Looking back at some of the most talked about pop culture moments from the year that was
There’s no denying that 2023 was one hell of a ride. Although we’ve just started another year, let’s pause, rewind and turn back time to look at some of the most iconic pop culture moments from the year that was.
Barbenheimer
Last July, we witnessed an epic cinematic cultural phenomenon with Barbenheimer. The simultaneous premiere of Barbie and Oppenheimer led to people flocking into movie theatres to watch both movies in matching pink and black outfits. Cinema is indeed back, people!
Barbenheimer. 2023 ✍#Barbie #Oppenheimer pic.twitter.com/aeKpxE1qH9
— JustRalphy (@JustRalphyyy) July 3, 2023
Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar
Michelle Yeoh made history as the first Asian to win an Oscar for Best Actress at the 95th Academy Awards for her role as Evelyn Quan Wang in the film Everything Everywhere All at Once. In her acceptance speech, she shared, “This is proof—dream big—and dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up.”
Michelle Yeoh accepts her #Oscar for Best Actress: “For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof that dreams do come true.” https://t.co/ndiKiHfmID pic.twitter.com/pQN8nHDhCx
— Variety (@Variety) March 13, 2023
Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance
Rihanna returned to the stage at the Super Bowl LVII, with the halftime show being her first live performance after some time. Her Super Bowl appearance also came with another surprise—she was expecting a second child! Truly, Rihanna is the queen of surprises.
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The Eras and Renaissance Tours
2023 also marked the start of Taylor Swift’s Eras and Beyoncé’s Renaissance, their respective record-breaking tours. In the Eras Tour, Taylor took us on a journey, performing some of her most iconic songs across different eras.
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Meanwhile, in Renaissance, Beyoncé paid tribute to the black and queer community, all while slaying in striking silver ‘fits. Whether you got to watch these concerts live or in the cinema, one thing’s for sure—it’s an experience one won’t ever forget!
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The rise of Taylor Sheesh
Speaking of the Eras Tour, while Taylor Swift herself won’t be having a stop here in the Philippines, Filipino fans made sure to have their own Eras concert headlined by drag queen Taylor Sheesh. Filipino call-center-worker-turned-drag-star John Mac Lane Coronel, also known as Taylor Sheesh, performed Swift’s songs—complete with her iconic outfits and energy—for thousands of Filipinos across different cities. In no time, Taylor Sheesh rose to fame not just in the Philippines but also worldwide.
@heymacyou The Eras Tour concert film (Taylor Sheesh’s Version) ✨ Videos: U.P. Town Center Ayala Malls Vertical View Studio The Outlets at Lipa AL SERVO Yzelle Espinosa @Taylor Swift @Taylor Nation ♬ original sound – Taylor Sheesh – Mac (Taylor Sheesh)
The lato-lato craze
Who can ever forget the sound of lato-lato? For some time in 2023, Filipinos were obsessed with this iconic toy. Most of us probably experienced whacking the two balls for fun or as a challenge. While it has come and gone, the lato-lato craze will definitely be remembered.
NOW: Lato Lato competition at the Tourism office in Cainta Rizal. | via @ZyannAmbrosio pic.twitter.com/hMvH3lKbvq
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) June 9, 2023
Asia Artist Awards in the Philippines
The Philippines hosted its first Asia Artist Awards (AAA) last December, which was attended by well-loved South Korean and Filipino artists alike. Some of the South Korean artists that attended included Kang Daniel, ITZY, LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, Stray Kids, ZEROBASEONE, THE BOYZ, SEVENTEEN’S BSS, Kim Seon ho and Lee Jun Hyuk. Of course, we had our very own artists as well, such as Ben&Ben, Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla and Melai Cantiveros-Francisco (who, by the way, made us all smile and laugh with her iconic speech).
MELAI CANTIVEROS ACCEPTANCE SPEECH HAHAHAHAHA SHE IS JUST EFFORTLESSLY FUNNY I CANT STOP LAUGHING DESERVE MS MAAM#AAA2023inPH #AAA2023 #AsiaArtistAwards2023 pic.twitter.com/qYjLbnajBW
— fats / FREE PALESTINE (@adiposeradeena) December 14, 2023
Metro Manila Film Festival’s 2023 lineup
The 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) featured 10 films—namely, Rewind, Firefly, Mallari, Gomburza, (K)Ampon, Becky & Badette, Broken Heart’s Trip, When I Met You in Tokyo, Family of Two and Penduko—that movie-goers flocked into the cinemas to watch. Many Filipinos called it MMFF’s best line-up of films in a while, thus showcasing Filipino talent in film.
now in its 49th year, the METRO MANILA FILM FESTIVAL features 10 films, instead of the typical 8, for the full-length category and will run from December 25th to January 7th, 2024.
⊹₊ ⋆ the entries for the MMFF 2023: a thread (ordered alphabetically) pic.twitter.com/HQ1TOvXK3z
— manic pixie dani girl (@denielemein) December 23, 2023
BLACKPINK’s Jennie establishes Oddatelier
While BLACKPINK members renewed their contracts with YG Entertainment, Jennie also started her solo career upon announcing her new label called OA or Odd Atelier. Exciting things are brewing for BLACKPINK, Jennie and OA!
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What other iconic pop culture moments from last year come to mind? Let us know in the comments!
Art Macky Arquilla
