Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that BTS is officially back after nearly four years of absence from the public eye. Their long-awaited return is nothing short of monumental, marked by the release of a new album and a world tour that will run until March 2027. “Arirang,” the group’s 10th...
Author: Rochelle Leonor (Rochelle Leonor)
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Why some middle-aged Filipino women attend K-pop concerts
Korean pop music, or K-pop, has been a favorite of many Filipinos since “Answer the Phone” by Shim Mina became viral in the Philippines in the early 2000s. It was quickly followed by the megahit “Nobody” by the Wonder Girls, a song-and-dance routine that became a most-requested Christmas-party number in 2008. The first major K-pop...
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Popularity of K-pop and K-food surging worldwide, says report
K-pop and Korean cuisine are surging significantly in popularity worldwide, indicating the strong influence of Korea’s culture exports that ride on the Korean Wave, or “hallyu,” according to the 2024 Global Korean Wave Trend Analysis Report. Countries in Asia accounted for the most voluminous content about the Korean Wave (50.6%), followed by those in Europe...
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Filipinos are among avid readers of Korean literature
The announcement that South Korean writer Han Kang was awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature was nothing short of historic. Han Kang not only became the first Asian woman to win the award; it is also the first such distinction for a Korean writer. For avid readers of Korean literature, Han Kang’s win cemented...
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Why Filipinos are fascinated with ‘APT’
That “APT” is a global phenomenon is an understatement. Its official music video has amassed 815 million views on the YouTube channels of Bruno Mars and Rosé since it was launched in October 2024. Add another 45 million views from the duo’s live performance in the 2024 MAMA Awards. The catchy song ranked No. 1 in music streaming platforms such...
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A deeper look into ‘Squid Game’ (Season 2)
The sequel of the hit Korean television series “Squid Game” has drawn positive feedback from fans worldwide since it was released on Netflix last Dec. 26. It made its way to the Netflix Global Top 10 with more than 68 million views and ranked No. 1 in 92 countries, breaking the record for most views for a...