Manila, Philippines — The Metropolitan Theater (MET) came alive on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, as it hosted the opening of the 35th Philippine-Korea Cultural Exchange Festival, marking another milestone in the decades-long diplomatic ties and cultural kinship between the two nations.
Ambassador Lee Dong-gy of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and Mr. Christian John Serrano, Chief Administrative Officer of the MET Theater Operations Division, delivered congratulatory remarks. Other heads of associations and academic institutions joined them in a traditional Gong Ceremony to officially signal the start of the cultural exchange festivity.
The festival showcased artistic celebration and brought Filipino and Korean culture together through music, performances, and entertainment. Officially hosted by the United Korean Community Association in the Philippines, the whole festivity included performances from P-Pop girl group KAIA and Acapella Group EXIT, alongside a K-Pop Cover Contest, awarding ceremony, and prize draw.
P-POP group KAIA during their performance.
The enduring strategic partnership between the Philippines and South Korea reflects decades of diplomatic alignment, rooted in Manila’s critical support during the Korean Peninsula’s struggle for sovereignty and post-war stability.
Ambassador and Heads of various Korean sponsors and institutions.
What began as a vital geopolitical lifeline has expanded into a comprehensive bilateral alliance and cultural empowerment spanning economic exchange and cultural diplomacy.
As the event solidified, the K-Pop Cover competition echoed across the whole theater, with audiences singing alongside the Korean soundtracks performed by the contenders.
The Korean acapella group EXIT also performed with their trending beats and ended with an encore of their hit rendition of Disney songs.
The four-hour celebration was never dull; instead, it demonstrated how music transcends language barriers to weave two distinct cultures into a shared artistic tapestry. The raffle draw and announcement of the winners concluded the said event where everyone went home with a small token of appreciation from the sponsors.
This annual Philippine-Korea Cultural Exchange Festival signifies not only a political connection, but also proof that culture and heritage remain powerful to connect across borders and celebrate the beauty of ASEAN countries in its truest form.
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For more details, contact Mr. Rene S. Napeñas, Head, Public Affairs and Information Office, through paio@ncca.gov.ph or 0945 788 5698. Visit www.ncca.gov.ph and the Facebook page @NCCAOfficial.