The Korean cultural wave or “hallyu” has invaded every corner of the earth and the Philippines is not exempt from it. However, many Korean pop (K-pop) bands that visit the Philippines hold their shows in Manila or in Cebu. Bacolod City, located in the Negros Island, is usually off the radar, so it was bit of a surprise to have a K-pop group visit my city. Newly formed K-pop band called AxisB is the first to set foot in Bacolod.
Earlier at Tom N Toms, a coffee shop that traces its roots in Korea (READ: Tom N Toms Coffee: A Touch of Korea in Bacolod), five young men that compose AxisB — Junghoon, Daeyoung, Juno, Doah, and Honey — accommodated some members of the local media and blogging society for some meet and greet.
The group has already visited Manila and Cebu and after their gigs in Bacolod will go straight to Iloilo and Davao, before they head back to Korea. For Junghoon, Doah and Daeyuong, who were part of FameUS before it went into hiatus, they have visited the Philippines thrice in 2015.
Korean tourists in the Philippines
As visitors in my country, they said they enjoyed Filipino food fare like halu-halo (a cold dessert with mixed ingredients) and bulalo (or bone marrow soup). They still have to try Bacolod’s popular dish of chicken inasal (barbequed chicken done the local way).
They see certain similarities between Filipino and Korean music in such a way wherein both have repeating rhythms and beats and often contain electronic beats.
Filipinos who visit Korea
On the other hand, for Filipinos who plan to visit Korea, they hope to showcase Gwangju, Doah’s and Honey’s hometown. Tourists in their country are more familiar of Seoul and Busan as such that tourists coming to the Philippines know more of Manila and Cebu than its other cities. Gwangju, they said, has delicious food, a relaxed vibe and clean air. It is about four hours from Seoul by car or one hour by plane.
Gwangju is known for its flavorful and rich cuisine as well as a culture and arts hub. It was one of the sites of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The city itself has many landmarks and interesting areas For some communing with nature, one can head to Mudeungsan mountain for more attractions.
Exchange of culture
This is the beauty of travel and of having visitors in your place. It becomes an avenue for some cultural exchange. This is one of the purpose of AxisB, to spread Korean music, while at the same time, get to be closer to their fans worldwide.
AxisB’s schedule in Bacolod:
Feb. 24, 2017 (Friday), 6:30pm – Mall Show at The District North Point, Ayala Malls, Talisay City
Feb. 25, 2017 (Saturday), 5:30pm – Fan Meeting at the SMX Convention Center, SM City Bacolod
For more information about the group, visit:
Very interesting that they strive to incorporate cultural exchange into their profession, I enjoyed your post!