Tokyo 2023 Travel Log: Day 5 — Exploring TeamLab Planets TOKYO

We took the train back to Osaka from Kyoto and we were so tired by then that we just had a quick conbini dinner (e.g. cup ramen, a sandwich, and an onigiri), showered, and went straight to bed because we had to take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo early in the morning. Why the rush? Because we had to get back to Tokyo in time for TeamLab Planets TOKYO.

The Infinite Crystal Universe
The Infinite Crystal Universe
The Infinite Crystal Universe
The Infinite Crystal Universe
Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and People - Infinity
Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and People - Infinity
Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and People - Infinity
Matter is Void - Fire
Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space - Free Floating, Flattening 3 Colors and 9 Blurred Colors
Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space - Free Floating, Flattening 3 Colors and 9 Blurred Colors
Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space - Free Floating, Flattening 3 Colors and 9 Blurred Colors
Floating Flower Garden: Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One
Floating Flower Garden: Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One
Floating Flower Garden: Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One
Floating Flower Garden: Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One

It's one of the most unique museum experiences I've ever had. You're barefoot the entire time (they provide lockers for you to put your belongings in), and you use your whole body to immerse yourself in the artwork spaces — through an uphill water stream, a maze of colour-changing LED light strings, a massive pool of knee-deep water, a sea of body-swallowing sandbags, a chamber of massive rubber helium balloons, a ceiling of projected falling flower petals, and moving orchid walls. 

Is it overrated? A little bit. Is it totally worth going? Absolutely.

TeamLab Planets TOKYO

6 Chome-1-16 

Toyosu, Koto City

Tokyo, Japan 〒135-0061

Seoul 2023 Travel Log: Random Photos

A final dump of random photos from our journey through Seoul that didn't quite fit in any other post:

Morning view of Seoul from our hotel room in Myeongdong
A random sculpture near IFC Mall
Inside Namdaemun Market
On the way to Namdaemun Market
Statue of King Sejong the Great
Insadong-gil
A Line Friends pavilion on Insadong-gil
Starfield Library
Starfield Library
Starfield Library

And with that, we're off to Tokyo!

Hotel PJ Myeongdong

71 Mareunnae-ro, Inhyeon-dong 2(i)-ga

Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

+82-2-2280-7000

IFC Mall Seoul

10 Gukjegeumyung-ro

Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

+82-2-6137-5000

Namdaemun Market

21 Namdaemunsijang 4-gil

Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

+82-2-753-2805

Statue of King Sejong

Gwanghwamun Plaza

172 Sejong-daero, Sejongno

Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

PLAY Line Friends Insadong

49 Insadong-gil

Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

+82-2-6954-2940

Starfield Library

Starfield COEX Mall

513 스타필드 코엑스몰 B1, Yeongdong-daero

Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

+82-2-6002-3031

BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas at AREA15

After our lunch at Mandalay Bay, we headed over to AREA15 for the BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas!

BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — Entrance
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — Entrance
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — Entrance
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — Entrance
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — BTS Logo Neon Sign
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — "Permission to Dance" Installation
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — "Permission to Dance" Installation
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — "Dynamite" Installation
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — "Dynamite" Installation
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — "Dynamite" Installation
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — "Dynamite" Installation
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — "Dynamite" Installation
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — "Butter" Installation
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — TinyTan "Butter" Installation
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — TinyTan "Butter" Installation
BTS Pop-Up: Permission to Dance in Las Vegas — "Butter" Installation
There were A LOT of people there. Even with reservations, the place was packed. Neither Ying nor I like taking selfies or being in photos in general, so we were getting somewhat impatient waiting for people to pose SIX THOUSAND TIMES in front of EVERY SINGLE DISPLAY. Now, I know that this pop-up was only up for a limited time and of course people will want to have memories of their time there, but when there's literally hundreds of people going through the installations, it's pretty inconsiderate to spend ten minutes in every single room when there's so many people behind you and even more just trying to get in. Like, take a couple pictures and MOVE ON. You don't need get your friend to take a video of you doing the entire choreography of "Butter" in front of the "Butter" MV playing behind you and then switch places with your friend so she can do the same fucking thing. (Can you tell my patience was tested and I failed?)

That having been said, the pop-up was really impressive. Huge props to the team who put this whole thing together. It really was an incredible space and each installation was really well done.

AREA15 / The Grounds

2900 W. Sirius Ave.

Las Vegas, NV 89102

Unboxing: Sideshow Collectibles — Premium BTS Logo: 7 With You

This past April, Sideshow Collectibles announced their collaboration with BTS — the Premium BTS Logo: 7 With You, "a limited edition licensed BTS product inspired by 8 years of musical artistry." The Premium BTS Logo: 7 With You retails for $55 USD on the Sideshow Collectibles website and ₩84,000 or $78.03 USD on Weverse Global Shop. (It is sold out on Weverse Global Shop now, but is still available through Sideshow. I bought mine on the Sideshow Collectibles website because both the retail price and the shipping cost is significantly less.) It also comes in a purple ombré style without the emblem pattern, called The Colour of Love, which retails for $45 USD on Sideshow. They're both cute, but I decided to get the 7 With You Edition because the other one seemed just a little too plain. 

