Photo from Khrizvyy
Event
[CONCERT RECAP] CL, EPIK HIGH, PENTAGON, KARD, & More Deliver Passionate And Memorable Performances At “HALLYUWEEN 2022” in Manila
Some of the biggest Korean music acts gathered and presented unforgettable performances last weekend during the biggest Halloween K-Pop costume party in the Philippines, Hallyuween!
CL, Epik High, Pentagon, KARD, DJ Soda, GAHO x Kave, BGYO, and Philippine drag queens spent an evening full of spookiness, music, and fun with their Filipino fans in the recently-held concert called Hallyuween 2022!
Despite the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Korean artists who graced the one-of-a-kind event made sure that all the attendees had the best of their lives. They delivered a 4-hour-long setlist consisting of some of their greatest hits, while donned in eye-catching and interesting costumes and fancy makeup.
Hallyuween 2022 was presented by one of the well-known concert organizers in the country, Pulp Live World. It took place last October 29 at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Aptly described by the organizer, Hallyuween 2022 is the “biggest, baddest, and best K-Pop Halloween costume party in the Philippines.”
HIGHLIGHTS
DRAG QUEENS AND GAHO X KAVE’S AMAZING PERFORMANCES
As soon as the opening stage began, the crowd filled the venue with loud cheers and overflowing energy. Appearing in grandiose red, black, and white outfits coupled with loud makeup looks, the Filipino Drag Queens Lady Gagita, Lady Morgana, and Minty Fresh kicked off the festivities with their enthralling performances of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi,” Ariana Grande’s “Break Free,” and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”
With their amazing stage presence and entertaining talking segments, the three individuals definitely did a great job setting the night’s mood. They kept the audience engaged with their witty comments, eye-catching dance moves, and incredible lip-syncing skills.
At the end of the trio’s set, the crowd surely had big smiles on their faces as they anticipate the next performers who will tear up the stage.
With a clear aim to hype each member of the audience, GAHO x Kave then took the Philippine stage for the first time. Before starting their set, KAVE played an introduction music consisting of blaring drum and guitar sounds. At this moment, the crowd is giving their all by putting out roaring cheers and waving their respective penlights.
GAHO then appeared on the stage wearing all-black ensembles while looking handsome and fresh as ever. Starting off with the famed official soundtrack from Itaewon Class titled “Starting Over,” GAHO displayed his powerful vocals and amazing stage presence. Even though he sang alone, he was able to prove that he is one of the best singer-songwriters in the industry.
The artist then performed another crowd-favorite titled “Running,” which was also from the drama Itaewon Class. During this time, GAHO took the opportunity to get closer to his fans by going down the stage. While singing the lyrics to the inspiring track, the singer greeted the audience warmly with a bright smile on his face.
Afterward, he expressed his desire to hold a solo concert in the Philippines after receiving so much love from his Filipino fans. Of course, GAHO’s setlist would not be complete without presenting his latest singles “Beautiful Night” and “High.” Both tracks are incredibly catchy, leaving everyone in complete awe.
KAVE also did not miss his chance to rock everyone’s hearts. They showcased their incredible instrument-playing skills while walking up to the center of the stage to see the crowd’s reaction. GAHO then joined them shortly after to present their rendition of BLACKPINK’s “How You Like That.”
“We hope that in the future, not just for the reason of the Halloween festival but just for the reason of our own tour, our independent event, we will be able to come back and perform in front of all of you,” GAHO said before closing his segment with a hair-raising performance of “Right Now.”
PENTAGON AND BGYO SETS THE STAGE ON FIRE
The next part of the show is focused on the well-rounded group, PENTAGON. Despite being incomplete, the group managed to pull off an evocative performance. Brimming with so much power and confidence, the group opened their set with one of their latest tracks “Feelin’ Like.”
This was followed by lovely renditions of “Sparkling Night” and “Beautiful Goodbye.” Wooseok then expressed their happiness to be back in the Philippines saying, “The chance to come to the Philippines is the biggest thing that we love about Hallyuween, and be given the chance to perform with our makeup and costumes is fun. To think about it, it’s been so long since we’ve done this. I think we’ve done this one time right after our debut. We are very excited.”
The rest of the members also did not forget to acknowledge the presence of their Filipino UNIVERSE in the audience.
