Ohm-Nanon review, by Rich Paschall

One of the reasons for taking a trip to Halfway Around The World was to see Ohm-Nanon’s 1st Fan Meeting in Manila. Famous Thai celebrities Ohm Pawat and Nanon Korapat have been taking their act on the road. After their immensely popular mini-series, Bad Buddy, and what seemed like never-ending personal appearances, the popular performers have been doing a series of “Fan Meetings,” that is to say, variety shows, around southeast Asia

After a show in Thailand dubbed “ON Friend City,” the guys soon found themselves traveling to neighboring countries to perform and meet fans. The “Fan Meetings” went to Seoul, Korea, and two shows in Taipei. Then Manila was on the schedule for January.

It did not seem possible that we could actually get tickets to the show. They were, after all, in high demand. The performance in Bangkok filled the large convention hall. The evening show in Taipei sold out so fast that another was added for the same afternoon. I thought the same would hold true for Manila, but we got two tickets. So a friend who lives in the Philippines and I made plans to attend.

Ohm & Nanon go to the Philippines

An enthusiastic crowd was on hand to greet the performers. Local fans had prepared a goodie bag for attendees with a light stick, pictures of the performers, and a sign to hold up at the end of the show. Red and green light sticks were waved about during the show.

The show opened with a filmed introduction of the guys that was also used at the Bangkok show. After that, the crowd chanted “Ohm-Nanon” until the guys entered to sing “Same Page?” The song was used in the Bad Buddy Series.

After the opening number, the guys were interviewed by a local host. Throughout the question and answer session, the crowd was calling out the guys by name and shouting “We love you” or chanting “OhmNanon.” Several times the host had to ask the crowd to please let Nanon answer his questions, but the crowd could hardly contain their joy that the guys had come to the Philippines with their show.

Unlike the musical extravaganza in Thailand, road shows tend to resemble the appearances the guys make on television shows back home. They include songs, interviews, and some games for the amusement of the crowd.

Ohm sang “Unlovable,” the theme song from his most recent drama series, 10 Years Ticket. He explained it was the first time he was singing the song in public. Ohm is used to having Nanon or another GMM TV performer on stage with him. If he was a bit nervous, he nevertheless did well with the number.

Nanon followed with a lively performance of the theme from Bad Buddy, “Just Friend?” The crowd was happy to sing along when instructed. The two joined up at the end for another Bad Buddy tune, “Our Song.”

Ohm Pawat (L) and Nanon Korapat

Both Ohm and Nanon speak English and did not need a translator like they did for appearances in other countries. This made the show enjoyable in the Philippines where most speak English or at least understand a little. Our observations indicated that everyone in the crowd and all the workers were speaking English.

After the show, the crowd on the main floor got to go up on stage to high-five the guys and say hello. Everyone who went up had their hands sprayed with a sanitizer and was instructed not to wear rings or other jewelry on their hands and to keep the line moving. The boys graciously greeted hundreds of people in what turned into a real “Fan Meeting.”

Everyone in the first three rows of MVP seats got signed autographed posters. One hundred other seats on the main floor were randomly drawn to receive autographed posters. My seat won one. I tried to give it to my friend rather than take it home, but he insisted I take it. We all got another unsigned poster when we walked off the stage after meeting the performers.

Concerts I have attended here have always had merchandise on sale. I thought GMM TV missed a golden opportunity when they did not sell t-shirts or DVDs of Bad Buddy or ON Friend City. On the other hand, they were just handing out things to the audience members. It will probably be the only time I attend a show where audience members get a goodie bag.

The theater, Samsung Hall, was not meant for concerts. The acoustics were awful and the sound was generally too loud. I have attended loud concerts before, but the sound usually has some balance. The vocals could hardly be heard in the opening number and honestly were not much better later on. Samsung should be embarrassed to have its name on the place. They promote the theater as very flexible, meaning they can reconfigure the seating and stage as needed. The risers with the seats on the main floor were metal, as were the stairs up to the stage. It was hard to tell about the stage or seating on the balcony. Nothing bounces sound around the room like a lot of metal construction.

It was a long way to go to see Ohm and Nanon sing a few songs and play some games. I did not look at the time, but the show likely lasted over an hour and a half. It was worth it to see them live, despite the quality of the theater. I enjoyed it, but if I had known they were going to add shows in Singapore, Hong Kong, and VietNam, I may have asked my friend to meet elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

See also: “Halfway Around The Word,” A Trip to Manila, SERENDIPITY, February 5, 2023.
“A Trip To Manila,” photo gallery, “rjptalk,” Sunday Night Blog, February 4, 2023.
“Giving It Your All,” Ohm Nanon Friend City review, SERENDIPITY, August 27, 2022.
“Ohm-Nanon Fan Meeting in Manila,” Photo gallery, “rjptalk,” Sunday Night Blog, February 11, 2023.

Categories: Entertainment, Music, Rich Paschall, Travel, Video

Tags: Fan Meeting, Manila, Music, Nanon Korapat, Ohm Pawat, OhmNanon, travel