The dawning of DAY6
IN AN ocean of Korean pop idols whose main selling point is pulsating dance moves, an honest-to-goodness rock band is very hard to come by. One can only name a few — CNBLUE, FTIsland, and newbies N Flying and Honeyst.
When MyMusicTaste, a “faninitiated concert making platform,” posted an online survey to check the interest for a local concert of Korean band DAY6, it was deluged with requests, and soon the show was set. Tickets sold out.
The five-member group — comprised of Jae (lead guitarist, rapper), Sungjin (leader and main vocalist), Young K (bassist), Wonpil (keyboardist), and Dowoon (drummer) — has built a solid following in the Philippines since its debut three years ago. A dive into the group’s discography leads to the conclusion that DAY6 is a truly talented bunch with a respectable body of work.
During their first Manila concert at the Kia Theater, DAY6 showed that with a little more experience, they can fight neck-and-neck with the more established Korean bands on the world stage.
DAY6 is the only band under JYP Entertainment, one of the biggest Korean talent agencies. As part of JYP’s unique marketing scheme last year, DAY6 released two new songs monthly from January to November. The year-long promotion culminated with a launch of the group’s second full album, Moonrise, in December 2017. They were constantly in the consciousness of K-music enthusiasts, resulting in the broadening of its global fan base.
DAY6 opened with “Smile,” followed by “First Time,” and the “Better Better,” from Moonrise. It was impressive that all members sing and, notably, they sound better live than in their recordings. Their vocals were crisp and consistent even as they played their respective instruments.
DAY6 sang in Korean but the audience was singing along in most, if not all, songs. In at least two instances, the band accompanied the crowd as they sang to their heart’s content.
They sang 25 songs — ranging from hard rock to slow tunes and danceable numbers — during the nearly three hour show.
It was good for DAY6 to start small. Kia Theater was a perfect testing ground for the group, which is a newbie to the Philippine K-pop scene. After dipping their feet into what they initially thought was a just puddle of water, they are ready to make a splash by taking on bigger venues such as the Mall of Asia Arena or even the Araneta Coliseum upon their return.
Their time has come.