SOUTH Korean singer-songwriter IU made history by becoming the first K-pop soloist to hold a concert at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
IU, whose real name is Lee Ji-eun, returned to the country for the Philippine leg of her “HEREH” world tour on June 1, her first in four years after “Love, Poem” in December 2019.
The musical event was attended by thousands of MAENAs, or her fans in Manila, who had been eagerly waiting for her return.
Many of them shared their one-for-the-books concert experience on social media, and here are some of the event highlights they will never forget:
A gift from IU’s mom
Not all concertgoers can take home fan benefits like a signed poster, a signed polaroid, and an exclusive photocard, which are given depending on their ticket tier.
During IU’s concert, Filipino fans received not only a souvenir ticket and a card from concert promoter PULP Live World but also a special gift prepared by the “Palette” singer’s mom as their remembrance of the concert.
Attendees were given a metallic pouch containing photocards, a customized purple photocard binder, and acrylic keychains.
This was not the first time IU’s mom did something special for her daughter’s fans during her concerts. In 2022, IU’s mom provided thousands of seat cushions for the fans to comfortably watch her daughter’s “The Golden Hour” concert in South Korea.
‘Pasilyo’ cover
IU made sure that MAENAs would have a night to remember by giving them dozens of live performances during her three-hour concert.
To her fans’ surprise, one original Filipino song slipped through her setlist: “Pasilyo” by Filipino rock band SunKissed Lola.
IU serenaded MAENAs with her rendition of “Pasilyo,” a romantic wedding anthem that the OPM band released in October 2022.
Many fans shared IU’s live performance on X (formerly Twitter), which eventually reached SunKissed Lola. Meanwhile, the band was elated after seeing IU’s cover and said, “[M]areng IU naman bakit nanggugulat.”
AllchartsPH reported that “Pasilyo ” re-entered the Top 100 of Spotify PH chart, placing 71st with 161.3K streams, following IU’s performance.
IU speaks in Tagalog
Every international artist who visits the Philippines tries to speak Tagalog, and IU is no exception.
During the concert, IU spoke several Tagalog phrases such as “walang uuwi,” “napakasaya ko,” “kita-kita muli tayo,” and “ingat, bawal magkasakit.”
She also introduced her band to the crowd in Tagalog, saying, “Ipapakilala ko ang aking banda. Palakpakan natin ng malakas.”
Several fans appreciated IU’s effort in trying to communicate with her Filipino fans in their mother tongue.
“In this tour, we truly felt IU’s genuineness whenever she tried to speak in Tagalog,” one fan said on X.
“Hirap i-pin point ng mismong moment pero GRABE yung efforts niya to learn Tagalog words (she used a lot of Tagalog words) and a FULL Tagalog song,” another netizen said.
Other MAENAs even complimented IU for her Tagalog speaking skills.
‘Someday’ performance
The fun-filled night also became nostalgic when IU performed “Someday,” one of the original soundtracks in the 2011 South Korean series “Dream High.”
In the K-drama, IU played the role of Kim Pil-sook, a talented student at Kirin High School who was initially discouraged from pursuing music because of her shyness and weight. Pil-sook sang “Someday” while wearing a sushi mascot costume during the school’s audition.
For some MAENAs, who are also K-drama fans, seeing IU perform “Someday” live at the concert was a “dream come true.” They shared that it did not only remind them of the 2011 series but also how they became fans of the K-pop star.
Fan project
IU was not the only one who had surprises at the musical event. MAENAs came prepared to the concert with a fan project as a gift to their favorite K-pop idol.
Filipinos, who are known for their love for karaoke, showcased their vocal skills when they sang an acapella version of IU’s “Good Day.” Lyrics were flashed on the huge LED screen so that attendees could sing along to the track.
The chart-topping singer, on the other hand, was amazed by the Filipino crowd, saying that it was her first time being surprised by how fans sang “Good Day” in her almost a decade of performing the song.
IU capped off the Philippine leg of her “HEREH” concert tour with a message to MAENAs, where she expressed how happy she was to spend the night with her Filipino fans. She also promised to come back to the Philippines soon.
