It’s only the first quarter of 2024, but two Filipinas are already making waves by conquering Universe Ticket, a K-pop reality competition show in South Korea that aims to form an 8-member global girl group. Elisia Parmisano and Gehlee Dangca were among 82 contestants from different countries worldwide and bested 74 other hopefuls to secure their place as two of the final members of UNIS.
But while the prospect of having Pinays debut in the K-pop industry is exciting, it’s certainly not
the first time. You might not know it, but there are already a number of artists with Filipino blood in the
industry. Read on to discover who they are!
Elisia
From the start, Elisia was a standout in Universe Ticket, wowing the show’s judges, who are legendary
K-pop idols themselves—Hyoyeon from Girls’
Generation, Kim
Se-jeong (formerly of I.O.I.) and singer-songwriter Younha. The 14-year-old
started as a child star in the Philippines, landing a guest role in the TV series Nang Ngumiti ang Langit.
She’s also Marcus Cabais's cousin, a member of the Filipino South Korea-based boy group
HORI7ON!
Gehlee Dangca
Before joining Universe Ticket, Gehlee was a model and beauty pageant contender. She was an early favorite
by judges who could not help but rave about her strong vocal ability and gorgeous face, making her an early favorite
in the show. And while her dancing needed improvement, she proved her worth by honing her skills with each episode
that passed, impressing the panel.
Jin Hyeon-ju
Hyeon-ju first debuted in 2017 as a member of Good Day and was introduced to the industry as Lucky. She later
re-debuted in 2020 as Belle in the girl group Cignature. Apart from her striking looks, Hyeon-ju is the complete
package, acing singing and dancing as a lead vocalist and dancer of her group. Born to a Korean father and Filipino
mother, Hyeon-ju was declared the final member of UNIS, and she’ll get to debut once again alongside her
fellow Pinays in a new girl group soon!
Sophia Laforteza
Just like Elisia, Sophia also joined a K-pop reality competition show. She emerged as one of the final members of
KATSEYE, a girl group formed under Hybe Labels and Geffen Records. The 20-year-old is a natural performer with
singing embedded in her genes—she’s the daughter of singer-actress Carla Guevara, after all!
Dok2
Lee Joon-kyung, better known as Dok2, is arguably one of the most influential rappers in the South Korean scene. Born
to a Korean mother and father of Filipino and Spanish descent, the talented artist was already signed to an agency
at the age of 13, even establishing his own label, Illionaire Records (now defunct), in 2011. He gained mainstream
popularity after participating as a producer on the reality survival show Show Me the Money and backing the
winner, Bobby, of the idol group IKON.
Chanty
Lapillus’ Chanty, also known as Chantal Videla, is a K-pop artist with a Filipino mother and an Argentinian
father. She was born in the Philippines but grew up in Argentina. However, she moved back to the country in 2010 and
became a model and actress, even becoming a part of Star Magic Circle’s Batch 2018. In 2021, she was announced
as a trainee under MLD Entertainment before officially debuting in 2022!
Hori7on
After winning ABS-CBN’s survival reality show Dream Maker in early 2023, Hori7on officially debuted in
July 2023 with their full-length album, Friend-Ship. Hori7on is said to be the first Filipino boy band to
debut in South Korea, with seven members in total—Vinci Malizon, Kim Ng, Kyler Chua, Reyster Yton, Winston
Pineda, and Jerome Batac. They are currently both active in doing promotions in South Korea and the Philippines.
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