Proudly Pinay: 4 Female K-Pop Idols Who Hail From The Philippines
Did you know that several female K-Pop idols have lived in the Philippines or even have Pinoy blood? Various artists have lifted the Philippine flag with pride while performing.
Check them out below!
1. Kriesha Chu
First up, Kriesha Chu is a soloist under Urban Works Media. She was born in Makati, the business district of the Philippines, in December 1998.
Both of her parents are Filipino with Chinese ancestry who originally hailed from the province of Cebu.
The “Chinoy” (Chinese-Pinoy) family migrated to San Francisco, USA, when Kriesha was just two years old.
Fast forward sixteen years later, the young Filipina made a name for herself as a powerful vocalist on K-Pop Star 6. She joined the temporary unit Kwins and ended up placing second in the competition.
Kriesha debuted as a soloist on May 24, 2017 with “Trouble.”
2. Belle
Belle (Jin Hyeon Ju) made headlines in the Philippine K-Pop community when fans found out that she was born to a Korean father and Filipino mother. She grew up in Naju, South Korea, before eventually heading to Seoul to debut in the group GOOD DAY in 2017.
She made yet another debut in 2019 as the main vocalist of J9 Entertainment girl group cignature.
Viewers of the KBS survival show The Unit may recognize her as the one who ranked 24th overall among the female contestants.
Belle once mentioned in an interview that her family often visits the Philippines to celebrate Christmas. She loves how warm it is in December compared to Korea.
3. Sandara Park
Though she was born to Korean parents, Sandara Park is as Filipino as they come! Her family moved to the Philippines in 1994 when she was just ten years old. She worked double time in order to correct her Tagalog pronunciation to make new friends.
The “Pambansang Krung-Krung” (National Crazy Person) rose to fame when she joined the 2004 talent show Star Circle Quest. Filipinos might even be able to recognize her viral solo song “In or Out” which she released afterwards.
Just three years later in 2007, she moved back to South Korea to pursue a career as a K-Pop idol. She trained for two years under YG Entertainment and finally made her debut as a member of 2NE1 in 2009.
The rest is history!
4. LAPILLUS’ Chanty
Last but certainly not the least, LAPILLUS’ Chanty (Maria Chantal Videla) is the latest Pinay to debut in the Korean music industry. Her father is from Argentina while her mother is from the Philippines. She proudly represents both flags as a vocalist in MLD Entertainment‘s newest girl group.
Like Sandara, Chanty also had a career in the Philippines prior to moving to South Korea to pursue her K-Pop dreams. She was a model and actress who starred in ABS-CBN shows such as Spirits: Reawaken and Familia Blondina.
She trained for eight months before debuting in May 2022 with “Hit Ya!”
Chanty is currently promoting LAPILLUS’ comeback title track “Who’s Next.” Check it out below!
