Tag: fandom

Pop Culture

8 Highlights from ATEEZ’s The Fellowship: Break The Wall Concert In Manila

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Big moments at the Big Dome.
BY Nica Glorioso
09.19.2023

K-Pop powerhouse ATEEZ came back to the Philippines for the finale show of their The Fellowship: Break The Wall world tour and shared some funny, heartwarming, and incredible moments with their Filipino ATINYs!

Related: And We’re Live: Concerts, Festivals, and Fanmeets Coming to the Philippines This 2023 (and Beyond)

When 8-member K-Pop boy group ATEEZ first performed here in the Philippines last year, they brought the house down. As a headliner for the 2022 K-Pop Masterz Ep. 2, ATEEZ brought their signature intensity to the stage and made it impossible not to want them back. And come back they did—in a huge way! Last September 16th, at their The Fellowship: Break The Wall concert, the band all but tore down the walls of Araneta Coliseum in an epic celebration of their first solo concert in the Philippines. The trends even included the epic hashtag #ATEEZBreaksTheBigDome!

The concert was the finale show of their third world tour, as they traveled all over the globe performing and making memories with their fans. From endless laughter to idol-audience interaction, Break the Wall in Manila was something special as Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, and Wooyoung (member Jongho was unable to make it due to an injury) exhibited their performance prowess and strengthened their bond with Filipino ATINYs at their first solo show, showing all of us that 8 (and thousands of loving fans) truly makes 1 team. Here are some highlights from the night.

AWESOME PERFORMANCES

When Filipino ATINYs sang their hearts out to Say My Name even before the concert started, that’s when everyone knew how hyped the show was going to be. And no one disappointed—ATEEZ and their fans matched energies as they performed a diverse roster of songs. Their setlist included the high-powered and anthemic Answer, fun and catchy Wave, and the emotional ballad Mist. No doubt, they proved to everyone exactly why they’re renowned performance kings.

MAKE IT BOUNCY

The likes of NCT’s Taeyong, SHINEE’s Minho, and Lapillus’ Bessie and Haeun have done the Bouncy TikTok challenge, but Filipino ATINYs ate as they moved like a flash mob, synced up to perform the dance challenge as ATEEZ cheered them on.

SUPPORT FOR JONGHO

Maknae and vocal powerhouse Jongho was unable to attend due to a leg injury, but ATEEZ and ATINYs offered their unbridled support for the singer, as seen in the loud cheers and singing of his parts during their opener HALA HALA. Get well soon, Jongho!

THE INEVITABLE TEASING

Honestly, what’s a boy group without all of their hilarious dogshow moments? The boys are no stranger to playful teasing and rousing laughter. When Wooyoung had a little slip-up during a quick ment during their performance of The Real, leader Hongjoong (mistakenly written in the original post as Mingi) teased him about it seconds after, and even after the show long ended.

UNREAL FANSERVICE

Many a K-Pop fan has dreamt of their idol taking their phone and filming themselves with it during a concert, so we can only imagine how this fan felt when Yeosang in all his glowing glory took their phone and filmed himself blowing a kiss. That ATINY’s life has forever been blessed!

MAHAL NAMIN KAYO

In an adorable mistake, the members took away “namin kayo” from “mahal namin kayo” and cheered it back to their fans as an expression of love. No one correct them, please. “I love you” in the ATEEZ and ATINY community is “namin kayo” now!

JUST KEEP IT UP

Sunrise is a beautiful, slower song by ATEEZ that encourages people to just keep it up—to keep going no matter what anybody thinks or says. With Seonghwa acknowledging that he almost cried during the performance, its heartfelt lyrics, and joined by ATINYs singing along, it’s clear that Sunrise made for a special moment between band and fans.

MAKING NEW MEMORIES

Member San has mentioned before that he went to Cebu with his father when he was younger, and while he’s forgotten that visit, he’s glad to have made new memories in the Philippines with his beloved ATINYs. Fingers crossed he and ATEEZ get to make many more in the future!

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Pop Culture

10 Highlights From HORI7ON’s First Concert in Manila That Made Dreams Come True

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Relive the voyage!
BY Nica Glorioso
09.11.2023

HORI7ON set the stage on fire with their passion at their first concert in Manila, and shared a wonderful night with their ever-supportive fans.

Related: All The Heart-Melting Highlights of HORI7ON’s First-Ever Fan Meet

In another grand milestone, seven-member all-Filipino global pop group HORI7ON held their first ever concert titled Friend-SHIP [Voyage To Manila] last September 9, and it was full of stellar performances, surprise appearances, emotional moments, and instances that made both the group’s and fans’ night one to remember forever.

“It was a dream come true,” the members said. Vinci, Kim, Kyler, Reyster, Winston, Jeromy, and Marcus gave their all into their first concert. As they made the night their own, they showed a love for music, each other, their identity, and their beloved ANCHORs. Whether you weren’t there or you simply want to relive the night, here are a few highlights from their epic #VoyageToManila!

A KILLER OPENER

These ANCHORs’ reactions say it all! HORI7ON performed the first song in their debut album Friend-Ship as their concert opening. The hip-hop track Meteor was intense and powerful, perfect for setting the stage on fire and an indication of how fun the show was going to be.

HYPED COLLABS WITH GUESTS

HORI7ON brought some guest stars to the stage last Saturday! From former Dream Maker alumni, members of boyband TFN, and Lapillus’ Haeun, Voyage to Manila was brimming with talent and friendship—as you can see from Jeromy and Marcus’ fun unit performance with the Lapillus member.

P-POP SOLIDARITY

HORI7ON surprised fans with K-Pop covers like SEVENTEEN’s Super, TXT’s Sugar Rush Ride, and Stray Kids’ S-Class, but they also paid tribute to P-pop boyband SB19 as they performed the hugely popular Gento, to the excitement of both ANCHORs and A’TIN.

FORMER DREAM CHASERS SHOWING THEIR SUPPORT

Former contestants on the reality show that formed HORI7ON showed their support for the band as they danced along to their song Take My Hand, proving a strong bond formed by their unique experience. And FYI, some of these former contestants are now trainees for Asterisk Entertainment’s upcoming P-pop group!

LEADER VINCI TRYING TO ROUND UP HIS MEMBERS

The stress of being the leader is evermore. HORI7ON leader Vinci tried his best to round up his members on stage as they were running all over the place, telling them “enough with this chaos!” Well, we’re glad they’re having fun. Good luck Vinci!

HORI7ON TRYING THEIR BEST FOR THEIR FANS

If you can’t distinguish the shape HORI7ON is trying to make just from those photos, that’s an anchor. The members tried their best to arrange themselves into the logo symbolizing their fandom, and they did pretty well!

ANCHOR’S OCEAN WAVE

The community aspect of concerts is one of the most enjoyable parts of the fandom experience! Doing the wave is such a concert staple, and even if it was their first concert with the boys as well, ANCHORs clearly had a lot of fun.

A SWEET FATHER-SON MOMENT

Jeromy throwing confetti towards the audience was already adorable, but him running towards his dad with open arms and that expression and then his dad high-fiving him is incredibly heartwarming. It’s a wonderful indication of love and support in this life-changing moment in the boys’ life.

AN EMOTIONAL GROUP HUG

As Friend-SHIP [Voyage To Manila] marks their first concert, another major turning point in their career, it’s clear how far they’ve come together. A simple hug between members, between friends, between brothers who have gone through a lot, says a lot about what this concert means to them.

ENDLESS GRATITUDE

HORI7ON’s Salamat is a tribute song to their fans, and performing it at their first concert surrounded by people who love and support them is definitely a moment to remember for their entire career—and if this concert is any indication, it’s going to be a fantastic one.

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Pop Culture

10 Filipino Songs We’re Manifesting To Hear BamBam Sing At His Upcoming Manila Concert

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Let’s get the prayer circles ready.
BY Nica Glorioso
09.07.2023

Thai international superstar BamBam is coming to Manila! A few weeks before his show, he took to X to ask what Filipino songs he should perform—and his fans gave him plenty of options.

Related: All the Times K-Pop Idols Were Obsessed With SB19’s Gento

Three things you should know about soloist and GOT7 member BamBam: first, he’s having a concert here in the Philippines on September 22 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with special guest Sandara Park! AREA 52 is his first solo world tour, with stops in Manila, Seoul, Bangkok, Macau, and more.

Second, along with Dara, he could also be an honorary Filipino with the way he partakes in our meme (and drinking) culture. He says “shot puno” almost every chance he gets! And third, BamBam has been immersed in OPM for a while now. He’s performed Filipino song Ngiti by Ronnie Liang several times over the years, including during KPOP Masterz Manila last year.

So, when he asked his fans on X for Filipino song suggestions to sing at his concert, Bammies jumped at the chance to recommend upbeat dance songs, emotional ballads, and even threw in some joke songs for the idol to consider. Below are some of the frequently-suggested and top-liked songs that we hope he performs at the concert!

GENTO – SB19

Following the trend of K-Pop idols dancing to SB19’S Gento, so many fans suggested the song to the idol, hoping for a full performance complete with the powerful choreo. If he does pick Gento, we know he’ll kill it.

RAINING IN MANILA – LOLA AMOUR

Clear skies or otherwise, a Raining in Manila performance will surely brighten up our day. We’d love to see the idol sing it with a stadium full of people screaming it at the top of their lungs.

I WANT YOU – SB19

Another SB19 song makes it to BamBam’s replies! The R&B track would 100% be right up BamBam’s alley, as the artist’s solo music, like his track Subliminal, is infused with R&B and just as smooth.

BIBINGKA – BEN&BEN

Kicking off the Christmas season, this fan suggested Ben&Ben’s Bibingka, a wistful song that will surely make the night just that much sweeter.

MABAGAL – MOIRA DELA TORRE & DANIEL PADILLA

This slow, nostalgic hit performed by Moira Dela Torre and Daniel Padilla in the 2019 Himig Handog music competition is soothing and romantic, and hearing BamBam sing it would totally be swoon-worthy.

CHUVA CHOO CHOO – JOLINA MAGDANGAL & NIKKI VALDEZ

The star, a jokester himself, is not safe from his own fans’ pranks, and suggestions like Jolina Magdangal’s upbeat Chuva Choo Choo would make for a hilarious moment in the show.

LEAVES – BEN&BEN

Leaves is beloved by a handful of K-Pop idols, and BamBam’s even heard the song himself! The fact that he already knows it gives this gorgeous track a leg up in the race.

IKAW – YENG CONSTANTINO

Ikaw is an emotional Filipino ballad by singer-songwriter Yeng Constantino, emotional and romantic. Actor and artist Seo In-Guk also covered the song during his 2023 Manila fanmeeting as did Stray Kids’ Bang Chan during the group’s concert earlier this year! We can already see BamBam wholeheartedly throwing himself into singing those scream-worthy lyrics.

PASILYO – SUNKISSED LOLA

This wedding-themed love song is perfect for the idol who’s known to be a big flirt as he matches his own fans’ energy. Once he sings a song like this with his signature playful charm, it’s over for everyone in that stadium.

CHRISTMAS IN OUR HEARTS – JOSE MARI CHAN

And of course, what’s an event in the Ber months without the Filipino Christmas song? Hopefully BamBam gets wind of our rich Christmas culture and he and his Bammies turn the Araneta Coliseum into one big caroling session.

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5 Reactions To The Percy Jackson And The Olympians Trailer That Are A Whole Mood

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Move over, Potter.
BY Nica Glorioso
08.29.2023

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians trailer brings Percy and the Greek gods’ story to life in new ways for a generation that’s waited forever.

