The highly anticipated Waterbomb Festival finally made its way to Manila, turning Quirino Grandstand into a massive water party last February 22 and 23, 2025. As a K-pop fan, attending Waterbomb Festival is on my checklist, Day 1 is filled with explosive performances, water cannon splashing and unforgettable experiences.

From smooth queueing and ticket verification to visiting different booths before and during the show, everything was organized properly. Though the food stalls and restrooms are quite far from the stage but it is no biggie due to the amazing and wild performances of the artists that made it worth it. Here are the highlights from Day 1 of Waterbomb Manila 2025.

1. Kim Jongkook ft. Shorry J, Physical 100 Ma Sunho and Tarzan electrifying stages

If you only know Kim Jongkook as the “Sparta-Kook” from Running Man, let me tell you—his Waterbomb set was a whole different level of fun. Despite being a first-gen K-pop idol from Turbo, I honestly didn’t expect much since I only know his hit song “Loveable”. But from start to finish, Jongkook, Shorry J, and Physical 100 stars Ma Sunho & Tarzan turned the stage into a full-blown party zone.

From powerful live vocals to non-stop splashing, they fully embraced the Waterbomb spirit—unlike some other artists who barely used the water cannons which is a shame. Their high-energy setlist was perfect for the festival, making this my top performance of the night!

2. Hwasa’s Confidence? Unmatched. Her stage? Legendary.

The moment HWASA stepped onto the stage, the crowd went wild! Opening with “Chili”, she immediately owned the Waterbomb stage with her aura, confidence, and charisma. She served vocals, visuals, and attitude, proving why she’s truly a queen.

Her 30-minute setlist was pure fire—featuring bangers like “Twit”, “Don’t”, “Decalcomanie”, “Egotistic” and “Water” Medley, “Dingga”, “Hip”, and the legendary “Maria”. Every move, every note, every second was perfection. It was her night. Her stage. Her moment.

3. Hit the beat like Kim Hanbin (B.I.)

Kim Hanbin (B.I.) brought his A-game to Waterbomb Manila, proving once again why he’s a K-hip-hop powerhouse. His set was packed with insane rap flow and hard-hitting beats, featuring tracks like “Michelangelo”, “BE I”, “One and Only”, “Waterfall”, “Tasty” and many more. But the highlight? The ultimate crowd favorite and national anthem—“BTBT”.
A funny moment? Hanbin struggled to get the water cannon working at first, but once it was on… he forgot to turn it off, drenching the crowd in water and they loved it.

4. Thrilling Waterbomb Time with Powerful Water Bombs and Water Cannons

Waterbomb Time is the perfect time to get more wet before you get a quick break or party harder as you listen to the 30-minute setlist prepared by amazing DJ. The excitement can be felt more when the water splashes from the waterbombs and water cannons with the continuous water gun fight of the audiences. However, I wish there are more water gun fights and water refilling station for fans in the future. If you will attend Waterbomb next time, be sure to bring extra clothes because you will definitely get wet and wild.

5. Chanyeol: The Nation’s Favorite Neighbor Returns

The final act of Waterbomb Manila 2025 was none other than EXO member Chanyeol a.k.a. “The Pambansang Kapitbahay”, who wants fans to get him wet and expected fans to have water guns as water gun fight is the highlight of Waterbomb Festival. He wished fans could have sprayed him some water but luckily there are people who bought the water guns and splashed him some water. While his setlist didn’t fully match the high-energy vibe of Waterbomb, his charisma and visuals were more than enough to send EXO-Ls into a frenzy. Fans screamed “Pogi!” and “Cute!” because let’s be real, Chanyeol IS both.

6. Remember IZ*ONE? Lee Chaeyeon and Kwon Eunbi extravagant performances

As a big fan of Mnet reality show Produce series, I am very happy to see the performances of Lee Chaeyeon and Kwon Eunbi, I still can’t believe it. As for WIZ*ONEs, this was an emotional moment. Seeing Lee Chaeyeon and Kwon Eunbi perform at Waterbomb was a dream come true. Chaeyeon, despite focusing on her solo career, gifted fans with an IZ*ONE medley however though it was spoiled early (which made her a bit upset). She even said she practiced “Panorama” a lot because it had been a while since she last performed it.

Meanwhile, Eunbi rocked the night with her sultry performances of her hit tracks including “Door”, “Sabotage” and “Underwater”. Both executed a powerful, strong and challenging dances moves but I wish Eunbi sang live more. Overall, it was a great performances from the two.

7. Baekho’s Hot Body

The official singer of Waterbomb 2024’s theme song “Wet and Wild”, Baekho, took over the stage with powerful vocals and killer moves. But let’s be real.. the moment he took off his shirt, the crowd went crazy.
His chiseled abs? Perfect. My reaction? Screaming. Sweating. Wanting to hit the gym ASAP. Baekho embodied the Waterbomb vibe perfectly, making his set one of the most unforgettable of the night.

8. EPIK HIGH’s energy is on top

With EPIK HIGH’s experience on different stages, it shows their seniority and embodiment of a first generation Korean artist. Tablo, DJ Tukutz and Mitra rocked the night with their energetic and fiery beat. The group never failed to impress me as they keep on showing amazing and powerful stages. The best part? They sang the “Don’t Hate Me” and I love it. Oh.. yeah.. Did you know.. DJ Tukutz ripped off his pants on Waterbomb Manila 2025 Day 1?

9. STAYC is a girl group to watch for

The only girl group of Waterbomb Manila 2025 Day 1. This is my second time seeing STAYC and their songs are always on top. SiEun’s vocals is always heavenly, Yoon and J always show their goofy and fun side to the fans, while SeEun, Sumin and Isa’s beauty is always on top. The setlist was perfect for Waterbomb Festival.. What’s lacking? I wish they had a longer time to perform for Manila SWITHs. Come on… It’s time to come back for another solo show in Manila, STAYC

10. Dynamic Duo’s dynamic and fun show

The AEAO singers executed a dynamic and fun stage show at Waterbomb Manila 2025. I felt the seasoned artistry and expertise in their stages especially when they sang “BAAAM” and “Smoke”.

Waterbomb Manila 2025 Day 1 was an incredible experience, but there’s room for improvement—like better water distribution and cheaper water guns. Despite that, it was a night of unforgettable performances, insane energy, and getting completely drenched.

One thing’s for sure, I’ll be back for Waterbomb Manila 2026! Will you?