#bangkok travel video

[goltravel]

What are all Inclusive Maldives Packages?

The Maldives, a picturesque tropical haven nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, has long been synonymous with luxury and tranquility. With its crystal-clear turquoise waters, overwater bungalows, and vibrant coral reefs, it's no wonder that the Maldives is a dream destination for many. If you're contemplating a visit to this paradise on Earth, exploring the allure of an all-inclusive Maldives package might be the key to unlocking an unforgettable experience.

The Allure of All-Inclusive

A trip to the Maldives is not just a vacation; it's an escape into serenity. Opting for an all-inclusive package ensures that your focus remains on relaxation and exploration rather than the nitty-gritty details of expenses. From accommodation to meals, activities to amenities, an all-inclusive package provides a seamless and stress-free experience.

Overwater Bliss

One of the standout features of Maldivian resorts is the array of overwater bungalows. Imagine waking up to the gentle lapping of waves beneath your private villa, surrounded by endless shades of blue. All-inclusive packages often grant access to these exclusive accommodations, letting you indulge in the luxury of unparalleled ocean views and direct water access.

Culinary Delights

Maldivian cuisine is a tantalizing blend of flavors influenced by Indian, Sri Lankan, and Arabic traditions. All-inclusive packages frequently include a diverse range of dining options, allowing you to savor local delicacies and international cuisine. Picture yourself dining under the stars, enjoying fresh seafood, and relishing the essence of Maldivian culture through its gastronomy.

Underwater Wonders

Beyond the sandy shores, the Maldives boasts an underwater kingdom teeming with marine life. Snorkeling and diving experiences are often part of all-inclusive packages, providing you with the opportunity to explore vibrant coral reefs, encounter majestic manta rays, and witness the kaleidoscope of colors in the underwater world.

Sunset Cruises and Spa Retreats

As the day transitions to evening, a quintessential Maldivian experience is a sunset cruise. Many all-inclusive packages include these mesmerizing excursions, allowing you to bask in the beauty of the Maldivian sunset from the deck of a traditional dhoni boat. Additionally, indulge in rejuvenating spa treatments, often part of the comprehensive packages, ensuring your escape is as therapeutic as it is idyllic.

In Conclusion

Choosing an all-inclusive Maldives package is not just a practical decision; it's a commitment to a seamless and indulgent journey. From overwater luxury to culinary delights, underwater adventures to sunset serenades, the Maldives, with its all-inclusive charm, promises a vacation that transcends the ordinary. We are Gol Travels dealing with Maldives, Lakshadweep, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia

[barricadescon]

Barricades 2024 Final Schedule!

The time is near! Barricades 2024 is happening THIS WEEKEND, July 12-14 , all online!

We have the final schedule available on the website at barricadescon.com or right here, on this post! A more detailed schedule including descriptions is available in text under the Keep Reading break!

BarricadesCon 2024 Program

A full programming schedule of all the panels, their content, their presenters, their times, and whether they will be recorded. 

All times are in UTC, and can be converted to your local time zone at this link.

Key to types of Panels:

Convention Administration panels: Panels run by the Con Committee, to open and end the convention.

Guest of Honor: Special panels from our guests of honor. This year, our guests of honor are Jean Baptiste Hugo, a descendant of Victor Hugo who will discuss his project photograph his ancestor’s house; Christina Soontornvat, the author of the award-winning Les Mis retelling “A Wish in the Dark;” and Luciano Muriel, playwright of the 2018 musical play “Grantaire.” 

Fan/Academic Panel Presentations: Panels on history, fandom, or analysis of Les Mis. Scholars will share historical research, fans will share hobby projects, and the audience may get an opportunity to ask questions. 

Social Meetups: Casual unstructured time to meet up over video call and chat!

Social Games: Games and activities.

Friday, June 12th

Discord Server Opens: Friday Morning UTC

Read through the rules, explore the channels, and chat with other congoers.

Welcome Session 

Friday, 17:00-17:30 UTC

Session Type: Convention Administration

Presented by: Convention Committee 

Recorded: No

In this session, Concom 2024 will kick off BarricadesCon 2024 and welcome everyone. Concom will also walk everyone through some basic information and FAQs to help ensure a fun and interesting con for everyone.

The Cats of Les Misérables

Friday, 17:30-18:00 UTC 

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: Melannen

Recorded: No

A laid-back social panel to meet your fellow attendees, share pictures of your pets (or have them join you in the panel!) and chat about pets and Les Mis fandom generally.

(Guest of Honor) From Paris to Bangkok: a Thai-inspired retelling of Les Misérables

Friday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Guest of Honor

Presented by: Christina Soontornvat

Recorded: Yes

Christina Soontornvat’s Newbery Honor-winning children’s novel, A Wish in the Dark, is a Les Misérables adaptation set in a magical Thai-inspired world. Christina will discuss the inspiration for the book, how she decided when to be faithful to the original, and how Hugo’s powerful themes of compassion and forgiveness resonate across age ranges and cultures.

Learn more about Christina’s work at soontornvat.com.

The Yellow Passport: Surveillance and Control in 19th Century France 

Friday, 19:00- 20:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: David Montgomery, creator of the Siecle History Podcast

Recorded: Yes

Les Misérables takes place in a France of police spies, intercepted mail, travel restrictions and other elements of a 19th Century police state. What exactly were these ways French governments surveilled and controlled their citizens? How did they work? And how did people get around them? 

Meetup: Fan Creators

Friday, 19:00-20:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: Eli

Recorded: No

Come meet fellow fan creators! Casual unstructured time to chat with other fans. A good place for people who spend a lot of time on Ao3.

Break 

20:00-21:00 UTC

Early Transformative Works: The First Les Miserables Fanart, Fanfics, and AUS

Friday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Psalm

Recorded: Yes

This presentation will give you an overview of the earliest works inspired by Les Misérables – including illustrations, comics, poems, pamphlets, and novels. Which ones will stand the test of time? And what can these works tell us about the book’s reception and impact? Come learn about the forgotten, but fascinating first transformative works about Les Misérables.

Black and Pink International

Friday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Panel Presentation

Presented by: Darryl Brown Jr. (he/him), Senior Director of Programs and Advocacy, Black and Pink National. Kenna Barnes (she/they), Advocacy Manager, Black and Pink National

Recorded: Yes

This year, Barricades Con is donating all profits to Black and Pink International.

Black & Pink National is a prison abolitionist organization dedicated to abolishing the criminal punishment system and liberating LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV/AIDS who are affected by that system through advocacy, support, and organizing. Programming includes wrap-around services for those coming out of the carceral system such as but not limited to workforce development, transitional housing, newsletters to inside members and penpal matching, nationwide Chapters, youth-led research about young people living with HIV, and programming for and by people who do sex work.

Sex work as an issue sits clearly at the intersection of reproductive justice, prison abolition, and trans and queer liberation. Black trans women who engage in sex work face some of the highest rates of policing and surveillance, directly interfering with their ability to access safety and autonomy. We know that when we center the needs of Black trans women, especially those who engage in sex work, we are inherently able to address the needs of other system-impacted people along the way.

The Sex Worker Liberation Project (SWLP) is a collaboration between Black and Pink National and a network of current and former LGBTQIA2S+ people who do sex work across the country. This sex worker led group moves with the intention of building community, providing resources, and cultivating self advocacy tools.The SWLP is on a mission to tackle the urgent and multifaceted issues confronting sex workers, with a specific emphasis on the challenges faced by Black and Brown LGBTQIA2S+ sex workers.

Meetup: Brick Readers 

Friday, 22:00-23:00 UTC 

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: Mellow

Recorded: No

Come meet up and hang out with your fellow Brick readers! Let’s talk about weird nonsense from the book. 

Beat by Beat: a Les Mis 2012 Deconstruction

Friday, 22:00-23:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Eli

Recorded: Yes

To quote Eli: “As an avid Les Mis fan and also someone with an MFA in screenwriting, I find the script for the Les Mis 2012 movie absolutely fascinating. The choices they made, the added brick scenes, the added song, the pacing, the dialogue, the shots selection—all of it contributes to a very interesting adaptation that our fandom owes a huge debt of gratitude to (whether we like it or not 🥲). I would like to take an audience through the 9 major beats of a screenplay, apply it to Les Mis 2012, and share my thoughts on what the filmmakers did right for this adaptation and what they did wrong. I’ll compare it to the Les Mis musical (the direct source material) as well as the Brick (the secondary source material) for insight on the choices they made!”

History Researcher Meetup

Friday, 23:00-24:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: David Montgomery

Recorded: No

A chance for history researchers to meet up and discuss their research!

Atonement: A Theatrical Piece for One Actor, Based on Segments from Hugo’s Les Miserables

Friday, 23:00-24:00 UTC

Session Type: Panel Presentation

Presented by: Alexiel de Ravenswood

Recorded: Yes

This theatrical piece is a dramatic adaptation of scenes from Book 1 of the novel, focusing on the Bishop of Digne. Following the piece, actor Alexiel de Ravenswood will engage in q&a on the creative process and the themes explored.

