Jisoo in PH: Lights, love, and a lot of laughs
Who knew that watching a mini crafting session could be so nerve-wracking? Well, leave it to Jisoo to make a rather uneventful activity feel like a roller coaster of emotions.
In the “Love” segment of her recent “Lights, Love, Action!” fan meeting at the Araneta Coliseum, the South Korean pop star—and one-fourth of the girl group Blackpink—was tasked to decorate an acrylic frame holding a photo card and a CD of her debut solo EP “Amortage”—a one-of-a kind gift for a lucky fan.
“You guys all know about the album-decorating skills of Jisoo, right?” the event host Jessica Lee asked the crowd.
Amid a chorus of yeses, Jisoo shook her head in disagreement.
“It’s something I’m not very confident about. But because this is for my fans, the Blinks, I will try to do my best,” she said, looking up and clenching her fists, as if trying to summon every ounce of her creative juices.
‘Mahal kita’
Sitting at a table chockfull of knickknacks, Jisoo set to work. And things started out innocently enough: She gave a heart-shaped sticker a kiss before putting it on the frame; she learned and scribbled the phrase, “Mahal kita,” along with her autograph; she did a little ASMR tease using a box of charms; and made sure to add a sticker title of her latest record—just for a bit of promo.
A sticker of Jollibee’s peach mango pie inevitably caught Jisoo’s eye; she just had it earlier that day, she said, feigning little nibbles. And while at it, the camera zoomed into her hands showing off her impeccable manicure. But one look at her long nails and we knew they were going to give her trouble.
And she knew that better than anyone else. “My nails… Ah!” the singer-actress said while making a cute clawing gesture.
But she was determined. Biting her lip and furrowing her brows, Jisoo had a go at it. But try as she might, her nails just wouldn’t latch on and let her peel off the sticker’s release paper. It was a struggle. And the crowd couldn’t help but giggle in between cheers. “Tulungan niyo na, parang awa niyo na!” a fan shrieked.
Jisoo had been sticking just about everything to the center of the frame. And at this point, the fans, at least from where we were seated, were begging their beloved idol to distribute the trinkets more evenly. And for a moment, they almost had it.
Where should she put the jeepney badge? Should we let the fans decide? Hoisting the frame for everyone to see, Jisoo pointed at the empty spots to see which one would get the loudest response. Should she go for the one on the top-left corner? A resounding, almost desperate “Yes!” Or perhaps top-center? “No!” the fans clamored.
That settled it then… or so the audience thought. Jisoo raised the glue gun and flipped her hair. And with a mischievous grin—this couldn’t possibly be a good sign, we thought—she said, “Are you ready?”
Before long, the anticipation and smattering of nervous giggles turned into screams of panic and amusement, as Jisoo pumped hot glue exactly where the crowd told her not to. If there was any consolation, though, she did use the glue to write her name in Hangul. And in the end, the fans were left laughing and catching their breaths. Because what else could one do after such a cheeky betrayal?
“Do you like it? Really?” said Jisoo, all cute and naive, as if she hadn’t just put everyone through the wringer just a few minutes ago.
There was a lot to love about this fan meeting—games, interviews, and of course, musical performances—but it was in such spontaneous and unguarded moments and interactions where Jisoo shone brightest.
Elegant presence
As a performer, Jisoo cuts a captivatingly elegant presence onstage. And among her more rambunctious peers—Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé—Jisoo’s warmth and quiet strength help create equilibrium within the group’s dynamic. But on her own, in a more casual environment like this one, Jisoo can let her hair down and break out of the polished, decorous image, and show her quick wit and playful, at times goofy, personality on full display.
And that you could also see in the way she bantered with her fans, the way she covered her mouth in embarrassment after describing herself as “tough, cool… and cute,” the way she delivered unwitting punchlines with a sly, straight face, the way she sort of instinctively and jokingly threw a limp wrist upon learning what the word “charot” meant, and the way she so eagerly played a game of movie-themed charades with the fans in the show’s “Action” segment.
Nothing about what she did felt halfhearted, and not at any point did Jisoo seem like she was just going through the motions. Whatever she did, she did with an infectious smile that never left her face. Performing and spending time with her fans always make for precious memories. And this fan meeting in Manila—mounted by Collective Touring Philippines—was no different.
“Today is my first fan meeting with you, and I think that’s a good memory,” Jisoo said through an interpreter during the event’s Q&A segment dubbed “Lights.”
Dreamy pop romps
True to form, her performances of “Amortage’s” dreamy pop romps—“Your Love,” “Tears,” “Hugs and Kisses,” and “Earthquake”—were all tastefully sultry, with choreography that banked not so much on explosiveness, but on precision and grace. A smooth swivel of the hips here, a fluid windmill of the arm there—just enough to accentuate the music’s sensuous, undulating beats.
Jisoo had to learn new choreography, she said. And while she admitted to feeling butterflies in her stomach, it didn’t show in the way she effortlessly commanded everyone’s attention. “Actually, I was feeling tense at first. But once I was onstage, and once could see the faces of all my lovely Blinks, that gave me a lot of encouragement,” she said.
For her encore, Jisoo hopped off the stage to get closer with the fans. Fittingly, she sang “All Eyes on Me”—the B-side to her debut solo single, “Flower”—as she roamed around the venue, waving and blowing kisses to the gaggle of adoring fans swarming her.
“I was actually very much looking forward to this day. I was a little worried. But right now, spending time with the Blinks, I guess it was so much fun that the time just flew by. I really really just want to tell you how happy I am,” she said.
She would do the same for select ticket-holders during the send-off. And this time, we got lucky. As she made her way through the sidelines, Jisoo stopped in front of our row, formed a heart with her hands, and did a little dance.
Back onstage, she tossed red heart-shaped plushies to the crowd. “Mahal kita! See you soon,” she said, waving to the fans. “I don’t want to leave!”
Neither did the fans. But at the very least, Jisoo and her fans—just as the fan meeting had promised—managed to “piece together fragments of love” to create their very own “amortage,” or “love montage”—something to remember each other by until their next meeting.
Perhaps in a Manila stop—fingers crossed—of Blackpink’s upcoming reunion tour? There is no word yet, but hey, one can always hope. For now, she navigates the industry as a solo act—a pursuit daunting and fulfilling all at once. And for the fans’ steadfast support, Jisoo would always be grateful.
“As I took on new challenges, there were some crazy moments, but the Blinks gave me the courage to keep going. I’m always so grateful, and I love you all the most,” Jisoo wrote in a parting message flashed on the screen. “Let’s keep making great memories together, let’s remember today for a long time. Love you lots, Blinks!”
