Hyundai marks 75 years of PHL-Korea ties
By Joyce Reyes-Aguila
ART, FASHION, and music will be at the center of the Hyundai Motor Philippines, Inc. (HMPH) celebration of 75 years of diplomatic relations between our country and the Republic of Korea (or South Korea). The company鈥檚 Hyundai Mobility Experience (HME) tour will mark the occasion with a series of activities to reach more Filipinos with the message.
鈥淭o give honor to this milestone, we will be highlighting our nations鈥 common interests and passions,鈥 HMPH President Dong Wook Lee told guests at the opening of the brand鈥檚 鈥淧artnership Beyond Borders鈥 last April 24 at the SM Megamall. 鈥淗yundai hopes to strengthen its connection with the Filipino community. We look forward to continuously being an instrument in fortifying the bond between Korea and the Philippines.鈥
HMPC partnered with four Filipino artists for its kickoff activity where mallgoers were able to view a collection of upcycled pieces, along with the latest vehicle offerings from Hyundai. At the center of the display was the Ioniq 5, aligned with the campaign鈥檚 focus on innovation.
Installed above the electric vehicle was a ceiling installation entitled 鈥淏ioniq 1.0鈥 by Filipino sculptor Leeroy New. The multi-awarded artist鈥檚 upside-down interpretation of the Ioniq 5 utilized biodegradable and renewable materials like sawdust, bamboo, rattan, and copper. 鈥淚t was a fun challenge to reinterpret Hyundai鈥檚 new all-electric vehicle into a biosynthetic sculpture,鈥 the multi-awarded artist said on his Instagram page. 鈥淚n line with the brand鈥檚 use of renewable and natural materials, we created the 鈥淏ioniq 1.0鈥 sculpture which attempts to mimic the principles of nature and plant growth 鈥 evident in its intertwining and intermingling root-life forms.鈥
Aside from 鈥淏ioniq 1.0,鈥 Mr. New also created a wearable piece of art 鈥 made from sawdust and silicone 鈥 that was exhibited as part of the mall display. His work was featured along with creations from three other designers: Glyn Alley Magtibay, a Mindoro-based artist who reinterpreted the Filipino baro鈥檛 saya (dress ensemble) with a Korean Hanbok twist using discarded X-ray films; Amor Albano who hails from Ilocos and paid homage to the colors of the sampaguita flower of the Philippines and cherry blossoms of Korea in her piece named 鈥淓ast Meets Amore: A Fusion of Korean and Filipino;鈥 and Zamboanga City鈥檚 Gladys Rose Pantua, who sourced local materials from the indigenous people of Basilan, Sulu for her artwork named 鈥淪trange Beauty鈥 that made a Filipiniana-Hanbok melding through pearl beads. The artworks will be moved to the Artist Village at Camp Mariano in Jala-jala, Rizal, a sustainable farm with glamping sights and artist-owned properties.
HMPH Deputy General Manager for Marketing Mark Parulan said the commemoration illustrates 鈥渉ow (the) brand connects with different industries,鈥 such as sports, entertainment, music, fashion, and art.
He continued: 鈥淥f course, with this being the Hyundai Mobility Experience, we will still have the latest lineup of cars and special promos that will be available to everyone.鈥 Also on display at SM Megamall until April 28 were the Hyundai Creta, Custin, Stargazer X, Staria, and all-new Santa Fe. The April 24 event also featured a performance from the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) and Pilipino Etniko Ritmo Kanta sa Sayaw (PERKS).
