Could they be the next hottest Pinoy all-boy-group?

At a time when most Filipinos find themselves enamored with K-pop boy groups, a refreshing local boy group is taking center stage on Philippine noontime television.

The Chaleco Boys, consisting of Sparkle artists Michael Sager, Yasser Marta, Kokoy de Santos, and content creator Kimpoy Feliciano, are gradually establishing themselves as the freshest noontime heartthrobs.

They are achieving this effortlessly, stealing the spotlight on television and capturing the hearts of Filipino fans.

Get to know more about them as FreebieMNL takes a closer look at their showbiz beginnings and their previous projects.

Michael Sager 

Michael Sager, an artist originally based in Vancouver, Canada, followed his heart’s calling and returned to the Philippines to pursue a career in show business.

He was launched as part of Sparkle’s Sparkada, a group of up-and-coming artists handpicked by respected starbuilder Johnny “Mr. M” Manahan in 2022.

Now, he is known as a talented performer who has graced GMA-7’s weekend variety show, “All-Out Sundays.” 

Venturing into acting, he took on the major role of Sean Owen Ferell in the primetime drama series “Luv Is: Caught in His Arms,” topbilled by Sofia Pablo and Allen Ansay.

Reflecting on this opportunity, the 20-year-old actor shared that portraying Owen’s character in his first drama series was fulfilling, as he also felt a connection with Owen’s characteristics.

“Owen is a very well-put guy. Siya yung only good boy sa magkakapatid. Masaya ako kasi I love being happy. I love being nice to people, and being given the chance to portray Owen is just so nice.

“Marami rin kaming similarities. Siguro sa creative side, mahilig siya sa songs, mag-drawing, and stuff. He knows how to swim,” he revealed in a Q&A vlog on his YouTube channel.

Aside from acting, the Kapuso star is also pursuing a degree in Business Management at Southville International School affiliated with Foreign Universities (SISFU).

Michael is also a TikTok powerhouse, boasting an impressive 1.3 million followers and 19.4 million likes as of this writing.

Michael, who is also seen in the afternoon series “Abot-Kamay Na Pangarap,” is set to headline an installment of the upcoming teen-oriented drama anthology, “Sparkle U,” which features homegrown talents of Sparkle.

He is also rumored to headline the Philippine adaptation of the Korean drama series “Shining Inheritance” with Kyline Alcantara and Kate Valdez. However, GMA-7 has yet to confirm the report.

READ ALSO: Is Kyline Alcantara Parting Ways From Love Team With Mavy Legaspi?

Yasser Marta

Yasser Marta, who is half-Portuguese, began his foray into the entertainment industry after being discovered at a shopping mall.

He had been out for a stroll with his mother when a casting director approached him and asked if he wanted to appear in a commercial. He later joined the band Filio and appeared on the show “Walang Tulugan.”

Things took off when he entered the singing competition titled “Spogify,” which was a segment of “Eat Bulaga!” He reached the finals and became more visible on Philippine TV.

Yasser later signed with GMA Artist Center (now Sparkle) and became a member of the Kapuso boy band One Up.

He tried his hand at acting by playing supporting roles in a number of different Kapuso programs. He then received meatier roles in shows such as “Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit,” in which he co-starred with Kyline Alcantara and Nora Aunor, “My Fantastic Pag-ibig: Fairy Tail Romance” and episodes “Regal Studio Presents.”

The Kapuso actor-singer also appeared as Maine Mendoza’s love interest in the sitcom “Daddy’s Gurl.”

In an interview with The Philippine Star, Yasser considered his biggest achievement in the entertainment industry when he played Lucas in the romantic drama “What We Could Be.”

In the show, his character was involved in a love triangle with Miguel Tanfelix and Ysabel Ortega, who played Franco and Cynthia, respectively.

Kokoy de Santos

Kokoy De Santos began his career as a commercial model at a young age after being named the winner of the Little Earth Angels national pageant. His first TV appearances were “Dyosa” and “Maalaala Mo Kaya” on ABS-CBN and “Futbolilits” on GMA 7.

Following a string of minor roles in films and TV shows, Kokoy was cast in the 2014 film “Tumbang Preso” and pursued an audition for “Pinoy Boyband Superstar” in 2016.

His acting career took off after the release of the movie “F***bois,” which was an official entry to the 2019 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the showbiz industry went on hiatus in terms of shooting projects, Kokoy became a household name as one of the lead stars of the hit web BL (boys love) series “Gameboys,” in which he portrayed the character Gavreel Alarcon. He was paired with Elijah Canlas‘ character, Cairo Lazaro.

The success of “Gameboys,” which was nominated for the International Emmy Award in 2021, led to Kokoy’s participation in a wide variety of other projects.

READ ALSO: First Filipino-Made BL Series “Gameboys” Makes Its Way To Netflix

Since then, he has given significant roles, such as portraying the role of young Patrick in the prequel “Pepito Manaloto: Ang Unang Kuwento,” becoming a member of the long-running comedy program “Bubble Gang,” as well as participating in the Philippine adaptation of the popular Korean reality game show “Running Man.”

In 2022, he signed a talent management contract with GMA’s Sparkle.

Kimpoy Feliciano

At the age of 15, Kimpoy Feliciano moved to New Zealand with his family. However, he discovered a new path through social media, connecting with his Filipino roots and becoming a popular online content creator.

He has amassed a huge following on various social media platforms including YouTube with 1.62 million subscribers and 150,983,604 views.

After earning a degree in Business Management with a focus on Tourism and Events Management, Kimpoy returned to the Philippines. He embraced a career in entertainment and recorded his self-titled album.

He appeared on GMA-7 programs like “With A Smile,” “Inday Will Always Love You,” “Barangay 143,” and “TODA One I Love.”

Despite his digital success, Kimpoy’s dream was to be a noontime show host. In order to pursue this ambition, he tried out for Eat Bulaga’s “Bida Next” in October of 2022.

He remains to be one of the most-followed heartthrobs on social media.

READ ALSO: Comedians, “Eat Bulaga!” Hosts Glam Up For The GMA Gala 2023 Red Carpet

Banner Art Paulo Correa

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