PRESS RELEASE

 2018 Pinoy K-pop Star Winners

(2018 Pinoy K-pop Star Vocal Category Grand Prize Winner Venisse Siy (third from right) with the panel of judges namely, Virna Canete Territory Lead for Asia Pacific and Canada of GMA International, Jesmah Mananquil Vice President of The Philippine Kpop Convention, Inc., Happee Sy-Go Vice President of Pulp Live World, K-pop Dance Diva and KCC Dance Instructor Dasuri Choi and KCC Director LEE Jincheol.)

(Performance Category Grand Prize Winner MIX’IN with the panel of judges)

Hundreds of K-pop fans in Manila gathered at Samsung Hall, SM Aura, Taguig City last July 22, 2018 to witness ‘2018 Pinoy K-pop Star,’ the Philippine finals for the K-pop World Festival in Changwon, South Korea.

12-member cover dance group MIX’IN hailed as the Grand Prize Winner with their powerful performance of Cosmic Girls’ “Dreams Come True.” First Placer Kaiju X and Second Placer (K) -Idle wowed the crowd with their powerful performances of MONSTA X’s “Jealousy” and (G)I-DLE’s “LATATA.”

Venisse Sy won the Grand Prize for Vocal Category with her own rendition of Sohyang’s “Wind Song” from the popular Korean Drama “Go Back Couple.”  Sandra Dela Cruz’s version of LEE Hi’s “Breathe” and John Paul Manuel’s cover of Kim Yeon Woo’s “My Apology Letter” earned them both first and second place.

The grand prize winners of both performance and vocal categories received 20,000 pesos and will represent the Philippines in the online semi-finals of the 2018 K-pop World Festival in Changwon, South Korea. Second and third place winners of both categories also won 15,000 pesos and 10,000 pesos, respectively.

This year’s panel of judges was composed of Territory Lead for Asia Pacific and Canada, GMA International Virna Canete, Vice President of Pulp Live World Happee Sy-Go, The Philippine Kpop Convention, Inc. Vice President Jesmah Mananquil, K-pop Dance Diva and KCC Dance Instructor Dasuri Choi and KCC Director LEE Jincheol.

Korean Ambassador HAN Dong-man and Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, who graced the ‘Pinoy K-pop Star,’ both thanked the Filipino K-pop fans for coming to the event.

“I thank you, the Pinoy fans, who have come to participate and support Pinoy K-pop Star, a gathering of K-pop lovers that is very meaningful in maintaining the wonderful friendship between our nations and peoples. I strongly believe that each of you deserve the title of honorary ambassador for K-pop,” Ambassador HAN said.

“I believe that we have a connection that transcends beyond entertainment industries and tourist spots because we share a common history of going through difficulties making us both nationalistic and proud of our heritage,” said Mayor Cayetano.

“I’m happy to be part of an event that does not only celebrate the beauty of each other’s culture but also promotes the respective citizens’ mutual understanding between countries,” added Mayor Cayetano.

The event is presented by the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC) in partnership with SM Aura Premier.

(FROM LEFT:  Jesmah Mananquil Vice President of the Philippine Kpop Convention, Inc., Virna Canete Territory Lead for Asia Pacific and Canada of GMA International, Happee Sy-Go Vice President of Pulp Live World, Korean Ambassador HAN Dong-man, Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, K-pop Dance Diva and KCC Dance Instructor Dasuri Choi and KCC Director LEE Jincheol.)