The orchestra takes on K-Dramas

By Brontë H. Lacsamana, Reporter

Concert Review
OST Symphony: K-Drama in Concert
June 29
Manila Metropolitan Theater

ANYBODY who is into Korean dramas, or K-Dramas, would have enjoyed OST Symphony: K-Drama in Concert, performed by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.

The PPO was joined by several guest singers, one being South Korean pop singer-songwriter Gaho (real name: Kang Dae-ho) who rose to prominence in 2020 for singing the theme songs for various K-Dramas. The section of the show that featured the music of Filipino adaptations of K-dramas featured Julie Ann San Jose and Zephanie Dimaranan as guest vocalists.

For a distinct Korean collaboration within the orchestra itself, renowned concertmaster Kim Mi-jung lent her talents as principal violinist.

“There is a saying in Korea that means ‘red bean bun without red bean,’ which doesn’t sound right. It’s unimaginable to think of one without the other. Similar to how red bean matches the bun, K-dramas and their soundtracks are a match made in heaven,” said Lee Sang-hwa, ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines, in an opening speech.

“Korean dramas have deeply touched the hearts of the Filipino people. To commemorate the 75^th anniversary of Korean-Philippine diplomatic relations, this concert is a token of our gratitude to Filipino lovers of Korean culture.”

True to the promise to make us relive the best, most heartwarming, and most touching moments of K-Dramas, the show opened with the orchestral versions of “My Destiny” from the My Love from the Star (2013) and “You Are My Everything” from Descendants of the Sun (2016).

While conductor Herminigildo Ranera led the PPO in recreating the melodies, a large LED screen onstage played iconic scenes from the shows, care of streaming partner Viu. The red carpet kiss of the leads in My Love from the Star and the dramatic reunion of Captain Yoo and Doctor Kang in Descendants of the Sun were compelling to watch when paired with live music, enchanting even those of us in the audience with only a casual knowledge of K-dramas.

The orchestra then launched into a medley that went by too quickly, featuring soundtracks from the tense Netflix series Squid Game, the endearing 2022 legal drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo, and early 2000s classics (for those who were into K-dramas way before Hallyu blew up!) Jewel in the Palace, Hwang Jini, and All In.

The PPO then played three tracks from the 2016 romance Love in the Moonlight, with Park Bo-Gum’s youthful, cutesy face lighting up the theater for all to admire (or be annoyed with). One K-drama this writer was hoping to revisit, also starring Mr. Park, was the coming-of-age family drama Reply 1988, which boasts poignant music of its own, but it unfortunately wasn’t in the set.

The show then shifted gears to highlight Filipino dramas, too. Zephanie Dimaranan went onstage to sing “Nagbago ang Daigdig,” the theme song of the GMA show My Guardian Alien starring Marian Rivera and Gabby Concepcion. After that, Julie Ann San Jose captivated the audience with her English version of “You Are My Everything” from the Filipino adaptation of Descendants of the Sun, which starred Dingdong Dantes and Jennylyn Mercado.

Both singers, dressed elegantly in Filipiniana gowns, were a perfect representation of the country’s vocal prowess.

At first a jarring switch from the sweet, heartwarming, symphonic melodies, South Korean singer Gaho’s lively pop set eased the hall into a fun mood. He opened with “Yellow Light” from the recent romance K-Drama King the Land and won the crowd with “Running” and “Start Over” from the hit 2020 K-dramas Start-Up and Itaewon Class.

The K-pop vibes of Gaho’s set satisfied many in the crowd who came for the Hallyu and not really for the orchestra. However, the third track saw him singing to “Start Over” with the PPO providing the riveting instrumentals, bridging the two genres in an interesting way.

Nearing the end, the orchestra played the soundtrack of the hit 2019 romance Crash Landing On You (so popular in the Philippines that it is known by its acronym CLOY). Non-fans would have found it amusing to hear the gasps from the crowd as beloved moments on screen accompanied the music.

A sleeper hit that drew awestruck reactions from the audience was the soundtrack of the 2007 medical drama Behind the White Tower, featuring intense call-and-answer moments in the string section. After the concert, people were researching the show out of curiosity and talking about trying it out based on the intriguing soundtrack alone.

The night ended with the complicated, beautiful melodies of the 2017 historical drama Mr. Sunshine, which starred Lee Byung-hun and the wonderful Kim Tae-ri. It would have been a powerful note to end on, but the PPO satisfied romance fans with a heart-stopping encore — a performance of “I Will Go to You Like the First Snow” from the hit 2016 drama Goblin, starring iconic Korean actor Gong Yoo.

It was a successful night of cultural exchange, put together by the Korean Cultural Center, the National Commission of Culture and the Arts, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The PPO’s impeccable playing, along with the guest vocalists’ passion and Viu’s projecting K-drama moments on to the screen, brought both Hallyu and orchestral music to Filipinos. It was a joyful experience that will hopefully be brought back in the future for more people to enjoy.