MANILA — She’s one of the most successful and influential pop stars in South Korea, yet BoA is still reluctant to be called the “Queen of K-pop,” arguing that there’s much progress to be made before she considers herself deserving of the title.

“That’s a huge [title],” BoA, who was smiling shyly, said at a press conference at the Araneta Coliseum, ahead of her performance for the “Be You 2” advocacy concert last December 9.

“I think I have a long way to go to be an actual queen of K-pop,” she added.

The singer, born Kwon Bo-ah, was only 13 when she debuted with the album “ID; Peace B” on August 25, 2000.

BoA has been recognized as the first South Korean artist to break into the Japanese music scene, a feat that allowed other acts from her home country to gain popularity in the neighboring nation in the same decade.

In 2009, BoA became the first Korean artist to land on the Billboard 200, which ranks the most popular albums and extended plays in the United States.

She has also served as a judge and host on popular talent competitions like “K-pop Star” and “Produce 101,” and ventured into acting.

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“I just have a long career and I really appreciate that I can continue my career. As I’ve said, there’s a long way to go,” said the 36-year-old singer, who released the extended play “Forgive Me” last November.

Her advice to aspiring performers? “Just enjoy what you’re doing,” she said. “As a performer, your vibe will connect with your fans, so the most [important] thing is to give your power to the audience.”

And that’s exactly what BoA did during “Be You 2,” which marked her first time to perform in the Philippines. She headlined the event, held back-to-back in Cebu and Manila, with labelmates TVXQ and EXO members Chen and Xiumin.

“I was pretty shocked that I’ve never been to the Philippines… We had a performance at Cebu and the crowd was so crazy and gave us so much love and support,” BoA said.

“If there’s more opportunities to come to visit here more often, I can’t wait,” she added.

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