It was a night of pure harmony and heartfelt performances at Samsung Hall as K-pop artists joined forces with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra for a musical spectacle brimming with emotion during “OST Symphony II: K-Drama in Concert.” It was a concert featuring the Original Sound Tracks (OSTs) of widely-loved K-dramas. It was hosted by the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. 

Under the baton of Maestro Herminigildo Ranera and featuring violinist Mijung Kim, the concert brought together K-pop singer Yegny, along with Kapuso stars Kyline Alcantara and Angel Guardian, for captivating renditions of beloved Filipino and Korean drama OSTs.

However, the highlight of the evening was Isaac Hong, who, despite performing in the Philippines for the first time, revealed that his connection with the country began as early as 1998.

Photo from Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines 

A long history with the Philippines

Isaac’s ties to the Philippines trace back to his childhood. “My parents are missionaries, so we were supposed to go to Papua New Guinea, but to go there, we had to visit Manila to do the layovers, and that was my first time coming here,” he revealed during an exclusive interview with Metro.Style.

That short layover soon turned into a deeper relationship with the country. His parents later worked as missionaries in Antipolo City for eight years, and Isaac would occasionally join them whenever he had the time.

He fondly recalled some of his experiences during his stay in the country. “I remember riding the jeepney… I was like sweating,” he said with a laugh, reminiscing about the Philippines’ traditional mode of transportation.

As a young boy, his family often traveled to the rural parts of the country, where they would eat local food and visit beaches. Those early experiences left a lasting impression on him—one that made performing in Bonifacio Global City feel both new and nostalgic.

“It’s always just fun to, when you just go to rural areas, or go to places where it’s not as developed as like BGC here, I feel like I have more chances to experience like real Philippines, and the people there were always very nice,” he shared.

Photo from @pngisac

A full-circle moment

“Interesting”—that’s how Isaac Hong described his feelings about performing in the Philippines for the very first time during OST Symphony II: K-Drama in Concert at Samsung Hall in SM Aura last October 24.

“I never thought I would be singing in the Philippines. The last time I came to the Philippines, I was doing music, but I didn’t think my life would end up this way. So it was very interesting just to bring my guitar and all the makeup and the clothes, just to stand up there and sing…. I was wondering how my parents would feel if they were here. So it was very humbling, but very honorable, and very fun at the same time,” he said.

For the South Korean artist, performing in the country marked a full-circle moment—returning not just as a visitor, but as a musician. Isaac revealed that the invitation came a few months ago, and upon learning about the project, he immediately noticed how it stood out from his previous performances abroad.

“I think it was about two months ago when this concert was offered. And it was a little different because I went to a few other places… for this OST concept of performances. I had chances to sing in some of them, and usually, when there’s like a K-Expo or chances for me to perform OSTs, it’s very small. I usually have to turn on the backing tracks, and I just have to sing on this stage all alone,” he explained.

What made his Manila concert even more memorable, he added, was performing alongside a full orchestra—something he rarely gets to experience. “It was very different because they said they were going to put orchestras, and they were going to put all the videos. And the setup was very nice compared to other places,” he shared.

Photo from Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines 

How his musical journey began

As mentioned earlier in this article, Isaac’s musical journey was deeply rooted in his upbringing. Born to missionary parents, he grew up surrounded by faith and music—two things that greatly influenced the artist he is today.

Growing up in church, Isaac was encouraged to explore music from a young age. In many churches, children are taught to play instruments and sing as part of worship, often guided by older mentors. For Isaac, this environment became the foundation of his musical passion.

“I started singing when I was five in church. Being in church, you have a lot of chances to experience different types of music, and naturally, you just get fond of music. And me, going to other places when I was living in Papua New Guinea… music was always there for me. So naturally, music was a place where I could hide or I could lean on since I was in middle school,” he shared.

However, music wasn’t always the career path he envisioned for himself. When he entered college, Isaac initially pursued a course unrelated to music—something he considered a logical decision at the time. “I didn’t really have any specific reason to pursue music aside from the fact that I liked it,” he admitted.

Photo from @pngisac

But everything changed when he noticed his friends chasing their own passions. “At that point, I think there was a moment where I thought, just why not?” Isaac recalled. That question became the turning point of his life, as he eventually earned admission to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts—the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world.

“I had a chance to apply for Berklee College of Music, so I went there. And thankfully, I stayed put and didn’t go anywhere. I don’t have a very outgoing passion towards music, I guess. It was always there. It was something that’s kind of rooted in my life. So I think that naturally just became something. I guess you can call that passionate in some ways,” he said.

When it comes to instruments, Isaac shared that while he plays both piano and guitar, the latter remains his main instrument. “The first time I touched an acoustic guitar was in fifth grade. My friends were playing then. So I kind of tried to follow… And then naturally, I started playing guitar in church,” he recalled.

His interest in songwriting soon followed. “I was just at home, just playing guitar by myself. And there were simple chord riffs I was playing. And then I just started mumbling random melodies and words. I think that was like the first time I actually started writing something,” he shared, looking back on his early creative days in ninth grade.

Isaac’s professional musical career officially began in 2013 when he made his first broadcast appearance and won a bronze medal at the 24th Yoo Jae-ha Music Contest with his self-composed song “봄아” (English title: Spring). Since then, he has become one of South Korea’s most recognized voices in the OST scene, with his songs consistently charting and featured in some of the country’s most popular dramas.

Photo from @pngisac

Isaac has sung for various K-drama soundtracks, including The Uncanny Counter, Happiness, and My Liberation Notes. But it was his work on two of the most celebrated series of recent years—Queen of Tears and When Life Gives You Tangerines—that cemented his reputation as one of the most emotionally resonant voices in Korean drama music.

“I’m very blessed in a way because for me, just singing in that song, that just led me to even talking to you right now. If there’s a good story and a drama, I think, naturally, the song’s gonna shine. If that helps the listeners, the watchers, viewers, I think that’s the best way, that’s the only way to impact as music,” he explained.

For Queen of Tears, Isaac performed “Fallin’,” a moving ballad that became a massive hit, earning over 25 million Spotify streams and 15 million YouTube views.

“There were very specific instructions and explanations about them. Me being a singer, I think my job as an OST singer, it has to be very conforming in the story. So I don’t think the singer itself is important. I think the story itself is way more important than just the singer. So I tried to just conform to it,” Isaac shared.

Meanwhile, for When Life Gives You Tangerines, Isaac described a more immersive and collaborative process.

“I saw some of the clips also where the song is going to be put in,” he said. “The director had the very specific feeling that he wanted, and who the song is about, and who is actually singing in the song instead of me singing it. He wanted the emotions of this specific actor on that scene.”

The experience, he said, felt “almost like acting.”

“I was trying to give them options with different styles, or emotions, or different ways, the different interpretations of the song. That’s how it came to be. It’s usually the same, but it depends on how much the director is actually involved in it. In the case of When Life Gives You Tangerines, it was a little more specific in that sense,” he explained.

Before concluding the interview, Isaac gave fans something to look forward to as he revealed that a brand-new single is on the way, alongside preparations for his upcoming concerts.

“Right now I’m busy with doing performances around the world, and right now I’m preparing for my new single, and I try to keep my identity as a songwriter. It’s going to be released in two weeks, so we’re preparing for that, and there are personal concerts coming up, and just living a life as a musician,” he concluded.

Watch our exclusive Metro Talks interview with Isaac Hong below: