[PHILIPPINES] ‘Be You’ Concert — Red Velvet & Homegrown Talents Lead An Extraordinary Celebration In Manila

The overcast weather last July 22, 2022 did nothing to hamper the spirits of Filipino ReVeluvs, BLOOMs, and ACEs (fans of Red Velvet, BINI, and BGYO, respectively) as they filled the Mall of Asia Arena to finally see their idols perform live for the first time since the pandemic began.

What makes Be You even more remarkable is that apart from bringing together hot local acts and a K-Pop powerhouse on one stage, it also champions a cause — to promote disability awareness by celebrating persons with disabilities (PWDs). It was fitting that the event occurred on National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week, commemorated every third week of July in the Philippines.

Let’s look back at the highlights of Be You and relive the moments that made the advocacy concert truly extraordinary!

An Inclusive Stage for Special Performances & Stories

The first half of the concert was dedicated to showcasing the talents of PWDs and celebrating the lives that they lead. First to grace the Be You stage were children from the TLC SpEd and Therapy Center, who had the sold-out arena smitten with their charming performance of MOMOLAND’s BANANA CHACHA. There were also poignant piano performances from Aldrei Louis Franco and Janine Lim, moving the audience with their renditions of Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud and Reflection from Disney’s Mulan, respectively. Peggy Geiser, Mark Jayson Salamangkit, Danica Escasinas, and Aerone Mendoza wowed the crowd with their individual vocal numbers, proving that there’s no shortage of amazing singers in the Philippines.

Filipino celebrities Troy Montero, Hasna Cabral, and Martin Nievera also came on stage to share heart-warming stories about their children living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Nievera — known as the Philippine “Concert King” — thanked the crowd during his talk for being very supportive of the opening performers, expressing that he had never seen a more encouraging audience in his 40-year career. He then serenaded the arena with back-to-back ballads and was eventually joined on stage by all the previous performers as he sang his original song, I’ll Be There For You.

Highlighting Homegrown Talents: Lady Pipay, BINI & BGYO

Filipino YouTuber Lady Pipay was the first to perform among the local headliners, immediately grabbing the crowd’s attention with a breath-taking aerial production. Afterwards, the 15-year-old internet sensation’s dynamic pop medley that called for several costume changes got the audience on their feet dancing.

BINI, a sophomore P-Pop girl group managed by Star Music, proved that they can hold their own on the big stage with impressive performances of their songs Born to Win, Na Na Na, and Lagi. BINI dedicated their third song to members Aiah and Gwen, who were notably absent from the show because of health concerns. The girl group also applauded the crowd’s unparalleled energy, thanking Filipino ReVeluvs in particular, as they were the dominant fandom in the arena that night.

Despite debuting only in January of last year, BGYO took the stage with a commanding presence. The “Aces of P-Pop” opened their segment with The Light, the lead single from their debut studio album. Next was a sugary performance of He’s Into Her from the official soundtrack of the Philippine romcom series of the same name. Lastly, the boys performed Tumitigil Ang Mundo, the group’s most recent single. BGYO expressed that they were happy to be performing at the Mall of Asia Arena in front of a super-sized crowd. Like BINI, their labelmates, the boys thanked ReVeluvs for cheering loudly for everyone who performed.

Red Velvet’s Sweet & Classic Charm

It’s safe to say that the crowd was at its loudest and most energetic when it was time for the K-Pop “Summer Queens” to perform. Armed with Mandubongs and rainbow-coloured feather dusters (a.k.a. Red Velvet’s “original” light stick), Filipino ReVeluvs didn’t miss a beat — nor a lyric — as they forwent the fan chants and just straight up sang along to everything.

Red Velvet started their string of performances with Feel My Rhythm, the title track of their latest mini-album, The ReVe Festival 2022. Fan-favourite Psycho came up next, followed by a talking segment where the girls formally greeted the crowd and introduced themselves. Red Velvet was also eager to teach the audience the choreography of Joy’s line in Feel My Rhythm’s pre-chorus, nicknamed by the fandom as the “Blow Confetti” part.

Next on Red Velvet’s setlist was Hello, Sunset, a sweet and mellow B-side track from their sixth mini-album released last year. The girls thanked the sold-out arena for enthusiastically singing along to their songs in another short chat with the crowd. They shared that they were honoured to have been invited to the advocacy concert, saying that they hope their presence has cheered up those in need and encouraged others to extend their support to meaningful causes. The girls then capped off their time on stage with back-to-back performances of summer hits Queendom and Red Flavor.

The last time Red Velvet was in the Philippines was way back in 2019 during the K-Pop World Music Festival, which was also held at the Mall of Asia Arena. In an interview before the start of Be You, the girls were asked if they had plans of finally holding a solo concert in the country. Speaking for the group, Wendy replied: “Hopefully, with our concert… Hopefully, [we’ll be back] in Manila next time. See you soon, guys!”

While Red Velvet’s next return to the Philippines is still a mystery, one thing’s for sure: Filipino ReVeluvs will be eagerly waiting, and their favourite “Cake Girls” can expect them to sing along to every lyric just as they did on this night. 😉

The Seoul Story would like to thank Neuwave Events & Productions for extending us a media invitation! We’re looking forward to seeing Red Velvet in Manila again soon! 🙂

Writer: Sai
Photographer: Sai

Established in 2011, The Seoul Story is a Southeast Asia-based Korean Events, Entertainment & Lifestyle News Site On The Go

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