Partying under Taeyang’s light

You gotta love the fan service king. —PHOTOS FROM @__YOUNGBAE__/INSTAGRAM AND RUTH L. NAVARRA

The show opened with a stage light so bright it momentarily blinded the audience, forcing everyone to either close their eyes or look down. Taeyang—whose name means “sun” in Korean—emerged in an unbuttoned, glittery marching band jacket that revealed a white shirt underneath. He wore sunglasses, even with the spotlight behind him.

For the next two and a half hours, he was the brightest presence at the “The Light Year” concert tour, held at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena on Feb. 22.

“I wanted to express my love for you. I came up with the title of the show ‘The Light Year,’” Taeyang told the crowd. “As many of you know, it means the distance of light. The true meaning behind it is I wanted to share our countless distances that we spent and walked through together throughout this show.”

Taeyang’s fluid movement has become a blueprint in the K-pop industry.

And the BigBang member walked that journey with his VIPs (the name of his fandom) the entire show. Behind him, LED visuals featured the sun in its different positions, along with stars scattered across the universe.

Soulful vocals

He opened the show with “Prayer,” followed by “I’ll Be There,” and “Vibe.” He then moved on to “1 AM,” “Stay with Me,” “Make Love,” and “Inspiration.” His soulful vocals filled every corner of the MOA Arena, perfectly capturing the smooth, emotional essence of R&B. He also played the keyboards showing his range and musicality.

But perhaps one of the best treats of the night was his dancing—effortless yet powerful, each movement echoing the rhythm of his soul. He pulled off the most captivating turns onstage, every single one sharp, fluid, and impossible to look away from. Taeyang’s moves may even remind you of some of today’s younger idols. It’s not a surprise, since many of them grew up looking up to him.

After the show, he posted on Instagram that he loves Manila “palagi.”

He wrapped up his tour in the city after touring parts of Asia and Australia, but he expressed his love for Manila in different ways.

“Manila, you guys are amazing, fantastic, magical, the best of the best, wonderful, and I love you,” he said.

‘Palagi’

He then surprised everyone by performing “Palagi” by TJ Monterde. It was so unexpected that the audience requested he sing the song again, which he gladly did. His artistry was obvious in the way he made the song his own without losing the quality of the original that made it so memorable.

When the stage lights hit and Taeyang takes over, it’s not just a performance. It’s an experience.

One of the things you appreciate about Taeyang as a performer, especially when taking on a local song, is his enunciation. Fans discovered that he had the Filipino lyrics written in Hangeul on the teleprompter so he gets every word correctly.

Fans excitedly cheered when he performed BigBang songs such as “Bang Bang Bang,” “We Like 2 Party,” “Loser,” “If You,” “A Fool of Tears,” “Blue,” and “Fantastic Baby.” Everyone in the audience seemed to know the lyrics to these songs. The same goes for his solo hits like “Wedding Dress,” “Ringa Linga,” and “Eyes, Nose, Lips.” He chose the songs “Superstar,” “Body,” and “Nightfall” for his encore.

As a seasoned idol, his fan service is topnotch. He gamely wore different headdresses, including a sun plush, and walked around wearing them.

“Thank you, Manila for making the last day of this tour meaningful and unforgettable. Thank you, salamat po. I love you, mahal ko kayo,” he told the audience.

Taeyang is an artist who is known for setting boundaries with his fans. In the audience at MOA Arena, you could hear the fans murmur among themselves to not shout and interrupt him too much when he’s doing his ments (talking parts). This is the comfort level that they have with him. They could joke with him, but knows where the line is and when to stop. It’s a fascinating dance to watch: Taeyang and his loyal fans enjoying their time together.

I asked the girl on my left if there had been lamp post banners for Taeyang prior to the concert.

“Fans of younger K-pop generations tend to do that, no? We just woke up today, wore our best clothes, put on our makeup and went here to watch the show,” she told me in the sweetest voice, while holding her Bang Bong (the BigBang lightstick).

Taeyang’s legacy is tightly woven into BigBang’s—and honestly, so much of what we know and love about K-pop today started with them. They set the tone, the vibe, the energy. K-pop isn’t just about music, it’s about the experience, the joy, and the connection. Even if you don’t speak the language, you feel it. And for a few hours, surrounded by people who get it, you’re reminded how special this is.