Saturday, June 13th

Guest of Honor: The Photography of Jean Baptiste Hugo

Saturday, 15:00-16:00 UTC

Session Type: Guest of Honor

Presented by: Jean Baptiste  Hugo

Recorded: yes

Jean Baptiste Hugo is the great-great-grandson of Victor Hugo. He has extensively photographed Hugo’s home in exile on Guernsey, which Victor Hugo decorated following his own aesthetic philosophies–in particular, the journey from darkness into light, which we see reflected throughout Hugo’s literary career. M. Hugo will share his photographs and discuss Hauteville House as a physical realization of his ancestor’s ideas.

Reflecting on Directing Les Mis

Saturday, 16:00-17:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Cait

Recorded: yes

In Cait’s words: “I directed an amateur production of Les Mis at the end of last year, and would love to talk about how that went and share snippets from the show and behind the scenes. This will include talking about adapting Les Mis for the space and budget, approaches to certain scenes, dual casting lead roles, and probably raving about my lovely cast.”

The Fallibility of History in Les Misérables 

Saturday, 16:00-17:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Syrup 

Recorded: yes

Throughout Les Misérables, Hugo often reminds readers that what they are reading is derived from some form of documentation or hearsay. While this serves to provide credibility to the tales he is sharing, there are certain moments where Hugo opts out of describing exact details, despite his efforts at a historically-accurate record. In this panel, I will take a look at these instances where Hugo either addresses or obfuscates these events, and how by doing so, he reveals the fallibility of history, and highlights how history documentations are not always as reliable as they seem. Thesis: By crafting Les Misérables as a form of historical documentation, Hugo reveals the fallibility of history, and readers are able to understand how history and history documentation are not always as reliable as they seem.

Break  

Saturday, 17:00-18:00 UTC

What Horizon: Tragedies, Time Loops, and the Hopefulness of Les Amis

Saturday, 18:00-18:30  UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Percy

Recorded: yes

In Percy’s words: “I have directed a staged reading of the play and will have video clips to show! My play is focused on the rebellion and Les Amis; it aims to give the barricades the attention they often lack in adaptation and develop the individual characters of the insurgents. I’m working to make this episode of the Hugo novel and its historical context accessible to audience members who may not be familiar with the source material, while hopefully also bringing something new to the story for longtime fans.

One aspect of the story I’m particularly interested in examining is the persistent sense of hope associated with the barricades, despite the insurgents’ eventual defeat and the previous failure of the July Revolution. Linking the seemingly cyclical process of revolution and restoration, the metatheatrical tradition of tragedies aware of their own repetition in performance before the audience, and the nature of Les Misérables itself as a story that has been told and retold countless times, I hope to show the audience the worth of the insurgents’ struggle and the importance of their continued efforts. Many adaptations construe the rebellion as futile or as solely a tragic story, so I would like my adaptation to counter that idea, as Les Amis grapple with the meaning of their sacrifice and the impacts of their actions.

In a presentation, I would discuss these ideas with reference to Hugo’s original text and the ways in which the rebellion has been changed in adaptation, as well as other works that inspired me (namely Hadestown and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead). I’d discuss the choices I made in my adaptation process and show clips from the staged reading, touching on the different characters and the historical setting as well as the overarching themes with which I engaged.”

Cosette: A Novel, The (Fanmade) Sequel to Les Misérables

Saturday, 18:30-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: IMiserabili

Recorded: yes

This presentation is  a deep-dive into the 1995 fanfiction “Cosette” by Laura Kalpakian. It will include a short background on the author and the publication, a summary of the plot, an analysis of represented historical events in the work, character analyses and comparisons to the source material and other Les Mis adaptations, and memorable quotes. 

Musical Eponine and Grantaire in song and lyric edits: Personal research on their development

Saturday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Panel Presentation

Presented by: Ruth Kenyon

Recorded: yes

In Ruth’s words: “I’m an older musical Les Misérables fan who has watched the show develop from its beginnings at the Palace Theatre. I have a special interest in how the lyrics and the characters have changed over time. As plenty of people know now, I am also writing a book on the musical using these experiences. I’m working on Eponine’s chapter at the moment, and while I know fans have a lot of love for as she is now, I feel quite upset to see what happened to her as she was developed from the original French version of the musical. She seems to have lost quite a lot of emotional agency along the way. Grantaire has also changed over time; he was cut before the previews and there was a big re-write of his character when the show went to Broadway, but I really like what they have done with his character. I’ll provide examples of all this detail with material from my book and (trying) to sing bits of lyrics to explain what has happened to the characters.”

Barricades as a Tactic: How Do They Work?

Saturday, 19:00-20:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Lem

Recorded: No

This session will explore the tactical and strategic uses of barricades, with an eye towards what to consider when writing both canon-era fanfiction and modern AUs. After all, the strategic goals towards which the barricades were used in canon-era urban warfare were often quite different from the strategic goals of similar-looking tactics in contemporary protest movements. Core components of the session will be a map-based analysis of July 1830, a comparison with June 1832 highlighting strategic goals and considerations canon-era characters would have, and an exploration of various parallels among contemporary protest tactics (which may or may not *look* like barricades).

Meetup: Musical Fans

Saturday, 19:00-20:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: Erin

Recorded: No

A casual place to meet up with other fans and discuss the musical!

Break

Saturday, 20:00-21:00 UTC

Why is There a Roller Coaster in Les Mis? The Strange History of the Russian Mountains

Saturday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Peyton Parker/Mellow

Recorded: Yes

In Les Miserables there is an actual canon scene where Fantine rides a roller coaster. How did a roller coaster end up in Paris in 1817? And why did this ride, one of the world's first wheeled Roller Coasters, make a cameo in Victor Hugo’s novel?

It’s “Les Mis Meets Defunctland.”

We’re going talk about the earliest origins of the Russian Mountains, the fascinating history behind how they came to France, their many connections to the political turmoil of the time period, what they felt like to ride, why they were shut down, how they fell into obscurity, and why Victor Hugo included them in Les Miserables. It’s time for a roller coaster digression.

Fanfic Round Robin

Saturday, 22:00-23:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game

Presented by: Featheraly

Recorded: No

Participate in a round robin to help write a fic together!

Obscure(-ish) Les Mis Adaptations To Watch

Saturday, 23:00-23:30 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Pureanon

Recorded: Yes

Les Mis has been adapted many times over the years, and this means there’s a lot of adaptations to enjoy. Because of this, a lot of adaptations are underviewed or underappreciated. I’d like to use this panel to discuss some of my favorites/the most unique — 1925, 1948, 1967, and 1995. These are all very different, and aside from all being ones I enjoy, they’re fascinating looks at how different countries and different time periods adapt this story. 

The adaptations I’ve chosen are both some of the best and some of the worst out there, but they’re all unique. 1925 is one of the most faithful adaptations out there, and it uses the medium of silent film to full effect. 1948 has Valean get shot at multiple times in the opening minutes, and the revolutionaries fight with BARRELS in the barricade. 1967 is half one of the best Anglophone Les Mis adaptations ever, and half the drunkest. 1995 is more of an adaptation of how people react to Les Mis as a story than a straightforward adaptation, and it’s one of the most beautiful and unique versions out there. I intend to show a clip from each adaptation, so people can get a little taste of what each adaptation is like.

Recovery: a Fanfic Live Read

Saturday, 22:30-23:00

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Eli, Barri

Recorded: Yes

A full cast will live read a Les Mis fanfic written specifically for the con.

Compared to Some People Grantaire is Doing Just Fine (No, Really)

Saturday: 22:00-23:00

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Ellen Fremedon, Pilferingapples

Recorded: Yes

Grantaire and Marius are the two characters on the fringes of the Friends of the ABC, connected to the group by social ties rather than sincere political belief. In this panel, Pilf and Ellen will discuss the two characters as narrative foils, touching along the way on the problem with Great Men, bourgeois inaction, what it means to have the republic as a mother, and dying for love–plus those two pistols in Marius’s pocket.

Preliminary Gaities

23:00-24:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game

Presented by: Rare, Percy, and ShitpostingFromTheBarricade

Recorded: No

Preliminary Gayeties is the chapter where Grantaire gets drunk with Joly and Bossuet before the barricades.  It is perfect for a drinking game. 

In keeping with personal tradition, Rare, Percy, and ShitpostingFromTheBarricade will bring you a second year of our dramatic reading of the “Preliminary Gayeties” chapter of the brick. all while following specified drinking game rules (including classics such as “drink for brick quotes that appear commonly in fanfiction,” “pretentious classical references,” and “drink/eat when characters drink/eat”), and enjoying snacks mentioned in the chapter as they are mentioned. Everyone is invited to participate by reading, eating, and drinking along with this activity!

Sunday, June 14th

Publishing, Podcasting, and Promotion

Saturday, 15:00-16:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: David Mongomery, Alexiel de Ravenswood, Nemo Martin

Recorded: Yes

Whether it’s fanart, Tiktok videos or deep historical analysis, lots of us have THOUGHTS about Les Mis we’d like to share with the world. This panel discussion features creators sharing their advice on how to share your work with the world in a range of mediums.

