It’s only been one hundred days but the short amount of time I’ve been your fan have been some of my happiest. Whether it’s because of the antics of the derp squad, the latest secrets spilled by Lay’s trolling, or another instance of you guys just being overall adorable idiots, stanning you guys always guarantees a big grin plastered on my face. That means a lot to me, that you guys make my day a little brighter. People around me often ask, Why are you smiling so widely? What’s so funny? and the answer is always the same: “EXO,” I reply. You guys make me laugh every single day, without fail – and so for that alone, I am happy to be your fan and return the favor.

If somebody had told me back when the first teasers were coming out two hundred days ago that I would come to love EXO like I have never loved any other kpop group before, I would have told them that they were out of their mind. I had enough kpop groups I loved and I certainly didn’t need another one, especially one with so many members. But it turns out that I am the person who is now out of her mind because EXO has, in such a short period of time, stripped me of my sanity. It started slowly with loving “MAMA” (the awesome choreo and the chanting!) and the rest of the great debut mini album, but when I finally caved and took the time to learn about each member, I was suddenly going downhill at 100MPH with no brake. And let me tell you, I’m still going downhill and I have no intention of stopping because the ride has been, in one word, exhilarating. I’ve learned to love and appreciate all twelve members to an extent that I never imagined I would when I first watched your music videos. There’s something magical about you guys that sets EXO apart from the other kpop groups I’ve loved.

Unlike others, I can’t say I’ve been an EXO fan since the beginning. I’ve only been a fan for two months — and yet in two mere months, my life has been completely ruined. Some may ridicule me and claim that saying you guys have changed my life is an exaggeration, but it really isn’t. It isn’t when you wake up everyday and the first thing you think of is, “I wonder what EXO’s up to today.” It isn’t when you laugh until you cry at all the hilarious jokes, macros, and gifs this fandom comes up with. It isn’t when stanning EXO robs you of your sleep (because god knows I’ve stayed up every single night ever since I became a fan watching every show and reading every interview) but you don’t mind and you even have an extra spring in your step despite running on little fuel. I thought I knew the definition of “stan” before EXO. Apparently I didn’t.

Because it’s not all just fun and games. It pains me when I see Kai and his bandaged back or Lay sitting out during show recordings because of an injured waist. It disheartens me when I hear the Chinese members say they missed their family so much while training in Korea that they wouldn’t call home for fear of giving up their dream of debuting right then and there. And it warms my heart when OT12 come together, as one. Your dedication and hard work is inspiring.

Whether I get to see you twelve men in person one day or not, I just hope you know that you have dedicated fans who will be with you every step of the way. So congratulations on your first 100 days since debut, and here’s to many, many hundreds more.

Love,
a fan