Super things we’re looking forward to in 2025

‘Wicked: For Good’

When the credits rolled after the first “Wicked” movie, our first thought was, “We need Part 2 now!” We’re still in for a long wait until the November release date. For now, we’ll enjoy the sing-along version which is already in cinemas, and we’ll let the many online videos of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo tide us over until the second film finally comes out. It will be a cryfest again for sure—we can’t wait to watch these queens perform “For Good.”

‘Squid Game’ Season 3

Watching “Squid Game” Season 2 is a very different experience from watching “Wicked” (in this world, pink does not “go good” with green). But by the end of it, we felt the same way: we wanted to watch the next part right away. Hopefully, we wouldn’t have to wait until November to get our next dose of “Squid Game.” We can’t wait to see the havoc that new doll, Chul-su, will bring.

Bianca Del Rio’s ‘Dead Inside’ tour

We’re ready to laugh and gasp as “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 6 winner and comedy queen Bianca Del Rio brings her “Dead Inside” tour to the New Frontier Theater on Jan. 17. Nothing is off-limits and no one is safe at this comedy show presented by LA Comedy Live. Get tickets via ticketnet.com.ph.

Seventeen’s ‘Right Here’ world tour

Seventeen will return to the country for their “Right Here” world tour at the Philippine Sports Stadium on Jan. 18 to Jan. 19. We’re readying our vocals, funniest costumes, and energy to party until our knees give out from dancing to the never-ending “Very Nice.”

N. Flying’s ‘Hide-Out’ concert

Korean rock-rap band N.Flying will hold a concert at the New Frontier Theater on Jan. 26. The five-member group includes Seunghyub, Hun, Jaehyun, Hweseung, and Dongsung and their song “Star” was part of the “Lovely Runner” soundtrack. Get tickets from Ticketnet.

‘Solo Leveling’ Season 2

A new episode of the second season of “Solo Leveling” airs every Sunday. We cannot wait for Sung Jin-woo to annihilate more beasts and get to the bottom of why he is the only hunter who can level up his skills. As a bonus, the original soundtrack “ReawakeR” by Lisa features Felix of Stray Kids.

‘Next to Normal’

The Sandbox Collective kicks off its year with Tony Award-winning musical “Next to Normal” at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater starting Feb. 1. The show, a powerful and moving exploration of family, mental health, strength, and healing, will be directed by Toff De Venecia, with musical direction by Ejay Yatco. Nikki Valdez and Shiela Valderrama star as Diana, Benedix Ramos and Vino Mabalot play Gabe, Omar Uddin and Davy Narciso are Henry, OJ Mariano and Floyd Tena play Dan, Sheena Belarmino and Jam Binay are Natalie, and Jef Flores plays Dr. Madden. Make sure you bring tissues or a hanky—there’s no way you’re walking out of that theater with dry eyes. Tickets available from Ticket2Me or bit.ly/sandboxn2n.

Baekhyun’s ‘The Best Day with Bench’ fan meet

We love everything about Baekhyun. We’ll see him again at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena for his upcoming fan meet “The Best Day with Bench” on Feb. 2. We’re looking forward to the segments and, of course, the songs he will perform for us.

‘Tanaw: The Repeat’

Filipino rock queens Acel Bisa, Aia de Leon, Barbie Almalbis, Hannah Romawac, Kitchie Nadal, and Lougee Basabas will return to the stage together for another run of their sold-out concert, “Tanaw.” The show will happen at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City on Feb. 9.

The OPM queens will be performing their biggest hits, collaborations, and new material. “Tanaw: The Repeat,” presented by Newport World Resorts in collaboration with GNN, will also feature a mini-orchestra led by The Manila String Machine. Get tickets via tanawtherepeat.helixpay.ph.

Bini’s ‘Grand Biniverse: The Repeat’

“Pantropiko” so good we had to watch them again for the fourth time and at the bigger venue. Bini will hold their “Grand Biniverse: The Repeat” at the Philippine Arena on Feb. 15. Blooms are ready to have fun again with Jhoanna, Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, and Sheena.

‘White Lotus’ Season 3

The third season of “White Lotus” will be available on Max and HBO starting Feb. 17. We are so ready to dive into another season of Mike White’s Emmy-winning series, this one set at an exclusive Thai resort. We’re going to miss Jennifer Coolidge’s presence, of course, but we cannot wait to see what Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Aimee Lou Wood, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, BlackPink’s Lisa (credited as Lalisa Manoban), and other cast members have in store for us.

Taeyang’s ‘The Light Year’ tour

The red carpet will be rolled out for Taeyang as the soloist and former member of Big Bang returns to the country for his tour “The Light Year” on Feb. 22 at the SM MOA Arena. It’s going to be one “Hot” night for sure.

‘Waterbomb’ Manila Festival

The first-ever “Waterbomb” Manila Festival will be held on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23 at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal, Manila. The roster of performers includes Kang Daniel, Sulreggae, Reddy, Lee Chae-yeon, DJ Roots, StayC, Yang Se-chan, Siena Girls, InsideCore, Viviz, Gray, and Hwasa.

