“Manila Sweet as Vanilla” as captioned by NCT 127’s Jaehyun on his instagram post during his overnight stay here in the Philippines for their first ever full concert in Manila.
The much awaited and most sought-after concert, the NEO CITY: MANILA – THE LINK went on full swing last September 4, 2022 at the Mall of Asia Arena. The one day concert’s tickets were SOLD OUT but PULP LIVE WORLD released some d-day tickets for those PH NCTzens who weren’t able to get a ticket during the ticketing sales period.
It’s no surprise that NCT 127 is captivated by the loud screams and cheers that come with having a concert here in the Philippines. But to actually see them get hyped and hype the fans in return is a surreal experience.
Here’s #THELINKTourManila in a Nutshell:
NCT 127 Puku puku paw paw-ing their way on stage, signaling the start of their concert.
Their powerful ‘Kick It’ performance signals the start of their most awaited concert in Manila. With the iconic puku puku paw paw intro to the Let me introduce you to some new thangs, they proved to their fans just how astounding their performances are just from the first song.
“The Link is a link that arises from the Dream”
Johnny first asked the crowd if we knew why their concert was called ‘The Link‘ and when the crowd answered no, he passed on the mic to Mark for the explanation. And of course, Mark Lee would be ready with an explanation beginning it with “The link is a link”. This made the crowd laugh at his goofiness.
After the initial laugh, Mark continued on with his explanation saying that the ‘link is a link that arises from the dream and that we are all connected through that dream’.
The vocal powerhouses of NCT 127
The members are known to have various writing credits and producing credits as well. The oldest, Taeil, is one of those members that have written and produced some songs. Along side their maknae, Haechan, these two vocal powerhouses of NCT 127 performed a duo song called ‘Love Sign‘ which wowed the crowd with their vocals and Haechan’s fluid dance moves.
Another vocal powerhouse is none other than Kim Doyoung, with his performance ‘The Reason Why It’s Favorite’. The crowd’s screams were deafening but as soon as Doyoung hits the high note, the crowd goes silent, goosebumps were felt, and everyone was gasping with how amazing he was. There is a reason why he’s our favorite too!
“AYO Manila”
And the crowd goes wild! Mark Lee inserts ‘AYO Manila‘ during his solo performance ‘Vibration’, which made the fans go insanely whipped for the boy.
“The moonlight and you guys are my light”
NCT 127’s leader made everyone’s jaw drop with his ‘Moonlight’ performance. Stunned is an understatement, everyone was simply hooked with how Taeyong moves his body and with how he carries himself as he raps and sings. Don’t get everyone wrong though, being stunned doesn’t mean NCTzens screamed and cheered any less.
A Night filled with Sexy Charisma
Yuta, Jungwoo, and Johnny are known for being great dancers. Their solo performances proved that indeed! With Yuta’s Butterfly, Jungwoo’s Lipstick, and Johnny’s Focus performance, the crowd’s excitement was off the roof!
Getting LOST in Jaehyun’s voice
Everyone was astonished with Jaehyun’s solo performance ‘Lost’. The perfect mix of his sultry voice and his handsome visual, the performance was indeed something you’ll remember forever.
Dreams do Come True
It’s been a dream for NCTzens to see NCT 127 have their full concert here in Manila, and after years of waiting, they finally were able to hold their first concert in the Philippines! The boys kept going on about wanting to have more than 1 day concert here and they kept saying that they’ll come back soon and with new songs to perform.
A MEME to remember and the Language Error
During concerts, MENTs are usually the part where everyone just comes and gets to know the fans. They usually tell the fans how grateful and how amazing it feels to be in the country they are in. It’s no different in Manila, the only thing is that there was a slight comedic language error.
As the night comes to an end, NCT 127 bids their farewell with ‘Promise You’ and a meme to remember.
We would like to thank PULP LIVE WORLD and SM Entertainment for bringing NEO CITY: THE LINK to Manila!