Femme/butch: Dynamics of Gender and Attraction in Les Mis

Saturday, 15:00-15:30 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Eléna

Recorded: Yes

In Eléna’s words: “This is a presentation about parallels between femme/butch dynamics and les mis! The focus is on Marius, Cosette and Eponine and their individual gender presentation and attraction. There will be a focus on the original text, but I will also talk about headcanons & representation in the fandom space! I’m a femme myself, but I’ll try to incorporate butch and transmasculine viewpoints!”

Lee’s Misérables: Jean Valjean, Confederate Hero

Saturday, 15:30-16:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Sarah C. Maza

Recorded: Yes

Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables (1862) was as big a success in the United States as elsewhere in the world upon publication, hailed throughout the young nation as the commanding masterpiece of modern French literature. Why would a novel that celebrates violent insurrection and radical republican ideals be so warmly received in America? One of the (many) answers to that question is that the novel appeared in the midst of the Civil War, and that it provided engrossing reading to the many soldiers stuck in place for weeks or months in camp, hospitals, and prisons. Most surprising, though, is the evidence of Les Misérables’ appeal to Confederate soldiers (who jokingly called themselves “Lee’s Misérables”), as Hugo was on record as an ardent abolitionist. My paper will illustrate and explain the paradoxical appeal of Hugo’s novel in the South in two contexts: first, I will draw attention to the ways in which Confederate nationalists likened their cause to the European Revolutions of 1848; and second, I will explain the novel’s resonance within what Wolfgang Schievelbusch has called the “culture of defeat,” the emotional resonance, in some historical contexts, of narratives of doomed causes and heroic failure.

Guest of Honor: Luciano Muriel, playwright of “Grantaire”

Sunday, 16:00-17:00 UTC 

Session Type: Guest of Honor

Presented by: Luciano Muriel

Recorded: Yes

Panel about the details of the creative process behind the show Grantaire, from the discovery of the character during the playwright’s first reading of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables to the opening night of the staging at the Teatro Pradillo of Madrid. Why Grantaire? Why a dramatic monologue? Why include Amaral songs? What did the awards and subventions entail? All the answers to these and many other questions.

Break

Sunday, 17:00-18:00 UTC

1848 in Chile: The Society of Equality and the Siege of La Serena

Sunday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academc Presentation

Presented by: Duncan Riley

Recorded: Yes

While the Revolutions of 1848 are traditionally seen as a European event, they had a powerful influence in Latin America. In Chile in particular, university students who studied in France during the revolutions would lead a movement to oust the conservative dictatorship that had ruled the country since the 1830s. Inspired by the poetry of Alphonse de Lamartine and the ideals of utopian socialism, a group of Chilean intellectuals and artisans founded “The Society of Equality,” a cross-class political club dedicated to creating a democratic and participatory republic. Inspired by these ideals, in 1851 the citizens of La Serena, a mining town in northern Chile, declared their independence from the central government. Members of the Society of Equality transformed La Serena into the torchbearer of their vision of a new “democratic republic” that would restore civil liberties and grant greater autonomy to Chile’s provinces and municipalities. In defense of these principles, La Serena endured a months-long siege by government forces. The conflict inscribed itself within broader international dynamics of revolution and empire, as the British Royal Navy Intervened on the side of the government, while French immigrants built barricades to defend La Serena from invasion. Ultimately, then, La Serena and the Chilean Revolution of 1851 provide a fascinating window into the transatlantic exchanges of ideas that drove movements of democratic reform in both Europe and Latin America during the Revolutions of 1848.

The Unknown Light Examined

Sunday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Presentation

Presented by: Madeleine

Recorded: Yes

In the tenth chapter of Les Misérables, Bishop Myriel sets out to perform the last rights of Conventionnel G, a man reviled by all of Digne for having served on the body that voted to execute the king during the French Revolution. The bishop and the dying man debate the nature of equality, divine authority, and resistance to oppression. G’s fierce defense of the French revolution and Myriel’s staunch condemnation of political violence represent diametrically opposed philosophies, but the two men have more in common than first appears. They are both men of faith, in their own way, called to serve by their profound love for humanity. Intensely shaken by this realization, the bishop kneels before the dying sinner and asks his blessing.

What does this role reversal signify? How do Myriel and G’s conceptualizations of God and morality compare, and why does Hugo seek to reconcile them? To answer these questions, this panel investigates the thematic implications of this chapter. We’ll dissect the characters’ debate, discussing the historical and religious context that informs their moral frameworks—and Hugo’s depiction of them. Drawing on analysis by literary scholars, we’ll situate Hugo’s portrayal of the bishop and the conventionnel within this same context, evaluating the extent to which G is based on the Abbé Grégoire. We’ll also examine the impact of this chapter on Bishop Myriel’s characterization and symbolic role in the novel. Lastly, we’ll explore how “The Bishop in the Presence of an Unknown Light" serves as a political and philosophical thesis for Les Misérables.

Revolutionary Rants: “Les Misérables” Onstage from an International Perspective

Sunday, 20:00-21:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Presentation

Presented by: Tessa, Anne, Kaja, Marie, Apollon

Recorded: Yes

What started out as an open call online to gather fans from around the world to rant about the musical version of Les Mis has turned into a group of musical fans from four countries getting together to discuss our different perspectives of various international productions of the show. Topics include our favorite cast albums, how our favorite character interactions are staged in various productions we follow (including Enjoltaire), our favorite actors from the different productions, and our favorite memorable moments from the show. And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the major impact the 2012 movie had on us as well!

Paint & Sip

Sunday, 20:00-21:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game

Presented by: Psalm, Potatosonnet

Recorded: No

A short presentation on the artwork of Victor Hugo, his medium and subject matter, followed by crafting time inspired by Hugo’s work.

Les Mis Letters: Building a Book Club

Sunday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic presentation

Presented by: Mellow, Eccentrichat

Recorded: Yes

There are 365 chapters in Les Miserables. Les Mis Letters is an email subscription that sends you one chapter of Les Mis daily for a year.

Rachel and Mellow have been running the “Dracula-Daily” inspired Les Mis readalong since 2023! Mellow will speak to the behind the scenes process of setting up a Substack and discord server, while other readers will speak to the experience of reading Les Mis for the first time in this format or the small projects they’ve put together while following along.

Les Mis Singalong

Sunday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game

Presented by: Megan

Recorded: No

Let’s let loose by belting out our favorite Les Mis songs together! All singing abilities welcome and encouraged, it’s virtual after all 😀 It will be musical-heavy but we’ll be sure to throw in some other fan favorites!

Closing Session 

Sunday, 22:00-22:30 UTC

Session Type: Convention Administration

Presented by: Convention Committee

Recorded: No

Closing remarks by the convention committee, marking the official end of the convention.

Dead Dog

Sunday, 22:30-24:00

Session Type: Convention Administration

Presented by: Convention Committee

Recorded: No

 “Dead Dog” is a fandom slang term for a laidback “afterparty” that happens when a convention has officially ended. 

[bizarrequazar]

Collected Information about the Bangkok Concerts

This is a post collecting information and sources about the concerts held by the Zhang Sanjian scam gang on May 10th and 11th. I will keep this updated as more information comes out. Please let me know if you have any questions, corrections, or additions.

[Masterpost of my informational posts about the situation]

Lead-Up

The earliest account to promote the concert was a planted fan trying to collect information from other fans in group chats, not an “official account”. This was on April 10th, only a month prior to the day the concert would be held. Accounts officially associated with the scam would not start promotions until April 20th.

Someone who contacted the venue on April 20th was told that the hall had been booked for 05-11 but that the venue could not disclose who it was for.

On April 22nd, the Instagram made a post announcing the ticket sales using a promotional photo from 2021 that had been made for the concert the real Zhang Zhehan had been planning prior to 813. This post did not include a link for purchasing; including links to purchases increases the chance of Instagram checking an account for fraud activity.

The production company for the concert is partnered with CAPA.

Seat prices went up to 16,000 baht ($465 USD / 3200 RMB) and went on sale on April 22nd. As a comparative, the BTS member Suga held a concert with VIP tickets pricing at 6200 baht.

Within hours, scam believers were saying that tickets had sold out, but on the actual purchasing site they were instead listed as not available (ie. reserved for sale by scalpers). On May 3rd, these reserved tickets that had not been sold were made available again with less than half sold.

On April 23rd, it was announced via the Instagram that an additional concert would be held on 05-10 due to “popularity”. (As I write this, I realize that it’s odd for them to book 05-10 rather than 05-12 since it means those first comers who bought tickets for 05-11 would not get to be the first ones to see “him”.) Tickets for this became available the following day and “sold out” within ten minutes only to become available again; it’s likely this was just a glitch. 

On April 24th, a promotional video was posted for the concert using only footage from 2021 (same context as mentioned above).

