The rising gods of the east are finally coming to Manila

April 30th felt like a fever dream. It was the day PULP Live World announced that K-Pop duo TVXQ would finally be coming to the Philippines for a concert. The announcement was a long time coming to say the least: TVXQ has been around since the tail end of 2003, officially debuted in the very beginning of 2004, and has been to the Philippines once or twice for a commercial shoot but never for a full-blown concert despite the persistent pleading and petitions that have gone around through the years.

A decade and a half later, things are finally coming full circle. PULP and Globe are bridging TVXQ and their fans together. On July 13, Yunho and Changmin will be before Philippine Cassies (that’s short for TVXQ’s fandom, Cassiopeia, in case you haven’t heard) at the Mall of Asia Arena for #with in Manila.

With a decade and a half worth of dreams finally coming to fruition, it’s only natural that we’ve done a little dreaming about what the long-awaited concert would be like. With such a rich discography to TVXQ’s name, which songs are we looking forward to hearing most live in concert?

Something

Feel free to argue, but 2014 track Something set the tone for TVXQ’s future releases. The lead single for the duo’s tenth anniversary album Tense, Something was received in music show-winning, high-charting fashion despite taking a detour from their previously established sound. Flirting with the idea of swing music and a brass band, pursuing this direction worked in TVXQ’s favor—enough for them to revisit similar genres in several of their subsequent releases. Something sounds grand and extravagant, has a catchy melodic line and instrumentals that are frankly difficult not to move to. In person, well, it’s bound to be even better.

Before U Go

There’s plenty to love about growing up with your idols: the unquestionable bond, the growing heft of affection, the fact that you become more capable of actually buying albums and flying out to see them perform (not that Cassies will need to this time!). One of the best things, though, is seeing the musical evolution of artists as they grow. From releasing the infectiously optimistic Balloons back in the day, Yunho and Changmin now have tracks that drip with slow, sultry seduction. The best one? Easily Before U Go—which has a tweaked concert version that tops the original track.

I Believe

You know how there are songs so iconic that you only really need to hear the very first note or drop of the beat to identify it? Mirotic is one of those songs. While this may have been the last Korean release of TVXQ before the group’s 2009 lawsuit, it marked the birth of a legendary track that younger idols still love covering to this day.

Rising Sun

Despite being another K-Pop staple, Rising Sun isn’t like most of the iconic songs you’ll hear in this side of the music world. First released in 2005, Rising Sun doesn’t only have an explosive beat, interspersed yelling, scattered high notes, a jittery rap verse, and a seemingly misplaced bridge—it has all these things. Despite the disjointed nature of Rising Sun, any given part of the track is bound to strum up an overwhelming sense of nostalgia in anyone who has been a K-Pop fan for a considerable number of years. It’s familiar, oddly wistful in its own way. It’s a symbol of TVXQ.

Are you ready to see the gods of the east in concert? Gear up for the official ticket selling happening at all SM Ticket outlets and online through the SM Tickets website on June 9th. Until then, familiarize yourself with which songs call for fanchants by checking out Cass PH’s comprehensive concert guide!