Philippine Concerts

Tag: kpop

  • AHOF Joins IAM Worldwide as Official Youth Ambassadors for 2026–2027

    AHOF Joins IAM Worldwide as Official Youth Ambassadors for 2026–2027

    IAM Worldwide proudly announces the appointment of South Korea’s fastest-rising boy band AHOF as its newest Youth Ambassadors for 2026–2027, marking a powerful and progressive chapter for the popular health and wellness brand.

    The partnership also represents a historic first—making IAM Worldwide the group’s very first official brand endorsement since their formation in 2025, signaling the company’s early and confident investment in AHOF’s global potential.

    Formed through the hit survival show Universe League, AHOF—short for “All-time Hall Of Famer”—is a nine-member multinational group redefining the future of K-pop. The group’s name in Hangul also translates to “nine.”

    Their lineup featuring Steven, Jeongwoo, Woongki, Shuaibo, Han, Daisuke, Juwon, Chih En, and JL represents a rare global mix of talent from South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, and the Philippines, making the group one of the most internationally diverse K-pop acts from the current 5th generation.

    Since their debut on July 1, 2025 with the EP Who We Are, AHOF has rapidly emerged as a breakout force, achieving record-setting first-week album sales for a rookie boy group and earning a growing global fanbase known as “FOHA.” Their music is defined by emotional storytelling, high-impact choreography, and a genre-blending sound that captures the aspirations and anxieties of a new generation chasing purpose and exceptional performance.

    More than performers, AHOF represents a movement. Their name reflects an ambition not just to succeed, but to leave a lasting legacy—an ethos that aligns seamlessly with IAM Worldwide’s mission of empowering individuals to become the best version of themselves.

    “At IAM Worldwide, we believe that modern wellness is about consistency, discipline, and the courage to evolve,” said the company through an official statement. “AHOF embodies this mindset. They are not only global artists, but symbols of ambition, resilience, and transformation.”

    As youth ambassadors, AHOF will headline a high-impact campaign promoting the IAM Amazing Organic Barley Gummies—a next-generation wellness essential designed for convenience, vitality, and everyday nutrition. Made from premium young barley grass rich in antioxidants and essential nutrients, the IAM Amazing Barley Gummies reflect a modern approach to health that fits seamlessly into fast-paced lifestyles.

    The partnership holds special significance for the Philippines, as member JL Gaspar—who rose to prominence after winning first place on the SBS competition show Universe League—represents Filipino excellence on the global K-pop stage.
    His achievement reinforces IAM Worldwide’s commitment to support and elevate homegrown talent within globally competitive platforms, making this collaboration both strategic and aspirational.

    Fans can look forward to exclusive behind-the-scene moments, including a fresh and youthful campaign that spotlight why AHOF stands as the ideal Youth Ambassadors for IAM Worldwide—embodying the energy, discipline, and mindset that define the next generation of wellness.

    As AHOF continues their meteoric rise—marked by viral performances, global chart presence, and a clear vision to “be remembered forever”—their partnership with IAM Worldwide signals more than a collaboration. It is a convergence of culture, ambition, and wellness—defining what it means to lead in a new era.

    IAM Worldwide is a leading wellness and lifestyle company committed to elevating wellness and dreams worldwide by delivering innovative, accessible health solutions that uplift individuals to live better every day
    .
    For up-to-date information on their latest international ambassadors, campaigns and promos, visit their official facebook @iamworldwideofficialfb and on instagram @iamworldwideofficial for more.

  • D’Festa BGC: The Ultimate K-Pop Experience is Coming to the Philippines

    D’Festa BGC: The Ultimate K-Pop Experience is Coming to the Philippines

    Following its unforgettable runs in Tokyo, Seoul, Jakarta, and Los Angeles, D’Festa, the ultimate K-Pop experience, is ending its world tour with a bang in the Philippines. For its 10th year, Dispatch, an online media outlet in Korea, aims to celebrate with the K-Pop community around the world.