Some tickets had been available as a “tour package” through a company that had a history of scamming customers. On April 26th, the tour package’s name was changed then deleted from the company’s website. On April 30th, the Taobao shop selling these packages was closed without refunds and over 400 people who had made purchases had their information leaked. Some people who purchased these packages were later left stranded at the airport for hours when they arrived.

On May 5th, the Weibo Supertopic used by scam believers, which had been filled with people reselling tickets and encouraging others to fake information for travel visas, was deleted. The following day, “official” accounts directed users to a new Supertopic that was created less than 15 minutes after the previous one disappeared despite it taking 1-3 days for Supertopics to be approved. This new Supertopic was made private on May 9th then deleted as well on May 10th.

On May 6th, photos were posted to the Instagram of “Zhang Zhehan” in what appeared to be Thailand. The following day several photos and a video were spread of “chance encounters”, originating from accounts that did not belong to fans.

The scam gang requested that people who had bought VIP tickets provide their home addresses so they could be sent tshirts and light sticks, four days prior to the first concert date. Have fun getting doxxed, I guess.

On May 8th, a new song was released to streaming sites by the scam gang despite it being only two days before the first concert. As a comparative, for his mini-concert to promote his Another Me EP in October 2020, Zhang Zhehan released only two of the three songs for streaming prior to the concert, leaving the third song 不说 to be debuted at the concert before releasing for streaming.

On May 9th, several photos and a video were posted by paparazzi of the venue being set up. It was noted that workers present in these photos were fully dressed despite there being a heatwave with outside temperatures climbing to over 40°C; it’s uncommon for AC to be on during set up, though not impossible.

On the same day, a figure fully covered in sweats and a hoodie was filmed entering the venue for rehearsals. Again: heatwave. 

May 10th

The venue looked less than half full less than ten minutes before the set start time.

A collection of some photos that look obviously off: [1] [2] [3] [4] 

Chinese CPFs keeping track of things concluded that three different impersonators were likely used, with one possibly being a woman. There were visible differences in the nose, jawline, eyebrows, Adam’s apple, butt, and stature. Furthering this, people watching reported that the costume changes were remarkably fast and there were no breaks over the course of 20 song performances (3 hours).

It’s quite likely that the cameras used for the screens inside the venue were using deepfake tech to correct for these mistakes. Yes this can be done live. It was noticed that the screens seemed to noticably lag more than is standard (example, comparison to another concert) and occassionally jumped.

Some of the audience members visible in photos look quite unexcited to be there. It’s possible that people were hired to fill empty seats, especially given that so many were left unsold that they decreased the number of seats physically present in the venue. A number of people looked to be in quite a hurry to leave afterwards. There is hearsay that some of them may have been students who were paid to attend. [translated chatlog between Chinese fans]

About an hour and a half after the concert started, the bought hashtag #Primordial Theater# suddenly appeared on the general Weibo hotsearch, reaching #14 before completely disappearing ten minutes later. Coincidentally, the Weibo administration account made a post shortly afterwards warning about celebrity impersonation fraud.

Around this time, all photos of the concert posted by Ranyi, one of the “official” accounts, were removed by Weibo and the account was later banned for violating community rules. Similar photos and a video were also removed from Xie Yihua’s Weibo accounts.

A whaler who made a post that she shook hands with him at the concert forgot to change her VPN to Thailand, with it instead saying she was in Japan. 🤡

There are rumors that some whalers who attended said it was fake and closed their accounts, I haven’t seen direct evidence of this yet. Also a rumor that one went to the police. Some whalers were reportedly afraid to speak out about what they had seen at the concert because they had given the scam their personal information.

May 11th

There was significantly less posted footage and discussion of this day. Many people who had attended gave excuses such as phones being too low on battery to film, only having blurry photos, wanted to capture the moment with their own eyes, etc.

Additional photos that look distinctly off: [1] [2] [a whole collection] (Here’s an example of full-face prosthetic makeup btw) 

Videos show that barely anyone in the audience appeared to be singing along to some songs, including Surround.

Comment about the vocals from a trained musician: “The voice doesn't feel open, it feels like it's covered with a layer of veil. Generally speaking, the voice is not clean, and secondly, the breath is not stable, and the voice is obvious. Trembling, as well as out-of-tune and treble, the treble sounds very laborious, and the out-of-tune is also sandwiched between the two notes, and the way of vocalization is not right, it is all in the throat, singing like this is easy to hurt the throat and make it hoarse.” (mtl) 

[Video comparing the singing to Zhang Zhehan’s]

A video and group photo showing Xiao Yu were passed around, with him being visibly too short in relation to “Zhang Zhehan” in the photo.

Again, many of the photos posted by Xie Yihua were removed by Weibo.

VVIP ticket holders (on both days) were able to take photos with Zhang Sanjian afterwards:  -  Reports from them say that Zhang Sanjian was quite touchy-feely and eager with hugs (😰). If you look at old photos and video of the real Zhang Zhehan, he was always very polite and often kept his hands clasped when taking photos with unfamiliar people.  -  The attendees were assigned a number so the photos could be sent to them afterwards. Standard practice for celebrity photo ops is that the photos are printed there; being sent later allows time for editing to be done.  -  It took two weeks for people to be sent their photos. Despite this, some of the editing is... not very good.

Followups

Yahoo! Taiwan published an article talking about the concert, referring to Zhang Zhehan as an “artist who insulted China”.

[Written notes] from a Twitter space discussion about the concert. Main points not previously covered here:

It was learned by Chinese CPFs that any Chinese person who wants to hold a concert outside of China needs to get written permission to do so. There is no evidence that the scam gang did this, and it’s doubtful that someone in Zhang Zhehan’s situation would do so.

If you watch the videos of Zhang Sanjian talking at the concert, it looks very performative, not a real emotional response like what you can see in videos of the real Zhang Zhehan at his past concerts. Especially at a concert after 813 and not seeing his fans for two years, wouldn’t you expect him to get quite emotional?

Likewise, there are enunciation differences and dialectic differences in how Zhang Sanjian spoke.

If the point of the concerts was to make money, they would have started promotions much earlier, it doesn’t make commercial sense to announce it at such short notice. The intent of the concert was to get attention.

Another intent seems to be to try to divide CP fans, similar to how last year they succeeded in dividing haizhe and whalers.

Following the concerts, there was a significant uptick in fans of other celebs harrassing those saying the concerts were fake—especially in c-ent fan culture, fans of other celebs can and will happily take advantage of the scam to eliminate their bias’s competition even if they are aware that it’s a scam.

This post was last edited 2023-05-24.

[theprogrockbstheorist]

HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY GEDDY!!!!

(meme credit to u/rtphokie on reddit)

OH, AND WHAT’S THAT?!?! IT’S ALSO THE 49th ANNIVERSARY OF NEIL PEART JOINING RUSH?!?!

In order to celebrate these wondrous occasions, I have compiled 70 reasons why I love Rush (especially Geddy):

70. They don't have any unlistenable albums. I can put on any Rush album and at the very least enjoy it, which is saying a lot!

69. ANDDDD they have 19 studio albums!!! 167 songs!!!

68. Alex's iconic Hall of Fame induction speech.

67. The movie I Love You, Man. The main plot of that is just two guys geeking out about Rush and then going to see them in concert.

66. The Bb5 in "Cygnus X-1 Book 1: The Voyage". For the record, the other famous Bb5 sung by a male singer in rock is the high note in "Bohemian Rhapsody", sung by Roger Taylor.

65. Geddy's range in general. Say what you will about his voice, but he had range.

64. Their pre-concert videos.

63. "Hey baby it's 7:45 and I need to go to bed soon, let's fuck"- In the Mood. The debut album was something else, man.

62. They wrote songs during soundcheck when they were on tour. This includes songs like "Tom Sawyer" and "Chemistry".

61. They went to a Yes concert while recording Caress of Steel, and almost quit making the album. I, for one, am very glad they didn't!

60. The "rap" in "Roll the Bones". Sit back, relax, get busy with the facts...

59. Gene Simmons thought they weren't into women because they didn't want to party with KISS. True story!

58. They listed their baseball positions in the liner notes for Signals.

57. Neil wrote lyrics to a song using only anagrams. The song is called "Anagram (For Mongo)", and is on the album Presto.

56. They thanked themselves in the liner notes for Hemispheres. Listed as Dirk, Lerxst, and Pratt, ofc!

55. They would challenge themselves to write last-minute songs. Results of this experiment include "Hand Over Fist" from Presto, and "Malignant Narcissism" from Snakes and Arrows.

54. The mere existence of "A Passage to Bangkok". I wonder what their thought process was to put a song about smoking weed around the world after a 20-minute long dystopian prog rock epic...

53. "La Villa Strangiato". Just... everything about it.

52. The kimonos. You know the ones!

51. Their nicknames for each other!! (see above)

50. They had the second-longest stable line up in rock music! The only ones with a longer stable line up was ZZ Top.

49. They had a 40-year career! Even longer if you include pre-Neil and their adventures since the R40 tour.

48. The synth era. I unapologetically love 80s Rush, especially Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows.

47. "The Necromancer" basically being self-insert Tolkien fanfic. I wonder who the "three travelers" are supposed to be... OH WAIT!

