Entertainment

I finally saw BLACKPINK perform live for the first time

A first-hand concert experience of a BLINK after almost a decade of stanning them

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

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I have been yearning to see and hear BLACKPINK perform live since 2016.

My long-time university friends (even acquaintances) can prove how hyped I was during the barrage of BLACKPINK’s first set of debut teasers. That excitement went through the roof the very moment BOOMBAYAH and WHISTLE / 휘파람 (Hwiparam) music videos got out on YouTube.

Honestly, it’s a huge core memory that still lingers to me.

Who’s Next: Pink Punk?! 🩷🤘🏼

Did you know? BLACKPINK was originally planned as a 9-member girl group dubbed “Pink Punk.”

Not until other trainees left and fate decided to let them be another 4-member girl group of YG Entertainment just after the agency’s first hit girl group, 2NE1.

Backtracking my tweets from my aging K-Pop stan account, I was actually waiting for the group’s highly-anticipated arrival as early as March 2015.

* As a refresher, BLACKPINK made their official debut with ‘Square One’ EP last August 8, 2016 — more than a year after I made that tweet.

Again, my inner girl group geekiness speaks out. Other notable trainees include:

The remaining two are now soloists who still have a passion for music:

Near, Far, Wherever You Are 🎶

Despite being a hardcore BLINK since 2016, I only got quite a handful of BLACKPINK-related mementos with me.

For one, there’s the Samsung Galaxy A80 BLACKPINK Edition unboxing we did back in 2019 (which I personally shot and edited).

Last January 2020, two months ahead the lockdown, I was the few chosen ones invited to attend the Korean giant’s ‘Awesome Galaxy’ event in Jakarta, Indonesia.

As unfortunate as it seems, they never performed any songs and only held a mini fan gathering that time. That’s still my closest encounter with the hit 3rd gen K-girl group.

Pandemic halted the world, but it never stopped me from dedicating my very first vivo V-series phone review write-up in relation to BLACKPINK’s first full album promotion during that time.

Five years in, finally, here we are! The much-awaited concert of BLACKPINK is honestly one of the things I least expected to ever see in 2025.

D-DAY = DEADLINE-Day 💅

Longing sentiments aside, THE day has finally arrived.

I came to see BLACKPINK’s ‘DEADLINE’ Day 1 Stop at Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

After that dreamy golden hour, the arena’s pink stairs illuminated to showcase the group’s official color. A perfect complement to everyone’s black and pink fits.

No one asked but, I’m the type of person who often goes cashless — or someone who relies heavily on card payments and just keeps a handful of hard cash in my bag’s pockets.

Luckily, the existence of Maya cards (both the Maya Black Credit Card and the glitzy Pink Glitter Edition one) truly helped me replenish and fill-up that pre-concert void.

These cards have been helpful along my cashless purchases.

From hydrating myself with water (and iced coffee) after roaming around the arena, all the way to filling my appetite with pizza right before entering my designated concert section and seat, it’s been a hassle-free experience.

As easy as tapping your card towards the payment terminal, you’re off the hook and free to go whenever, wherever.

There was even a dedicated Visa booth that gave away freebies (such as a portable fan and power bank) just by showing the Maya card/s that you own.

Going beyond the arena’s doors, you’d be greeted by a lot of BLINKs holding their old and new versions of BLACKPINK lightsticks.

During this time, it was still not sinking in to me. I just sat on my assigned seat just so I can fully immerse myself in this massive concert crowd.

BLACK to the PINK 🖤🩷

After waiting for 15 more minutes, the lights and VCR finally went off while BLINKs screamed as loud as they can.

The set was started by the pre-pandemic hit Kill This Love followed by their second to the latest single Pink Venom (which was released three years ago, BTW).

I’m not saying that having a fewer-than-usual discography as a 9-year-old girl group is a good thing.

However, BLACKPINK’s ‘DEADLINE’ Tour still made me hear and relive their recent BLACK tracks like and Shut Down alongside classics such as How You Like That together with뚜두뚜두 (DDU-DU DDU-DU),

Even BOOMBAYAH was never forgotten — or the banger that made me stan them since the very beginning.

The group’s “Pink Side” was even shown through Lovesick Girls, Forever Young, 불장난 (Playing With Fire), 휘파람 (WHISTLE), even 마지막처럼 (As If It’s Your Last).

Their latest group release, JUMP, was also included in the setlist.

This is the part where everyone actually had the chance to stand up and jump high in the air — myself included in the narrative.

Un poco loco over solo 🤯

ICYMI, BLACKPINK already left YG Entertainment (their OG agency) and went all-out solo with their respective agencies.

