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MANILA, Philippines – While K-pop girl group Red Velvet is no stranger to the Philippine concert scene, it’s surprising that the “Psycho” hitmakers only staged a solo concert in Manila in 2023 – almost nine years into their career.
Filipino ReVeLuvs have long been clamoring for the cake girls (fans’ affectionate term for the group) to come to the Philippines for a solo show, and when their requests were finally granted, they made sure to pull out all the stops for it to be a spectacular event both for the artists and the fan community.
Leading up to the May 7 concert, fans went above and beyond to make a festive occasion out of it – painting the nearby areas of the Mall of Asia Arena complex red and black with fan projects as a way to welcome the group. Their efforts paid off when the Red Velvet members shared photos of their tarpaulins and other fan-led initiatives on their social media accounts.
R to V in Manila was a long time coming and it was only natural for ReVeLuvs to feel exhilarated days prior to the concert, but their excitement got affected by the announcement of Joy’s hiatus due to health concerns. While understandably saddened by not seeing all of the members, fans took it in stride and made sure that Joy would still be celebrated during the show.
The atmosphere around the concert venue already felt like a festival on its own, but the attendees’ excitement was made even more palpable inside the arena. The crowd exchanged cheers of “Re-deu” and “Vel-vet” even before the show officially started.
The back-up dancers then appeared onstage to do ballet – a signal that the show had started. The crowd then erupted in loud cheers when Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, and Yeri – all dressed in beautiful pink embellished dresses – made their grand entrance to “Feel My Rhythm.”
Fans were captivated when Red Velvet continued their opening set with lively performances of “Bamboleo,” “LP,” and “Ice Cream Cake.” “Manila, we are ready to party with you,” member Seulgi said. Filipino ReVeLuvs were also treated to videos of Joy during her parts in the performances.
The ladies then went for a quick outfit change and returned onstage in their signature colors: pink for Irene, yellow for Seulgi, blue for Wendy, and purple for Yeri. The group then showcased their vocal prowess by serenading the crowd with tracks “Oh Boy,” “On A Ride,” and “Eyes Locked Hands Locked.”
Red Velvet then upped the ante with performances of “Queendom,” “Bing Bing,” “Birthday,” and the crowd favorite “Red Flavor.”
It was only halfway through the show and the members were already quick to notice the projects prepared by Filipino ReVeLuvs. During the “Eyes Locked Hands Locked” number, a banner that read “I will always be by your side” rolled down, while the attendees prepared a green-light ocean, Joy’s signature color, during the “Bing Bing” performance. Seulgi shared she almost got teary-eyed seeing the tarpaulin and Yeri promised that they would tell Joy about the green ocean.
There was a switch in atmosphere when Red Velvet, now decked in alluring black ensembles, returned onstage to perform “Pose.” Not giving ReVeLuvs any time to catch their breath, they continued the set with dynamic performances of “Beg for Me,” “Zoom,” “Bye Bye,” “In & Out,” and “I Just.”
There was no denying Red Velvet’s stunning visuals, but it was their impeccable stage presence that really enthralled the crowd. Their performances of “Peekaboo,” “Bad Boy,” and “Psycho” drew some of the loudest cheers for the night, especially as it featured solo dance breaks from the members.
Known for having opposing concepts – fun and upbeat Red, and sophisticated and sensual Velvet, the group’s versatility shone in the R to V concert. Filipino ReVeLuvs were treated to an almost three-hour show that featured Red Velvet’s diverse discography, flawless choreography, and clean vocal runs.
Filipino ReVeLuvs sang every word in all the songs and chanted all of the members’ names throughout the show. Their enthusiasm did not go unnoticed by the members.
“You are cheering for everything, I was blown away. Because of your cheering, I got so excited,” member Wendy said in English. “The concert is almost over. How can you have this energy for two hours? You guys are amazing. Thank you for all the love and support. Because of the love you guys sent us today, I wanna really come back – the five of us including Joy.”
Member Seulgi said that they will return to South Korea with good memories from their Filipino ReVeLuvs: “I love you guys so much.” Meanwhile, Irene added that she couldn’t match the energy from the Manila crowd as it was even “louder than the World Cup.” “I was very happy because of you guys,” she added.
“You have so much energy,” Yeri told the attendees. “Thank you for the loudest reaction and biggest energy. Really see you soon again. We love you guys.”
The Filipino ReVeLuvs were unstoppable in showing their love for the group. During the encore set, they prepared banners that read, “I want to be forever, in this dream-like night” and “Enchanting feeling, I’ll never forget everything,” as well as an OT5-colored ocean. Each section in the arena had designated colors to flash, one for each of the members.
Red Velvet expressed their gratitude to the Filipino ReVeLuvs, who they said prepared the most fan projects so far.
There was no sign of winding down, though, when the group performed “Russian Roulette” and “Zimzalabim.” It was obvious how Red Velvet and the ReVeLuvs were just volleying energy off each other – prompting everyone to be up on their feet, screaming their lungs out, and dancing along. Seulgi even requested for the crowd to jump more in their next song.
“I’m very overwhelmed,” Wendy said about Filipinos’ cheers. “That is why my heart is beating so fast. Thank you so much for making us feel these overwhelming feelings. Mahal kita (I love you).
We’re eager for the group to come back for more, especially since Filipino ReVeLuvs are waiting to see Joy, too. – Rappler.com
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