WRITTEN BY FRANCESA JANA SANTIAGO

When people hear the word “K-Pop”, they either think of the vibrant global phenomenon consisting of multi-talented, extremely charming, trained-to-the-core idols… or something more specific like the musical giant BTS. Either way, this whole ordeal has not only enhanced South Korea’s economy but also built the strongest fanbases, influenced international consumerism and paved the way for more opportunities to link different communities together. With that being said, did you know some K-Pop idols are Filipino?! This may come as a surprise to most people but passionate fans know that foreigners being a part of Korean groups are nothing out of the ordinary. Entertainment companies tend to scout and hold auditions from different places all over the world, most commonly in Japan, China, Thailand and America. They then train these aspiring artists to not only sing, dance, model or act in Hallyu-level standards but also to speak and understand the local language and culture.

The first Filipina to be considered a K-POP idol was Kriesha Chu, who rose to fame after joining the reality competition K-Pop Star 6: The Last Chance back in 2016. The singer was born to Filipino parents with Chinese heritage and moved to San Francisco from Cebu at just 2 years old. After her participation in the show, she debuted in 2017 as a solo artist under Urban Works Entertainment and got to release her first mini-album Dream of Paradise, was included in some Korean drama soundtracks and dabbled in acting as well. However, to this day, she remains inactive in the K-POP scene. There was also the first all-Filipina K-POP group called TEM5IVE! The members, who hail from Quezon City, Taguig and Pasig City, were formed by JYP Entertainment and were even booked to perform at Korean events to further promote themselves. One of which included the 2017 Korean Celebrity Basketball League. However, just like Kriesha, they too grew inactive.

Other idols with Pinoy blood include Belle from CIGNATURE, LOUD contestant Yoon Dong Yeon and while technically she’s a full Korean, Sandara Park is arguably the Philippines’ favorite K-celebrity because of how much she’s embodied and promoted the culture, even earning the fan title as “Pambansang Krung-Krung” (National Crazy Personality). Today, all eyes are on Chanty from the rookie group Lapillus. The 19-year old Filipino-Argentinian started out as an actress for ABS-CBN dramas before debuting in the group just this 2022. In September, Lapillus visited the Philippines for the first time to promote and got to try Chanty’s recommendations for Filipino food! And just recently, she even joined GMA’s Sparkle Artist Center. Coincidentally enough, Chanty was also under the same Philippine talent agency as Sandara Park before kick starting her idol career!

The Philippines itself has always played a massively respectable role in the K-POP realm, as it is home to the most loyal market of the industry as well as what most artists would call “the loudest concert crowd”. The popularity of K-POP music never died down in the country, rather it became more amplified as generations pass and this is what influenced the way Filipinos consume media, commerce, and even politics. K-POP’s formulas have also been applied and altered by the Filipino music industry in order to produce what is now known as P-POP. And while most will argue whether or not these mixed-Filipinos should be recognized despite contributing to a culture that is not their own, a win is still considered a win and in any industry that our community gets to be included is a groundbreaking feat that will further open more opportunities to Filipinos of all kinds. Seeing one of our own on the global stage is a statement that shouts “Hello, world. Naandito kami” (We are here).