MANILA — In August, teary-eyed members of Super Junior faced fans at the Mall of Asia Arena to apologize for the abrupt postponement of their single-day concert. The group’s leader, Leeteuk, even vowed to make it up to Filipino ELFs by hosting more shows when the act returns to the country.

Four months later, the veteran K-pop boy band made good on its promise as Leeteuk, Yesung, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun happily reunited with fans for a two-night concert at the Pasay arena over the weekend.

“I’m really thankful because I thought this concert would not push through, but I was able to meet you guys,” Ryeowook said near the end of the first show on Saturday, which ran for three hours.

“The happiest thing was that before 2022 ended, I was able to meet you guys. Let's meet again in 2023, okay?” he added.

Eunhyuk and Siwon apologized to fans after being unable to fly to Manila last August. At the time, Siwon tested positive for COVID-19, while Eunhyuk’s father passed away, resulting in the concert’s postponement.

“I was really worried that we were keeping you waiting here in Manila but those heavy feelings were removed when I performed on stage,” Eunhyuk said.

• Super Junior apologizes to Filipino fans over concert postponement

“I’m really happy that we could perform the last 2022 ‘Super Show’ here in Manila,” he added, referring to the title of the group’s concert tour, “Super Show 9: Road.”

Christmas ‘present’

As if fulfilling their promise was not enough, Super Junior also gifted Filipino fans with the first live performance of new single “Celebrate.”

“We actually performed this song first time here in Manila, for Manila ELFs. This is our present to you guys,” Leeteuk said.

Released just two days before the concert, “Celebrate” is a heart-warming synth-pop track wherein the group sings about reminiscing good times and coming together to celebrate the winter season. It serves as the lead single for “The Road: Celebration,” the second part of Super Junior’s 11th studio album.

Super Junior treats Filipino ELFs to a performance of new single “Celebrate.” #SS9inManila | via @jaehwabernardo pic.twitter.com/TISvHd311j

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) December 17, 2022

The group’s staff filmed the concert audience’s reactions for a video that will be uploaded on the band’s YouTube channel.

“I think it’s really good we’re celebrating Christmas together through this concert and we were able to perform ‘Celebrate’ first here in Manila, for you guys,” Donghae told the crowd.

“I think this is the reason why the concert here in Manila is more special than others,” he added.

But beyond sparking excitement over the Christmas season, the Manila leg of “Super Show 9” — presented by PULP Love World — also allowed one of K-pop’s longest-running groups to showcase songs that it put out during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This includes “House Party,” the single from the 2021 album “The Renaissance,” which makes lyrical references to the social distancing and masking rules that were implemented due to the health crisis.

• K-pop: Super Junior finally returns with 'House Party' music video

The vocal unit composed of Kyuhyun, Ryeowook and Yesung moved the crowd with a stunning performance of ballad “I Can’t” while the duo of Donghae and Eunhyuk brought the house down with “Bad” and “Danger.”

Fans could not help but sing along to the catchy hooks of the group’s greatest hits, including “Mr. Simple,” “Bonamana” and “Sorry Sorry.”

Leeteuk also spoke about how “Sorry Sorry” gained further popularity after the inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center released a viral dance cover video in 2009.

“In Philippine prisons, many prisoners danced ‘Sorry Sorry.’ That topic became very famous in the news and made ‘Sorry Sorry’ more famous,” he said.

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Debuting in 2005 as a 13-member act under SM Entertainment, Super Junior has been recognized for contributing to K-pop’s global boom in the late 2000s. The band currently has nine active members, though Heechul is unable to participate in the tour due to a leg injury.

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