The red carpet at the Philippine Arena on 14 December 2023 made for a historic strip of glamor and glitter, as the 8th edition of the Asia Artist Awards, a prestigious annual event celebrating the excellence of Asian talent, unreeled for the first time in the country.

That this big-ticket event was being held in the Philippines testified to the organizers’ recognition of Filipino fans’ fervent passion and love for Korean culture, notably its internationally acclaimed entertainment and music scene.

The red-carpet event hosted by Ryan Bang featured a stellar lineup of Asian stars, among them NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, SEVENTEEN’s BSS, ZEROBASEONE, BOYNEXTDOOR, Stray Kids, ITZY, THE BOYZ, NMIXX, Kwon Eunbi, Kep1er, Dreamcatcher, KARD, AKMU, &TEAM, Lee Youngji, STAYC, Ash Island and the Philippines’ very own P-pop kings, SB19.

Adding to the evening’s allure were esteemed K-drama actors Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Seon-ho, Kim Se-jeong and Moon Ga-young.

Said to be the Oscars and Grammys of Asia combined, the Asia Artist Awards unites artists, producers, directors and celebrities from across the continent in a celebration of globe-conquering regional talent.

Originating in 2016 as a collaboration between the South Korean business newspaper Money Today and the global media giants MTN and StarNews, the AAA picks the annual best in Asian film, music, television and digital content, thus providing a panoramic view of Asia’s dynamic cultural scene.

AAA’s Philippine edition was presented by Star News, Tonz Entertainment and Pulp Live World.