UNIS’ Elisia Parmisano started as an actress as young as eight years old, and trained as a K-pop idol in South Korea since she was thirteen. As one of the Pinoy Pride standouts from SBS’s Universe Ticket, she explains how to balance between Philippines’ resilience and positivity and South Korea’s discipline and grit. 
“I think po, Filipinos, we’re automatically really dedicated sa work and we’re very loyal to our work and sa mga gusto natin. We’re also very courageous and very brave when it comes to taking risks. Even just auditioning for K-pop, like the risk of going to another country, I gathered all my Filipino courage and I flew there. Binuhos ko all of my Filipino dedication sa work ko, when it comes to training, memorizing songs and dances,” Elisia shared.
Bridging the gap between two distinct entertainment worlds requires talent and a deep cultural understanding. Elisia’s ability to navigate her career in English, Filipino, and Korean allows her to connect authentically with a global audience. This trilingual fluency serves as her primary tool for storytelling, ensuring that the Filipino heart remains on her.
“There is a certain charming point po when it comes to our friendliness and our pakikisama po sa tao in general. We would never go unnoticed, I think, when it comes to being in the entertainment scene in another country. In a good way, we’re a different breed, we’re always so happy, we’re always so bright. There’s a certain charming point po talaga.” Elisia added.
Beyond her rigorous training, Elisia’s performance style is deeply rooted in the local legends she grew up admiring. She recalls practicing facial expressions in the mirror, inspired by the screen presence of Marian Rivera and the vocal prowess of the Asia’s Songbird, Regine Velasquez. These influences, alongside the journey of her cousin, HORI7ON’s Marcus, have shaped her belief that performance is about a soulful connection rather than just hitting the right notes.
“Siyempre Filipino tayo, we’re always singing. Whenever I sing in karaoke, my family would always say, you sing with feelings, you sing with your heart, not just with your voice. You put yourself into the song, so when it comes to the recording of songs, or interpreting the meaning or the message of the songs, tina-try ko po talaga to give my all.”
While Elisia is a standout individual talent, her primary passion remains the synergy and growth of UNIS. Her dedication to the group’s collective identity is evident in how she approaches every promotion. Having recently explored Korean production during the group’s SWICY era, she sees every new opportunity as a way to elevate the UNIS name globally.
“I was given an opportunity by my company during our promotions of SWICY, and it was actually similar sa Filipino acting, because everyone’s so nice on set… It was really fun, and parang nafeel ko talaga na I was in a Kdrama, so it was such a memorable moment for me. Siyempre in the future if merong opportunities, I would be super glad to take those opportunities.”
As for her next steps in the local scene, she keeps a promising note for her dedicated fanbase: “I will say that the Ever Afters are looking forward to what we have in store for them.”
