More than twenty years after skyrocketing to regional stardom, Taiwanese boy band F4 proved their timeless star power as members Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu, and Vic Chou staged a massive reunion concert for thousands of ecstatic Filipino fans at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan on Saturday night.
The Manila leg of their highly anticipated “F Forever 1st World Tour” turned the massive indoor venue into a sea of glowing light sticks. Fans loudly sang along to the generation-defining anthems that turned the group into a cultural phenomenon in the early 2000s.
Adding to the night’s star power was Taiwanese singer Ashin, the lead vocalist of rock band Mayday, who joined the trio to deliver an extra layer of nostalgia.
The production featured a unique, diamond-shaped center stage designed to bring the pop icons closer to the audience from every angle. The trio kicked off the night in spectacular fashion, plunging the crowd into a wave of nostalgia with opening hits like “Promise Me You’ll Be My Bro,” “Waiting for You,” “Ask for More,” and “First Time.”
Vanness Wu later commanded the spotlight for an energetic solo set, performing tracks such as “Dance Until We Die,” “Save Me,” and “Ur the Reason.” He delivered one of the evening’s most sentimental segments while singing “Piece by Piece,” as a montage of personal family photographs flashed across the massive LED screens.
He also surprised the audience by playing an acoustic guitar rendition of Hillsong Worship’s “Oceans,” followed by “God Made a Girl” and “Pray.”
”Long time no see. Mahal ko kayo,” Vanness told the audience.
Vic Chou kept the emotional momentum going, serenading the crowd with his solo tracks “Forever Love,” “You Are My Courage,” “Tell Me Why,” “In Loving You,” and “Make a Wish.”
The energy in the arena reached a fever pitch when the three idols reassembled on stage wearing angel wings to perform “Can’t Lose You,” walking straight into the standing section to interact directly with the crowd. The group closed out the night by leading a massive venue-wide sing-along to F4’s legendary anthems, including “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Ni Yao De Ai,” “Meteor Rain,” and “Forever and Ever.”
The trio had arrived separately at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday, greeted by legions of dedicated fans who had been waiting years for this moment.
F4 originally formed in 2001 after Yan, Wu, Chou, and Ken Chu starred in the wildly successful Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden. The series became an absolute cultural sensation across Asia, particularly in the Philippines when it originally broadcasted on ABS-CBN Channel 2.