It's a typical working day a few days after Be the Sun in Manila when I'm still processing the fact that I saw Seventeen's Performance Unit right before my eyes. My feelings were still all over the place, and I was just polishing my blog post when there was suddenly a Weverse notification on my phone--a notice from Seventeen. As a K-pop fan these days reading notice is like receiving a bomb threat. I wavered for a few seconds before opening it. It's stating there's an additional show for the Be the Sun World Tour in Jakarta and Bulacan.
Wait…. BULACAN?!!!
"Am I reading this right? It's not a typographical error or what? They're really coming back… and in my freaking hometown!!!"
I can't believe it. I wanted to squeal, prance and somersault in delight but all I managed was a muted scream. I thought this should be the right time; the stars have finally aligned for me and my thirteen diamonds.
Instantly, I told my Carat workmate about it. I don't know how to contain the excitement that they were going back and I have another opportunity to see them. I still recall last September during The Script's concert where I heard "Don't Wanna Cry" being played when I was entering the venue. I thought maybe the Universe was playing some sort of a joke on me because I just wanted to watch my favorite band, but it's reminding me that I can't watch one of my favorite K-pop groups live. I forgot all those disappointments I felt after not being able to attend their Be the Sun in Manila concert. Finally, I will experience never-ending aju nice!
The concert will take place at the world's largest indoor arena (at least during this time)–Philippine Arena on December 17, 2022. Fan Club Pre-sale was initially on Oct 23 then it was moved to October 28, while the General ticket-selling was on October 29. Me and Rara (my Carat workmate) devised a plan on how we will secure the tickets because we couldn't miss this for the world and experience another concert heartbreak. We've decided to avail of the Carat Membership to have more chances of securing the tickets, and then we registered for the Fan Club Pre-sale on Weverse.
The days before the ticket-selling day were days full of anxiety as we were waiting in agony for the organizers to release the seating plan and ticket prices. Ticket selling was moved 4 days from its original schedule but details were only released 3 days ahead. Most of the fans were disappointed (including me) with the stage set-up because it's the duplicate of Be the Sun in Manila whereas the added tour in Jakarta has a stage that's similar to Seoul. Philippine Arena is way bigger than MOA Arena so we assumed that the extended stage has to be lengthier. Tickets were not as budget-friendly as expected as well. Seriously, why? But of course, no matter the weather we will watch the concert by all means. Right after the announcement of the concert details, we were already mulling over which section we'll avail of, although my desired seat is either on Mingyu's or Wonwoo's lap. Charot. The choice is between the VIP Standing or Lower box section. We wanted to see them as close as we could, but then we thought we couldn't endure several hours standing in a cramped area while extending our bodies in the longest way possible as a 5-foot-tall individual, so we opted for the latter.
The day before the Fan Club Pre-Sale, I made sure that all the information I needed (such as account details, membership code, and payment information) is posted on a Sticky Note on my desktop for convenience. I wasn't able to sleep that night! Somehow, I'm anxious that we won't be able to secure tickets because the membership code doesn't guarantee anything and many problems have occurred during Be the Sun in Manila including invalid membership codes. I and Rara both availed of the membership by the way, so just in case one fails we still have a backup. My other dilemma is that it's Friday–a working day, and I don't have leave credits anymore. I don't have the luxury of having any more deductions on my salary because of the boundless expenses and bills to pay. How I wish to just wake up one day as a millionaire. Mingyu, marry me juseyo?
Ticket-selling day
I started the day with my regular routine except that my heart was probably beating a thousand times faster. When I turned on my desktop, I opened the sites I needed to visit so I'm all set even if the scheduled sale would be an hour later. At 9:00am, I'm already freaking out because it was supposed to be the start of queueing, although to our dissatisfaction lines opened at exactly 10:00am. At 10:00 am, queueing was up but I was stuck on the SM website's homepage and it's not moving at all. Then we discovered that there's a direct link for queueing (God knows where it came from) where we're supposed to be redirected. So when I came in, I was 19,449th in the line! I was so nervous because of the high queueing number. I also opened my account on my phone so I have a backup, which to my surprise was given a lower queueing number. I tried to work while waiting for my turn. Lol. As time is approaching, my entire being is in panic mode. My hands were shaking when I entered the site and as I navigated to look for our desired seats. Unfortunately, the LBA Premium Section is already unavailable during my turn, so I opted for the next available option, LBA Regular. The front row seats in our lesser preferred section were already taken, leaving me to choose Row 33. After selecting the seats, I keyed in my membership code I rechecked a couple of times before entering to avoid invalidation. I was holding my phone with both hands while typing the details from my monitor with my heart beating hastily. I triple-checked everything before confirming then... finally, I'll be seeing Sebongs perform live!!! The excitement of being able to buy tickets is incomparable, I was still shaking even after securing the tickets.
