You don’t notice it after a while. You don’t have to always be thinking about it. It’s not always on your mind, but when you remember that it’s still there, you realize that it’s truly and forever part of your life.

Self-expression. Tattoos are an extension of personal style and freedom of speech. Our love for SNSD doesn’t have to be colorfully engraved on our bodies physically, but in a certain way, the fandom and all that it has to offer has become a part of our lives. Remember all the countless number of times we have openly expressed our love for the girls, and spazzed at or with people we barely know about something that has taken up a great portion of our lives. Of course, each and every one of us has priorities that are more important than a fandom, and it becomes easy to lose ourselves in daily activities and work. Sometimes, we are so caught up in our lives that we don’t even think about SNSD for a single minute. But during those little moments of blissful free time, many busy Sones will catch up on Soshi news, listen to their songs, watch one of their newly released variety show episodes, or spazz with a fellow fan.The pain. A needle is pricking itself into your skin and the loud buzzing noise swamps your mind. You close your eyes and wait as the minutes slowly tick away. The brain is signaling you to feel the pain, but you bear with it. It’s not that bad. Imagine, if getting a tattoo was unbelievably painful, no one would ever want a second one. This is just like the Soshi fandom. If people didn’t think the girls were worth it, why would Sones pre-order albums like madmen every time there is a new release or line up many hours in advance before a big concert? Why? Because SNSD is worth it. Yuri would call it “cute pain”. Pain which we would gladly feel over and over again because we know that something good can come out of it. The members’ feet are calloused and ache from running in heels during their three hour long concert. The fans’ feet ache as they make their way home from standing and cheering for the entire night. But when SNSD exit the stage and Sones exit the arena, we are left with the most exquisite feelings in the world. Indeed, we are all but drained, but we couldn’t be happier. It’s like the feeling after the artist has finished your tattoo. You look in the mirror and you’re in love. The sharp lines, perfect writing and wonderful shading makes one forget about the pain. When you place the jabbing and aching next to the amazing work of art on your body, you realize that the pain is insignificant. That the pain can’t even compare to the amazing results you have just obtained.

Reoccurring again.  Many people don’t stop after getting their first tattoo. They adore the freedom of expression that comes out of each design that decorates their bodies. The very same parallel can be drawn on Sones as well. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who found out about SNSD through a youtube video of one of their MVs, and despite the fact that I barely knew anything about the nine girls or the Soshibond at all, I had a good feeling that I wanted them to be a part of my life. I, like many other people in this world, didn’t stop after one dose of SNSD. Instead, we ended up in-taking more and more, stepping further and further into the light of the Soshi fandom.

As one feels the pain of the needle over and over again, they eventually become more and more accustom to it. Our brains eventually learn to accept it. I wouldn’t be surprised if others agree with me when I say that my eyes bulged out like tennis balls when I first saw the price of SNSD’s first Japanese single, Gee. I remember the tiny pool of regret filling inside me as I reached into my wallet in exchange for a CD with one song in it. My wallet was in pain with me. But now, after buying so much more of their merchandise, I have learned to accept it. Just like the pain of the needle. Because I know I won’t regret it. And I know that, in the long run, the support I unconditionally give the girls won’t come out in vain. Now, whenever something new from the girls is released, I dish out the money barely thinking about the aftermath. It’s because they are just so worth it. For me now, keeping up with the latest release is like saying “oh shoot, we are out of potatoes. Better go out and buy more”, but translated into “oh shoot, my Soshi collection won’t be complete anymore without this. Better go pre-order that DVD”.

There are millions of routes we can take during our journey through life. No one knows where a certain path will lead or how long it will extend. But throughout of lives, each and every person desires to find the most fitting paths for them in order to live out the life that they desire. Many of us have crossed paths with each other, but how many of those paths have you walked on with over a million people at the same time? It’s truly amazing how so many people in this world decided to venture through the path of Soshi at some point during their lives. And want to hear something even better? The numbers of fans that walk this road have only grown in the years, rending those who stray away, an insignificant sum.

The girls have impacted our lives in ways we would have never found possible. The millions who have embarked through the Soshi path in life will see things differently from others. We will see things with unique perspectives only available to those who are willing to take the time and understand these nine amazing girls. Many in the world don’t understand. Perhaps they won’t ever understand because they don’t need to understand. But for those of us who do understand, even if it’s just a little bit, we instantly become part of something life changing.

Like a black or colorful mark that’s engraved itself onto our bodies, we realize that SNSD has become etched upon our lives. Like a tattoo, you don’t always notice it and you may even forget it’s there sometimes, but when you remember its presence, you realize you’re happy it’s a part of your life. And you’re happy about the choices you’ve made. About the paths you’ve chosen to embark throughout your journey in life.

Many years later in your life, maybe you’ll completely step out of this fandom. But you will never forget it. Years later, maybe when SNSD is no longer performing or all of us Sones have grown into grandmas and grandpas, we will never forget this chapter of our lives when we stepped through into this amazing light and called ourselves a Sone. One with nine girls. Like a mark that decorates our body, SNSD decorates our soul. A permanent reminder that we were once united as One. A reminder that we will always be part of a legacy.

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Credit: FrozenArctic@SNSDKorean

Images: As tagged, FrozenArctic@SNSDKorean