‘Light Up the Sky With BLACKPINK’ on Netflix
It’s no denying that BLACKPINK has taken the world by storm with their unbelievable talent, inimitable style, and unique charisma. They have stolen the hearts of millions of fans from all parts of the globe, and the Philippines is no exception, with Filipino BLINKs always eager for new entertainment from their favorite group. Arguably the most dedicated K-Pop fans out there, Filipino BLINKs are in for a treat as Netflix brings them “BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky” premiering on October 14.
Since their debut in August 2016, BLACKPINK has become the highest-charting female K-pop group of all time with their innovative music, eye-popping music videos and internet-breaking fashion concepts. “BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky” serves up the never-before-seen moments that BLACKPINK’s global fandom – known as “BLINKs” – have been craving for years.
As BLACKPINK continues reaching new heights in their career – from headlining sold-out world tours to becoming the first female Korean group to perform at Coachella – each member reflects on the ups and downs of fame and the long, often challenging journey that brought them to worldwide success. “BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky” reveals the relatable, unfiltered sides of the foursome, who continue to be a leading force in expanding K-pop’s popularity, proving that music knows no borders or language barriers.
Directed by Caroline Suh (Netflix’s “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat”), the documentary goes deep with each of BLACKPINK’s four members: Jisoo, the whip-smart unnie (“big sister”) of the group with a quirky sense of humor; Jennie, the rapper whose fierce onstage persona contrasts with her soft-spoken nature; Rosé, the dulcet-voiced Australian coming into her own as a singer-songwriter; and Lisa, the dancing queen whose spark plug personality never fails to make her bandmates laugh.
Stream the world premiere of Netflix’s “BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky” through Globe, and relive Blackpink’s incredible journey to becoming arguably South Korea’s most popular girl group.
Globe Kmmunity PH will be posting a question per day and BLINKs just have to answer it with the hashtags to keep the conversation and trend going. With every milestone achieved, prizes will be given away to lucky BLINKs including copies of The Album, official Blackpink lightsticks, and the chance to place your fanmade BLACKPINK videos to be shown on the SM Mall of Asia Globe and on a huge LED billboard at a premiere spot along EDSA.
Israel-Ph history in Peta’s ‘Storytelling Sundays’
The Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA) weekly online series, “Storytelling Sundays,” embarks on a unique partnership with the Embassy of Israel in the Philippines to tell a heartwarming tale about survival and the friendship between Filipinos and the Jews, borne out of a time of persecution and suffering.
“Storytelling Sundays” was one of PETA’s first initiatives in June 2020 to bring the theater experience to the digital platform. With a mix of different storytelling and performance techniques such as animation, shadow puppetry, musical numbers, and more, Storytelling Sundays explored different tales about Philippine history, heroes, and heroism. But apart from that, the series’ writer, Felinda Bagas, says that they were also looking for something new, like a part of Philippine history or a “lesser known hero” seldom taught in schools.
“The story of the Manilaners came up,” Felinda Bagas reveals. “It’s a very interesting story; it’s just the kind we were looking for. But there is no children’s book about the Manilaners yet. We decided right then that we’ll just do it, write and produce a children’s story about the Manilaners for Storytelling Sundays.” With the Embassy of Israel in the Philippines as a partner in the project, PETA continued to develop the story eventually called “The Doors of Chai,” written by Felinda Bagas and featuring PETA president Cecilia B. Garrucho as the storyteller.
“The Doors of Chai” narrates the journey and friendship of two children — both displaced, both grieving for the homes they had to leave behind, both struggling with being in a strange place — who find comfort and acceptance in each other. It is set during the enactment of then-Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon’s Open Door Policy, which allowed Jews to seek refuge in the Philippines and escape the Nazi regime and the Holocaust.