Days before the concert day, I was caught up with a lot of things and my anxiety was creeping up. Thoughts like what if the concert will be postponed or canceled for whatever reasons, what if something comes up that will become my hindrance in attending, what if one of the members became sick or what if Be The Sun in Bulacan is just part of my imagination? Lol. Aside from that, Christmas Day is fast approaching, there are gifts to buy, and things to prepare, parties are everywhere and I just recently came from a vacation in Cebu. I kept thinking about what to wear, and what else needs to be prepared for the concert but my brain isn't functioning as it was supposed to be. I bought my outfit at the last minute! It's just a white shirt with "SVT" printed on the front while a "Be The Sun" logo is printed at the back, paired with grey skater skirts. Still not grasping the fact that I'll be seeing Seventeen. It's like I know there's an event on December 17 and I have to prepare for it, but the idea that it's Seventeen who I'm going to see is still like a drifting leaf in my mind.
D-Day
Rara stayed with me in our home so we can prepare and go to Philippine Arena early. There's no making out of the idea that I'll see Seventeen. I know I'm excited and all but there's no sense of belief or whatever that I'll actually be there. I don't know how to explain it but I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. Haha. So anyways, we woke up early to prepare but there were light showers outside that made me want to go back to sleep. We ended up departing before 9am. There was still no traffic when we arrived at Ciudad de Victoria but there were many people already. We went to Philippine Sports Stadium where the Activity Area is located. There are food stalls and some game booths there. Food booths consisted of some local fast food and some Korean stores. The game booths were more like the ones in the local carnivals, where there are games where the player would throw the ball to hit the cans, pop the balloons with darts, etc. Since it's an open area it's a little bit hot though the space is wide enough for Carats to roam around and stay while waiting for the concert. There were not enough seats because the bleachers were only opened a couple of minutes before lunch. Carats settled on sitting on some wooden blocks before it was opened. The only thing I enjoyed about staying there is getting enough freebies from my co-Carats! We would just walk around and then line up to some Carats giving away freebies. After getting enough, we went outside to get some cellular signal because there was nothing inside the stadium and I need to communicate with the Carat from whom I bought a Mingyu banner. We went back inside again after knowing her whereabouts. While we were walking, another Carat approached us and gave me a big Mingyu poster it even has a wood protector. It's so out of the blue and surprising! (Kamsahamnida co-Caratdeul!)
A few moments later, we went out of the Stadium to try to find the Merch Booth where we'll buy a Carat bong and the Ticket Booth where we were looking to upgrade our tickets. We first found the ticket booth but the line was so long, so we decided to look for the Merch Booth instead. The entire surroundings of the Philippine Arena looked like a circular maze. We tried to look on the venue map but we couldn't find the Merch booth for whatever reason. All the while, the sky wasn't on our side as it kept on sprinkling water, and we had to squeeze ourselves wherever we could to avoid getting soaked. Then while we were sort of aimlessly walking just anywhere with our umbrellas while singing Aju Nice, Seventeen's convoy cars passed by! We ran near the road where the cars were and screamed. Although their windows were shut, we knew it was them hahaha. Someone said that a member even slid his window but I wasn't able to see it. Afterward, I told Rara we should find somewhere to settle and eat lunch because it was already past noon. During that time, the crowd of people has been growing, some were in line and some were just like us, who doesn't have an idea where to go but are walking anyway. Queueing for Lower box and Upper box ticket holders starts at 2pm and lobby doors should open at 3pm. Seeing many people already lined up for the queueing, we decided to fall in line too except that we couldn't see the end of the line. No one has an idea and there were barely no marshals or anyone to fix the lines or to answer concerns. We only brought sandwiches for lunch, so we were able to eat there while standing. The line was an eyesore, but we just tried to bear with it by singing along to Seventeen songs being played (which has more or less 5 songs on repeat by the way, like Seventeen has a whole hundred songs and they only chose to play 5 smh), by engaging and ranting with Co-Carats, and by scrolling in our phones trying to find a non-existent signal. Because we lined up early, we were standing on the covered pathway while some Carats were on the outer side and there was nothing to shield them from the rain if they don't have an umbrella. Most of the fans were already aggravated particularly at the organizer for not doing the bare minimum. It's really so stressful. My feet already went numb from standing there. At some point, I was scared that people might push and squeeze us into the barriers. Thankfully, Carats were organized even in that swear-worthy situation. There's even this moment when it's already the Soundcheck and we're trying to figure out if what we're hearing is actually a live voice from inside the Philippine Arena or just a recording when a Carat who was able to surf the internet (we don't know how but it's probably a different network from mine) raised her phone above her head for everyone to see the members in their Soundcheck outfits. It made us want to see the boys eagerly.
