Presented by Pulp Live World, StarNews, TONZ Entertainment, and Smart, the 2023 Asia Artist Awards drew a gathering of leading artists hailing from South Korea, Japan, China, and, notably, our homegrown talents from the Philippines.
Jang Wonyoung, Kang Daniel, and Sung Hanbin expertly handled the hosting duties for the 2023 Asia Artist Awards ceremony. The event showcased an impressive lineup of K-Pop idols, featuring renowned acts like NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, ZEROBASEONE, BoyNextDoor, NMIXX, Stray Kids, The Boyz, ITZY, Kwon Eun Bi, &TEAM, Kim Jae Joong, DinDin, Lee Young Ji, Dreamcatcher, KARD, Ash Island, STAYC, KEP1ER, TEMPEST, Lapillus, SEVENTEEN BSS, ONEUS, KINGDOM, ATBO, LUN8, AKMU, Paul Blanco, WHIB, and Lim Young Woong.
The lineup also included talented Korean actors such as Kim Seon Ho, Ahn Hyo Seop, Kim Se Jeong, Moon Ga Young, Lee Dong Hwi, Lee Joon Hyuk, Cha Joo Young, Lee Eun Saem, Lee Jun Ho, Jung Sung Il, Kim Young Dae, Lee Jun Young, Moon Sang Min, Yoo Seon Ho, Ahn Dong Goo, Park Jae Chan, EXO Suho, and Kim Ji Hoon. Additionally, the event was graced by the presence of international stars YAOCHEN from China, Kentaro Sakaguchi, and Sakurazaka46 from Japan.
Representing the Philippines, esteemed all-Filipino musical artists SB19 and Ben&Ben, along with HORI7ON, attended the award ceremony. The star-studded award show further included the participation of well-known personalities such as Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, and Melai Cantiveros-Francisco, adding to the international and diverse charm of the event.
With more than six hours of red carpet and awarding ceremony, presenting some of our favorite moments:
#ProudPinoy
Filipinos are extremely talented, undoubtedly capable of making a significant global impact through our outstanding artists. The recent AAA event provided a fortunate opportunity for us to marvel at the performances of two remarkable all-Filipino boy groups, SB19 and HORI7ON, both of whom showcased not only their musical skills but also the depth of creativity and dedication that define Filipino artistry.
Rookie group HORI7ON consisting of Vinci, Kyler, Reyster, Kim, Winston, Jeromy, and Marcus made waves as they won the AAA Focus Award. The group performed their debut song “SIX7EEN”. Moreover, SB19 consisting of Pablo, Josh, Ken, Stell, and Justin took the stage alongside &TEAM for a collaborative performance of the chart-topping track “Gento.” This song gained immense popularity in both South Korea and the Philippines, sparking a viral dance challenge on TikTok that even drew participation from renowned Korean artists. Further solidifying their achievements, SB19 secured two awards, the “AAA Hot Trend” and the coveted “AAA Best Singer” awards.
Adding to that, Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla won “AAA Fabulous Award,” Ben&Ben won “AAA Best Choice Award,” and Melai Cantiveros-Francisco won “AAA Best Actor Award.”
Daesang Winners
Not going to lie, we already expected the grand prize winners of AAA. For this year, we have seen each of the artists shine and we wholeheartedly believe that each of them really deserve to win the grand prize.
“For the ‘Fandom of the Year’ award, Lim Young Woong took home the trophy. K-Pop fans recognize the incredible strength and support of his fandom. The extent of their dedication to supporting Lim Young Woong became evident as they flew from South Korea to the Philippines. They expressed their support by waving lightsticks and proudly donning matching Lim Young Woong-themed shirts. It’s worth mentioning that a significant number of his fans are Ahjummas, highlighting that age is no barrier when it comes to being a fan.
Other grand prize winners include: Stray Kids for Stage of the Year, Lee Jun Ho for Actor of the Year, Seventeen for “Album of the Year, Seventeen – BSS for Performance of the Year, and NewJeans taking home “Artist of the Year: and “Song of the Year” for their song Ditto
Melai Cantiveros-Francisco
Filipino artist Melai Cantiveros-Francisco trended on social media for being iconic and funny. With her natural wit, netizens find her interactions with K-Pop stars like Jang Wonyoung adorable and funny. Despite her comedic flair, Melai, who secured the Best Actor award for her film “Ma’am Chief,” candidly confessed that her acceptance speech was impromptu and unprepared. She expressed genuine surprise at receiving the award that night.
For everyone in the venue and those tuning into the livestream, it’s undeniable how Melai effortlessly infused the award show with liveliness and made it truly memorable. Her charismatic presence not only heightened the liveliness of the event but also left a mark. The infectious energy she brought to the stage was so contagious that even Bang Chan, a member of Stray Kids, couldn’t help but burst into laughter during her speech.
The 2023 Asia Artist Awards held in the Philippines truly stood out as one of the highlights among this year’s Korean events in the country.
