Not their first, second, nor third.
Self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN (aka SVT), namely Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino, sans their leader S.Coups, returned to Manila for the fourth time for the PH leg of their “Ode To You” World Tour.
The 3-hour long, one night only concert which started on time was a combination of SVT’s signature synchronized dancing, unique unit performances, colorful theatre-like set, and hyper, dashing young men capturing hearts left and right.
Fans’ will amid the rain, COVID-19 threat
Wearing protective masks amid novel coronavirus (COVID-19) threat, fans from all walks of life braved the rain Saturday to witness the group perform live at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Inside the arena, Globe K-MMUNITY STUDIOS booths were installed where some fans danced to the group’s songs, took pictures with SVT—inside the booth or in front of the group’s backdrop. By posting their photos, videos in the booths using the hashtag #GlobeKpop, they get a chance to win official SEVENTEEN Ode To You merchandise from Globe.
An explosive start
PH Carats, SEVENTEEN’s official fan club name, held their Carat bongs–the group’s official light stick, illuminating white lights, as they screamed watching the concert opening VCR.
The moment the clip ended, fans went into a frenzy when Jeonghan suddenly popped out at the center of the 2nd stage. Sporting black neck warmer hovering over their mouths, other members then walked in simultaneously from different corners of the stages to stand in their positions as they opened the floor with “Getting Closer.”
The boys also performed an old track from their 2nd EP, “Rock” which leaves you singing the lines “rock my head~2x.” Following immediately is “Clap” with intense, addictive choreography, including clapping, of course.
Before moving unto the units’ segment, SVT sang two hit songs that showcased their emotion-evoking vocals and dramatic choreography: “Thanks” and “Don’t Wanna Cry.”
Distinct unit performances
Aside from their powerful, synchronized dancing, SVT is also known as a group that houses 3 specialized subunits: HipHop, Vocal, and Performance.
Starting off the unit performances, the members of the HipHop team composed of Vernon, Mingyu, and Wonwoo sans S.Coups, with shooting target circles hovering over them, rapped to the rearranged version of their unit song “Trauma” in an almost laid back manner.
During “Chilli,” the three members of the HipHop unit were more chill and playful as they went closer to the fans.
Flowy white curtains were dropped from the top as a background set for the Performance team’s dramatic stage of “Lilili Yabbay.”
Discarding the velvety robes they wore in the previous song, the Performance unit including Hoshi, Dino, The8, and Jun danced hard to “Shhh,” which has faster beat and movements than the former performance, highlighting the unit’s high-level dance skills.
Lastly, the Vocal unit sang “Hug,” with mellow, heavenly vocals which entranced everyone. Waving their Carat bongs, fans silently supported them and went ‘woaah’ after their performance.
The Vocal team namely Woozi, Jeonghan, Joshua, Seungkwan and DK ended the unit segment with another ballad titled “Don’t listen in Secret.”
Theatre-like special stage
Aside from hard-hitting choreography, SVT is also known for musical-like stages too. For this tour, they had theatre-like production numbers with stage props.
Wearing suspenders and stripes, the boys radiated youthful energy as they performed their debut song “Adore U.” Whenever the “아낀다 (akkinda)” part came up, fans also did the signature hand movement while chanting the word.
During “Pretty U,” the 13-membered boy group was very playful. The8 and Mingyu even had a dance battle. The colorful background effects changed too for this stage.
Still vibrant, the background-led changed yet again for “Oh My.” In between the song, the members suddenly danced in slow motion, like a robot then returned to normal speed again.
SVT’s praises for PH carats; Manila Carats are the real Carats
During the introductory ment, Hoshi, the main choreographer, was so amazed by PH Carats’ big energy. He was equally hyper too and said the atmosphere in the arena is so hot that night.
The group also taught fans how to do the ‘Ode To You’ chant. Since the fans were so good at it, they earned a thumbs up from Hoshi.
On the second ment, the boys tested if the fans know how to sing their other songs which were not part of the setlist.
Fans impressed them since PH Carats did know the other songs. Dino, the youngest, then remarked, “I think the Manila Carats are the real Carats.”
In the ending ment, some members mentioned how thankful they were for PH Carats filling this “very big arena” despite the rain.
They also mentioned how touched they were with the fans’ undying energy all throughout the concert.
When fans sang along “Smile Flower”
During “Smile Flower,” PH Carats filled the arena with white lights as part of the fan project for this song. Some used their phones’ flashlight and others their bongs. The group performed this ballad with strong emotions. It was very moving and heartwarming. The English line, Joshua and Vernon, both shared some words in between the song.
“Do you guys remember this song? This song is actually a message for you guys,” Joshua with a smile on his face told the fans. Vernon then said that if the fans know the lyrics then he invites them to sing together.
Akin to a choir, PH Carats sang the whole chorus beautifully as the members watched in awe.
Dino’s surprise birthday greeting
Dino’s birthday, Feb 11, is three days after the concert so fans prepared to greet him happy birthday in advance.
During final ment, Dino mentioned he saw the card/banner the fans were holding during “9-TEEN.” Those cards were made for his birthday project. He said it was his first time celebrating a birthday with fans.
Tracks from the latest album “An Ode”
SEVENTEEN also performed three tracks from their latest full-length album “An Ode”: Hit, Fear, and Happy Ending (Korean Ver.)
All three songs’ stages showcased what the group is known for: powerful, fast-paced choreography.
Very nice, energetic ending
“Walang uuwi (nobody’s going home).”
Those were the words chanted by fans when the boys said there’s only one song left.
The translator explained to the members what the words meant and in turn, they replied, chanting: “너무해 (neomuhae)” which meant “so mean.” Then one member jokingly said that even though they might not be able to go home, they still have to sing their next song.
Vernon and The8 then hinted the “last” song, which was “Fear.”
After a long break, the 13-membered boy group returned to stage donning specs and casual t-shirts paired up with denim pants. They performed “9-TEEN,” a very youthful sounding song, with this boyish look.
SVT’s real ending song was “Very Nice (아주 Nice).“
The arena turned into a big disco floor as fans jammed to this classic SVT hit. Just like their last concert here, the group repeatedly performed this song in front of the fans like a broken record. The youngest had a solo dance break but Seungkwan, one of their funniest members, stopped him and challenged him. But the Jeju-native, the older member did a funny dance break that left the whole arena laughing.
The boys also summoned one of their best dancers, The8, to do B-Boying to the tune of “Very Nice.”
More than 20 songs in total
From Pledis Entertainment, SEVENTEEN performed more than 20 songs in total including “Can’t See The End”, “Good To Me,” and special subunit Boo-Seok-Soon’s “Just Do It,” which was hotly received by fans. “Ode To You in Manila” was made possible by PULP Live Productions and Globe Telecom Inc.
