“Let’s be 1 four-ever!”
Celeste Koh
#171111#
About 2 or 3 days before 11 November, it suddenly dawned upon me that the day 11/11 was coming. I thought 11/11 would be a meaningful day because of Taenggu’s song 11:11. I thought I should do something special for Taenggu on this day too, but I was running out of ideas of what I could do. I thought it could have been nice if I could film myself playing the guitar intro of the song, but it was impossible for me to master and practise this song within such a short span of time left. “It’s such a waste!” I thought, “Maybe I will do it next year instead.” And I opted to search for other possible ideas from her 11:11 MVs/performances or read up on the significance of 11/11 instead.
First, I found out from the internet that 11/11 is considered a day of new beginnings. 11:11 is also a time when you hold on to hope and make a wish.
Taeyeon’s 11:11 was a heartbreak song about a girl’s reminiscences about making wishes with her former lover when the clock struck 11:11. When the song was released on November 1st last year, I didn’t quite understand why it was titled “11:11” and the significance of this time. Now I understand why.
Quoting the lyrics of 11:11, “I believe I’ll be over you”.
In the mystical sense, I learned that the number ’11’ is also known as the master number to the universe.
So I kept a lookout for any numbers of ’11’ popping up around me those few days and these were what I found.
The fact was, for the past one month, I had constantly been seeing the date 11 November every time I tapped in and out of the train stations because of the expiry date of my travel concession pass. It was a sweet reminder of the song 11:11 to me every time. 😌 If seeing the number ’11’ was a sign of spiritual awakenings, then it really did come true to me already because when 11:11 was released last year, it happened during a period of time when I began to take more active steps in balancing myself more spiritually through yoga and reading, and started having psychic visions.
But still, no number could beat my magic number ’39’. 😉 (related post: MAGIC NUMBER ‘39’)
How about Taenggu’s MV or performances of 11:11?
I really loved the live acoustic version of 11:11 she filmed last year.
You can read my instagram post below for my reflections about this video.
Back then when I first watched this video, I could feel some sort of connection in the behind-the-scene cuts at the front part of the video. The way she was gently patting her thigh and looking upwards seemed to me that she was silently hoping for me. 😍
And yes, it has been over a year now ever since the song was released and my phone ringtone is still 11:11. I guess I don’t have a habit of changing my phone wallpapers and ringtone often. So my wallpaper is always still that outdated photo of Taenggu and my phone always still sings “It’s eleven eleven” whenever I have a phone call. Hahaha.
There is one thing I wanted to say about her 11:11 MV too.
Whenever I watched this part between 3:15-3:41, I felt like smacking that guy’s face. How could anyone be so mean to my Taenggu?! 😤😤😤
So, after gathering all these information online, on the day of 11 November itself, I still didn’t have a solid idea of what kind of art to do until Taenggu posted a video of herself eating a Pepero stick on her Instastory bright and early in the morning. (p.s. to me, bright and early refers to any time before 12pm. haha 😂)
The text in the video says “I received Pepero”.
I finally realised what kind of special day 11/11 actually was to Taenggu. It’s Pepero Day in Korea! It’s the day when you give pepero snacks to your friends and loved ones as a gesture of love and affection in Korea.
I was reminded of how 3 years ago, on 11 November 2014, I received a silent nudge from the universe to treat myself to a box of Pocky that morning only to realise later on that it was a Pepero Day in Korea, Pocky Day in Japan and Singles Day in China.
https://www.instagram.com/p/vQPwfguNUH/?taken-by=invariantceleste
At that time when I saw Taenggu’s video, I had just done something meaningful delivering a parcel to Taenggu and my 11:11 special handmade bird nest necklace to my Carousell buyer at the post office. I knew it meant that I should get myself some Peperos and Pockys too. “Why not make a food art out of them for Taenggu?” An idea sparked. And that was how my 11:11 food art photos came about. Keke. 😄
So what’s for next year’s 11/11? I guess I should start practising my guitar more diligently from now on! 😬😆
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