Standing in line took longer than expected as the gates were only opened 30 minutes later than the scheduled time. We screamed in delight when the gates finally opened. There's this space that leads to the entrance, where the concert-goers can loll, take pictures or do whatever before entering the venue. There's a merch booth on the far right side and the entrance booth across. The entry booths were made of several blue tents with a single table, guarded by 2 assigned personnel to check the bag. I drank my entire water bottle and surrendered it knowing it was not allowed inside, but I brought my sandwich in which is supposedly not allowed but to my surprise made it inside the arena. Bags were not thoroughly checked, it's just like how guards inspect bags when entering a mall. After the entrance booth is the stairs that lead up to the Arena, where some Carats were distributing the banners for the fan project. When we entered the venue, our bags were checked and our tickets were torn. It was disappointing because there was no checking if the tickets were actually authentic, the ticket QR codes were useless. Ugh, Live Nation PH can't do anything right.
Entering the Philippine Arena, the interior of the main lobby is a little bit off the standards because of the unfinished gray ceiling with visible pipes although the maroon column bars and simple chandeliers made it more presentable. We first looked for the comfort room, and the staff guided us to go right into a corridor. The corridor where the doors going to the concert area is located also has an unfinished interior. Each section seemed to have an assigned comfort room, and they're huge. Each comfort room has more or less 30 cubicles, I think. The food stalls were located on the right side of the corridors. We sat on the floor beside a column bar to eat our snacks, then looked for something to drink. We bought a blue lemonade which costs Php60.00. It's a bit pricey but we don't have a choice since outside drinks were not allowed. I'm not sure about the other foods' prices, but a complete meal would probably cost around Php200.00. After finishing our drink, we lined up and went inside to our seats.
The moment I stepped foot on the door, saw the seats and the stage, and heard Carats singing along to Seventeen's song--that was the only time it finally struck me that I'll be seeing Sebongs. It was so surreal. I haven't even seen them yet but my heart was already filled with happiness. We first went to locate our seats. The seat numbers were a bit confusing, if it wasn't for the staff who assisted us I wouldn't be able to figure it out by myself. Haha. Our seat is on Row 33 and just beside the aisle. It's already a bit far from the main stage, but the extended stage looks good. Philippine Arena is wide and not that steep, unlike MOA Arena.
We waited in anticipation for the show to start. Carats were singing and screaming at the music videos being played on the screen. The pre-concert experience is as exciting as the main event. The show hasn't started yet but the screams were about to blow the roof off the Arena.
Then the lights finally turned off, everyone went wild, the stage was lit up, and my thirteen diamonds were walking on the stage.
Hot – I've watched some of their previous Be the Sun concerts, streamed/watched them perform this song a hundred times, and memorized every syllable of it but when I heard Mingyu's "modu uril chyeodabwa" … I lost it. It's soul-shattering. I can't believe they're just a few meters away from me, and I'm awestruck by their stage presence!!! When I was standing in line for the queueing back before entering the venue, I was wondering if it was worth the money I spent to experience that dreaded situation. But the moment I saw the members, it all vanished. I forgot all the difficulties I went through just to see them. This song ultimately led me to stan them and to see them perform this live made everything in me burst into happiness. It's beyond surreal. I screamed and sang like there was no tomorrow causing my head to feel like it was about to explode and my stomach to flip over. Due to the exhilaration, my acid reflux was triggered and I wasn't able to sing that much in the latter part of the song as I feel like I'll throw up. I feel bad for not shouting Hoshi's "I can't breathe" part when that's enough description of what I felt seeing them perform live. Breathe-taking.
March – I still haven't recovered from Hot and they're performing another intense number. Their performance is so powerful and they just look so impressive, I can't help but watch in awe. It made me want to plead with them to take my entire being to do whatever they want with it even if they're not asking for it haha. Their all-black outfit with gold and silver chains simply matched the vigor of the performance. This is one of my favorite songs from their Face the Sun album, so I was trying to sing the whole song with my high-pitched loud voice and wrong lyrics. Lol. I love Wonwoo's verse the most and he didn't disappoint. The other members looked so hot, but Mingyu and Jun just made me deadpan.
