K-pop group THE BOYZ in a backstage photo taken during the Manila stop of their 'Zeneration II' concert tour at the Mall of Asia Arena, August 25, 2024. Photo from THE BOYZ's X accountSince their entry into the K-pop scene in December 2017, boy band THE BOYZ have visited the Philippines on several occasions. Their appearances include a local staging of a Korean music show in 2018, a fan-con in 2019, and music festivals such as K-Verse and KWAVE, as well as their own headlined “Zeneration” concerts.

Beyond performing on local stages, members Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, New, Q, Haknyeon, Sunwoo, and Eric have immersed in the country’s natural beauty, filming the music video for their 2023 single “Lip Gloss” in the famed surfing destination of Siargao.

Given their deep connection with the country, it wasn’t surprising when Eric referred to Manila as his “hometown” during the recent stop of the group’s “Zeneration II” world tour.

“To be honest, I missed you guys so much but since I’m here right now, I can’t be any happier. It’s great to be back,” Eric, one of the group’s English-speaking members, told the crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena early into the concert.

“Manila always feels like my hometown. I mean it when I say this,” he said.

And it seems like reuniting with their Filipino fans felt like reconnecting with old friends, as Kevin warmly greeted the crowd in his opening remarks: “Kamusta bestie? Masaya ba kayo? (How are you bestie? Are you guys happy?)”

“Eyy ka muna eyy,” he added, dishing out a trendy Filipino expression to the delight of fans.

Kevin even cited the country’s recent triumph at the Paris Olympics, giving a shoutout to double gold medalist gymnast Carlos Yulo. “I’ve been watching clips of the Olympics and you guys had a moment in Paris… Shout out to my man, Carlos [Yulo],” he said.

Bigger impact

“Zeneration II” comes a little over a year after the group’s last solo concert in the country. Despite the familiarity, the boys intended to show fans, fondly called The Bs, that they could elevate their performances even further.

“Zeneration is THE BOYZ’s concert brand,” Hyunjae explained via an interpreter. “This is now Zeneration II. We came here to show a bigger impact to you guys.”

THE BOYZ wasted no time in delivering on that goal with an exhilarating opening set. Decked in all white, the group launched into “Diamond Life,” “Out of Control,” and “Maverick,” the numbers enhanced by dazzling background visuals of otherworldly and futuristic landscapes, laser lights, and fountains of sparks shooting up from the stage’s perimeter.

For those unfamiliar with K-pop, an 11-member group may seem overwhelming, but THE BOYZ demonstrated that there is power in numbers with their dynamic and intricate choreography: they seamlessly shift formations, break down into smaller groups before reuniting as a cohesive ensemble, and execute the moves in synchronization.

Beyond the technical precision of their dancing, it was the members’ confidence and stage presence that truly buoyed their performances. Their movements were far from mechanical; instead, they flowed naturally, reflecting the boys’ self-assuredness and the refined showmanship honed through years of experience.

There were also moments when THE BOYZ roamed around the stage freely and engaged with fans, such as in “Complete Me,” “Fantasize” and “D.D.D.” Similar to the previous “Zeneration” concert, the band energized the crowd in “D.D.D,” encouraging them to jump along.

The group slowed things down and set a more intimate mood with “Walkin’ In Time,” “Horizon,” “Survive the Night,” “Back 2 U” and “Hurt Me Less,” allowing their vocals to take center stage.

“As we were singing our ballad songs, I was able to look at you guys, I was really touched because you guys were full of love,” Juyeon said.

THE BOYZ also treated fans to an unreleased track, the reggaeton-sounding “Bite Back,” keeping the energy high as they proceeded to roll out singles “Reveal,” “The Stealer,” and “Watch It.” During “Watch It,” Kevin surprised everyone by going shirtless, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the crowd and astonished reactions from his bandmates.

Despite its video being filmed in Siargao, THE BOYZ did not perform “Lip Gloss,” though they sang a snippet of its chorus after Juyeon shared that he wanted to return to the island.

WATCH: K-pop group THE BOYZ films 'Lip Gloss' video in Siargao

Loyal, passionate fans

Before ending the show, presented by DNM Entertainment, with “Fire Eyes,” THE BOYZ expressed their gratitude to Filipino The Bs.

“Thank you so much for being such loyal and passionate fans. It was such a great time tonight. I wanna be back as soon as possible,” Kevin said. “Thank you for the memories. I hope you guys had as much of a memorable time as we did.”

Eric echoed the sentiment, saying, “Manila, it feels like you’re our hometown, so it’s always great to be home.” He also assured fans that the group would continue to deliver better music and performances.

Fans might not have to wait long as the members teased that their new album would come out soon.

“Thanks to your energy that we received, we’ll keep it up until our next concert. We'll prepare well for our next comeback,” Younghoon said.

Jacob kept his final message brief but memorable, opting to serenade fans with a snippet of Zack Tabudlo’s hit “Binibini.”

READ: K-pop star Jacob of THE BOYZ covers Zack Tabudlo’s ‘Binibini’

Juyeon, meanwhile, made an appeal that sent fans into a state of kilig (giddiness or romantic excitement): “‘Wag kayo tumingin sa iba, sa akin lang (Don't look at anyone else, just me).”

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