    D’Festa is an immersive exhibit that features never-before-seen performances, photographs, and videos from the biggest K-Pop groups such as BTS, Twice, Seventeen, NCT 127, NCT Dream, Enhypen, Tomorrow x Together, and Stray Kids.

    The event will have three main parts for fans to enjoy: The Exhibition, The Movie, and The Experience.

    The Exhibition has three sections of its own. The first section will have colorful portraits with handwritten messages. The second section will feature portraits of the artists in black and white. The last section showcases group and individual photos. All photos that will be displayed are Dispatch-exclusive.

    The Movie is where exclusive footage of never-before-seen performances from the featured K-Pop groups will be shown. These videos were created using cutting-edge XR filming technology.

    The last part is The Experience. An immersive 3D LED stage filmed by K-Pop stars. A designated mirror wall is available on one side for visitors to take their pictures. There is also a photo booth where you can pose with your favorite K-Pop singers.

    For fans who want to bring home keepsakes from their idols and biases, limited-edition exclusive merch items such as photo books, photo cards, enamel pins, and so much more are also available at the exhibit. Cup sleeves and snacks are also sold at The Café only in D’Festa.

    D’Festa will open its doors on December 20, 2024, at BGC Immersive, 3rd Floor inside One Bonifacio, Bonifacio High Street. The event will run until March 19, 2025. Ticket selling will start on November 15, 7:00 PM, priced at PhP 1,200 for weekday visits (Monday to Thursday) and Php1,450 for weekends (Friday to Sunday). Fans who purchased their tickets online will be prioritized entry in the venue. Walk-in tickets will also be sold but will be extremely dependent on the available tickets left for the day. PWD and Senior Citizen discounts are honored when you present your ID upon ticket purchase.

    Follow D’Festa BGC’s official social media accounts at dfesta_ph and make sure to keep tabs on the merch freebies and ticket giveaway announcements. For more information, visit the official website at www.dfestaph.com.

  • GLOBAL KOREAN SUPERSTAR G-DRAGON RELEASES ENERGETIC NEW SINGLE “POWER” WITH INDEPENDENT RECORD LABEL EMPIRE

    GLOBAL KOREAN SUPERSTAR G-DRAGON RELEASES ENERGETIC NEW SINGLE “POWER” WITH INDEPENDENT RECORD LABEL EMPIRE

    Global Korean superstar and multi-hyphenate, G-DRAGON, makes his long awaited return with a brand new single, “POWER”, released yesterday with Galaxy Corporation and leading independent record label, EMPIRE. A high energy, infectious K-pop record, the electrifying track showcases G-DRAGON’s undeniable vocals slicing through infectious beats. “”POWER” manifests the essence of music,” says G-DRAGON. Fans can stream the new track HERE and watch the music video HERE.

    Co-written by Tommy “TB Hits” Brown, Theron Thomas, Steven Franks, and G-DRAGON, “POWER” marks his first solo record since his 2017 self-titled EP, ‘KWON JI YONG’. That EP had soared to the top of the the Billboard World Albums chart and Japan’s Oricon digital chart, making him the first Korean artist to achieve this remarkable feat.

    “G-DRAGON is a cultural force that has laid the foundation for K-Pop’s global dominance,” says Ghazi – Founder/CEO of EMPIRE. “This partnership reinforces our mission at EMPIRE to work alongside artists that will shape the future of global music.”

    G-DRAGON – “POWER” (Official Music Video)
    G-DRAGON has over 2 billion career streams and has worked with the likes of Diplo, Baauer, Missy Elliott, Boys Noize, Sky Ferreira, Taeyang, and Skrillex. He has won World’s Best Album at the 2014 World Music Awards and has been on magazine covers and pages of Elle Korea, Harper’s Bazaar Korea, Vogue Korea, Hypebeast, and more. G-DRAGON has since forayed into fashion with his own coveted streetwear apparel brand, PEACEMINUSONE, and shot for campaigns with Chanel, Nike, and BMW. Notably, Southeast Asia constitutes a significant portion of his audience, with Indonesia ranking as his largest fanbase, followed by Malaysia at #3, Vietnam at #4, Thailand at #6, the Philippines at #9, and Taiwan at #10.

