MBC Show Champion Press Conference Photos with M&D, VIXX, BTS, AOA, BAP, SONAMOO, KNK, ASTRO and GUGUDAN.

 

MBC Show Champion Press Conference Highlights
Hours before the concert, a small press conference was held at the MOA Arena. All the nine acts graced the Philippine media with their presence and answered some basic questions about the show and their performance. The Philippine Concerts team presents the flashback to the highlights of that day with some close-up photos. Feel free to browse our gallery!

Special thanks to All Access Productions!
by Sandra Mae Laureano

ASTRO
Astro is one rookie group that is currently on the rise with their own brand of bright and cheery pop.
It’s their first time in the Philippines, and they’re really happy and excited to meet their Filipino fans.
When asked whether they have tried Jollibee, the group replied positively. Cha Eun Woo, who posted a photo of himself holding a Jollibee beverage, revealed that he had already gone to the Philippines when he was an elementary student. He said it was delicious.
“We know our fans expect a lot from us, we will try our best to do well onstage.”
“This concert is not an ordinary concert for us. It’s like our way of communicating with our fans. We hope everyone will enjoy.”

KNK
Dressed in regal white tuxedos, the five members of KNK were a sight to behold. Exuding a manly charisma from the beginning, the group answered the questions in a straightforward manner.
Currently, they are working on their second album. They’re hoping that their fans (called Tinkerbells) keep supporting them as they continue do their best to come up with new music.
Before exiting the press con, the group bowed and said, “salamat po” with smiles lingering on their faces.

Gugudan
It was time for some girl power as Gugudan, dressed in a soft combination of pastel pink and white, walked in.
It has not been long since their debut, and travelling abroad as a group is very new to them.
Through the concert, they wanted to make great memories with the audience.
“Not a lot of people know about our charm. After today, we hope people will get to see their talent, and we hope more people would support us!”

Kim Shin Young
The petite and perky emcee of the evening, Kim Shin Young, was bursting with energy as she met the press. Known as one of the most famous emcees/comedians in Korea, she stated that it was her childhood dream to be a host of a music show, and that she’s very thankful for MBC. From there on, she wants to be part of the 300th, 500th episode and so on.

It’s her first time to be in Manila but she can definitely see how much love K-pop is receiving here, She said, “I hope the fans continue their support. I noticed how bright and cheerful Filipino fans are. I hope that would continue during the concert.”

Sonamoo
The cheery ladies of Sonamoo entered the venue in their vibrant red jerseys and cheerleading outfits as seen in their music video titled “I Like U Too Much”. With charming smiles and a lot of cuteness for the cameras, they were obviously in high spirits that day.

“We have prepared some upbeat songs, we wish that the audience would dance with us!”
Just as the title of their latest single goes, they hope their fans appreciate their stage a lot too.

M&D
There was a slight change of pace as Super Junior’s Heechul and TRAX’s Jungmo graced the media with their presence. Heechul, known for his sassy quips, surely did not disappoint. It has a long time since he’s been in Manila. The last time he was here was in Super Show 5 in 2013, but he revealed that he had been to the country a few more times with his band mates.
Jungmo, on the other hand, was meek but he exuded a genial atmosphere. He told the audience, “It’s my second time in this country. I find it comfortable here. I love the food.”
Heechul: “The new idol groups the perfect choreography, but us, we will show you how to enjoy a concert freely.”
“I know that Filipino fans are the most supportive and loyal fans in the world. He hopes that they will be happy and healthy.”

BAP
The members of BAP are no strangers to the Philippines. In 2013, they had shot their music video “One Shot” here in Manila. In February 2014, they were part of the star-studded lineup for Dream Kpop Fantasy 2 concert held at the Araneta Coliseum. This time, they are back to thrill the Manila stage yet again. They were clad in white polos and slacks – pristine, crisp and sharp.
So what do they love about Manila?
“We all know that Filipino fans are very, very supportive. They always cheer us on and make us smile. In turn, it has become our motivation for us to keep doing our best.”
They had prepared 4 songs for that evening. “We want to pass on this positive energy of our music to our fans. We hope that they enjoy the concert with us!”
What Filipino words have they learned? It seems one phrase stood out to them: “Magandang gabi”, which they fondly kept repeating even as they were making their exit.

AOA
The ladies of AOA were definitely eye-catchers with their sparkling gold crop-tops and shredded skirts. It was their first time in Manila, but they are surprised to receive a lot of love from their fans, starting from their arrival in the airport.
Choa said “A lot of my friends have been to the Philippines, and they’ve said that this is a really comfortable place. Now that I’m finally here, I understand why. Next time, I want to go back for a vacation.”
The other members affirmed her sentiment, saying that they hope to go to the sea since our country is known for having beautiful beaches.
As for food, Jimin said that she liked coconuts. A friend of hers used to give those to her as souvenirs.
For their next comeback, they want to try different concepts, those that girl groups usually do. Instead of the usual upbeat tracks, they want to try something slower.
“We hope our fans keep on supporting us. We hope to come here again soon!”

BTS
Next up are the fire-starters Bangtan Boys who have returned to Manila just a month after their successful Epilogue concert. As ever, the seven guys looked great in their casual attire.
Rap Monster started the conversation, “We’ve been in the same arena a few weeks ago. It’s great to be back. We can’t wait to perform in Show Champion.”
Suga: “We’ve been here in Mall of Asia Arena before. During that time, we felt the love and support of our Filipino fans. We expect that today as well.”

What Tagalog words have they learned so far?
Rap Monster immediately quipped, “Maraming salamat!”
Suga murmured “Nag-enjoy kayo?”
J-Hope, in his usual cheery mood, blurted out “Pak ganern! Pak ganern!” which had the crowd laughing.
Suga, who was chatty that day asked the crowd, “Teach us some Filipino words we can use during the concert.”
The host replied “Mahal kita” which means “I love you”.
Jungkook: “We are very thankful to come back to Manila again. We know we are blessed to be here and to have a lot of fans here. Thank you! Mahal kita!”
VIXX
It was VIXX’s second visit to Manila and they were excited to perform here again.
N: “We were here last year and we promised to be back. Now that we did, we are very happy to live up to that promise and to see our fans again. Please keep supporting us!”
When asked about the Filipino food they like most, the group answered dried mangoes.

How would they describe their fans? (Note: Their fans are called Starlights.)
“Starlights always shine. Because of them, we are here today and we are grateful to them.”

 

More MBC Show Champion Press Conference Photos

Special Thanks to All Access Productions

Photos by Sandra Laureano