It hasn’t even been a year since Doh Kyungsoo, better known as EXO’s D.O., last visited the Philippines for his Bloom fan concert in August 2024. Last Saturday, Aug. 16, he was back—this time for his first solo concert in the country, the Manila stop of his DO It! Asia tour at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
As someone who appreciates artists who keep their promise to return, I was glad to see him fulfill his word from the last time I saw him at the Big Dome.
The day itself was less than ideal. Rain poured in the afternoon, slowing traffic along EDSA and making the trip to the arena a test of patience. I got there around 5:45 p.m., only 15 minutes before the show’s scheduled start, but ended up missing the opening number. Blame it on my friend who arrived at 6:03 p.m.—by then, Kyungsoo was already on stage, his voice filling the whole arena.
Inside, the mood was electrifying. Fans dressed in white, the night’s unofficial dress code, waved lightsticks and banners that turned the venue into a sea of anticipation. Kyungsoo opened his show with “Do You Remember” from his debut studio album “Bliss,” followed by “Nobody Knows It,” “Wonder,” and “Mars,” while being backed by his live “DOHper band.”
But what made the night stand out wasn’t just the music—it was how he connected with the audience. At one point, he said he was surprised to see so many male fans in the crowd.
“This is the first time this has happened. This is my first time seeing this many male fans at my concert,” he said, as if he didn’t know how good he was—that he had drawn so many Filipinos, no matter what gender.
Filipino EXO-Ls and Dandanies responded with cheers, chants, and playful energy. During “Popcorn,” Kyungsoo asked the crowd to skip the fan chants, but fans did them anyway. He stomped his foot, pretending to be upset, and shouted, “Who was that?” before bursting into laughter.
“You’re even doing it on purpose? Go on, keep doing it,” he said, showing his cute side.
The concert also brought moments of nostalgia, with fans singing along to EXO favorites like “Don’t Go,” “The First Snow,” and “Growl.” Kyungsoo later joined in for “Love Me Right” and “Peter Pan,” sending longtime fans back to the group’s early years.
Fans gave back with their own surprises—a video of support set to his song “5 Minutes.”
“I do my best to prepare these performances every time, but you guys also prepare these videos for me, so I really want to thank everyone. The video was really beautiful,” he said.
His one-night-only concert ended with “Rose” and “Sing Along.”
Before leaving, Kyungsoo said, “I truly feel that you are happy. Philippines is the best. I give you the promise that I shall return.”
For fans like me, that meant a lot. After all, not every artist remembers to come back—but Kyungsoo kept his word.
