GOT7’s BamBam Shares Why Manila is the First Stop for His First World Tour During His Press Conference

BamBam, a member of the K-pop boy group GOT7, delighted Filo-Ahgases as he made his highly anticipated return to Manila for his first solo world tour, “Area 52,” where Manila is his first stop. JinHo Bae hosted the press conference and fan signing event at Quantum Skyview Gateway 2 last Thursday, September 21, 2023.

At the press conference, BamBam greeted the fans and media with a lot of energy as everyone welcomed him warmly with loud cheers. 

The K-pop idol was asked why his tour was named “Area 52”. He responded, “In America, they have a place called Area 51.” BamBam admits to liking the concept of UFOs and aliens in that area. 

FIRST STOP IN MANILA

After describing the concert as “festive”, he expressed how fans might regret not coming to his show. He revealed, “It won’t be much of a concert; it’s going to be like a festival!”

BamBam took the time to express his gratitude and appreciation for the fans who have shown endless support for him. He said, “As a foreigner who’s working in Korea right now, a lot of Ahgases also come and see my shows and stuff. I feel really good that they accept who I am right now as a K-pop artist.”

The Philippines is well-known for having a great crowd when it comes to concerts. According to BamBam, he gained a lot of energy from fans during his previous visit, which led him to choose Manila as his first stop for his first solo world tour so he could kickstart with the same level of energy for the rest of his tour.

He confessed, “I’m not gonna lie. Last year, the time that I came here with Jackson [Wang], you guys really made me impressed. I love your energy so much. I wanted to feel the heat before starting the world tour, so I chose Manila as the first place.”

SONG DEDICATIONS FOR FANS AND FOOD RECOMMENDATION

Recently, BamBam posted a photo with a sneak peek of the track “Raining in Manila” by Lola Amour, which led the host to question whether the singer would include the song on his set list for the concert. However, he didn’t confirm or deny it but gave a hint when he sang a part of the song with the host.

When asked which song from his album ‘Sour & Sweet’ would he dedicate to his fans, he answered Sour & Sweet. “I feel like Filipino fans are sour and spicy.”

He added, “Every song is like my babies, but I think my favorite song is probably going to be ‘Ribbon’ because it’s a song that made me become who I am today. I think it’s a perfect song for my solo debut because I can express myself and let people know who I am through the song.“

BamBam also mentioned how Sandara Park wanted to make him try eating balut. He’s up for the challenge, as he said he would try it. In addition, BamBam entertained his fans by speaking in Tagalog, mentioning some slang from young people these days like “shot puno” and “hi mga beshie ko.”

CHALLENGES IN THE SOLO WORLD TOUR

In overcoming the pressure when performing on stage by himself, BamBam shared how he wanted to show something new to his fans but didn’t have the chance. He confessed: “This world tour is kind of like a time to prove myself that I can do a lot more…”

As for the challenges of going on a solo world tour, the singer claims that every country is a challenge, especially if he’s going to the country for the first time or if it has been a long time. 

He explained, “It’s my first solo world tour, so many people still don’t know what kind of show I’m bringing to them. I have to go to a lot of cities and countries in the future. I feel like every city and country I’d go to is a really big challenge because, you know, I don’t know how many fans I have left.” 

After the press conference, BamBam met some of the Filipino Ahgases for the fan signing event, where fans can interact with the artist up close during an autograph signing. 

BamBam thanked the fans and media for joining the event. He received a bouquet of flowers as part of a fan project from the Filipino Ahgases, which made the K-pop singer beam with joy. 

Catch BamBam live as he invites everyone to attend his first-ever solo world tour of Area 52, which will be held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on September 22, 2023, at 7 PM. Tickets are available at all TicketNet outlets. 

Special thanks to IME Philippines for the media invite!