Pulp Live World CEO Happee Sy-Go, emphasized that being timely and professional are among the biggest lessons she learned from the Korean entertainment industry.

Speaking at an exclusive interview at Scene Zone, Sy-Go recalled panicking during her very first K-pop show in the Philippines after seeing the venue almost empty just minutes before the concert was scheduled to begin.

“Kasi, when I started it, my very first K-pop show, we announced [na] 7:00 PM [ang] show. 6:30 PM na, walang tao sa buong Araneta [Coliseum]. Mamatay-matay ako,” she shared.

“Alam mo, talaga, nagpa-panic na ako. Kasi, I wasn’t expecting it na ‘bakit wala kayo?’ ’Yon pala, that time, people expected when you say 7:00, ah! Filipino time ’yan, 8:00 ’yan,” she added.

She later realized that many concertgoers at the time were still used to the concept of “Filipino time,” where audiences expected shows to start later than the announced schedule.

She also shared that she admires Korean working culture for being organized and punctual, which, according to her, shows respect not only for the artists but also for the fans and production staff.

She shared, “When you’re gonna say you do it, then you do it. Hindi depending, ‘wala na ako sa mood eh’… some artists ganyan. Pag sinabi na ‘okay, I’ll meet and greet you,’ tapos wala sa mood, ayaw na.”

She added, “Sa kanila, no. Everything should be written. So basically, nothing personal. It’s really professional, transactional.”

The experience eventually became one of Sy-Go’s biggest lessons in handling live events and helped shape her appreciation for punctuality and professionalism in the concert industry.

Happee Sy-Go, widely known by fans as “Inang Reyna,” is one of the country’s leading concert promoters and currently serves as the CEO of Pulp Live World. She is also recognized as one of the key figures who helped introduce modern K-pop concerts and the rise of Hallyu culture in the Philippines.