THE return of South Korean singer-songwriter IU to the music scene is indeed worth the wait for the Filipino UAENAs, as she is not only about to release a new song but is also set to go on a concert tour that includes the Philippines on the list.
On X (formerly Twitter), the K-pop star revealed that her world tour will be called “H.E.R.,” which will kick off in Asia.
The Philippine show will take place at the Philippine Arena on June 1, 2024.
There are no further details yet about the Manila stop, including ticket prices and seat plan, but local concert promoter Pulp Live World has already reposted IU’s post on X.
The “H.E.R.” tour will kick off with four shows in Seoul, South Korea. IU will travel across Asian countries, specifically Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Thailand. She will also perform in several cities in Europe and the United States.
The news came a day after the “LILAC” singer dropped the main poster of her forthcoming pre-release single “Love Wins,” which starred V of K-pop boy group BTS. It will be released on January 24.
A multi-hyphenate talent, IU is also one of the recognized South Korean actresses who starred in hit K-dramas such as “Dream High,” “The Producers,” “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo,” “My Mister,” “Hotel del Luna,” and “Dream.”
‘Perfect concert’
The upcoming concert tour will be her first in four years after “Love, Poem,” which was her first show in the Philippines held in December 2019 at the Araneta Coliseum.
In a vlog in June 2020, IU said that she was “most surprised” by the Manila crowd during her “Love, Poem” concert tour.
The “Blueming” singer recalled that when she went up on stage, MAAENAs or her fans in Manila welcomed her with loud screams that she couldn’t hear her voice and the piano.
“Not just me but everyone couldn’t hear anything. It was like that until the end of the concert. After I finished the opening, I decided I’ll just let this concert go like that,” she said.
Reflecting on the 2019 show, IU emphasized that the Manila stop was the definition of a “perfect concert.”
“Everyone has a different opinion for what a perfect concert means. Someone may say a perfect concert is a concert without any mistakes or it could be something that [the] audience feels highly satisfied [with], but at that time, I think it was a perfect concert in a whole new way,” the K-pop star said.
In 2022, she had a two-day solo concert in South Korea titled “The Golden Hour: Under the Orange Sun.”
The musical event was said to be a groundbreaking one as IU held the concert at the Jamsil Olympic Main Stadium, which was reportedly attended by over 80,000 fans. It also won “Stage of the Year” at the 2022 Melon Music Awards (MMA).
The film version of the 2022 concert, titled “IU CONCERT: The Golden Hour,” was screened in Philippine cinemas in September 2023.
