SM Global Package: EXO PLANET #4 The EℓyXiOn in Seoul

UPDATE:
[060120] SM Global Package: EXO PLANET #5 The EXplOration [dot] in Seoul

Warning: Lengthy post ahead

I've been waiting for the sale of the Global Package for the fourth tour ever since dates were first announced in August. S.M. only released more news about ticket sales in October and shortly after that they announced the sale of the Global Package (two hours before it went on sale!). Luckily I had been constantly checking my emails otherwise I would have missed out on the first round.

I really wanted the Premium F Course Package (which included concert tickets for all three nights) but when I logged in it was already closed (T_T). As I wasn't sure if a second round would be released, I ended up settling for the Premium D course (which included concert tickets for the first two nights). I didn't pay right away as I was hoping some spots would open up two hours later (which happens if people reserve a package but don't pay for it within two hours) but Premium F was still closed. I know quite a few people bought two packages to see all three concerts but I decided against it because it was super expensive and meant you were paying for two hotel rooms on the same night (as the last night of the first Global Package would overlap with the first night of your second Global Package). There was a second round but I heard that Premium F was still closed (not sure if it actually existed in the end..) so I'm glad I didn't wait.

For more details about how to buy the package, please check my previous post about the EXO'rdium dot Global Package here.

About two and a half weeks before the concert I received an email informing me to check my Personal Notice on the SMTown Travel website which confirmed my Global Package and the hotel that I'll be staying at. The preliminary hotels listed for Premium were Grand Intercontinental Parnas and Intercontinental Coex however all Premium participants ended up being in Intercontinental Coex (which is a 5 star hotel but is slightly cheaper than Parnas, was a Deluxe 1 Grade hotel for dot and is a longer walk to S.M. Coex Artium as it's on the other side). A week later we received login details for the preorder merch website. I ended up getting the hoodie (which was free size and ended up being super big on me but was really warm!) and Suho's hand warmer/photocard. Nearly purchased Suho's orb but luckily stopped myself because do I really need an orb? Wish I got Suho's name tag though after seeing EXO wear the hoodie/shirt with their name tags during the concert.


Day 1 - Thursday

Checked in at Intercontinental. The Premium goods were pretty similar to dot (slipper, room tag, pillow cover, recycling bags, mood light and rug) but this time there was also a bath robe and blanket.

Decorated hotel room

List of EXO goods in the hotel room

We had to draw our tickets and pick up souvenirs at the S.M. C&C tour desk between 6-10pm in the lobby that night. I went around 5.45pm and there was already a queue. One staff member found your name tag and did the ticket draw, another staff member gave you the S.M. C&C souvenirs (which came in a plastic bag unlike last time and included items such as a poster, stationery and messages from EXO) and another staff member looked for your preorder merchandise receipt. Next to the desk there was a board which had the seating chart, schedule, guide phone numbers etc.

I ended up drawing tickets in C3 for both nights. Was initially disappointed I got the same section as I wanted to be near the first stage for one night but C3 ended up being a really good section as it was pretty much in front of the second stage.

My tickets feat. Suho's Limited Edition Let's Go EℓyXiOn photocard and Suho's EℓyXiOn Heat Pack photocard :D

Seating chart feat. where I was seated for the concerts

After that I went to the SUM store because if you spend 40,000 won or more and show your concert ticket you can get a free EXO wrist band (I got Suho and Kai wrist bands). Wrote my letters to EXO that night and even came prepared with stickers this time to try to make it look really pretty.


Day 2 - Friday

Preorder merchandise pick up was between 2 - 4.30pm. Despite getting there just before 2pm, I was in line until 3pm! The line moved really slowly because there were two staff members checking D course, two staff members checking A course and every single Global Package participant had to check if their order was correct (most people ordered more than 10 items!) so it took a while. There was also some confusion over which line was for A and which line was for D.

The bus to the concert venue left at 4.45pm but we had to meet at 4.30pm in the lobby. The stadium is 30 minutes away according to Google maps but it took 1.5 hours because of traffic! The entrance to the Ground Floor was on the other side of the stadium from the parking lot (which is where we were dropped off) and my seat was on the other side of the entrance so there was another long walk for me. I brought heat packs thinking it would be really cold but the stadium was heated so didn't end up using them.

Outside the stadium

My view of the main stage for both nights

The concert started slightly after 8pm and went on for about three hours. Highlights for me were Suho's solo stage, D.O's English version of For Life and Don't Go. The first two ments were on the second stage so I got to see EXO up close quite a bit.

