INSPIRATION, TALENT, AND FRIENDSHIP SHINE AS FIRST ONLINE 2020 PHILKOR FESTIVAL WRAPS UP
With a combined live viewer of over 40,000 on YouTube and Facebook, the first foray of the 2020 Philippines-Korea Cultural Exchange Festival online last October 31, 2020 has been a huge success. This was all thanks to the relentless support of the fans of the performers, Korean band, World Music ID, Celso Espejo Rondalla, K-pop Dance Diva, Dasuri Choi, Star Hunt Academy Trainees, Asia’s Soul Supreme KZ Tandingan and phenomenal P-Pop group SB19.
The timeless partnership of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines, the Korean Cultural Center (KCC), United Korean Community Association together with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), as well as, the success of PhilKor Festival will surely bring more events of the same kind that would enable Filipinos to actively participate in the cultural exchange between the Philippines and Korea.
“We Rise Together” was a very timely theme for the event as both countries are currently facing the challenges of today’s pandemic. But together, and hand-in-hand, these two countries through various cultural events such as PhilKor Festival, will definitely get over all the challenges and uncertainties of these days.
Aside from the astonishing performances of the above-mentioned guests, one of the main highlights of the event was the awarding of the online talent contest winners. The winners likewise performed their amazing pieces and shared warm messages of inspiration for all the audience. Bagging P30,000 each was Mariz Mitra and Neverglow who won the Vocal and Dance categories respectively, while acapella group Iskollas took home P50,000 as the Grand Prize winner.
The event officially closed with a special collaboration performance of ‘Ikako’ by SB19, as the trending boy group sang with, Mona Gonzales, Ann Sandig, Wave Lee, Dasuri Choi, Celso Espejo Rondalla, and World Music Band ID.
The performances served as an inspiration and a source of energy and happiness through the trying times, especially for the brave frontliners of both countries. Through the good, the bad, and everything in between, the Philippines and Korea will further their beautiful friendship and deep cultural exchange so that we can rise together through any adversities.