November 17, 2024

Over a month ago, I finally attended my first-ever K-pop concert. What made it even more special was that it was for the group that first introduced me to K-pop back in 2009, the first group I stanned and still stan to this day. The OGs: 2NE1.

I’ve always been more of a silent fan. I never went all out as a hardcore fan, and I wasn’t always updated on their group activities. But whenever they dropped new songs, I always seemed to know about them. I loved their music and spent countless hours watching their music videos and live performances on YouTube.

2NE1 also led me to stan Bigbang and other YG artists. I’ll admit, I was totally biased back then. But let’s be real, YG groups were on another level. Sure, I liked songs from other labels too, but 2NE1 and Bigbang had something different. They stood out. I’ve always gravitated toward artists who excel in live performances, those who can hype up the crowd and dominate the stage like monsters. With them, there was never a dull moment.

Ironically, I only really started binge-watching Bigbang videos in 2019. It started with casually shipping DaraGon, but that quickly spiraled into watching more of their live performances. I became a 100% fan when most of them were already serving in the military. By then, things had taken a downturn. The controversies and lack of group activities — it all just sucked. Being a late fan hits differently. You wish you could’ve been there during their prime.

Not being able to see their concerts when they were still active is something I deeply regret. But what could I do? Even back then, I don’t think I could’ve afforded the concert tickets. It was simply out of reach at the time.

Life also got busy, and I stopped paying much attention to K-pop. I even went through a phase where I thought listening to it was lame. But then the pandemic happened, and all we had back then was the internet to keep us sane. I rediscovered my love for K-pop’s artistry and music. I started exploring new groups and artists, and soon enough, I had a fangirling account on X, keeping up with all the artists I stan from around the world.

Anyway, back to 2NE1. Imagine my surprise when they had a surprise performance at Coachella. That moment reignited my hope for their comeback. I was heartbroken when I heard about their disbandment, but seeing them perform again and sharing posts of them reuniting over the past two years rekindled that spark. And they did not disappoint. When they announced their Welcome Back tour, I knew I had to see them live. It was truly a do-or-die moment for me. I didn’t care about the ticket tier. I just had to be there.

But man, the ticketing system here in the Philippines sucks big time. The inside jobs, scalpers, and the complete lack of transparency and accountability from the presenter, Live Nation PH, made the whole process frustrating and unfair. The entire system always feels rigged against the majority who just want to attend the concert. During those ticket-selling days, I queued countless times but couldn’t secure any tickets. Luckily, I had a colleague who’s a hardcore GZB and CL fan. She had a lot of friends who had secured tickets and mentioned they had an extra one. A Day 1 VIP with soundcheck. I instantly took it. I figured I’d just work extra to earn back the cost of the ticket, which was 16k, and that’s no joke.

I also managed to trade my Day 1 ticket with someone from X for a Day 2 ticket, same tier. We both took a risk since we couldn’t verify the authenticity of our tickets anymore, as SM doesn’t allow verification now. Their rules were just ridiculous.

On concert day, I felt relieved that the weather wasn’t as bad as expected, despite the super typhoon hitting. It was quite sad though, knowing that many Blackjack fans from the affected areas had to stay home to care for their families and homes during such a tough time. Thankfully, the weather in Manila held up enough for the event to go on. As for why I traded my Day 1 ticket, it was because I wanted to meet my long-time online friend from Friendster. I thought it would be nice to experience the concert with someone I know, especially since I had a standing ticket. It would have been tough to spend hours alone. The queueing, all the waiting, then soundcheck, and finally, the concert.

So yeah, the concert was the BEST. I found myself jumping and cheering way more than I usually do. As an introvert who’s typically laid-back at concerts, it definitely wasn’t my usual vibe. I was beyond happy to see them up close for the first time. My bias is Dara, but CL had me completely starstruck. Seeing all four of them together left me speechless. Dara never ages. Minzy was such a ray of sunshine, and CL was as charismatic as ever. Bom — seeing Bom made me so happy. I knew she wasn’t feeling well since Day 1, and even on Day 2. But seeing her give her best despite that made me truly grateful. As CL said, the well-being of all the members is what matters most. So it was okay that Bom couldn’t join the whole concert. Though, I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous watching their other country concert leg when Bom was feeling better and able to join the whole show. But hey, I’ll just blame it on the weather that day. It’s all the typhoon’s fault.

I’ll definitely keep an eye out for their future concert dates and hope they come back to the Philippines again. And by then, I hope I can secure a ticket. Definitely not the standing ones anymore. The ahjumma in me was so tired after the concert. Why can’t concerts in the PH start earlier? It ended way past my bedtime. Kidding aside, I just can’t handle all the waiting and standing anymore. The VIP tier here in the PH doesn’t feel very VIP at all.

Okay, time to wrap this up. It’s getting way too long. I just remembered the videos of Bom teasing us about 2NE1 having a new album next year, and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s so nice to be able to attend concerts and travel now that I have the means. It feels good to see the rewards of my hard-earned money go towards experiences like these. It was truly an experience of a lifetime. 2NE1 will always be my fourever. ✨

So little photos, too many videos. 🤣