That’s Jennie with ODD ATELIER, Lisa with LLOUD, Jisoo with BLISSOO, and lastly, Rosé with THEBLACKLABEL — which was founded by YG’s former producer, TEDDY, who released all hit songs for one of the biggest girl group acts of K-Pop.

Fortunately, despite separating ways, this DEADLINE tour made it possible to perform all of the members’ latest solo releases.

After researching for a bit, I’ve found out that the setlist was NOT fixed / definite in every stop.

DEADLINE’s Act 2 (at least in the first day) was introduced by Jisoo with Hugs & Kisses followed by Earthquake.

It was then followed by Lisa with When I’m With You and Rockstar.

After another OT4 group act, Jennie started Act 4 with the wonder hit Like Jennie mashed alongside ExtraL plus Starlight.

Finally, Rosé (or Rosie) ended the solo act with an acoustic performance of number one girl alongside a band performance of toxic till the end. Of course, APT. was never excluded in this set list as everyone chanted “아파트” (a-pa-teu) so hard and danced like crazy.

En route to the core ➡️

Just when everyone thought it already ended, my gut feeling told me a K-Pop concert wouldn’t be complete without an encore. I was right all along.

Once again, BLACKPINK shooketh the venue with another JUMP performance. This time, they’ve changed to another set of stage outfits — which looked more comfy and lax for all members.

After some fan service and cute fan interactions, they performed Really. My inner self gasped as it’s actually one of my favorite BLACKPINK b-sides ever.

As unfortunate as it gets, they had to end it with See U Later. Maybe that’s a sign that they will come back again — or maybe never?

From Concert Dreams to Reality ✨

I’m an aging veteran K-Pop stan for more than 16 years now.

Admittedly, no matter how dedicated I am when it comes to streaming a lot of groups’ music and performances on several platforms, I’ve never been the concert-goer typa fan.

I’m THAT “broke” type of fan during my elementary, high school, and even university days who relies heavily on granted scholarships. Thus, not having that severe FOMO that most K-Pop fans truly dire and desire.

Still, seeing BLACKPINK for the first time ever since I stanned them last August 2016 has always been a long-time dream.

Not only I get to see and hear Jennie, Lisa, Jisoo, and Rosé perform live, I’ve finally crossed out one thing out of my bucket list after nine long years of being a BLINK.

What a way to truly end my year in advance (and belatedly celebrate my birthday more than a month ago 😅).

 

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Now Playing: The Devil Wears Prada 2 — Still sharp, still human

Growth over gloss

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The Devil Wears Prada 2
All images are screenshots from the Final Trailer of The Devil Wears Prada 2

I didn’t watch The Devil Wears Prada when it first came out in 2006.

I came to it a few years later, at a time when I was still figuring things out—career, identity, even the kind of movies I allowed myself to enjoy. It wasn’t something I would’ve picked on my own back then.

At the time, it felt like a story about love versus career. I was about to graduate with a Mass Communication degree, unsure of where I was headed, trying to make sense of both ambition and connection.

Watching it again recently, it lands differently.

It’s less about choosing between two things—and more about understanding who you are, and having the courage to follow that honestly.

That’s what makes The Devil Wears Prada 2 feel so deliberate. It doesn’t just revisit the past. It builds on it.

Growth over spectacle

There’s a version of this sequel that could’ve leaned entirely on nostalgia. Bigger moments. Sharper outfits. A louder version of what already worked.

This isn’t that.

The film is grander, but in ways that feel earned. It embraces the 20-year gap instead of ignoring it, placing its characters exactly where you’d expect them to be—not in status, but in spirit.

Miranda Priestly still commands every room, but no longer feels as unassailable as she once did.

Andy Sachs carries experience. She’s no longer the green assistant, but an accomplished journalist whose relationship with Miranda still shapes her decisions.

Emily Charlton feels fully realized—no longer orbiting power, but owning her place within it.

And Nigel remains a pillar. Dependable to both Miranda and Andy, an almost invisible hand that guides more than it claims.

None of them feel stuck in who they were. That’s the point.

What it says about the work

This is where the film hit me the hardest.

Working in tech media, I constantly see the push toward generative AI—toward making everything faster, more efficient, more scalable. A lot of it is impressive. Some of it is genuinely useful.

But some of it is also unsettling.

We’re at a point where generative visuals can fool people. Where audio—music even—can sound convincing enough that you stop questioning where it came from. That’s the part that lingers.

Because music, for me, is personal. It’s how I process things. And realizing that something artificial can mimic that emotional weight—even if imperfectly—feels dangerous in a quieter, harder-to-define way.