After the concert we were given 2 water bottles, almond cake, half a bagel with cream cheese and walnut and a macaron with EℓyXiOn on it when we were on the bus.


Day 3 - Saturday

Got about three hours sleep before I had to be back in the lobby at 7.15am to watch From Happiness at SMTown Theatre at 8am. You can drop off your letters to EXO outside the theatre. The surround viewing went on for 40 minutes and there were no subtitles but it was still really funny. After that we had an hour to look around Coex Artium. The night before S.M. announced on their SUM store instagram that you could get limited edition EXO photocards (set of 3 for every 20,000 won spent). However, we couldn't get the free EXO photocards until it was the official opening time (11am) so I sussed out what I wanted to buy and planned to come back later. The second event solely for Premium packages was the same as dot; taking a photo in the practice room at S.M. Communications Centre. We were also able to draw one wristband on the bus and this time I got Chanyeol. Lunch was at SMT Seoul and we got bulgogi, fish, some small side dishes and cake. Went back to the hotel around 11.45am and we were due back at 2pm in the lobby to take the bus to the concert venue.

From Happiness ticket

Lunch at SMT Seoul 

Dessert at SMT Seoul

During the break I decided to go to the SUM store at Coex to try to get the limited edition photocards. The queue was up to the third floor (SUM is on the second) and because there were still some Global Package participants visiting as part of their schedule, they were given priority to enter so the queue I was in barely moved (I was in line for at least an hour!). I found out later that I should have just shown my Global Package pass and the staff would have let me go straight in. Because I was travelling with Y and M who weren't doing the package, they managed to get the photocards for me while I went to the concert.

The bus took longer than Friday because it was pouring outside and silly me didn't have an umbrella so my hoodie was soaked :( I went into the venue early to escape the cold but that meant I missed out on all the fansite freebies.

After the concert we got one bottle of water, chocolate muffin, lemon cake and a macaron and we were also given the photos we had taken earlier in the training room. It was a little bit disorganised compared to dot (in which they had already put our photos in the envelope and just handed it out to us). This time 3 stacks of photos were passed down the bus and we had to find ours.

After a long walk to Maccas and back, I went back to my room and opened my photocard sets straight away. The first photocard set I opened had Suho (such good luck this trip!). Ended up with 1 Suho, 1 Chanyeol, 2 Chen, 2 Kai, 3 Baekhyun, 3 Xiumin, 3 Sehun and no D.O. It's lucky D.O isn't my bias - I have all their albums and have never gotten his photocard!


Day 4 - Sunday

Time to check out of Intercontinental but before I did I went to the tables at SUM Cafe in Coex and swapped my Baekhyun card for D.O and Kai for another Suho card. Also went to SUM in DPP and got 3 more photocards. Considered going back to Coex to swap but ended up hanging around DPP and I ended up with 2 full sets plus an extra Suho and an extra D.O.

Full set of Let's Go EℓyXiOn photocards and Suho's EℓyXiOn Heat Pack photocard

Day 5 - Monday

Unrelated to the Global Package but it was Chanyeol's birthday which meant SUM store were giving out his birthday message cards if you spend 10,000 won. Went to DPP as it was the closest and there was already a long queue. I got there around 9.15am and only got into the store at 11.15am... Would have been really good if I brought my heat packs because my hands were freezing while I waiting in line! We were given a sticker just before 10am which said Loey and you had to show the sticker when you made your purchase. They stamped it so they knew you had already picked up your Chanyeol card. One of the staff members kept checking if you had a sticker when you were in the second line in store to purchase and someone in front of me was told she couldn't get the card because she didn't have a sticker.

Chanyeol Birthday Message Card

One Month Later

EXO have been super busy since the concerts so S.M. only uploaded the photos of them holding Global Package participants letters a month later.

Here's Suho not holding my letter :(

Overall, I still definitely recommend Global Package for EXO concerts in Seoul. It's expensive but it's hard to get tickets through Yes24 and resellers will take advantage of you so it'll still probably end up being cheaper (and safer) to just get the Global Package. Plus it includes accommodation and transport to/from the concert venue. I didn't think I would get a Premium Package again because a 2 concert Premium Package cost more than a 3 concert Superior or Economy Package. The tickets you can draw are better though (Ground seats weren't guaranteed for all packages this time - heard some people in Economy got seats on the First Floor) but it's still an amazing experience to just be there no matter where you're sitting.

If you have any questions about the Global Package, please leave a comment below :)

xiaomewpie xx