Hit – when I first heard this song it didn't sound that good to me, but after watching their performance videos it became one of my favorites from the setlist. Their choreography looks so difficult but it looked spotless the way they performed it. So electrifying. I almost memorized the whole song and the fan chant but during their actual live performance at the concert, it's almost only just "AHHHHHHHH". It's hard to be in the right state when 13 Korean boys are showing off their talents and visuals a few meters from you.
Opening ment – The members were shocked by the number of Carats inside the venue, and then they started introducing their name with "Say the Name: Seventeen-imnida". Hearing that phrase live was enough to cost me my sanity!
DK was the first to start and told us to make some noise while he removed his earpiece to which we responded with blaring shrieks. He even asked us if we already had our dinner and promised to give us the best show. He's so adorable. Joshua spoke thereafter and told us how it felt so good to be back, that it was their first time at Bulacan, and how grateful he is that Carats filled up such a big arena. His smile just melts my heart. Next was Hoshi who said "Philippine Carats… MAHAL KO KAYO", before doing his mandatory Horanghae stint which has always been the highlight of his opening ment. He is as amazed at the crowd as the other members. I wished he did the Horanghae stint longer though. He is followed by Woozi with his short statement saying "Mahal ko kayo… Salamat Po." What a cutie. After Woozi is the crowd's favorite maknae, Dino, whom we welcomed with reverberating cheers. He started his ment by saying "mahal namin kayo", then spoke about how he feels amazing before doing his Michael Jackson-themed spiel. Jeonghan came next, who stated how outstanding our screams were and how they surpassed his amazement from BeTS in Manila. He ended it with his hanniehae pose and "salamat po". Meanwhile, Jun commanded us to scream "JUNRANGHAE" for his intro. So charming. Leader Seung Cheol came up next and told us how they fulfilled their promise of coming back really soon. He said they were so happy to be back and "mahal ko kayo" in his most endearing tone. The way he looked so firm and soft at the same time is just so endearing. After him, Seungkwan slayed his "You're my boo… I'm your boo" pitch. He said that he's so happy to meet us and is hoping we'll all have a great time as well. The8 and Vernon's ment were short and simple, they told us to have a fun night. Then there's Wonwoo who said that our energy is good but our health is more important, and we should monitor ourselves to avoid getting sick. What a precious baby huhu. Lastly, Mingyu said: "Thank you for coming, Namiss ko kayo… Mahal ko kayo." He looked so cute as if he didn't just kill us with the recent performances. Dino exclaimed again how the arena is so full of Carats, and then DK screamed "MAHAL NAMIN KAYO". My heart is elated with the words they uttered, particularly with how happy they are that they came back. I feel like their opening ment was shorter as compared to their previous stops, but I don't mind knowing how tight their schedule is.
Afterward, Hoshi called on Vernon so he could teach us the chant; "Seventeen Carat: Cha! Cha! Be the Sun!" Then Joshua also prompted Vernon to do some energy check because S.Coups felt like the screams were getting a little bit quieter. The way they call Vernon to do such things is so funny because he looks so unprepared or taken aback but does whatever his older brothers were asking him to do. Haha.
Rock with you – this is one of their first few songs that caught my attention. It's one of the reasons I became a casual listener, hereby holding a special place in my heart. To watch all thirteen members perform this song live in front of me was a dream come true! A wish I never thought I would get a hold of in a span of a few months since I started liking them. For the latter part, they went to the extended stage which made way for me to get a clearer view of each member and their looks. They look so much better up close! This time Mingyu took off his coat which is more than enough to put my entire being in a meltdown. Their body rolls that were part of the choreography flipped me out! I tried to sing along like there was no tomorrow, but I can't help but lose my way most of the time because of how dazzling they and their performance are. No words are enough for them.
Two Minus One (Vernon & Joshua) – it's the only song in their setlist that didn't give me a hard time with the lyrics because it's full English and there's no rap part. I think I've memorized the song since the first time I heard it haha. The song makes me want to bang my head while shouting the lyrics. The American line performed it like they own this song and they were unstoppable.
