Filipino teens shine in tvN ‘K-Pop Star Hunt’
It is always exciting to meet young Filipinos who get their talents noticed and appreciated abroad.
Talented teens Rince Cajucom (19) and twins Charlene (17) and Charmaine (17) Albino represented the Philippines in the "tvn K-Pop Star Hunt." Being in the Top 11 of this grueling "American Idol-like" talent contest is no small feat as these teens faced talented finalists from other Asian countries including Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Last Saturday, January 28, I had the pleasure of interviewing these three inspiring young artists who made the Philippines proud during their impressive top 11 performance in Seoul, South Korea. As finalists, Rince, Charlene and Charmaine had the chance to join a boot-camp with Cube Entertainment, the management company of top Korean idols like B2ST, 4Minute, and G.NA. With an unmistakeable twinkle in their eyes, the future stars shared their personal dreams, hardships, and plans with me.
How did you find out about the tvN K-Pop Star Hunt? What inspired you to join?
Charlene: For the two of us, my friend Ina was browsing through the Internet and she saw a sign and it was timely because we just did a cover (Charlene and Charmaine are part of a female group called MILES) so we wanted to send our video there. Just for fun, we sent our video but we didn't expect that we'll be finalists. What drove us to audition is because we just love K-Pop and we love making music so we wanted to try it.
Rince: For me, I have a friend in Facebook who loves K-Pop. He told me that "Hey, there's this tvN K-Pop Star Hunt." I got curious so I clicked and read the content. Before, I also used to audition online but no response but I told myself, I'll try this one. I sent a video of me singing a Korean song and an English song. I already had the videos in my computer so I just edited them together. I first thought that at least I'll get more views... I never thought that I'll be in the top 100.
How did they choose from the top 100 down to the top 11?
Charlene: Actually, when we found that we were in the top 100, we planned that we won't go anymore because we had classes. But on that day, tvN called Ina and they said that all four of us can go and audition. So, we went after class and we were the only ones in uniforms. Everyone was in make-up, heels, we were in uniform (laughs!)
Charmaine: Yes, we auditioned and made it through...the both of us.
Rince: Thank you, uniform! Hahaha!
How was the audition like? Did they make you sing "American Idol" style?
Charlene: Yeah...they asked us to go in five at a time and they ask us to go in front one by one. They'll ask you to sing anything and then after that, both of us were called back and asked to dance. But then, we really don't dance... Good thing we know some dance steps from a Korean song like "Run Devil Run" and "Nu ABO".
Charmaine: So, we did that...well...we tried.
Rince: They did not ask me to dance. Actually, you can choose what to do so I just sang because if I dance, I really don't know... I might end up doing free style. It is going to be embarrassing so I just did what I can do best.
What influenced you in your song choices?
Charlene: I chose "Inside Your Heaven" for the auditions because both of us are big fans of Carrie Underwood and our voices match with hers. Big voice...kind of 'poppish-country'. At the same time, I really love the message of the song. I wanted to stick to a song I am comfortable with.
Charmaine: I sang "God Bless the Broken Road" originally by Rascal Flatts but there was also a version by Carrie Underwood.
Rince: For me, I chose Big Bang of course, "A Fools Only Tears" because it is beautiful. It is not too high and it feels good to sing it.
I watched your videos and your voices sound amazing. They're really really strong and melodic. Did you have any professional vocal training?
Charlene: Thank you. For the both of us, we have some training when we were younger. We enrolled in Center for Pop Music but that was a long time ago.
Charmaine: We were in Grade 3.
Charlene: But that was it. After that, no more. The rest, we learned it ourselves like how to develop it, how to control our voices. It was also helpful that we like arranging songs, like putting harmonies in songs. It was also helpful that we joined the GLEE club.
I learned that you (Charmaine and Charlene) play instruments...
Charmaine: Yes, we both play guitar and piano.
Charlene: It was actually our dad who taught us how to play the guitar.
Rince: I am a witness of their talent. I saw that at Cube.
How about you, Rince? Did you have any vocal training?
Rince: No, I just sing and I have some favorite stars who influenced my singing.
Since we are talking about favorite stars, I am sure you are also K-Pop fans. Who are your favorite K-Pop artists?
Charlene (In cute fangirl mode): Ahm...of course Super Junior! We are both ELFs! I personally like Eunhyuk and she likes...
Charmaine: Kyuhyun!
How about female artists?
Charmaine: 2NE1! I like them because of their stage presence, their voices are big and strong. We specifically like CL. She really has amazing stage presence...
Rince: I am a YG fanboy. Big Bang and 2NE1.
Your voice is actually very similar to Taeyang (of Big Bang). Do you consciously try to emulate him?
Rince: No, it just so happens that my voice is similar. I really like R&B so when I sing Taeyang, it fits me well.
For the twins, I found that you have a popular YouTube channel called "MILES4fold,"
tell me something about it.
Charlene: Actually, MILES4fold started when we were in grade school. We recorded for an educational album and we became close. We started to sing together and realized that we sounded good so we wrote a song and got the others to sing the melodies. This continued until high school. We get asked to perform during school events. We were also invited to perform on Channel 2 ASAP XV and for the opening and closing of Pinoy Big Brother.
For Rince, I learned that you also joined productions in school?
Rince: Yes. When I was in high school, we had a play and I was the actor. There was a time I parodied some of my teachers and that was funny. They laughed so hard and they ended up awarding me best actor.
Some people think that becoming stars is an easy thing but I am sure, based on your experience during the "tvN K-Pop Star Hunt" bootcamp in Korea that it was not that easy. Can you share with us the difficulties you experienced when you were there?
