MANILA — The production for Tomorrow X Together’s (TXT) recent concert at the Philippine Arena was nothing short of grand. Pyrotechnics, bursts of confetti and eye-catching backdrops complemented the song-and-dance numbers for a potent feast for the senses.

But more than these embellishments, it was the lighthearted interactions shared by the K-pop stars and their fans that made the concert a truly unforgettable experience.

Donning princely costumes, Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Huening Kai kicked off the evening — the final show for their second world tour “Act: Sweet Mirage” — with a “dance break version” of the euphoric disco single “Blue Hour.” The boys spared no time in getting close to the fans, moving towards the B-stage halfway through the song.

“We’re so happy we can spend time with MOA in Bulacan this year following last year’s concert in Manila. Na-miss namin kayo (We missed you),” Beomgyu said, drawing loud cheers from fans called MOA.

He was referring to TXT’s two-night concert at the Mall of Asia Arena last October 2022, which also marked the final stop of the group’s first tour “Act: Lovesick.”

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The 26-piece setlist for “Act: Sweet Mirage” incorporated songs that the boys performed in “Act: Lovesick,” but also drew from TXT’s extensive catalog to include newer performances. It also covered all of the tracks from the extended play “The Name Chapter: Temptation,” the group’s only Korean release in between the two world tours.

After removing their tops onstage to reveal more casual and colorful shirts, the boys continued to dish out fun and catchy tracks, such as “No Rules,” “Cat & Dog” and “9 And Three Quarters (Run Away).”

The group also brought angsty punk and pop-rock offerings “0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You),” “LO$ER=LO♡ER,” and “Dear Sputnik,” and boasted its members’ dreamy vocals in “Anti-Romantic.”

In the genre-shifting “Eternally” — which remained a concert highlight in “Act: Sweet Mirage” despite having been performed in the previous tour — white and blue lights surrounded the boys as they delivered the soothing verses. But the moment the song swerves into its throbbing electro sections, the scene turned just as menacing, amplified by red lights and flames bursting from the stage’s front.

Filipino fans were also treated to a performance of “Do It Like That,” the group’s collaboration single with the Jonas Brothers released just last month.

During the encore, the quintet sang “Blue Spring,” an unreleased song dedicated to MOAs, and capped the show with a surprise performance of fan song “MOA Diary.”

Fan interactions

The Philippine leg of “Act: Sweet Mirage” — which ran for more than three hours and was produced by Live Nation Philippines — was also a testament of TXT’s growth as entertainers. Compared to the previous concert, the members seemed more confident onstage, not only in their performances but also through their interactions with the crowd.

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Concerts have always been a way for K-pop stars to strengthen their bonds with their dedicated fan bases and TXT’s show was no different, featuring engaging talk segments that displayed the boys’ cute and goofy sides.

After “Cat & Dog,” which had the crowd barking, the members gave their own canine impressions. They later whipped out their lightsticks and each took turns in leading the audience to doing playful movements.

Before performing “Happy Fools,” the group also taught the song’s choreography and asked audience members to do the dance challenge, which were flashed on the venue’s big screens.

The Bulacan show also took place a day (or just mere hours) before Huening Kai marked his 21st birthday. As a surprise, the crowd chanted his name during “Dear Sputnik” and joined his bandmates in singing to him near the end of the concert.

“Actually, it’s on my wishlist, to have my birthday and concert happen on the same day,” Huening Kai said.

‘Beautiful’ last concert

As the night drew to a close, the boys thanked fans for making the final stop of their tour a memorable one. “Thank you so much for decorating our last concert this beautifully and to the point that we were able to finish this concert very well,” Yeonjun said.

“Last year, we were able to receive a lot of comfort and love from you guys. I’m so thankful that even today as well, you were able to give us a lot of comfort and love,” Beomgyu said.

Taehyun said the local crowd was “the best [in] singing, dancing, cheering and screaming for us,” adding that he was already looking forward to the group’s next performance in the country.

“‘Act: Sweet Mirage’ in Bulacan ends here but we will come back [for] MOA again to show you how much we have grown with the love that we received so please wait for us,” Soobin said.

For more news and features on K-pop, K-drama, and K-stars, visit the Hallyu Corner microsite. 

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