“We will never forget this. Most countries shut their doors, but the Philippines, through its leader, President Quezon, decided to open its doors,” says Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Rafael Harpaz. “The legacy of President Quezon will always be carved on our hearts.” Israel and the Philippines continue to exhibit their friendship to this day by supporting each other in diplomatic, economic relations, and more, especially in times of crisis. According to PETA Artistic Director and The Doors of Chai director Maribel Legarda, this theme of friendship in times of crisis was what compelled PETA to pursue this unique “Storytelling Sundays” episode.
“I think this is a great message especially now during a pandemic. We should be unifying ways to empathize and be compassionate with each other,” says Maribel Legarda. “That’s one of the things that compelled PETA to do this — the beauty of the story of two nations helping each other in times of trouble. This can resonate through generations because there may always be some sort of war or pandemic the world deals with, but what’s important is our capacity to be able to rise above the challenges and make a better world in spite of them.”
Set to be the seventeenth episode of “Storytelling Sundays” hosted by John Moran, “The Doors of Chai” is a rare gem of a history lesson. According to Felinda Bagas, the heroism in the story and in the Open Door Policy roots from compassion. “Heroes became heroes because they cared enough for others. They found the strength and courage to go beyond what they think they are able to do for the sake of other people,” she says. “That’s what ‘The Doors of Chai’ is all about: simple acts of heroism — of ordinary people, of an ordinary child — that led to the survival of a generation.”
“The Doors of Chai” also features Neil Daza as the director of photography, with animation by Ellen Ramos, music by Jeff Hernandez, and sound design by Jethro Joaquin.
“I would like to extend my thanks to PETA for initiating this partnership with the Embassy,” says Ambassador Harpaz. “Thank you for assisting us spread this great story in the history of Israel and the Philippines’ friendship.”
This episode is testament to viewers that we can be heroes to each other any day. During this pandemic, “The Doors of Chai” can be a source of comfort and inspiration to all who watch it.
Tune in on PETA’s official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PETATHEATER or Israel in the Philippines’ official Facebok page at www.facebook.com/IsraelinPhilippines for the premiere of Storytelling Sundays Episode 17, The Doors of Chai, on October 18, Sunday at 7 p.m.
GMA New Media exec joins The Wires APAC 2020’s panel of judges
GMA New Media, Inc. (GMA NMI) Assistant Vice President for Digital Advertising Solutions Zari Leonardo was selected to be one of the judges for The Wires APAC 2020 awards.
The Wires APAC recognizes the very best use of advertising technology and marketing technology across all aspects of media sales and media buying, as well as celebrating the use of technology, expertise, and innovation within the industry. The awards program is organized by ExchangeWire, a reputable UK-based data and intelligence provider which delves deep into the business of martech, ad tech, and programmatic advertising globally. The Wires expanded into launching a separate program for the Asia Pacific region in 2019.
The only representative from the Philippines, Leonardo lends her expertise to carefully assess all the entries for this year’s awards as she joins the panel made up of 18 of the most respected advertising professionals and industry leaders in the region.
As AVP for Digital Advertising Solutions of GMA NMI, Leonardo has established operational efficiencies and processes to support simultaneous online campaigns. Since joining NMI in 2016, Leonardo has made great contributions to the company’s digital business, including the creation of the Digital Ad Solutions team, which has helped grow digital ad revenues by 300 percent. She has also developed and implemented advertising solutions such as Brand Talk, which include branded stories, native advertising, and social media advertising.
Prior to NMI, Leonardo was Head of Sales for Pep, Inc. under Summit Media, where she implemented first-of-its-kind advertising solutions and activation campaigns such as the SPIN Viewing Series, SPIN Sidelines, and the Pep List.
“It’s so nice to see such innovative executions, especially at a time like this when digital consumption is high. It is inspiring to see such creative and fresh executions. It is also quite validating that here at NMI, we have a deep and broad understanding of the latest tools, and the insight to determine which of these tools we should be investing in,” Leonardo expressed.
The winners of this year’s The Wires APAC will be announced virtually, with the date to be confirmed.