Charlene: The first day of training was really hard. We had to do everything one after another including singing, dance training, language class then interview...but the worst part was the dance class. I think all of us top 11 agree with that...
Charmaine: It was really difficult.
Rince: There was one who blacked out.
Charmaine: Yes...it was torture.
Rince: Chris from Taiwan...
Charlene: It's like jogging in place...
Rince: For fifteen minutes and one after another...it gets faster and faster.
Charmaine: You can't not do it. It's like we were asked to lie down and lift our legs up like this (about 45 degrees) which was so hard.
Charlene: We were also asked to go up and sing one by one while the judges were there. For example, for me I thought I was ok...that I had experience but their comments and criticisms were just "ouch." It's really too much. They told me that what I was doing was wrong... that I had to put my voice forward. They even said that my sister was better than me. It's really a very bad feeling.
Rince: Yeah...you thought that your projection was the best but really...
Charlene: Your confidence level will go down.
Rince: It's like they tell you that there are many other proper ways to project your voice and yourself.
Charmaine
: But later on when it was one-one-one, they were nicer.
Rince: I also had a hard time with the vocal training. They told me that I had a bad habit that I cannot take away. For us singers, we are allowed to use chest tone but for them, they want you to get it from here (the diaphragm) so there is a way to sing properly. Since I don't do that, I had a hard time. At the end, I benefited and developed from that.
Was the training done everyday?
Rince: Yes, specially when there is a mission. The singing training lasts one hour and the dance training two hours...
Charmaine: Two hours of torture...
Rince: ...but not jogging in place...that only happened on the first day maybe to prepare our bodies.
Charmaine: After that first day training, all of us had painful bodies. We couldn't stand up...
Rince: We were putting menthol...
How about going to the salon? How long did the styling take?
Rince: When there's a lot of us, it takes a longer time. For the top 11, it took a longer time. We arrived there at 8 and it ended at 1. It took about 5 hours all-in including hair, make-up, outfits. Still, it was a good experience...
Charmaine: Of course! That's when I saw Lee Min Ho!
How about the unnis who were doing your hair? Were they also the ones who do the styling of other CUBE artists?
Charlene: Oh yeah, they were really good!
Rince: Specially Kang Ho, he's really the main stylist there.
Charmaine: Yeah, it was my best hair and make-up ever!
Rince: Me too!
How has life changed after tvN for all of you?
Charlene and Charmaine: Well, we now have more friends on Facebook! Hahaha...
Rince: Some made them a page without their knowledge...
Charlene: Our friends and family are proud but then some of our friends can't watch because they don't have the channel...
Charmaine: They are proud and very supportive but those who start fake accounts on Facebook and Twitter, it gets irritating also because others think it is ours but it's not really us and sometimes they just say anything...
Rince: For me, people in the province (Rince is from Nueva Ecija) are really supportive. We get tvN there so they can watch. I sometimes get comments in school like "Hey, I saw you last night on tv! I think you're more handsome than the other contestants..." Of course, I get embarrassed but they're very supportive. At times, in school, I noticed people whispering to each other...also, like them...more people add me on Facebook...
They say that to become real K-Pop stars now, you have to have a "real Facebook/Twitter account." Do you maintain social media accounts?
Charlene and Charmaine: Yes, we have MILES.
Rince: I also have one.
What secrets can you share about each other?
Charlene and Charmaine: Hahaha...hmmm. We can't think of anything. You go first...
Rince: Heehee...actually they kinda fight a lot...like you'll overhear them bickering inside their room...but not serious fights...just sisterly fights.
Charlene: Ahh...Rince can't eat spicy food!
Charmaine: Yeah! Hahahaha! When we were in Korea, we went out to a Korean restaurant and he did not know what to order so he asked us what we were eating, we said jjiampong (spicy seafood noodle soup). He ordered the same and ended up having such a hard time.
Charlene: The next day was our photo shoot already and Rince...well...he had to do number #2...
Rince: Hahahaha...that was really embarrassing...my most embarrassing experience in fact! Hahaha!
Here's a bit of practice for our future K-Pop stars. Usually we ask stars about their favorites so I'll ask you about your favorites, what's your favorite movie?
Charlene: Harry Potter series
Charmaine: Yeah...Harry Potter series
Rince: I like "A Millionnaires First Love".
Charlene and Charmaine (in unison): Ahhh! That's mine too! That's also our favorite!
Favorite K-Pop Artist?
Charlene: Super Junior Eunhyuk
Charmaine: Super Junior Kyu Hyun
Rince: CL of 2NE1
Favorite Korean Drama?
Charlene and Charmaine (in unison, are they twins or what?!): Secret Garden! The best!
Rince
: My Girlfriend is a Gumiho.
Favorite Hobby?
Charlene: Singing, composing in guitar...
Charmaine: Yeah...piano...
Rince: Singing in karaoke!
Favorite Korean Dish?
Charlene: Kimchi
Charmaine: Jajangmyun!
Rince: Not jjiampong! Hahaha! Bulgogi.
Favorite Filipino Dish?
Charlene and Charmaine: (Filipino style) Crabs!
Rince: Dinuguan!
Favorite Filipino Artist?
Charlene and Charmaine: Charice!
Rince: Callalily
Well, there you have it! A new breed of top quality teen stars who managed to impress not only their fellow Filipinos but also a bigger international audience. Cheer for them by catching the "tvn K-Pop Star Hunt" on tvN every Saturday at 8PM.
Team Philippines, Mabuhay and Fighting!
Catherine Deen blogs for Yahoo! Philippines OMG! She lives, eats and breathes Korean music, cuisine, telenovelas, and pop culture. Follow her on Twitter @cathsdeen.