K-pop girl group ITZY during a press event for the Manila stop of their ‘Born To Be’ tour. Photo from ITZY’s X accountMANILA — The “passionate love” of Filipino fans has become a hallmark of ITZY’s visits in the Philippines, with the members of the K-pop girl group considering it as the best part whenever they come to the country.

“We cannot actually forget the passionate love that we received from the MIDZYs last year, so we’re really eager to feel that again,” Yuna said through an interpreter in an interview with ABS-CBN News, a day before the group took the stage of the Mall of Asia Arena for the recent Manila stop of their “Born To Be” concert tour.  

“The reason why I actually said passionate love is because the volume, the decibels of the cheers of our [fans called] MIDZYs are really loud,” she explained. “It gives us a feeling that they really waited for us and love us.”

The “Born To Be” concert marked ITZY’s return to the Philippines in less than a year, following their appearance at the 2023 Asia Artist Awards in Bulacan last year. In 2023, the band also went to the country for their “Checkmate” tour and a brand-sponsored fan meeting.

This time, only Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna took the stage for the “Born To Be” concert as Lia continues her hiatus due to anxiety. The group's vocalist is expected to return with ITZY’s upcoming album later this year.

Recalling the group’s previous “Checkmate” concert in the Philippines, Ryujin said, “[The fans] were really impressive to us because they were really passionate and they enjoyed the full stages with us.”

“We couldn’t forget that energy so we came back with the ‘Born To Be’ concert too.”

The “Born To Be” tour, held in support of the group's sophomore album, kicked off in Seoul last February and has since made stops across other parts of Asia, Australia, the Americas and Europe.

Given the physical demands required in touring, the members make sure to engage in self-care activities. “For me, I actually spend time alone, doing meditations, writing diaries, so that I can get myself back to the routine,” said Chaeryeong.

ITZY has been a constant presence in K-pop since its smash debut in 2019 with “Dalla Dalla.” For Chaeryeong, “I think the biggest reason [for our success] is because we’re showing the process of our growth to our audience.”

Their demanding schedules have prevented the girls from taking a vacation. But if given the opportunity, they dream of exploring the Philippines’ famed beaches. “I heard Boracay is a good resort so if there's an opportunity, we'd like to visit there,” Yeji said. — With a report from Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News

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