Our pop groups aren’t exactly a goldmine compared to the ones in SoKor. In our entertainment industry, groups come and go, with a few exceptions like the iconic Sex Bomb Girls or the girls on the rise MNL48. But there’s a new boy group in town breaking boundaries and expectations on what a homegrown pop group should be.

We’re talking about the all-Pinoy, K-pop inspired boy band SB19.
SB19 officially went public last year and has been reaching viral heights since last July. In their first press conference, they expressed their excitement about elevating Filipino talent and their respective ambitions on this unusual project. Sejun, Stell, Josh, Ken, and Justin all trained in South Korea and are managed by a Korean entertainment company’s ShowBT.
Read more: We find out what the heck MNL48 is

y'all a lot of us doesn't know about SB19, they're Filipino boy group under a Philippine branch (ShowBT) They consist of five filipino members and are fully trained like k-idols. and look Their synchronization and vocal quality deserves a recognition. ✊pic.twitter.com/vMkRehfKX3

— مصمم لوقو ( لوجو ) (@kkoobap) September 3, 2019

Every song is written in Filipino and produced like a K-pop track. Their idol training shines through in their rehearsal and music videos. They’re synchronized as hell, with dance moves polished to a tee, and vocals and backing beats that are on point.

“Ang mga Pilipino sobrang talented po niyan sa lahat ng larangan,” group leader Sejun said in an interview. “Magaling kumanta, magaling sumayaw, umakting. ’Yun po ’yung maipapakita namin sa ibang bansa.” He also mention how they intend to push homegrown pop groups’ boundaries by dancing and singing heartily, giving their 100 percent as much as they can.

Read more: If you’ve ever wanted to be a K-Pop trainee, now’s your chance
So far, they’re not only walking their talk—they’re making moves too. Do I find it weird that we’re looking onto the K-pop industry for notes instead of our own? Well, there’s always a nagging thought of why we should look onto outside influences to say something’s polished. Then again, it feels like the boys from SB19 are taking what they’ve learned and molding it within the Filipino context— and I’m pretty excited for that.

It seems like SB19 will take on new heights as the year progresses. And with their can-do attitude shining through, it looks like they’re taking our brand of pop to interesting places.

Photo from SB19