The year 2023 is about to end already and I can’t believe that things happened too fast this year. This year felt like a long fun dream and as much as I wanted to extend it further, we are getting close to saying goodbye to it already. Looking back, I didn’t realize that I’ve seen some of my favorite Korean artist and Thai stars twice this year.
I am having too much fun that I didn’t notice that time passed by quickly. As I look back on the memorable moments I had with them, let me share a little of my feels with my short but sweet encounters.
HYBS
March – Wanderland Music Festival
November – Benny Sings + HYBS
Through Wanderland Music Festival last March, I found a new gem called “HYBS“, a duo that I probably won’t get tired of promoting for their alternative pop-rock music that really gave me so much comfort this year. I really liked their songs when I first heard them perform live so I really saved it on my Spotify and they are probably my most-streamed artist alongside The Rose. 2023 gave me a sudden shift of song choices and I am so glad that I did.
They are supposed to be back sometime around summer but their show got postponed. Still lucky enough, the duo came back to Manila last November for Benny Sings + HYBS and became my first Thai act and last act to cover in 2023! What a pretty surprising twist indeed.
Fourth Nattawat
August – My School President
October – The Filipino Festival
Filipino fans first saw Fouth Nattawat during the My School President fanmeeting in Manila and I could vividly remember the loud cheers that the fans gave them. Just two months after, he came back to Manila for his very first solo engagagement abroad as he attends and performs at the Miss Philippines stage for The Filipino Festival!
Taeyeon
April – K-Verse
July – The Odd Of Love
I can’t contain my feels when Taeyeon made it to the line-up of K-verse in Manila last April as she performs with Aespa and The Boyz but the feels are definitely overflowing when she held Taeyeon’s The Odd of Love concert, her solo concert at the Araneta Coliseum! Who would have thought that we can actually hear Taeyeon’s INVU twice this year, right?
The Boyz
April – K-Verse
July – The Boyz Zeneration in Manila
Also performing at the Big Dome during K-Verse last April, The Boyz came back to Manila to hold their own solo show “The Boyz Zeneration in Manila” at the same venue. The Boyz are totally owning the stage as they perform numerous hit songs including “Roar,” “Awake,” “Ego,” “Thrill Ride” and more.
Nam Woo Hyun
May – Nam Woo Hyun at Miss Universe
July – Be You 3
Another core memory for me this year as a fangirl is actually meeting Nam Woo Hyun twice this year, and both are really special for me. He attended the Miss Universe Philippines as a special performer in May 2023 and came back in July as part of the line-up for the Be You 3 in Manila.
Read more: Full fan account for Nam Woo Hyun in Manila
Ben&Ben
September – Watsons Playlist
November – ON Music Festival
No doubt Ben&Ben is one of the most sought-after Filipino bands of all time and I guess I am living under the influence of Kpop for too long that I just recently discovered them thanks to their collab with Young K., the song “Leaves.”
I had the chance to cover “Watsons Playlist Concert” last September and even joined the press conference. During the concert, I get to see them perform live for the first time and it is indeed outstanding! In November, I had the chance to see them perform again at the ON Festival: OFF Manila where they performed with numerous Filipino and Korean artists.
Zack Tabudlo
September – Watsons Playlist
October – Billkin and PP Krit Fanmeeting in Manila
Zack Tabudlo song covers became a hit to Korean and Thai artists that I covered this year that I eventually learn to grow on his songs. In fact, I could already sing along with some of his hits including “Pano” and “Give Me Your Forever.”
This year, I’ve seen Zack Tabudlo first when he had a collab performance with Billkin duing the Billkin and PP Krit Fanmeeting in Manila and eventually saw him perform more of his songs at the Watsons Playlist Concert. (Read more: Artists who covered Zack Tabudlo songs)
Lee Seung Gi
June – The Dreamer’s Dream Chapter 2 in Manila
September – BB.Q Chicken Event
Lee Seung Gi is one of the actors and variety show cast that I really love to see and it happened twice this year in three events! I had the chance to see Lee Seung Gi a bit up-close this year during his press conference for “The Dreamer’s Dream Chapter 2 in Manila” and had the chance to also cover his fanmeeting at the New Frontier Theater.
Another surprise for Airens this year is when he appeared two more times thanks to BB.Q Chicken’s events in Robinsons Magnolia and one in BGC which I wasn’t able to attend.
Read More: Lee Seung Gi Shows – New World, Twogether
