Daily TribuneDitching high-octane concert flair for a casual white shirt and dark trousers, the 29-year-old heartthrob strolled onstage like he owned the place — simple, swoon-worthy and oh-so-relatable.
KIM Mingyu
Photograph by Pauline Joyce Pascual for DAILY TRIBUNE
The Big Dome buzzed with pure kilig on Saturday, 11 April, as SEVENTEEN’s Kim Mingyu made his solo Manila debut at the Smart Araneta Coliseum for the #SNICKERSwithMINGYU fan meet.
Ditching high-octane concert flair for a casual white shirt and dark trousers, the 29-year-old heartthrob strolled onstage like he owned the place — simple, swoon-worthy and oh-so-relatable.
Filipino CARATs erupted in deafening “Aju Nice!” chants that lingered long after Mingyu waved goodbye, proving his pull is stronger than ever.
“Wow! It’s amazing — their energy is even hotter than a SEVENTEEN concert!” he gushed in Korean (translated by host Kyung Min Kim), eyes sparkling under the arena lights.
Fresh off the group’s latest tour stop at the Philippine Sports Stadium just weeks ago, Mingyu beamed, “I returned to the Philippines, that’s why I’m very happy to see all of you again!”
No flashy entrances or gravity-defying stage tricks — just pure, playful Mingyu magic.
His hour-long show unfolded with lighthearted games, cheeky Q&As and fan interactions that peeled back the idol’s cool exterior to reveal a sweet, flirty guy next door.
A simple “Mabuhay!” sparked screams, but it was the split-screen photo ops that had everyone fanning themselves: Mingyu striking heart poses, blowing kisses and tilting his cheek for virtual pecks.
When “Rock With You” played, he purred “Baby hold on” straight at the crowd — talk about chills! He even teased his iconic “Hot” dance moves, sending the Big Dome into a frenzy.
Mingyu’s charm is as satisfyingly sweet as the Snickers he represents as its Asia brand ambassador.
Asked if he’s clingy or nonchalant, he mic’d the audience — they roared “CLINGY!”
“The fans know me so well,” he laughed, sealing his reputation as boyfriend material. He also nailed Filipino flair, flashing “eyyy” gestures and tossing out “bakit?” (why), “merienda” (snack), and “masarap” (delicious) like a local. Rollercoaster fears? “No! I love them!” he insisted amid skeptical “Weh?!” chants, hitting back with a playful thumbs-down “boo!”
The fun peaked with Mingyu draining basketball shots like a pro, a belated birthday serenade for his 6 April special day that melted hearts, and “energy cams” spotlighting screaming CARATs for epic fan cam moments.
From start to finish, Mingyu turned the Coliseum into a love fest — proof that this 6-foot-2 visual king doesn’t need choreography to conquer Manila.