Sideshow Collectibles — Premium BTS Logo: 7 With You (Front)
Sideshow Collectibles — Premium BTS Logo: 7 With You (Detail)
Sideshow Collectibles — Premium BTS Logo: 7 With You (Back)
This replica statue "takes the iconic shape of the global superstar group's logo, visualized as set of doors opening outward to possibility, and incorporates a colourful pattern of emblems from the group's albums across different eras, from 2 Cool For Skool to Map of the Soul: 7, over a purple background. This limited-edition collectible statue rests on a simple black display base with the initials BTS imprinted on one side." It also "features the ARMY symbol on one side of the statue. The symbols exist in harmony, bringing together past and present in one elegant design." 

Sideshow Collectibles — Premium BTS Logo: 7 With You
Sideshow Collectibles — Premium BTS Logo: 7 With You
Okay, so this is totally one of those collectibles that has no real practical use aside from maybe a paperweight or book end. It is described as a statue and that is really its main purpose — to be an aesthetic piece of art that decorates a space. At the end of the day, it's cute, it's BTS, it's collectible, and it adds a nice dash of colour to my apartment, so no regrets.

BTS Birthday Event: "Kookie Rapper" for Jungkook and RM at Christie Pits Park

Our fellow ARMYs at ARMY Events Toronto hosted a 3-day joint birthday celebration this long weekend in honour of Jungkook and RM. It was actually quite a big affair — most BTS birthday events are hosted at a single cafe, where you can get a cup sleeve and some photocards with the purchase of a drink or food item. This one, however, was headquartered outside at Christie Pits Park, and partnered with three different eateries/cafes to get different items. (K Seoul Hotdog was giving out the Jungkook and RM event photo strips, and both Kung Fu Tea and The Alley were giving out the Jungkook and RM event cup sleeves.) 

BTS Jungkook and RM "Kookie Rapper" Birthday Event at Christie Pits Park
BTS Jungkook and RM "Kookie Rapper" Birthday Event at Christie Pits Park

At Christie Pits Park, there were several local BTS fan artists that set up shop there for fellow ARMYs to purchase their merch — everything from art prints to stickers to keychains to clothing. After Ying and I dropped by K Seoul Hotdog for Korean hotdogs (and to get our photo strips) and Kung Fu Tea to pick up some boba (and to get our cup sleeves), we headed over to Christie Pits Park to enjoy our drinks and take a look at the different vendors.

BTS "Butter" Tote Bag by Kait Martin
"Kookie Rapper" RM + JK Event Cup Sleeve and TinyTAN Purple Whale Keychain by Kait Martin
We stopped by to see Kait Martin first, as she was the main host of this event as well as the designer for all the cup sleeves and photo strips. Both Ying and I each bought her "Butter" tote bag (which really came in handy to hold all of our goodies), the last two that she had left. I also bought a TinyTAN purple whale keychain from her and got the last collectible event cup sleeve (there were three in total: one for Jungkook, one for RM, and one of both of them together, which you could only get from Kait with a purchase).

BTS "Spring Day," Jimin "Serendipity," and Jungkook "Euphoria" Art Prints by Aris/Astroxnot

I actually wasn't intending on buying anything else, but I perused the merch anyway because a) they were too cute to resist, b) I wanted to support local artists, and c) I wanted to support local ARMY. I ended up getting three art prints from an illustrator named Aris (a.k.a Astroxnot), one featuring a scene from BTS' "Spring Day" MV, one featuring Jungkook from the "Euphoria" MV, and the last one featuring Jimin from the "Serendipity" MV. 

BTS "We Are Together Bulletproof" Art Print; Suga "Daechwita," Jimin "Serendipity," and Jungkook "Euphoria" Memo Pads; BTS OT7 "The Journey" and "Butter" Washi Tapes by Shirley/Polyswirl
Then we saw Shirley (a.k.a. Polyswirl) there, the BTS fan artist who also hosted the Jungkook event that we went to last year! From her, I ended up getting the "We are Together Bulletproof" art print; three memo pads featuring Suga in "Daechwita," Jungkook in "Euphoria," and Jimin in "Serendipity"; and two rolls of washi tape featuring OT7 in "Butter" and "We are Bulletproof: The Eternal." Do I need memo pads? No. Do I even use washi tape? No. Do I have room left for any art prints? No. But everything was so goddamn cute and all the artists were so freaking nice, I just wanted to support some of them in a small way. Only problem now is, I have no idea where I'm gonna put everything...

Ying and I were really happy to actually go out for a BTS birthday event. The last one we went to was actually Shirley's Jungkook event from last year (almost exactly a year ago) because all the other birthdays from then until now have been during lockdowns, so we could only order cup sleeves online to get them shipped to us and have our own private events. This particular event was so unique and so well-organized, complete with a map on where to get all the different freebies. A lot of ARMYs showed up, too, with line-ups at all the eateries as well as at the artist vendors at the park. It was honestly a really impressive birthday event, and I can't imagine the amount of time and effort it took to put this all together. A massive thank you to ARMY Events Toronto as well as Kait for hosting such an amazing birthday event for Jungkook and Namjoon this weekend!

Christie Pits Park

750 Bloor St. W.

Toronto, ON M6G 3K4

(416) 338-4368