Treasure returns to Manila with a wave of sound and memory during the Pulse On Tour, delivering a powerful mix of new-era energy and nostalgic fan-favorite moments.
Treasure took over the SM Mall of Asia Arena on April 18, 2026, for the Pulse On Tour presented by iME Philippines.
For a night that felt suspended in time, it was as if years of waiting finally exhaled at once. The arena was already restless long before the lights dimmed. Even outside the venue, Filipino Treasure Makers (Teumes) showed the essence of fan community. Some distributed freebies to fellow fans.
Inside the arena, Filipino Teumes carried patience shaped by time and repetition. The kind that only deep fandom can understand. There was quiet familiarity in seeing a group once seen as rising rookies now stand fully formed under stadium lights. It was hard not to trace the journey back to its earliest chapters.
Treasure Pulse On Tour in Manila Recap: A Return Written in Memory and Manila Noise
When Treasure first greeted Manila in 2022, it came at a fragile yet formative moment in their career. Member Jihoon reflected on that visit during the concert. He recalled that they arrived in Manila around the time they began overseas tours in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, Jihoon noted that everything still felt new at that time. He also shared that it had not been long since their debut and that international travel was still limited during that period.
He also acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding that period. Specifically, several members had been diagnosed with Covid-19 months before their Manila performance. Yet what stood out in his recollection was not the difficulty, but the reception. Jihoon shared that despite meeting them for the first time, fans in Manila offered overwhelming support and warmth. It created what he described as a deeply memorable experience.
Moreover, Jihoon pointed out how Manila became the first place where they truly felt the scale of their audience. They heard thunderous cheers through their in-ear monitors and witnessed the intensity of the crowd’s response as they stepped onto and even beneath the stage, creating an awe-inspiring experience. Without a doubt, nothing beats a Filipino crowd.
That memory lingered in the air during Pulse On. The performance was no longer just a stop on a global tour. But instead, a return to a place that had witnessed their earliest steps outside Korea. There was a sense that both artist and audience were revisiting a shared beginning, one that had quietly endured through years of distance.
Treasure is truly a force to reckon with
The setlist unfolded like a timeline of transformation. High-energy tracks such as “MMM,” “King Kong,” “Bona Bona,” and “Jikjin” ignited the arena early. They followed this with emotionally layered performances such as “Thank You,” “Yellow,” “Paradise,” and “Everything,” which slowed the pace without losing intensity. They then delivered the newer material, including “B.L.T (Bling Like This),” “Better Than Me,” and “Now Forever,” with striking confidence. Even without familiarity, the songs carried a sharp, polished energy that made them instantly compelling, as if the group designed them to announce a new era rather than simply extend an existing one.
That sense of progression flowed naturally into the unit stages, where individual colors came into sharper focus. “MOVE” by T5 shifted the atmosphere with sleek, performance-driven precision. “Thank You” by Asahi and Haruto softened the tone, leaning into restraint and emotional clarity that lingered in the space. “VolKno” by Choi Hyunsuk, Yoshi, and Haruto then cut through with intensity, adding a grittier contrast that re-energized the arena.
From there, there was a noticeable shift in how the group occupied the stage as a whole. Movements felt more assured, interactions more natural, and transitions smoother. It reflected the kind of growth that no staging or rehearsal can produce. The evolution did not announce itself loudly or in a self-congratulatory way. It simply existed in every beat and formation. And it was hard not to notice how fully they stepped into it.
From Treasure Box to Conquering the World Stage
Then came the medley of older tracks, and the atmosphere changed again. Songs like “Boy,” “Hello,” “I Love You,” and “B.O.M.B” resurfaced like familiar echoes, triggering a wave of recognition that spread across the arena almost instantly. These were the songs that had once defined their early identity. And hearing them again in a larger, more refined setting created a layered emotional response. For someone who has witnessed their journey since Treasure Box, nostalgia did not simply arrive in passing moments. It surged all at once, carried by thousands of voices singing in sync.
The encore carried that sentiment forward through performances such as “Darari” and “Going Crazy,” with each song adding another thread between past and present. The setlist made it clear that the production did not aim only for entertainment. It also invited reflection, letting time move in both directions without friction. It grounded the experience to see how seamlessly they bridged who they were with who they have become, without separating the two.
By the end of the concert, the scale of the production and the energy of the performance no longer stood out on their own. What lingered instead was the quiet realization of how much had changed and how much had endured. Treasure returned to Manila with a story that resumed after years of pause, now carried with a deeper and more resonant voice. After stepping back from following them closely after the pandemic, seeing them finally take the stage again felt like a quiet blessing, as if time had gently reopened a chapter left unfinished and allowed it to unfold in a more complete form.
Meanwhile, the TREASURE Pulse On Tour continues its Asia leg in Singapore on May 3, Hong Kong on May 9, Bangkok on May 16, and Kuala Lumpur on May 30.
Pop Journal would like to extend its gratitude to iME Philippines for the media invitation to cover Treasure’s Pulse On Tour in Manila.
Photos: Neo France Garcia
