Words and photos by Danica Lacson

From the jaw-dropping and magnificent stage design and lighting to the solid and entertaining performances and heartwarming fandom love, SUPER JUNIOR WORLD TOUR – SUPER SHOW 8: INFINITE TIME in Manila was true to its name — it was, indeed, super.

December 15 marked another milestone as Super Junior — the first K-Pop boy group to ever stage a solo concert in the Philippines back in 2010 — stages their fifth solo concert in the country, bringing the final leg of Super Show 8 for 2019 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

It was a meaningful day for the boys, who returned to the Philippine concert stage after more than a year and following the end of all the members’ military service, and for ELFs as they celebrate 14 years of Super Junior’s outstanding career as a group and as individuals.

Excitement resonated all over the arena as the lights dimmed to signal the start of Super Show 8 which kicked off with a mesmerizing show by fans’ lightsticks flickering to the tune of “Superman”. It was marvelous and breathtakingly beautiful, painting promising another SUPER SHOW.

And the expectations were not wrong. The Kings of Hallyu delivered that and much more, opening the concert with “The Crown”, “A Man In Love”, “Bonamana”, and “Blue World” before proceeding to introduce themselves and poke fun at each other the Super Junior way. “Today is a meaningful day. Me and ELF, meeting day,” said maknae Kyuhyun who adorably tried to convey his message in English.

It was truly an unforgettable meeting day as the boys packed their three-hour concert with a diverse set list of songs of various genres and from their different albums in the past 14 years. ELFs witnessed the first live performances in the country of “Heads Up”, “I Think I”, “Somebody New”, and “Super Clap”, songs from Time Slip, the boy group’s ninth Korean-language studio album released in October this year.

The concert also reminisced Super Junior’s earlier eras and showcased the boys’ wide-ranging vocals through the stages of “Sexy, Free, and Single”, “Mr. Simple”, “Opera”, “Love Disease”, “She’s Gone”, “My All Is In You”, “Believe”, “No Other”, “Rokkugo”, “Devil”, “Shirt”, “Mamacita”, and “Black Suit”.

Super Junior – K.R.Y. got everyone wowing with their impressive solo dances, while Super Junior – D&E and Shindong sweetened the night with a lovely performance of “ELF Song”. Leader Leeteuk and Super Junior’s very own Santa Claus Siwon did not also miss the opportunity to show off their dancing skills through the unreleased song “Hairspray”. The members also added spice to their performances with dance breaks that deserved our super claps.

A Super Junior concert will never be complete without the legendary and timeless hit that catapulted the boy group to Hallyu King status — “Sorry, Sorry”! Leeteuk, Yesung, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook, and Kyuhyun got everyone singing along to their greatest hits “Sorry, Sorry – Answer” and “Sorry, Sorry”. It was a nostalgic and proud moment, taking everyone back to the era that started it all for most ELFs in the Philippines before capping off the evening and ending a decade of Super Show with “Show” and “Too Many Beautiful Girls”.

Super Show 8 showed us the immense and unwavering influence of Super Junior in the country, solidifying their reign as Hallyu Kings, as ELFs made the concert more beautiful thanks to their efforts and dedication. Fans came together to gift their Supermen with touching support projects including banners, hearts, and a special message board that read “I (heart emoji) SJ”.

It was heartwarming to witness the solid passion of the fandom and the cheers they gave, not only the members present that evening, but to Heechul, who had to sit out of the tour due to health reasons and to Sungmin, who is currently on hiatus from the group activities. The fandom name is truly perfect because they are really the Everlasting Friends of Super Junior. As Leeteuk said, “There is no other like you guys.”

SUPER JUNIOR WORLD TOUR – SUPER SHOW 8: INFINITE TIME in Manila has ended with so much beautiful memories to look back to and promises to hold on to as we wait for the boys’ return with a new album and to start another decade of Super Show.

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SUPER JUNIOR WORLD TOUR – SUPER SHOW 8: INFINITE TIME in Manila is presented by SM Entertainment, Label SJ, Dream Maker Entertainment, and PULP Live World, and powered by Globe. Special thanks to PULP Live World for the invitation to the event.