    He has since also expanded into art, having been named to ArtNet’s Top 200 Art Collectors list in 2019 and was a part of Frieze Seoul’s Now & Next artist series last year. This year, he is creating a perfume in collaboration with French perfumer, Frédéric Malle, and has launched JUSPEACE, a charity foundation to combat substance abuse in South Korea.

    Listen to “POWER” here
    Watch the music video here
  • Monsta X release A New English-Language Album, The Dreaming

    Monsta X release A New English-Language Album, The Dreaming

    Monsta X shared the first taste of the album with the Top 40 smash single “One Day,” which is currently at #32 and continuing to climb the charts. This marks the group’s third Top 40 single — and as Forbesreports, makes Monsta X only the second K-pop group in history to appear on the chart more than once. Access Hollywood wrote, “Monsta X is back at it with another stunning single,” while PAPER Magazine praised the “heartfelt, soaring ballad, the kind that they do so well,” calling the track “an auspicious introduction to the next chapter in the storied K-pop band’s history.” Teen Vogue said, “With a mid-tempo beat and good vibes all around, ‘One Day’ makes us excited for what Monsta X has coming up next.”

    Named by Grammy.com as “one of K-pop’s most prolific groups,” Monsta X’s new album The Dreaming is a continuation of their first all English-language debut album, ALL ABOUT LUV. Released in February 2019, that album ranked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 Chart, making Monsta X only the 3rd K-Pop group to chart within the top 10, and was one of the first-ever full English-language pop albums from Korea.

    Up next, Monsta X will hit the States in December for a number of iHeartRadio Jingle Ball performances in Philadelphia, PA, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, GA, and Miami, FL. More information can be found HERE. This will warm up North American audiences for the group’s upcoming headline tour, which kicks off January 29, 2022 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and concludes at the Forum in Los Angeles, CA on February 27, 2022. Full routing can be found HERE.

    The Dreaming tracklist:

    1. One Day

    2. You Problem

    3. Tied to Your Body

    4. Whispers in the Dark

    5. Blame Me

    6. Secrets

    7. About Last Night

    8. Better

    9. Blow Your Mind

    10. The Dreaming

    Last year, Monsta X, voiced their support for the Black Lives Matter Movement, during a performance with TIME Magazine for their TIME100 Talks. “As U.N. ambassadors for sustainable Goal 16 we stand for peace and justice,” rapper I.M said, further stating, “As such we have supported Black Lives Matter activism, and we believe that it’s time to acknowledge the issue and fix it.”

    The band took the US market by storm with the release of ALL ABOUT LUV with appearances on The Ellen Show, Jimmy Kimmel, GMA, LIVE with Kelly and Ryan, The Today Show,and much more. This release in February, marked the first all English-language album released by a K-pop group ever, and also debuted at No.5 on the Billboard 200 Chart, making it only the 3rd K-Pop group to chart within the top 10. The album kicked off 2020 with a splash, garnering rave reviews from places such as NPR,ET,Variety,Access,AP,Forbes,Consequence Of Sound,Billboard, and TIMEwho stated “You Can’t Hold My Heart” is a change of pace: en emo pop-rock track with guitar backing. It’s sweet but salty, and tightly executed with its nods to rock. And it’s a sign of dissolving borders — across language, across genre, across culture.”

    CONNECT WITH MONSTA X:

    INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | FACEBOOK

  • K-pop Acts Takeover Manila for KWMF 2019

    K-pop Acts Takeover Manila for KWMF 2019

    K-pop aficionados trooped the Mall of Asia Arena on June 9 as five acts came together for the K-pop World Music Festival. Organized by DnM Entertainment and All Access Production, the festival was a rare opportunity to see several stars under one roof. Sohee, Kim Dong Han, ELRIS, NCT 127, and Red Velvet, turned the Arena into a picturesque sea of pastel coral, lime green, and red as fandoms came lightstick-ready to support their faves.