PENTAGON then performed their bop “Call My Name,” displaying their overflowing energy while encouraging everyone to sing along. Moreover, the group finished off their set with the fan favorite “Shine.”
The Filipino boy group, BGYO, who debuted in 2021, was among the artists who graced the event. Members Mikki, Akira, Gelo, JL, and Nate showcased their impressive singing and dancing skills as they performed their hit songs ‘The Light” and “The Baddest.” Of course, they did not forget to serenade attendees with the song “Kundiman” and surprise their dearest aces with a performance of their newest song “Magnet.”
As the only P-pop boy group on the roster, BGYO expressed joy for being a part of such a significant event alongside some of the best K-POP acts. They remarked, “We didn’t think twice when we knew that we were invited here. Of course, the K-pop artists, they are our idols. It is a dream come true.”
From vocals to their choreography, BGYO’s performances were impressive. They did an outstanding job of highlighting quality Filipino talent.
KARD AND EPIK HIGH STUN FILIPINO FANS
Next to perform is the co-ed group KARD, composed of J.Seph, Jiwoo, BM, and Somin. The group already visited the Philippines in 2018 for their WILD KARD tour.
KARD opened their stage by belting out the songs “Ring the Alarm” and “Oh Na Na.” Their creative and sophisticated Halloween costumes made their performance a whole lot better.
During their talking segment, the members shared that they missed the energy of the Filipino crowd. They also highlighted how special the food is in the Philippines and expressed a wish to dine at Jollibee one day.
The quartet continued their set with “Red Moon,” “Don’t Recall,” “Dumb Litty,” and “Bomb Bomb,” which left the audience speechless. Through their performances, the co-ed group was able to prove why they deserve more recognition and why they are considered one of K-Pop’s best when it comes to stage presence.
South Korean hip hop legends EPIK HIGH took the stage next and immediately hyped up the audience with their song “NO THANXXX.” During their spiels, Tablo, Mithra Jin, and DJ Tukutz energetically greeted their fans. Proving they are the best at fan service, they even threw a signed T-shirt to the audience, which made everyone dance and jump throughout their performance.
They then continued their performance with their hit tracks “Burj Khalifa,” “Born Hater,” and “Don’t Hate Me.” Without a doubt, EPIK HIGH knows how to put on a spectacular performance!
CL TURNS UP THE HEAT AS THE HEADLINER
When the audience felt the show couldn’t get any more passionate, the iconic ‘Naega Jeil Jal Naga’ began playing in the background. Talented soloist CL tear up the stage with a “SPICY” performance, followed by “HWA” and “The Baddest Female.” Her stylish outfit and edgy makeup look matched the vibe of her songs and as well as the spooky theme for the night.
CL then delivered an emotional rendition of “5 STAR” before heightening fans’ excitement and energy again with “Tie a Cherry” and “Dr. Pepper.” Treating GZBs to a wonderful experience, the soloist walked down the stage with her bright smile on and interacted with some of the audience, while belting out the lyrics to “Lover Like Me.” GZBs cheers got loud when she performed “MTBD” again after a long time.
For the last part of her segment, she made sure that everyone had a great time. “Hello Bitches” served as her final song of the night, which everyone enjoyed and jammed with.
“Manila, thank you so much! I gotta say, thank you so much for coming out tonight. Please be safe out there. I hope to see you very soon. For my tour, hopefully, right? Thank you for all the love, the energy, and this beautiful night. I love you!” she said.
DJ SODA’S WONDERFUL CONCLUSION
The last act for the night is the ever-so-beautiful Korean DJ Soda, who has performed at many music festivals across the world. While donning an attractive Spiderman costume, the artist blasted off blaring EDM music to conclude the night on a fun note. Her bubbly personality also stood out when she interacts with the attendees and encouraged them to dance.
Overall, Hallyuween presented a unique concept that the Philippine concert scene has never seen before. It brought the artists and fans together to enjoy music and celebrate an evening filled with costumes and spooky treats. It was such a fun and spine-chilling event that fans would remember for the rest of their lives.
Thank you to Pulp Live World for the invite to Hallyuween 2022 in Manila.
Photo credits Khriz Virgilio and Pulp Live World
