9 K-Pop Idols Who Are Surprisingly Filipino

Korean Pop or K-pop is more than just music; it's a culture that has grown in popularity around the world. K-pop bands range from small groups of friends to large companies, and each group brings something unique to the genre. Entertainment companies in Korea have adopted a "trainee system" where potential members must undergo a rigorous training before becoming official members of a group.

Did you know that there are Filipino K-pop artists in the industry? Below are a few notable artists who have made a name for themselves in the K-pop scene with their individual styles and talents.

9.

TEM5IVE

The all-Filipino girl group TEM5IVE consists of five members — Sarah, Rayna, Robie, Jyrrah and Katy. Their name stands for "Touching People's Heart Emotionally and Mentally." The group debuted in November 2016 with the music video for "Miracle."

Since then, they have been actively involved in shows and fan meets across Korea to build a stronger fanbase. They even participated in the 2017 Korean Celebrity Basketball League, where they met esteemed producer Park Jin-young.

8.

Carlyn

Carlyn debuted with the international project girl group Z-Girls in 2019, performing their debut single, "What You Waiting For." In June 2021, she announced her departure from the group after revealing she was pregnant. The Z-GIRLS and Z-BOYS project was created to provide cultural exchange throughout Asia.

7.

Belle

Belle, whose real name is Hyeon Jun Jin, is a Korean-Filipino singer. Her father is Korean and her mother is Filipino. She was born on Nov. 3, 2001, and is a member of the K-pop girl group Cignature formed by J9 Entertainment. Belle first gained fame in 2017 when she became a part of the girl group GOOD DAY and later competed on KBS 2TV's reality survival show "The Unit."

Belle was later announced as a member of C9 Entertainment's next girl group, Cignature, which is now managed by the subsidiary J9 Entertainment.

6.

Wei Yang

Wei Yang, formally the leader of K-pop group 021, was born to a Filipino mother and a Chinese father. Her birth name is Shào Wéiyáng, and she was born on June 25, 1993.

O21, which debuted on June 20, 2016, under FNC China, is a six-member group. They released one single, "SHOW ME," before disbanding in 2017. Most of its members later participated in "Produce 101" in China.

5.

Chanty

Chantal Videla, popularly known as Chanty, is a 20-year-old K-pop artist born to a Filipina mother and an Argentinian father. She grew up in Argentina but moved to the Philippines to pursue acting before finally training to become a K-pop idol in South Korea. She officially debuted in 2022 under the group Lapillus.

She speaks five languages, including English, Filipino, Spanish, Korean and basic Japanese. Before her K-pop debut, she was a member of Star Magic Circle's batch 2018 alongside Donnie Pangilinan and has been part of various acting projects such as "Starla," "Hiwaga ng Kalimbat," "Familia Blondina," and "Spirits: Reawaken."

4.

Kriesha Chu

Kriesha Chu is a Filipino-American K-Pop artist who gained fame after appearing on the Korean reality show "K-Pop Star 6." She was runner-up in the competition and went on to debut with her single "Trouble" in 2017. In the same year, she performed at Super Pop Concert Music Festival in the Philippines. She currently represents Urban Works Entertainment.

3.

Josh

Josh is the main dancer and lead vocalist of the international project boy band Z-Boys under Divtone Entertainment. He was raised in Kuwait and graduated from the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Travel Management.

Josh was a former member of G-Force, the most famous and prestigious dance crew in the Philippines.

2.

Youn Dong-Yeon

Youn Dong-yeon is a Filipino-Korean artist who was signed as a trainee by JYP Entertainment. He has made history by being the first half-Filipino and half-Korean male artist to audition for the K-pop survival show "Loud." He was born in 2003 to a South Korean father and a Filipino mother from Negros Occidental.

During his audition for "Loud," he performed a dance cover of BTS' "My Time" and expressed his appreciation for the Philippines as his mother's home country.

1.

Dok2

Dok2, real name Lee Joon-Kyung, is a Korean rapper and producer who was the owner of Illionaire Records together with The Quiett. Dok2 has been one of the most successful rappers in South Korea. The hip-hop artist was born between a Spanish-Filipino father and a Korean mother. He also previously revealed that he is a cousin of former Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger.