EXO-SC wraps Back to Back tour with electric Manila show
MANILA, Philippines — Park Chanyeol and Oh Sehun of the EXO sub-unit EXO-SC ended their Southeast Asian circuit in Manila to the roars of an estimated 16,500 crowd at Araneta Coliseum last Saturday. It was a full circle moment for the duo, whose likenesses appeared backstage on the historic venue’s wall of fame, together with fellow EXO members Kim Junmyeon (Suho) and Kim Jongin (Kai).
I became an EXO fan (dubbed “EXO-L” by the nine-member K-pop group themselves) in 2020 amidst the monotony of the pandemic lockdowns. A fortuitous encounter with their performance of Love Shot at the 2018 SBS K-pop Awards was an easy lure, most of all for the band’s synergy, charisma, and talent.
Deemed the “Nation’s Pick” in South Korea, EXO has represented their country on the global stage for 11 years, showcasing their socio-cultural influence and unique musicality at prestigious events, including the 2018 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony in Pyeongchang.
Fast-forward to three years later, I found myself at my first K-pop event — this fan meet, marketed with the tongue-in-cheek title of Back to Back. On meeting a seasoned fan at the venue and asking her what to expect, she shared, “Just let the spirit guide you.” I found this to be true as Chanyeol and Sehun kicked off their fan meet with a rousing performance of their hit What a Life, sweeping the crowd (and myself) into what can best be described as an affectionate delirium.
PHIXOS, or Filipino EXO-Ls, came dressed in yellow, following the fandom culture of country-coordinated dress codes to celebrate EXO-SC. In Singapore three days prior, for instance, fans had donned pink. Chanyeol took note of this concerted effort in the course of the fan meet, sharing, “It’s beautiful.”
The inaugural segment allowed fans a peek into their camera rolls. A memorable moment was Sehun’s playful photo on a monkey bar during a break from his recent drama, All That We Loved. Chanyeol, playing along, humorously labeled the picture as an “elementary school student.” In return, Chanyeol shared a photo at Changi Airport, surrounded by four stuffed bears, leading Sehun to joke, “five bears,” including Chanyeol.
An engaging telepathy game emphasized the duo’s chemistry, with both declaring a belief in extraterrestrial life. Chanyeol justified their response playfully: “Because EXO is an alien. We’re from EXOPLANET.” This paid homage to EXO’s longtime celestial concept — otherworldly beings with superpowers, like fire for Chanyeol and wind for Sehun — carving out a distinct identity in the global music landscape.
EXO-SC’s set list included 1 Billion Views, Borderline, Fly Away, Rodeo Station, and Just Us 2. The pair effortlessly transitioned between roles as vocalists, rappers, and dancers. Their amalgamation of various genres mirrored the dynamism of the Korean music industry, resonating with an international audience and emphasizing the enduring allure of EXO’s hits.
During a casual playthrough of their popular game show EXO Ladder, Chanyeol strummed the introductory chords of Yeng Constantino’s Hawak Kamay on a dare. This stirred nostalgia as the audience recalled EXO’s performance of the same track from their first Manila concert in 2013.
In response to deafening requests for an encore, Chanyeol acquiesced with an acoustic rendition of Radiohead’s Creep, a cover that has already garnered millions of online views. Subsequently, Sehun mesmerized onlookers with his flawless display of the choreography to EXO smash hits like Love Shot, Growl, and The Eve.
“I think I need to buy a house in Manila,” Chanyeol mused during the sold-out celebration, reiterating the sentiment during a special send-off session with chosen fans. Evidently, EXO has found a home on Philippine shores, endearing themselves to EXO-Ls in the nation and worldwide.
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