Have you ever missed the chance to watch your ult group live? Well, I have. Actually, I would call myself a primary resident of Team Bahay at this point. 

For Filipino fans, usually P-Pop or K-Pop groups, the term "Team Bahay" is not new. It’s how we refer to people who cannot attend their ult group’s concert in person, so they show their support from home instead (hence, the name). 

two different personalities of team bahay: pic.twitter.com/BTUP6YHRvb

— ica 🐶 (@jsikaminwonie) January 17, 2025

If you’re a casual listener, you might wonder what it is exactly about concerts that they’re such a big deal for fans to end up wallowing in despair just because of artists who probably don't even know they exist (Ouch!). “Aren’t fans doing too much for a parasocial relationship?,” someone else would probably ask. 

Though such sentiments may be right to some extent, for fans around the world, concerts and live events go beyond getting the chance to see our faves live. Of course, it’s generally a way for us to support the artist. However, each fan also has their personal reason for said support. 

Becoming a fan is one thing, but having a reason to stay is another, and for me, showing up to their events—especially ones that come very rare—is a way to express my gratitude, because the artists I support are one of my primary sources of healing and motivation. So, that’s why it’s such a big deal for me when I cannot attend a BTS concert, whether it be the whole group or one of the member’s solo concerts.

@thedarylvan finally made it #walktheline_in_bulacan #enhypen ♬ Sweet Heat Lightning - Gregory Alan Isakov

That said, each side of the world has its distinct way of coping with the inability to attend a concert they’ve been waiting years for. In Western countries, missing your favorite group’s concert would equate to moping around inside your room the whole day, accompanied by a bucket of tears and maybe questioning your priorities. 

The Philippines, however, is a different breed. Instead of wallowing in despair, Filipinos usually find creative ways to enjoy the concert, even behind their device screens. Maybe it’s the subtle acceptance of the fact that, most of the time, we’re unable to secure tickets for circumstances out of our control. 

Insufficient savings. Location too far. Personal commitments that cannot be set aside (unfortunately, being a fan isn’t a full-time job for most of us). You were the 100,001th person in queue for a 100,000 capacity venue. You name it.

Yet, Filipino fans always find ways to see the light where others might perceive the tunnel to have hit a dead end. Instead of spending the whole day upset, we channel our pakikisama (companionship) and spend it as Team Bahay. 

@dm.casi Replying to @Faith 🖤 so count: 1Billion #fatetourenhypen #concert #teambahay #enhypen #engene #kpop #fyp ♬ original sound - dani saw enha

I vividly recall turning off the lights in our living room, with a livestream of J-Hope’s concert flashed on my laptop and waving my ARMY Bomb along as if I was actually in MOA Arena. When the livestreams crashed, I continuously refreshed my feed for fancams, squealed over them on my feed, then watched the same moment from at least a hundred different angles. 

Team Bahay’s activities do not end there, though, because some fans also give out freebies outside the concert venue or spearhead fan projects that non-concert goers can participate in as they stay outside.

It is through Team Bahay that we Filipino fans get to showcase the resilience and pakikisama that the Philippines is known for. I may not be able to see BTS live, but I also don’t have to wait in long queues, or get squished in VIP standing where the short girlies like me barely see a thing. Instead, I watch the livestream of a fan near the barricade and sing along, immersing myself in the moment.

So, the next time you can’t attend the concert of your favorite artist, just remember, you have the ultimate front row seat in the house (literally)—and it’s free of charge. (Don’t be fooled, though, if a free ticket to BTS lands on my lap, I Will take it.)

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Written by Ana Rufa Padua, a fourth-year Communication student from the Ateneo de Manila University. With a passion for storytelling, she hopes to shed light on the various realities, lives, and phenomena surrounding the communities she covers. In her free time, she indulges herself in watching movies and listening to K-Pop.

Cover art by Christian Gonzalo