#ot(5)

I recently flew back to South Africa because of the music program my school decided to present during our winter break. Usually, we discuss some of the older artists who have laid down the path for newer generations. Imagine my surprise when I walked in on the very first day to see a paused video of Taemin’s solo concert!

For a moment I thought the professor was just a Taemint caught up in watching the video and had forgotten about our class. BUT then he announced that we would be discussing the talent of a KPOP artist he felt was on the level of Michael Jackson as a performer.

He instructed the class to turn their eyes towards the projector screen and played what was actually a compilation of what he felt was Taemin’s best performances to date. Performances that included every single one of the songs Taemin performed at his solo concert, as well as many of his Press Your Number, Danger and Drip Drop stages. We were also treated to Taemin’s performance at the MAMAS as well as his Goodbye stages and music video.

I was probably the proudest person in the room because of the exclamations from a few classmates that already knew of Taemin but even more so at the others that literally couldn’t tear their eyes away from the screen and kept exclaiming how incredible he was. It was a proud day for me as both a Shawol and Taemint. So much so that I really did cry during the videos of his Door and I’m Crying performance.

After the video compilation, our professor explained that he had stumbled upon Taemin when his younger sister was watching a video of SHINee’s Tokyo Dome. He further explained that he found himself sitting down beside his sister just to catch another glimpse of Taemin’s dancing and to hear what he called Taemin’s incredibly unique vocals. Apparently, he found himself watching the entire concert and afterward continued to question his sister about Taemin until he finally found out that Taemin was a solo artist as well. 

The professor then stated that he too had flown out to attend Taemin’s solo concert alongside his sister. He briefly took a detour from Taemin to talk about Michael Jackson who he says greatly influenced his life and he was blessed enough to see perform live all those years ago, but it was what he said next that really blew me away. He said that he had been to many concerts in his life and never before had he felt an aura so exactly the same to Michael Jackson than when he attended the first day of Taemin’s solo concert. To him, Taemin’s dancing and stage presence were out of this world, something he never thought he would experience again after MJ’s passing.

Our class consisted of seven hundred people and each and every single one walked out while searching for more info about Taemin and his songs. My professor touched so many people yesterday and he’s led them all to Taemin. He’ll be giving this class forty more times! Forty classes all consisting of seven hundred people...that’s a lot of people who will finally be able to see Taemin, even if it’s only through a screen.