Fresh from earning one of the top honors at a prestigious competition at Marble Wonderland, Mina Kim graces the cover of our website with this unique feature. Photography by Bryan. Bless as Executive Producer. Xtian Mack as writer/director.
One of Mina’s fondest memories is when she was a little girl in her native Seoul, South Korea, a visit to a theme park one day when she saw a cosplayer working there dressed up as her favorite character. She says she still can’t forget the feeling of awe when she saw that unbelievably beautiful cosplayer. It was like her fantasy had come to life. She remembers feeling wonderful and amazed at that time, that brief episode leaving a deep, lasting impression on her.
It was only some months ago when this fascination was rekindled when her schoolmate brought her to the Best of Anime event and once there felt like she was in a whole different world, seeing all those cosplayers in a myriad of colors, shapes, forms and sizes. She has always loved, but always been shy, to cosplay, but she was so taken by the experience that she decided to cosplay Kyou, a character from the manga, Kyou of Shinigami no Kyou, at the very next event she went to.
Since then she has enjoyed going to cosplay events as much as she can. It’s easy to see how she stands out amongst the crowd. Coupled with her cheerful and bubbly disposition, she was an instant favorite, posing tirelessly for the many people who wish to take pictures of her and with her.
What she really enjoys during events is when people call her by her character’s name. “Like when I cosplay Hatsune Miku, a lot of people called me ‘Miku’ or ‘Vocaloid,’ it really make me smile and happy because I feel like really being that character and they acknowledge me to be that character, ” she tell us.
Even as she was still unsure of herself, she took a chance and joined a competition at Marble Wonderland to be part of a group to spread Kawaii fashion here and beyond. Her boundless energy and peerless charm earned her one of the top honors despite it being her first competition. She says she is surprised but very happy that her efforts are being recognized by others.
Studying here in the Philippines and far from home, she says she’s glad to have made many good friends through cosplaying, folks who have been supportive and kind to her. She has this to say: “There are really a lot of people that I wanna say ‘thank you’ to. Thank you for supporting me. Even when I get mad or annoyed at you sometimes, you always stay by me! Really, thank you so much. Hope you’ll stay with me always and never leave. I love you guys!”
“And thank you to all the readers! This will be my first step developing into a good cosplayer :)) Don’t judge me if you guys need any help from me!”
What keeps her cosplaying? She tells us: “When I see kids, I want them to feel the same things I felt back when I saw that cosplayer in that theme park in Korea. I want to show them how cosplay can be so wonderful.”
Thank you for visiting, and we hope you can support Mina Kim in her future endeavors.
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