Reliving K-Dramas at PPO's OST Symphony concert

Gaho, Julie Anne San Jose, Zephanie, and the Philiippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Korean dramas have undeniably been a lifeline to countless people forced to remain at their homes during the peak of the pandemic. It's no surprise then that series like Crash Landing on You (2019) and Squid Game (2021) have become global hits and pop culture phenomena.

The impact of these Korean dramas have never been more felt than at the recent OST Symphony K-Drama in Concert featuring the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO). Fans of K-Dramas came in droves at the Metropolitan Theater for the matinee and evening performances of this concert presented by the Korean Cultural Center of the Philippines (KCC), The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

Under the baton of Herminigildo Ranera, the PPO performed music from a selection of K-Dramas that brought the audience back to the times when they painstakingly watched (and most likely re-watched) each episode of these dramas. The K-Dramas ranged from recent favorites like Descendants of the Sun (2016), Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022), Love in the Moonlight (2016), King the Land (2023), Start-Up (2020), Itaewon Class (2020), The World of the Married (2020), and Mr. Sunshine (2018) to modern classics like My Love from the Star (2013), Hwang Jini (2006), Jewel in the Palace (2003), All In (2003), and Behind the White Tower (2007).

Since the event is in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of Philippine and Korean Diplomatic Relations, the concert featured song numbers by Zephanie, singing Nagbago ang Daigdig from the recently concluded GMA primetime drama My Guardian Alien (2024), and Julie Anne San Jose, performing the English version of You are My Everything from the Philippine adaptation of the series Descendants of the Sun (2020).

Performing with no frills nor any gimmicks, both Zephanie and Julie Anne displayed their impressive range while not resorting to unnecessary vocal gymnastics as they were dutifully accompanied by the PPO's sweeping strings.

Gaho and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Korean singer/songwriter Gaho was definitely the main highlight of the night with him performing three numbers namely Yellow Light from King the Land, Running from Start-Up, and capping it up with his chart topper Start Over from Itaewon Class. The way Gaho engaged the audience to sing along provided some K-Pop moments to what had been a purely symphonic affair until he took to the stage.

Guest concertmaster, Korean violinist Kim Mi-Jung, along with PPO's principal cellist Gerry Gonzales and principal violist Joy Allan dela Cruz, had their share of the spotlight with respective solos that most likely merited the shuffling of some pieces to be played towards the end of the concert. The PPO top-billed the event so it was only fitting that some of the principals had their moments.

The encore performance with music from Goblin (2016), proved that the series remains as one of the most popular K-Dramas out there. As soon as clips of lead actor Gong Yoo was shown on the screen, there was a collective gush among the audience. It wouldn't be a surprise if a number of them binge watched the series once again after returning home from the concert.