K-Pop star IU made a historic and enchanting return to the Philippines, creating unforgettable memories for Filipino UAENA and MAENAS. On June 1, they were mesmerized by IU’s HEREH solo concert at the Philippine Arena, a night of magic and music that will be cherished forever.
It was truly a wonderful day. Even before the concert began, fans were delighted with gifts from IU’s mom. Filipino fans received Manila-exclusive collect book, keychains, and, of course, photocards (yes, including the indemand IU forehead photocard, haha).
With more than 35,000 audience, IU opened the concert with “Holssi” from her latest album “The Winning.” IU also performed “Jam Jam,” “Ah Puh,” “BBIBBI,” and “Obliviate” for the ‘Hypnotic’ part of her concert.
Filipino fans are famous for being incredibly loud and enthusiastic, and with nearly 40,000 of them at the concert, the energy was off the charts. Every performance by IU was filled with cheers from her fans.
For the next part, which is ‘Energetic,’ IU performed Celebrity, Blueming, Eight, Coin, and I Stan U. She was absolutely stunning, capturing everyone’s attention with her stage presence and charisma.
Moving forward to the Romantic part, IU performed “Havana,” “Meaning of You,” “Through the Night,” and of course a cover of “Pasilyo” original by a Filipino band SunKissed Lola.
One Seoul had the opportunity to interview SunKissed Lola about their reaction upon learning that IU performed their song ‘Pasilyo’ during her solo concert. Like many in the audience, they expressed their surprise and gratitude, stating, “We are still in awe. Our band is still in it’s early years, and we didn’t expect to be recognized by such a star. The video clips reached us through her fans who had seen her concert. It came to us as a surprise.”
They continued, “We heard that IU has a fan service in which she makes song covers by local artists in countries she’s been touring in, and it’s a humbling experience for our song “Pasilyo” to be performed by her and her band.“
SunKissed Lola also shared that “IU is an artist we admire, and for us, this is a very special event. It’s also a proud moment when Uaenas sang along. It was exhilarating.“
Reflecting on the surreal moment, they added,“IU singing our song felt surreal, and we are grateful that the fans have been recognizing us through her. This event inspires us to keep being true to our craft.”
Following those performances, IU then performed “Shopper,” “Above the Time,” “You&I,” and “Love Wins All” for the Ecstatic part of the concert. For the Heroic part, she performed “SHH…” “Twenty-Three,” “and “Holssi.”
One of the highlights is when Filipino fans sang “Good Day” in acapella. Well, IU was surprised by this fanproject. Despite having performed “Good Day” countless times over the decade, this was the first time she found herself surprised like that. IU remarked that the moment would forever be in her memory as one of the best days of her life.
IU’s concert is not complete without the En-encore. She performed “Someday,” “Give You My Heart,” first verse of “My Sea,” “Lilac,” “Strawberry Moon,” “Well,” and “Palette.”
With more than three hours, it is safe to say that every moment is worth it. IU showed us that she is like a sunset with different hues. Seeing her onstage, she definitely has this gold sparkles around her shining brightly from the moment she steps on the stage to the last minute of her concert. Just like the sunset, IU brings comfort to her fans. You can see how beautiful she is inside out.
With a performance lasting over three hours, it’s safe to say that every moment was truly worthwhile. IU proved herself to be like a breathtaking sunset, showcasing a spectrum of hues and emotions throughout her show. From the moment she stepped onto the stage until the final minutes of her concert, she exuded a radiant aura, reminiscent of golden sparkles illuminating the sky. Much like a sunset brings solace, IU’s presence on stage provided comfort to her fans. Her beauty, both inside and out, shone brilliantly from within.
IU HEREH solo concert at the Philippine Arena was presented by PULP Live World and Happee Hour.