Moonwalker, Wave (Performance Unit) – Stunning. That's how the Performance Unit took the stage for their unit songs. Their performance made me at a loss for words. There's this feeling that I wanted to scream but at the same time I ought to appreciate their graceful charismatic moves. I felt like screaming would part my attention when I needed to just focus on them, so I held back the noise in my throat and tried to fill my eyes with their performance. Each of their movements felt like a magic spell that could hypnotize anyone into falling in love with them. Dino was all out with his performance as always, Myung Ho just embodies the word "graceful", Jun just looked so sexy and appealing while Hoshi was the most dangerous of them all in my eyes. He's been my Number one bias wrecker ever since and his spot just solidified.
Come to me, Imperfect Love (Vocal Unit) – Sentimental. Tear-jerking. Comforting. There's nothing like hearing these songs with their incredible live vocals. Can't help but feel emotional. It feels as if the vocal unit was there trying to remind us that we could always come to them for comfort when things go rough. Jeonghan looked and sounded like an angel. Seungkwan looked calm but his vocals are more stable than my mental health. Woozi's voice and smile are just so charming. Joshua's overall presence is so comforting; he looks like he knows or understands me all over. DK's voice was just so powerful and wouldn't fail to astonish me; how could he hit that high note without batting an eyelid? During Imperfect Love, the members asked the crowd to sing it with them (although we were already doing it the entire show). The members even removed their earpieces to hear us sing. It was a very heart-warming moment.
Gam3 bo1, Back it up (Hip hop Unit) – Emotionally damaging. We weren't even finished wiping our tears with Imperfect Love when the Hip hop unit came wrecking us with their jaw-dropping visuals and astounding rapping skills. My ultimate biases (Mingyu and Wonwoo) were part of this unit, so just imagine the hodgepodge of emotions I had to get through. They just looked so empowered that their presence itself was enough to create shambles in Carats' hearts. S. Coups was out there as if trying to snatch each Carat from their own bias. Vernon's angst and stage presence were admirable. For Mingyu and Wonwoo… I can't say anything except that I almost went crazy. The way Mingyu's arms were exposed like that with his enthralling gaze and Wonwoo rapping callously as if he had nothing to do with our hearts going rhapsodical. Oh my goodness.
Cheers (Seventeen Leaders) – Almost everyone expects this to be part of the setlist as they performed it on their previous stops in Japan, but no one thought that it will come right after Hip Hop Unit's performance! How in the world Seungcheol changed his outfit in a few minutes and didn't even take a breather? The crowd went crazy with Hoshi, S. Coups, and Woozi's performance. They just looked so cool. That part when Filo Carats sang S. Coups' line "Ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, 아무도 못 따라 해 Ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, 이젠 우릴 따라 해" was one for the books.
Mansae – After the intense performances were the songs that showed more of their cheerful side. They were wearing their red jackets and pants with white shoes and inner shirts. The intro looked like a chaotic theatre act where they're finding Vernon then he appeared out of nowhere to sing a cover of Fearless by Le Serrafim. A few more chatters then they started singing Mansae. It was a playful performance with a couple of antics that made us scream. Their synchronized choreography never fails to amaze me. Carats raising hands/Carat bongs to do the Mansae part during the closing part of the song looks so amazing.
Left and Right – they started the song with funny statements and slight sexiness made with body rolls. I lost it when DK almost removed his jacket and uncovered his forearms. The performance was just so energizing and enjoyable. That part when S. Coups said "I love you" before hitting his lines made me catch my breath. Dino and Seungkwan also had a part where they had an adlib of "Mahal ko kayo" in the middle of the song and it's so much more than adorable.
Very Nice – This is the normal version of the song with their full choreography. They're still wearing their red and white outfit while performing on the extended stage. It's the first time people in the seated sections stood up because we all know how it's a sin to just sit while this song is being played. Actually, my expectation for the concert is I'll be standing the whole time even though I have a seat. It's such a bummer not to be standing when you're supposed to enjoy those hours right? I thought I would only use my seat for breaks, ments, or VCRs, but well, that's just my expectations. Anyways, we jumped and sang and screamed to Aju Nice like crazy. Carats' screams were echoing all over the arena and the building was shaking.
Shadow – Just like that they're back with the intense songs again. Some of the members were wearing all-black outfits while others had silver pairs. Everyone looks so hot and cool at the same time. They made my voice be caught in between a scream and a high-pitched noise. Mingyu, Dino, and S. Coup's part almost made me lose my mind.
Crush – "You are my crush, I got a crush on you..." Coming to the concert I had all the intention to shout this line at the top of my lungs. It wasn't easy. I wanted to sing but I'm screaming. I wanted to gawk at each member but I only have a pair of eyes. They're just so attractive I wanted to jump on the VIP Standing section so I can see them up front.
