Five years ago, IU made her blueming debut on the Philippine concert stage with the 2019 IU TOUR CONCERT <LOVE, POEM> at The Big Dome. Five years later, the award-winning singer came back to her MA-AENAs to bring her first world tour, the 2024 IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT, to the Philippines.

As the Philippines welcomed the new month, IU also wrote a new chapter in Philippine concert history by being the first K-Pop solo artist and the second female solo act, after Katy Perry, to perform a solo show at the Philippine Arena, the world’s largest indoor arena.

The 2024 IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT, which began with four performances at Seoul’s KSPO Dome in March, arrived in the country on June 1 after successful stops in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. The artist returned to the local concert stage to the unmatched cheers of nearly 40,000 fans from all over the Philippines and the world, echoing loud and passionate throughout the arena.

IU put on an incredible show that showcased her artistry and musicality, with the concert divided into four main sections: hypnotic, energetic, romantic, and ecstatic. The production was innovative and immersive, bringing to life the emotions the singer aimed to evoke on stage and the stories she hoped to tell with each performance. Performing “Holssi” off her most recent album, The Winning, the singer kicked off the event. The show went on to feature her live performances of every song from her latest extended play, including “I Stan U,” “Shopper,” “Shh..”, and “Love Wins All.”

The 2024 IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT covered IU’s extensive career, which is highlighted by her catalog. The Philippines saw performances of songs from her past albums, including Growing Up (2009), Last Fantasy (2011), Modern Times (2013), A Flower Bookmark (2014), CHAT-SHIRE (2015), Palette (2017), Love Poem (2019), and Lilac (2021), in addition to The Winning. In response to fan requests, IU performed “Someday” from her original soundtrack for the 2011 drama Dream High and “You Know” from her first studio album Growing Up during the “en-encore,” which made everyone feel nostalgic.

SunKissed Lola’s “Pasilyo” was performed beautifully by IU as a present to MA-AENAs, and it left us in awe of the feelings and hues she added to the song. “When I first heard this song, I liked it a lot and practiced it. I was happy while singing this song,” she stated. She sang 28 songs in three hours total.

But it wasn’t just IU that was well prepared for the reunion. The MA-AENAs were there in full force to make sure the singer had the best possible concert experience and to remind her of the electrifying energy of the Filipino concertgoers. Indeed, all of the efforts were worthwhile, as IU expressed her gratitude for all of the love she received that night, showering the audience with approval and words of encouragement. She added, “I was very happy,” after the fan event at the “I Stan U” stage. She frequently expressed her awe at the fans’ enthusiasm and beautiful vocals as they joined in throughout the performance.

“Ito ay langit! Mahal ko kayo,” she remarked, praising the fans’ lovely voices and thanked them for their support. She awarded the Filipino concertgoers 300 points, placing them at the top of the list. She said, “I’m really, really happy tonight. Napakasaya ko. Bawal magkasakit,” and mentioned how incredible the performance was. “It’s really the best day,” she stated, assuring that she would return as soon as possible rather than waiting another five years.

IU sang “Palette” to close the 2024 IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT, writing a new chapter in Philippine musical history. Above all, the performance demonstrated IU’s continual achievement and artistic development and her humility and genuineness, reverberating strongly with the unwavering dedication of MA-AENAs.

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The 2024 IU HEREH WORLD TOUR CONCERT IN MANILA (BULACAN) was presented by PULP Live World. Special thanks to PULP Live World.