I'm sorry I'm cramming so much into one post, but there's just so much to talk about with Golden Child's Japan debut! I'll have a separate post blogging about the 12 versions of Golden Child's Japanese debut single A WOO!!, but here I'll be blogging about the following:
- Stores that offered preordering of the A WOO!! albums and online events
- My experience preordering the albums from Universal Music Japan
- Application process for an online event
- My experience using Blackship as a fast forwarding service
As a note, I am by no means an expert in ordering Japanese albums, and the structure and process surrounding Japanese promotional events also seem different from before because of Covid, but I wanted to document everything that I could gather for future reference.
Stores and Events
There are 4 online stores that offered preorders and have associated online events in January and February. There are different preorder sales periods for each store and different application periods for each event. The January event details are available how the February event details are still a bit vague. Each store has its pros and cons, however all 4 stores only ship domestically within Japan. This is why I chose to use a fast forwarding service, while I'll discuss later on.
Universal Music Japan (UMJ)
- Offered the limited version, regular version, and individual member versions that can be purchased individually or as a set of 10
- Preorder benefit for the limited version and regular version is a clear file (one version, but you will receive one per album)
- Preorder benefit for the member set of 10 is a storage box
- January 22nd at 6PM JST event: 1:1 individual member video call for 1.5 minutes; 30 winners per member for a total of 300 winners
- February 12th event: individual -shot photo session
Goldenness Japan
- Only those with an official Goldenness Japan membership can purchase (it makes sense why Goldenness Japan was suddenly revived in December 2021)
- Offered all 12 versions (I'm unsure if you can buy the member versions separately or as a set)
- Preorder benefit for the limited version and regular version is a clear file (one version, but you will receive one per album); I believe this is the same design as UMJ
- Preorder benefit for the member set of 10 is a storage box; the storage box has a different design from UMJ
- January 29th at 6PM JST event: 1:1 individual member video call for 1.5 minutes; 30 winners per member for a total of 300 winners
- February 12th event: individual -shot photo session
HMV
- Only offered the limited version and regular version
- Preorder benefit is 1 out of 10 postcards
- January 22nd at 3PM JST event: OT10 video call for 1 minute per member; 30 winners total
- February 12th event: 1:1 individual member video call
Tower Records
- Only offered the limited version and regular version
- Preorder benefit is 1 out of 10 L-sized photocards
- January 29th at 3PM JST event: OT10 video call for 1 minute per member; 30 winners total
- February 12th event: 1:1 individual member video call
Details on the January events can be found here: https://www.universal-music.co.jp/golden-child/news/2022-01-07/
Details on the February events can be found here: https://www.universal-music.co.jp/golden-child/news/2021-12-28-2/
Preordering Albums
I honestly didn't look into the online events at all. From my knowledge of past Infinite Japanese events, the event application code would be inside the physical CD, so I had assumed it was still like this (I am very outdated >.<) and that only Japanese residents could apply. I knew that I wanted one of each version, so I instinctively decided to order from Universal Music Japan. I would also prefer an OT10 preorder benefit (ie. the clear file) rather than a random card, just so my collection can feel more complete, so UMJ seemed perfect.
UMJ's preorder period for the January event ran from December 28th 6PM JST through January 6th, and with the product page stating "first come first serve" on the preorder benefits increasing my fear of them running out, I quickly placed my order on December 29th for the limited version (2,750¥), regular version (1,430¥), and the Japan debut commemorative set of 10 individual members (14,300¥). Buying each individual member version would have also been 1,430¥ each. UMJ also had free shipping and offered a 500¥ discount for new customers, so my total was 17,980¥. I was relieved to see that my completed order did show 2 pieces of the clear file and 1 piece of the storage box, locking in my preorder benefits. As for the address, I used Google Translate and matched each field to the Blackship address.
My order on UMJ showed an estimated shipping date of January 24th. I received a shipping notification email from UMJ on January 24th at 5:18PM JST with tracking. The tracking showed that my package delivered on January 25th. I'll continue the rest of my package's journey in my Blackship section below.
Application Process for UMJ's Online Event
As a note, UMJ's website and email notifications are all in Japanese, so I used Google Translate for practically everything. I received an email notification from UMJ on January 7th at 6:05PM JST that a new notice has arrived on My Page within UMJ. I opened up the notice, which included 12 serial codes for UMJ's January 22nd event, along with instructions on how to apply and a link with more details.
The application period for UMJ's event was from January 8th 12PM JST through end of day January 12th JST, and winners would be announced on January 15th at 3PM JST, all through Every Entertainment Co. Their website is also entirely in Japanese.
First I had to create an account on Every Entertainment's website, which prompted a confirmation email. Opening up the confirmation email allowed me to finish completing my account, where I was required to enter my name (both in English and in furigana), email address, birthdate, and Japanese address (I used my Blackship address). You can only change your phone number, address, and password after your account is created, so make sure your name, email address, and birthdate are correct as these are the key identifiers.
