Like how “D’Festa” posted on their official Instagram account, “Mabuhay, Philippines!”
In this country that has developed a love and started their affair with local singing groups such as BINI, instead of embracing foreign acts, it is swift to say that the once deafening cheers for K-Pop has faded. But, who says it did? According to this ABS-CBN report, the Philippines ranks third on the list of the countries with the most number of K-Pop fans and stans on X, formerly Twitter, even higher than South Korea, since topping the list ahead of the Philippines are Indonesia and Japan.
So, as a way to thank these passionate K-Pop fans and maybe even tease them of what’s about to happen next, Dispatch Korea, one of the leading media publications in South Korea, has organized “D’Festa,” which they dub as the historic first global K-Pop festival playing in six key destinations around the globe. Except that it’s not a concert of some sort. Let’s check this out.
What Is ‘D’Festa Philippines’?
“D’Festa” is organized by Dispatch to celebrate their 10th year anniversary. But, let the MetroLinks team be clear. This is not like K-Pop artists, over 60 of them, touring the world together and singing. Rather, it is a traveling exhibition featuring mostly visual content about your favorite K-Pop artists, including immersive experiences that you don’t want to miss.
The first D’Festa legs were held in Tokyo, Seoul, Jakarta, and Los Angeles before they arrived in the Philippines last December 20th, 2024. If you are a K-Pop stan residing in Cebu City and want to be part of this historic moment, you’ll want to book your flight now to Manila as D’Festa Philippines is showcasing right now in BGC Immersive at One Bonifacio High Street. Yes, it’s that viral building in social media that has 3D effects blowing the minds of people who visit this place. The exhibit is running until March of this year, 2025.
“This is a one of a kind immersive exhibition in which all exclusive and original content of the K-Pop industry are shared and merged to become a whole… We promise to deliver a next-level K-Pop experience for everyone. It’s not just a simple immersive exhibit,” “D’Festa Philippines” managing director Soo Young Shin told MetroLinks.
What are the K-Pop groups featuring in this exhibit, and what should you expect when you get here? Read on.
Over 60 K-Pop Artists From 8 K-Pop Groups
Not even Live Nation Philippines has done it: to bring eight K-Pop groups in one stage simultaneously, so congratulations Dispatch. And, it’s not like your emerging K-Pop groups or those in the sidelights, but the list begins with BTS and ends all the way to TWICE. Whoa, so you can just imagine who those acts are in-between. Take a look:
BTS
First to feature is BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys. Formed in 2010, the band consists of RM, the leader, plus Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, who are co-writing and co-producing much of their materials.
Their most popular songs include “Butter,” “Boy With Luv,” “Dynamite,” “IDOL,” “FAKE LOVE,” “21st Century Girls,” and more.
Right now, they have followed the footsteps of One Direction whose members went on to their solo songs. Some BTS members recorded their solo songs, and performed solo in major global events like the World Cup and Olympics. However, throughout their career as a group, they have collaborated with Western artists like Nicki Minaj, attended the biggest fashion weeks, endorsed global brands like McDonald’s, and more.
TWICE
For K-Pop stans who would rather yell and shout for girls rather than for boys, TWICE is also at “D’Festa Philippines.” Managed by JYP Entertainment, the group is composed of nine members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu.
“The Feels,” “LOOK AT ME,” “What is Love?,” “FANCY,” and “Feel Special” are among their popular songs.
Enhypen
Enhypen is close to Filipinos’ hearts. You have seen them on store posters and billboards of one of the country’s leading clothing brand, BENCH/. MetroLinks has also previously featured them. They are managed by Belift Lab, which was a former joint venture involving Hybe Corporation, the manager of BTS. Interestingly, the group was formed during the pandemic at a survival competition show. Enhypen consists of seven members: Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon, and Ni-Ki.
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
TOMORROW X TOGETHER is also a favorite endorser of several Pinoy brands. Also referred to as TXT, this group was formed in 2019 by Big Hit Entertainment, the former name of Hybe Labels. They consist of five members: Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and HueningKai.
Stray Kids
Stray Kids is another K-Pop group you don’t want to mess with. Their songs are fierce. They won’t just get you grooving, but they will also get you facing life with so much confidence. After all, that’s also what K-Pop groups are made for.
Consisting of eight members – Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. – their most popular songs include “Lose My Breath,” “LALALALA,” “S-Class,” “Christmas EveL,” and “CASE 143.”
NCT Dream
Formed by SM Entertainment in 2016, NCT Dream is the third subunit of NCT. You know them as the K-Pop group that was featured on Lazada, a Chinese-owned online shopping platform in Southeast Asia, which may perhaps be the project that catapulted them to fame in this region.
NCT 127
Meanwhile, NCT 127 is the group’s second subunit. Originally, they are composed of seven members: Taeil, Taeyong, Yuta, Jaehyun, Winwin, Mark, and Haechan.
Seventeen
Last to feature is Seventeen. Formed by Pledis Entertainment, this K-Pop group consists of a whopping 13 members: S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino. “D’Festa” may be their second big project in Southeast Asia as they were the main endorsers of Lazada’s biggest 11.11 sale in 2021.
The Exhibit
Basically, “D’Festa Philippines” is like visiting a museum in South Korea without flying to South Korea. Plus, you will also get to unleash undiscovered sides of those K-Pop artists through visual media. So, there’s a map to guide you:
Generally, after you enter through the main doors, you get to see the giant official poster of the event, and that’s the start. The end is treating you to a gastronomy with the in-exhibit coffee shop. You’ll pass by black-and-white portraits, colored portraits, a memory room, a sign wall, a section called “diary,” the section with the movie presentation, concept photos, artist paintings, virtual stage, message to artists, and the merchandise area. You can stay for as long as you want just as you do when you visit a Madame Tussauds.
3 Incredible Sections
To organize those a bit, “D’Festa Philippines” consists of three sections. The first sections are the portraits with handwritten messages from your favorite K-Pop artists themselves.
Meanwhile, the second section showcases black-and-white portraits featuring their artistic emotions, with the third section between the group and individual photos. Note that Dispatch never put up this gallery only to source out images from the Internet as all visual media are exclusive and cannot be found elsewhere.
There’s More!
And it doesn’t just end there.
Movie
Keep walking to reveal a section that presents an exclusive footage of performances of those eight K-Pop groups on virtual stages using cutting-edge, state-of-the-art XR filing technology. For example, BTS performed “DNA” on this stage. There are also LED stage performances.
Be Like A K-Pop Star
Now, for those who are not settled on just being fans and shouting at the top of their lungs, “D’Festa Philippines” gives you the chance to be like a K-Pop star, performing on a 3D LED stage filmed by your favorite stars themselves. Yes, there are mirrors, so you can take selfies and share it online.
Lastly, The Merch Store
What’s visiting a museum without buying yourself souvenirs, right? Before you exit, there’s a merchandise shop selling shirts and bags featuring drawings by those K-Pop artists. You will also find postcards, pins, and more here. Or, you might want to get a D’Festa-exclusive coffee cup sleeve as your souvenir from the D’Festa official café.
MetroLinks has pretty much walked you through what you will see at the exhibit, but that’s not a reason why you shouldn’t check it out personally.
“It all started with just a dream about a stage wherein all these 63 artists gather together and be united forever and now, we’re making it into a reality,” Soo Young Shin continued.
Tickets to “D’Festa Philippines” only cost PHP 725! What are you waiting for? Hail a Grab, catch the train, drive, or keep you poise on the jeepney as you head over to this historic event.