HAPPINESS : My Dear, ReVe1uv Manila
September 14, 2024
Saw an advertisement from Philippine Concerts about Red Velvet holding a fancon and that they will be performing ~20 songs. Bought a ticket on impulse (it was quite pricey!) I have this feeling about older kpop groups – I want to listen to them live even just once, as I knew they will be in line for indefinite hiatus or even disbandment. RV in particular I was fond of since debut. Their latest release, Cosmic, was a recent earworm. Another motivation was a crush I was nursing on someone who I knew was a fan of RV. I just knew that he would attend and had that wishful thinking of us bonding over it.
Messaged Grace immediately after buying the ticket and confirmed she was also attending. Yay!
Weeks before the concert, I made friendship bracelets to give/trade to ReveLuvs. I came to know this was a thing during BBH con last April. Just followed Grace and bought bracelet making kits from Shopee. I made group, member, and song themed bracelets. I really liked the process, it was kind of therapeutic. Also, my crush even liked some of my bracelet posts!
On concert day, I went out around 10:30 AM and it was raining. I asked my father to drive me up to the transport terminal. Ended up around Imus. I met Grace at SM MOA. We ate at Easy, Tiger. She was set to go to Thailand to attend another concert and figured it would be good practice for her (she hates spicy food though). Almost everyone at the food hall looked like they were going to the con. We talked mostly about life, classmates, and about Red Velvet. After lunch, we made some trades with other fans. I did small talk. I got a lot of cute stickers!
Went to Tim Horton’s after and met with Grace’s friends Tala, Joyce, Yela, and Jojo. Did more trades and had more chit chat. Also went with them to their AirBnB room and witnessed how they dressed up – they all had light sticks, matching RV jerseys, and cute braided hair. It was really fun talking to them. Even joked about how I look like I am their manager (Pan de Regla, I called them). I know I typically shy away from strangers and that I intend to make myself small on similar occasions, but I did not this time (?). I am thinking that it is because I was surrounded by fellow fangirls, so there’s common ground. An immediate no-judgment kind of vibe. Must be concert high as well. Or maybe they’re just people I like the energy of.
Come concert time, I didn’t know the lyrics (duh, it’s in Korean) and realized I was not that much of a fan. I had a good time, nonetheless. They were all so pretty! It’s a blessing to even be in Irene’s presence. The girls sound equally amazing live, the way they harmonize melt me in my seat. Even if I didn’t know a number of songs, I will still go just for Cosmic alone!
The upperbox section energy was off the charts! The person seated on my right was really funny and made a lot of entertaining side comments. I even shared with him the setlist I pulled from Reddit. The man seated on my left though! He came with his girlfriend I think. Between the two of them, he was obviously the fan. Sometime during the concert, I could hear them arguing in a dialect. What a fucking bummer.
Ate with Grace and the girls at Gringo’s after con, and we gushed about RV some more.
It was Baku qualifying as well, so during commute I tuned in (albeit the laggy mobile data)
I didn’t even get to meet my crush. We had a bit of a chat regarding the concert but that’s about it. Months later I discovered he went with another girl during this concert. So, so much for that. At least I had a good time!