Going back to UMJ's My Page notice, there is a link to Every Entertainment's site. This page is full of details, including how winners will proceed: winners will be sent a registration form for their KakaoTalk ID and Name registered on KKT. Later on in KKT, staff will inform you of the KKT Channel ID and QR code (I'm assuming they will be adding your KKT so that you're in the queue for the video call) and that is when you will provide identification to confirm the identity of the winner. There is another link for the identification verification procedure, indicating that they will confirm the name, photo, and date of birth on the ID and on the application, along with a list of valid IDs.
And now to the actual application process. At the bottom of UMJ's My Page notice, there is a link to apply on Every Entertainment's site. The first page allows you to select your "Seat Name", which is actually a dropdown of the members, and your "Quantity", which is a dropdown of just "1". The next page asks for a serial number, and will confirm if what you entered is valid or not. The following page asks for your password to the site and to enter the presented authentication code. You need to follow this same process for every serial code you received; that being said, you can split your codes to enter the 1:1 video call to multiple members or put all your chances to just one member. You can confirm that your submissions went through by viewing the Application History tab, where it will show each entry and its corresponding 6-digit confirmation number.
As I was applying, there was one serial code that didn't work. Looking at my list of serial codes from UMJ, this one serial code did have a completely different format than the others. I contacted UMJ via the Inquiry List tab in both Japanese and English explaining the situation on January 9th at 10:02AM JST and received a response on January 11th at 6:33PM JST in Japanese stating that no such serial code was provided and that I should check my notice again. I did, this time looking at the original notice instead of through Google Translate, and I can't believe the serial code was actually different. Google Translate had completely removed half of the characters within that one serial code >.< Clearly a silly move on my part to rely on Google Translate even for serial codes, but I'm relieved that UMJ relied to me before the application deadline and that I was able to submit my last entry in time.
Do you ever get that feeling where you have an inkling you might win? Or your heart just keeps racing for no reason but deep down you just have a feeling? I got this feeling for the DDARA Makestar 2 event before they announced the winners (I won a Polaroid) and I got the same feeling for this event. So right when it turned 3PM JST on the 15th, I refreshed the Application History tab and couldn't believe my eyes (cue Golden Child's "내 눈을 의심해") when one of my entries showed that I had won! I checked my other entries and none of them were selected. I also received an email for each entry about a minute after I found out the results from the website. The emails are a bit misleading to me, but the one email that was much longer than the others indicated the winning ticket for me.
That email listed out the next step, which is to use the provided URL to submit your KakaoTalk ID and Name registered on KKT, along with your email address, and winning order number. This registration period is until end of day January 17th JST. You can submit the form for the same order number multiple times, and only the last entry will count. The email also stated that (starting on? on? after? each translation site said something a bit different :/) January 19th, the staff will contact each winner on KakaoTalk based on the registered form, and that is when you will send an applicable ID for verification.
I have been in limbo for days and was so stressed about not receiving any communication. I sincerely thank my friend with my whole heart for giving me the tip to check my email! It turns out, the staff sent an email to all the winners (which was in my spam folder) on January 20th at 5:23PM JST with their KakaoTalk ID and that you need to KKT message them with your name and photo ID by the 21st at 2PM JST. I didn't see this email until just over 7 hours before the deadline...I messaged that KKT ID with my name (including my middle name to match my ID, and in both English and Japanese), and a photo of my photo ID at 6:52AM JST on the 21st and they sent a confirmation message and thanked me just under 3 hours later.
At first I was planning to have a separate post about my video call experience, but I think I'll just summarize it here. I made sure to be settled in my seat by 1PM JST, and to my surprise they already called me at 1:08PM! A staff member was the one calling, and I honestly had no idea if the event was supposed to be held in Korean or Japanese, and she was so soft spoken. Eventually we got on the same page, and I was put on standby for about 2 minutes and I could hear Jaehyun (and I think Seungmin) on their video calls before Jaehyun appeared! We started off speaking in Korean and transitioned to English. He was very personable and focused (despite going through 30 video calls just a couple hours prior at the HMV event) and thoughtful in saying that they'll come to the US once it's safe. And somehow our call lasted 2 minutes and Jaehyun kindly ended the call by waving a lot; it felt really nice not to be rushed or cut off. Above is how I looked and the setup of my background for the videocall. I posted a mini thread of my video call on Twitter here for those interested. I only got through 1 of the 3 topics I had prepared, and with that lasting 2 minutes, I can't imagine just how rushed 1 minute per member would be, especially if those included an album signing...
Using Fast Forwarding Service Blackship
I had previously used Tenso, based in Tokyo, as a fast forwarding service for here, however this time I wanted to try something different. I chose to use Blackship, based in Yokohama (just outside of Tokyo), for its many services, including the option for them to take and send pictures of the items received.