    There was a lack of videos that are usually screened in Kpop events to hype up the crowd before performances begin, but the energy and camaraderie of the crowd made up for it.

    A Kim Dong Han fan single-handedly broke the ice by shouting the idol’s name in a coarse voice. Pockets of cheering followed after – birthday greetings for NCT 127 members, fanboys uproariously declaring love for Red Velvet’s Joy, and the entire venue turning into Reveluv kingdom as the second floor led the fanchants. Just like that, the event kicked off on a positive note.

    Kim Sohee was first on the stage. An idol who manages a career both as a soloist and a member of Elris, she first caught attention as one-third of Kpop Superstar 6 runner-up KWINS.
    Dressed in a tight-fitted red dress, soloist Sohee was sophisticated and mature, an image which she shed as she later returned with ELRIS. She performed her collab song with Bol4 “Hurry Up”, and a cover of Gain’s “Bloom”.

    Kim Dong Han, who has been to the country as part of JBJ, returned solo. The Produce 101 alum was most engaging with the audience, reaching every part of the stage to say hello and asking everyone to fill in lines of “Record Me”. A rookie soloist, Donghan made an impression with high energy performances of “Sunset”, “Focus” and “Ain’t no Time”, coupled with a winsome personality.

    The audience was transported to summer wonderland with ELRIS’ youthful performances.
    One member short with leader Bella suffering from an injury, they still performed “Summer Dream”, “Heart Bank” and “Pow Pow” seamlessly. The girls, dressed in pastel, were a breath of fresh air with their saccharine voices and gentle smiles. Leader Bella joined on-stage between songs and promised she’ll definitely be injury-free the next time they come by.

    NCT 127 came in strong with a combo of dance anthems “Fire Truck” and “Cherry Bomb”. The group proved to be consummate professionals, showing no trace of having arrived in Manila just a few hours before as they sang “Regular”, “Simon Says” and “Superhuman” with fervor. In Philippine concerts where screams count as currency, there was no shortage for NCT 127, leading the group to declare the night’s turnout as the “most energetic in the world”.


    Red Velvet was the definite highlight of the night. The ladies from SM entertainment turned the event into a solo concert for as long as their five-track setlist allowed. Irene mentioned she hopes to stage a solo concert in the country, and her request was met with overwhelming chants of “solo con” from the crowd. The group offered a solid set that started with “Red Flavor” and ended with “RBB”. Throughout, the audience was not merely doing fan chants, but were singing their hearts out along to entire songs.

    It should be pointed out that the audio could use improvement. While the artists were definitely singing live, their voices were overpowered by the playback, evident in the way the audio levels would be soft and fuzzy during the in-between talks. In a performance-heavy genre like Kpop, live performances are prized commodities and are welcome any day.

    The Kpop wave that stormed into mainstream consciousness in the aughts shows no signs of slowing down and the list of artists visiting the country grows each year. With just five songs each, the concert felt bitin for some spectators, to no one’s fault. Every artist mentioned looking forward to returning to the country another time. It’s now a wait and see who actually returns perhaps for a solo concert and finish what was started.

    Write up by Marijo Endriga
    Photos by Gellie Jam and Vince Bern

    Special thanks to DnM Entertainment and All Access Productions

  • Taeyeon Heats Up Manila!

    Taeyeon Heats Up Manila!

    Taeyeon of SNSD (So Nyuh Shi Dae/ Girls’ Generation) soared high with the recent Manila leg of her “S..” tour at the New Frontier Theatre last December 14.

    SONEs (So-Wons), the fandom of SNSD, signifies that the group and their fans will forever be one, and it was indeed a night where Filipino SONEs and Taeyeon became one. Local SONEs have been anticipating Taeyeon’s return, since the last Manila concert that Girl’s Generation participated in is already three years ago. Well, it was definitely worth the wait, wasn’t it?

