For the first time in history, the prestigious award show celebrating Asian talent was hosted in the Philippines on December 14 at the Philippine Arena. The largest indoor arena was aglow with stars from all over Asia, including South Korea, Japan, China, and the Philippines' very own beloved actors and musicians.
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| Photo credit: Starnews Korea |
Fans from various fandoms came together, converging at the venue to support their favorite artists. They waved banners and lightsticks, filled with anticipation for what they knew would be the most thrilling six hours of their lives. If you're still overwhelmed by the lengthy show and everything that transpired, don't worry—we've compiled the BEST moments from the Asian Artist Awards 2023 right here:
1. AAA 2023: Ultimate showcase of Asian talents
One of the main reasons why most K-Pop fans watch year-end award shows is for the special performances by each artist. The event began with an electrifying opening act by WHIB and was followed by a powerful collaborative stage featuring &TEAM and SB19, who performed the hit P-POP song 'GENTO'. Fans in the arena were treated to stellar performances from top-tier acts such as Stray Kids, AKMU, ITZY, ATBO, DINDIN, HORI7ON, KARD, KINGDOM, Kim Jaejoong, LUN8, Paul Blanco, STAYC, Yaochen, Kep1er, Ben&Ben, and more.
Stray Kids ramped up the intensity with their electrifying performance while SEVENTEEN's sub-unit BSS brought the event to a spectacular close, delivering a 12-minute show with impeccable stage presence, high energy, and phenomenally synchronized theatricals. The group also brought in Lee Youngji for their 'Fighting' stage.
2. CROWD FAVORITES: New Jeans and LE SSERAFIM PH stage debut
The highly anticipated group NewJeans performed their top hits 'OMG' and 'Super Shy', eliciting screams from fans within the venue at full volume. The group noticed their enthusiastic cheers and promised to return to the Philippines for more performances dedicated to their Filo-Bunnies. LE SSERAFIM also had everyone on their feet, dancing to their hits 'Perfect Night' and 'Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard’s Wife' stage.
3. PINOY Power: Recognition of the world-class talent of Filipinos
The highlight of the night for all Filipino fans was definitely the event's demonstration of the talent of their kababayans—how their very own SB19, Ben&Ben, and HORI7ON delivered world-class performances on a global stage. It was even a greater proof of Filipino talent when well-loved actors Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla bagged the AAA Fabulous Award. P-Pop sensation SB19 and Ben&Ben also won huge awards that night, as well as Filipino-Argentinian Chanty and her group Lapillus. Melai Cantiveros also received recognition as 'Best Actor' for her role in the PULP Studios film 'Ma'am Chief.'
4. "Oh, did you see that?" Cute interaction between artists
Fans also witnessed how the artists interacted with each other. The live audience inside the Philippine Arena noticed the closeness of EXO's SUHO, Kim Seon Ho, and Lee Junho, who were seated together. ITZY was also seen hyping up the crowd as their co-JYP group 'Stray Kids' performed onstage.
5. Being THE Melai Cantiveros...
Fans fawned over the fact that the Filipina actress-comedian Melai Cantiveros caught the attention of her idols, Kim Seon Ho and New Jeans, after sharing her desire to meet them in person during her brief interview with MC Jang Wonyoung. Many fans caught Korean artists laughing heartily during Melai's 'Best Actor' speech, in which she humorously said, "If someone questions why I have [an] award, don't worry. I question [it] too... Tonight, my heart is kuan. I think it's because God moves in mysterious ways." Among the notable artists who were amused by her speech were Stray Kids' Bang Chan, IVE's Jang Wonyoung, and ZEROBASEONE's Sung Han Bin.
It was indeed a night to remember, especially to Filipino stans. From seeing all these stars we've only seen from our TV screens to finally breathing the same air as them as they visit our beloved country for a once in a lifetime event. This was made all possible by PULP LIVE WORLD, StarNews, and TONZ Entertainment.
In case you missed, here are the winners of the Asia Artist Awards 2023:
Grand Prize (Daesang)
Best Artist Award
Asia Celebrity
Top of K-Pop Record: Kim Jae Joong
Best Icon Award
Focus Award
New Wave Award
Best Performance Award: Le Sserafim
Best Choice Award
Hot Trend Award
Potential Award
Best Acting Award: Kim Young Dae, Lee Jun Young, Suho, Mun Ka Young
Best Musician Award: KARD, STAYC. ZEROBASEONE. Kwon Eun bi, Sakurazaka46
AAA Best Creator Award: 3racha (Bang Chan, Changbin, and HAN of Stray Kids)