Life Couldn’t Get Better Than This: A Recap of SUPER JUNIOR Fan Party in Manila

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Super Junior hosted their Fan Party in Manila at the Araneta Coliseum, and it was a blast.

Aside from their usually electrifying Super Show series of concerts, for Super Junior, this event format was a first, but being the veteran K-pop superstars they are, they made sure to make it worth everyone’s time.

Hailed as the Kings of Hallyu, the group has been considered one of the most prominent K-pop groups globally since their debut in 2005. Now into their 18th year together, Leeteuk, Siwon, Eunhyuk, Yesung, Donghae, Shindong, Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and Yesung show that they are still on top of their game.

Their fans, officially called ELFs (short for Everlasting Friends), were still as devoted as ever.

Hours before the event, they had their own Fun Party at the Quantum Skyview at Gateway 2. Spearheaded by local fanbases, it became a venue for fans to meet each other, take photos and hand out freebies.

Presented by Wilbros Live, the stage production was top-notch, with preps and props on the same level as a full concert. Massive LED screens engulfed the stage background. An extended spacious T-stage was positioned near the lower box area. Lights, fireworks, sounds, and smoke were all harmoniously blended.

When the lights went off, the Big Dome glowed blue as ELFs raised their lightsticks and screamed their hearts out. Super Junior made their explosive entrance with “SUPER”, “Mr. Simple” and “Black Suit”.

During their introductory ment, leader Leeteuk greeted the crowd with a lengthy “mabuhay” that could be a contender in a Longest Happy Birthday contest. “Thanks for inviting us here! It’s raining hard outside now, but our love will keep you warm,” he said as he asked the crowd to cheer warmly for them throughout the evening.

The band members were visibly excited, smiling ear-to-ear, expressing how much they missed the Philippines and how thrilled they are to be onstage again.

“We actually came to see you guys more often as promised. Hope you have a great time with us tonight. We hope to show you a different side to ourselves besides the Super Show,” Eunhyuk said.

As fan concerts usually go, game segments are held in between song performances. However, what made SuJu’s Fan Party unique from all the rest is they hosted their own games with themselves as hosts, without the direction of external emcees. They only had two extremely passionate Korean native translators that spelled out their banter with as much excitement as them.

Their game series was called the “Welcome Gift Battle” wherein the members played games against each other in pairs. The winner gets to bestow a certain gift to the loser. Interestingly enough, the gifts had a distinctive Filipino touch. Engkanto set, Barong Tagalog, sandatang umiilaw, buko marakas and alagang loro were among the choices presented. Since the band members were unfamiliar with what the Filipino phrases meant, they chose blindly, resulting in some hilarious consequences.

There were four different games in total. Shindong and Donghae battled it out in Guess the Object with Eyes Closed. Kyuhyun and Donghae flexed their knowledge of modern music in 1-Second K-Pop. Guess the Money tested Leeteuk’s and Siwon’s ability to count money under pressure. Ryeowook and Yesung engaged in a Memory Dance Challenge.

Short spoilers of the games: Yesung was greatly amused by alagang loro, a parrot plushie that can record voices. Siwon played with the buko marakas which is a pair of maracas made of coconut shells. Donghae wore the engkanto set – a set of pink headband and wings, much like a fairy. Kyuhyun chose Barong Tagalog as his prize and wore it with pride, much like a dignified politician as they performed “Everyday”.

The game segments showed what makes Super Junior, the Super Junior. Except for their amazing stage performances, what made these men so beloved to ELFs is their innate quirkiness and their bond as a group. Most fans had seen them in a lot of variety shows over the years, but seeing it happen live in the Big Dome was special.

Games aside, SuJu’s versatile performances were still as thrilling. The group showed a more mellow side when they performed “My Wish” and “More Days With You”. The flashy stages for “House Party”, “Devil” and “2YA2YAO” were great hype songs. SuJu classics “Sorry Sorry” and “Bonamana (Rock Version)” induced a giant wave of nostalgia all throughout the crowd. For their finale, they performed “Miracle”, a song from their debut album.

At the end of it, a video prepared by FIlipino ELFs was played. It contained snippets of their memories here in the Philippines, as well as fans relaying their gratitude and support for the band. It ended with the message “Oppadeul, hold our hand tightly when we walk together, okay?” to which Leeteuk replied fondly: “We won’t just hold your hand, we’ll chain you to us.”

All of them expressed their gratitude to the fans and swore to come back soon.

Super Junior
Super Junior
Super Junior

Super Junior’s Fan Party was a blast for everyone. Their live performances are always a joy to watch. Their passion for performing and reaching out to the crowd still shines through. Beyond that, their special connection with ELFs who had grown and matured with them will always be there.

Special thanks to Wilbros Live!

by Sandra Mae Laureano

SETLIST
SUPER
Mr. Simple
Black Suit
Everyday
My Wish
Callin’
House Party
Devil
2YA2YAO
Sorry Sorry
Bonamana
More Days With You
Miracle

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