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After wildly successful book-to-screen adaptations like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and Divergent, it’s time for Percy Jackson to have the spotlight (and no, we don’t talk about the discontinued movie series adaptation). The long-awaited Disney+ adaptation of the book series, this time with author Rick Riordan heavily involved, dropped its series trailer last August 19 and moved its release date to December 20 of this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK0HytQwrw8&ab_channel=DisneyPlus

The series, as it was undergoing development, has been the subject of much media coverage and social media virality the past year. Book readers who have been there since the beginning and new fans alike have been buzzing with anticipation for an age-appropriate, faithful adaptation that will do justice to the young demigod hero’s story. Reactions to the new trailer and an earlier release date have been a mix of overjoyed excitement and emotional expressions of wish-fulfillment.

And no, as someone who’s read the books as a pre-teen and is now 22, I definitely didn’t tear up. Not at all. Nope.

FAITHFUL, DIVERSE CASTING

Riordan and series fans have sung nothing but praises for the diverse and skills-first casting of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. Walker Scobell of The Adam Project fame was announced as Percy Jackson last year, and Riordan referred to him as having the “perfect mix of comedic timing, sweetness, rebelliousness, snark and heroism” to embody the demigod hero.

The funny Aryan Simhadri was said to have a “mixture of sweetness, humor and internal toughness” perfect for satyr Grover Underwood. Finally, Leah Sava Jeffries is a “brilliant actor,” the embodiment of the daughter of Athena—smart, strong, and courageous. She could break hearts, make people laugh, and have people cheer on her “all in the same scene.” From the actors’ previous works, social media presence, and behind-the-scenes looks at the series, it is undoubtable they’ll do a fantastic job as the main trio.

NOTICING EASTER EGGS AND REFERENCES

Both teaser trailers featured creatures, gods, battles, and Camp Half-Blood come to life. It was fun for fans to notice and call out the series version of something they read in the book, such as Thalia’s tree (spoiler alert: Thalia Grace is a daughter of Zeus that was turned into a tree to save her life), the orange camp t-shirts, the armor, the battle with Ares, and so much more. While book-to-screen adaptations are a mix of hits and misses overall, there is reassurance in Riordan’s involvement and the world-building we’ve seen so far. Plus, it’s always so much fun and excitement in seeing words on a page come to life right in front of you.

PURE WISH-FULFILLMENT

In the trailer, if you listen carefully, you’ll hear a line from Vance Joy’s Riptide, making it canon as a Percy Jackson song after years of fans linking the song to the franchise. The song shares a name with Percy’s trusty sword Riptide. This detail means the series was produced with the fans in mind, and more than that, the creators truly realized what it means to fans who have been there forever, like those who made edits to the song way back in 2016. One can only wonder how those editor fans felt after watching the trailer!

PEOPLE HAVE RUN FAN ACCOUNTS FOR YEARS

Speaking of fans and faith, so many fans of the series who have run stan accounts for the series showed immense elation at the adaptation. I was also part of Percy Jackson Twitter in the early-to-mid 2010s, and I’ve made friends online and offline because of this series. Running a fan account and witnessing all the new releases and developments, from new novels to disappointing movie adaptations, is such a unique, rollercoaster experience. To watch the series, reliving old adventures and seeing new ones as the series goes on, will be a nostalgic, emotional journey that will get us to say, “Hello again, Percy.”

GROWING UP WITH PERCY

The first book of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, The Lightning Thief (which the first season of the show is based on), was first published in 2005. It’s been almost 20 years since then, but the series has consistently been relevant over the decades, what with new series being published by Rick Riordan still featuring characters and storylines from the original 5 books.

Chalice of the Gods, a standalone sixth novel to the original 5 books, is even being released this September. All that is to say, Percy’s story has lived on for years, accompanying a generation that is now all grown-up. This new Disney+ series will definitely introduce Percy to a whole new audience, and even a whole new generation. Regardless, we’ll all be seated for this renaissance.

