Every time Uaenas (the fandom name of Korean solo artist IU) chant her name (“IU! IU!”), the singer, songwriter and actress chants back with equal enthusiasm, “Manila! Manila!” I lost count how many times IU complimented her Filipino crowd.
“Your screams go beyond my expectations,” she said, earning even louder screams from the 37,000 fans who attended her “HEREH” concert at the Philippine Arena on June 1. The event is promoted by Pulp Live World.
This was her second solo concert in the country. The last time she visited the Philippines for a concert tour was in 2019.
“I missed hearing your voices,” IU told her fans. She had made special mention of her Filipino audience in the past for singing along and cheering loudly for her. She said in between songs, “I want to hear more of your screams.”
Like a Princess
At the start of the concert, IU gave her audience 200 points for being “the best audience of the night.” By the time the concert ended, she raised the score to 300 points. A voice you will always remember IU opened the concert with songs “Holssi,” “Jam Jam,” “Ah Puh” and “Bbibbi.”
She was wearing a white outfit fit for a princess, like the true music royalty that she is. She has a voice that you will always remember and the talent to make a huge venue feel very intimate. Before her fifth song, “Obliviate,” she said she cherished the memories of her 2019 concert in Manila but that she will be erasing everyone’s memories. She challenged her fans to make even better ones that night, memories that she will remember even after the concert. This earned endless cheers and even more passionate singing along from her fans.
Delightful
In the second part of her “HEREH” concert, IU sang some of her livelier songs like “Celebrity,” “Blueming,” “Eight” and “Coin.” My favorite part of the show was her singing “I Stan U” which is basically a fan song and reflected the comforting relationship IU has with her Uaenas. She performed “Havana,” “Meaning of You” and “Through the Night” next while wearing a light pink floral dress that fit her perfectly.
IU also sang a cover of “Pasilyo” by Filipino band SunKissed Lola, which delighted her fans. She sang in Filipino so beautifully that I couldn’t help but wonder how long she practiced for the performance. It was adorable how she said “Ikaw at ikaw” (a line from the song) repeatedly. IU also performed “Shopper,” “Above the Time,” “You and I” and “Love Wins All,” this time wearing a maroon red dress. For long time IU fans, “You and I” is one of her songs that can easily make you feel emotional.
Total performer
It’s a classic favorite that never loses its charm and makes you reflect on how IU has grown over the years. When IU pointed her microphone to the audience, they sang full lines of her songs with no need for prompting. The concert lasted more than three hours, something that is expected of an IU concert. For her first encore she sang “Shh..,” “Twenty-three” and “Holssi.”
This was followed by the Uaenaes singing “Good Day” a cappella—quite a challenge but also a remarkable success for such a huge crowd. Second encore For her second encore, IU sang “Someday,” “Give You My Heart,” “My Sea,” “Lilac,” “Strawberry Moon,” “Well…” and “Palette”—all amazing song choices for a second encore.
IU promised that next time she visits the Philippines, she will sing “My Sea” in its entirety while wearing a beautiful dress. It was an enchanting night and IU proved once again that she is a total performer.
Her beautiful singing voice is already famous but it’s amazing that she also danced well and prepared Filipino phrases to casually use during her “ment” (speaking segments). The band members and dancers who performed with IU during her concert were also amazing and obviously had a good relationship with her. IU thanked the fans who prepared different fan projects for her. She asked cutely how one can print so many banners.
It was a wholesome moment with an artist sincerely thanking the fans who put in hard work for her. “What should I do? It’s really heaven here. Kayo ang langit ko,” IU said during the concert. Her Filipino Uaenas feel the same way about her.
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