Ment - Once again, Sebongs was so amazed by Filo Carats' energy. They're in disbelief at how almost everyone can sing their songs. Hoshi teased Mingyu who took off his jacket during the performance causing Carats into an uproar. Hoshi asked if he can take it off once again, then DK appeared out of nowhere to hold Mingyu's jacket down. They want us to go as mad as a hatter, seriously. Mingyu took off his jacket roughly then Joshua told him to flex his arms the way he always does but ended up flexing his own. It was crazy. I can't find any intelligible words at that moment.
Joshua stated how they showed different stages/performances that night including the group and unit performances. It was pin-pointed how loud they heard Carats sing S. Coups part in Cheers, so they asked him to sing that part again with us. We did it so loud that the members couldn't help but be astounded by it. A few moments later, Sebongs asked the audience for a crowd wave. We first did it going up from the front row to the last row of the arena and then going down. It's so fascinating. Seungkwan even referred to it as shining stars coming down on them. Additionally, he said the name of the Arena is nice but he can't seem to say it lol. Mingyu said that he noticed that there was a stadium beside the arena, and stated that he wants to go there. Hoshi jokingly said that maybe they can go there before going back to Korea. We don't know if we'll agree or not because we don't have the money to pay for another concert but we want to see them again even if the show's not over yet. Hahaha. Joshua added that the atmosphere is so amazing but he has bad news, that the next song would be their last song (we all know it wasn't the last). Hoshi asked Vernon if he was okay and he reacted as if he was about to cry and throw tantrums like a kid. It was so cute. Mingyu said that it was like their 29th concert this year then Filo Carats screamed "walang uuwi". The members can't comprehend it, of course, they even had to take their earpieces off just to hear us clearly. Mingyu repeated what we said and it drew laughs from Filo Carats. It's the cutest I've ever heard of that statement. The members looked so confused even after repeating the words, but they finally settled when someone translated it for them. Haha. Dino suggested singing some parts of their songs that weren't part of the setlist. He started it off with Clap, Wonwoo led Boom Boom, Hoshi asked us to sing Don't Wanna Cry & Justin Bieber's Yummy per syllable, and Joshua volunteered S.Coups to sing something. S.Coups wasn't prepared to sing anything then when he come up with Change Up, the audience wasn't as loud as expected and it resulted in a hit for Joshua. Hahaha. DK and Seungkwan continued with the per-syllable saga singing Adore U and Say Yes. Then Seungcheol spotted a banner for Woozi stating that the Carat want to hear Don Quixote. Woozi obligates to sing a few lines but Dino and Hoshi continued it until half of the song. As a Don Quixote enthusiast, I won.
World - For whatever reason, whenever I hear this song it's like Seventeen is luring me to love them when in fact I'm already head over heels for them. During their performance, my voice is already hoarse, but I still tried to sing it with all my heart. It's so lovely to sing it with Sebongs and my co-Carats. Our voices were echoing all throughout the entire Philippine Arena.
Darl+ing (Holiday version) - Seventeen changed into their more casual attire. The members came from all directions of the stage when the song started playing. They performed the holiday version as Christmas is just a few days away. The LED Background was even set to a Christmas tree. It was a laid-back song with no choreography and in full English, but it made me appreciate the members more. It's like it was the perfect song to admire each member even though they're scattered on the stage. Maybe it's because the song is more of a confession like you know without you I'm so lonely. Eme.
