A fiery celebration of music, culture, and advocacy took place during the HALLYUNIVERSE: 9OLDEN event last May 18 at the Ignacio Jimenez-Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura Theater in Diliman. 

Now in its ninth installment, HallyUniverse is the flagship event of the University of the Philippines Society of Students for Korean Popular Culture (HallyUP) which promotes Korean pop culture in the country. 

This year’s event brought together hundreds of K-pop and P-pop enthusiasts to celebrate a day full of breathtaking performances, fun games, and meaningful advocacies for and by the people. 

Let’s take a look back on some of the highlights that made the event worth remembering for many K-pop and P-pop attendees. 

Golden performances 

Since 2013, HallyUniverse has been championing emerging P-pop groups and K-pop cover groups in the country by giving them the platform to perform. 

In fact, P-pop powerhouses SB19, BINI, and G22 were among the local talents that once graced the HallyUniverse stage in their previous installments. 

For this year, the event put the spotlight on HallyUP’s ‘golden trio,’ which includes VXON, AJAA, and YARA. 

P-pop girl group YARA performed their two singles “Eksena” and “ADDA” and the group’s hit R&B version of Sexbomb’s “Bakit Papa?”

Meanwhile, rising rookie group AJAA serenaded the attendees with their performances of “Torpe” and “Hany.”

P-Pop monsters VXON made everyone go wild when they performed their hit songs “SSP (Saksak sa Puso)” and “KNT (Kanta ng Tanga).”

The ‘golden trio’ also participated in interactive games in front of their fans. 

Aside from P-Pop groups, the event also showcased the hidden talents of Korean-Filipino singer-songwriter Joshua Kim and YouTube singer Vanessa Evia. 

Aspiring P-pop group FANTAXY, cover groups AECM, AETERNUM, and HallyUP’s ELIXIIR also graced the stage of HallyUniverse 9OLDEN, performing some of the greatest hits of famous K-pop groups like EXO, GOT7, Shinee, Aespa, and Enhypen. 

A heart of gold 

More than just promoting Korean pop culture and showcasing rising Filipino talents, HallyUniverse has consistently served as a fundraising event to support various social causes. 

This year’s HallyUniverse beneficiaries were the University of the Philippines Transport Group and Kopino Children Association Inc.

UP Transport Group is an organization of jeepney drivers in UP that fights for the rights of jeepney drivers in the country. 

During the event, one of the organization’s representatives urged the attendees to support them in the fight against the controversial jeepney modernization, which he claimed was detrimental to the welfare of jeepney drivers nationwide. 

Meanwhile, Kopino Children Association Inc. promotes the welfare of Korean-Filipino children and youth via educational scholarships, transient housing, and assistance in connecting them with their Korean parents. 

Kopino representative talked in front of the attendees about the mission and vision of the organization and its various projects and efforts in helping Korean-Filipino children achieve a prosperous future. 

The organization was also the beneficiary of HallyUniverse last year. 

Booths, Foods, Raffles

Various merchandise booths were present in HallyUniverse 9: 9OLDEN sponsored by different brands and group fandoms. 

K-pop and P-pop photo cards and albums, tote bags, stickers, and ID lanyards, among other merchandise, were available to purchase by the attendees at the event. 

A variety of food booths were present as well, including Filipino and Korean cuisine. 

Some attendees also won prizes from event raffles and activities. 

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