ATEEZ in Manila: Chaotic Good

I first followed ATEEZ years back when they participated in the Korean reality show Kingdom: Legendary War, where six K-pop groups competed against (and occasionally collaborated with) each other across several episodes. Although they ultimately did not win the competition, placing third, they left an impression.

Fast forward to 2026, and I finally got the opportunity to see them live in Manila during their ATEEZ: In Your Fantasy World Tour at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last 14 March.

Now, this was not the boys’ first show in Manila. They had been here before twice; first in 2022 in a joint concert with other acts, and then in 2023 for the Manila leg of their The Fellowship: Break the Wall. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to see them back then. This time around, I finally got the opportunity to see one of the K-pop groups I’ve always admired.

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As early as lunch time—hours away from the show—lines at the Big Dome were already long as A’Tiny (ATEEZ’s fandom name) queued up for entry strapping and merch. The atmosphere was one of collective excitement, with fans interacting, giving freebies, and generally having a great time even before they went inside the venue.

Of course, none of that matched the actual energy when show time finally came.

Right from the very beginning, when the lights dimmed and music emanated from the stage, the crowd already went wild—and even wilder the moment the boys appeared and began their concert with a high-octane rendition of their hit “Bouncy.” This was followed by an equally energetic performance of “Fireworks (I’m The One).”

In my mind, what has set ATEEZ apart from most other groups is how their music leans more towards hard-hitting beats and rhythms, closer to rock, a kind of organized chaos that is brilliant and good. However, they also know how to diversify, such as with one of my personal faves, the succeeding song “Blind,” which blends Latin beats with K-pop grooves.

Their opening got the crowd swooning and cheering for the various members as they introduced themselves and said hello to the fans: leader Hong-joong, San, Min-gi, Woo-young, Seong-hwa, Yeo-sang, Yun-ho, and maknae Jong-ho all got a wonderful taste of Filipino fandom as each of them addressed the audience in English (and, in the case of Min-gi, with a side serving of woof-woof rhythmic barking which the fans echoed).

What followed was a whirlwind of performances: both group numbers as well as solo stages by each of the members. While we may all have our biases—and I admit I went in most excited to see San (with his solo stage “Creep”) and Min-gi (with his solo stage “Roar”)—everyone’s performances were so amazing that I even picked up a couple of additional bias-wreckers: Hong-joong taking up the DJ booth before he launched into his rendition of “NO1” and Jong-ho’s powerful and emotional vocals for “To Be Your Light.”

Throughout the entire show, the energy of the band (and the audience) never wavered. Although there were quieter performances that helped give everyone a breather, the electricity always remained palpable. As the goodbyes were being said, the audience chanted, “Walang uuwi! Walang uuwi!” (“No one goes home! No one goes home!”), which was a true testament that no one wanted the night to end.

Of course, as the cliché goes, all good things do come to an end, but we know in our hearts that, judging by A’Tiny’s support and love for the boys and vice-versa, ATEEZ will return.