Hype and expectations are sky-high for the adaptation, and hopefully, it will let Percy Jackson’s story live on in a new way in longtime fans, and open up new worlds to people who will have just discovered the magic of the series.

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5 Heartwarming Moments from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

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The crowds in stands went wild.
BY Nica Glorioso
08.10.2023

Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour continues to be a beaded and bedazzled celebration of music, love, and kindness.

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Taylor Swift may not have announced a Philippine stop of her renowned The Eras Tour, but we can still enjoy the performances, surprise songs, and high-octane energy of the crowds on our own. In particular, thanks to the power of social media, several things that have happened throughout the tour got us swooning and tearing up in real time, and not to mention wishing we were there, too. Scroll down for some moments that lives rent-free in our hearts.

THE “LOVE STORY” PROPOSALS

Taylor’s team could probably make an entire music video out of all the proposals done during Love Story, a song she’s performed for years. The song’s bridge sets the stage for an unforgettable moment between couples, such as the pair in @lexisroseblog’s Instagram reel. The sunset, along with the crowd singing along with Taylor herself in a sort-of serenade, painted the perfect picture for the start of their bright future.

TAYLOR GIVING AWAY THE “22” HAT

During each performance of 22, Taylor picks out an audience member to come right up to the stage. She sings to them, greets them, and gives them the black hat she wears for that portion of the show. During her August 3 performance in Los Angeles, Taylor gave her hat to 6-year-old Bianka Bryant, daughter of late basketball player Kobe Bryant. Other lucky Swifties who have gotten the 22 hat include Bejeweled dance creator Mikael Arellano.

@skibiscuit My heart is full. ❤️❤️❤️ @Taylor Swift giving her hat to Bianka Bryant. #latstheerastour #tstheerastour #taylorswift #kobe #kobebryant ♬ original sound – Jeff Skibiski

EVERY “LONG LIVE” PERFORMANCE

Long Live is an extra-special song for Swifties as it chronicles her journey with all the people that have loved and supported her throughout her extensive career. The track was not originally part of the setlist, actually, but she added it upon the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) to fans’ utmost delight. The singer-songwriter has since shared emotionally-charged moments with the audience as they belted lines such as “Long live the walls we crashed through / I had the time of my life with you”.

@hillairexdawn taylor really did that 💜 such a surreal moment as someone who grew up with her music. I went from singing alone in my room with a boombox in middle school / hs to THIS. #seattleerastour #seattleerastournight1 #erastourtaylorswift #longlivetaylorsversion #theerastourseattle #theerastour2023 ♬ original sound – Hill | Lifestyle & Beauty

CROWDS OUTSIDE THE ARENAS SINGING ALONG

The parties are not just happening inside the arenas of the Eras Tour. Outside the stadiums, crowds of people often gather to experience the show from a distance. From picnics to mosh pits, celebrations extend beyond closed doors and reserved seating, proving that music truly has a magical way of bringing people together.

@faithr1v swifties unite🥰 #erastour #taylorswift #philly #night3 ♬ Bejeweled – Taylor Swift

THE MAKING AND GIVING OF FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS

A lyric from Midnights track You’re On Your Own Kid gave life to a now-widely practiced tradition at every stop of the Eras Tour and even beyond. “So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it” became an invitation for concert-goers to make their own friendship bracelets and give them away or trade them with others. Even stars like Lupita Nyong’o, Channing Tatum, and Jennifer Garner joined the festivities! The celebs adorned their arms with colorful beads as they savored the atmosphere of Taylor’s Eras Tour.

@gabydeimeke this was such a fun part of the #erastour 🥹 thank you everyone who traded with me, it made the show such a blast!!!! #arlingtontstheerastour #bracelettrading #makethefriendshipbracelets #swifttok #taylorswift ♬ youre on your own kid – emily ☆

Clearly, the show itself is not the only thing to celebrate and look forward to. Concerts have become a place for self-expression, community, newfound friendships, and pure joy. So if you’re slated to attend one soon, Eras Tour or otherwise, make the most of it.

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