Blackpink gets Filipino fans jumping, singing along at ‘Deadline’ concert

The members of girl group Blackpink form hand hearts during the Bulacan stop of their 'Deadline' tour, staged at the Philippine Arena on November 22 and 23, 2025. Photos courtesy of YG Entertainment

MANILA — When the clock struck 6:15 p.m., the lights inside the Philippine Arena finally dimmed. The screens flanking the stage played the music video for Blackpink’s new single, “Jump,” its frenetic beat suddenly blasting through the massive concert hall. The crowd came to life, their hammer-shaped light sticks shooting into the air and bathing the venue in a vivid pink glow as the arena pulsed with a party-like energy.

If that was the level of excitement in the moments leading up to the show, it only intensified when, minutes later, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa finally appeared — standing atop an elevated platform, flanked by dancers, as stunning plumes of sparks burst along the edges of the stage.

Suddenly, a familiar blast of regal brass rang out. “Blackpink in your area,” Lisa declared, the crowd echoing her in unison as the Thai-born idol and her bandmates launched into their 2019 hit “Kill This Love.”

Blackpink emerged onstage on a raised platform, opening their 'Deadline' concert with 'Kill This Love.'

Indeed, Blackpink was in our area over the weekend for their “Deadline” concert tour, and the thousands of Filipino Blinks who packed the Bulacan venue for the first of the two-day affair couldn’t have been more thrilled. It had, after all, been two years since the quartet last performed in the country (though Jisoo notably returned on her own just this March for a solo fan meeting).

“It is so lovely to be back. We are so excited to perform here tonight,” Rosé told the crowd.

Presented by Live Nation Philippines, the first night of the “Deadline” tour in Bulacan saw the foursome power through 29 songs in just under three hours. The show was divided into five acts, marked by VCR interludes that told the story of the group embarking on a road trip across the desert and a Las Vegas-style cityscape.

That they barely released any new group material since their last tour — having spent much of the past year focused on their solo projects — did little to dampen the fans’ enthusiasm. If anything, it proved that one simply never grows tired of Blackpink’s music, which often leans into edgy and hard-hitting hip-hop, complete with catchy, shout-along choruses.

Many of the performances were spectacles in their own right, with the girls performing alongside a live band and dozens of dancers, backed by vivid visuals, laser lights and pyrotechnics. During “Kill This Love,” for example, pink liquid visuals exploded behind the performers as flames shot up from the front of the stage, accentuating the song’s climactic moments.

The expansive screen would also split into four when the girls spread out across the main stage, leaving each member backed by a large panel flashing close-ups of their faces, as seen in “Playing With Fire.” A similar effect unfolded during “Stay,” with serene sky visuals framing the members as they each took their place atop individual raised platforms while delivering the calming, folksy track that had the entire arena swaying along.

The quartet also made full use of the B-stage and the two walkways that led to it, which wrapped around the VIP pit. They would leisurely make their way toward the B-stage, engaging with nearby fans and occasionally stopping to perform dance routines along the way.

Towards the end of the heartbreak anthem “Lovesick Girls,” the girls encouraged the crowd to repeat the chorus while clapping along. “Your turn” or “louder,” they’d prompt, though they hardly needed to, given the local crowd’s reputation for passionately singing along, which was very much evident throughout the show.

In another instance, while urging the crowd to sing along, Rosé even remarked that Filipinos had “beautiful voices.”

But singing along wasn’t the only thing Filipino Blinks did. When Blackpink returned to the stage to debut their newest track, “Jump,” many in the arena immediately sprang to their feet, leaping in sync with the song’s frenzied energy, just as the chorus asked them to.

The setlist also featured the group’s debut tracks, “Boombayah” and “Whistle,” alongside hits like “Pink Venom,” “How You Like That,” “Shut Down,” “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” and “As If It’s Your Last.” Fan-favorite deep cuts, meanwhile, included “Pretty Savage,” “Don’t Know What To Do,” “Forever Young,” “Really” and “See U Later.“ 

SOLO STAGES

Similar to past Blackpink concerts, each member had a chance to shine individually on stage. But whereas previous shows often featured covers or only a few original solo songs, the “Deadline” concert gave the girls an opportunity to perform tracks from their individual albums released since late last year.

The naturally charming Jisoo kicked off the solo segment, dazzling the crowd with “Hugs & Kisses” before rocking the arena with “Earthquake,” both from her February extended play “Amortage.”

Lisa followed, her charismatic presence—shifting effortlessly between cute and fierce—on full display as she opened her set with “Thunder,” took a more laidback turn with the smooth “When I’m With You” and closed by reaffirming her star power with “Rockstar.”

Dressed in red, the effortlessly cool Jennie had the crowd chanting along to her standout single “Like Jennie,” where she showcased her sharp rap skills. She carried that momentum into “ExtraL” before capping her set with the dreamy “Starlight.”

Rosé closed out the solo performances, kicking off her act with a playful backstage video of her munching on turon as she made her way to the B-stage.

However, the Australia-raised singer abruptly cut short her performance of “Number One Girl,” explaining that she was struggling with the song’s falsettos due to a cold and repeatedly apologizing to the audience. Despite the brief pause, the crowd continued to encourage her by chanting her name.

When Rosé asked, “I’m gonna have you guys help me out, if that’s okay… I know you guys are incredible singers, I know that, so please help me,” the fans obliged without hesitation. What followed was a heartwarming moment as the artist and her fans sang in unison, their voices blending on a song about heartbreak and insecurity. Rosé beamed each time she let the audience take over, visibly delighted by their chorus.

Rosé continued with “Toxic Till the End,” her pop-rock single exploring toxic relationships, before getting the arena fired up with her Grammy-nominated hit “APT.” Later, she thanked the crowd again for singing along, even asking how to say it in the local language: “Salamat, Philippines! Thank you, guys. You sounded, honestly, way more beautiful than I do.”

FAN INTERACTIONS

While much of the show focused on performances, the girls made sure to carve out brief moments to chat and interact with their fans. At one point, they expressed their excitement at returning to the Philippines, with Lisa noting the country’s delicious food, especially mangoes.

The quartet also took turns saying, “Mahal ko kayo talaga” (I really love you guys). Lisa quipped, “We sound professional. We sound native, ‘no?” Rosé added, “The best kayo!” before repeating, “Mahal ko kayo talaga. It’s fun to say. Such a pretty language.”

The girls also spotted fans with creative banners and gimmicks, like one where their faces were plastered on the Teletubbies, prompting them to jokingly declare it their “next album cover.”

Near the end of the show, it was clear fans couldn’t get enough of Blackpink, erupting into chants of “Isa pa!” (“One more”). The girls even came close to granting one audience member’s request for “Tally,” a song they ultimately performed on the second night, based on the crowd-filmed videos uploaded online.

“Thank you so much, Philippines! You guys have been incredible,” Rosé remarked as the group concluded the show.

“Philippine Blinks, we love you so much, thank you for being here for us, thank you for supporting us, having such a wonderful night for us,” she added.

RELATED VIDEO