Simula At Wakas - Hong Kong Day 2

(Mon Oct 13 2025)

My first international concert

… and I am glad it was for a Filipino act. Obsessed with everything this represents. 🇵🇭

I’ve always dreamt of this, following an artist in multiple asian stops of their tour. For years it was a dream I had for my favorite band: Paramore. Unfortunately their last tour (2023) didn’t include Asia and to be honest it still stings 😬⚡️

While waiting to board our flight, I was recognized by a co-fan because I was wearing my 7sins cap. She showed me her Ken photo card and asked if we're going to HK for the same reason. My shyness kicked in 🙈 so I just nodded and proceeded to explain to bestie how they found out. We didn't get to interact again. I'd probably just be awkward again. So this is the life of an introvert fan 👻

My 2nd SB19 concert

After the kick-off concert in Philippine Arena, I’ve been craving for more. Preferably on a smaller stage because Lower Box seats in the Philippine Arena is just too far for my poor eyesight.

Okay maybe it’s not even that I wanted to see them closer as much as I just wanted to experience it all again. And maybe it’ll always be like this from now on.

Before the show started, we ate somewhere and met two A’TIN who were also in a world tour with the boys, going to as much stops as possible. They are going to Japan the next week. They were even currently booking tickets for ACON (December 2025) in Taiwan where SB19 will perform. Am I jealous? Yes.

Philippines vs international stops

The kick-off back home will always be the concert that’s more grand, from the number of creatives involved alone. I actually like the idea that the best show was the one at home. Made in the Philippines, for Filipinos.

And yet, for this stop, despite having a small crowd (around 2000 pax maybe), everything felt premium. On top of the group’s 100% performance, as expected, It still had the lights, the LED at the back with a diff concept per song, the lyrics at the back, W3 (their dancers).

I have no complaints.

I got my money's worth and I got to travel too.

Baby A'TIN already bringing a casual

For the first time my bestie’s likes and mine have aligned. She’s been into KPOP since forever, and she was more than happy to finally relate to me now that I found PPOP (SB19). She has been my go to for fan culture and jargon. We’ve been comparing nonstop since.

Some weeks later and we found ourselves arranging this international trip. And we’ll go on another one in 2 weeks, this time for her fave: Seventeen. (let’s count: Seventeen, A’TIN, (SB)19 haha get it??? 🤓🌽🙈)

We may not have the best seats (we were barely lifted, standing attendees almost blocking our view), we still had the best time. I requested bestie not to watch concert fancams online so that she’d experience it for the first time (just like what I did for the kick-off).

She kept on changing her bias after every song 💅🏼 and she could not let go of the “simula at wakas” concept with DAM starting and ending the concert (I told her this already but she was not prepared on the very brilliant execution ⚡️). Her only complaint was that she expected Pablo to be more hyper during spiels.

I also had her (unintentionally) hooked to their newest song: Umaaligid 😂. Too bad it's not part of the setlist.

Let there be light 🚦

I have recently learned that it's not always okay to bring a lightstick by a different artist in concerts. Some might see it as disrespect to the artist. So Yey brought her mini Caratbong to SB19's concert because we weren't sure.

My favorite part about the Elesbi (and the free wristbands, I even brought the ones from kick-off) is that it will automatically connect and light up during the concert. No need to do anything. A lazy girl's dream.

My highlights

DAM performance (encore) is my number 1 reason for wanting to watch again. During kick-off, it was more theatrical and they spent a lot of time running around that big stage (they deserved it). I am craving to see it like this because this was the exact performance/choreography that made me a fan a few months ago.

My other favorite parts were:

1. that time stopping intro
2. Jah’s Dungka pamalo 🥢 (You can hear me giggling when I rewatched my fancam)
3. Pablo’s almost birthday
4. their solo parts in SLMT
5. Crimzone drip drip (I was more lax this time than during kick-off)
6. the cutesy dance in Shooting For the Stars (we didn’t have this for kick-off day2)
7. Mana and Gento’s dance breaks
8. Ken was hyper and overall happy that day 🥹🥹🥹

Didn't realize that fashion would be a part of this fangirling life (sorry @ husband 💸💸💸). Lately I've been heavily inspired by Ken and Jah's style. I just randomly find myself wanting to buy bags, glasses and jewelry that looked similar (keyword: similar) to what they wore. I even went shopping for those exact items on this trip.

So imagine my shock to find out that this time we (me + jokentin) were all wearing a ring watch at the same time 💍🤙🏼. Found out days later though, from ofifi's post. All 5 of them were wearing Fossil watches.

Fancams

Okay displaying my fave again before I start my rant:

As mentioned already, we don't have the best seats. Now that I've rewatched my fancams I am very disappointed. I am better than this 💆🏻‍♀️. Looking back from Paramore's concert in 2018 (will attach link here when I finish migrating old blogs) where I was able to sneak in a professional camera, my fancams now seemed low effort and low quality. That's despite the fact that my phone is new. I guess it's a sign that I had fun, but still.

Also, knowing I will post on my blog, why didn't I just take pictures instead of screenshot-ing blurred moments? 🤡

I barely have the 5 of them in view.

Just found myself reflecting how to take better fancams/photos. I remember how sore my arm got from raising my phone. I'll make bawi for the next con. This is now serious for me as a former photo hobbyist 😂

Preordered merch I could not buy in the Philippines

Merch is always out of stock back home. The quality of each one is so good that production/logistics takes time (maybe). My only available option at this point is the preorder for international stops and I took this chance.

Downside was there were no paperbag to put my purchases in, and I bought a lot hehe. Elesbi's box alone was huge already. Had to buy 2 x 1HKD plastic in 711.

How ironic is this? My idols, Filipinos based in the Philippines, and yet I couldn’t get a hand on their merch in our own country. I also just purchased Simula at Wakas and 7 Sins (Felip) CDs that's only available in Japan. SB19 is international indeed 🤙🏼

Elesbi (SB19 lightstick)

Finally got my Elesbi! It's so pretty and high quality (I already accidentally dropped it) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

After charging my Elesbi, the A'TIN's next to us, who we chatted with a bit by this point, told us I can actually remove the thingy at the bottom of the stick for type C chargers to work. Mind blown 🤯. I appreciate how well thought off this is. There's so many tiny details to admire about SB19 and 1z entertainment and this accessibility is one of those.

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Wakas, at simula ulit

Maraming SLMT Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin 🙏🏼

See you again soon 👀