November 7, 2015 – Currently on their second bustling world tour, Infinite blazed through the Mall of Asia Arena, leaving behind a lingering effect to thousands of Inspirits (how their fans are called) and K-pop enthusiasts alike.

The boys of Infinite are no strangers to our shores. They have come here at least twice before this year – the first was during the Dream K-pop Fantasy Concert and then during their first world tour titled “One Great Step” which both happened in 2013. It is no wonder, therefore, how they easily exuded a sense of familiarity with thousands of Filipino Inspirits.

The two and a half hour concert showcased the Infinite’s outstanding vocal prowess, sharp dancing skills and their unfaltering charisma. Sungkyu, Dongwoo, Woohyun, Hoya, Sungyeol, L and Sungjong treated the crowd to an evening of enlivening music. The concert also underlined their growth as performers.  Having debuted in 2010, Infinite’s musicality and image has greatly matured, and their concert exemplified just how and why they are a force to be reckoned with in the industry of K-pop.

The evening started ablaze with powerful tracks such as “Before the Dawn”, “Destiny” and “Tic Toc”, to which the crowd fervently sang and danced to. Eventually, the mood fell into the sweet tunes of “Love Letter” and “Walk to Remember” which enthralled the majority.  There were also the magnetic special stages which featured solo performances by Woohyun (“Everyday”) and Sunggyu (“Kontrol”). Their sub-units also got their time to shine.  The hip hop-centric Infinite H, composed of Hoya and Dongwoo, left the crowd in awe with “Sorry I’m Busy” and “Pretty”. On the other hand, Infinite F’s Sungyeol, L and Sungjong softened up the mood with “Heartbeat” and “My Girl”.

Inspirits also got their much awaited “moments” (so to speak) with Infinite. One thing that made the concert very special is the personalized interaction between the band and their fans. “Fanservice”, as it is called, was abundant. From throwing paper planes and plushies, reaching out to people in the front row and unbridled eye contact, fans had the time of their lives with the band. 

Even more noticeable in the concert was Infinite’s lingering affinity towards Filipino Inspirits. During their short speeches, each member tried his best to convey their messages in Filipino, and well, it was glorious. From Sungjong softly stating “Ikaw ay akin” (You are mine); to L fondly declaring “Ako ang inyong boyfriend” (I am your boyfriend); to Woohyun frantically screaming “Mahal ko kayo!” (I love you) followed by the infamous teleserye line “Merong forever!” (There’s such a thing as forever), the audience was beyond amused with the effort they put into actually learning about our language as well as bits of our culture.

Hoya, however, took the cake as he expressed his sentiments completely in Filipino: “Na-touch ako sa support at pagmamahal ninyo ngayong gabi. Maraming Inspirit na umiiyak kapag lumalabas kami. Wag kayong umiyak. Babalik kami. We promise. Manatili kayong masaya at malusog.” (I’m touched by your support and love tonight. Many Inspirits cry when we appear. Don’t cry. We promise to return. Remain happy and healthy.) Suffering from a leg injury, Hoya was mostly kept in the sideline during most of the concert. His statement, which he uttered earnestly, was moving, to say the least.

The high point of the concert was towards the end as Infinite performed some of their strongest hits including “Back”, “The Chaser” and “Bad”. The evening’s ending proved to be quite sentimental as the band sang “Together” with white petals of confetti falling and floating in the air. The boys took their time to go around the ramp to bid their goodbye to the crowd.

Infinite’s solo concert was undeniably better this time around – the stage, grander; the crowd, a lot livelier. The uproarious reception they got here was well deserved. Infinite Effect was memorable for everyone inside the Arena. Inspirits had the time of their lives. Likewise, the members of the band seemed like they did, too. After all, they actually did say that this was their best concert yet.

*Special Thanks to Pulp Live World

Words by: Sandra Mae Laureano
Photos by: Cent Sulit