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You did it, EXO-Ls and Dandanies! Kyungsoo is now officially part of the barkada, and Manila proved it in the loudest, warmest way possible.
On August 16, 2025, the SM Mall of Asia Arena was filled to the rafters with glowing lightsticks, roaring cheers, and endless love as Filipino fans came together for the long-awaited 2025 DOH KYUNG SOO ASIA CONCERT TOUR <DO it!> IN MANILA, proudly presented by Wilbros Live.
Simple Joys
The SM Mall of Asia Arena was a wave of white as fans arrived in a unified dress code. Hours of heavy rain had left Kyungsoo worried, but the sight of a packed venue quickly proved him wrong. Manila showed up, and it showed up ready.
He opened with Do You Remember?, followed by Nobody Knows It, Wonder, Mars, Where You Were, and Simple Joys. From the first note, the exchange of energy was unmistakable. Kyungsoo carried a lightness that fans immediately noticed, with many remarking that he seemed more playful and at ease than usual. It may have been the comfort of familiarity, as Manila has welcomed him time and again, each time filling the venue.
Kyungsoo shifted gears with a brief R&B section, sliding into Fit and I’m Gonna Love You. The pivot was deliberate, showcasing a vocal texture often likened to dark chocolate: smooth, layered, and indulgent in its richness. Against the clean simplicity of the earlier tracks, this turn into R&B created a different atmosphere, one that drew the audience deeper into his range as a performer. The contrast did not fragment the show but instead added dimension, keeping the crowd attentive to every change in mood and style.
While much of K-pop has embraced spectacle, complete with elaborate VCRs, stage effects, and tightly choreographed routines, Kyungsoo chose a different path for his first solo concert. Stripped of ornamentation, his performance relied on nothing more than a four-piece band and a voice that carried the weight of the evening. The restraint was striking. His vocals never faltered, soaring through high notes with the ease of breath itself, proof that technical precision and emotional depth can outshine any production flourish. When talent is that innate, presentation becomes secondary.
That clarity of focus did not mean the evening was without playfulness. Kyungsoo leaned into a brighter register, launching into Popcorn, 5 Minutes, and his latest title track, Sing Along! from the album BLISS. The change in tempo jolted the arena into motion. At his request, fans rose to their feet, cybershades lighting up in unison as part of a coordinated project. The effect was both whimsical and electric, a reminder that even without heavy staging, atmosphere can be built through the simple exchange of energy between artist and audience.
During the EXO Medley, Kyungsoo stepped backstage and allowed the Filipino fans to take the lead, a crowd long recognized as one of the world’s most accomplished singing countries. Their voices carried Don’t Go, The First Snow, and Growl through the arena with remarkable precision. When Love Me Right reached its final section, he returned in a new outfit to sing the bridge, a technically demanding passage few performers attempt. His voice remained precise and controlled, cutting through the room, reminding the audience whose song it was.
After the medley, Kyungsoo paused to share a simple observation: performing EXO songs brought him genuine happiness. He noticed that the audience mirrored his energy, their voices and reactions confirming the shared sentiment. In response, he extended the set with one additional track, choosing Peter Pan as a way to sustain the dialogue between performer and crowd.
Kyungsoo signaled a change in the concert’s tempo, entering a more contemplative segment that emphasized the texture and resonance of his voice. He performed slower tracks from his discography, including It’s Love, My Dear, and I Do, allowing the subtle dynamics, tonal control, and emotional depth of his singing to come forward. The shift offered the audience a moment of intimacy amid the spectacle, highlighting the versatility and expressive power of his artistry.
Kyungsoo explained that, in creating his albums and songs, he sought to convey messages of resilience and courage to fans who might need them most. He introduced the next segment of the concert as a reflection of these intentions. The set included That’s Okay, with its reassuring refrain, “It’s okay, even if it’s okay,” a reminder that one need not struggle to justify their feelings. He followed with I’ll Be There, whose title signals its promise of support, then Draw My Path, a meditation on identity, endurance, and self-authorship. The segment concluded with In Another Life, a contemplative exploration of love and connection that persists across time and circumstance. The careful curation underscored his aim not simply to perform, but to communicate a sustaining, empathetic vision to the audience.
He “ended” the night with Somebody, a title track from his second album EXPECTATION, the quotation marks implying a tease rather than a conclusion. The audience refused to accept the finale, breaking into a synchronized rendition of Popcorn that coaxed him back on stage and extended the performance beyond its supposed end.
Love to Love U, Doh Kyungsoo
“I wouldn’t have come out if you guys weren’t singing well!”
Kyungsoo engaged the audience with playful teasing during the encore, gradually slipping into a full barkada mode and participating in the spirited “bardagulan” that Filipino EXO-Ls are known to bestow upon his group and group members.
From playful teasing when the crowd cheered instead of singing on cue, to the familiar chant of “iiyak na yan!” after the heartfelt fan-made video, Kyungsoo navigated a constant back-and-forth with the audience. When he joked that he was crying inside, the fans refused to believe him, prompting him to regain their attention with a burst of the Popcorn chorus. The exchange felt less like a concert and more like a reunion, a lively karaoke gathering in the spirit of Filipino fan culture.
The fans matched him at every turn. They executed flawless fan chants, coordinated intricate fan projects, and displayed a Kaboom banner reading MANILA AND DOH KYUNGSOO, PERFECT FIT, PERFECT CHEMISTRY, which he later referred to as the “Popcorn banner.” He performed ROSE, his first title track from EMPATHY, adding subtle choreography despite the song’s original lack of dance. Even in the final stages of the concert, his energy remained tangible, a clear reflection of the joy he felt returning to Manila.
He closed the evening with an encore of SING ALONG!, urging the audience to stand as he moved energetically across the stage while confetti filled the air (author’s note: the scene I recalled the scale and fervor of EXO’s Tokyo Dome tour, with Kyungsoo running across the stage in the same uncontainable way. Lawd). It was obvious he did not want the night to end, and it was easy to see why: the Filipino audience had given him one of the most passionate and unwavering receptions in the world, singing, cheering, and celebrating with every note.
Kyungsoo’s night in Manila served as a vivid reminder of his raw talent and the distinction he holds in the K-pop industry. As a member of EXO, he has long been part of a global phenomenon, yet his solo performance confirmed that he commands the stage entirely on his own. Every note, every gesture, and every interaction with the audience underscored a mastery that feels effortless yet rare. Fans left the arena already anticipating his next album, his next television or film project, or, hopefully, a return alongside his brothers for the long-awaited full-member EXO comeback, with Kyungsoo taking center stage as EXO’s main vocal powerhouse, going by D.O.
In Manila, Kyungsoo was more than a performer; he was a presence, a force, and a reminder that artistry can transform every expectation into bliss, let every heartfelt moment bloom, and leave the audience carried on a journey through sound, emotion, and sheer mastery.
Thanks to Wilbros for the media invite.
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