    The sold-out concert for Taeyeon’s tour was full of energy and brimming with enthusiasm coming from both Taeyeon and the fans. The stage was set beautifully, and made the fans even more excited for what was to unfold for the next two hours. They kept on chanting Taengoo’s (Taeyeon’s nickname) name and sang along to her songs while waiting for the concert to start.

    Taeyeon kicked off with “Here I Am”, where a music video was played in the background. It was followed by “I Got Love,” and “Fire” which was complimented by her red outfit. Known as one of the most powerful vocalists of Korea’s SM Entertainment label, Taeyeon belted out “Rain,” “All Night Long,” “Baram Baram” and “Why,”. She was impressed when PH SONE’s sang along., musing “Wow you know all my songs, I really didn’t expect the support from you guys, thank you so much”.

    The concert felt like a fan meeting as she made sure to interact with her fans. There was even a moment when she shared her sentiments and PH SONEs kept on jeering her with “Iiyak na yan” to which she reacted. She was even tagged as the “Pambansang Beshy/Beshie” and she actively played along by repeating every Filipino word uttered by her fans. Taeyeon also conveyed how elated she was meeting her Filipino fans, saying

    “How long have you guys waited for me? I also waited a long time for you guys. For us to come here, there are lots of things that happened, but I thought that you guys are the most important thing. I will go back to Korea thinking that my decision wasn’t wrong”

    The concert progressed and she crooned the crowd with “One Day,” “Gemini,” “Christmas Without You” “I’m all Ears,” and “Gravity”. The climax of the night was the live rendition of her song “Fine”, which definitely sent goosebumps to every fan inside the theatre. She mentioned that it was her first time experiencing a warm December, and jokingly asked if a Philippine Santa wears a bikini. “It’s my first time to experience a really hot December. It’s not bad, it’s actually really good”.

    As the concert went on, the energy from the audience never floundered as fans kept on livening the mood with loud cheers. Taeyeon said that the shrieks and cheers make it feel like World Cup and Olympics. “I really really feel that if we go to the World Cup, we’ll win”.

    Sadly, the two-hour concert had to come to an end. Taeyeon performed “Time Lapse,”, “Circus,” and I” for her encore. “I think today’s concert will be very memorable for me. I’m so happy that I was able to sing to you guys for a very long time and I’m so happy that I was able to receive your energy and passion, SONEs are really the funniest in the world. PH SONEs are the best. SONE 짱야!!”

    After years of waiting, the yearning heart of PH SONEs were quenched with fabulous performances from Taeyeon. We’ll definitely wait for the time that we’ll be able to see Taeyeon along with the other members of Girl’s Generation.

    지금은 소녀시대 , 앞으로도 소녀시대 , 영원히 소녀시대

    (Right Now, It’s Girl’s Generation

    In the Future, It’s Girl’s Generation

    Forever, It’s Girl’s Generation)

    Special thanks to Pulp Live World!

    Words by Gellie Jam Alonto

  • EXO Shakes Up The Big Dome

    EXO Shakes Up The Big Dome

    January 2016 saw EXO make Philippine Kpop history as the first-ever act to hold a two-night concert. A little over a year later, the nine-member group is back in Manila, shattering their previous record by mounting two nights of Exordium in Manila at the Big Dome. EXO-Ls, as the fandom is called, have marked the event even before it was officially announced by Pulp Live World, pinching Pulp’s Vernon Go and Happee Sy for details over social media. Droves even trooped overnight at the Araneta Coliseum to secure premium seats on the first day of ticket selling. With the massive turnout and deafening screams throughout the night, EXO further cements their status as among Kpop’s biggest acts.

    The group showed up one member less with Lay unable to attend due to prior commitments. Despite online comments expressing dismay over not seeing all members, Filipino fans cheered loudly for Lay every time he appeared on video. The show went on, and went on spectacularly.

    The atmosphere was electric. The audience leapt to their feet soon as the lights dimmed. The ocean of twinkling silver lights was a sight to behold.

