It’s only right that when visiting a new country, you do your research before arriving. Usually, this means working out the sights, searching for the best restaurants and generally figuring out the whole situation with currency.
However, you may also want to uncover what’s going on in terms of popular culture. Who’s topping the charts? What are the most watched TV shows? It all gives you a bigger picture of the country or city you’re visiting.
In Manila, that is most certainly the case. The TV and music worlds are thriving with so much going on. So if you want a taste of the action, here’s where to begin.
TV in Manila
If you’re currently wanting to watch Filipino TV outside of the country, that can obviously be a little difficult for starters. However, there are ways around it. Firstly, downloading a VPN is probably the best option. What they do is virtually make you anonymous, meaning you’ll be able to watch TV shows online via sites where you’d usually be geoblocked.
There are plenty out there and before even looking for Manila’s favourite shows, it’s worth looking out for the best free VPN networks to help you connect.
If you’ve managed that, then there are plenty of great shows to enjoy. Of course, they’ll be spoken in Filipino, but English subtitles will likely be available.
One of the more popular shows is Encantadia, a fantasy show that has a similar vibe to Game of Thrones. It has been running since 2005 and has spawned video games, plenty of merchandise, and even a movie.
There are four seasons to get through, as well as the film; and it’s well worth a go if you’re looking for a high-budget drama and Manila’s best loved TV shows.
On top of that, Darna is a fantastic Marvel-like TV show which follows a regular girl who turns into a superhero to fight crime. During its run, it was regularly one of the highest watched shows and earned high praise. There are 170 episodes to get through, but they really are great fun.
Music in Manila
You’ll find that much of the music in the Philippines is the same songs that are topping charts at home. The likes of Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and P!NK are all very popular while IV of Spades is most certainly the Filipino band of the moment.
They’ve been around since 2014 and are widely known for their 70s style. They’re much like an indie band cut from the same cloth as Coldplay, with their hit Mundo currently high in the charts.
Big Bang is also a popular band in the Philippines, hailing from South Korea and representing the K-pop genre. They’ve had huge success down the years and are actually the biggest-selling boy band of all time.