46. They're giant nerds. All prog bands are, but they are especially nerdy.

45. Hugh Syme's awesome album covers. He did every single one from Caress of Steel onwards, barring the front cover for Snakes and Arrows.

44. The 7/8 section in "Tom Sawyer". That was my first intermediate bass line! Thanks, Geddy!

43. They're Canadian icons. Unironically, they're the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions "Canada" to me.

42. The horribly cheesy, terrible, but also really funny music video for "Time Stand Still". That song, btw, might be my favorite 80s Rush song, and is probably in my Top 5.

41. The triple-entendre pun of Moving Pictures. They're filming a movie (moving picture) of people moving paintings (moving pictures), while someone is getting moved by the scene (moving...pictures...).

40. They quote the 1812 Overture in the overture for "2112".

39. Geddy taught Les Claypool how to properly play "YYZ".

38. The Permanent Waves era glasses!

37. The opening of "Xanadu".

36. The weird stuff Geddy would have on his side of stage after he stopped using amps. This includes rotisserie chickens, washing machines, dryers, and popcorn machines.

35. "Music by Lee and Lifeson, Lyrics by Peart" on almost every single Rush song.

34. The ending of "Spirit of Radio". OF SALESMEN!!!

33. Their inside jokes. Example: The Bag.

32. They took French classes together, and began announcing their songs in French in Quebec.

31. The progressiveness of Counterparts. What other 40-year old rockstars were talking about healthy relationship boundaries and openly supporting gay people in 1993?

30. Their vaults are practically empty because they scrapped songs that weren't up to their standards. This is why we have no sub-par Rush material!

29. Choosing to end their careers with grace.

28. Ending the last show of their career with "Working Man", the song that got everything started.

27. "Dreamline"--"Learning that we're only immortal / For a limited time".

26. Geddy and Alex inducting Yes into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.

25. Then, of course, Geddy playing "Roundabout" with Yes during their induction! (Unfortunately, he did not play his Rickenbacker :( )

24. No decisions were made regarding the band without it being unanimous.

23. "Closer to the Heart". To me, that song is like a musical representation of their friendship, and it always leaves me with a warm, fuzzy feeling after listening to it.

22. Neil's books. Ghost Rider, in particular helped me get through a rough time earlier this year.

21. Geddy's Big Beautiful Book of Bass. I love that thing, and I am looking forward to his memoir in November!!!

20. That incredible Rickenbacker. I know it hasn't been his main bass since the early 80s but...

19. All their other creative projects. Geddy and Alex have a solo album each, Alex is involved with Envy of None rn, and Neil had his blog.

18. All their other stage interactions.

17. "ATTENTION ALL PLANETS OF THE SOLAR FEDERATION! WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL!" -"2112". Just... all of "2112".

16. They got me into prog. I wouldn't have this blog right now if it weren't for Rush.

15. The Lifeson chord. The F#7add11 voicing that you can hear in so many of their songs (it's the opening to "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres").

14. Neil's drumming. They call him The Professor for a reason!

13. Geddy's bass playing. And his singing. And playing keys. And... yeah, we would be here all day!

12. The Dinner with Rush video. I make daily references to this that no one notices...

11. "The measure of a life / is a measure of love and respect"- "The Garden". The final song on their final album, and possibly the most amazing closer of all time.

10. Their charity work. IIRC, this includes giving away the aforementioned rotisserie chickens, as well as various fundraisers.

9. Their constant strive to improve themselves. Including Geddy working with a vocal coach, Neil working with Freddie Gruber, and of course, disavowing that Ayn Rand shit.

8. They give me something to strive towards, both as a musician and as a person. If I could make records half as good as Rush, and handle the fame with half the grace that they did, I would consider myself well-accomplished.

7. Neil's lyrics inspired me to get back into writing.

6. They inspired me to become a musician, and to pursue a career in music. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have stayed in choir or picked up bass, and I would've never considered a career in audio technology.

5. Their music helped me bond with my dad.

4. Geddy talking about his family's story of survival during the Holocaust. I think that's really important to talk about.

3. Other Rush fans. Well, okay, some of them like to brag about how many concerts they've been to, or tend to be a little gate-keep, but most of them are really chill people.

2. Their music helped me get through the toughest times in my life. Without getting too personal, I even credit them with saving my life on multiple occasions.

However, what I admire about Rush, above all else...

1. Their friendship with each other.

Once again, happy birthday Geddy! Your music has inspired me in so many ways, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it.

[laboitediabolique]

After being a fan for about 12 years now, I finally decided to attend a Perfume show (the times I've been to Japan, Perfume were never playing live, and it is really difficult to get a ticket without a Japanese address or phone number). The group announced their Perfume “COD3 OF P3RFUM3 ZOZ5” Asia Tour 2024 a few months ago and while I was hoping they would play Singapore again as I wanted to visit that country, alas they only announced shows for Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei and Bangkok.

In the end it was a toss up between Hong Kong and Thailand, but I had wanted to travel to Hong Kong about a decade ago, which didn't happen for various reasons, so I decided a couple of days there might be nice. I managed to get a hotel literally connected to AsiaWorld-Expo where the concert was being held.

I collected my ticket on early Saturday afternoon on Saturday 8 June from the P.T.A. Booth and hung around until about 5:30pm, an hour before the doors opened. When I got there, a young guy from local fan group Team Perfume Hong Kong gave me a set of the above three stickers and a coloured glove to wear during the final song, My Color, in order to surprise Perfume when they asked the audience to join in.

I am really not used to pop concerts as I am far more into alternative rock, and usually go to smaller venues like pubs or the local university bar on the few occasions I go to live performances. However, while the concert is a stripped down one compared to their Japanese shows, it was still excellent, with a set list made up of their more danceable songs, pretty much in line with the set lists for their other Code of Perfume shows.

I really loved every minute of it. Easily one of the best things I have done in a long while. Perfume were great, the lighting crew, effects / video crew and F.O.H. sound crew as well as all of the other staff involved did a great job too. It all flew by way too quickly and I really wish I had bought tickets for the Bangkok show as well. If they had played all three nights I was in Hong Kong, I would have gone each night. In addition, the fans, both the locals, the Japanese fans who flew in for the concert, as well as others who did the same from other countries like me, were fantastic, well behaved and really enjoyed themselves.

[waitmyturtles]

Absolute Zero, episode 3: This show is still gorgeous and sumptuous. I have a quibble, I'm going to work through the quibble, and then celebrate a moment in the show that I loved.

Adult Suansoon is deciding what to do about his appearance in his past. He's separate from young Suansoon -- they are two separate entities. Adult Suansoon is clearly working through if he'll intervene in the past, if he'll direct young Ongsa's attraction to adult Suansoon to another direction.

We see adult Suansoon hovering on the line of making decisions to remove himself entirely from young Ongsa's life, and dancing around that line. We see that that's VERY difficult for him. We see that adult Suansoon just may not be realizing and embodying FULLY that he's the adult version of himself, as clearly, he's transported back into love for Ongsa, no matter if Ongsa is a teenager or an adult, as adult Suansoon keeps a picture of adult Ongsa on his phone, and enjoys his time with young Ongsa in the coffee shop.

What I need from adult Suansoon is a little narrative recognition that he's either 1) the adult in the room, and/or 2) that he IS an adult. I'm not sure I know enough about Suansoon yet, young or old, to understand why he hasn't embodied this fact. He's clearly falling in love, and/or has been in love, with young Ongsa, and just a click, just a little note of -- oh shit, we have age gap here, folks, and we know it -- would help the show a touch.

But also, I think I need to know, as a viewer, if we ARE going to go towards age gap, a bit more, verbally, about adult Suansoon's mindset. I need to know if he's confused, if he's unable to direct himself -- something.

We might get it with the conversation he'll have with the video store uncle next week, or at least, that's how the previews are setting it up.

Anyway -- this being New Siwaj, am I surprised this is happening? Unfortunately, I am not surprised -- but I trust, considering the higher quality of the acting and directing in this work than in his past recent works, that this issue of a lack of narrative communication will hopefully be resolved soon. Fingers crossed.

So, all that being said:

1 ) Teng Krist Kanist and Tor Supakorn, our age-gapped pair, have EXCELLENT chemistry. Are we supposed to be a bit wibbly about it? Maybe?

2) Will I not see more of these two together?!

Now this pair?! I WANNA SEE MORE OF THESE TWO TOGETHER! Teng and Sine?! Didn't know I needed 'em, but I need 'em!

I'm really, REALLY glad to see so much of Teng Krist Kanist -- I loved him in Gay OK Bangkok, and I'm glad to see him make such a huge return as a lead actor in this prominent show. But by episode 3, I need more narrative direction, because we only have 12 episodes to tell what I think is going to be a pretty intricate time travel story, and we gotta move a touch.

