A Special Night with Winner

A night with Winner set some pretty high expectations for the next concerts I will attend because, surely, it will always take me back to the day when it all started.

MANILA, Philippines — Growing up, I was very explorative when it came to music. Like a lot of kids, I had my fair share of phases and drastic changes in my music preferences. Oh, boy — I had a ‘‘Sk8erboi’’ phase which was greatly influenced by Avril Lavigne, and I’ve painstakingly memorized My Chemical Romance’s Welcome to The Black Parade by heart. My Friendster profile was embarrassingly punk to its core for quite some time. Now, in my early 20s, I never would have expected a new addition to my life’s playlist.  

I’ve had a handful of friends who were into K-Pop, but it wasn’t until this year that a close friend of mine introduced me to the path of clarity that is Korean pop. I’ve taken further baby steps, watching Win: Who is Next, a reality survival program where I got to know more about the rookies of Team A and Team B. The same team that competed and won is now the well-known “Winner” of South Korea, and the next boy group to debut under YG Entertainment after Bigbang.

I remember just casually listening to them on Spotify while at work because their songs are such a bop — I’m not exaggerating when I said they singlehandedly increased my productivity level by a ton. Really Really was my ultimate go-to “feel good” song for days. When I just felt like being dramatic for all sorts of reason, I would blast Fool and Empty like I was part of some sad music video. Casual admiration towards Winner grew into a habit; I’ve been unconsciously getting to know the boys individually through Winner TV and later on kept up with their guesting videos on variety shows and radio stations. The boys released their second album in the middle of the year, “EVERYD4Y,” and sure enough they’ve exceeded the Inner Circles’ expectations.  A good mix of their past and current style, a tropical house vibe brimming with catchy electronic beats and all the beach vibes they could muster, the album screams “Don’t stop listening to me!”

Yoon, Mino, Hoony and Jinu stepped into the spotlight to serenade us with their opening song, Empty, which instantly got me emotional because it was one of my favorite songs.

When Pulp Live World announced that Winner would perform here in Manila, I knew I had to go. Luckily, the universes conspired to make it happen. This is actually the third time the boys have visited the country; the most recent was last May, they spent three days in El Nido, Palawan filming for Summer Story.

I was lucky enough to get a front row spot (moving from my Lower Box ticket) and had an eye-level view from the stage, which was good enough. My insides were experiencing a rollercoaster ride — I remember my excitement was linked to the anxiety I felt. 

After the longest wait, Yoon, Mino, Hoony and Jinu finally stepped into the spotlight to serenade us with their opening song, Empty, from the debut album “2014 S/S” which instantly got me emotional because it was one of my favorite songs. The boys did their research to impress us with Filipino words they learned just for the concert, and Jinu took the introductions seriously — greeting the fans with “Pogi ba ako? Maganda kayo!” Boy, did he have to do us like that? Other than knowing the right Filipino phrases, they were amazingly good at English as well, especially Yoon who played host for the entire concert. Not only that, they told us they had the time to try Jollibee within their stay, and they loved it.

After the friendly chats, each member performed solo for us. Mino sang Body and Turn Off the Light from “The MOBB,” his album with iKON’s fellow rapper, Bobby. Jinu followed by singing his own rendition of Bigbang legend, GD’s Untitled, 2014. Yoon graced the stage by showing off his amazing vocals starting off with his own song It Rains and a cover of Lauv’s I Like Me Better, which left the fans in awe. Dancer Hoon swept the stage with his killer moves singing Ringa Linga from Taeyang’s album “Rise.”

Inner Circles united as we achieved a fan project with our phones’ flashlight, swinging them in unison as we sang the chorus of Movie Star altogether. I would consider that moment one of the best; simply being surrounded with fellow Inner Circles who felt the same way towards our idols was just pure and magical. The boys eventually returned to the stage for an encore.

Simply being surrounded with fellow Inner Circles who felt the same way towards our idols was just pure magic.

I will never forget Yoon’s last words to all of us who watched: “The singer cannot exist if (there are) no listeners.” Of all the overwhelming feelings I tossed towards the stage, I was grateful, above all, for that. I’m grateful that I’m stanning the right idols who appreciate their fans the same as we appreciate them.

I left MOA Arena feeling like I was on cloud nine. For a person who had just been recently invested in K-Pop, I could say that this was the best decision I’ve made this year as a struggling adult who doesn’t really make good decisions for herself.  A night with Winner set some pretty high expectations for the next concerts I will attend because, surely, it will always take me back to the day when it all started.