By Barni de Vera, as told to FreebieMNL’s Monica Magano.
September 4, 2022, will always be a memorable day for me. After waiting over two years, I finally saw NCT 127 at their concert, Neo City: The Link.
The K-pop group planned to hold a concert in Manila in 2020. But we all know the effects of the pandemic that year. So as soon as NCT 127 announced their Manila stop, I knew I would do everything in my power to see them.
Neo City: The Link ticketing
My friend told me about her ticketing experience for SEVENTEEN’s concert. I picked up a few tips to ensure that my experience for the NCT 127 concert would go smoother. I had several friends who also wanted to watch. So, we agreed that we’d all try to buy tickets for one another.
The SM Tickets online queue put me beyond 6,500. I lost hope then but stayed in line, praying for a miracle. That miracle came in the form of one friend successfully buying my ticket along with hers.
Some stress before the NCT 127 concert
I live in a province about six hours away from Manila by bus. I decided weeks ahead that it was better for me to book an Airbnb to avoid the risk of missing the bus home. It was an added cost but was a great decision given the storm that ravaged the country that week.
The mistake I made was booking my stay for the same day as the concert. I had to get my concert strap at 11 AM. The queue for the standing sections was from 1 PM to 2:15 PM. My check-in was at 2 PM. I requested an early check-in, but someone else used the room before me, so they couldn’t grant it.
It was luck that I was able to check in on the dot. I ran straight to the queueing area and reached my spot in the nick of time.
Being at the right spot, at the right time
My queue number was 140, meaning I got as close as possible to the stage. After two years of waiting, I wanted to savor every moment of Neo City: The Link.
I went into the concert blind. I didn’t read a lot of fan accounts or watch videos from previous tour stops. While I had some idea of what would happen, I didn’t expect the show to be as awe-inspiring as it was.
Some of the songs that I looked forward to hearing live were Lemonade, White Night, and Favorite. The ballads had a special place in my heart, though.
I feel so blessed that I was able to experience 127 performing The Rainy Night and White Night live. I love ballads so much and I hope a lot of fans get to experience it too ?
— ??? (.???) ? (@nojaem0423) September 7, 2022
A low queue number also put me in the right spot to catch Taeyong’s and Johnny’s solo performances.
Taeyong:
220904 NCT 127 NEO CITY : THE LINK IN MANILA #NCT127inManila #?? #TAEYONG SOLO – MOONLIGHT pic.twitter.com/lRvHSUL0PJ
— ??? (.???) ? (@nojaem0423) September 4, 2022
Johnny:
220904 NCT 127 NEO CITY : THE LINK IN MANILA #NCT127inManila #?? #JOHNNY SOLO pic.twitter.com/OcCJQOJCoi
— ??? (.???) ? (@nojaem0423) September 5, 2022
I also got the chance to enjoy the show with the Megastar, Sharon Cuneta. I was able to catch everyone’s favorite NCT tita jamming to Touch.
Megastar @sharon_cuneta12 jamming to NCT127’s Touch during 220904 NCT 127 NEO CITY : THE LINK IN MANILA ? pic.twitter.com/xDUE5PXwAQ
— ??? (.???) ? (@nojaem0423) September 6, 2022
The NCT 127 experience was surreal
It’s been over a week since Neo City: The Link. Seeing NCT 127 in their first solo concert in the Philippines still feels surreal to me.
Thankful to be living in the same lifetime as 127 pic.twitter.com/bz30XhX2fV
— ??? (.???) ? (@nojaem0423) September 6, 2022
RELATED WATCH: Taeyong of NCT 127 hits the high notes to Ben&Ben’s “Pagtingin”
I hope they have many more concerts here in the future. And if you’re a K-pop fan in general, make sure to catch your favorites in concert. It’s an experience you wouldn’t want to miss.
Featured Image Paulo Correa
