South Korean pop star Xiumin poses for a photo with the audience during the Manila leg of his 'X Times ( )' concert at the New Frontier Theater, May 10, 2025. Photo from Xiumin's X account

Xiumin brings energetic performances, playful side to PH ‘fan concert’

Jaehwa Bernardo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17469485869031746939988589XIUMIN (1).jfif" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>South Korean pop star Xiumin poses for a photo with the audience during the Manila leg of his &#x27;X Times ( )&#x27; concert at the New Frontier Theater, May 10, 2025. Photo from Xiumin&#x27;s X account</div>It’s common for South Korean celebrities to take on trendy dance challenges during concerts or fan meetings. But leave it to Xiumin to commit with much enthusiasm that it became a running joke throughout the show.During the “Hot Ixxue” Q&amp;A segment of his X Times ( )” fan concert at the New Frontier Theater on Saturday, the K-pop star was tasked to do the “Chicken Banana” dance challenge.Dressed in traditional hanbok to reflect his role in the recent fantasy rom-com series “Heo’s Diner,” the EXO member faced sideways, using his hands to mimic a chicken’s beak before jumping to face the front. He then raised his arms above his head in the shape of a banana, swaying side to side to the bouncy beats of the song that simply repeats the title.Lip-syncing along with a nearly stoic expression, the 35-year-old idol gave the quirky routine his full commitment, earning cheers from the fans collectively called EXO-L.The crowd clamored for more, so Xiumin happily gave in, performing the dance once again. This time, he moved across the stage as cheers and chants echoed throughout the venue.He also danced to “Chicken Banana” alongside segment host Kyungmin Kim, the two matching each other’s playful energy during their time on stage. Xiumin performed it again after winning a game that challenged him to stack wooden blocks within 10 seconds, and once more as he exited for a costume change.Later in the show, even after performing his own songs, Xiumin confessed through an interpreter, “You know what, ‘Chicken Banana’ is stuck in my head. I can only think about ‘Chicken Banana’ right now,” before breaking into the dance once more, much to the audience’s delight.<div> </div><div>Endearingly goofy, playful</div><div> </div>Xiumin is no stranger to performing in the Philippines, having visited multiple times before. Heading into the fan concert—presented by PULP Live World—one would naturally expect him to deliver strong vocals and sharp dance moves. But it was in the moments when his endearingly goofy and playful side came to the fore that Xiumin shone the most.In the same segment, Xiumin amused viewers by mimicking vacuum cleaner sounds while discussing his cleaning routine. He then burst into EXO’s debut single “Mama,” recommending the powerful track as an appropriate soundtrack for a cleaning session.Donning a hanbok to channel his “Heo’s Diner” character Heo Gyun, Xiumin struck a variety of poses—including spirited fighting stances—for the audience to photograph.Inspired by his single “Whee!,” Xiumin would also flash a signature hand gesture from the song’s choreography, prompting fans to respond with a drawn-out “whee,” akin to a joyful squeal. Later, he repurposed the move as a crowd-control trick, using it to hush the the chants of “Walang uuwi” (“No one’s going home”) near the end of the show.At one point, a visibly exhausted and sweat-soaked Xiumin was urged by the crowd to take off his jacket. He obliged, sending fans into a frenzy, before quickly flashing his signature hand gesture, prompting a unified “whee” from the audience and calming them down.When the fans cheekily asked him to take off his shirt next, Xiumin peeked under it and began speaking to his abs. “Are you okay? Hey, are you okay?” he asked, before announcing to the audience that they had given him a firm “no” in response. “It’s not ready yet. The next time I come back, I’ll really prepare it,” he said, referring to his body.Later, while wearing a different stage outfit, the audience called for him to “take it off” again, leading Xiumin to respond in jest, “Don’t ask people to take off their clothes.”“There might be an eight- or nine-year-old [in the audience],” he said. “Because this show is for seven-years-old and above.”Before launching into “Make You LaLa,” Xiumin encouraged the audience to sing along. Those unfamiliar with the Korean lyrics, he said, could stick to just the “la la” parts. Demonstrating his point, he humorously mumbled gibberish in place of the Korean lines, drawing laughter from the crowd.Xiumin, whose real name is Kim Min-seok, also showcased his comedic acting chops in a series of narrative videos shown between performances. In the clips, he took on multiple roles, most notably that of a magazine reporter hot on the trail of a mysterious, elusive figure known only as “X.”<div>Bright, infectious energy</div>As a performer, Xiumin exuded a bright and infectious energy. That was evident from the very beginning, as he opened the fan concert with “Daisy,” beaming as he scanned the audience and waved enthusiastically while making his way across the stage.Most of Xiumin’s setlist leaned into danceable tracks like “Brand New,” “Whee!,” “Feedback,” and “Can’t Help Myself,” each performance enhanced by sleek choreography that he executed seamlessly alongside his team of backup dancers. Even during the more vocally-driven, nostalgic mid-tempo track “Serenity,” he continued to showcase his moves, pairing them with his emotive and powerful singing.Throughout the fan concert, Xiumin’s energy never wavered, and neither did the fans’. “Manila EXO-L, you’re just really the best. You know, while I was singing, I was just really having so much fun. How can you guys have so much energy?” he said.The energy remained high until the show’s final section. Rather than easing into the encore with a sentimental or mellow track, Xiumin cranked up the decibels with “Beyond.”During the encore, he also indulged the crowd’s requests by dancing to EXO’s “Cream Soda” and “Love Shot,” momentarily struggling to recall the choreography before the chorus of “Cream Soda.” He promised to prepare an EXO medley for his next visit.Before closing the show—which ran for roughly two and a half hours—with the ballad “Love Is U,” it was clear that Xiumin enjoyed himself just as much as his audience did.“It’s really sad [that we’re ending] but I’m quite happy and satisfied that we were able to have such a great show tonight in Manila,” Xiumin said.“Thank you so much for making my very first fan concert such a happy, memorable one. I promise to be back next time… EXO-L, mahal kita (I love you),” he said.

While EXO’s Xiumin delivered the strong vocals and sharp dance moves fans expected at his recent fan concert in Manila, it was his endearingly goofy and playful side that truly stole the spotlight.

While EXO’s Xiumin delivered the strong vocals and sharp dance moves fans expected at his recent fan concert in Manila, it was his endearingly goofy and playful side that truly stole the spotlight.

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Xiumin brings playful side, energetic performances to PH ‘fan concert’

Xiumin brings playful side, energetic performances to PH ‘fan concert’

Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 11, 2025 01:50 PM PHT

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Updated May 11, 2025 03:30 PM PHT

Read More:

K-content

K-pop

EXO

Xiumin

Kim Min-seok

X Times ( )

fan concert

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