EXO’s D.O. promises to return to the Philippines in 2025

After much anticipation by their Filipino fans, EXO‘s Doh Kyungsoo, popularly known as D.O., thrilled them with a fan concert spanning not one but two sold-out nights.

Presented by Wilbros Live, the Philippine stop of Kyungsoo’s Asia Fan Concert Tour: BLOOM took place at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on August 31 and September 1, 2024.

Filipino EXO-Ls and Dandanies were treated to a magical 2-hour-and-13-minute show that made them laugh, cry, and feel genuine happiness.

The event also showcased the many sides of D.O., including his unexpected a cappella performances.

For those who may not be familiar, EXO’s fanbase is known as EXO-L or Eris, while Filipino EXO-Ls are often referred to as PHIXOs.

D.O.’s fandom, on the other hand, is called Dandanies.

PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) was on the scene for “BLOOM” day 1, and here are the highlights of the fan concert.

D.O.’S BLOOM IN MANILA SETLIST

D.O. kicked off his first-ever solo show in Manila with “Mars,” drawing a deafening roar of cheers from fans that echoed throughout the big dome.

The K-pop superstar further demonstrated his vocal prowess with performances of “I Do,” “That’s Okay,” and “Somebody.”

Other songs in his setlist included “Simple Joys,” “Ordinary Days,” “Good Night,” “About Time,” and “My Dear.”

One of the highlights of the night was his heartfelt rendition of Yeng Constantino’s “Hawak Kamay,” a song that holds a special place in the hearts of PHIXOs.

The “100 Days My Prince” lead star also delivered a jaw-dropping a cappella version of EXO’s “The First Snow,” Bruno Mars’ “Billionaire,” f(x) featuring D.O.’s “Goodbye Summer,” and “Rose,” among others.

D.O.’S BLOOM IN MANILA HIGHLIGHTS

Knowing PHIXOs and Dandanies so well, D.O. didn’t miss the chance to greet them in Filipino.

“Mabuhay Philippines! Ako po si Doh Kyungsoo,” he introduced himself with a big smile on his face.

During one of the event’s segments, he also told the crowd, “Mahal kita,” after being punished for getting a wrong answer.

PHIXOs and Dandanies further owned the night when D.O. did the “ey ka muna, ey!” trend during a game where he guessed the song title “My Answer” using emojis, such as a speaking person and a letter A.

At first, he hadn’t a clue about the meaning of “ey ka muna, ey!,” which was popularized by BINI member Sheena.

But after returning from backstage, D.O. showcased different versions of “eyy” several times, having mastered the phrase during his break and known its message.

For those who didn’t know, the “ey ka muna, ey!” trended after one of BINI’s events— where Sheena spoke to a crying fan who was about to graduate and feeling emotional about it.

To comfort the fan, Sheena said, “Naiiyak ka na? Eyy ka muna, eyy!,” with the haka hand gesture.

D.O. also revealed his competitive spirit during the game segments.

He would jump with joy when he answered correctly, show disappointment when he got it wrong, and enthusiastically choose food during the food balance games.

Another memorable moment of the night was when he initiated a game to find out which row had the loudest cheer.

After enjoying the loud cheers, he revealed it was his tactic to drain the fans’ energy because the next songs were ballads and needed a calmer atmosphere.

“You know, it’s not a joke but my ears [are] gonna break,” he reacted with the help of the interpreter, then continued, “I think, it’s not even comparable how can all floors be, you know, as loud as like this?

“It was actually my, you know, trick to actually [drain] your energy—it was my trick for you guys.

“Because the songs I’m gonna perform [in the] upcoming stage [are] very calm, so that’s why I drained some of your [energy],” he added as translated by the interpreter.

Nearing the event’s end, the attendees shouted in unison, “Walang uuwi! Walang uuwi!”

What truly delighted the attendees was DO’s promise to return to the Philippines in 2025.

With a pinky promise, he reassured fans through the interpreter, “Of course.”

Beyond that, he shared with PHIXOs and Dandanies his upcoming project, revealing that he will be portraying a villain with “a very bad character.”

D.O. shared that he recently got a haircut for the project, and Filipino fans were the first to see it.

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