[johnlloyddones]

Title: Young Wanderlust Warriors

In a world where wanderlust is catching on faster than the latest TikTok sensation, enter Generation Z – the fearless, savvy globetrotters shaking up the travel game like never before! Born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, these trendsetting jet-setters are rewriting the rules of exploration with a splash of swagger.

Ditch the dusty guidebooks; Gen Z crafts their travel dreams with the power of social media magic. Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest are their go-to travel gods, delivering a divine dose of Insta-worthy hotspots and hidden gems that'd make seasoned travel gurus turn green with envy.

Budget airlines and flash sales are their secret weapons – Gen Z snatches up affordable flights faster than you can say "jet lag." Turning last-minute bookings into Instagram gold? Consider it a mastered art form for these spontaneous adventurers.

But it's not just about ticking off destinations; it's about living the experience. Gen Z craves authenticity, giving cookie-cutter resorts the boot in favor of homestays and eco-friendly digs. They're all about diving deep into local culture, trading luxury for genuine connections with the people and places they encounter.

Tech-savvy to the core, Gen Z doesn't just document their journeys – they craft them into virtual masterpieces. Virtual reality and 360-degree videos catapult followers straight into the heart of their adventures, bringing the sights, sounds, and even the tantalizing street food of Bangkok right to the living room couch.

Sustainability is their mantra. Armed with reusable water bottles and eco-conscious gear, Gen Z is on a mission to shrink their carbon footprint. Whether it's exploring lush landscapes or diving into voluntourism, they're out to leave a positive impact on every community they touch.

So, fasten your seatbelts as Generation Z takes flight, weaving through the world with a mix of tech brilliance, budget mastery, and an insatiable thirst for authentic experiences. Move aside, traditional travel guides – Gen Z is crafting their own map, and it's a journey of sheer globetrotting brilliance worth tagging along for!

[anotherblblog]

Fan Meets and irl BL adventures

I still wanna go through pictures and videos of the fanmeets and such for bl and bl adjacent events and places I've been able to attend thus far but talking and thinking even more about Utsukare and my trip this spring to watch the movie and such and also the fact, I'm very much procrastinating on some work right now has me in the mood to at least list out all the events and bl actors I've seen.

Last Twilight in the Park - BKPP and ITSAY cast

KaownahTurbo Mini Fan Meet - Kaownah, Turbo, Mild, Bhudi

Phuket Trip - ITSAY filming sites (the school, Teh and Oh's houses, Promthep Cape, Skyline MV Beach, Dibuk Restaurant)

IdolFan Fest - Wabi Sabi actors, Kaownah, Mild, Bhudi, most of the KinnPorsche cast, the Love at 9 Cast, many many many many others

GMMTV Building

Nadao Bangkok Building

Last Cafe on the Right

Manila trip - getting my hat and Gameboys filming sites (Ortigas Ave, Pasig Park)

Love Out Loud Fan Fest 2022 - Gun, Tay, Singto, and friends

KinnPorsche filming site (Rosewood Hotel)

Chang Mai Trip* (I went because Manner of Death was filmed there but the actual filming sites were hella far and I didn't arrange transporation, so I went to an elephant sanctuary)

Bangkok meet up with @liyazaki and @meteorjam

Idol Exchange - KaownahTurbo

Phuket meet up with @liyazaki and @meteorjam

Blue Room screening at Cinemalaya - Elijah Canlas

EliKoy meet up

Casio event - KaownahTurbo

GMMTV Fanday in Osaka - Gun, Mix, and friends

Lit & Glitter - PP Krit

Utsukare Season 1 Special Edit Version

My School President Prom Night Live - MSP cast

GMMTV Building

Dp Dance Studio Charity Showcase- KaownahTurbo

Phuket Trip

Taipei Trip (on my radar because of Your Name Engraved Herein)

MarkFord video call - Mark, Ford, Gemini

Utsukare Eternal (I saw it 6 or 7 times)

Utsukare filming sites (the shrine, Hira's house)

Songkran

About Us But Not About Us screening - Elijah Canlas

Love in the Air Manila Fan Meet - LitA cast

Utsukare AniMate Cafe event

Love Story SantaEarth Fan Meet in Vietnam - SantaEarth

Nature Thai Massage Parlor - Tul's massage place and one of them has a big picture of Tul above it, second closest I've been to him

Where is the Lie screening - Royce Cabrera

ok that's kind of a long list lmao

blurbs and takeaways:

all of these international trips started because I won a hat from Kokoy in a Gameboys' fan raffle, which I later got but it wasn't the hat I was told I won but ended up being a more meaningful hat anyway

Kaownah is the actor I've seen the most

Elijah is the actor I've spent the most face time with and had the longest conversations with

Elijah got on the mic told a FULL ass auditorium of his family and fans that I was the biggest Cairo hater in the world (which is true actually)

most everyone I've met and had any sort of face time with has been really nice and excited to talk with an interfan

I won a video call with MarkFord for the MSP concert and their excitement at seeing me again made Gemini who was in the room come over to see what was happening and he was also very excited to see me again

most of them tend to be shorter than I imagined but I'm also 6'1 and also a lot of them wear platform heels or very chunky shoes lmao

fans and staff at events tend to be hella nice and curious about me and assist with translations or directions and sharing gifts and tips

I "saw" Tul Pakorn at NYC Pride 2023 but didn't register it was him because I was 5-10ft behind him and thought "that's a nice white mesh shirt" and later to my eternal chagrin saw him on IG wearing that very same 'nice mesh shirt.' I had to laugh to not cry.

I entered a raffle to meet Yusei and didn't win and so I didn't go back to Japan and later read on twitter he was meeting fans there anyway

fan meets/concerts and goodbye sessions are truly LONG AF!!! Some of them could easily be 10+ hours onsite.

@bengiyo I have told you and @liyazaki the most about my travels - I've already added a few missed memories but lemme know if y'all remember any omissions lmao

at some point, I'm going to need to buy a shelf or two for all the bl merch and pictures I have

next up for me:

Khaotung and First in Sao Paolo

Kaownah (lmao) and Mild in Manila

Gun, Tay, and friends in Manila

I have an eye out for announcements about Be On Cloud's NYE party but no details has been revealed or ticketed yet

[barricadescon]

Barricades Con 2024 : Schedule for Friday, July 12

The day is HERE! It's the first day of Barricades 2024! Plan your convention time with this handy schedule! (Note: this post is ONLY the schedule for Friday, July 12! for a complete weekend schedule, see this post , or go to the barricades con website!)

All times are in UTC, and can be converted to your local time zone at this link.

Key to types of Panels:

Convention Administration panels: Panels run by the Con Committee, to open and end the convention.

Guest of Honor: Special panels from our guests of honor. This year, our guests of honor are Jean Baptiste Hugo, a descendant of Victor Hugo who will discuss his project photograph his ancestor’s house; Christina Soontornvat, the author of the award-winning Les Mis retelling “A Wish in the Dark;” and Luciano Muriel, playwright of the 2018 musical play “Grantaire.” 

Fan/Academic Panel Presentations: Panels on history, fandom, or analysis of Les Mis. Scholars will share historical research, fans will share hobby projects, and the audience may get an opportunity to ask questions. 

Social Meetups: Casual unstructured time to meet up over video call and chat!

Social Games: Games and activities.

Friday, June 12th

Discord Server Opens: Friday Morning UTC

Read through the rules, explore the channels, and chat with other congoers.

Welcome Session  Friday, 17:00-17:30 UTC

Session Type: Convention Administration Presented by: Convention Committee  Recorded: No

In this session, Concom 2024 will kick off BarricadesCon 2024 and welcome everyone. Concom will also walk everyone through some basic information and FAQs to help ensure a fun and interesting con for everyone.

The Cats of Les Misérables Friday, 17:30-18:00 UTC 

Session Type: Social Meetup Presented by: Melannen Recorded: No

A laid-back social panel to meet your fellow attendees, share pictures of your pets (or have them join you in the panel!) and chat about pets and Les Mis fandom generally.

(Guest of Honor) From Paris to Bangkok: a Thai-inspired retelling of Les Misérables Friday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Guest of Honor Presented by: Christina Soontornvat Recorded: Yes

Christina Soontornvat’s Newbery Honor-winning children’s novel, A Wish in the Dark, is a Les Misérables adaptation set in a magical Thai-inspired world. Christina will discuss the inspiration for the book, how she decided when to be faithful to the original, and how Hugo’s powerful themes of compassion and forgiveness resonate across age ranges and cultures.

Learn more about Christina’s work at soontornvat.com.

The Yellow Passport: Surveillance and Control in 19th Century France  Friday, 19:00- 20:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation Presented by: David Montgomery, creator of the Siecle History Podcast Recorded: Yes

Les Misérables takes place in a France of police spies, intercepted mail, travel restrictions and other elements of a 19th Century police state. What exactly were these ways French governments surveilled and controlled their citizens? How did they work? And how did people get around them? 

