Kim Soo-hyun has once again proven his enduring charm to Pinoy fans as he performed in front of a full house at the Smart Araneta Coliseum for his “Eyes On You” Asia Tour in Manila last June 29. The fan meeting was indeed a treat, especially for fans of his hit K-drama “Queen of Tears.” From the set design, to his repertoire, which included two songs from the OST, down to his outfits, Kim Soo-hyun was definitely Baek Hyun-woo coded.
From ‘Queen of Tears’ to ‘King of Tears’
“Queen of Tears” may have ended two months ago but it looks like fans, and even Kim Soo-hyun himself, aren’t ready to let go just yet. He opened the show with the heart-tugging anthem of the drama– Crush’s “Love You With All My Heart.” The crowd went wild as he emerged from the backdrop of Sanssouci Palace. Fans of the show will remember this view from some of the iconic scenes in the series.
Without a doubt, “Queen of Tears” holds a special place in Kim Soo-hyun’s heart. It’s apparent as he got teary-eyed when asked about the love and support his last project has received. He was visibly overwhelmed and touched by all the smiles that greeted him, which made him, as host Sam Oh pointed out, a “King of Tears”!
Perhaps, the best fan service from Kim Soo-hyun that night was when he was giving a commentary on one of the scenes on “Queen of Tears.” The actor surprised everyone when he shouted “Haein-ah!” calling Kim Ji-won’s character in the drama. We all came to see Kim Soo-hyun but we never thought we’d see (and hear) Baek Hyun-woo too!
Kim Soo-hyun ‘Eyes On You’ in Manila: an audio-visual experience
Kim Soo-hyun has been going back to the Philippines every year for promotional events since 2022. However, it has been a decade since his own fan meeting in the country. Kim Soo-hyun is known to prepare for his projects well. This attention to details reflected on his “Eyes On You” Asia Tour.
The two-hour show included live performances from Kim Soo-hyun with a band. Aside from songs from the “Queen of Tears” OST, he also prepared English performances. His repertoire included the rock song “Wherever You Will Go” and popular ballads “Someone You Loved” and “All of Me.” However, the most memorable performance of the night was his encore as he sang his “Way Home.” Pink confetti fell at the Big Dome, mimicking spring.
Not only did spring come to the coliseum, snow also fell. Fans were thrilled to experience how Baek Hyun-woo made winter come early for Hong Hae-in in “Queen of Tears.”
A true star of this era
Looking around at the full-packed coliseum, it amazed this author how Kim Soo-hyun’s appeal has attracted different generations of fans. Millennials, Gen X, Gen Z, and even a few baby boomers had their eyes on Kim Soo-hyun, who was every bit charming and humble.
His body of work compiled in the opening video proves that Kim Soo-hyun has cemented his status as a true star of this era. And it looks like his popularity is not going away any time soon. Pinoy fans were thrilled to hear from him that he will return to the Philippines this year. No details have been announced yet but we assume that this may have something to do with his return to the roster of Bench brand ambassadors.
While bigger stars may come along in the future, Soo-hyun will surely continue to shine. One of his beloved characters Baek Seung-chan (“The Producers”) says it all: “Being a big star of an era is like being a symbol of that era. Even if you’re not as famous later on, when people listen to your songs, they won’t just remember you, they will also remember the best times of their life and will feel nostalgic.”
The 2024 Kim Soo-hyun “Eyes On You” Asia Tour in Manila was presented by Wilbros Live. For those who missed the show, you may watch our fancams here.