First Lady Kim Hye-kyung said "this seems to be the most troubling and difficult moment" at a K-pop festival held in the Philippines on June 4 (local time). She expressed regret that only the winning team of the K-pop competition would receive round-trip tickets to Korea. Kim proposed on the spot to give "flights to Korea" to all participating teams, and the venue erupted in cheers and applause.
Kim, who is on a state visit to the Philippines with President Lee Jae-myung, attended the "K-POP for All" festival at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila. The K-pop Festival, organized by the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines since 2023, was held in a championship format, with four teams selected through online preliminary screening advancing to the finals to deliver passionate performances. About 470 students from 13 high schools in the Manila area and some 400 members of Korean Wave clubs and university students filled the seats from early morning.
Before the event began, the approximately 990 seats on the first and second floors of the theater were packed with audience members. K-pop music from BLACKPINK, BTS, and aespa played continuously at the venue.
Kim took the stage before the performances began and said, "I saw data showing that the Philippines has the highest favorability toward Korean culture. Seeing the enthusiasm here today, that really seems to be true." She added, "I am so glad to meet all of you who love Korean culture more than anyone here in Manila, Philippines. Through K-pop, a representative Korean culture, people around the world are becoming friends and understanding each other." She continued, "I hope today's stage becomes a precious time to understand each other's cultures and build friendship."
At the event, four K-pop cover dance teams from the Philippines took the stage to compete, and the venue filled with cheers and applause each time a participating team performed. Kim was also seen immersing herself in the performances, clapping along to the rhythm.
Philippine singer Bini, who voiced the character "Mira" in Tagalog for the animated film "K-Pop: Demon Hunters," performed "Golden" as a celebratory performance.
The competition winning team received prize money along with round-trip tickets to Korea and enrollment in a One Million Dance class. Kim came up on stage, high-fived the participating teams, took commemorative photos, and completed the award ceremony for the winning team. At this moment, Kim said, "This moment today seems to be the most troubling and the most difficult time. With so many excellent teams, how can we give just one team the opportunity to go to Korea?"
She then proposed on the spot to Kim Myung-jin, Director of the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, "Director, how about giving everyone the opportunity to go to Korea?" The participating teams on stage hugged each other and jumped with joy. Kim then concluded the event by responding to selfie requests from participating teams and audience members.
An Gwi-ryeong, Deputy Spokesperson of Cheong Wa Dae, said in a written briefing, "This schedule was arranged to encourage local young people who have led K-pop culture in the Philippines in commemoration of the 77th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and to further expand the value of mutual understanding and cultural exchange between the two countries through K-pop." She added, "Eric Jerudo, Chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines, attended, adding significance to cultural exchange between the two countries."