"They asked for Jollibee," hi! Events PH's KanKan Ramos shared with us candidly as we arrived for AIRPLAY in Manila.

A favourite among international guests, the homegrown fast-food chain has become a staple for visiting acts. Korean singer-songwriter and producer Peakboy had apparently tried it in Dubai, and was dying to have the "authentic" thing as soon as he landed in the city.

The IN THE SOOP: Friendcation star was in town for AIRPLAY in Manila. With him was the rest of his AIRPLAY crew, comprising DJ and producer DAUL of SEL Records and composer, producer, and DJ HYESUNG. 

Before their Manila outing, the trio held AIRPLAY parties in Osaka, Tokyo, Jakarta, Sydney, Auckland, and Melbourne. For the Manila edition, fans trooped to DD Nightclub in Tomas Morato, Quezon City on Saturday (3/2) afternoon.

The event, dubbed as an "intimate fanmeet and dance party," was the first by hi! Events PH. It started with introductions and cheers for each member of the crew, Peakboy drawing in the loudest shrieks as he told fans in Filipino: "Kamusta kayo? Mahal ko kayo! (How are you? I love you!)"

Several rounds of rock-paper-scissors, also known as bato-bato-pik or kawi bawi bo (depending which side you're on) ensued between the Airplay crew and some lucky fans, before a short trivia game led us to learn some fun facts about HYESUNG, DAUL, and Peakboy. 

It's not a fanmeet without finger hearts and peace signs up in the air, and almost everyone in sight got their photos taken with the trio.

Their friends, producer and bassist Snozern and singer-songwriter and model minzunki also joined in on the fun granting photo requests from the audience.

As a teaser, Peakboy performed a few songs to hype up the crowd, and despite some technical difficulties, pulled through the short setlist and engaged with fans by filming himself with their phones.

Giving us a taste of Seoul's party scene, each member's DJ set also gave us a glimpse into their styles and personalities.

The group's resident maknae HYESUNG started strong with Taeyang and Jimin's 'VIBE,' sending almost everyone to the dance floor to bop along to the Billboard Hot 100 hit. His set continued with a mix of K-pop tracks and familiar hip-hop beats, seemingly catering to the night's audience. In his own work as an esteemed producer, he's mostly known for his R&B and soul stylings, but has also given a preview of his jazz leanings with the 2023 single 'Falling' feat. Milena and BTS' V's cover of 'It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas'. 

While seemingly shy, he entertained requests for photos with the audience as he took a break from manning the boards.

DAUL took it up a notch with his house and techno picks, and made crowd favourites like NewJeans' 'Cool With You' his own. His solo work showcases soulful tunes with pop sheen, as seen in songs like 'What I Need' and 'Locked In (feat. Jiselle)'. 

Before Peakboy went behind the decks, he performed his originals such as 'SHAME' feat. george, 'THINK ABOUT YOU,' and 'Gyopo Hairstyle' amidst shrieks of "Peakboy, pogi! (Peakboy, handsome!)"

The final DJ set, with Peakboy, DAUL, and HYESUNG taking turns on the boards, was an interesting mix of old-school hip-hop, Daft Punk, '90s hits, ABBA and the occasional BTS track, all while the crowd danced to the music Zumba-style.

The trio was visibly happy throughout their performance, all smiles as they bobbed their heads and jumped to the beat, watching the crowd dance and sing their hearts out.

In a short interview with Bandwagon, the group revealed their surprise at the crowd's warm and embracing welcome. Peakboy shared how he didn't know what to expect, not having been to Manila before. However, after their performance, he felt so happy because of the people and how their promoters took care of them. He added that he enjoyed himself "because the people looked so happy... they looked excited while dancing and drinking along to our performance".

DAUL enthusiastically chimed in to say that the show was "very good," while HYESUNG gave us a thumbs up saying that the night was "pretty good."

Still on a high as they exited the cosy party they held for fans, the crew was more than ready to explore what else Manila nightlife had to offer, starting with a basement club in Makati. But that's a story for another day.