Ment - The members started appreciating the crowd again and then sat down on the stairs set up on the stage for the ment. Mingyu started off and talked about his feelings on how Be the Sun tour was about to end. He said it's overwhelming; it's saddening but he's filled with happiness. He added that Carats' energy shocked him and promised they will come back soon. He ended his ment with "Always be happy. I love you" topped with a flying kiss. (Uhh. I love you to the moon and back, Mingyu!) Jeonghan came next saying "Masaya ba kayo?" adding how he feels good hearing the screams of Carats and describing how it was much crazier than Be the Sun in Manila. He's hoping that everyone will have good memories and be happy and healthy until the time we meet again. He ended his turn with his hannihae pose. (Jeonghan, each second Carats spent with you is a good and happy memory.) The third was Joshua who first asked if we were enjoying the concert, then stated how they were so happy to be back. He said that it's only been two months but they went again to a much bigger venue and it makes them so thankful. Carats started singing him an advanced happy birthday song because he's a December baby. He was so surprised. We didn't plan it, it wasn't a part of any fan project. Someone just started singing and the rest of the audience just followed. The look in his eyes and the way he smiled while saying "Thank you guys", was so worth it. He said we're so sweet and that we made another unforgettable moment for him even though it's not his birthday yet. He hopes that the day was an unforgettable one for us too. Joshua added that since it was raining the whole day, they were worried that we might get tired of waiting and coming to the venue. He's thankful that we all came despite that and promises to see us again. (Joshua, no amount of rain could stop us from seeing you and making more unforgettable memories with you.) Next is Wonwoo who also thanked us for coming and said that he was glad to have fun with Carats and appreciates us. There's some part of his ment that I wasn't able to understand clearly because it wasn't translated well. He ended his statement by saying he'll be cheering us until the end with a Thank you while waving his hands cutely. (Wonwoo, let's cheer for each other until the end. Saranghae!) Seungcheol came next who appeared to have teary eyes or looks like he was about to cry. The background song was also changed into Smile Flower, which made the atmosphere more emotional. He said that it was nice that we could be together before 2022 ends. Even though Be the Sun tour is almost coming to an end, he stated it would be much better if they can come here again at a bigger venue and with a better show. He said "mahal ko kayo" as he ends his turn. (Seungcheol, I'd say anywhere with you and the members, we'll do whatever.) The next member was Minghao, who said that he knows they can perform in a bigger venue and because of us it was a very happy day. He was reminded that Christmas was a week away, and he hopes that our happiness will continue. He ended his turn by asking us to wait until we meet again. (Minghao, it was you and the members who made that day one of our happiest and we'll wait for it to happen again.) DK came next saying "Masaya ba kayo? Masaya ako". He elaborated how he and the members were happy because of us Filo Carats. Furthermore, he thanked us for filling up the arena and for our great support for Be the Sun tour. He ended his ment saying "Mahal ko kayo" while waving his hands. (DK, our happiness is beyond words because of you and the members.) Next was Vernon who said that every time they come here to the Philippines, Filo Carats' energy never failed to astonish them. He thanked us for an amazing night and hopes we can see each other again very soon. (Vernon, we're much more astonished with your performance which deserves all of our energy.) Jun was the ninth member to speak and thanked us for coming and for our energy. His next words were indecipherable because of the bad translation. "With this mind, with this happy mind, until please enjoy our last show until the end" was what the translator said. He also added he would see us again next time. (Jun, we enjoy every moment spent with you and the members.) The next member was Seungkwan who stated that he remembered the last time they came here in the Philippines it was raining, and there was less than a thousand audience but now they got more than 40,000 people. That's exactly what the translator said but it doesn't make sense because we all think Seungkwan was pertaining to the first time they came here. He appreciated us going even if most of us came from far away and hoped to see us again so we should stay healthy. He ended it with "Thank you. I love you Carats". (Seungkwan, we'd go out of our way to show you our love.) Woozi was the next member saying "Masaya ba kayo? Kita tayo ulit. Babalik kami. Masaya ako. Wooahae ko kayo. Salamat po." (Woozi, I appreciated you saying your ment in all Filipino language. It's so precious). The next member was Dino who received deafening cheers from us. With that, he was referred to by Hoshi as Philippine Superstar. He started singing Don Quixote and changed the lyrics to "Come and call me Bulacan". He said that he thinks that all Filipino Carats that came to the venue were a big gift for him and even though he can't see all the people properly he wanted to thank us for coming. He also said that he's been trying his best to picture all of us and promises that they'll come back if given the chance. He ended his ment with "See you Carats". (Dino, even though you're far away our admiration for you is a thousand times longer than the distance.) Hoshi was the last member to speak with his usual ment that went viral as it was already memorized by Carats. When he started blurting out the first phrase, the audience, and even the members started laughing. Hahaha. His ment went like this...
Hoshi: Thank you guys. Thank you. Mahal ko kayo.
Carats: AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH
Hoshi: I'm saying that I'm so happy to meet you
Carats: AAAAHAHAAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAHA
Members: Say it together
Hoshi and Carats: And I realize once again *laughs* that you guys meant a lot to me *laughs* Thank you for all your love *laughs* and I promise you I will show you the best performances and music for your love *laughs* Thank you guys thank you!
He looks so funny and shy while he's saying that hahaha. (Hoshi, you meant a lot to us too that we'll try to listen to your ment even if we kept hearing it because we knew how much you made an effort for that hahaha)
Hoshi made a segue that they've prepared so much for the Be The Sun tour and even practiced at midnight to make way for their next song which is Our dawn is hotter than day.
