⟡ February 22
Karpos announced Taeyang’s The Light Year tour in Manila back in December last year. As a BIGBANG fan (a late bloomer, really—I only fell into the fangirl spiral around 2017 when most of them were already serving in the military), I was excited. I never got to see them live, and honestly, that’s one of my biggest regrets as a fan: not being able to witness all five of them together during their prime. The OG K-pop kings. With everything that’s happened over the years, a full group comeback seems unlikely. So this concert felt like a rare chance I didn’t want to miss.

Taeyang was already popular when I was in college. Who wouldn’t know Wedding Dress? That R&B hit played everywhere. I’d known BIGBANG since 2NE1 debuted, but I was just a casual listener back then. Now, as someone who only started going to concerts in her late twenties and can finally afford tickets with her hard-earned money, I just want to make the most of it. To enjoy, and to make memories while I still can.

This was actually the second K-pop concert I’ve attended. I was hesitant at first because it landed on the same day as the last conference day of WordCamp Asia, which Asis and I joined. Thankfully, it ended early and we just skipped the afterparty. I bought two tickets: one for me and one for Asis. If I want him to come with me to a concert, I’ve got to be ready to treat him to that extra ticket. That’s just how it works, haha. So that day, after the conference at the PICC, we headed straight to MOA Arena. Thank goodness it was nearby.

The concert was amazing. Taeyang is such a performer, and his voice—wow. Truly music to my ears. I was honestly surprised by how much fan service he gave. He was funny, kind, and really connected with the crowd. OMG, let me stop gushing. While looking for photos to post for this blog, I realized I didn’t have any on my phone. I only took videos, so all the photos here are just screengrabs. The photos of me and Asis were from his phone. Watching the videos back was hilarious. So shaky, and my screams were so loud it felt like I was being sacrificed. It was wild.

My favorite part was, of course, when he sang BIGBANG songs. The crowd went wild. I was jumping so much and just fully in the moment. Another glimmer that night was when he sang Palagi by TJ Monterde twice, just because the Philippine crowd kept asking for it. He gladly did it again without hesitation. And yes, he sang the famous Yeorobun! Not even an official song, but I think every crowd in every stop just wants to hear it. And he never disappoints.

Asis and I really enjoyed the concert. I still hope to see all five of them back together one day. But even if it’s not as five, I’ll take any kind of BIGBANG comeback. 💛