The Korean Embassy’s Korean Cultural Center recently treated mallgoers to a K-Pop Festival featuring the Happy Hallyu Day and the 2016 Pinoy K-Pop Star competition at the SkyDome at SM City North EDSA.
A joint project of the The Korean Cultural Center of the Korean Embassy, in partnership with SM and the Philippine K-Pop Convention, Inc. (PKCI), the Happy Hallyu Day promoted Korean culture and products as well as its K-Pop music and dramas.
“Hallyu” is the term used for the Korean cultural wave and its fast-growing popularity of entertainment and culture. The Hallyu Day celebration included fun activities and games about all things Korean – the Trip to Korea musical chairs and the Korean Drama Quiz. There were also Korean artists’ photo areas, Fanclub exhibits and booths, talks from different K-Pop writers about traveling to Korea, K-Pop fashion and style, Korean make-up demo, and open stage performances. Winners from the open stage performances have an opportunity to be an opening act for the annual KPop Convention 8 in December.
The Korean Cultural Center also opened the 2016 Pinoy K-Pop Star competition to talented Filipinos with the growing interest in Korean culture. Twenty finalists showed off their talents as they aimed to be the Philippines’ representatives for the K-Pop Festival (cover dance competition) and the KBS K-Pop World Festival (singing competition) in the two categories: performance and vocal categories, respectively.
In the vocal category, Andrea Fe Padilla was declared as the Grand Prize Winner, followed by John Paul Soliva for the 2nd place and Venisse Nicole Siy for the 3rd place. Padilla and Soliva will represent the Philippines in the Online Regional Finals for the 2016 K-Pop World Festival in Changwon, South Korea.
In the dance category, ten groups showed off their K-Pop moves with costumes to complement the whole performance. The group Exotixemerged as Grand Champion, winning a free trip to Korea to participate in the 2016 K-Pop Festival in Changwon, South Korea. They will represent the Philippines and compete with other dance teams from around the world. The group Amigo 7 won the 2nd Place, while Noxxwon the 3rd place.
The event was started by an opening number of the host, and last year’s Pinoy Pop Star winner, Val John Librea. A performance by Dasuri Choi, the Korean Cultural Center of the Korean Embassy K-Pop dance instructor and Eat Bulaga’s Korean Dancing Diva, was a hit by the K-Pop lovers and the curious alike. Hwang Yohan, the Grand Touristar of ABS-CBN’s I Love OPM serenaded the K-Pop fans as the closing act of the whole event.
The K Pop Festival’s Happy Hallyu Day and the 2016 Pinoy K-Pop Star competition is one of the many exciting cultural events at the SkyDome at SM City North EDSA.
