Jannabi in Manila!

May 26, 2024

Jannabi in Manila!

This is a special blog to me so I want to be as detailed as possible and with that being said, here's a timeline of how I got to know Jannabi up until the concert day.

I first heard Jannabi a couple of years ago when I was still living at the office during the lockdown. It was from a K-indie playlist I randomly clicked on YouTube. PLAYLIST LINK HERE I didn't become an instant fan right then. I was more hooked on the song, "Everything" by The Black Skirts, which was also on the same playlist, I got addicted and played it day and night for months. The whole list was just a chef's kiss! I remember the song, "She" by Jannabi was there too and I even used it as a background music to one of my Manhwa edits on TikTok lol back when I was super hibang sa Manhwa! but that was it. I just thought the song was giving off "The Beatles" vibe.

A few years later, once upon a broken heart, I came back to the same playlist because I knew what songs I wanted to listen to and this was it. Gave myself a good cry!! Get this, all the lyrics were in Korean but true enough that music knows no language. If it hits you, it hits you and that's what it did to me and I'd often put this whole playlist on repeat, for days on end. While healing a broken heart!

This is where I started to get curious about the bands I was listening to. This was also when "For Lovers Who Hesitate" became a fave from the playlist. It was one of my go-to songs whenever I'd feel all sad and shit again. This time though, I looked them up and watched a live performance.

this one.

and my initial reaction was

"WHAAAAT GANITO KAGWAPO YUNG VOCALIST????" LOL

how come I missed this????

No BS but Choi Jung-hoon is def my type!

And as if to confirm, I watched his performance on the Killing Voice. Dumbfounded for the whole duration, literally. I thought he was some old man in his 40s, but what I got was an extremely attractive guy.

Did this solidify my decision to stan them? You bet your sweet ass, yes HAHAHAHA

I remember being so addicted to him, I even edited a photo of us together and set it as my wallpaper on my old phone! Di ko na makita sayang!

but after a while, the hype died down. A lot of things happened blah blah blahh

I was in a much better place that time compared to when I first stumbled upon that playlist. I'd still listen to "For Lovers Who Hesitate" but it got less and less until it got removed from my YouTube most played songs playlist. I no longer cry too.

Fast forward to April last month, I saw on Facebook that the Korean Cultural Center was going to bring Jannabi here in the PH for a special performance in celebration of the 75th anniversary of friendship between Korea and the Philippines. The best part was that it was a free admission!!

I immediately asked my friend, Yoyo to come with me and she agreed. Note that she has 0 idea about the band and I love her for saying yes to this despite being clueless. To be honest, I was supposed to go to Circuit Music Festival on the same date and was contemplating for days if I should get myself a ticket. I'm so glad I didn't!!

On May 4th, I met her at the Mall of Asia. It was around 2pm and we had a late lunch. I remember bugging Yoyo if we could finish our food early so we could go to the Music Hall where the event would take place and she was getting a little pissed at my nonstop bickering lol

but we went anyway. people were starting to flock near the stage. It was past 3pm. We only got a snack we could munch on so we wouldn't have to leave our spot - just a couple of feet away from the stage. As much as I'd like to enjoy the booths that were there, I got to secure our spot!!

feet was hurtingggg!!

After listening to the speakers, and sponsors, and just before the sun sets, Jannabi was finally called on stage!

quick setup and sound check again. I found out that night that they did an initial sound check around 2pm - WHILE I WAS EATING!!! and Jung Hoon and went out and sang a few songs. Including "A Thought on an Autumn Night", "Dream, Books, Power and Walls", and "Hong Kong"!! Di pala sayang ang bickering ko! It was my gut feeling telling me "bhe lunukin mo na yan nag ssound check na sila don"....

Everyone was just shouting and cheering and I, on the other hand, shed a tear out of sheer disbelief that the band that I was just listening to was standing just 20 feet away from me. It was a moment, I will NEVER EVER FORGET.

They kicked off the stage with "Together".

This was also my first time, hearing their song, "Baby, I Need You", and I truly regret how I didn't find this song sooner because I came to love it. Every live performance of this song slaps! Def a banger!

After two songs, they introduced themselves, and then sang "Summer". which was also in my top five. I kid you not, I was bawling my eyes out while watching. It was such a surreal experience that I was only crying to this song in front of my computer before but here they were now singing to me. And I couldn't help but get overly emotional.

After that, they sang "Good, Good Night", and of course, their most famous song, "For Lovers Who Hesitate". If you're expecting me to have stopped crying by then, you are wrong haha. This was where I reached my maximum sobbed pro max lololol literally, just tears after tears. "For Lovers Who Hesitate" was the song that really got me into this band. My eyes were red and puffy and the woman next to me kept on glancing my way because she could hear me sobbing like we were at a funeral. Sorry ate, nag eemote lang ako!

Never have I ever cried this much while watching a live concert. It was a mixed feeling of hurt, acceptance, and surrealness. I was reminded of the time that I was heartbroken. and longing. And of course, the feeling of gratefulness that I made my way out of that darkness.

my "I WAS HERE" moment!!!! at this point, I'm just thankful my eyeliner didn't smudge.

I wish I was fluent in Korean, Jannabi's lyrics are like poetry and there must be some beautiful nuances lost in translation that I'll never know. English translations don't deliver the full emotions that come out of the lyrics. :(

After the 3 depressing songs lol they played upbeat ones like "Tell Me", "Colorful" and "Jungle". We were all jumping up and down and that made me so tired lol whew gotta work more on my cardio!!!

I'm being a complete delulu but I see his eyes on my camera on this shot!

They also did a cover of Four Non Blondes' "What's Up". Which made everyone jam and sing along!

It had been almost an hour but Choi Jung-hoon never showed any hint of tiredness, the dude was never out of breath. And he was out there hyping the crowd and doing adlibs at the same time. I know he'd been doing this for over a decade but man.. to be able to see it live. It was astonishing. His charisma on stage is unmatched. I like men who sings lolol nevertheless, I admire the dedication of every artist out there. It's not a piece of cake, memorizing lyrics, talking to the crowd, and of course, getting all the timing right.

He came back for an encore and sang, "Monkey Hotel", and they thanked all of us who attended. I guess they never expected to be well received here in the Philippines, BUT THERE WAS A CROWD Everyone knew the lyrics to their songs and cheering them on on stage. It was a bittersweet goodbye. I cried to Yoyo because, at the back of my head, I just know the chances of me seeing them again are small - heck, I wouldn't even see them if it wasn't for KCC but I will hold on to that promise that they will be back as soon as they can. I will pay to see you guys again!

If I were a fan in Korea, I don't think I'd be THIS NEAR to the stage as I was. They already played huge stages, stadiums if you will and you'd probably have to pay a couple of bucks to be this close, so I'm really thankful I got to see them live and for free!!

Do Hyung and Jung Hoon!

Thank you Korean Cultural Center for bringing Jannabi here in the Philippines. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I'm grateful to be one of the few hundreds who witnessed their first live performance in Manila.

Thank you, Jannabi for the awesome performance! you guys rock! Balik na kayo dito!!! :(

ctto Jannabi

and to you who's reading this. thank you for staying. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing and reliving that day. Please give their songs some love. I will recommend you some!

1.) For Lovers Who Hesitate

2.) Summer

3.) Good Good Night

4.) Dolmaro

5.) Dreams, Books, Power and Walls

6.) A Thought on an Autumn Night

7.) Baby I Need You

8.) She

Ending this lengthy blog with a screenshot of me ugly crying.