    Donning red velvet tuxes, the night aptly opened with Mama, the group’s orchestra-infused debut track. Monster and Wolf followed before the group introduced themselves. Baekhyun’s solo dance break for Monster was a particular stand-out. Of course, the audience screamed “chogiwa” along with Chanyeol for Wolf. This was followed by a string of some of their sexiest tunes- White Noise, Thunder, Playboy, and Artificial Love. Artificial Love is undoubtedly the sultriest number of the night, with the choreography involving romancing a cane.

    Chanyeol provided guitars for an acoustic medley of My Lady, My Turn to Cry, Moonlight, Call me Baby, Love Love Love, and Lady Luck. Youngest members Kai and Sehun hiked up a platform and danced to Lady Luck, their tall physiques emphasizing graceful movements.

    EXO showed no signs of tiredness, further hyping up the already pumped crowd for Love Me Right, 3.6.5, and Overdose. Transformer was an impressive number, with the boys speed dancing to the beat and in synch with the explosion of fireworks behind them. They turned into jedis for a moment, wielding lightsabers for, well, Lightsaber which was penned in collaboration with the Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie. Araneta’s wooden floors echoed with the jumps that accompanied Drop That, a number made more memorable by Chen’s powerful high note. Finally, they sang Angel and waved goodbye.

    The boys were happy, immensely thankful of how warm and passionate the Filipino crowd is. Baekhyun shared they weren’t supposed to smile performing Overdose, but found themselves overjoyed they couldn’t help it. Xiumin revealed he was shocked the first time he heard the stomping, it’s not something they’ve heard anywhere else. Last year, the VIP crowd for Exo’luxion had a dance off, something that’s happened only in the Philippines. It seems Filipino EXO-Ls are creating lasting impressions with every concert. The eldest member further added that he gave it his all this year because he was unable to dance last year due to an injury. The other member injured last year, Kai, spoke of how he felt like he was performing for a crowd of 70,000 because of the insane energy from the fans.

    The EXO members looked dreamy, spoke well, danced sharply, and hit every note– an amazing feat noting they performed almost 30 songs for the three-hour set. The boys effortlessly owned the stage. Since their previous concert, they’ve grown much more comfortable and in control.Their personalities shined through even in the videos showed during breaks.

    They delivered hits from the MAMA EP down the line to the EX’ACT album, showcasing breadth from the RnB favorite What If to the hip-hop Full Moon. They seamlessly transitioned from dance-heavy numbers to stripped down sets, each time evoking a different image to match the song, whether it be badassery, cuteness, or full-on swagger. As expected of the record-breaking group, the technical control, camera feed, and stage design were flawless down to the minutest details. Pulp Live did an impeccable job organizing this one.

    This is EXO’s fourth time in the country, the first being their 2013 Dream KPop Fantasy Concert appearance. They have been all over the world and performed in different languages, but it’s heartwarming how they still remember the lines to Hawak Kamay, the song they covered during their 2013 visit. Safe to say, they’ll be most welcome to perform the fifth time onwards. Afterall, exordium means beginning, their young careers will only blossom from this point on.

    Special thanks to Pulp Live World.

    Words by: Marijo Endriga

    Photos by: Vince Bern

    EXO’rDIUM in Manila Setlist (Day 1)

    1. MAMA (Remix ver.)
    2. Monster (Remix ver.)
    3. Wolf (Remix ver.)
    4. White Noise
    5. Thunder
    6. Playboy
    7. Artificial Love
    8. Unfair
    9. Acoustic Medley
    • My Lady
    • My Turn To Cry
    • Moonlight
    • Call Me Baby
    • Love Love Love
    • Lady Luck
    10. What If
    11. Tender Love
    12. Love Me Right
    13. One and Only
    14. Stronger
    —VCR
    15. Heaven
    16. Girl X Friend
    17. 3.6.5
    —VCR
    18. Overdose
    19. Transformer
    20. Lightsaber
    —Ment
    —VCR
    21. Full Moon
    22. Drop That
    23. Let Out The Beast
    24. Lucky
    25. Run (Remix ver.)
    —Encore
    26. Growl (Remix ver.)
    27. Lucky One
    —Ment
    28. Angel