This film doesn’t shout about AI. It doesn’t need to. Instead, it argues for something more fundamental.

That the human touch still matters.

That taste, judgment, and intention aren’t things you can replicate at scale.

That the pain of heartbreak, the joy of victory, and the complicated weight of living—these are things that come from experience. And experience leaves a mark. We leave a part of ourselves in everything we create, whether we mean to or not.

That’s something I don’t think can ever be fully replicated.

AI is a helpful tool. But it should not be relied upon for things that require a piece of our soul.

Direction that understands power

A lot of that message lands because of how The Devil Wears Prada 2 is directed.

Blocking and staging do most of the talking. Who stands where, who moves first, who stays still—these choices define power before any dialogue kicks in.

The camera follows emotion closely. Moments of uncertainty feel slightly unsteady. Scenes of control are composed and precise.

It’s not trying to impress you. It knows exactly what it’s doing.

Sound that knows its place

The sound design follows that same discipline.

Nothing competes. Nothing distracts.

Every element feels intentional–supporting the scene instead of demanding attention. It’s cohesive in a way that’s easy to overlook, but once you notice it, you realize how much it’s doing.

Dialogue that winks, but doesn’t linger

There are a few “wink” moments–lines that echo the original, callbacks that longtime fans will catch instantly.

But the film shows restraint.

It never lets those moments take over. They’re accents, not the foundation.

Nostalgia used with purpose

That restraint carries through how the film handles nostalgia as a whole.

It doesn’t rely on it. It uses it.

Parallels to the original are there, but they exist to highlight change—not to recreate what once worked.

It’s less about remembering.More about understanding what time has done.

Why it works now

What makes The Devil Wears Prada 2 land isn’t just that it’s well-made.

It’s that it feels necessary.

In a world that keeps pushing toward speed, output, and efficiency, this film slows things down just enough to remind you what actually matters.

The intention behind every line, every scene feels sharp—like it could only come from people who care. Who care about the craft. Who care about making something that connects.

It might sound like a tired argument. But it’s still true.

The breadth and depth of humans who care is irreplaceable.

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WATCH: Teaser trailer for DC Studios’ Clayface

DCU’s standalone horror thriller

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Courtesy: Warner Bros. Studios

The teaser trailer for DC Studio’s horror thriller, Clayface, has just been released. It is the studio’s first-ever foray into the genre, with the film co-written by Mike Flanagan and directed by James Watkins.

The R-rated standalone film is still part of the new James Gunn DC Universe, taking place within the main DCU timeline before the events of the 2025 Superman.

It stars Tom Rhys Harries as the titular Gotham City villain. He is joined by Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll, and Joshua James.

The film opens internationally on October 21 and in North America on October 23.

Here’s a quick look at the film’s teaser trailer:

Clayface explores one man’s horrifying descent from rising Hollywood star to revenge-filled monster.

The story revolves around the loss of one’s identity and humanity, corrosive love, and dark underbelly of scientific ambition.

Joining Watkins in his creative team are director of photography Rob Hardy, production designer James Price, editor Jon Harris, visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton, costume designer Keith Madden, and casting director Lucy Bevan.

In addition, here’s a quick look at the movie’s teaser poster:

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DC’s Clayface teaser shows off a horror-filled superhero movie

Our first taste of James Gunn’s Gotham City will be frightening.

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Last year, James Gunn’s Superman sparked an impressive wave of excitement for the new DC Universe. Though this year’s spotlight is on Supergirl, Clayface is also getting an eponymous film, giving us our first taste of Gotham City in this bustling universe.

There’s been a lot of mystery surrounding this film. For one, Gotham City’s DCU debut is based on, arguably, a secondary villain, rather than any member of the Bat-Family. Secondly, Gunn has confirmed that the movie will heavily lean towards the horror genre, a feat others have tried but often failed.

Today, DC Studios has released the first teaser trailer for Clayface. And no, Gunn wasn’t kidding when he said this is going to be a horror film.

Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, a rising movie star suddenly scarred by a violent attack. Desperate to resurrect his career, he resorts to a scientific experiment that turns his skin into moldable clay.

As the teaser hints, the film will not shy away from body horror, including shots of Hagen’s disfigured face either from the attack or from the clay. It’s a big departure from the more traditional style of Superman or Supergirl. But it’s a gamble that might pay off for a universe as young as the DCU.

It’s also apropos that the DCU’s first horror film is getting a horror-themed premiere. Clayface will premiere in cinemas on October 23, 2026.

SEE ALSO: Superman sequel, titled Man of Tomorrow, comes out in 2027

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