EXO visiting the country twice this year is a rare gift.
All Access Production’s announcement that they will headline MBC Show Champion came as a surprise. They were here last May for their successful Elyxion tour stop.
From the red carpet to the main show, the South Korean super group dazzled the audience.
EXO’s opening performance was their hit song “KokoBop,” which was a bittersweet performance for all EXO-Ls (fandom name) like us. You see, the MBC Show Champion was the last time that they will be performing the song. They will start performing songs from their latest comeback album “Don’t Mess Up My Tempo” after the show.
The hashtag #TheLastKokoStop even trended in the Philippines and worldwide last Oct. 28. The song went viral last year through the KokoBop challenge done by both fans and nonfans and was the most tweeted song in 2017.
We were extra energetic and chanted our hearts out as it was the last time they will perform the song for events.
After “KokoBop,” EXO performed “What U Do” and “Boomerang” while walking around the stage to get closer to the fans. EXO members made sure to try to reach every fan, even waving enthusiastically to the fans on the second and third floors. It’s only been five months but it was evident all Filipino fans really missed them with the way they screamed and cheered for them.
Good vibes
During EXO’s ment (introduction), the boys spoke briefly about their new album. Kai said that they received a lot of energy and good vibes from hearing the cheers and seeing the fans that will help them have a good comeback. While doing the ment, Baekhyun even danced a brief spoiler for their new song, “Tempo,” that intrigued a lot of fans.
EXO ended the show with their amazing performance of “Power,” which is another special treat for us Filipino fans. The song earned prestige after they performed it during the 2018 Olympics, but for EXO-Ls this song is our ultimate pick-up song that encourages us and gives us strength because of the song’s message and energy. During their solo concert, “Power” was performed as a remix. This time, for MBC Show Champion, the performance included the iconic spin of member Kai. Every Filipino fan in the venue felt both proud and grateful to finally witness the powerful spin.
EXO’s time in Manila this time was short but sweet. That brief moment they had with us fans made all the sacrifices worth it. As they exited the stage, the members were shouting “I love you” and “Thank you Philippines,” a gesture we will cherish until we see them again.