Meetup: Fan Creators Friday, 19:00-20:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Meetup Presented by: Eli Recorded: No

Come meet fellow fan creators! Casual unstructured time to chat with other fans. A good place for people who spend a lot of time on Ao3.

Break  20:00-21:00 UTC

Early Transformative Works: The First Les Miserables Fanart, Fanfics, and AUS Friday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation Presented by: Psalm Recorded: Yes

This presentation will give you an overview of the earliest works inspired by Les Misérables – including illustrations, comics, poems, pamphlets, and novels. Which ones will stand the test of time? And what can these works tell us about the book’s reception and impact? Come learn about the forgotten, but fascinating first transformative works about Les Misérables.

Black and Pink International Friday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Panel Presentation Presented by: Darryl Brown Jr. (he/him), Senior Director of Programs and Advocacy, Black and Pink National. Kenna Barnes (she/they), Advocacy Manager, Black and Pink National Recorded: Yes

This year, Barricades Con is donating all profits to Black and Pink International.

Black & Pink National is a prison abolitionist organization dedicated to abolishing the criminal punishment system and liberating LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV/AIDS who are affected by that system through advocacy, support, and organizing. Programming includes wrap-around services for those coming out of the carceral system such as but not limited to workforce development, transitional housing, newsletters to inside members and penpal matching, nationwide Chapters, youth-led research about young people living with HIV, and programming for and by people who do sex work.

Sex work as an issue sits clearly at the intersection of reproductive justice, prison abolition, and trans and queer liberation. Black trans women who engage in sex work face some of the highest rates of policing and surveillance, directly interfering with their ability to access safety and autonomy. We know that when we center the needs of Black trans women, especially those who engage in sex work, we are inherently able to address the needs of other system-impacted people along the way.

The Sex Worker Liberation Project (SWLP) is a collaboration between Black and Pink National and a network of current and former LGBTQIA2S+ people who do sex work across the country. This sex worker led group moves with the intention of building community, providing resources, and cultivating self advocacy tools.The SWLP is on a mission to tackle the urgent and multifaceted issues confronting sex workers, with a specific emphasis on the challenges faced by Black and Brown LGBTQIA2S+ sex workers.

Meetup: Brick Readers  Friday, 22:00-23:00 UTC 

Session Type: Social Meetup Presented by: Mellow Recorded: No

Come meet up and hang out with your fellow Brick readers! Let’s talk about weird nonsense from the book. 

Beat by Beat: a Les Mis 2012 Deconstruction Friday, 22:00-23:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation Presented by: Eli Recorded: Yes

To quote Eli: “As an avid Les Mis fan and also someone with an MFA in screenwriting, I find the script for the Les Mis 2012 movie absolutely fascinating. The choices they made, the added brick scenes, the added song, the pacing, the dialogue, the shots selection—all of it contributes to a very interesting adaptation that our fandom owes a huge debt of gratitude to (whether we like it or not 🥲). I would like to take an audience through the 9 major beats of a screenplay, apply it to Les Mis 2012, and share my thoughts on what the filmmakers did right for this adaptation and what they did wrong. I’ll compare it to the Les Mis musical (the direct source material) as well as the Brick (the secondary source material) for insight on the choices they made!”

History Researcher Meetup Friday, 23:00-24:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Meetup Presented by: David Montgomery Recorded: No A chance for history researchers to meet up and discuss their research!

Atonement: A Theatrical Piece for One Actor, Based on Segments from Hugo’s Les Miserables Friday, 23:00-24:00 UTC

Session Type: Panel Presentation Presented by: Alexiel de Ravenswood Recorded: Yes

This theatrical piece is a dramatic adaptation of scenes from Book 1 of the novel, focusing on the Bishop of Digne. Following the piece, actor Alexiel de Ravenswood will engage in q&a on the creative process and the themes explored.

[bizarrequazar]

GJ and ZZH Updates — September 17-23

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This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

09-17 → MYFM hosted a video interview with one of the Zhang Zhehan impersonators. Addition 10-01: One of the jokes he told was directly copying one Gong Jun told in a livestream on 2022-11-05.

→ Hogan posted a promotional video spoken by Gong Jun announcing his attendance at Milan Fashion Week. They later posted four photos of Gong Jun in New York.

→ The scam concert in Kuala Lumpur was held. - In photos posted by fans attending, the venue looked to be less than half full at the time in started. Photos later released by the scam gang have the audience photoshopped to look larger than the venue even allowed for. - Zhang Sanjian wore a very cheap looking copy of the white Zhou Zishu robes Zhang Zhehan wore during the Word of Honor concert. (Also a reminder that the original robes were given away in a raffle after the WOH concert.) - [Here] is my post about the Bangkok concerts if you would like to revisit it, this one was much of the same.

→ Gong Jun posted 51 photos of himself getting to act like a tourist in New York. Caption: "Update world favourites." He also posted eight to his Instagram, caption: "Lost in New York" (originally in English) and sixteen to his Xiao Hong Shu, caption: "Did you see it?? I'm in New York", with both of these latter posts including a couple photos not in his Weibo post. Fan Observations: - The IP on the both the Weibo and Xiao Hong Shu posts are Beijing. It was posted while Gong Jun was on his flight to Milan, so presumably they was posted by someone other than Gong Jun himself; if he was using in-flight wifi, there's no logical reason for the IP to be Beijing. Gong Jun has said before that he does not let staff manage his personal accounts. - The Weibo post was also made shortly after the KL concert started. Consider again the "Did you see it??" XHS caption: Gong Jun is in New York, someone he trusts is in Beijing. [record of timestamps] - (Because I'm a nerd,) the statues Gong Jun took pictures with at the Met are Andromeda and the Sea Monster, Sappho, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux at Work, and The Martyr.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted nine more photos of him in New York. Caption: "Traveling through the city corners, every moment is a moment worth recording~ Collect the world with @ Gong Jun Simon🏙️"

→ The Instagram made two posts, the first with two photos from prepping for the concert, the second with ten of the concert itself. Zhang Sanjian's appearance in these photos is noticeably different from in fancams.

09-18 → Gong Jun reposted a post by CCTV in memory of the Mukden Incident. Added caption: "Don’t forget the shame of the past, we should strengthen ourselves!" His studio did the same, added caption: "Don’t forget history, the alarm bells are ringing!"

09-19 → Net-A-Porter posted a teaser for the commercial featuring Gong Jun that would be released the following day.

09-20 → Zhang Sanjian was filmed at Heathrow airport, because he always needs to fail horribly at trying to one-up Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a commercial he did for Net-A-Porter. The same was also posted by Net-A-Porter.

→ Net-A-Porter posted four photo ads featuring Gong Jun.

→ 361° posted four photo ads featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Tissot posted a promotional video spoken by Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Gong Jun posted the four Net-A-Porter photo ads to his Instagram. Caption: "Happy birthday to NAP!"

→ Gong Jun posted a douyin of himself in New York. Caption: "A very new citywalk #fashionweek special plan" BGM is Poison by Zhou Xingxing.

→ Gong Jun attended a brand event for Hogan in Milan. Videos: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

→ Hogan posted a promotional video spoken by Gong Jun, filmed on the same day.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted three behind the scenes photos from the Net-A-Porter shoot. Caption: "The seasons change with just one click during work breaks! @ Gong Jun Simon’s good night letter is delivered~"

09-21 → The first trailer for Gong Jun's upcoming drama Fox Spirit Matchmaker was released.

→ Gong Jun posted the Fox Spirit trailer. Caption: "Coming from Tushan, carrying the idea of ​​equality for all living beings, has compassion for the world, and breaks the prejudice of different paths." His studio reposted this with the added caption, "A sincere voice and a thought of reincarnation. See Tushan resolve disputes and express love."

→ Hogan posted nine photos of Gong Jun attending their brand event in Milan. (1129 kadian)

→ Net-A-Porter posted a brand vlog of Gong Jun in New York. [subbed video]

→ GXG posted six photo ads featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a compilation video of him at the Hogan brand event in Milan. Caption: "@ Gong Jun Simon appeared at the Milan Fashion Week preview of the HOGAN 2024 Spring and Summer Collection, confidently showing his unrestrained frankness and his ultimate charm." BGM is Are You Ready for Me Baby by Funky Giraffe.

09-22 → Gong Jun posted sixty-four photos of Milan. Caption: "While on a business trip, take some time out from your busy schedule to continue updating your world favourites!" He later posted fourteen of these to his Xiao Hong Shu, caption: "You'll never guess! I took a walk around Milan and want to go back to China to eat hotpot" and eight to his Instagram, caption: "Stroll in Milano" (originally in English)

→ Net-A-Porter posted a video of Gong Jun asking interview questions to the model Suzi de Givenchy.

→ GXG posted a commercial featuring Gong Jun.

→ 361° posted a promotional video spoken by Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Hogan posted four photos of Gong Jun in Milan. (1129 kadian) They later posted another six. (1129 kadian)

→ Tissot posted two photo ads featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Net-A-Porter posted nine photos of Gong Jun.

