If there’s one word that can be used to describe HORI7ON, it would be historic. Composed of Vinci, Kim, Kyler, Reyster, Winston, Jeromy, and Marcus, the seven-member boy group has been breaking barriers since they first landed on the scene after they won the survival reality show Dream Maker. They are the first all-Filipino boy group to debut in South Korea and the first all-Filipino act to perform at the country’s biggest music shows.
Adding to the list of achievements, HORI7ON is also the first Filipino act to perform and headline an official Olympic ceremony and, more recently, the first Filipino act to be nominated at the prestigious Seoul Music Awards. And in everything they do, the group brings Filipino talent and distinctly Pinoy personalities to spaces that have yet to welcome Filipino artists. So, seeing P-pop reach even greater heights has been a welcome development for a group that has been helping pave the way for Filipino talent to get its recognition on the world stage.
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HORI7ON on What P-Pop’s Success Means to Them
With homegrown sensibilities, a global reach, and internationally refined training, HORI7ON occupies a unique space in the music scene. No strangers to being history makers as Filipinos, they’ve witnessed firsthand how local talent can more than keep up with their global counterparts, and that includes P-pop’s increasing influence in and outside the Philippines. “It’s nothing but pride for the community seeing it evolve throughout the years, especially if we compare it to five years ago,” Marcus tells MEGA Asia about P-pop getting its recognition. “Now it’s completely different and in the best way possible.”
What was once a niche sub-genre has become a growing force locally and internationally, and the best part is it’s being led by a new generation of Filipinos filled with fiery dedication, unrivaled passion, and a little bit of right timing. “Seeing these new groups debut and show up, we just want it to keep going, for the community to keep getting bigger and bigger every year and better and better because that’s what P-pop is all about,” adds Marcus.
As for the group itself, they haven’t let the pressures of frequently being the only Filipinos in the room stop them from fulfilling their responsibility to represent Filipinos in the global pop space. They’ve been doing so since their debut in 2023 and plan on doing so for the foreseeable future. Such is the case when it comes to being themselves as young Filipinos.
Idols, especially those who are put on a pedestal, are often expected to act a certain way. But the group makes it a point not to hide who they are. “In our content, we really like to show our personalities,” shares Vinci. “We have personalities na very Filipino. I think that’s something we always want to show through the things that we do. We’re just trying to show our authentic selves as Filipinos because we are all Filipinos.”
That mindset also extends to their music. While they are signed to a South Korean label and have released music in Korean, they’ve also released songs in English and Tagalog. From their earlier tracks like Mama and SUMAYAW SUMUNOD to their newest releases such as Lunod, the group incorporates Tagalog lyrics into their music.
Aware of their reach to their international fans, HORI7ON uses the opportunity to showcase their heritage in any way they can. As Vinci explains, “We have a lot of fans that are also from overseas and other countries, so it’s really nice that we can have our own language embedded into our songs and that’s what we’ve tried to do continuously. That’s something we want to continue to do because Tagalog is our mother tongue and that’s something we want to put in our music.”
In a time when P-pop has been breaking new ground for OPM, HORI7ON is more than ready to see Filipino talent get the spotlight it deserves, both through their own continued endeavors as a pioneering act and the collective success of the P-pop community.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Featured Image and Photos: HORI7ON (via Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions
HORI7ON is composed of Vinci, Kim, Kyler, Reyster, Winston, Jeromy, and Marcus.
HORI7ON is the first all-Filipino boy group to debut in South Korea, the first Filipino act to perform at the country’s biggest music shows, the first to headline an official Olympic ceremony, and the first Filipino act nominated at the Seoul Music Awards.
HORI7ON debuted in 2023 after winning the Korean survival reality show Dream Maker.
Though signed to a South Korean label, HORI7ON incorporates Tagalog into tracks like “Mama,” “SUMAYAW SUMUNOD,” and “Lunod” to showcase their heritage to international fans, since Tagalog is their mother tongue.
Member Marcus says the P-pop community’s growth over the past five years is a source of pride for the group, and HORI7ON hopes to see the movement continue expanding as new artists debut.
