If there was ever any doubt about whether our country is indeed at the heart of the Hallyu Wave, hosting Asia Artist Awards 2023—AKA one of the most prestigious award shows in Korea—should do the trick. ✨
Held at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan last December 14, AAA 2023 celebrated outstanding achievements in Asian music, television, and film, and featured over 50 of some of the biggest artists in South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. And with marquee names like NewJeans, ITZY, and BSS gracing the event, to label it as a Hallyu fan’s dream affair would have been a major understatement. Think of it as their version of the Grammys, Oscars, and Emmys rolled into one!
Read on to see some of our favorite parts of the show:
For starters, the Smart Booth 💚
Smart Communications, one of AAA 2023’s co-presenters, promised a magical unveiling of the Smart Live Booth ahead of the show, and the outcome more than lived up to expectations. Fans who gathered in the arena lobby got to experience the glamor of the red carpet via the Among the Stars photo wall, challenge their knowledge of the stars with Idol Intel, and have fun with our AAA-List Experience filter. There was also a Smart Live booth at the Fanzone Area booth located at the Philippine Sports Stadium, where fans could take photos and create their own Instagram reels.
The red carpet walk alone was an affair to remember
The AAA red carpet has always been one of the most anticipated segments of the event, allowing fans to see their biases up close before the show. Among those who received the biggest pops during their respective walks were Start-Up star Kim Seon-Ho, singer and actress Kim Se-Jeong, True Beauty’s Moon Ga-Young, Stray Kids , SEVENTEEN BSS, NewJeans, and LE SERRAFIM.
The outfits were a sight to behold
And we’re not just referring to the ones worn by celebrities during the event. The fans in attendance did a fantastic job with the outfits and merch they chose to wear in support of their favorite idols. In fact, their fashion choices just might rival those of the artists themselves!
The big screen close-ups were certified crowd-pleasers
AAA is one of those shows where the artists double as audience members, allowing the cameras to capture their reactions to speeches and performances throughout the night. Notably, viewers witnessed ZEROBASEONE members dancing to SB19’s “Gento,” and A-list heartthrobs Suho, Junho, and Kim Seon-Ho all meeting each other at one point. Simply put, these behind-the-scenes moments were a bonus for the crowd.
One word to describe the performances: Explosive!
The show went on for eight hours, but that’s because it was packed with performances—34 to be exact— from some of the biggest names in the industry. The best performance of the night is likely going to be up for debate, but the respective stage shows of rapper Lee Young Ji, fourth-gen girl group NMIXX, and SEVENTEEN sub-unit BSS certainly come to mind. Just watch the clips online and see for yourself!
Philippines, represent!
Mabuhay! Our very own musicians and actors were among those who took home major awards at this year’s ceremony. For starters, SB19, HORI7ON, Ben&Ben, Lapillus member Chanty, and TNT KaTropas Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla all had their moments onstage during the night. But one artist who stole the show is Melai Cantiveros-Francisco, who got the night’s biggest reaction when she made her very Pinoy and now-viral acceptance speech for her Best Actor win.
AAA 2023 was an absolute lovefest
One of the best things about the show is that every attending artist received recognition and won an award in their respective categories. That said, it was breakout girl group NewJeans that clinched the most number of awards with six, including Song of the Year, Singer of the Year, and the Hot Trend Award. Let’s hope they see this string of good luck as a sign to stage another show in Manila next year!
Asia Artist Awards 2023 is collectively organized by Star News, TONZ Entertainment, and PULP Live World, with Smart Communications and VIU as co-presenters. To see more of AAA 2023 on social media, you can search for the hashtags #SmartViuwithAAA and #AAA2023inPH.
Stay tuned for more epic Smart Live events at https://smart.com.ph/Pages/smartlive.