→ Rare posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a douyin of him in Milan. Caption: "Your electronic travel friend @ Gong Jun Simon sent a diary of a lakeside town🏡" BGM is Legend has it that you are willing to be stranded for love (Remix) by 车哈哈.

→ 361° posted five photo ads featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted another ten photos of him in New York. Caption: "After wandering through the brilliant autumn colors, you can unlock Maillard at will. Taste the warm wind and dusk among the buildings with @ Gong Jun Simon~"

→ World Microphone posted a video interview with Gong Jun.

→ The Instagram posted seven street photos of "Zhang Zhehan" (notably not in London.)

09-23 → QuelleVous posted photos showing that Xiao Chu (aka Nada), the Word of Honor script writer, attended the Zhang Sanjian concert wearing multiple pieces of the scam gang's apparel. Xiao Chu's husband's company was recently sued 100k for her failure to deliver scripts, which definitely gives reason for them to be desperate for another source of income...

→ Hogan posted six photos of Gong Jun in Milan. (1129 kadian) They later posted another three.

→ 361° posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun, announcing a livestream with him later that day.

→ T Magazine released the cover of the new issue featuring Gong Jun. Caption: "The poet Margaret Avison said, "No one puts the world into your eyes. The visual heart must take risks." The subtext of this sentence is that even if we are just "watching", we are actively choosing. Seeing, experiencing, imagining, or "recreating" in a new way is an "adventure" that everyone can and should achieve. And the voice that belongs to life is awakened and activated in such adventures again and again. How do you watch @ Gong Jun Simon ? How does he reflect on himself? In this month’s Men’s Autumn and Winter Fashion Special, actor Gong Jun gives the answer visually." His studio reposted this with the added caption, "Filling time and space, collaging new ideas. @ Gong Jun Simon shows off his charming style casually."

Half an hour later, they posted the full photoshoot. Caption: "Suspending daily life in a theater-like space, with color, artificiality and decoration, @GongjunSimon steps in and finds the correct way to deal with viewing from props, lighting and modeling. And this is just a sampling test that he practiced repeatedly."

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video from the T photoshoot. Caption: "Wander between graffiti and paintings to get fashion inspiration. @ Gong Jun Simon such as this moment, relives the hot moment" BGM is Year of the Dragon by Mosh.

→ Gong Jun posted the T photos to his Weibo. Caption: "The secret place of overflowing colors, without restraint or fear." He also posted them to his Xiao Hong Shu, caption: "I can’t think of a caption[.] Don't think about it anymore, that's it" and his Instagram, caption: "New style, fun!"

→ Gong Jun posted a douyin from the T photoshoot. Caption: "I'm targeting you! #Check in with a new look" BGM is I Miss You by Jerry Lo. (flashing lights cw)

→ 361° posted four photos of Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun posted a video (flashing lights cw) of behind the scenes footage from his earlier photoshoot with Tissot, announcing a livestream with them on 09-26.

→ The photographer for the T shoot posted nine more photos and a video from it. Gong Jun commented on the photos, "Thank you Man-jie for trying something different, I like it!

→ 361° held a (pre-recorded) livestream with Gong Jun. [full recording]

→ Gong Jun's studio posted twenty-two more photos from the T shoot. Caption: "Mottled and whirling, fiery and profound. Capture @ Gong Jun Simon’s cozy moment."

→ Yangyang posted two behind the scenes photos from the 361° livestream.

Additional Reading: → Gong Jun is reportedly going to Paris at the start of October.

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This post was last edited 2023-10-01.

[anotheruserwithnoname]

A couple of years ago (still during C19 as people are masked) a travel blogger was given the chance to visit the apartment block in Bangkok that was used for filming The Serpent, including a look inside the then-vacant actual apartments where interior filming took place, as well as some other locations. So a bit of interesting behind-the-scenes.

I think they might have had to re-create a bit of the apartment later when filming resumed in the UK, too. Interesting to compare. Kudos to the original Youtube channel. I didn't know about this video till just now.

EDIT: Here's another video visiting the locations, this one only a couple months old. This one does not go into the apartment because since the last video was made, people had moved into it. This actually contradicts a couple of stories on the filming that said the building was soon to be demolished, but clearly it got a reprieve!

[fff777]

Watched some of Jinyoung's pre-enlistment behind the scenes videos

Jinyoung @ Baeksang awards

He met the members because it was almost time to enlist <3

Oh wow he's close with his teacher from grade 8

I found out he was a country boy from his Off the Grid appearance.

Aw so the teacher helped him with his temper and frustrations.

Jinyoung does love the jjapaghetti.

I guess Subin is his manager?

The MC at his Taiwan concert cried because they were moved by the fan support ;_;

Always thinking about jjapaghetti.

Kyaaa

Heehee his staff giving him little cheers when he got off the stage :3

He forgot to thank his sisters while on stage (he thanked his parents) so he thanked his sisters in the after-interview :3

Talks with his whole body to the producers

Omg Jiyul has the little kid voice ToT

I think HappyB is the name of the camera person ^^;;

Ahhh Jinyoung and IU

Jinyoung Seoul fan concert behind the scenes

The cakes that idols get for celebration are always so pretty! Also I love the peach mascot <3

Practising driving in the tiny car

Practising GOT7 dances too <3

Oh no, he's got the nerves

Bounce is in my opinion the most hype GOT7 song XD

Jinyoung keeping up with the kids and learning all the meme dances like Hype Boy

Jinyoung Bangkok fan concert behind the scenes

Limited edition peach guy pop socket >3

Ah so their name is Nyoung Peach :3

Aw, he was moved by the welcome from the fans at the Bangkok airport

Practising Thai while getting makeup & hair done

NO he almost lost the nyoung peach pop socket if not for a staff member having seen it and picked it up

Jinyoung Manila and Taipei fan concerts behind the scenes

Hehe Jinyoung got Jollibee

A lover of french fries? >3

He also said he loves cheeseburgers XD

What is he doing this for? WHOM is he doing this for??

JInyoung speaking English -> Every time I'm reminded by how good his accent is lol. It surprised me so much the first time I heard him speak English.

Taipei! A place that I personally love to travel to <3

Jinyoung saying 聼不懂啊 in a coy manner lol

Food <3 Side note though, from what I know, Tim Ho Wan serves Hong Kong style dimsum and not Taiwanese food ^^;;

Aw yiss Taipei night markets are so fun :3

LOL one of the staff won the shooting game and everybody cheered XD They seem like a fun group :3

[coochiequeens]

Not going to lie I felt bad for him at first. I thought he was another young person who was taken advantage of by unethical plastic surgeons. Then I saw that he’s 32.

Influencer Oli London said that he was planning to undergo more surgery to look like a K-Pop star from Blackpink, but is now detransitioning back to male.

YouTuber Oli London said he is detransitioning to a man after spending the last six months living as a Korean woman.

The influencer told E! News that though he was "temporarily satisfied" with who he was in the past, he realized he no longer wanted to "change and go through my transition anymore." The 32-year-old said in the statement that he is "detransitioning back to male," and his Instagram bio now lists his pronouns as he/him.

"I have taken some time to truly reflect on being a woman and have realized it is simply not for me," London shared with E! News. "However beautiful I felt with long hair and more feminine features I now want to go back to being my original self—a biological man."

He said he was going to travel to Bangkok, Thailand soon to "undergo genital reassignment surgery and get breast implants as well as more facial surgery to become a 100% Korean woman," aiming to base his look on K-Pop singer Rosé from Blackpink. 

The YouTuber said he has shaved all of his hair "to become a man again," and is auctioning the hair on eBay to raise funds to "donate to Iranian women's charities" and "to help the women of Iran."

However, London said he is planning to stop any further operations.

"I hope I can live happily now being back to myself and plan to stop undergoing anymore plastic surgery procedures which I have previously undergone in my obsessive quest chasing perfection," he wrote, "which I have come to realize is unattainable."

London has previously undergone 32 surgeries—including six nose jobs, an eye surgery, a facelift, a brow lift, a temple lift and a teeth procedure—to look like K-Pop group BTS' Park Jimin. In September, London apologized to Jimin and the Asian community for "trying to become another person," and said he "still identifies as Korean." (London said in a 2021 YouTube video that they were no longer "British," but "Korean.")

In his new statement, he said he is publicly sharing his detransition in an effort to reach others.

After living in a society so misogynistic that women who don’t wear makeup get attacked he decides to live as a man again. 🤦‍♂️

[redemptioninterlude]

GOD DAMN !!!

what a start to the year it's been honestly but i can't believe that on this holy year of 2k23, @ofchaotics and i were not only in the same hotel as omar apollo during his tour but also we're in his tour video. you already know we're about to fight out here to land in the next one come govball in june! just saying, but life is pretty blessed.

as a reminder to those who aren't aware, my activity is going to flip in terms of timing, as i'm about to travel off to asia for a month. i'll be stopping by singapore, bangkok, phuket, hong kong, macau and taipei throughout the month of february. i'll also be in san francisco in march. if anyone happens to live in these parts, let me knowwww!