(From left to right) Posters for the concert films of K-pop acts Blackpink, Seventeen and BTS member Suga, all of which were screened in Philippine cinemas in 2024. Photo from the artists' X accounts

Joan Vinluan was there when chart-topping Korean singer IU mesmerized thousands of fans at the Philippine Arena during her “HEREH” concert in June 2024. Just a few months later, in September, she found herself at the Mall of Asia Arena, where girl group Red Velvet took their own supporters on a nostalgic journey through a decade of hits at their anniversary fan concert.

Earlier this year, Vinluan witnessed nearly the same performances — but this time, not inside a concert venue. Instead, she was in cinemas. As she settled into her seat, the silver screen lit up with IU’s powerful vocals and Red Velvet’s signature harmonies.

“Para ka pa din nasa concert,” Vinluan, 26, said in an interview about her concert movie experience. “Nandoon pa rin ‘yong excitement.”

(It’s like you’re still at a concert... The excitement is still there.)

Nicca Sobrejuanite, a 28-year-old BTS fan, shared Vinluan’s sentiments. She headed to theaters to watch the cinematic cuts of the group’s “Yet to Come” Busan concert in 2023 and member Suga’s “D-Day” tour in 2024.

“Hindi mo mararamdaman na nasa sinehan ka kasi nga, malaki ‘yong screen tapos ‘yong sounds, para kang nasa concert talaga,” she said.

(You won’t feel like you’re in the cinema because of the big screen and the sound, it really feels like you’re at a concert.)

“‘Yong plus points kasi doon, marami kayong fans so parang nanonood ka talaga ng concert, walang nangingialam sa ’yo kung paano ka lang manood, enjoy ka lang,” Sobrejuanite added, noting how fans in the theater would cheer and let out giddy shrieks at the sight of their idols on the screen.

(The plus point is many of those watching the movie with you are fans, so it really feels like a concert. No one minds how you watch the film. You can just enjoy it.)

A poster for a screening of Red Velvet's 'Happiness Diary: My Dear, ReVe1uv' concert film at a mall in Pasay City, February 22, 2025. Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News

More K-pop acts are bringing their concert films to the big screen, a trend that gained attention from South Korean media in 2024. This trend has reached the Philippines, with K-pop concert films—though not new—experiencing a noticeable uptick in local screenings.

These cinematic offerings usually include footage from a particular stop of a concert tour, as well as livestreamed screenings of shows as they take place in South Korea (or, in some cases, Japan). They feature a diverse lineup of acts, from global superstars like BTS and Blackpink to beloved veteran acts like IU and Highlight, as well as new-generation stars like RIIZE and IVE.

ABS-CBN News tried to interview mall cinema operators but was unsuccessful.

However, a tally on SM Cinema’s X account showed that the mall cinema has announced screening for six K-pop concert films since January. In 2024, they held screenings for 10 films.

Meanwhile, Ayala Malls has shown three concert films in 2025 so far, including a 4DX experience for a Tomorrow X Together film in select theaters, based on ABS-CBN’s count on X. In 2024, Ayala Malls screened six films.

Local cinemas also screened concert films featuring BTS and Mamamoo in 2023.

In addition to concert films, local movie houses have also shown documentaries centered on K-pop acts, including BTS members RM’s “RM: Right People, Wrong Place” and Jungkook’s “Jung Kook: I Am Still,” both released in 2024. SHINee’s 15th anniversary documentary film was also screened in November 2023.

Audiences

These films appeal to various segments of the K-pop fandom, mainly to those who “cannot afford to attend an onsite K-pop concert,” said Erik Paolo Capistrano, a professor at the University of the Philippines who researches the business side of K-pop.

Live concerts can be a costly experience, with VIP ticket prices reaching up to P20,000 in some instances.

Capistrano said concert films also cater to fans who are unable to attend the live event on the scheduled date, as well as those who simply want to “relive the experience” after seeing the show in person.

These films also give Filipino fans the opportunity to watch performances from groups that do not include the country in their tour stops, Capistrano added. For example, “aespa: World Tour in Cinemas,” which screened in the Philippines last April, allowed local fans to witness the female quartet’s “Synk: Hyper Line” concert despite the absence of a Philippine stop.

Filipino fans of aespa with their lightsticks during a block screening of the girl group's concert film at a mall in Mandaluyong, April 27, 2024. Kevin Alabaso, ABS-CBN News

Given how the concert films feature performances that are filmed on multiple angles, including close-ups and stage-wide shots, they also offer fans “the best seat in the house.”

“You feel as if you’re in the front-row seat,” Capistrano said.

Some films incorporate interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and backstage moments, weaving a narrative into the performances that goes beyond the concert experience.

“Mas special kasi ‘yon kasi makikita mo how they put up all the efforts to make it sa concert, ‘yong struggle and all bago mag-umpisa ang concert,” Vinluan said of the behind-the-scenes clips.

(Those clips are more special because they show the idols’ efforts to make it to the concert, the struggles and all before the start of the concert.)

No replacing live concerts

But Capistrano stressed that concert films can never truly capture the feeling of witnessing the show in person. “Being in a live concert is still a completely different consumer experience,” he said.

“‘Yong kultura natin ng (Our culture of) fan chanting and participation in fan events will not be as genuine or involved if you’re watching it from a theatrical release,” he explained.

“Kahit gaano kaganda ‘yong audiovisual setup mo to simulate the real concert experience, it’s still not gonna capture it,” he added.

(No matter how good your audiovisual setup is to simulate the real concert experience, it’s still not gonna capture it.)

A photo wall during the media screening of 'Tomorrow X Together: Hyperfocus' at a mall in Makati, January 9, 2025. Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News

While the theatrical release of K-pop concert films has become a trend, it remains unclear if it will last. The local box office performance of these films remains a question, though Filipino fan bases frequently organize block screenings.

Some of these concert films also eventually land on streaming platforms like Disney+ and Prime Video, while some acts offer livestreaming for tour kick-offs and encore shows through fan community platforms like Weverse.

“But [concert films are] not gonna replace, obviously, the current business model that we have. People would still go for the live concert if they can and then they would treat the recorded as consuelo de bobo if they cannot,” Capistrano said.

Some fans, like Vinluan, hope these films become a regular offering. “Hopefully maging permanent part na siya ng K-pop kasi ‘yong mga fans naman na ‘di nakakanood ng concerts, may chance sila na mapanood,” she said.

(Hopefully, concert films become a permanent part of K-pop because fans who can’t attend concerts will have a chance to watch them.)

— With a report from Sam Bernardo, ABS-CBN News Intern