K-pop star D.O. is a ray of sunshine for Filipino fans

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the gloomy weather in Manila, K-pop idol D.O. of powerhouse boy group EXO became a ray of sunshine for Filipino fans through his “DO it!” Asia tour on Saturday at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.

The Korean actor-singer’s first-ever full-scale solo show marked his “blissful” return to the Philippines a year after his two-day sold-out fan concert presented by Wilbros Live.

D.O., whose real name is Doh Kyungsoo, entered the stage, effortlessly belting the high notes for his opening number of Do You Remember?, one of the tracks from his first full album, “BLISS,” released last July.

“Mabuhay, Philippines! Make some noise!” he shouted with delight after performing Nobody Knows It and Wonder. Filipino EXO-Ls and Dandanies, in turn, created an intense atmosphere through their resounding cheers.

“Iba talaga ng init sa Pinas! Sobrang init. Ba’t ang ganda ng mga reaction ninyo? Tuwing bumibisita po ako rito, lagi akong nagugulat. Talagang ‘yung energy n’yo kakaiba sa simula pa lang,” D.O. remarked through a Filipino interpreter.

Before proceeding to the next set, D.O. expressed his concern for his fans, as it was raining hard before his show commenced.

“Sa totoo lang nag-alala po ako kasi grabe ‘yung ulan kanina, ‘di ba? Sobra po akong nag-alala, na kung ganito pa rin ang ulan, makakarating kaya ‘yung mga fans?” he said.

As a dedicated fandom, EXO-Ls did not disappoint D.O., with thousands of them in attendance, clad in white outfits for the event’s official dress code.

To his surprise, he also noticed that a significant number of fanboys were present.

“Parang ang daming lalaki? Parang first time pong nangyari ito. First time ko lang makakita na ganito karaming lalaki sa concert ko,” he said in disbelief, even playfully urging the male fans to scream their hearts out.

After his feel-good performances of Mars, Where You Were and Simple Joys, Kyung-soo tried to shift the mood with his R&B song, Fit, and chill, mid-tempo pop I’m Gonna Love You.

But the audience’s energy did not waver, as they sustained the lively mood by seemingly partying with Kyungsoo during his stages of Popcorn, 5 Minutes and Sing Along, wherein everybody stood up and flexed their vibrant “cybershades.”

Even when Kyungsoo’s not on stage, the whole fandom’s enthusiasm leveled up during the EXO medley portion by singing The First Snow, Don’t Go and Growl, accompanied by D.O.’s live band.

When Love Me Right played, Kyungsoo was back on the platform to sing his iconic bridge part from the 2015 track.

“Every time I go to a performance and sing EXO songs, it really makes me happy,” he said, as he also treated the fans to an impromptu performance of EXO’s 2013 hit, Peter Pan.

Sitting on a hanging platform, the K-pop star toned down the mood with his ballad songs, It’s Love from his first solo mini-album “Empathy” (2021) and My Dear from his third EP, “Blossom” (2024).

“Sobra po akong nag-e-enjoy ngayon. Tunay kong nararamdaman na masaya kayo. Philippines is the best!” he said in validation.

“Ipagpapatuloy ko po na ako’y maging isang artist na makakapagpakinig sa inyo ng mga ganitong magagandang kanta,” D.O. added.

Aside from English-translated lyrics flashed on screens, D.O.’s heartfelt message for his fans resonated through his laid-back acoustic pop-R&B That’s Okay, followed by In Another Life. 

“That’s what I wanted to tell you. It’s okay to be okay. You, be you,” he uttered.

When he eventually pointed out that we’re nearing the end of the concert, fans shouted, “Walang uuwi!” to which he adorably reacted with a solid “no” response.

Another lighthearted moment between EXO-Ls and Kyungsoo was when he urged them to sing Popcorn, but fans teased him back by chanting the song instead.

The radiant vibe was carried through his performance of Somebody, and his hit lead single, Rose, wherein fans saw his goofy side, far from his usual nonchalant demeanor.

“Magaling kayo! Maraming salamat po talaga sa pagpunta. Maraming salamat na patuloy n’yo akong chini-cheer. Sana itong araw po ay maging napakagandang memory para sa inyo,” D.O. stated.

As he faced the crowd after watching a fan-made video, he was surprised to see LED letters that read, “WE CAN DOH IT ALL WITH KYUNGSOO.”

“Sigurado ako kaya natin lahat. I do my best to prepare for these performances every time, but you, guys, also prepared these for me, so I want to thank you,” he said.

“I give you the promise that I shall return. Philippines, thank you so much!” the artist humbly promised as he bowed before fans after his Sing Along encore stage.

After a fun-filled Manila stop, Kyungsoo will bring his Asia tour to Singapore, Malaysia, Macau, as well as Bangkok, Thailand and Tokyo, Japan.