I created my account on Blackship and provided documents that proved my identification and home address. Next I chose the type of plan (basic with no subscription fee, which I chose, versus yearly subscription) and currency (which you can only choose once; I chose JPY). I was given my Japanese warehouse address right away, broken down by address elements and with a romanized counterpart for convenience, and within 8 hours Blackship had verified my documents so that any packages I would receive at Blackship could be forwarded to my home address.
My tracking showed that my package was delivered on January 25th at 11:13AM JST. Blackship's website states that packages need to be processed before entering your mailbox and can take 1-2 business days. I was surprised to have received an email from Blackship at 3:22PM JST on the same day stating that I have a new package in my mailbox!
I opened my mailbox on Blackship's site and there they provided the weight (1,298 grams), dimensions (26 x 35 x 10cm), a photo of the packaging, and a closeup photo of the shipping label. The next steps are to fill out the customs form within the same page (you select the category, in this case CD (AUDIO), and price each), and can either continue to shipping or request photos of the package and items, request to split this package into several packages, or dispose of this package. There is also a callout on service fees incurred; so far I have a package receiving fee of 109¥. The photo request is 543¥, and you can list out your instructions on what photos you would like, up to 5 photos. You can also select express processing for an additional 543¥. I tend to overstress, especially when it comes to packages, so I chose to request photos of the contents inside (explicitly listing what should be inside, including the clear files and storage box), as well as Blackship's packaging to me so I know they will be safely packaged.
The overthinker that I am, I was hesitant about requesting photos because I want my items as soon as possible and didn't want a photo request to delay Blackship shipping them to me. I was hoping that I could request photos and proceed with shipping at the same time, but just as I submitted my photo request, the shipping button disappeared and now it is back on Blackship to process my pending request. I checked the Requests tab and there was an option to make it express or cancel the request (both of which are tempting...)
The first step was choosing a shipping method for my package of 1,298 grams (day range refers to business day):
Shipping Method
|
Shipping Fee
|
Service Fee
| Total
|
|---|---|---|---|
| EMS (delayed) | 4,900¥
| 881¥
| 5,781¥
|
| FedEx International Priority (1-3 days avg) | 4,699¥
| 680¥
| 5,379¥
|
| DHL Express (2-5 days avg) | 3,920¥
| 680¥
| 5,379¥
|
| Parcel Post Seamail (60-90 days avg) | 2,350¥
| 680¥
| 3,139¥
|
| Pick up from Blackship | 0¥
| 2,176¥
| 2,176¥
|
I didn't really realize this, but these are all estimates. Blackship repackages everything, and during that process can alter the shipping estimates. After I selected my shipping method (DHL), next I had to select a shipping limit out of 5 options. Basically, you won't be charged until Blackship packages and weighs the final package, and therefore the final shipping fee will probably not be the estimated shipping fee. Select a shipping method, and then Blackship will use your selected carrier and charge your payment method as long as the final shipping fee is below your selected shipping limit. Otherwise, the package will be returned to your mailbox for you to further access. The lowest shipping limit for me was 5,520¥, and the middle limit was 6,900¥. I chose this middle option to give plenty leeway in case the estimate was much lower than the actual.
Next I could select add-ons, or extra services:
- Extra Padding (326¥) - extra padding and bubblewrap for fragile items
- Fragile Sticker (217¥) - package will be sealed with red "FRAGILE" tape
- Invoice Removal (109¥) - all sales invoices will be removed
- Remove Branding (109¥) - package will be nondescript and free of Blackship's branded tape
- Remove Price Tags (43¥ per item, 215¥ minimum) - Price stickers will be removed from your items
- Discreet Packaging (130¥ per bag, 260¥ minimum) - contents will be concealed in a sealed bag
- DHL Insurance (2,500¥) - insure your package against damage or loss up to the declared value
- Express Processing (543¥) - rush order so that package will be processed ahead of others
I really like the customization that Blackship offers. I chose to add extra padding.
Next I chose the content type as "merchandise" (the other option is "gift"). There is also a free text field to add a shipping note.
And the last step was to add my payment method, which could either be to add a card or link your PayPal account. I chose the desired card within my PayPal. Afterwards there was a popup stating that Blackship will ship to the address in my Blackship account, not in my PayPal.
And finally I had to check the box to ensure I reviewed and confirmed the shipping information (including that the actual shipping rate may vary after the package has been prepared for shipment), and then I could approve shipment.
As a note, each package received at Blackship has 45 days of free storage. Once I approved shipment of this package, the day count was eliminated so I didn't have to worry about incurring any storage fees if, say, Blackship took 50 days to package up my goods.
On the 26th at 6:39PM JST I received an email receipt from Blackship with the following breakdown:
- 1 x Special Photos 543¥
- 1 x Package Receiving 109¥
- 1 x Extra Padding 326¥
- 1 x Shipping 6,559¥
- Total: 7,537¥
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