Minutes before the start of K-pop boy group Seventeen’s concert, the excitement inside the Philippine Sports Stadium was palpable. Spectators were already pumping their diamond-embedded light sticks while singing along and reciting fan chants to the music videos that were being played on the screens, as though rehearsing for when the boys would perform on the stage.

Soon enough, the fans collectively called Carats finally saw their idols in the flesh. Ten minutes past 7 p.m, after an enchanting video of otherworldly landscapes flashed on the screens, 10 silhouettes standing side by side emerged at the center of the stage, with the 11th — Woozi — appearing in mid-air, singing the intro of “Super” to commence the show.

Garbed in white karate gi-like outfits and accompanied by over a dozen backup dancers, Seventeen showcased the “Dragon Ball”-inspired song’s frenetic choreography in a performance reminiscent of its music video.

Barely giving the audience time to recover, the group kept the energy up with the fan-favorite “Don Quixote” and gritty rock-tinged single “Clap.” All throughout, fans couldn’t help but ardently scream and sing along.

“Because of your screams, all I can say is ‘wow,’” Mingyu told the 32,000-strong crowd through an interpreter early into the opening night of Seventeen’s two-day Philippine stop for its “Follow” tour, produced by Live Nation Philippines.

One would find the fans’ energy truly commendable, considering that a majority of them have been in the Philippine Arena complex (which the stadium is a part of) for several hours prior to the concert, lining up for merchandise and other activities. Others were inside the stadium from around 3 p.m. for the soundcheck benefit.

Filo Carats, aju nice ba ang concert experience niyo? 💎✨

K-pop group SEVENTEEN (@pledis_17) lit up the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bulacan over the weekend with back-to-back concerts on January 13 and 14. #SEVENTEENinBulacan #HallyuCorner

Courtesy: Pledis Entertainment… pic.twitter.com/Gq9DFIm0Oi

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) January 15, 2024

Notably, only 11 of Seventeen’s 13 members appeared at the Bulacan concert because S.Coups and Jeonghan were recovering from their respective surgeries. Vocalist Seungkwan, meanwhile, stopped performing halfway through the first night because he was feeling unwell.

Nonetheless, the remaining members managed to deliver a satisfying three-hour show, replete with eye-catching background visuals, lights, stage props and pyrotechnics that made the performances all the more extravagant.

During the big band-backed “Home;Run,” for instance, the preppy-clad boys entered the stage in carnival floats, offering a vaudeville-esque performance that showed why they are fondly called K-pop’s “theater kids.”

In the similarly bright “God of Music,” the group and its dancers made good use of the B-stage, leading the stadium in chanting the song’s signature “kung chi pak chi” line.

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Dialing down the intensity, the group also showcased a series of emotive singles, bringing back “Don’t Wanna Cry” and “Thanks” (previously performed here during the “Ode to You” concert in 2020) as well as the newer “F*ck My Life.”

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The group also performed the lighthearted “April Shower” before turning on the waterworks for some fans with the comforting “Kidult,” which the members sang on a round platform that rose from the B-stage.

Unit stages

Seventeen is fierce as an ensemble and equally so even when broken down into its units: vocal, performance and hip-hop. As with previous concerts, each team had their own numbers, further highlighting the members’ respective strengths and skills.

Wearing denim outfits, vocalists Woozi, Joshua, DK and Seungkwan mesmerized the crowd with the synth-drenched “Dust” and ballad “Pinwheel.”

The suit-clad performance unit of Hoshi, Jun, The8 and Dino opened their set with “Highlight.” But the foursome quickly sent fans in a frenzy when they removed their suits and loosened their button-up shirts for the sultry “I Don’t Understand But I Luv U.”

Entering in a truck, Mingyu, Wonwoo and Vernon of the hip-hop team swaggered with “Back It Up” and “Fire,” with the latter appropriately accentuated by flames that kept bursting in front of the stage.

Fireworks, carts

The concert reached a climax with “Hot,” which the group also performed here for its “Be the Sun” shows in 2022. But this time, the lead single off “Face the Sun” started with DK belting the pre-chorus while standing on an elevated platform and concluded with a stunning fireworks display that lit up the Bulacan sky.

Prior to “Hot,” the members also briefly sung tracks that failed to make it into the 26-piece setlist of the “Follow” concert, including “Darl+ing” and “Mansae.” Pi Cheolin, a character played by Dino, also made an appearance, interrupting the short “Fighting” performance, much to the amusement of fans.

For the encore, the members hopped on carts that moved around the stadium floor, allowing for closer interactions with more fans while singing “Run to You,” “Together” and “To You.”

Bigger venue

As the night drew to a close, The8 thanked fans for making it possible for the group to perform at a larger venue compared to past concerts.

“Last [time], we performed on a smaller scale of a [venue]. Actually, we dreamed of performing here, in a bigger place, a stadium. And because of Carats, we achieved that dream,” The8 said.

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“We came to such a big stadium because of you guys. Thank you so much,” Joshua said in English. “Hopefully today was a really great memory for you guys.”

“Every time we come, your energy is amazing. We always have a great time with you guys so we really wanted to be back,” the Korean-American singer added.

The group also vowed to return. “Hanggang sa muli. Babalik kami para sa inyo (Until we meet again. We will return for you guys),” Mingyu said in Filipino.

Closing the evening, Seventeen dropped the “eumak” (Korean for “music”) with the EDM banger “Hit,” followed by the “never-ending” version (eight rounds, to be precise) of the group’s signature track “Very Nice,” a concert staple that had nearly everyone in the stadium jumping along.

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