Day6’s ‘Forever Young’ tour

Day6 returns to Manila with a bigger venue. The band will bring the tour “Forever Young” on Feb. 22 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. We cannot wait to listen to songs we’ve grown to love, including “I Wait” and “Zombie.”

Enhypen’s ‘Walk the Line’ tour

There’s no denying the deep bond between Enhypen’s lore and the Philippine Engene (their fandom). Of course, we expect that the world tour “Walk the Line” at the Philippine Sports Stadium on March 1 will be as special as their previous performances in the country.

‘Eraserheads: Combo On The Run’

We’ve been eager to watch Maria Diane Ventura’s documentary about the Eraserheads. Soon, we will, as it’s scheduled to be released nationwide from March 21 to March 23. “Eraserheads: Combo On The Run,” by DventPictures and WEU and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, promises to be an “unflinching portrait of the country’s most successful band of all time.” The film delves into the band’s painful breakup and what it took to bring them back onstage for their 2022 reunion. “This is a comprehensive deconstruction of the band’s mythology, humanity, complex relationship, and the lasting mark they left on Filipino culture—one that transcends generations and differences,” Ventura said. “Notorious for their guarded aloofness, I’m incredibly lucky and grateful to have witnessed these men allowing themselves to open up in ways people have never seen. Their candidness and forthright honesty were a gift. It wasn’t just cathartic for them; it was transformative for me as a filmmaker and audience member. It gave me permission to reflect on my own truths, and I hope it does the same for others.” We can’t wait to see it.

BoysNextDoor’s “Knock on Vol. 1” tour

The youthful charm of BoysNextDoor will be on full display with their tour “Knock on Vol.1” at the MOA Arena on March 22. Jaehyun, Sungho, Riwoo, Taesan, Leehan, and Woonhak will surely treat us to wonderful stage performances.

Taeyeon’s “The Odd of Love”

Long live the Queen! Long live Taeyeon as she brings her unmatched vocals, visuals, and hopefully a glimpse of her humor in the concert “The Odd of Love” on March 29 at the MOA Arena.

Nick Carter’s “Who I Am” world tour

Nick Carter returns to Manila for his “Who I Am” world tour on March 30 at the New Frontier Theater. He will be performing Backstreet Boys’ well-loved hits plus his personal favorites and more. Get tickets via TicketNet.com.ph and TicketNet outlets.

Snarky Puppy’s anniversary tour

Five-time Grammy-winning instrumental ensemble Snarky Puppy is bringing their anniversary tour to Karpos Live on May 27. The tour celebrates the 10th anniversary of their album “We Like It Here.” The event will happen at the Filinvest Tent. Get tickets via tickelo.com.

Burger & Lobster at SM Aura

The London resto popular for its gourmet burgers, lobster rolls and whole lobsters finds a new home in Manila later this year at SM Aura. We’re hoping they’ll also offer their special seasonal menus here. It’s been years but we still can’t forget the glorious mince pie cheesecake we enjoyed with their Christmas menu at the Soho branch.

“It’s Okay To Not Be Okay”

ABS-CBN is doing its own version of the hit K-drama written by Jo Yong and starring Seo Ye-ji and Kim Soo-hyun. The Filipino remake stars Anne Curtis, Joshua Garcia, and Carlo Aquino.

The next season of “Drag Race Philippines”

After such a stellar season in 2024, we are so ready for another dose of “Drag Race Philippines.” There are rumors that we will be getting an “All-Stars” edition soon, and if that’s the case, great—there are so many talented queens we want to see back on our screens. But whether we get a regular season or “All-Stars” first, we are seated and ready for what is sure to be another exciting ride with amazing Filipino drag queens and our beloved Mama Pao.

“King of Drag”

Finally, a drag king competition. Murray Hill (you might have seen him on “Drag Me to Dinner”) is set to host the first-ever drag king competition. “King of Drag,” from the LGBT streaming service Revry, was created Damian Pelliccione and Christopher J. Rodriguez.

Dave & Buster’s

On a visit to Opus Mall, we saw a sign that made our eyes pop and our jaws drop. “Whoa, Dave & Buster’s is coming here?!” Yes, thanks to The Bistro Group. The United States-born Dave & Buster’s, known for its fun arcade/resto/sports bar concept, will bring together the joys of food, drink and entertainment in one place. “We were impressed by Dave & Buster’s holistic offering in the hospitality industry where guests can eat, drink, play and watch sports shows all in one location. It is a very good concept that could pioneer well in the Philippines, being poised to be the first of its kind in the local F&B landscape,” said Jean Paul Munuud, president of The Bistro Group. “It’s for everybody. Parents can eat as their kids play games, young adults can also dine, drink and enjoy the interactive games while others can simply watch sports shows by the bar. It’s a place where everyone is welcome anytime of the day.” We cannot wait to eat, play, collect tickets and win prizes—Dave & Buster’s is also known for having some really cool arcade prizes.

New Nintendo Switch

It’s all rumors and leaks for now but we’re hoping 2025 is the year we’re getting the new Nintendo Switch. And with it, hopefully a new “Animal Crossing” game too? Please?