K-pop star Kai of EXO poses for a photo with the audience during the Manila stop of his 'KAION' concert tour at the Araneta Coliseum, July 27, 2025. Photo from EXO's X account
At one point during his recent “KAION” concert at the Araneta Coliseum, K-pop star Kai recalled a memory from 2017, when he and his group EXO performed at the same venue for their “EXO Planet #3 – The EXO’rdium” tour.
“I was very happy because, backstage, from my dressing room… I saw our picture from back then,” he said through an interpreter. “You know, I saw our photos hanging up, and I was really like a baby.”
“Now, I’m not a baby anymore, right?” the 31-year old said, only to be met with loud protests from fans.
“Am I still a baby?” Kai asked again. The crowd answered with an enthusiastic “Yes!”.
Dressed in a white dress shirt, tie and waistcoat, the idol suddenly lifted his arms to flex his biceps. “Where have you seen a baby like this?” he teased, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
“Am I a baby? Am I a baby?” he repeated, to which the audience responded with resounding affirmation. “Then hug me,” he said, spreading his arms wide toward the packed Big Dome, an adorable, bedimpled smile lighting up his face.
“You guys are my babies,” he added.
Such spontaneous moments highlighted the many — and often contrasting — charms of the artist born Kim Jong-in: cute and playful one moment, flirty and sexy the next. This duality was on full display throughout the sold-out “KAION” concert, produced by PULP Live World, which ran for over two hours.
Powerful, fluid dancing
The show of contrasts didn’t end with Kai’s interactions with the audience. They were just as evident in his performances.
During “Mmmh,” for example, the red-clad Kai shifted seamlessly between sharp, forceful choreography and smooth, sultry movements. At one point, he delivered a series of body waves, beckoned the crowd with a curled index finger, then pressed a hand to his chest, all while flashing a devilish smile. He knew exactly what he was doing.
Kai in a photo taken backstage during his 'KAION' concert in Manila. Photo from EXO's X account
Kai’s ability to shift effortlessly between powerful and fluid dancing comes as no surprise. Regarded as one of K-pop’s most skilled main dancers, he is known for his sharp, precise movements and remarkable control. Every step feels entirely his own, never coming across as overly rehearsed or mechanical. He gives his all into every performance, often ending each number drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.
But beyond technical mastery, it’s his expressiveness that truly sets him apart: every gaze, smile or smirk adds a distinct flair to his performance.
At the end of “Come In,” for instance, Kai coolly ran his hands along the sides of his head, as if slicking back his hair in slow motion, only to switch up the vibe with a smile and an adorable finger-heart gesture.
Leave it to Kai to turn even a simple prop like a book into a tool for seduction, as he did during the sinuous R&B and soul track “Slidin’.” At one point, he slowly slid the book down his chest while kneeling. Another standout moment came during the first chorus: he glided across the floor on one knee, then dropped to his back and lifted his hips. He rose briefly, only to dive again, hands and chest hitting the floor first, the rest of his body cascading down in a smooth, controlled descent.
There were also moments of spontaneity woven into the performances. In “Walls Don’t Talk,” Kai broke into a freestyle, sliding his hands to the back of his head while executing a body wave, then patting his hip — a move his backup dancers, including renowned choreographer Bada Lee, had to imitate as they made their way to the B-stage.
In the atmospheric “Vanilla,” the idol sported a pair of glasses that accentuated his already striking looks. Fans seemed too mesmerized to catch whether he was singing “vanilla” or “Manila” — a mix-up he later pointed out.
“Do you think I sang vanilla or Manila?” he asked. “Listen carefully. You guys took a lot of videos and photos, right? So while going home, you’ll be watching it, right? Can you guess if I sang vanilla or Manila?”.
Beyond the minimalist and sleek R&B offerings, Kai’s more upbeat tracks also served as highlights. The crowd was on a high as he set the stage ablaze (both figuratively and literally) during the reggaeton-tinged “Bomba” and the dancehall-leaning “Rover,” with flames erupting from the main stage’s edges.
Screaming, singing fans
And through it all, the fans cheered, screamed, and sang their hearts out. Their voices stood out especially during the EXO medley of “My Lady,” “Baby Don’t Cry” and “Angel.” These tracks were performed without vocals to highlight Kai’s dancing, but the audience stepped in. The gesture did not go unnoticed.
“Thank you so much for singing along with me. Your singing skills, actually, singing along with me, out of a hundred, I’ll give you 100. It includes your cheers and screams, and it’s really making me a lot energetic and hot,” he said.
Given the crowd’s energy, one would hardly guess that many had been at the Araneta City complex since the morning.
Fans of Kai gather at the 'Kaiverse Central' fan zone at Gateway Mall 2, hours before the K-pop star took the stage of the nearby Araneta Coliseum for his 'KAION' concert, July 27, 2025. Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News
Fans spent the day immersed in various activities, including a “fan zone” at a nearby mall that featured a photobooth and other Instagram-worthy installations. There, they also gathered to give away or trade self-made merchandise. Meanwhile, outside the Big Dome, banners featuring Kai hung on lampposts, adding to the festive atmosphere of concert day.
Rain poured in the morning and again near showtime, but not even the unpredictable weather could keep the Filipino EXO-Ls, as EXO fans are known, from flocking to the venue.
Near the end of the night, Kai made sure the fans’ efforts were worth it. He turned up the heat inside the Big Dome for his final set, emerging in a cap and a glossy black jacket and pants, his abs fully on display. It was a fitting climax to his comments early in the show about how hot it was, which had fans chanting, “Take it off!”.
Gratitude
As the concert neared its end, Kai could only express gratitude to his fans, crediting them for making his tour — which is set to continue in the United States and Latin America in the coming months — possible. He admitted that, at first, he didn’t fully understand the love he received from his supporters.
“As time passed... then I realized how amazing this great love is, which really made me think, ‘How am I supposed to repay all of you?’ Now as time continues to flow, I actually spend my days with a lot of gratitude to all of you,” he said.
Kai reflected on how the people in the audience likely began following him at different points in his career. But for him, “it doesn’t matter, because the size of our love, it really just continues to grow.”
“I’m very excited, 10 years, 20 years, 30 years from now, to see the great love that we’re building. Do you promise to still be with me until then?” he asked, prompting another “yes” from the fans.
“Thank you so much for waiting for me and to continue cheering for me. I promise to give back with a better self. Next time we see one another again, it could be through Kai’s concert or an EXO concert. I don’t know which one will come first, but promise me that we will see one another again, right? Promise?” he said.