On the cold and windy afternoon of January 25th AhGaSes huddled up together in line outside of the Rosemont Theatre in preparation for the GOT7 fanmeet that was about to commence that evening. As doors opened up, fans filed into the venue and were also offered complimentary coat check due to the frigid weather.
Once the venue filled up and the lights dimmed, ‘Hard Carry’ radiated from the speakers and permeated the theater. After, an introduction video started playing on the screen on stage, inducing cheers from fans as each member’s names were announced.
Darkness filled the venue once again as seven figures that were vaguely visible stepped onto the stage and settled in silver stools that were already on the stage. JB’s voice mingled with the ‘Let Me’s soft and lighthearted melody marked the start of the fanmeet. As the members wooed the fans with sweet words of wanting to hold their hands, fans’ cheers only grew. The performance continued with ‘Prove It’ as the boys seduced the fans with their soothing voices and lyrics.
As the members disappeared from the stage once again, Danny Lim—known as one of the KCON USA live chat anchors—appeared on stage to MC the fanmeet along with translator DJ. As each member joined them on stage again, BamBam and Jackson mention how they fulfilled their promise to come back to Chicago again. The members proceeded to introduced themselves, as fans cheers amplified in the venue hall.
The Q&A session followed after introductions and BamBam started it with dabbing, to which Jackson also dabbed with Jinyoung’s arm. When asked how they felt about being back in Chicago again for the 3rd time, Youngjae mentions their affection for the deep dish pizza they had the previous day and how it was 100% cheese. When asked, Jinyoung stated that they were also able to visit a museum the day before. Jackson, then, mentions the hotel’s bedsheets and how they were “so soft” as BamBam and the MC concurred in excitement. When translated into Korean the other members agreed as Youngjae proceeds state that Chicago has the best blankets and bedsheets.
Since JB’s birthday was earlier that month, the MC mentions and initiates the Happy Birthday song to him as fans joined in to celebrate the leader’s birthday.
This led into the Q&A session where each of the members picked a question written by fans on post-it notes that were stuck onto a board for them to choose. As the members took their time in choosing their post-its, BamBam mentions how they are the only group who ships themselves.
Once all the members settled down, Mark was asked his ideal type, to which he replied, “I don’t have one.” Jackson and BamBam egged him on telling him to not say that and to choose a type, thus he responded with cute and shorter than him.
Jinyoung asks why JB is so handsome, and JB replies that he does not think he is handsome. Jackson refutes with stating, “WHAT?! You look gorgeous hunnie! I love your nose!” which invokes loud cheers from fans.
When asked what other jobs they would have if they weren’t a K-Pop idol, these were the members’ replies:
Yugyeom – Hip Hop Dancer
BamBam – Youtuber
Youngjae – Music Therapist
JB – Nothing; live comfortably. Wake up, chill, call someone, and go to school. To which Jackson interjects with “and also Netflix and chill all day.”
Mark – Normal college student
Jinyoung – Elementary School Teacher.
Jackson – Athlete
The fanmeet continues as Jackson is asked the craziest experience while performing. He, then, speaks of an experience during one of the end-of-the-year ceremony performances. They were performing ‘Hard Carry,’ and it was really cold. He had a snot and was turning around. As he was turning around, it went “fooomp” and almost hit Youngjae in the back, but luckily it didn’t.
JB was asked about his best and worst subjects in school. It turns out his best subject was science and worst was history since he struggled with memorizing.
Bambam was asked how many times he could dab, which led to him trying to dab as many times as he could until the MC stopped him. The MC stated that he had lost count after 20 seconds, because by then, BamBam had already dabbed at least 40 times.
Then, Yugyeom was asked what type of dog he would be if he could choose, of which he replied with Golden Retriever.
Last but not least, Youngjae was asked who he thinks is the scariest member and replied with, “Jacksoooonn” due to the strong accent that sometimes comes out when he speaks Chinese.
Proceeding the Q&A session, the chairs were removed and ‘Boom X3’ blasted through the speakers as the boys increased the energy level in the room even more by following with ‘Just Right.’
The game session started off with the members choosing and read off the winning raffle tickets for the fan interaction one by one as fans longed for their numbers to emerge from their bias’s lips. The lucky fans were met with staff to be taken backstage to prep for the upcoming game interaction with the members.
While the fans met with staff, the members played the ‘Guess the Song’ game where they were given just a few seconds of the intro to a song for them to guess. If a member answers wrongly, they must do five squats while flapping their hands and arms like a bird. Whenever more than one membered tried to answer at the same time, they played rock, paper, scissors to determine who could answer first. To which Yugyeom won and everyone had to dance cutely for him to choose who to be punished. Bambam ended up being picked for the punishment of doing the kiyomi dance.
Subsequently, each of the joyous winners that were previously chosen rushed onto the stage as they greeted the members of GOT7.
As the members and fans settled into their spots, the MC revealed that they will be playing the traditional Korean game of jegichagi (제기차기), which is similar to the western game of hacky sack. The main point of the game is to kick a badminton-like shuttlecock as many times as possible without it reaching the ground.
GOT7 members each get one try as the fans get two tries. Most of the members and fans only managed to get a kick or two in. BamBam even ended up kicking it out into the orchestra pit while Mark knee kicked his. Youngjae ended winning with five kicks as Jackson jokingly said that he saw Youngjae practicing the entire night before in anticipation of this game. Youngjae’s partner received a hug from the idol as the winning prize. In the midst of this, Jackson and BamBam hug each other as a display of jealousy.