Campfire (Fan project) - A couple of days before the concert, we were given the instructions for the fan project which was to sing a surprise song for Seventeen. Carats tried to pull it during Be the Sun in Manila Day 1 and 2 but it didn't go as expected. This time the official fanbase posted a poll on Twitter to vote on what song should be sung as part of the fan project. Circles won in that poll but it was rejected by Pledis' staff so the fanbase opted for Campfire which was like the theme song during Be the Sun in Manila. When the members were preparing to sing the next song, there was an instruction on the LED display for us to hold out our banners and then Campfire started playing. The members were so surprised when we started singing. I was caught between being emotional and trying hard to sing along with the song. We struggled to sing the rap part! (Woozi and Seungkwan seemed to be laughing at us haha) Their reaction is just so priceless. Mingyu stood up to check on what was written on our banners. The members looked so touched and grateful. According to them, it has been a long time since they received a serenade and we made another precious memory for them. To be part of the Carat ocean to surprise Seventeen with a song is one of my fangirl dreams and to achieve it the first time I saw Seventeen made my heart full of happiness.
After the song, they took a group photo with the audience as the background.
Our Dawn is Hotter than Day - this song can just strikethrough every Carats' heart at any given time. It's just so sentimental. It makes me want to reminisce about the times when I first knew Seventeen and how they became one of the sources of my happiness. It also made me feel so grateful for that amazing night I experienced with them and my co-Carats. It was truly an unforgettable night.
Snap shoot - The song that signifies the start of party time! We were up on our feet Hoshi and Wonwoo were so adorable during the first part. Then when Dino's verse came, Scoups hold out a handful of confetti to shower it to him and the arena was filled with Carats' voice screaming his lines. It came out as a joke within the fandom that someone can't be called a Carat if you can't sing Dino's verse in Snap shoot so mostly everyone tried to sing and memorize it dutifully. To see even the other members acknowledged our love for the youngest member is so touching. In the latter part of the song they introduced and thank their back-up dancers. Then it's freestyle dance time! This is when the members would pick anyone to dance the song. They would initially pick members then some from the audience too.
Never Ending Aju Nice - A few months ago, I could've not believe that I'll get to experience jumping, screaming, dancing and partying like there's no tomorrow, the Seventeen-Carat way. It was the highly anticipated song of the concert that will exhaust our body but will make our hearts filled with contentment. To experience it for the first time is euphoric. I feel like me, my co-Carats and Seventeen were in our own little world separated with the rest of the universe. We went all out with our energy jumping one aju nice after one aju nice. There's this highlight part of the song too when Seungkwan would pick someone from the audience to sing his high-pitched verse. He first selected a Carat with a signage stating that she can sing, but when she sang her voice was already hoarsed (just like everybody else ). As we continue aju nice-ing, Seungkwan also picked two Carats to sing a relay of his "oneul nan marya". He seems like he's not quite satisfied with the result though. Hahaha. Most of us Filo Carats may seem to have our voice box broken that night. Then they said their goodbyes and all of them went on the center of the main stage signaling that they're about to go. They're in the middle of taking their bows and the stage lifts already about to close down, when Very Nice started playing again! Everyone was jumping again as if we couldn't just get enough of it. Thereafter, the members asked the entire audience to sing the high-pitched verse and we did it with our utmost top of the world energy level (and a bit of talent lol). At that moment I already felt like my head was spinning but still, my feet was jumping and I was in the middle of singing and screaming all the while bouncing my upper body in the most extreme way I could make of. After a few more aju nice, the members said that it was truly the last. Carats were asking for more but the stage was closing down and the members were already thanking and saying goodbye to everybody. Just when the curtains have fallen, the lights on the stage went off, "Together" started playing and we thought that the show has ended, Aju Nice started playing again!!! The members came crashing through led by Seungcheol for another moment of losing ourselves while jumping and singing.
It was a bewildering experience.
Even if we're far from the stage, there's nothing like being there. Seeing the smile on the members' faces and how they're enjoying the night as much as I'm enjoying it, it's so priceless. I am so happy to be one of the 40k+ Carats in the Philippine Arena that night.. There's nothing like singing, screaming, and going crazy with the people who understand the way you feel about the artist and their music. I'm beyond grateful to know and love my Sebongie. It's worth everything. It means all the hyperboles in the world for me. And I could do all the craziest thing on Earth just to be able to experience it again.
See you again soon, my thirteen! 🩵🩷
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