PUBLISHED ONMay 15, 2023 11:00 AMByKhoo Yi-HangThe best things in life are free — but sometimes paying a little extra helps, much like this fan experience.
That's what TikTok user Mochify did when she waited overnight to see Korean actor Lee Do-hyun in Our Tampines Hub (OTH), she shared in a video post on Sunday (May 14).
"Since it's free, I paid with my time," the 24-year-old wrote on her post.
The exact price? Twelve hours, she told AsiaOne.
Do-hyun, 28, was a guest speaker for the Korea Travel Fair 2023 last weekend organised by the Korea Tourism Organisation in Singapore.
In the video that has now gained over 26,300 views and 2,700 likes, she documented her wait beginning at midnight last Friday.
Mochify told AsiaOne that she has liked Do-hyun since 2018 through his role in the K-drama Clean with Passion for Now, and although he didn't play a leading role in the drama, she found him "very attractive" there.
"At first, I found him very interesting because in most of his dramas, he's always dating or with an older female lead. I find it very cute.
"Other than that, I really love his smile — it's very sweet, sincere and innocent… I want to see it in real life!"
Mochify said that she decided to stay overnight at OTH because she really wanted to see him "as close-up as possible".
So she did, gaining an experience that she rated "10/10".
Her tale began past midnight, when she toured the area with her boyfriend, taking a look at the main stage from the second floor of OTH.
The stage, as well as the entire OTH, appeared almost completely empty.
She shared with us: "For every passing second while waiting past 12am, I felt very anxious because I was the first to be there and I wasn't sure if it was the place he (Do-hyun) was going to be at."
At 3.10am, Mochify snapped pictures of her boyfriend sitting on the ground, dozing off. However, neither of them got restful sleep, with Mochify only managing to nap for an hour or two.
"At 3am, when no one else came I felt like I made a mistake," she recalled. "The mall switched off all the fans and lights — it was very hot and uncomfortable to sit on the floor for so long."
People started trickling in at around 4am, which reassured her of her decision to stay, she said. While waiting, Mochify also took the opportunity to watch K-dramas, including one where Do-hyun had a role in.
Mochify and her boyfriend had breakfast at around 7.35am before resuming the wait, which ended at 12.05pm on Sunday when Do-hyun took to the stage.
Although the weather was getting hotter at that point, time passed quickly once The Glory star was before their eyes, she jokingly said.
Recalling her excitement, Mochify ecstatically told AsiaOne how it was like seeing Do-hyun in person: "He is real, very real! His smile and his voice is exactly the same in all of his dramas!
"I couldn't believe my eyes that he's so charming, humble and charismatic. I was so happy to see him! My boyfriend also found this experience a 10/10!"
Additionally, this wasn't her first rodeo when it comes to enduring long waits to see her idols.
Back in 2018, Mochify said she queued for four nights in front of Singpost in Novena just to get concert tickets for K-pop boy band BTS.
Although she didn't need to queue for quite as long this time round, she's still become a little wiser from this experience.
"Next time, I'll arrive slightly later and bring a hand fan with me!" she laughed. "Queuing overnight is very challenging but worth it at the same time."
She added: "I definitely want to see him again, but I hope he'll do a fan meet next time so that I can buy tickets to see him and I wouldn't have to queue overnight just to get a good spot."
Besides getting to see Do-hyun in the flesh, Mochify and her boyfriend also sort of managed to get a picture together with him. In a photo by the Korea Tourism Organisation, Do-hyun posed on stage with guests and fans behind him, and almost right behind the security railings were Mochify and her boyfriend, doing a hand heart.
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