Wednesday 31 July 2024

Pinoys invade K-pop industry

These Pinoy K-Pop Idols Deserve To Be On Your Playlist

Story by Rachelle Tonelada 
Cosmopolitan Philippines
31 July 2024

When it comes to *rizz* and onstage presence, the Philippines definitely comes to mind. In fact, the country has been home to people full of talent and creativity that the world just can't turn a blind eye to. Filipino artists have made notable success in the international entertainment industry, not just in local media.

In fact, Filipino talents continue to emerge, even in K-Pop. With their impressive vocals and impeccable dance moves, they might just end up being your bias!

LIST: Filipinos Who Have Debuted As K-Pop Idols

1. Gehlee Dangca (UNIS)

Gehlee Dangca secured fourth place in the debut group of the South Korean survival show Universe Ticket, earning her the opportunity to debut under F&F Entertainment's K-Pop girl group, UNIS.

Before embarking on her K-Pop career, Gehlee was actively involved in pageants in the Philippines—she even received the nickname "Princess." At the young age of 15, she was crowned Miss Republic Continent-Charity Queen International 2022 in Bulacan, which truly showcased her wit and charm. Gehlee was a student at San Beda College Alabang and St. Paul College Pasig.

2. Chanty Videla (LAPILLUS)

Chanty Videla stands out as a rising star with a unique background. Born on June 15, 2002, Chanty has carved her path to become one of the few Filipina-Argentinian idols in the South Korean music industry. She is a vocalist and main visual of the girl group LAPILLUS, which debuted on June 20, 2022 under MLD Entertainment. 

In case she look familiar, before stepping into the spotlight as a K-Pop idol, Chanty honed her skills as an actress and model in the Philippines, appearing in various TV shows and commercials. Until now, she is listed as one of the talents under Sparkle GMA Artist Center. 

In April 2024, MLD Entertainment announced that Chanty would be taking a break from her K-Pop group after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. Despite her hiatus, she remains a member of the group.

3. Elisia Parmisano (UNIS)

Another Filipina in the girl group UNIS under F&F Entertainment is Elisia Parmisano, who has showcased exceptional talent even before entering the K-Pop industry. Elisia was the first member of UNIS to secure a guaranteed spot!

ICYDK, she trained under Star Magic as a child star. She had guest roles in prominent Filipino TV shows like the ABS-CBN series Nang Ngumiti ang Langit. When she won the Universe Ticket, Regine Velasquez and Vicky Belo shared their warm congratulations. 

4. Sophia Laforteza (KATSEYE)

Picked from 120,000 aspiring trainees as one of the lucky 20 to appear on the Korean show The Debut: Dream Academy, Sophia Laforteza proved to be an exceptional talent. She has now debuted under HYBE Label as part of their international girl group, KATSEYE.

The 20-year-old Filipina is the daughter of Filipino singer-actress Carla Guevara-Laforteza and Godfrey Laforteza. Like others, she used to be a K-Pop fan, and is a certified ARMY (fan of BTS)! 

Sophia also excelled in her studies, having graduated from the Multiple Intelligence International School with awards in June 2021.

5. Dongyeon (POW)

Justin Youn, also known as Dongyeon, is a talented Filipino-South Korean singer and dancer under GRID Entertainment, making waves as a member of the boy group POW. This 20-year-old artist, whose mother resides in Negros Occidental, was a contestant on the SBS survival program Loud under JYP Entertainment. Yes, the entertainment agency currently in charge of 2PM, TWICE, Stray Kids, ITZY, and NMIXX.

Although Dongyeon was eliminated in the seventh round of the program, his journey didn't end there. In October 2023, he made his debut with POW, marking a significant milestone as one of the first Filipino K-Pop boy group members.

6. Jay Chang (ONEPACT, B.D.U)

Filipino-American singer Jay Chang debuted under FM Entertainment. Jay has gained significant recognition through his participation in several reality survival shows, including Under Nineteen, Boys Planet, and Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survivor.

Despite being eliminated early in Under Nineteen, he continued to pursue his dreams and was later revealed as the second member of M.O.N.T Arena in 2022. In November 2023, he debuted as a member of ONE PACT alongside fellow BP contestants Jongwoo, Seongmin, and Yedam. Jay also debuted in June 2024 as part of the project group B.D.U., formed through Mnet's reality survival show Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survivor.

7. Anthonny (TOZ)

Anthonny, a multi-talented artist born in Davao City, made a name for himself in the world of reality survival shows, ranking 18th in Produce 101 Japan Season 2 and 32nd in Boys Planet. Afterwards, he debuted as the leader of boy group TOZ under YY Entertainment.

Fun fact: he is a fan of Filipino singer Yeng Constantino, and he absolutely loves her song "Ikaw."

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