://www.janm.org/events/2016/02/#04
https://www.rafu.com/2016/01/fast-and-furious-tokyo-drift-at-janm/

Thanks to Google Alert, I came to know about this film screening scheduled in LA. Looks like Justin is confirmed to be there while the rest of casts/staffs TBA. I'm not sure if Sung is on set these days. But since he lives in LA, there is a chance that he just drop by. I went ahead to book a ticket for this event. But I have to wait my boss to approve my time off request for a short notice. It's actually not a perfect timing for me to travel long distance like this (I live in East Coast side) because my business trip is already booked in the same week. But let's see. If Sung will be there for sure, I shall be there. I already passed two opportunities last week -- once in September for film screening of The Motel, and the second one in November when Sung showed off his Fugu Z in Vegas. But this event... it's not clear if Sung will be there or not. I hope he will. But let's see...

http://iconosquare.com/viewer.php#/detail/1111791052592902266_406504219

How was your first dream of 2016?

http://iconosquare.com/viewer.php#/detail/1153883988554140643_1542159593

I could not see him in my first dream of 2016 this year. But I found this picture someone posted on instagram, which looks very nice! Let me share.

I hope everyone had a nice holiday season. Mine wasn't too bad. We didn't do much, but it was alright. I just with it does not end tomorrow.

Moreover, I want to see more and more of Sung this year! Let's keep all of his works coming to our ways!

Sandance in January

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3517044/?ref_=ttrel_rel_tt
http://www.sundance.org/projects/the-free-world

I just found Sung's next work scheduled to be released in Sandance Film Festival in Jan. Check this out! I'm afraid I cannot travel there as I have a conflict. But hope to see this movie somewhere else soon...

Eating out in LA?

http://iconosquare.com/viewer.php#/detail/1134325817423412134_50146261

Thank you for sharing your picture!

I like those old American cars, too!

**Picture is not related to the article, but i just found it at:

http://iconosquare.com/p/1127936173112058229_2123642583#sthash.igbt9F8c.dpuf


http://artofgears.com/2015/11/26/is-sung-kangs-next-build-going-to-be-a-1970s-ford-maverick/

I may make myself sound snobby this time, but I'm not "domestic" type when it comes to automobile. But I actually like how those 1970's domestic cars looks like Those remind me my childhood dream about this country. But these days, cars - domestic or foreign - no longer look that different.  It might depend on where you go, but I see more Japanese/Korean cars, and domestic no longer look that different from those from Asian manufacturers. After all, I'm not a car person. So, I should not make any judgement here. For may daily use, I have to stick with Honda Civic to save some money. Mine is actually Hybrid 2016 model, still in pretty good condition. I just had to replace IMA which was pricey. But that's about it as far as what I had to pay except regular maintenance like oil change, etc. Anyway, my dream car is Tesla Model 3. Let's see how much I can save before it becomes generally available in 2017?