K-pop singer Taeyeon poses with the crowd during the Manila leg of her 'The Tense' concert tour at the Mall of Asia Arena, March 29, 2025. Photo from Taeyeon's X account

Kim Taeyeon emerged atop a raised platform, greeted by a wave of ecstatic cheers. Dressed in a studded white gown, a birdcage veil and a golden-feathered headpiece, the fair-skinned K-pop star exuded an ethereal presence. As gold confetti rained down, she stood poised like royalty, towering above the crowd, flanked by her live band and backup dancers.

“Darling, I’m a masterpiece, a work of art,” she sang, launching into “Fabulous” to officially kick off the Manila leg of her “The Tense” concert tour at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday.

The song is filled with bold declarations of self-confidence, with the singer even calling herself as one’s “favorite star.” Yet with Taeyeon on the mic, the lines never come across as narcissistic; they simply feel like undeniable truths. Within the context of the concert and her stature in the K-pop scene, they serve more as an affirmation of her star power.

The 36-year-old songstress, after all, is a member of Girls’ Generation, one of K-pop’s most influential female acts. And beyond the group, Taeyeon, who boasts 18 million Instagram followers, has also built a thriving solo career, releasing several chart-topping hits since 2015. As she later shared during the show, “The Tense” is a celebration of her decade-long journey as a soloist.

“It’s the 10th year of my debut as a solo [artist] this year. That’s why our show tonight, I actually had it directed towards this 10th-year anniversary theme, so it really means a lot to me” she said through an interpreter.

For a little over two hours, Taeyeon delivered a packed 25-piece setlist spanning her 10-year solo career, from her debut anthem of empowerment “I” to tracks off her latest extended play “Letter To Myself.” In doing so, she showed audiences why she remained an enduring figure in the fiercely competitive K-pop industry.

Vocal prowess

Taeyeon’s vocal prowess was on full display throughout the concert, soaring effortlessly through stratospheric notes in songs like “I,” “Time Lapse” and “Blur.” Each time she unleashed the might of her voice from her petite frame, she left the audience in awe. In “Blur,” she even let out a whistle note.

But Taeyeon wasn’t all about high notes. She indulged in vocal histrionics during “Melt Away,” a track laced with jazz hues, while in the laid-back heartbreak tune “What Do I Call You,” she showcased airy, breathy vocals along with a subtle growl.

She also poured raw emotion into her performances, bringing to mind the long-running fan joke that her passionate delivery makes it seem as if she has lived through multiple divorces.

“My Tragedy,” in particular, was among the night’s most memorable performances, with Taeyeon performing the song from a raised platform at the center of the stage, bathed in blue lights. Behind her, visuals of crashing waves ebbed and flowed in sync with the song’s swelling intensity, creating a sonic and visual spectacle. “Grabe!” one nearby spectator exclaimed in awe.

Taeyeon’s repertoire extends beyond ballads. As an idol, her discography includes a range of sounds, from the relaxed vibe of “Blue Eyes” and “To.X,” to the angsty pop-rock energy of “Letter to Myself” and “Disaster,” and the infectious grooves of “Weekend” and “Heaven.”

The production was nothing short of spectacular, befitting a star of Taeyeon’s caliber. There was no shortage of confetti, bubbles floated through the air, and eye-catching background visuals and laser lights helped elevate the performances.

The effects were especially prominent in choreographed numbers, such as “Hot Mess,” where flames shot up along the stage’s perimeter, and “Cold As Hell,” which featured a dramatic moment when a cloth suddenly dropped over the B-stage, obscuring the main stage as Taeyeon and her dancers’ silhouettes were projected onto it.

‘Beshie’

Taeyeon may be a pop diva, but to her Filipino fans, she is their “beshie,” a Filipino slang term for “best friend.” 

The crowd chanted “beshie” early in the concert, an endearing nickname she had embraced before. 

“Beshie?” she asked to clarify, before quickly reassuring fans, “I remember.” 

And how could she forget? “In my memory, this is actually one of the places with the best cheers,” said Taeyeon, who last performed in Manila in 2023 for her “The Odd of Love” tour.

At one point, the cheers grew so loud that Taeyeon could only say, "Wow!". She even remarked, “I guess you guys have louder voices compared to me.”

After scanning the crowd, Taeyeon couldn’t also help but notice the many “cute fans” in the audience. She pointed out a fan in a suit adorned with lights on the upper floors and repeatedly thanked another near the stage, who donned an egg costume inspired by her Taenggeu egg doll, even completing a hand-heart gesture with them.

“I think because there’s lots of cute and funny fans, it makes the vibe so much better,” she said.

The fans called SONE (pronounced “sowon,” the Korean word for “wish”) truly made the concert a more enjoyable experience. In another notable moment, they rose to their feet, waving heart-shaped light sticks and pink cloths as they sang and jumped along to “Weekend,” “Stress,” “Why,” and “Baram X 3.”

Before wrapping up the concert—presented by PULP Live World—with “U R” from her debut EP, Taeyeon expressed her gratitude to her fans for the surprises they had prepared, including the egg-shaped hand banners. “It’s so touching. Thank you so much. I really love all these love messages,” she said. 

“Beshie tayo forever,” she said, sparking another round of enthusiastic “beshie” chants from the crowd that she imitated with a deep voice.

“I’m very grateful that I’m able to spend this time with you and I hope that you can actually remember this for a very, very long time,” she said. “Salamat po. Masaya ako.”