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6 K-pop acts to watch at 'Show Champion' in Manila

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Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/10/14/20181014_boyz.jpg"/><figcaption>Rookie boy group The Boyz is set to visit Manila this October for the music program “Show Champion.” <em>Handout photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>While “K-pop,” or Korean pop, has been used in the narrowest sense to describe modern pop music from South Korea, it also refers to the subculture that has grown from the genre, amassing a global following with its own set of norms and even jargon.</p><p>One such staple in K-pop are music programs, where artists perform their latest single for varying periods of time. Each of South Korea&#x27;s largest TV networks has its own music program, which is broadcast weekly. Artists and fans also look forward to the winning &quot;artist of the week&quot; determined by a chart system that varies per program.</p><p>On October 28, “Show Champion,” which airs every Wednesday on MBC Music channel, will return to Manila, bringing with it a slew of both long-time and emerging K-pop acts.</p><p>“Show Champion” will be staged at the Mall of Asia Arena, where it was also held when the show <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/life/v2/09/04/16/look-k-pop-all-stars-gather-for-show-champion-in-manila"><strong>first visited</strong></a> Manila in 2016 for its 200th episode.</p><p>The lineup in the 2016 show included girl groups AOA and Gugudan, boy bands Astro and VIXX, and BTS, which has gone on to become <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/05/28/18/boy-band-bts-make-k-pop-history-by-topping-us-album-charts"><strong>one of the biggest boy bands</strong></a> in the world today.</p><p>Here is a sampling of the six acts set to fly to Manila this month for “Show Champion”:</p><h3><strong>EXO</strong></h3><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IdssuxDdqKk" width="560"></iframe></figure><p>EXO is a boy band that has been at the top of the K-pop scene for the past few years. They consistently rank high in Forbes Korea&#x27;s list of influential personalities and, according to an International Business Times report, they even beat British boy band One Direction in album sales. Their 2017 hit, &quot;Ko Ko Bop,&quot; <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/video/entertainment/08/10/17/panoorin-mga-kumasa-sa-ko-ko-bop-challenge"><strong>sparked a worldwide dance craze</strong></a>.</p><p>EXO&#x27;s return to Manila comes just a few months after they stopped by the Philippine capital for their &quot;<a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/04/29/18/recap-exo-brings-fans-to-paradise-in-manila-concert"><strong>Elyxion</strong></a>&quot; tour. Earlier this month, the group&#x27;s label, SM Entertainment, also announced that the group will release an album in November.</p><h3><strong>WEKI MEKI</strong></h3><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bT2AMc8hI6A" width="560"></iframe></figure><p>Weki Meki was highly anticipated prior to its debut as half of the members participated in the survival program &quot;Produce 101,&quot; which is something of a national obsession in South Korea and among K-pop fans. In fact, two of Weki Meki&#x27;s members — Doyeon and Yoojung — ranked in the show&#x27;s final 11 and debuted in the temporary girl group IOI.</p><p>Last Thursday, the octet released &quot;Crush,&quot; a moombahton track with a more subdued attitude compared to their past singles, which were more loud and in-your-face.</p><h3><strong>THE BOYZ</strong></h3><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JSEQiv5Z7p4" width="560"></iframe></figure><p>The Boyz has proven itself to be a group to watch out for. Despite debuting just last December, the 12-man team was quick to attract a sizable fan base, and win awards for rookie acts at the Brand Of The Year Awards and Soribada Best K-Music Awards. Their success is partly attributed to some of the members&#x27; appearances in reality programs and other artists&#x27; music videos prior to debut.</p><h3><strong>MXM</strong></h3><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xra9lkliXBk" width="560"></iframe></figure><p>MXM is comprised of Im Youngmin and Kim Donghyun, who both represented their agency Brand New Music in &quot;Produce 101&quot; Season 2 but failed to secure a spot in the winning group. The musical duo mainly focuses on hip-hop, R&amp;B and tropical house.</p><h3><strong>HYEONGSEOP X EUIWOONG</strong></h3><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/laL6PrUBTn8" width="560"></iframe></figure><p>Ahn Hyeongseop and Lee Euiwoong, also ex-participants of &quot;Produce 101&quot; Season 2, made their debut in November last year with &quot;It Will Be Good,&quot; a sentimental mid-tempo track akin to songs commonly heard in K-dramas. The charming duo made a comeback in April with &quot;Love Tint,&quot; a track as sappy as their debut song.</p><h3><strong>XENO-T</strong></h3><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/89xUGgG5mEs" width="560"></iframe></figure><p>Xeno-T, made from a combination of the words &quot;xenogeneic&quot; and &quot;top class,&quot; is the &quot;revamp&quot; of the group once called Topp Dogg. When Topp Dogg debuted in 2013, it boasted a roster of 13 members, but only five members remained for Xeno-T. Earlier this year, the quintet debuted in Japan with the song &quot;どこにいても (Wherever You Are).&quot;</p>

<p>Long-time and emerging acts in the South Korean pop music scene will visit Manila for the music program "Show Champion."</p>

Long-time and emerging acts in the South Korean pop music scene will visit Manila for the music program "Show Champion."

6 K-pop acts to watch at 'Show Champion' in Manila

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6 K-pop acts to watch at 'Show Champion' in Manila

Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 14, 2018 01:58 PM PHT

|

Updated Oct 14, 2018 05:19 PM PHT

Read More:

K-pop

Show Champion

Exo

Weki Meki

The Boyz

Hyeongseop X Euiwoong

MXM

Xeno-T

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