Jackson Wang gave the Filipino Ahgases one of his firsts. That is, he performed “Cruel” to a live audience for the very first time. The song was released a few hours before the start of Kpop Masterz in Manila.
During his “Cruel” number, he held a dancer in his arms and strummed her body like a guitar. Yes, it’s the same choreography that drove the crowd crazy at Coachella. It was sexy and it screamed the art of Jackson Wang.
The event held at Mall of Asia Arena last Jan. 29 was organized by Pulp. GOT7’s Wang was the last performer of the night, succeeding fellow GOT7 member BamBam and the boy group Treasure.
Jackson Wang wore a red shirt under his black jacket and pants. On his hands were red leather gloves. His backup dancers complemented the whole ensemble as they also wore black outfits with red accents.
Wang’s hair was styled messily as if he has just gotten out of bed and he run his fingers through his hair. He wore heavy eye makeup, like his dancers. The multi-hyphenated artist from Hongkong looked fabulous!
One sexy bro
“Manilaaaaa!” he screamed at the start of “Blow”. He was breathing hard into his microphone when he ended the song. His breaths were still heard as he walked towards the back of the stage.
Host Kring Kim asked if he wanted some water before they started talking. He wanted his dancers to stay with him and even made a move to sit on the floor with them. But two stools were carried in to indicate that this is where they will be sitting.
Kim sat first and Jackson Wang placed a small towel on her lap. It was a move that showed his good manners and it made the audience cheer.
But that didn’t even end there.
There was silence on the stage. But it was chaotic on the audience side every section. The cause of the commotion?
He kept looking at Kim so intensely that the seasoned Hallyu host was left speechless for a few seconds.
Jackson Wang didn’t even have to lift his finger to get this reaction. He just needed to breathe, and look at the host. It was enough to make hearts beat faster in MOA Arena.
It was his first time in Manila as a solo artist. He described his local Ahgases perfectly.
“The passion is on another level. When they cheer for you, you know they mean it,” he said.
Chewing gum
He also shared a story about his performance at Coachella last April. Wang was chewing a strawberry-flavored gum and forgot to get rid of it before he went onstage.
“Last time I forgot to spit my gum at Coachella. So I just performed with the gum. Luckily today, I am not chewing gum,” he joked.
He also performed two unreleased tracks from “Magic Man” that night. He performed “Drive it Like You Stole It” and “Blue”. Wang teased on Twitter that he will return soon for a “Magic Man” Tour.
Jackson Wang removed his jacket before he performed his final song, the hit “100 Days.”
On Twitter, he thanked his fans in Manila. That their cheers hit him like a wave. He reiterated that his fans from the Philippines mean it when they cheer.
Of course, they do. Every heartbeat, every scream, and every cheer is sincere. It’s hard to fake it when Jackson Wang is in front of you.
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