Accordingly, as the members retreated from the stage, a behind-the-stage video came on. Once again, the energetic members appeared on stage again to perform ‘Fly’ then ‘If You Do’ as the mark of the beginning of the end of the fanmeet.
One by one, the members thanked and shared their thoughts and feelings with the fans:
Jackson in English:
“Hey Chicago! Just want to say, today, this crowd, this passion, really, really. Really happy to be back in Chicago again. Actually, we don’t really care how good the bedsheet is. We don’t really care how good the pizza is. You guys are the reason we came back. Like we promised! We promise we’ll be back again. And honestly sometimes, [I] just want to say we’re really tired [and] we’re really exhausted. Sometimes for myself, I ask myself. Who’s not tired in this world? Everybody has their own stress. Everybody has their own difficulties. But I also ask myself, am I enjoying what I’m doing and am I loving my job? Am I happy with what I have? And the answer is, it’s always yes. It’s because you guys are always a motivation to us. No matter how hard it is we always try our best to just make you guys proud. Like I said, we don’t want other people to look down [at] you guys. Just want to say, we GOT7 really love IGOT7s.”
Jinyoung in English:
“Are you guys enjoying the fanmeeting? Today was a really amazing time for me. Thank you very much for your support. I was really surprised [by] the amount of love you guys showed tonight. I remember ‘Fly’ in Chicago when we had the concert. Your love was very, very huge, but today, your love was even greater and bigger. We’ll come back soon with a new album and good song[s]. So please wait for us. Thank you very much, and Chicago was so cold, right? Please stay healthy. Thank you very much!”
Mark in English
“Chicago make some noise! You guys have fun tonight? So our third time back in Chicago, and we had such a great time with you guys. Raise your hand if it’s your first time here. Your second time here. Raise your hand if you’ve been here all three times. That’s a lot. It’s really great to see all of our fans all the time. We’ve been here three times, and I’m pretty sure each time we’ve came, we’ve filled up the [venue]. I’ll miss you, and hopefully, we’ll be able to come back soon for a fourth time! Make some noise if you guys gonna wait for us till then. We promise we’ll come back with some new songs and new performances for you guys. Until then, I hope you guys, like Jinyoung said, stay healthy. I hope you guys stay warm in the Chicago weather. Please keep showing your love and support for us. We’re going to be coming back soon, so Chicago until then. See you guys soon!”
JB in Korean:
“You always cheered for us even though it’s our third time here. We’ll always try to work hard and give you guys better songs so continue to support and love us. Thank you!”
YoungJae
(In Korean) “I was happy to come to Chicago a third time, and I was very happy to have Chicago pizza again. We’ve visited Chicago the most out of any city in the United States.
(Switches to English) Yeahhhh!! What you call me!?!??!! I LOVE YOU!!!! Just...” *laughs* “wait a minute.” *Points to head* “Just loading. Loading”
He then switches back to Korean as Jackson asks him to try to say it in English instead. Thus he proceeds to try in English, “We in Chicago second time.”
The translator and MC interrupted him, “Third time.”
(In English) “Yes, third time.” (In Korean) “How do I say but in English?”
MC replies with “But.”
(In English) “But you guys fashion is still...”
Jackson and MC interjected with “Passion… Passion” as Jackson squeals, “So cute! Ah, so cute!” Youngjae proceeds to say, “Sorry!” cutely as the MC and fans cheer him on for trying so hard.
(In Korean) “Even though it’s our third time here, your passion has stayed the same and always cheered for us. I thank you so much for that.“
BamBam in English:
“Are you guys ready? Like Youngjae said, we came here the most. It’s our third time here in Chicago. You know. They have something here. Like, something that bring[s] us here all the time. And I think, that is because the Chicago IGOT7, you guys have something different. You guys have something special. Really, you guys are special. So, that’s why every time we came here, we feel good, [comfortable], and happy. I want to [feel] this passion [for] my whole life. So, I’ll try my best to come here and feel you guys’ passion again. You guys know what I’m saying? Okay. So, I just want to let you guys know that you guys [are] always the best thing for GOT7. We’re so happy that IGOT7 exists. These days in Korea, they have a lot of handsome boy [and] cute boy come out lately. There are so many. So many group[s] out there. But I want you guys to stay here. Don’t look at other boy[s]. Don’t go anywhere, because IGOT7 is only for GOT7. Yes, always stay here. Be my cute little bird. Okay? Today was so much fun. I love you guys. You guys was dope today! Thank you! I don’t know what I’m saying, but thank you!”
Yugyeomin English
“I’m just… I’m just… Love you guys!” *Makes a heart with his arms*
Then, the members along with the MC pressured him to show the fans how much he loved them through dancing, to which he hesitantly complied to with a very provocative little number.
After, the members performed their latest hit ‘Hard Carry.’ The night ended with an encore of ‘Homerun,’ and the members bid the fans goodbye with JB and Jackson handing and throwing out the towels and water bottles from the stage to the fans.
‘Hard Carry’ blared on the speakers as the energy in the room only increased when BamBam asked if the fans were ready for Hi-Touch as he strolled off the stage.
GOT7 has shown again that their talent, energy, and charisma are boundless with yet another packed theater for their third time in the windy city.
Check out our Photo Album for more photos from the fanmeet.
Officially KMusic would like to thank SubKulture Entertainment, JYP, and GOT7 themselves for the wonderful opportunity to be a part of such an admirable experience.
Stay tuned to Officially KMusic for coverage on other upcoming events and tours along with the most recent news and updates!
Article by: Ying Leung
Photography by: Ying Leung & Samantha Stevenson.
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